The 1860 Census report for Marion County gives John Estes, his wife Charlotte, and their children: James C.; Benjamin; Nathaniel; William; and Thomas J. John was born in South Carolina, Charlotte in North Carolina, three children in Tennessee and two in Arkansas. This indicates that the family came about 1850, since William was born in Arkansas.
James Estes married Mira M. Moore who was born in North Carolina in 1843. Mr. Estes made his home in Yellville for about ten years after the war ended then moved to a farm on Greasy Creek, and a few years Iater he moved to a farm of 160 acres of well-tilled land. Children of James and Mira Estes are: Lee; A. L.; Ella, wife of J. E. Butler; Amanda; J. M.; C. C.; Daisy; Edna; Virgil; Cora; and Irene.
There is some information concerning the families of Nathaniel and William, Nat Estes' sons were Ambrose, John and Kenner. Ambrose and his wife Mary Noe Estes, left Yellville during the earlv part of the century. John and his wife Martha Hamilton Estes also moved. Each couple had at least one child, a little girl, at that time. Kenner Estes married Betty Anderson, daughter of Amy Anderson and grand-daughter of Mrs. Pugh. Kenner and his wife Betty were parents of: Euna who married Emory Pennington, and Kenner who married and lived in Conway. Both Euna and Kenner are deceased.
William (or Will) Estes, with his wife Julia Covington, had a large farnilv. The children are: Farmer who married Ida Smith; Jack who married Mary Vanzandt; Murphy who married Jessie Pritchard; Alva who married Nancy Estes; Will who married Maud Perkins; Marvin who married Eula Helms; Dennis who was killed in WW I; Wes who married Mary Layton; Mary who married, first, Ica Endsley and, second, Bert Gibson; Charley who married Matilda Noe Vancil, widow of Bud Vancil. She was the mother of four children: Lucille; Vina, wife of Elza Downum; Genevieve, wife of Everett Jones; and Thomas who married Versal Moore. Thomas and Versa] were the parents of: Jerry, Judy, Joy and Jeanette.
After Charley Estes and Matilda Vancil married, they were the parents of Charles and Mary Dell, who is the wife of Ulis Cline.
Dennis Estes, who was killed during the summer of 1918, was honored by having the local American Legion Post named for him.
Reprinted with permission from History of Marion County edited by Earl Berry, copyright 1977.