William J. (Uncle Bill) Treadway and Sarah Jane Turnbo were married on Christmas night 1876. William was born in Tennessee and Sarah Jane was born in southern Missouri. Uncle Bill had one brother, Ben; while Sarah Jane had three brothers: Clabe, Jim and Andy.
The Treadways began their married life at Peel, Arkansas, near White River, on the George Simmons farm. They first lived in a log cabin where Jim, Alice, Winfred, Clara, Ida and Frank were born. Porter, Fay and Pierce were born in the new house that was built years later in Peel.
Uncle Bill bought out the heirs of the Zedy McShew farm of 176 acres on White River. He was a farmer, stockman, merchant, gin and sawmill operator and miller. He would buy a carload of hogs at 2 cents a pound and, with help, drive them from Peel to Summit, Arkansas; then by rail to Kansas City, Missouri. His son, Winfred, operated the cotton gins and sawmills.
Jim married Altha Jones; Winfred married Tibitha Baker, whose father was a Baptist preacher that helped build the old Baptist Church building at Peel. It still stands today. Alice married Allen Trimble; Clara married Bert Yocham; Ida married Luther Crews; Frank married Stella Motley; Fay married Grace Poynter; Porter married Ivy Cagle; and Pierce married Alpha Yocham.
The Treadways moved to Kingdon Springs in 1914 to manage the hotel there. It was a large hotel for that day -- with 14 rooms. People who worked in the mines were charged $2.50 a week for board and room, plus a packed lunch.
Finally, Winfred and Tibitha, with their children: Nevah (Mrs. R. D. Sanders); Vera (Mrs. Joll Pace); Park and Ivon (Mrs. Clifton Sanders) took over the management of the hotel because of ill health of Winfred's parents. Other children born at Kingdon Springs to Winfred and Bitha were: Wayne, Ruth and Bill.
Winfred was one of the greatest hands with a sawmill. He was known to carry a lantern to and from work because of the long hours he spent on the job. He would leave occasionally to find work elsewhere, but always returned to his beloved Ozarks.
Winfred, Tibitha and their youngest son, Bill, are all laid to rest in the beautiful cemetery of Mountain View near Flippin.
This information was furnished by Ivon Treadway Sanders.
Reprinted with permission from History of Marion County edited by Earl Berry, copyright 1977.