Jones William Elms

THE Elms of the Summers Community

by Burlene Hilton, Lincoln, Ark.

In the last issue of FLASHBACK, you asked about the Elms family of' Washington County. An uncle of mine by marriage to Ada Beaty, Jones Thomas Elms and known to many as "Uncle Tommie" lived to be allnost 98 years of age" and had an alert mind until death. He gave me lots of interesting Fashington County history. Many times I sat in the company of Uncle Tommie and Uncle Bill Beaty and took notes as they talked.

Jones T. Elms and his wife Eveline E. Robertson, parents of Jones Thomas (Uncle Tommie) came to the Summers community in 1852. They had come £o Tennessee from Georgia. 1hen they had saved enough to buy an ox team, they started to Arkansas. They had one three-year-old mare which Eveline rode behind the wagon all the distance. Jones T. had a, sister Katy who probably came with them. She never married; was born 1824 and died 1906, and always lived near Jones T. Also, the mother of Eveline must have come, for J. T. remembered that she died when he was a small child and can remember going to the grave with his mother at the Beaty cemetery, near the pine trees. No marker was erected at her grave except a sandstone marker.

They first settled on what is now known as the Gibson farm for about four years, Here they made fence rails which they sold for food. During that time the mare bore two colts and these and a cow were traded to Benjamin Yeager for an acreage neat the pressntGandervill Cemetery, and has been in the Elms family ever since. Alfred Elms lives there at present and is a grandson of Jones T.

Six children were born to Jones W. and Eveline Elms: Jones T.(Tommie), John, Henderson, James (Jimmie), Altazara, and Mary. Several descendants of these still live in the Su llllers and Lincoln area. Mrs. C.I. Parks of Summers is a child of Jones T., and Alfred Elms is a son of Jones.

Jones W. had a brother, Dock Elms, who with his wife Tildy also lived, near Summers and must have come here at the same time. Their children were five: Lizzie, Martha, Tom, Will, and James.

Jonathan Elms came here in the early days but do not know if he was a brother to Jones T. or a cousin. Uncle Tommie called him "Uncle Jonathan", so he must have been a brother.

Nathan Elms was an early school teacher, having taught in the Summers community and on Beaty Hountain about 4 miles north of Lincolns, in the first school on the Alexander Beaty farm. His son, John G.Elm, married the oldest daughter of Alexander Beaty, Sarah Jane, on Oct. 31, 1854. She died the follovling year. In 1859 John G. Elms married Ruth Carter. John G., with another Elms boy and Frank Collins, were killed ruging the Civil by bushwhackers while walking through an orchard in the Gem community.

Other children of Jonathan Here Edward EJ.Jns who warried Lydia Newman. She must have died soon after, for the Washington County marriage records show that he married Rachel L. Newman in 1854. A daughter of Jonathan, Lydia, married William Power Feb. 12, 1856. Rebecca Elms married Oliver J. Elliot Mar.lO, 186Q,Jimmie Elms married a Jane Lawrence.

Thomas and Sally glms, who lived in Summerx Vallef, are believed to a;Lso be the children of Jonathan.

A cousin of Jones W,, E.O.Elms, born 1832 and died 1892, also came in the early days. His wife was called Rebecca. Their children were Henl7 and Sally. Sally marriedWalter Parker.

Jonathan Elms was also an early lawyer and practiced in the Justice of the Peace court where most criminal cases >

Henderson Elms, son of Jones V., was an early postmaster in Summers 1 in the year 1882.

A William Elms had a barber shop in 1904.

Jones W. Elms had a sister Altazara who married James Moore on June 8, 1858 by Rev. Thomas Leach. Their children were: Belle who married Ossie Moore, and Alice who married Henry Roberts and lived in the Sugar Hill community near Lincoln a great many years.

The west area of Summers, along the Ballard Creek, was the early home of all the Elms families and I feel sure the Summers co munity felt their heritage of many fine families who gave much to the growth of the community.