Flippin

The ancestor of the Flippin family in Marion County was Thomas Flippin, a soldier in the Revolutionary War who served as a scout and made a name for himself. He came to Kentucky in 1800 and became a well-to-do farmer. His home was near Pikesville, Monroe County. Four of his sons were killed in the War of 1812.

His son Thomas H. Flippin was born in 1793 and married Elizabeth Baugh, who was born in 1798. Thomas H. grew to manhood in Kentucky. In 1825 he moved to Tennessee and in 1837 to Arkansas. He died in Marion County in 1856. Elizabeth lived until 1889. They lived on a farm and reared two sons there: W. B. Flippin and Thomas H. P. (Perry) Flippin. Thomas H. served as Clerk of Marion County and both he and his wife were active members of the Christian Church.

W. B. Flippin -- known as Judge Flippin -- was born in Kentucky in 1817. In 1841 he was married in Izard County to Agnes W. Adams who was born in Hopkins County, Kentucky, near Madisonville, in 1815. She was a daughter of James Adams, who came to Arkansas from Missouri about 1835, but was originally from Kentucky. W. B. and Agnes were the parents of: Thomas H. who served as private secretary of Governor Fishback; James A. a successful farmer of Marion County; John P. who died in Texas; Elizabeth, wife of James Lynch; Ella Jane who remained unmarried; Letitia, wife of Henry Lynch; and Matilda who married W. C. McBee. All of them lived in Marion County.

W. B. Flippin served during the Civil War as Captain of a Company, then later as Quartermaster of McBride's Brigade. He was a faithful worker and minister in the Christian Church. He was also a member of the Yellville Lodge A. F. and A. M. He had the confidence of the people of Marion County and held almost every county office. He was, perhaps, the best-educated man in the county. At one time he taught a subscription school, attended by the children of Jacob H. Wolf, John Adams, John DeArmond and others. In his old age he lived with his son, Thomas H. Flippin.

Thomas H. Flippin married "Sis" Jenkins, daughter of Elder William Jenkins, who was a Christian Church minister. They were the parents of: Garland; Frank; Will; Claud; May who married Will Hudson; Jessie who married Gus Butler; and Lula who was the wife of a Mr. Hodges. Garland served as Sheriff of Marion County; Will, whose home was in Joplin, Missouri, was a well-known minister of the Christian Church.

Thomas H. P. (Perry) Flippin married Harriet Tabor, sister of pioneer John Tabor who built the first cabin in Flippin Barrens. Their children were: "B"; Cordelia; "Sack"; Mary; and Thomas. "B" married Cassie ___________; Cordelia never married; "Sack" married Pleas Marberry; Mary married James Spencer Owens; Thomas, the youngest of Perry and Harriet Flippin's children, married Margaret Owens, sister of James Spencer Owens. They reared a large family.

Perry Flippin's last wife was Julia Drake, widow of Steven Drake and mother of James and Frank Drake. One child was born, Lee Flippin, but was scalded to death at Leslie, Arkansas. Lee's wife was Una Horner, daughter of Jess Horner.

Many descendants of Thomas H. Flippin, who came to Marion County in 1837, still live in Marion County.

James Adams Flippin (1852-1924) was the son of Judge W. B. Flippin, an early settler, legislator, and later a faithful worker and minister of the Church of Christ. He grew to manhood and became a successful farmer. He was married to Martha Magdalene Hurst and to this union three sons and seven daughters were born, but only three still survive. The children were: Fred who married Grace Reed and their children were: Dorothy, Bernice, Clifton, Hugh, Lola, and Jim. Alice died when she was 9; Roy who married Medora Morton of Baxter County and their children were: Gertrude (Mrs. Melvin McCowan); R. T. who married and had three daughters; Oscar who married Lelah Daffron and their children were: Avis (Mrs. Frank Richesin); Elma (Mrs. Marvin Byrd); and Keith. Flora was married to W. P. Henry and they reared 6 children. These were: Anual who married, first, Eula Billings, and they had one daughter, Mary Catherine. Later, he married Palma Wilbanks and their children are: Jean (Mrs. Bob Stafford); J. T.; Tom; Pat; Sam. Troy and his wife, Grace, are the parents of: Peggy, J. A.; Martha; Bill; and Bud. Inez (Mrs. Fielding Rose) and Eunice (Mrs. Jay Walton) reside in Maysville, Oklahoma. Lucille (Mrs. Jesse Denton) had one son, Rex. Alice died at the age of 4. Bertha who married J. H. Poynter had no children; and Minnie who married a Mr. Hutcheson had Ruth and Alpha. Later, she married Bub Holland and they were the parents of four children: Jim, Blake, Hayden and Rachel. The latter two died very young.

Euna Bell was married to V. M. Phillips and their children were: Lynn; Imogine; Twila Ruth. Lynn and his wife Inez are in Enid, Oklahoma; Imogene married Robert Roane of Mountain Home and they have one daughter; and Twila Ruth married Elbert McKnight and they have two sons.

Stella was married to John Lane Conley Huddleston, who died in 1917. To this union were born: Zena (Mrs. R. A. Milum) who had one son, Connie Mack; Connis, Mrs. H. E. Keeter, had two sons, George and Gary. After several years, Stella married F. S. Rorie and had one son, Frank Verner, who lives in Jacksonville, Florida, and his two sons live in Los Angeles, California. Later, Stella was divorced and married H. F. Wood. He died in 1961.

The youngest daughter, Luna (Mrs. Fred Duncan), had no children and now lives in St. Petersburg, Florida.

All the sons and daughters of James and Martha Flippin were good citizens and were a credit to their parents who instilled in them good religious training, love of country, home and fellowman. This is a great American heritage to pass on to your children.