Matthew Ham was born in Georgia. Caroline Bridgeman Ham was born in Illinois. They were the parents of Eliza Ham Phillips. They were married in December 1832 and were the parents of 15 children. Matthew Ham died in east Texas, a son-in-law, Frank Watts, was killed there. Frank was the husband of Mary Jane Sims and father of Alfred Watts.
Caroline Ham moved from Texas to Yellville and bought what was later known as the Morrow farm. She died there in 1872 and was buried in the Cowan Cemetery.
The Phillips family moved to St. Louis, Missouri, during the Civil War. The three children were: James Wylie, Martha and America. Mother and Father Phillips died of smallpox and were buried on an island in the Mississippi River.
Martha Phillips married Oliver Beck; America married Austin Briggs and James Wylie married Eliza Ham. The wedding was at Wares Chapel in the Blue John community. Martha Firestone and Mary Jane Sims attended. Jim and Eliza had seven children; John, Carroll, Henry, Newt, Leonard, Laura and Vena. They were born and raised on what was later known as the John Keeter farm. John L. Keeter and Vena Phillips were married in 1912 and had three sons: Kermit, Clyde and Wallace.
Reprinted with permission from History of Marion County edited by Earl Berry, copyright 1977.