The Carlisle independent., 1918-07-25
HISTORY OF LoNokE COUNTY
Most Fertile Section of Arkansas Becomes County Through
 County Seat Contest.

county was sliced of and added [,
 the most fertile portion of Prairi,
 county, making this county the rich
 est and most fertile of the entir,
 state. This territory belonged to tn,
 original Louisiana purchase. .Arkau
 sas county was formed December 3l
 lSl3, and this embraced the entire
 territory out of which Lonoke county
 was formed, while on December 15
 ISIS, Pulaski county was formed ana
 on November 25, 1S46. Prairie coun-
 ty was designated Lonoke county
 was largely the result Of county
 seat quarrel in Prairie county. in
 which Lonoke secured the county
 seat of the new county, after Carlisle
 mad been selected as the new county
 seat of Prairie county The forma-
 tion of Lonoke county was approved April 16th. 1878. by act of the legislature.
 Commencing at the Southwest cor ner of Township Two South, Range Nine West: thence East 10 the center of the southern boundary line of Township Two South. Range Seven West; thence North to the center of the Southern boundary line of Town ship Three North, Range Seven West; thence East Of the Southeast corner of Township Three North, Nance So1-or1 the Northeast corner or said Town ship; thence West to the Northwest corner of said Township: thence North along the line dividing Ranges Seven and Eight to Cypress Bayou; thence West along the North bank of said bayou, with the meanderings thereof to the line dividing Ranges Ten and Eleven; thence due South along said line to the center of Town ship One North, Range Ten West; thence East to the line dividing Ranges Nine and Ten. thence due South along said line to the place of beginning. be and the same is hereby formed into separate and distinct county, to be called and known by the name of the County of Lonoke and that said county have. enjoy and | exercise all the rights and privileges Of separate county.
 On May 15, 1878, the organiza- ton of townships in the new county 1 by the County Commissioners. E. L. Beard, W. T. High and Wm. M/ Knight. were announced as follovZ: Butler Caroline, Cypress, GZy.I Gray, Eagle. Prairie, Totten. LcSoke. Richwoods, Pettus and GuHwoods. Political townships have @sn added from time to time ulSSf at present we have twenty-sie
 The Ie county took it's name fron1~sehe town of Lonoke. which was Named by Rumbough and Robinson, who were the original civil engineers that surveyed the Memphis and Little | Rock Railroad, and who in connec- tion with E. E. Disn1ukes, had a con tract with the Memphis and Little l Rock Railroad Company for locating the depot and town, which was located on the southeast quarter of Section 19, Township Two North, Range Eight West. The name | adopted for the town was suggested | from three special groups of large red oak trees, but spelled by agree ment, Lonoke and p5ono unce d Lo-noke, with accent on the last syllable.
 Lonoke county is situated near the | center of the state. and has three | railroads, the Rock Island running east and west through the center of the county, giving connection with the whole north and east sections of the union, while the St. L. 6 I. NJ. & Southern railroad passes through the northwestern part of the county, and the Cotton Belt the southwestern portion.
 The organization of the county has been along the most approved lines and due attention has been given to the encouragement of the educational work until there are now over seventy school districts in the county with the public free schools having sessions from three to nine months during the year. First class high schools have been established at Austin, Cabot, Carlisle, England and Lonoke.
 The area at first included in Lonoke county was 762 square miles, but this was increased until the present area is estimated to De about 800 square miles.
 The census of 1910 gives the county a population e 27,9s3, but during the past nine years the immigration has been So great that 2