Date Original
1906
Description
This reminiscence written by Peter E. Greene recounts some of the early history of Clark County, Arkansas. Peter reminiscences about his childhood in Clark County, Arkansas, the removal of the county seat from Greenville to Blakelytown, renamed Arkadelphia in 1842, local business, school teachers, and some of the first settlers in Clark County.
Biographical/Historical Note
Peter E. Greene was born in 1828 in Brunswick County, Virginia, to Myal and Nancy Jackson Greene. He and his family moved to Tennessee in 1831, then in 1839 moved to Clark County, Arkansas. At the age of eighteen Greene started a mercantile business, but shortly thereafter traveled to California in March1849 where he operated a ferry and later a farm near Stockton. In March 1853, he went to Australia in search of gold, but when he had no luck he left for Peru in February 1854. After a brief stay he returned to Arkadelphia, Clark County where he settled permanently in August 1854.In 1858, Greene started a pharmaceutical business that operated until 1867. From 1867-1873 he ran a mercantile business before buying a spring in 1872 near Hot Springs. The spring was first called Lockett's Spring Water before Greene changed the name to Mountain Valley Spring Water. He opened a hotel near the spring and ran a health resort for several years before selling it in 1882. In 1884, he returned to the pharmaceutical business. Greene served during the Civil War, enlisting as a Senior First Lieutenant on July 15, 1861, in Wiggins' Battery, Arkansas Light Artillery. He was honorably discharged in January 1862. On January 24, 1866, he married Mariah Virginia Scott, daughter of James D. and Priscilla Dickinson Scott and sister of Laura Winfield Scott Butler. They had one adopted daughter, Jessie. Greene died on December 26, 1909.
Physical Description
Document, 8.5" x 11"
Geographical Area
Arkansas; California; Tennessee; Virginia
Language
English
Identifier
SMC.008.012
Resource Type
Text
Collection
Peter E. Greene reminiscence, SMC.008.012
Publisher
Arkansas State Archives
Contributing Entity
Arkansas State Archives
Recommended Citation
Peter E. Greene reminiscence, Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Rights
Use and reproduction of images held by the Arkansas State Archives without prior written permission is prohibited. For information on reproducing images held by the Arkansas State Archives, please call 501-682-6900 or email at state.archives@arkansas.gov.
Disciplines
United States History
