ARKANSAS HISTORICAL QUARTERLY, Volume 6 (Winter 1947), p. 275
LAPILE: A PIONEER COMMUNITY
BY
Mrs. ROBERT VAUGHN MONTAGUE CORDELL
El Dorado, Arkansas (1)
- Lapile was one of the earlier communities that began to develop in Union County about the time that El Dorado became the County Seat in 1843. It was situated in the southeast corner of the county where virgin pines, age old oaks and scores of other kinds of trees grew luxuriantly. The Indians had not long been gone from the area and had left the stately forests clear of undergrowth. Groups of deer and other animals could be seen for nearly a quarter of a mile as they gamboled or roamed about. It was only after the white man came to settle here and staked off his claims that the forest fell prey to a rank undergrowth which formed thickets that changed them into jungle-like preserves for big game and small.
A Mr. Brown from South Carolina was the first white man who is known to have permanently settled in this section of the county. He came with his wife and children in 1842. There were then no roads other than Indian trails through the country. The well known Monroe-Ecore Fabre Trail passed through this district and was no doubt used by most of the immigrants coming into this locality but it was probably not wide enough for the covered wagons.
It was usual for the men of a pioneer traveling party to walk through the woods and cut a road as they went so that the women might drive the vehicles. In any event traveling was slow and there were hazards from wild animals.
- The Browns, charting their own path, pushed forward with fortitude
until they found a suitable place to build their house. The work of building
began with the hewing of logs which served the double purpose of clearing
the ground and of supplying building materials.
- ___________________________
- 1. Mrs. Robert Vaughn Montague Cordell was born in South Georgia. She is very interested in Union
- County and has collected much valuable historical information about
it.
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