Nita Gould - Remembering Ella: A 1912 Murder and Mystery in the Arkansas Ozarks

Anyone who believes they can write a non-fiction book without help has probably never written one. While researching and writing this book, I was extremely fortunate to receive assistance from many people. I am grateful to all of them. Because my efforts to create this book spanned nearly fifteen years, Im bound to leave someone out, so I ask for forgiveness now.

First and foremost, I give enormous thanks to Dr. Robert E. Spoo at the University of Tulsa College of Law. My gratitude to him is immeasurable. Without him, this book would simply not exist.

I am extraordinarily grateful to Butler Center Books and the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at the Central Arkansas Library System, specifically, Rod Lorenzen and Dr. David Stricklin, for taking a chance on a first-time author with no academic credentials in Arkansas history. I owe a lifetime of thanks to my new friend, Dr. Guy Lancaster, the editor of the online Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture, for his editorial suggestions and comments, for his never-ending patience and encouragement, for recommending my manuscript to Butler Center Books for publication, and for mentoring me during the publishing process. I thank Ali Welky for her meticulous fine-tuning of my narrative and Anna Lancaster for her assistance with the index.

When I began this journey, I didnt think of myself as a writer; instead, I thought of myself as a researcher who had a family story to tell. My sincere thanks go to Greg Rubenstein and A. J. Tierney for teaching me that writing requires an entirely different mindset and skillset than researching. I am wholly indebted to my dear friend Mary Coley, an accomplished and gifted author with a dangerously vivid imagination and a wicked flair for suspense, who believed in my bookand in mefrom the beginning, who patiently and loyally helped me to find my voice (without imposing her own), and who answered my never-ending questions. I thankDoug Hicks, another professional writer, for his time and constructive feedback.

I am particularly beholden to Ozarks historian Dr. Brooks Blevins, who generously gave more of his time and attention to me than I ever imagined possible, and probably a lot more than I deserved. I am humbled to have received his help. Historians Dr. J. Blake Perkins, Dr. William Clements, and Dr. Janet Allured willingly shared their valuable time with me and reviewed sections of my manuscript. I am honored and grateful for their thoughtful advice.

This book is filled with legal procedures, maneuvers, and proceedings. Many educated minds enabled me to understand the technical aspects of Odus Davidsons trial and appeals. I received expert assistance from attorneys Edmund Brown and James Rucker. Christy Caves at the University of Tulsa College of Law connected me to attorneys Rachael Want and Suzy Cunningham. I received help from Ava Hicks and Rod Miller at the Arkansas Supreme Court Law Library in Little Rock, Lorraine Kay Lorne at the University of Arkansas Law Library in Fayetteville, and Professor Kathryn Fitzhugh and Jeff Woodmansee at the UA Little Rock/Pulaski County Law Library in Little Rock. People at the Boone County Courthouse in Harrison were helpful through the years, including Judy Jenkins, Rhonda Watkins, Shirley Wise, and Judge John Putman. I thank them all.

Illustrations add to any story. Joe Krout designed the books cover. Tina Farmer at the Boone County Library in Harrison went out of her way on numerous occasions to help me obtain photos and other materials, and she offered much encouragement to me along the way. Toinette Madison at the Boone County Heritage Museum shared pictures. Vanessa Walker restored many photos. Chris Barber created the maps. I greatly appreciate their efforts.

I am indebted to many librarians, archivists, historians, and preservationists, and to the institutions they serve: Ralph Wilcox at the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program; Dr. David Ware and Julia Butler at the Arkansas Secretary of States Office; the entire staff at the Arkansas State Archives; the volunteers and employees of the historical societies in Northwest Arkansas; the staff at the David W. Mullins Library at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville; Tammy Stewart and Thomas Peters at Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri; the StateHistorical Society of Missouri; the Brookfield, Missouri, Public Library; the Midwest Genealogy Center in Independence, Missouri; the Bird City, Kansas, Historical Society; the Oklahoma Historical Society; the Fort Smith Museum of History; the Muskogee, Oklahoma, Public Library; the Tahlequah, Oklahoma, Public Library; and the Tulsa, Oklahoma, Public Library.

Two friends significantly aided my efforts: James Breece and Allan Wolff. I deeply value their help and friendship. Others who deserve credit for lending their support, in one way or another, are Bill Bowden, the late Marilyn Breece, Earna Butler, the late Serena Cline, the late J. C. Davidson, Tom Dillard, the late James Reed Eison, the late Roger Edmonson, Patsy Edmonson, Ray Hanley, Laura Hardy, the late Ray Harrell, Lee Clark Johns, James Johnston, Greg Lee, Judge Roger V. Logan Jr., the late Lewie Killebrew, James Troy Massey, Bobbi Dean Miller, Lance Milleson, Nancy Newman, Leonard Pataki, Shirley Patton, Bruce Richardson, Jeremy Romondo, the late Norman Rowe, Marlene Rowe, Lucille and Russell Royal, Ron Sandstead, Frank Savage, Robert Schroeder, Annalea Simmons, B. J. Slack, Lynn Somerville, the late Audrice and Virgil Stonecipher, Kent Taylor, Kristen Turley, Jim Wakefield, Greg Waters, Dr. Betsy Jacoway Watson, the late Deuford Wilburn, and Karen Williams.

This book is largely about my family, so it seems inordinately appropriate to recognize those most influential to me here. My mother, the late Treva (Barham) Campbell, who grew up in Zinc, introduced me to our Boone County Barham family members through her memories. She passed her love for them to me, even though many of them died before I was born. My father, the late Eugene Arthur Campbell, taught me to have great determination and focus, and to see the details. My aunt and uncle, the late Geneva (Barham) Richards and Joseph Richards, entrusted my brother, Stephen Campbell, and me with our Barham ancestral home. Stephen made it possible for the two of us to restore it and keep it, and his wife, Sandra, was supportive and encouraging. The late Anna Barham, my grandmother, instilled a love for Boone County and family in me at an early age. The summers I spent with her in Zinc allowed me to see the wonders of the Ozarks through a childs eyes. Andrea Brown read my entire manuscript and offered suggestions. Angela Dinwiddie and Carrie Mae Walker keep memories of our family alive. The late Hazel Young Dean shared Barham family history and documents with me. George and JoyceYounes were especially accepting of my journey. Carrie Spencer shared family stories and corroborated others. The late Mae Etta (Moore) Roberts furnished me with a summary of her lifes work on our Barham family genealogy. Marion and Victoria Newman and their familyfriends who I claim as familyunderstood my quest. Patiently, they watched as I spent countless years on my back porch, writing, with books and papers scattered every which way.