Rachel Adeline George

Rachel Adeline George was born about 1843, in Izard County, Arkansas, the daughter of James Sevier George and Margaret J. Stewart.  She was called "Addie".

Addie appears on the 1850 and 1860 Izard County census with her family.  

John William "Bill" Dark was born about 1835, in Arkansas.   His mother was Delila "Dilly", who was born about 1817.   We are unsure if she was Delila Dark, who gave birth to William out of wedlock, or if she was married to a Dark.   We have been unable to find the Dark family in 1840.   

Dilly and Bill Dark appear on the 1850 Pulaski County, Arkansas census, living in the City Hotel on Main Street in the City of Little Rock.   The census shows James H. Hutchings, 33, clerk, $100 real property, b. NC; Dilly Dark, 33, b. unknown, and William Dark, 15, b. AR.   Dilly lived with James Hutchings (Hutchins) for several years. 

We found information that in late 1857 Bill Dark was employed as a printer in Little Rock.   He was accused of murdering Hardy Foster.  We found no details of the murder.  Bill Dark's legal counsel consisted of four leading Little Rock attorneys, including future governor Henry Massie Rector.  In early 1858, Bill's legal counsel successfully petitioned for a change of venue to neighboring Saline County on the grounds that the citizens of Pulaski County were prejudiced against Dark and that he could not receive a fair trial.  In October 1858, Dark was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to five years in the state penitentiary in Little Rock. 

   The 1860 Pulaski County census shows J. W. Dark, 23, b. AR, an inmate in the State Penitentiary, sentenced for murder.  Bill's mother was still living with James Hutchings (Hutchins) in the City of Little Rock.  The census shows James A. Hutchings, 44, clerk, $2000 real property, $2300 personal property, b. NC and Delia Dark, 46, b. TN.

  Bill Dark was released from prison in 1861 on the condition that he serve in the Confederate Army.  He enlisted for twelve months as a private in Company F, ("Pulaski Rangers") First Arkansas Mounted Rifles.  After his year of service, Dark left the regular army and joined with an irregular band led by Missouri Confederate John Trousdale Coffee.  By that time, many regular Confederate units in the state had been ordered east of the Mississippi River, leaving Arkansas vulnerable to the Union advance from Missouri.  In an attempt to halt that advance, Confederate General Thomas C. Hindman, used guerrilla bands such as Colonel Coffee’s in a "slash and burn" policy to destroy assets that might fall into enemy hands. 

About 1862, Addie met and married John William "Bill" Dark, probably in Izard County.   Oral record relates the couple settled near Timbo, in Stone County after their marriage.

 From June 1862 to January 1863, Bill served as captain of Company A, Coffee’s Recruits, a guerrilla band that attempted to thwart Federal advances in northern Arkansas, as well as to conscript state troops.  Dark soon gained the reputation as a cruel and ruthless plunderer who robbed and terrorized the citizens of Searcy, Izard, Van Buren, Marion and Baxter counties.  He was accused of murder, theft, plunder and torture.  Dark was a Confederate bushwhacker who implemented the slash-and-burn orders of General Hindman.  Over the course of 1862, the Civil War in Arkansas disintegrated into a nasty and bloody guerrilla war. 

Bill Dark was killed January 28, 1863, just months before the birth of his son.  The story is told that he was shot to death by Jim Berry, a seventeen-year-old member of a Unionist-sympathizing home guard in Van Buren County.  Stories vary on the location of Dark's grave.  A few believe his body was taken back to Timbo and buried but the most popular tradition relates that his body was buried face down in an unmarked grave under a walnut tree at Kenner Slough on the Red River in Van Buren County, near where he was shot.

Addie is said to have fled the area after Bill's death, and crossed the Arkansas River at Van Buren, Arkansas and probably gone into the Indian Territory, with her small son.  We have no documentation on this, however, and personally doubt that she traveled that great distance alone with her infant son during the height of the Civil War.

Addie appears on the 1870 Independence County, Arkansas, census in Batesville Township, living with the William Akin family.  Addie is listed as 24 years old and her son, William J. B., age 6, is listed with her.

Addie appears on the 1880 Stone County, Arkansas, census in Sylamore Township, living with her parents. She is shown to be 35 and a widow. With her is her 16 year old son, William.

Addie married Benjamin Dock Hugh Martin on October 17, 1881, in Stone County.  Dock Martin was born May 1858, in Searcy County, Arkansas.  He was the son of George Washington Martin and Abigail Anderson. 

George Washington Martin was born August 15, 1826, in Wayne County, Tennessee and died March 2, 1898, at Newnata, in Stone County, Arkansas.   Abigail Anderson was born November 19, 1824, in Wayne County and died June 10, 1895, at Newnata.  Abigail was the daughter of James B. Anderson (b. 1792, VA; d. 1875, Izard Co, AR) and Mary Cypert (b. 1792, NC; d. 1879, Stone Co, AR).   George and Abigail's children included: (1) Lousanna Louvisa Talitha Martin, b. 1846, TN; m. William Gower, (2) James William Martin, b. 1848, TN, (3) Charity Emeline Martin, b. 1849, TN; m. Robert Hood, (4) John Martin, b. 1851; m. Sarah Ann Kerley, (5) Lucinda Martin, b. 1854, TN; m. George W. Sullivan, (6) Ervin Wayne Martin, b. 1856, AR; m. Disa Ann Branscum, (7) Benjamin Dock Hugh Martin, b. 1858; m. Rachel Adeline George, (8) Jefferson Davis Martin, b. 1861, AR; m. Manerva Josephine Branscum, and (9) Josiah Martin, b. 1866, AR; m. Nancy Luella Vines.   (Note: The 1870 Izard County census lists a son, James, age 2 years.  We believe this was their son James who was born in 1848 and would have been 22 years old in 1870.)

Records show that Hugh Martin married Sarah C. Hodge on October 16, 1877, in Stone County.  Sarah Hodge was born about 1857.  At this time, we are unsure if this was our Dock Hugh Martin.  The 1880 Stone County census shows Dock living with the James Brown family in Locust Grove Township.  Dock was listed as single on the census.   

Addie was listed in the letter of administration after her father's death in 1887.

The 1900 Stone County census, Sylamore Township, shows Dock Martin, 40, born May 1860, in Arkansas, father and mother born in Tennessee, married 20 years, a farmer who owned his farm; Rachel A., wife, 45, born November 1854, in Arkansas, father and mother born in Tennessee, married 20 years, had given birth to 4 children, 3 children still living; Robert C., son, 16, born April 1884, in Arkansas, a farm laborer; Molly M., daughter, 14, born March 1886, in Arkansas, and James W., son, 8, born December 1891, in Arkansas.

The 1910 Stone County census, Sylamore Township, shows Doc H. Martin, 52, married 25 years, a farmer who owned his farm; Rachel, wife, 60, married 2 times, had given birth to 5 children, 3 children were still living, and James W., son, 18, a farm laborer. Living next door was son, Robert C. Martin, 25, married 7 years, a farmer who rented his farm; Effie, wife, 23, born in Arkansas, had given birth to 3 children; Ina, daughter, 5; Tina, daughter, 4, and Owen, son, 2 years old.

The 1920 Stone County census, Sylamore Township, shows Dock Martin, 59, owned is farm free from mortgage, and Adeline, wife, 72 years old.

Addie died February 8, 1928, in Stone County, and is buried in Big Spring Cemetery, located between Timbo and Newnata, in Stone County.  Hugh died there on March 30, 1929, and is buried beside Addie in Big Spring Cemetery.

Child of Bill Dark and Addie George

Children of Dock Martin and Addie George