The courier-index., 1919-01-17
IONEER CITIZEN OF
|MARIANNA SUCCUMBS
a cRlFFls, PERHAPS THE OLD
FrsT MAN IN LEE COUNTY, ONE
|or EARLY SETTLERS, PASSES
AWAY PEACEFULLY.

ranf r. ID. GrfffiS, aged 81 years,
,,ayed TO have been the Oldest
,izep in Lee county. died Thursday
inning of this week fat hiS resi-
,rce in this city. ForI severn years
n Griffis has been in declining
pslth on account of hE advanced
. and his death Thursday came as
surprise to members of his fam
and his friends. Funeral services
er his remains will be held this
pridayl afternoon at two thirty
&e.ock at the Griffis residence. Rev.
10. A. Womsck, pastor of the Meth
list church. of which Capt. Griffis
as a member, will conduct the
,ryices. The Masonic lodge will
ke charge of the body after the
ervices and viii officiate at the in
rmeut.
The death of Capt. Griffis marks
= passing of one of the landmarks
Lee county and the pioneer mer.
hant of Mariana. In 1849 when
fapt Griffis was only fourteen years
age he came to Lee county from
forth Carolina through inducements
ffered him by Col. Walter II. Otey,
he of the most prominent men in
h. history of Lee county. Col. Otey,
he Foremans and other substantial
antilles had been attracted to this
lection OF Arkansas by the wonder
M possibilities the bottoms here Of
bred for money-making. AT that
3ime Mariana was not in existence.
u fact. Col. Otey. through real
Estate deal. was instrumental in CIV
Ing the settlement the name of Mari
anna. The story as told by old citi-
tens and repeated in the histories OF
Eastern Arkansas, is to the effect
HAT Col Otey decided to buy a lot
|snd erect on it a store building. The
location was about a mile from what
Ns now known as Greasy Point. three
miles north OF the present site of
Mariana. Harvey Harland owned
fhe piece of high ground Col. Otey
wanted to purchase and he and Har-
land agreed upon the price. It is
Stated however. the two gentlemen
failed to reckon with Mrs. Harland,
who was averse to parting with the
ground. Il Is stated her name was
Mary Ann Harland. With rare di-
pomaey Col Otey suggested to Mrs.
Harland that a town would be built
at that point and he proposed that If
she would sign the deed he would
name the town after her and call IL
Mariana. Women In those days
we're apparently Just as susceptible
to flattery as they are now and Mrs.
Harland Immediately capitulated and
signed the deed True to his word
Col Otey called the place Mariana.
Another story Is that Mrs. Harland
was the mother OF two pretty girls
one named Mary and the other
Anna and that Col otey proposed
10 name the town for the two girls.
However. the history OF Eastern Ark
ansas gives preference TO the former
story.
Capt Griffis. who. at that time was
a mere boy. was employed In Col
0tey's store. Subsequently the post
office was moved to place near
Cave creek. and stiIl later when
Capt W u. worsham became post
master IN 1859 under the administrs-
ton Of President Buchanan. he NOV
Cd the postoffice 10 the present site
OF Mariana.
Another historical incident worthy
sf mention IN this connection Is the
story OF the origin OF Greasy Point
When Col Otey established the set
uement near what is now known a.
Greasy Point a man named Brady
came up the EAnguille river on
house boat lie had a small stock
Of merchandise on the boat, and IN
addition to operating this floating
store he caught and sold fish. lie
was an old bachelor with matrimonial
inclinations, and occasionally ne
would don an old broadcioth suit OF
slothes, shiny with grease, and call
y" th1 90uhb AauAtH ~ NAN
ment. The gay young society buds,
in their efforts to thwart the old
man in his doubtful progress as
wooer OF the bellies. derisiveiy refer
red to him as "Old Greasy" From
this the high bluff on the L'Anguille
river got its name as Greasy Point"
Capt. Griffis. whose early expert.
ences associated him With the birth
OF Mariana. was married 10 a
daughter OF Capt Worsham. Two
children. both girls. were born TO
this union. They died when they
were small. Subsequently Capt Grif.
Ills was married to Mrs Emma Nc
Cloud, nee Sherrod. No children
were born to this union. His second
wife died many years ago. When
Capt. Worsham moved the site OF
the postoffice to what is now known
as Mariana. Capt Griffis and Capt,
Z. II. Banks entered the mercantile
business here and were the first mer'
chants in Mariana. A few years
later the business Was destroyed BY
YfFn A.. -