Northwest Court Square, the dwelling at right is the former American Legion
Building. In 1986 it was occupied by attorney Guy Wilkerson.
To all you readers, a beautiful Benton County good morning.
As youyou knowdidn't have anything in last week's paper. I put away my paper and pen, packed a suitcase, and headed for Cherokee, Ala., to spend a week with my sister-in-law, Jo Ann Melton.
I had read a piece that Mr. Jonathan K. Smith and Mr. Hughie Melton had written about Melton's Bluff in Ala. One day while I was there my Nephew Jonathan Melton and I went to Melton's Bluff, and the hundreds of acres that make up John Melton's Cotton Plantation. I saw where his house stood, drove all over the place, down Melton's Bluff Road, and finally just had to get out and walk some. I got a lot of information and will be going back to do more research.
Lots 37 along with Lots 13, 14, 36, 37, 62 and 63 were sold to Anderson Lashlee by the town commissioners on October 3, 1839. This can be found in Deed Book A, Pg. 175. On Lot 37, the Church of Christ was established around 1901. Around 1986 Dr. Lew W. Dougherty, Sr., DDS bought the church and moved his dentistry to this location. His son Dr. Lew W. Dougherty, Jr., DDS, practiced here until his retirement. On the same lot was Dinwiddie's Florist, owned by Mrs. Edith Dinwiddie.
I didn't find a history on Lot 63.
Lot 38 was sold July 30, 1838, to Thomas H. Burton, by the town commissioners along with Lots 17 and 35 for $107, as recorded in Deed Book A, Pg. 87. On April 16, 1838 in Deed Book A, Pg. 134, Thomas H. Burton sold Lots 17 and 38 to John L. Hagler for $350. Modern Dry Cleaners is now on Lot 38. Mr. and mrs. Noah Melton at one time lived on this lot and their house burned. Also in this area was an Esso Service Station, Lawson's Furniture, a pool room, Al Hudson ran a store, Johnson's Radiator (Slim), American Legion Building which it housed the Red Cross unit, and at one time the Health Department was in this building. Going on north was Camden Welding Company, Hargis Grocery, Grady Bain Grocery, and Henry Wright's Garage and Service Station. On the right of court square going north, Wayne L. Hall, Sr., owned a large two-story house just out of the boundary of the original Camden lots. By 1947 he had made it into three apartments. In 1960 Dr. Robert L. Horton bought the property and built "Horton's Clinic," In this old house I met my first love, when my aunt and uncle Att and Marie Warrick lived there. In 1948 we both went our separate ways. Then in 1960 Dr. Horton diagnosed my daughter with acute nephritis in his clinic. This property holds lots of memories for me. In July 1969 a deed was signed from the Horton's Clinic to Benton County. I was then made into the Benton County Nursing Home.
I couldn't find anything about Lot 64.
On Lot 66 or just past it outside the Camden boundary, Bartholomew H. Lightfoot had a home, cotton gin, and a grist mill. In 1865 he sold it to W.P. Morris.
Today, November of 2000, going north from square on right are Dr. Elliott Hill DDS, Benton County Health Department, on left is Modern Dry Cleaners, Guy Wilkersons Attorney at Law, and Stockdale-Malin Funeral Home.
Thought for the week: Love is the heart of obedience.
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