Bertha Martha Belle Horton

Bertha Martha Belle Horton was born March 28, 1908, in Pope County, Arkansas, the daughter of Will Horton and Effie Harmon.

Belle married Roy Maddox Carruthers on November 24, 1948, in Conway County, Arkansas. Roy Carruthers was born December 26, 1898, at Hattieville, Conway County, Arkansas, the son of Robert C. Crouthers and Emma H. Maddox. Roy and his brother, Dr. Harl C. "Doc" Carruthers changed the spelling of their name from Crouthers to Carruthers.

Roy married Susie Holt on April 16, 1922, in Conway County. Susie Holt was born about 1903, in Arkansas, the daughter of Miles Holt and Sarah E. Stoakes. Miles Holt, born about 1846, in Georgia and Sarah Stoakes, born about 1863, in Arkansas married September 16, 1883 in Conway County.

 Roy and Susie had two children, Jack Carruthers, born about 1924 and Betty J. Carruthers, born about 1926 in Conway County. Their marriage ended in divorce around 1930.

 The 1930 Conway County census, Welborn Township, Clifton Street, Ward 2 of the City of Morrilton, shows Harl C. Crouthers, rented home for $20 per month, 28, single, a dentist; Roy M., brother, 30, divorced, a taxi driver; and Emma H., mother, 66, widowed. Living on South Oil Mill Street in Ward 3 of the City of Morrilton, was Sara E. Holt, 67, a widow; Grover Co, son, 41, a carpenter; Sara M., daughter, 26; and Jack H. Carruthers, grandson, 6; and Betty J. Carruthers, granddaughter, 4 years old. Jack and Betty were Roy's children.

The 1930 Conway County census shows 22 year old Belle Horton living at home with her parents and siblings in Lick Mountain Township. Belle was a farm laborer at that time as were most of her siblings.

For a number of years during the mid 1930's, Roy was owner and operator of Blue Mountain Dairy at Morrilton. Belle worked at the dairy, as did some of her sisters and her brother, at various times. After their marriage, they lived in the old Crouthers house located on Will Street in Morrilton, in Conway County, for a number of years. The dairy had been at that same location, and the barn and milk house stood until the early 1960's.

About 1955, Roy bought land at Kenwood, in Conway County. He also bought an old church building and remodeled it into a nice house, where he and Belle lived until their deaths. Roy bought farm land and became a prosperous farmer in the Kenwood and Atkins bottoms. After being injured in a farm accident, Roy had to retire from farming. He and Belle then spent much of their time traveling. Although Roy had two grown children from a previous marriage, he and Belle had no children.

Roy died January 27, 1973, and is buried in Elmwood Cemetery at Morrilton. Belle died May 13, 1983, and is buried beside Roy in Elmwood Cemetery.