Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

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This Day in Arkansas History

October 19, 1898

William Fosgate Kirby from Texarkana (Miller County)—who had recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in law from Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee, in the same class as his father—married Ella Kelly of Texarkana. Kirby established a law practice and later became an associate justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court. He also served as state attorney general and a U.S. senator. In 1903, he was commissioned by the General Assembly to produce an authoritative compilation of Arkansas’s statutes, which was published the following year as Kirby’s Digest of the Statutes of Arkansas.

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Jim Ed Brown

Jim Ed Brown and his sisters, Bonnie and Maxine, better known as the popular 1950s and 1960s singing group the Browns, grew up near Pine Bluff (Jefferson County). The trio performed together until growing families and other factors led to their breakup in 1967. Jim Ed went on to a fairly successful career as a solo artist and in a duo with Helen Cornelius.

 

Jim Ed Brown and his sisters, Bonnie and Maxine, better known as the popular 1950s and 1960s singing group the Browns, grew up near Pine Bluff (Jefferson County). The trio performed together until growing families and other factors led to their breakup in 1967. Jim Ed went on to a fairly successful career as a solo artist and in a duo with Helen Cornelius.

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About the Encyclopedia

The CALS Encyclopedia of Arkansas is a free, authoritative source of information about the rich history, geography, and culture of Arkansas. It is updated regularly to ensure the people of Arkansas have an accurate and accessible resource to explore our heritage. We invite you to browse our text entries and media galleries to learn more about the people, places, events, legends, and lore of the 25th state. We are continually adding new entries, photographs, maps, videos, quizzes, lesson plans, and more, so check back frequently to see what’s new.

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Our overview page covers everything you would want to know about our beautiful state, including state symbols, demographics, and more!

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