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Natural Heritage |  |
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History, Culture & Craftsmanship
• History |
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| History Index STORIES • Homesteading on the James (from John Tilden) ARTICLES • Arkansas Battlefields (A Timeline) SECTIONS • Appalachia • Baldknobbers • Railroads of the Ozarks • Slavery • The Upper South • War Between The States • Weapons of the Ozarks Culture Index • Agriculture • Book Learning • Cooking • Craftsmanship • Faith in the Hills • History • Music • People of the Hills • Storytelling • Tourism |
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My great-grandpa was the first to come to this area. He and his wife. I think their oldest son — my great-grandpa Roy Tilden — was 12 or 13 at the time.
They were, I believe, from Ashtabula, Ohio.
It was in the 1870s, following the Homestead Act. But they picked a place down by the James River, site unseen, which would be scary. They came down and started doing what they had to do to begin living there.
When the time came for them to get their deed, Roy left the farm and walked to Springfield.
Now, this was after the Civil War and the area was fairly lawless. The Baldknobbers were already riding and some of the local folks did not want them to move into the area.
This is the way I was told the story.
Shots were fired at them at times when they were plowing. And there were rumors that the Baldknobbers were going to burn them out.
One evening, my great-grandpa was on the porch with his rifle.
And a rider comes up at night as says, "Is this the Tilden Place?" And my grandpa says, "Yep" and cocks the gun.
The rider leaves and there was no more said about the Baldknobbers burning them out.
— John Tilden, Reeds Spring, Missouri
— Harold Bell Wright, 1907
John Tilden, the fifth-generation to grow up on the family farm near Galena, is a humble and very talented young man.
A gifted Christian songwriter, it was an honor to simply sit and visit about his views of the Ozarks and family recollections. You may now find several of these recollections throughout the site.
John currently works at the Marvel Cave in Silver Dollar City.
— Joshua Heston