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Submitted: 7/16/14 • Approved: 3/24/20 • Last Updated: 3/27/20 • R1022378-G0-S3
Rev. Henry Thomas Blythe
Oct 27, 1816 - Feb 19, 1904
arkansaspreservation.com
Henry T. Blythe
Blytheville, originally known as Blythesville, is named for Reverend Henry T. Blythe (1816-1904). In 1853, Blythe left Lauderdale County in Tennessee and came to Arkansas where he settled at Crooked Lake in Mississippi County (present-day Armorel). Here Blythe cleared approximately sixty acres, erected buildings and made many improvements to the land that he owned.Blythe lived at this home-site for twenty years.In 1873, he moved a few miles west to the area that is now present-day Blytheville.
Blythe’s second home-site was situated between the preexisting settlements of Cooketown (also known as Chickasawba) and Clear Lake. Blythe built his home on the Lumerate Bayou’s east bank (the current Blytheville intersection of Franklin and Walnut streets). Here, Blythe cleared trees off of the land and cultivated 185 acres for farming.Blythe also built a gin and a steam saw mill (the first steam mill in this section) on his property.In 1880, Blythe owned approximately 500 acres of land; at this time he set aside a 160-acre tract of land that he divided into “lots,” although he was not selling in lot form. The area was named “Blythesville” (the ‘s’ was later dropped).Blythe's saw-mill and cotton-gin were the first business enterprises followed by stores and residences.Sources give conflicting dates for Blytheville’s incorporation which include: May 1891, January 1892, and May 1889.
Blythe played a significant role in all aspects of Blytheville’s development.Circa 1880 he was appointed the first postmaster, and he served in this capacity for nearly nine years until the summer of 1889. In 1886, the citizens of Blytheville, elected Mr. Blythe to represent them in the State Legislature for one term; during his time in office he introduced several bills of importance to the State at large. He was also influential in the 1901 movement to establish a county courthouse in the Chickasawba District, which gave Mississippi County two county seats, the other being in Osceola.Blythe donated the land for the construction of the first courthouse. Not only was Blythe active in politics but also in religion. In 1862, Blythe was licensed to preach at the Methodist Episcopal Church located at the Sycamore School House (now Founders Park) where services were held until 1875 when they were moved to the newly-constructed Blythe’s Chapel.Blythe preached in the area for the years 1862-63, 1865, and 1867-68.
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Contributed on 7/16/14 by hawkinsdonna
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Record #: 1022378