Hill Family History

 (last update 29 Dec 2005)

6. Mary Elizabeth 'Mollie' Stovall [29918] was born 1 April 1850 in Johnson County, Missouri, and died 24 September 1932 in Johnson County, Arkansas. She married (1) George D. Blackard on 18 January 1872 in Johnson County, Arkansas. He was born 14 November 1845 in Johnson County, Arkansas, and died of a gunshot wound on 17 March 1875 in Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas. He served the Confederacy during the Civil War enlisting as a private in Company D of the 4th Arkansas Cavalry Regiment (Gordon's). George went to the store to buy some groceries. Next to the store was a group playing cards. George played for a while but soon got up to leave. As he was leaving, one of the group shot George in the back, thus murdering him. There was a trial and a conviction. Witnesses claimed absolutely no provocation for this dastardly deed on George's part. The following newspaper articles recount the event:

Arkansas Gazette, Wednesday, March 24, 1875
Murdered for One Dollar
A Game of Cards Costs a Man His Life
Terrible Crime at Clarksville
The Murderer Captured by Mr. Nelson
The Sheriff Shoots the Wrong Man

The following exciting report of the murder at Clarksville, Monday, is from the pen of a responsible and able gentleman:

Clarksville, March 22, 1875

Editors Gazette:

The pleasant little town of Clarksville has been thrown into a fever of excitement by a fatal tragedy which was enacted here this afternoon, just before sundown. John McFadden shot and instantly killed George D. Blackard, watchman at the Little Rock and Fort Smith railroad depot. The facts, as far as we are able to learn them, are as follows, as given by eye witnesses: Blackard and a man named Martin were playing cards in the rear room of Chas. Eison's saloon, when John McFadden came in and said, "George, I'll bet you a dollar that Martin wins the game." Blackard accepted the bet, receiving a two dollar bill from McFadden and giving him a dollar in change. Martin lost the game, and Blackard pocketed the money; whereupon, McFadden demanded a dollar, which Blackard refused to give up as he had won it fairly. Both parties then stepped outside the saloon into the alley adjoining, when McFadden said, "George, I am going to have that dollar," drew his navy revolver and commenced firing. He fired three shots, only one of which took effect, the ball entering the heart and passing completely through the body. Blackard died without a groan. McFadden ran through the alley, passing the bleeding body of his victim, and attempted to make his way to the brush, but was fortunately intercepted by Olney Nelson, who jumped upon a horse and, seizing a double-barreled shot gun, captured the murderer before he crossed the railroad track. Sheriff Armstrong and fully two hundred citizens were on the dead run after McFadden, but, without a doubt, the community are indebted to the pluck of young Nelson for the satisfaction of knowing justice will have an opportunity to work its legitimate end. I had a conversation with the prisoner to-night, and his story differs very little from the above facts. The dead man, who was about thirty-five years of age, leaves a wife and two little children to mourn his untimely loss. Wm. Bodkin, of Little Rock, was arrested as an accessory to the murder and put in irons.

During the excitement Sheriff Armstrong, not having seen who did the shooting, discerned a man running like unto the wind in the same direction as the fugitive, for whom the sheriff mistook him, and thinking to do his duty, fired at the distance of one hundred yards and "bagged his game," and Mr. Procter Kesterson felt a navy ball plow its way through the fleshy part of his leg. Terribly excited but not much hurt. Armstrong has apologized. Everything is perfectly quiet to-night, and a stranger passing through the streets at this hour, would hardly believe a murder had been committed so short a time ago, and this is as it should be.

Squire Crampton, and a jury composed of the following named gentlemen held an inquest: John F. Hill, W.R. Harley, W.B. Russell, William H. Hinson, Sam Winstead, W. Kitchen, J.C. Hill, E.J. Woolum, C.A. Davis, John Hunt and C. Hardgrave, who returned a verdict in accordance with the above facts.

[In the 27 March 1875 editions of the Gazette is was reported that William Bodkin was released, and that McFadden was sent to prison, convicted of manslaughter.]

Van Buren Press
Van Buren, Crawford County, Arkansas, June 29, 1875
McFadden the Murder Captured
From the Clarksville Van Guard we learn that McFadden was captured last week Friday, B J Farmer, the energetic constable of Vine Prairie township, assisting:

Sheriff Armstrong, assisted by Messrs. Farmer, Parker, Captain Garrett, and others, captured John McFadden, near the residence of his father-in-law, on Horsehead, last Friday. It seems that the posse who left here on the day following his escape, found traces of him in that neighborhood, and thinking that their presence up there would tend to keep him on the alert, they very wisely concluded to come home, and leave the citizens there to keep a lookout for him. The ruse was successful; and by watching the movements of his wife, they soon discovered his retreat and surrounded him. On finding himself hemmed in, he ran out with a pistol in hand, when Armstrong fired to scare him; and failing to do so, Parker blazed away with a rifle, and cut off a leaf beside his head. McFadden concluded that was too close work, and accordingly surrendered. He was brought back to town and placed in irons.

Mary remarried (2) George Geisler on 31 October 1881, son of Joseph Geisler and Maria Dornauer. He was born 20 April 1846 in House number 20, Hainzenberg, Zell am Ziller, Tirol, Austria, and died 9 January 1928 in Johnson County, Arkansas. George immigrated from Austria with his mother about in February 1870 on the ship Donau. They arrived in New York in 15 February from Bremem. They were married in the Sacred heart Catholic Church in Johnson County. The marraige record notes that she is not of the church but that a dispensation was obtained. He filed a Declaration of Intention to Become a Citizen on 22 January 1884 and was granted citizenship in Johnson County, Arkansas on 7 December 1891. In 1928, after George Geisler's death, Mary was granted a CSA Widow's Pension for George Blackard's service. Mary's estate was probated on 10 October 1932, her son Clinton was the administrator. Mary is buried in Kendall Cemetery, Johnson County, Arkansas. George Blackard is buried in Oakland Cemetery, Johnson County, Arkansas. George Giesler was originally buried in Sulphur Springs Cemetery but was eventually moved to Kendal Cemetery, Johnson County, Arkansas. The following articles appeared in the Herald Democrat Newspaper, Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas: