Person:William Holt (32)

From the Pumphrey Pedigreee by Larry N. Pumphrey. Gateway Press. 2003. page 376-377

Lewis [Pumphrey] sold his Rutherford county property in December of 1836 [see footnote 1] and apparently leased land for 2 or 3 years. In 1839 he and the Holts moved from Tennesee to the Ozark region of Arkansas and Missouri along the north fork of the White River. This time instead of straddling a county line, they now straddled a state line! Even though their properties were only about 10 miles apart they were in different states. Lewis settled in Fulton Co., Arkansas and his eldes son along with the Holts settled in Ozark Co., Missouri. That is where they were listed in the 1840 census [see footnote 2]. According to S. C. Turnbo, an early writer of Ozark History [see footnote 3], "In the years of 1838 and 1839 three brothers, William, James, and Herrod Holt with their families moved from Tennessee to Ozark County, Missouri and settled on Little North Fork. Near the same time Lewis Pumphrey and his wife and three sons, William, Frank, and Thomps, came from Tennessee and settled on Bennett's Bayou. The Holts and Pumphreys were relatives and as they passed to and fro they beat out a trail that led to the south foot of Bald Jess. This was the first White man's path made in this vicinity."

footnote: 1. Rutherford Co., Tennesee Deeds, Book W, page 509. 2. Actually Lewis was listed in Izard Co., Arkansas; Fulton County didn't exist in 1840. It was formed from Izard county in 1842. Similarly the Holts were listed in Taney Co., Missouri as Ozark county wasn't formed from Taney county until 1841. 3. Fireside Stories of the Early Days in the Ozarks, Silas Claborn Turnbo, 1907.

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Brightwell, Hillary and Lynn Morrow. "Nancy Elizabeth Holt" by Hillary Brightwell and Lynn Morrow. (White River Valley Hist. Quarterly vol 31, # 3, Spring 1992).
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Taney County, Missouri Cemeteries, Volume 2.
3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Turnbo, Silas Claborn. Fireside Stories of the Early Days in the Ozarks. 1907.
4. ↑ Pumphrey, Larry N. Pumphrey Pedigree. Gateway Press . 2003.
5. ↑ Federal Census, Taney County, Missouri.
6.   United States. 1850 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432).

   1850 United States Federal Census
   Name: William Holt
   Age: 50
   Birth Year: abt 1800
   Birthplace: Virginia
   Home in 1850: Marion, Arkansas, USA
   Race: White
   Gender: Male
   Family Number: 142
   Household Members:
   Name Age
   William Holt 50
   Mary Holt 48
   Richard Holt 18
   Elizabeth Holt 15
   William Holt 12
   Lewis Pomfrey 12
   William Pomfrey 9
   James H Pomfrey 9
   Joseph Pomfrey 6
   Sarah L Pomfrey 4
   Mary Ann Pomfrey 1

7. ↑ Find A Grave.

   William H "Uncle Billy" Holt
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   Birth: Nov. 23, 1799
   Henry County
   Virginia, USA
   Death: Nov. 21, 1860
   Marion County
   Arkansas, USA
   
   WM. HOLT AND FAMILY AND THE HOLT FARM
   By S. C. Turnbo
   
   On the left bank of White River just above the mouth of Shoal Creek and over the line in Boone County, Ark. is where Billy Holt lived from 1848 until his death the 21st of November 1860. Mr. Holt was a farmer and stock raiser and raised an abundance of corn and always extended a helping hand to the needy that made an effort to aid themselves. He had a set price for his corn. It made no difference with him whether corn was scarce or plentiful. He sold it for 50 cts per bushel, no more nor no less, he said that corn was worth that to raise it. When the parching draught occurred in 1854 corn crops were cut off very short. Many settlers experienced great difficulty in securing enough corn for bread. Some could not get it at all and had do without bread until another crop was grown. Farmers and others were not compelled to buy feed for their plow horses during the crop season of 1855 for they made a crop off of the grass. During that dry year Mr. Holt raised enough corn for his own use and some to spare to those that needed bread. He could have sold all his surplus corn at an extortionate price but he refused to do it. This noble man divided all the corn he had to spare among those without bread at his standing price 50 cts. per bushel. To show the generosity and christian like nature of this man we will relate one incident. One day in the early spring of 1855 a man by the name of Blair came to his house and informed him that his family was without bread and offered him a silver dollar for one bushel of corn. The old farmer and christian hearted man declined to accept it. Then Mr. Blair offered him $2 for a bushel. Mr. Holt replied that he did not have any two dollar per bushel corn in his crib. The man was astonished for he supposed by this that the old farmer had raised the price of his corn to $5 per bushel and if that was the case a bushel of corn was beyond his reach with the means he had and gave up in despair for he had a wife and some little children and he begged Holt to tell him how much money he ask for one bushel of corn. And Holt replied that he would sell him a few bushels at 50 cts per bushel. At this the man Blair was overcome with joy and wept like a child and tears flowed down his cheeks. Mr. Holt's wife's name was named Mary L. or Aunt Polly as she was called. Their children were Fielden, R. S. or Richard, William H., James D., Peggie, Nancy, Elizabeth, Matilda, Fannie, Sarah, and Mary Ann. Fannie married W. Z. Pumphrey and she died on Little North Fork and lies buried in the Jimmie Forest grave yard. Peggie was River Bill Cokers first wife. Matilda married Frank Pumphrey. Nancy Elizabeth married Wilshire Magness. Sarah never married. Mary Ann died in the latter part of 1861. R. S. or Richard married Mrs. Ellen Harris a widow lady a sister of Marion Wilmoth. William H. married Miss Katie Coker daughter of Herron Coker. I and James D. were mess mates together in the Confederate Army Co. A. 27th Arkansas Infantry. He taken sick in camp Mazzard near Van Buren Ark. in December 1862, and he with other sick was sent from Apadra Bluff to Little Rock on a steam boat, and he died in a hospital at Little Rock in the early part of the night of the 16th of January 1863. R. S. and William H. were gallant soldiers in the 14th Arkansas Infantry. The river bottom where Mr. Holt lived which is now owned by his son R. S. Holt was once a camping place for the red men. A few impliments of war and other Indian relics have been picked up on their damp ground. Among the former was a battle axe that the writer found one day after the freshet in White River in May 1898. The flood waters in the river exposed to view human skeletons and some peculiar ornaments and other things were found with the bones. Before Mr. Holt came here, Dave Jones lived here a while. Jones was preceded here by a man of the name of Cobb and Dan Rhodes lived here before Cobb did. But Mike Yocum was the first settler here which we refer to elsewhere.
   
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   Under the surname COKER in the book, "A History of Ozark County 1841-1991", pg. 281:
   
   William H. "Uncle Billy" HOLT b. 1799 VA; d. 21 Nov 1860 and is buried at the lower end of Jake Nave Bend in Marion County, AR. His grave was later moved to new Riddle Cemetery; son of Fielding HOLT & Fannie PARSLEY. William m. Mary L. STEVENS (b. 1802 TN). William & Mary came to Ozark County from TN in 1838-1839. They left Ozark County abt. 1849 and settled on White River in Marion County, AR.
   Children:
   (1) Margaret HOLT (1821 TN-1859) m. Thomas PUMPHREY in Ozark County.
   (2) Fielding H. HOLT (b. 19 Oct 1823 TN) m. Elizabeth HAMBLIN; m. Mrs. Mary A. (Orr) COKER. A daughter, Mary Matilda HOLT (b. 1849) m. Silas C. "Clabe" TURNBO.
   (3) Fannie E. HOLT (1827 TN-1846) m. William G. PUMPHREY in Ozark County in 1842.
   (4) Sophia HOLT(died infancy).
   (5) Richard S. HOLT (b. 25 Mar 1832 TN) m. Mrs. Ellen HARRIS.
   (6) Matilda C. HOLT (b. 1833 TN) m. Franklin PUMPHREY.
   (7) Nancy Elizabeth HOLT (b. 27 Jul 1836 TN) m. Wilshire MAGNESS; m. Thomas TERRY (1824-1863); m. Patrick Henry CLARK in Ozark County and had five children.
   (8) William H. HOLT (b. 1838) m. Catherina A. COKER.
   (9) James D. HOLT (b. 1841 Ozark County).
   (10) Joseph T. HOLT (b. 1844 Ozark County).
   (11) Sarah L. HOLT (b. 1846 Ozark County).
   (12) Mary Ann HOLT (b. 1849 Marion County, AR).
   (13) Infant Male HOLT (died infancy).
   
   ==================
   
   
   Family links:
   Parents:
   Fielding Holt (1767 - 1860)
   
   Spouse:
   Mary L Stevens Holt (1802 - 1882)
   
   Children:
   Fielding Herod Holt (1826 - 1868)*
   Nancy Elizabeth Holt Magness Terry Clark (1836 - 1907)*
   
   Siblings:
   William H Holt (1799 - 1860)
   Joseph Parsley Holt (1805 - 1891)*
   James D Holt (1812 - 1873)*
   
   *Calculated relationship
   
   Inscription:
   Born in Henry Co, VA; S/O Fielding & Fannie Parsley Holt; 1806 to Cannon Co, TN, 1820 Married, 1840 Ozark Co, MO, 1849 Boone Co, Ark (Mary born in Tenn)
   
   Note: S/S Mary L Stevens "Aunt Polly" Holt
   
   Burial:
   Riddle Cemetery
   Marion County
   Arkansas, USA
   Plot: Row 7 from East
   
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   Maintained by: PSprinkles
   Originally Created by: WRVHS
   Record added: Sep 24, 2007
   Find A Grave Memorial# 21749549

8.   Hanks, Patrick (editor). Dictionary of American family names. (New York, New York: Oxford University Press, 2003).

   Holt Name Meaning
   English, North German, Danish, and Norwegian: topographic name for someone who lived in or by a small wood, Middle English, Middle Low German, Danish, Norwegian holt, or a habitational name from one of the very many places named with this word. In England the surname is widely distributed, but rather more common in Lancashire than elsewhere. Shortened form of Dutch van Holt, a habitational name from places named Holt (see 1).
   
   Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press