LETTER FROM DALE TO LEE McCORMACK DATED 1900
December 12, 1900
Yell County, Safford Post Office, Arkansas

Dear Lee,
I give you the following account of the history of the McCormack family. My grandfather on mother's side came from Scotland to America a number of years ago. Date not known. The hair on his head was very red. My grandfather on my father's side was born and raised in America. His name was James McCormick. He was born and raised at or near Charleston, situated en the seacoast, and married a woman by the name of Becky Ellston. Her ancestors came from England. Father moved from thence to middle Tennessee, Smith County where the big blue cane grew all over the hills and valleys and remained there for many years. He followed farming. He was a soldier in the Jackson war and fought in the Battle of New Orleans, the winding-up battle of the war, and got an honorable discharge and went home. There he remained a good many years and moved to Illinois. He remained there one year and moved to Kentucky and back. Father and Mother raised a large family of which I will give vou their names. The two first born were twins. They called one of the boys Logan Guy and the other Ellis Elliston. The third was Lindsey; the next Robert; the next John; next W.D. (me); next James Bethel — were all born and raised in Tennessee — Smith County, and all followed farming. Lindsey moved from there to the Western District (Tennessee {McNairy County}) and remained there till he died. Robert went to Mississippi and married and lived there till he died — he lived in Yellow Bush County. James Bethel moved to Arkansas — Baxter County where he now remains. Names of the girls: Nancy — She married a man. named Benjamon Roberds and raised a family and died. Massey married a man by the name of Littleton Sandlen, and he died, and she married a man by the name of Andy Williams, farmer, well-to-do last heard from. Selindy was single last heard of. Juley married a man by the name of Gilbert Allen. He was selling goods last heard of in Tennessee. Samantha married a man by the name of William Williams, a son of Andy Williams, who married Massey. He died and Samantha was in Tennessee last heard of. Caroline married a man by the name of Bomer. He died and she moved to Baxter County and died. John moved to Texas. He was a fine gin expert and cabinet maker. He was in Texas last heard of — Coffman (Kaufman) County. While my father lived in Tennessee, he was well-to-do. He had plenty. The land was lain good and well timbered. The growth it had was white oak, black oak, black walnut, hickory, beach linn, hackberry, white walnut, and sugar trees. He made homemade sugar every year by the hundred of pounds. He always made it in the spring at the breaking up of cold weather. He would have 100 or more trees tapped. What he called tapping was to chip in the side of the tree with an axe the length of the blade, make a small box, then bore a hole at the bottom of the box and run in a quill, running the water into a small trough to each tree and the water would run both day and night in a stream. It kept two hands busy day and night carrying the water. He had a long furnace dug out in the ground and it hung full of large kettles and ran day and night so long as the settlement lasted each year. He would then boil it every day and night, it being very sweet. Then would pour it to certain vessels. When it became cool, it would come out in hard cakes. If they wished to have it crumble, stir it until dry. Father had plenty of stock — horses, cattle, hogs and sheep. Had a large barn and a lot of 20 acres. He mostly made corn and he ran a still, fall and winter, and fattened hogs on still flop (mash). He had 100 bee hives, had plenty of sugar and honey at all times. Well, T.L. (Lee), I tried to tell you the description of the McCorrnack family the best I could. But I do not think it will be of much interest to you not being able to give every date of their ages, nor when they landed in America. You might come at father's age by running back from my age back to father. He has been dead about 62 years, and I was 7 years old when he died. Will say he was 21 when married; then 18 years between me and oldest child — say at 62 and 18 and 21 makes 101.... We are all up and have bad colds. The children are some better.

W.D. McCormack



Note: A few notes on this family:
Logan Guy born 1805
Ellis Elliston born 1805
Nancy born in 1808
Lindsay born in 1809
Mercilla born in 1812
Robert born in 1813
John born in 1815
Salinda born in 1817
Samantha born in 1822
W.D. - William "Dale" McCormack was born July 21, 1823 and died September 7, 1907 in Logan County, Arkansas
Julia Synthia born in 1825
Elizabeth "Caroline" born in 1825 (I had thought this was a connection to my Presley's however it isn't. This "Elizabeth Caroline" married the father of the man my Presley married. i.e. My Mary "Mollie" Mathis Presley married Tandy Bomer, son of Wiley and Elizabeth "Caroline" McCormack Bomer.)
James Bethel born in October 1828

From statement in above letter, Dale's father was died in about 1830 (died when Dale was 7).

The following notes are from John Meeks McCormack II: McCormack & McCormick History

James McCormick Sr. b. 1758 came from Ireland.

James McCormick Jr. b. 1790

James Jr.'s son was William Dale McCormack.
William "Dale" McCormack married Elizabeth Jane Littlejohn and moved from Tennesse to the Big Pond Community which is SE of Mountain Home AR before the Civil War Days.
William "Dale" was born July 21, 1823 died September 7, 1908 and is buried near Booneville, AR.
Elizabeth Jane Littlejohn was born November 14, 1828.
Their children:
John Meeks McCormack I born October 5, 1845 and was wonded at Shilo Battlefround TN during the Civil War (He and Dale enlisted at Yellville, AR) He died at 42 never able to do much work. He made shoes for the family. John Meeks died February 10, 1888 and is buried in Heart Cemetery SE of Mountain Home, AR.
Campbell Alonzo McCormack was a child of John Meeks McCormack. He was born December 25, 1872 and married Betty Caldwell and had six children. Campbell and Betty were the parents of John Meeks McCormack II who wrote these notes.