In 1917 F A Hammonds, who owned a farm four miles northeast of Jasper, purchased 1500 Angora goats in Texas. He shipped them by train to Harrison. From there, he drove the herd to his farm. The goats cost $1200, quite a tidy sum back then (Green Forest Tribune 25 May 1917). In July, F A Hammonds bought an 2400 goats for his farm between Harrison and Jasper (Green Forest Tribune 6 Jul 1917). F A Hammonds, "an experienced stockman from Montana", had purchased the farm and created the largest Angora goat ranch in Arkansas. The ranch comprised 3000 acres and he had over 4000 goats. He planned on shearing 3000 of them in the fall, and to provide goat meat as well (Jonesboro Daily Tribune 26 Jul 1917). However, he didn't stay in Newton County. His name doesn't appear in the 1920 census, and there are no further newspaper articles about him.
Barbara LeRoy is the author of “Which Side Were They On?,” a 302 page book listing biographical sketches of the Newton Countians who were involved in the Civil War, available for sale either in the Bradley House Museum or by purchasing online at www.newtoncountyar.com. The book sells for $33.
