Silas C. Turnbo – Ozark Scribbler & Historian
Welcome to 𝙍𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙊𝙪𝙧 𝙍𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙨 with our host, Sammy Raycraft, and historian Vincent Anderson.
Today, we begin our show with a couple of letters—not just from our listeners, but from individuals and families who have been personally connected to various aspects of the history we’ve covered in past episodes.
First, we hear from Velara Harris, who writes,
"I remember going to the picnic in the '40s.
It was up around where Walgreens is now or somewhere in that area.
I always had a new dress, and the main attractions were the Ferris Wheel, Merry-Go-Round, Fortune Tellers, Penny Toss, Ball Throwing at Objects to Win Prizes, Lemonade Stands, and Cotton Candy. I think we did take a picnic basket and would meet up with neighbors, spreading our meal out on a blanket somewhere near where we had parked.
I remember my mom talking about the picnics in her early days—I’m not sure if they were in Buford or Cotter.
I have a vase that was won for her around the 1920s.”
Next, we hear from relatives of Kleo Victor Loba. In a previous show, we discussed Mr. Loba’s dream of building a railroad through the Ozarks and how those plans fell apart following his assassination in 1919. A relative shared additional information, noting that Kleo Loba and his father-in-law, F.M. Seward, operated a real estate office where Nema’s Pizza is located today. Shortly after Kleo’s murder, F.M. moved the entire Seward family and their spouses to Miami, Oklahoma. There’s more to this story, and we’ll be sharing further details soon.
F.M. Seward was also a principal holder in the People’s Bank of Mountain Home in its early days. On a lighter note, his son, Raymond Seward, had a rather eventful first day at Mountain Home Baptist College—he ended up in a serious fight on the front steps of the school with a professor. Somehow, in the scuffle, they locked arms and legs, rolled down the steps together, and Raymond quite literally rolled right out of school.
In our second segment, we dive into the life of an Ozarks classic author and gentleman, Silas Claiburne Turnbo. Throughout his life, Turnbo traveled the Ozarks, collecting stories from pioneers and soldiers—both Union and Confederate.
Turnbo once described himself as "nothing but a poor scribbler without means and education."
Silas Turnbo was born in 1844 on Beaver Creek in Taney County, Missouri, near what is now Kissee Mills. Turnbo was a young man when the Civil War erupted. His family relocated to northern Marion County, Arkansas, where his father, a Southern sympathizer, enlisted in the 14th Arkansas Infantry, which fought at the Battle of Oak Hills—better known as the Battle of Wilson’s Creek near Springfield, Missouri.
His mother, Elizabeth “Eliza” (Onstott) Turnbo, was from Illinois and had Northern sympathies, but she supported her husband and sons as they believed they were defending the Constitution.
By 1862, at the age of 18, Silas enlisted in the 27th Arkansas Infantry at the county seat in Yellville. With a memory like a steel trap, he documented his experiences, hardships, and travels until he was paroled from the war in Louisiana.
Upon returning to Marion County, Arkansas, after the war, Silas married Mary “Matilda” (Holt) Turnbo. If the Holt name sounds familiar, it should—we’ve had a couple of shows on Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, who traveled pass Holt Knob and met William Holt on December 12, 1818. This is the same Holt family.
In our final segment, we sit back and read from the writings of Silas Turnbo. From the introduction of just one of his books, we can hear the passion, love, and dedication he had for preserving the stories of Ozark pioneers.
For those wanting to read Silas Turnbo’s short stories, the Springfield-Greene County Library has a database with 28 Volumes detailing the joys and heartbreaks in the Ozarks. Click here: https://sgcld.thelibrary.org/lochist/turnbo/toc.html
If you are interested in your own copy of Turnbo’s stories called The White River Chronicles of S. C. Turnbo: Man and Wildlife on the Ozarks Frontier, click here: https://amzn.to/4gHyp13
Thank you for your continued support, emails, and suggestions—they fuel our local programming. If there’s a particular story you’d like to hear, or if you have a letter or insight to share, please send your comments to Sammy at sammy@ktlo.com or message Vincent at whiterh613@gmail.com.
As always, a special thanks to our amazing sponsor, Rapp’s Barren Brewing Company, for supporting 𝙍𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙊𝙪𝙧 𝙍𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙨! Local programming is so important in keeping us connected as a community. We would not be here without Rapp’s. So, drop by Rapp’s Barren Brewing Company in Mtn. Home and thank Russell and the crew for their support.
