This material provided by Brenda L. Underdown.

From the files of "The Crittenden Record" - June 6, 1906  (used with permission)

PIONEER SETTLERS  OF CRITTENDEN COUNTY  - Paris, James, Clark and Hunt families.
Thinking one might appreciate it I thought I would give you a brief sketch of
some of the pioneer settlers of Crittinden County, in 1850.  Obahiah Paris and
family consisting of J.W. Paris, the miller, Eld. W. F. Paris and the late L. H.
Paris and six daughters, Bartley James (father of Uncle Berry James, of Salem,
and the late Smith and Alex James) and family.  Bird Clark (father of Eld. J. R.
and Lemuel Clark) and family; John Hunt, better known as "Uncle Jack." and his
wife and three children, Wyatt, the youngest being an infant two months old all
loaded what they owned of this worlds goods into eight wagons and three backs and
started from Smith County Tenn.  They all settled within a radius of five miles
of Marion.

Today only two that were heads of families in that colony are living.  Those two
are Aunt Polly James, widow of Uncle Smith James, now in her 83rd year and the
writer's grandmother, widow of Grandfather Jack Hunt.  She is in her 82nd year.

Few of the children that were in that colony are living today, yet their
offspring consist of a great portion of the population of this county and are
scattered into several States, even into the State of Washington.  O. E. Paris,
son of Eld. W.F. Paris, moved to Washington two years ago.

The most interesting feature of this colony is their devotion to God, the Father
of good.  When they settled here this county and churches were few, but the faith
they had in the Lord stimulated them to action.  They would meet at their homes
and talk of the goodness and mercies of God and relate their travels from nature
to grace.

In the following year 1851, Eld. P. L. H. Walker arrived from Tennessee and
settled here.  They soon decided they wanted a house of worship, so they went to
work, hauled logs and soon had a house built on a hill two miles east of Marion,
which they named Pleasant Hill.  It was a pleasant place to them.

On Saturday before the second Sunday in May, 1853, they met and organized
themselves into a church and dedicated their building to God, to be used only as
a house of worship.

The following names were enrolled:  Eld. P. H. Walker, Lemuel Conger, Elisha
Conger, Bartley S. James, Leonard F. Hughes, Obadiah Paris, Alexander James,
Sarah Conger, Martha Paris, Mary James, Mary Hunt, Sarah James and Archie Alison.
 They continued to meet once a month and pray for the prosperity of Zion and men
everywhere.

In 1867 they decided to build a larger and better house and in a short time had
completed another building about thirty yards from the old one, still praying all
the time for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In a Short while the population had so increased and their congregation grown so
large as to demand a larger church, so the third building was erected on the same
spot.  So on Tuesday, June 12th, it having been formerly announced, the brethren
met to engage in praise, prayer and thanksgiving, before removing the old house
preparatory to the new, and asking the blessing of the Holy Spirit in the
erection of the their new building.  Pastor Eld. J. R. Clark was requested to
take the first step toward removing the old house, which was to remove the Bible
from the pulpit, then the other three preachers, Elders W.F. Paris, J. L. Paris
and J. A. Hunt removed the seats from the pulpit, and before the sun set the
brethren had removed the whole house.

A noticeable feature of the day was the presence of sisters Mary Hunt and Polly
James the only two charter members of the church living.

Mary Hunt, the writers grandmother, told me last Sunday that until her health
failed two years ago, she had never missed more than three conference meetings at
one time, and never let anything except sickness or something of a providential
nature keep her away from church.

There are but two male members living today that were living at the time of
erection of the second church in 1867, they are J. W. Paris and John Mathews.

This brings to our minds the thought that we are swift passengers from time to
eternity and if we are going to do any good in this life we will have to do it
quick.

We want to say that we are glad that we have been reared under the influence and
teachings of these noble Christian people and feel sure if we follow their
admonition that we will not dread the end when it comes, let it be soon or late. 
Yours in hope, J. Frank Conger