(formerly Arkansaw), a Southwestern State between lat. 33° and 36° 30′ N., and long.
89° 40′ and 94° 42′ W. from
Greenwich.
The State of
Missouri bounds it on the north, and the
Mississippi River and a small part of the southeast corner of the
State of Missouri on the east,
Louisiana on the south, and
[
276]
the
Indian Territory mostly on the west.
It contains seventy-five counties; area, 53,045 square miles.
Population, 1890, 1,128,179; 1900, 1,311,564.
Capital,
Little Rock.
This State probably visited by
De Soto......1541
La Salle passes down the
Mississippi to its mouth......1682
Louis XV.
of
France grants to John Law, originator of the “
Mississippi scheme,” a tract of land in the
Arkansas River (Law, however, neglects it)......1720
Transfer by
France to
Spain of
Louisiana includes the present
State of Arkansas......Nov. 3, 1762
First settlement at
Arkansas Post......1785
Spain cedes
Louisiana to
France by treaty of Ildefonso......1800
Province of
Louisiana ceded by
France to the
United States, who pay $11,250,000 and assume the “French spoliation claims” ......1803
Missouri Territory established, including
Arkansas and all north of the
State of Louisiana and west of the
Mississippi......1812
Arkansas Territory, including all north of the
State of Louisiana, and south of 36° 30′, and west from the
Mississippi River to the 100° meridian, formed......March 2, 1819
Arkansas gazette, first newspaper in the
Territory, published at
Little Rock,
William E. Woodruff, editor......Nov. 20, 1819
Western boundary fixed, reducing its area to the present limits of the
State......1828
Admitted into the
Union, the twenty-fifth State.
Population, 52,240......June 15, 1836
United States arsenal at
Little Rock seized by the
State authorities......Feb. 8, 1861
Arkansas convention meets about......March 1, 1861
Was visited by
William S. Oldham, of the Confederate Congress, and a commissioner from
Jefferson Davis; but voted against secession (vote, 39 to 35)......March 16, 1861
Arsenals seized at Napoleon and
Fort Smith......April 23-24, 1861
Act of secession adopted by the legislature—yeas, 69; nay, 1......May 6, 1861
[The negative vote was cast by
Dr. Isaac Murphy, afterwards (1864-68) governor.]
Battle of Pea Ridge between Union and Confederate forces. March 6-7, 1862
Union troops under
General Washburne occupy
Helena......July 11, 1862
Battle of Prairie Grove.
United States Gens. Francis J. Herron and
James G. Blunt; Confederate
Gen. Thomas C. Hindman.
Confederates retire during the night with a loss of 1,317.
Federal loss, 1,148......Dec. 7, 1862
Arkansas Post captured with 5,000 men by the United States forces under
McClernand,
Sherman, and
Admiral Porter......Jan. 11, 1863
Confederate
Gens. T. H. Holmes and
Sterling Price, with about 8,000 men, attempt to retake
Helena.
Gen. B. M. Prentiss, with about 4,000 men, repulses them with heavy loss......July 4, 1863
Union forces occupy
Little Rock......Sept. 10, 1863
Union State convention assembles to form a new constitution......Jan. 8, 1864
Dr. Isaac Murphy provisional governor; inaugurated......Jan. 22, 1864
Constitution ratified by vote of the people......March 14, 1864
[The legislature under this constitution is not recognized by Congress.]
Arkansas and
Mississippi formed into the 4th Military District under
Gen. Edward O. C. Ord.......1867
New constitution reported......Feb. 4, 1868
New constitution adopted and ratified......March 13, 1868
State readmitted to the
Union over
Johnson's veto......June 22, 1868
Military commander,
Gen. A. C. Gillem, turns over the
State to the civil authorities......June 22, 1868
Gen. Thomas C. Hindman assassinated at
Helena by an old soldier......1868
Powell Clayton elected governor......1868
Governor Clayton places ten counties under martial law......Nov. 9, 1868
Elisha Baxter nominated for governor by the Republican party, and Joseph Brooks by the Liberal Republican party......1872
Disturbance occasioned by frauds charged against both parties in the election continues throughout......1873-74
Convention called to revise the constitution meets......July 14, 1874
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277]
[The fifth convened in the
State, the other years being 1836, 1861, 1864, 1868.]
New constitution ratified by a majority of 53,890......Oct. 13, 1874
New constitution proclaimed......Oct. 30, 1874
[Governor's term reduced from four to two years. Office of lieutenant-governor abolished, president of the Senate substituted.]
Election frauds and outrages occur......1888
C. R. Breckinridge, Democrat, and
John M. Clayton, Republican, contest the 2d Congressional District......1888
John M. Clayton assassinated at Plummersville......Jan. 29, 1889
[He claimed to have been elected, and was collecting evidence to contest the election at this time.]
State
Treasurer Woodruff short in his accounts about $138,800......Jan. 13, 1891 Legislature passes Australian ballot law......1891
Law in relation to convicts radically amended......1893
Cotton-growers convention at
Little Rock......March 10, 1893
Ex-State
Treasurer Woodruff indicted Dec. 17, 1892; judgment in favor of State for $50,000......Feb. 8, 1894
[First trial, October, 1891, of exState
Treasurer William E. Woodruff, the jury disagree; the second trial, April, 1892, verdict, not guilty, the accused released.]
United States Senate confirms the
President's appointment of
Congressman C. R. Breckinridge to be minister to
Russia......July 20, 1894
Ex-Governor Elisha Baxter dies at
Batesville, Ark.......June 2, 1899
The anti-trust law declared unconstitutional......1900
California 
