The Dillard families residing in Marion County are descendants of Mary Dillard who first settled in Freck near Dill Spring. She reared eight children: Fine, Minor, Harriet, Mag, Bill, John, Jule and James Franklin.
James Franklin (Doc) married Nancy Elizabeth Smith, daughter of Lynn and Ellen Smith. Doc and Lizzie were strong personalities, staunch pioneer people with outstanding community leadership ability. Doc was responsible for the first school and church in the Mull community, where they settled in 1902 and lived throughout their lives. He operated a sawmill, grist mill,a blacksmith shop; and the first ferry built to cross Buffalo River on Highway 14 South was built by Doc, and his sons Ira and Pate and his son-in-law Whit Davenport.
James Franklin and Elizabeth (Doc and Lizzie) had 14 children: Arthur, Guy, Mary, Mabel, Clarence, Osker, Pate, Roy, Ira, Alice, Rosa, Bazze, Frank, and Ted. Mary died in infancy and Osker died when he was nine.
Arthur and Laura (Baker) had nine children: Arlin, Austin, Lena, Troy, Blaine, Lenois, Lester, Garland, Mildred, and Demoia who died in infancy. Arthur and Laura moved to California in the early 1940's and both are buried there. The other members of the family are in California.
Guy and Bessie (Austin) had eight children: Helen, Oscar, Jake, Willie, James, Francis, Billy, and Bobby. Guy is deceased but Bessie resides in California.
Clarence and Elizabeth (Williams) had four children: Walsie, Ruby, Ernestine and Joe. The parents are deceased but the children, with their families, are residents of Arkansas.
Pate and Cora (Davenport) had four children: Myra, John, Doretha, and Russell who died in childhood. Doretha and John are residents of Marion County; Myra and her family live in Little Rock.
Roy and Veda (Mears) had four children: Virginia, E. G., Geraldine, and LeRoy, Jr. LeRoy, Jr.'s family is the only family residing in Marion County. Roy is deceased.
Ira married Meta (McClain) and they had two sons, Jimmy and Paul Ray. All are now deceased. Paul's family lives in Marion County.
Alice and Harrison Smith had nine children: Jessie, Bennie, Evelyene, Willodean, LeRoy, Billy Frank, Mary, Ronald, and Sammie Lane. Harrison is deceased; Alice still lives in Marion County; Jessie is deceased and his widow and children are living in Leslie; Bennie's family resides in Little Rock and Evelyene's family lives in Washington. The other children have families in Marion County.
Frank and Faye (McEntire) had three sons: Frankie Joe, Wayne and Ricky. Frankie's family lives in Baxter County; Wayne's family lives in Marion County and Ricky is in Alaska.
Ted married Willodean (Henley) and they had one daughter. He and his second wife (Georgia Pruett) also had one daughter.
Bazze married Floy (Yarbrough). Their four children are: Mary Lou, Russell, Ruth Ann and Burton. Both daughters and mother reside in Marion County. Bazze is deceased.
Mabel and Rosa married Jim and Whit Davenport (brothers) and information about their families can be found in the Davenport family history.
Doc died December 26, 1935, and Lizzie died February 7, 1941. They now have four generations of descendants living in Marion County.
Reprinted with permission from History of Marion County edited by Earl Berry, copyright 1977.