The following article was posted in the March 29, 1987 Edition of the Poteau Daily News
By Hershel Lester
Cowlington is four miles south and 11/2 west of Kerr Lock and Dam.
Busy Cowlington greets 1901 visitor
It was named for E.F. Cowling, the first white settler who stayed. Mrs. Cowling was a Choctaw. She and E.F. were good people. They were instrumental in establishing a Baptist church and helped found the first Baptist association in the Indian county, that of Short Mountain.
The first five Missionary Baptist churches were Double Branch—1870, Cowling—1877, Liberty Hill—1879, Macedonia—1881, and Poteau—1885.
The Cowlings, Jarrards, Overstreets, Hunsuckers, Roses, Lowerys, Tuckers and Stines were a few of the early settlers.
The palatial, white tow-story house to your left just before the drop-off into the Kerr Lock and Dam area when running north, is the old Overstreet home place. No one has lived in this house for years, but the place is very well kept as a monument to the family and to the early days.
Short Mountain Cemetery is just a quarter of a mile on west.
Stella Jarrard, daughter of R.L. (High Bob) Jarrard, came with her family in a covered wagon from Scranton, Ark., to this area in 1901.
She said the stores were well organized and carried a full line of merchandise even then. These goods were brought from Fort Smith by wagons drawn by oxen as well as mules.
Nathan Stine and Mark Lowery did a big business in general merchandise. Tucker had a gin and a grist mill. R. Hunsucker had a general store. They also had a bank, a drug store and barber shops.
The following doctors practiced at different times: J.D. Beckett, Mixon, C.B. Billings and R.E. Lester.
Dr. Lester was one of my father’s older brothers. He had seven brothers and five sisters who lived to rear children. Two others were lost, for a total of 15 children.
My grandfather and grandmother Jarrard were not quite so prolific. They only reared nine to be married, six boys and three girls.
My father, M.G. (Mace) Lester, a still younger brother T.D. (Kelley) Lester, and one of their sisters Lita Lester, all followed the good doctor from “deep” east Texas to Cowlington, and all three taught school in the area for a short time.
All you had to do was pass a county examination and presto! You were a teacher. (Remember, this was still Indian Territory).
These three “budding” teachers were seeking some way, any way, to get out of the Lufkin-Huntington (Angelina County), Texas area. (I found out later that they had more things to eat on you in those piney woods than any place I had ever been).
Stella Jarrard married Mace Lester and they and three of their four children spent a total of over 100 years teaching in this area. (I had one brother who could do something).
I apologize, I tend to talk about early Cowlington.
A splendid two-story brick school building was erected in the early teens and a two-year high school operated for a number of years. J.T. Collier, superintendent, Crouthamel, Mr. Powell and W.H. Taylor of Oklahoma City, as their former students call them, were some of the principals at Cowlington. Unfortunately, this school was never accredited.
My mother finished this school, but she did not get a high school diploma until after her son got one in 1933. She did, finally, get 34 years of “Creditable Service” as a teacher in Oklahoma. (Pardon me again, but to me, my mother WAS Cowlington).
The churches have now dwindled. John Moren, 87 years of age, has been serving as pastor, and Mrs. Brooks is still leading the singing, and some two or three dozen faithful Baptists have been keeping the church open. Because of his health, Mr. Moren needs a replacement.
A few years ago, in the early 80s, I was amazed to find that all businesses were closed in downtown Cowlington. I believe one store and bait shop is now open, at least part time.
I asked Mason Brooks, husband of the choir leader, not long before he passed away at a ripe old age. “How would you explain this total collapse of a once prosperous little community?”
His reply was, “Taxes got too high.”
If his assessment is correct, we will lose some other towns in LeFlore County.
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