In July, 1884, A. J. Wilks, J. N. Ingram, J. B. Lamkins, J. C. Vandagriff and others filed with the court a petition for the formation of a new township within the following boundary lines, to-wit: “Beginning at the northeast corner of Section 26, in Township 21 north, Range 28 west; thence west to the northeast corner of Section 29; thence north to the northeast corner of Section 20; thence west to the northwest corner of Section 19; thence south in Range 29 to the northeast corner of Section 25; thence west to the northwest corner of same; thence south to the township line between 20 and 21; thence east to the range line of 28 and 29; thence south to the southwest corner of Section 18, in Township 20 north; thence east to the southeast corner of Section 14; thence north to the beginning.” The prayer of the petition was grantedthe township being established as prayed for, and it was named Garfield, and the voting place for the township was established at Garfield Station, on the railroad.
This is a station containing about 200 inhabitants. The first store existing at this place was opened in 1881 by A. Blansett, and the next year another was opened by A. Peel. Following this a drug store was opened by Thomas R. Marshall.
Following is a directory of its present (1889) business: General stores, A. Peel, G. P. Rogers & Son, J. A. Wilks; hardware, L. Ellison & Co.; groceries, J. W. Cundiff; confectionery, H. Wilks; post-office, jewelry, etc., A. J. Wilks; hotel, J. N. Wilks; drugs and jewelry, M. J. Walters. Also two blacksmith shops, a barber shop, the Arkansas Lime Works, the fruit evaporator of D. D. Ames and the lumber yard of A. L. Ricketts. The Arkansas Lime Works Company manufacture 200 barrels of lime per day, make their own barrels and employ about seventy-five men. The fruit evaporator has capacity for from 100 to 150 bushels of apples per day, and when running the proprietor employs about fifteen hands. Garfield has a frame schoolhouse and Masonic hall combined, the school-room being in the lower story and the hall in the upper, built recently, costing $800. Fruits, timber, railroad ties and fence posts are shipped in great quantities from this place. There are no church buildings. Baptists and Christians worship alternately in the school-room.
Back to: Benton County, Arkansas History
Source: History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford, Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. Chicago, IL, USA: Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1889.