Genealogy speaker Skipper Steely at right holds the book he has written on Miller County.Attending to hear him speak are, from left, Texarkana preservation officer Matt Solomon,local genealogical society member Louella Vernon and research librarian Jim Da
Skipper Steely of Paris,TX has just presented a history of the settlement of Miller County to the Cass County Genealogical Society. Steely’s books include “Six Months from Tennessee,” “47 Years: a New Look At Early Texas” and “Davy Crockett’
Skipper Steely speaks at genealogical society meeting
Skipper Steely of Paris, TX, spoke to the Cass County Genealogical Society Oct. 9, on the settlement of the Red River Valley area and especially Miller County. His book on this subject is “Six Months from Tennessee.”
This book is the first written account of Old Miller County, territory of Arkansas, and is based on the adventures of Claiborne Wright, first Anglo-American to permanently settle a family in Texas. This was 1816-1817.
Steely is a native of Paris, TX, who has served in the military, worked in the newspaper business as well as becoming a researcher and completing half of the requirements for an educational doctorate.
He began to write, publish and market books in 1980. The bulk of his work is on history, and he has completed as many as 50 books and articles.
Steeley’s remarks to the society lasted over an hour and included the following summary.
The Red River Valley saw basically three waves of American settlers arriving between 1815 and 1836.The first came five years before the Mississippi Choctaw Treaty of Doak’s Stand. (1820).
The second arrived to join relatives in what was called Miller County, Ark., a part of the large Hempstead County. The third were businessmen, lawyers and traders who were looking for a new way of life. This third part included Davy Crockett and other individuals well-known to each other.
Steely spoke without notes and included visual maps. The presentation was followed by an enthusiastic question and answer session.