Harper Family Cemetery Miller County Arkansas

Father, William H. HARPER, Born May 23, 1814, Died Nov. 14, 1873
Mother, Nancy P. Harper, Died Nov. 9, 1884, Aged 37 Years
(Mr. Harper was buried the year that Texarkana was founded so that makes he and his wife some of the oldest residents of this area.)

The above information was published in the
TEXARKANA USA QUARTERLY,
Volume XIX, No. 4, Winter, 1992,
along with this bit of history.

The original land grant was issued to NANCY P. HARPER, widow of WILLIAM H. HARPER by President Chester Arthur, Homesteading 100 acres at the location on which the graves are standing. Land grant issued a certificate of registration of the Land Office at Camden, Arkansas pursuant to the Act of congress approved 20th May 1862. Given at the city of Washington the Thirtieth day of August, in the year 1882. (This was two years prior to her death in 1884) Evidently the Harpers lived on the land since at least 1873. Also on the 11th day of June 1892, DAVID F. HARPER (either a near relative or son as the grave stones read Father and Mother) sold the land to a S. A. CARTER. A portion near what is now SANDERSON LANE was sold to a J. D. SANDERSON in 1904 and heirs continued to own until 1914.

On September 25, 2003 Betty and Bill Sharp stopped by this same open field that had recently been mowed. Under a tree was a large tombstone that we had noticed for many years but had not taken a picture of it. The gate was opened so we went over and took photos of it. From Texarkana, go east on I-30 then exit at Jefferson Avenue and turn left over I-30 to Trinity road then turn right and go for about 1 mile. After the curve in the road to the left, look to your right and beyond the gate, the stone will be leaning on its base beneath a large tree. If anyone knows more about this family please send it to the TEXARKANA USA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY, by mail, email or by message board at this web site.