Hempstead County -- History Articles 1. "Arkansas Weatherman: Dr. Nathan D. Smith" by Brenda Ball in the Arkansas Historical Quarterly 24 (Spring 1965):67-81. A short biography of an early physician of Washington, Arkansas, whose careful weather records of the area were published by the Smithsonian Institution in 1860.   2. "An 1835 Magazine Article by Dr. Nathan D. Smith," by William Donald Williams in Arkansas Historical Quarterly 48(Autumn 1989): 272-77. Provides the text of an article in The Farmer's Register, foremost agricultural journal in the South, by Smith describing the prairie soils of the state.   3. "Simon T. Sanders: Public Servant," by Donald Ray Montgomery in Arkansas Historical Quarterly 39 (Summer 1980): 159-68. Sketch of the life of long-time County Clerk of Hempstead who served from 1838 until the end of the Civil War and who served as Postmaster of Washington until 1881.   4. "A Survey of Historic Washington, Arkansas," by Francis Irby Gwaltney in Arkansas Historical Quarterly 17(Winter 1955): 337-96. A lengthy but incomplete account of Washington in the 19th century focusing especially on the Civil War years.   5. "The Story of James Black, Silversmith-Blacksmith-Knifesmith-Arkansas Pioneer," by Lu Waters. This article was especially written in 2000 for this Internet site by Mrs. Waters, Black's Great-Great-Great-Granddaughter. Waters tells the story of a prominent early settler of Washington who is best known as the man who made the Bowie knife for Jim Bowie who later died at the Battle of the Alamo.       Contents