By George P. Kelley
The mouth of the Arkansas River has had a very significant part in the history of the entire Mississippi Valley. This is where Marquette and Joliet terminated their southward exploration of the Mississippi River. After spending a couple of days in two Quapaw villages near there in July, 1673, they retraced their route up the Mississippi.
Again in 1682, LaSalle and DeTonti stopped for three days at this same spot before continuing on to the Gulf of Mexico and visited several Quapaw villages nearby.
In 1686, when DeTonti was returning from his second trip to the Gulf of Mexico in his fruitless effort to meet LaSalle there, some six or eight of his men requested permission to go a short distance up the Arkansas River and establish a settlement. This permission was not only granted, but DeTonti encouraged the men to go ahead with their plans and aided and took an interest in the settlement afterwards. In fact, on November 26, 1689, DeTonti gave a deed to Father Dablon for eight acres of land just east of this settlement. The site was to be used as a mission and a chapel.
There is a legend, probably impossible to prove, that Pierre LaClede, the founder of St. Louis, died at the mouth of the Arkansas River on June 20, 1778 and was buried at or near the site where the town of Napoleon was later located.
There is some disagreement among historians as to the actual beginning of the town of Napoleon.
Boyd Johnson in his book Arkansas Frontier states that “about 1820, Frederick Notrebe built some warehouses at the mouth of the Arkansas River and called the place Napoleon.” This would seem to have been a likely happening as Frederick Notrebe was at that period the wealthiest and most active merchant and trader at Arkansas Post. He had come to this country from France and was a great admirer of Napoleon, the Emperor of France. One of his grandsons was named Napoleon.
However, records that are available do not substantiate this claim of Johnson’s.
David Walter was the first person to receive a patent for the land on which the town of Napoleon was later situated. Certificate Number 229 was issued to him on October 2, 1830 for the frl. S.E. ¼ of Sec. 27 Twp 10 S. Range 1 W, consisting of 103 and 14/100 acres.
Walter had, or later took a partner, William Simpson. The 1830 census of Mississippi Township from which Wilkinson Township was later created, lists both David Walter and William Simpson. The 1830 polling place for the general elections is listedas the house of David Walter.
Arkansas County Deed Book E. page 203 shows a deed from Walter and Simpson on January 28, 1832 to William R. Campbell and William W. Lewis of the above described property. The Arkansas Gazette of April 18, 1832 states, “a post office has been established at the Mouth of Arkansas and William R. Campbell appointed postmaster.”
The Arkansas Gazette of January 16, 1833 states, “Charles Mapes had been appointed postmaster at the Mouth of Arkansas.” (Post office records show that this appointment was made December 6, 1832.)
On February 13, 1833, the Arkansas Gazette announced that S.V.R. Ryan had been appointed as agent for the Gazette at Mouth of Arkansas.
S.V.R. Ryan
This brings into the picture a man who was so prominent in the early affairs of both the Town of Napoleon and of Desha County that their story would be incomplete without more about him.
Stephen Van Renssalaer Ryan was the son of Jeremiah Ryan, who was a Revolutionary War veteran that had been captured and imprisoned on the infamous British prison ship, Jersey. The family lived on the estate of Stephen Van Renassalaer, a very important man and family in the state of New York. Stephen Van Rennsalaer supported the infirm Jeremiah Ryan until he managed to obtain a federal pension. Obviously, Jeremiah named his son after his benefactor.
In 1821, both Stephen Van Rennsalaer and his brother, Solomon, wrote letters of recommendation for S.V.R. Ryan’s appointment to the military academy at West Point from where he graduated on July 1, 1825, ranking sixth in his class of 37 members. In 1831, he was engaged in the army’s supervision of Indian removal to the West of the Mississippi River but resigned his commission on March 31, 1833.
On February 22, 1833 the Arkansas Gazette states, “warehouse at Mouth of Arkansas, recently operated by Campbell and Lewis has been sold to Mapes, Ryan and Company who will continue to operate the establishment.”
On November 1, 1833, S.V.R. Ryan (late of the army) and Victor B. Waldron of New York City, executed a mortgage to the estate of Jonas Mapes of New York City, for six thousand dollars for which they offered as security, lands already purchased and contracted to be purchased including the frl. S.E. ¼ of Sec. 27, Twp. 10 S.R. 1 W.
Desha County Record Book B, page 428 shows a deed on January 24, 1834 from Campbell and Lewis to Victor B. Waldron and S.V.R. Ryan of frl. S.E. ¼ of Sec. 27 10 S.R. 1 W, containing 103 and 14/100 acres.
During the year 1834, the Arkansas Gazette contained several advertisements of Mapes and Ryan’s commission business situated at the Mouth of Arkansas.
In April, 1835, the Arkansas Gazette printed the following letter to the editor. “Mouth of Arkansas, April 1835: I was agreeably disappointed on landing here to find the point so much improved as it is. Your old friend, Lieutenant Ryan is here and well. He has a very large warehouse and a large and convenient dwelling house for the accommodation of travelers.”
On May 15, 1835, the Arkansas Gazette had the following: “John Malpass announces that he has removed from the Post of Arkansas to the Mouth of Arkansas where he has opened a house of entertainment in the large and commodius mansion of Mapes Ryan and Company.
The Arkansas Gazette of September 29, 1835 announces that S.V.R. Ryan was appointed to Brigadier General of the Second Arkansas Militia by the President.
In Desha County Records Book B, page 5, there is recorded on September 15, 1837 a deed from S.V.R. Ryan and Victor B. Waldron to the United States of America for blocks 2-9 12 and 19 situated in the town of Napoleon and in the Frl. S.E. ¼ of Sec. 27, Twp. 10 S. Range 1 W. It is interesting to note that although this property is described by survey measurements, showing marks on witness trees which would make it appear that although the town had been platted, it has not all been cleared of trees. This property was bought by the United States of America for the purpose of constructing a marine hospital. This hospital was completed in September 1853 and was a three story, brick building.
On October 10, 1837, the Arkansas Gazette states: “The name of the post office at the Mouth of Arkansas has been changed to Napoleon. Postal records show that S.V.R. Ryan was appointed postmaster at Napoleon on September 9, 1837.”
In Desha County Record Book B, pages 70-79 there is recorded quite a number of deeds from S.V.R. Ryan and Victor B. Waldron to different individuals for town lots in Napoleon. Prices ranging from two hundred to six hundred dollars per lot.
On May 1838, S.V.R. Ryan was married to Mary Ann Malpass.
Until this time, Napoleon was a part of Arkansas County and these earlier records were first recorded at Arkansas Post and later certified to Desha County records.
In 1838, the County of desha was created and after two temporary county seats, the first at Wellington and the second at Belleville, (later called Red Fork) the permanent county seat was established at Napoleon in January 1843.
At the second general assembly of November, 1838, S.V.R. Ryan was one of two representatives from Arkansas County and was active in the creation of Desha County. From 1840-1842, he was elected County Surveyor.
On October 21, 1843, S.V.R. Ryan and Victor B. Waldron deeded to Desha County for a consideration of one dollar, all of block 7 in the town of Napoleon on condition that it be kept open as a public square and for the purpose of erection of public buildings for the use of the town of Napoleon and Desha County and with the understanding that no part can ever be sold for the use of private individuals.
In 1844, the estate of Jonas Mapes foreclosed the mortgage given by Ryan and Waldron. The property was sold at the door of the courthouse on April 19,1844 to the highest bidder who was William Howard Furman of New York City for $6,000. On May 4, 1844, Moses Ayres sued S.V.R. Ryan for debt and got judgment in the amount of $50. The court ordered the sheriff to seize and sell enough property of S.V.R. Ryan to satisfy the judgment. On September 30, 1844, 42 lots in the town of Upper Napoleon were sold to the highest bidders for a total amount of $57.
On November 8, 1844 full power of attorney for all property in Desha County, Arkansas was granted by William Howard Furman to Victor B. Waldron and immediately, the deed to the United States of America for the hospital site was confirmed and the statement made that all property sold to individuals in good faith by Ryan and Waldron would be confirmed to the purchasers.
In 1845, Mary Ann Ryan sued for and was granted a divorce from S.V.R. Ryan charging him with habitual drunkenness and also stating that he was a non-resident. I have not located any later records concerning S.V.R. Ryan except that in Goodspeeds History of Desha County, published in 1890, there is an article on V.R. Ryan who was a son of S.V.R. and Mary Ann Ryan (they had two sons) and who served as sheriff of Desha County 1866-1868 and who stated that his father went to South America about 1845 and that the family knew little or nothing about him after that date.
Later Years
On December 16, 1846, the County Court approved a tax to be placed on real estate, the money to be used to construct a levee around the town of Napoleon. An election was to be held to fix the amount of the tax.
Victor B. Waldron died at Napoleon on March 3, 1848.
On March 12, 1849, Lt. Colonel Stephen Long of the Corps of Engineers reported to the Secretary of the treasury that on his recent visit to the town of Napoldon during a period of unusually high river stages, the site for the proposed hospital, which was probably some of the highest ground in the town was no more than three feet above the level of the flood waters and that he was told that during the memorable flood of 1844, the entire town was covered by water. Long was of the opinion that the hospital should be built at Helena, above any danger of flooding. However, Senator Solon Borland put enough political pressure on the secretary that construction was begun early in 1850 and completed in September 1853.
The town of Napoleon was incorporated by an act of the General Assembly on January 6, 1851 and the date for the election of a mayor and five aldermen was set for the first Monday in March, 1851.
There seems to have been much difference of opinion among both historians and travelers as to the merits of the town during this period. Peter Daniel, an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court wrote a letter to his daughter, Elizabeth as follows; “Napoleon, Mouth of the Arkansas River, April 17, 1851, Dear daughter, I reached this dilapidated and most wretched of wretched places at noon today and am compelled to wait until 2 p.m. tomorrow for the mail boat to Little Rock. This miserable place consists of a few slightly built, wood houses and the best hotel in the place is an old, dismantled steamboat. I am now serenaded by muschetos and on going out of doors, they are joined by clouds of what are called buffalo gnats, etc-etc.” Mark Twain, in his book Life on the Mississippi said he used to know the prettiest girl and the most accomplished in the whole Mississippi Valley in Napoleon.
Also S.D. Dickinson writing in the Arkansas Gazette at a much later date, said, “for it’s time. Napoleon was a wealthy town supported by a planter aristocracy, transported full grown from other states. Planter families went to New Orleans to shop and on gala occasions, sponsored balls in the St. Charles Hotel there or at the old Gayoso in Memphis.”
A Catholic Church was built on block 11 and when the town was abandoned, the bell from that church was brought to Arkansas City and placed in the church there. That same bell is now in the Catholic Church in McGehee.
In 1859, the town of Napoleon was incorporated for the second time, ending the incorporation of 1851 and extended the boundaries to include the Southwest quarter of Section 27.
In an interview with the Arkansas Gazette on April 16, 1933, Charles Taylor Harding states that he was born in Napoleon, saying, “I have been told many times by oldtimers that in 1858, Little Rock was the only town in Arkansas larger than Napoleon. I have seen Mississippi River steam boats lay at Napoleon all day unloading freight and then the Arkansas River boats lay there as long to reload it. My first recollection of Napoleon was when Dave Chatham shot John Farmer across the street from the old courthouse. This was in 1866 and the frame and roof of the courthouse were standing, all siding and ceiling have been torn off and burned by the Federal soldiers for fuel. At least I was told that. Lawyers living there at the time were B.F. Grace, Alexander Harding, X.J. and L.A. Pindall, J.M. Pernell and D.H.C. Moore. Mike Emerick had obtained a coal barge, set it up on block and built a storehouse on it for a general merchandise. I think he moved to Arkansas City about 1875. Other merchants there were W.A. Redman, Thomas Leverett and D.M. Gibbs. The Pindalls had the only two story house in town. In 1872 or 1873 one of the laborers on the Chicot and Pine Bluff Railroad was tried for and convicted of murder at Napoleon. He was hanged by Alf Eddington, sheriff. I was there last in 1875 and the Catholic Church and four or five more houses were still standing. All the rest had caved into the river.” To re-affirm the statement of Harding that Mike Emerick moved to Arkansas City is an article in the Commercial Appeal of Memphis on January 31, 1931 by a man named Thompson who stated, “I was on the steam Julia and we came along just in time to pick up the last family. The name was Emerick and the old man told me he had seen acres of land go into the water and stood on his front porch and watched the buildings, one after another, swallowed up by the surging waters.”
It has been stated that at its peak, Napoleon had a population of about two thousand people but that an excessive number of transients always added to that.
Prior to the Civil War, the channel of the Mississippi River made a large horseshoe bend just about Napoleon, passing through what is now Lake Beulah in the State of Mississippi and it was stated in 1858 that the distance across the heel of this horseshoe was only 1400 feet and still caving. After the occupation of the town by Federal troops, a ditch was dug across this narrow neck of land.
There is some dispute as to the purpose in digging this ditch. There is a claim that it was constructed as fortification against an expected attack by Confederate forces. Others claim that it was a deliberate attempt to change the course of the river. Whatever the purpose, the result was the same. At the next high state of the river, the water began moving through this ditch and as it swiftly eroded, directed the main flow of the current directly at Napoleon.
The following is taken from the Memphis Commercial Appeal of April 21, 1867: “the town of Napoleon, Arkansas, is located on a tongue of land South of the junction of the Arkansas and the Mississippi Rivers. Last year, the river cut deeply into this point and now a large portion of the town has disappeared.”
In 1874, the county seat of Desha County was changed from Napoleon to Watson and in his interview with the Arkansas Gazette, Charles Taylor Harding states that “Mr. Davidson tore down the log county jail and moved it to Watson.”
A few residents remained at Napoleon until the flood of 1882 which covered all of the town as well as a large part of Desha County, after which time, it was completely abandoned.
As a final note, I wish to express my thanks and appreciation to Judge James Merritt of McGehee, president of the Desha County Historical Society and to Mrs. Dorothy J. Core of Almyra, who is a contributing editor of the Grand Prairie Historical Society and is very active in researching the early history of this part of Arkansas for the great amount of information they have furnished me concerning this particular subject, much of which, I would have probably not gotten otherwise.