Individual Details
James Foster Gaines
(July 20, 1805 - September 14, 1853)
James Foster Gaines led the family's migration to Scott County Arkansas, where he is listed in the 1840 census. On 1 September 1848 he filed for 200 acres of government land. 1 August 1849, he added 80 more acres, and 15 January 1858, he claimed 320 acres. His brothers and Caviness in-laws followed in the mid-1840s.
"The temporary seat of justice was located at the home of Walter Cothran by the organic act. Elijah Jackson, Walter Cothran and Tandy C. Walker were appointed commissioners on October 18, 1836, to select a permanent site for the county seat. They located it at Boonville (now spelled Booneville), where it remained until James F. Gaines, Walter Cothran and Wiley Tomlinson, as commissioners, voted to move the county seat nearer the center of the county. They chose a site one and a half miles northeast of the present site and named it Winfield, in honor of George Winfield Scott, a well-known figure in the early history of Arkansas. The change was approved January 5, 1843. At the same time a post office known as Poteau Valley was established on the present site of Waldron, with William G. Featherston as postmaster. It remained there until August 18, 1843, when it was moved to Winfield." (HISTORICAL SKETCH OF SCOTT COUNTY From "Inventory of the County Archives of Arkansas, No. 63 Scott County (Waldron)." Prepared by The Arkansas Historical Records Survey, Division of Community Service Programs, Works Progress Administration, Little Rock, Arkansas, March 1942.)
1850 Scott County, Arkansas, Parks, Dwelling/Family #127/127, taken 15 October 1850: James F. GAINES, 45, male, farmer and merchant, real estate $6750, Virginia; Pamelia F. GAINES, 34, female, Virginia; Susan E. GAINES, 11, female, Arkansas; Victoria GAINES, 9, female, Arkansas; Francis C. GAINES, 6, male, Arkansas; Mildred J. GAINES, 2, female, Arkansas; Isaac BAGWELL, 22, male, laborer, Arkansas; Thomas F. COX, 2, male, laborer, Arkansas.
1850 Census Agriculture Schedule: James F. Gains had 230 acres of improved land and 660 acres of unimproved, valued at $2300.00. He had farming implements and machinery valued at $300 and 100 horses, 5 asses and mules, 50 milch cows, 25 working oxen, 50 other cattle, 15 sheep and 300 swine valued at $9050.00. His farm had produced 50 bushels of wheat, 2000 bushels of Indian corn, 300 bushels of oats, 2 bales of cotton, 6 lbs. of wool, 2 bushels of peas and beans, 20 bushels of Irish potatoes, 50 bushels of sweet potatoes and 50 lbs. of butter with the value listed as $25.00. The value listed for his slaughtered livestock was $40.00.
"James Foster Gaines' wife established the first post office at Parks, Arkansas. A farm near Parks Post Office was in the Gaines family for over 100 years." ("The Gaines Family Tree" typescript.)
James Foster Gaines was buried in private cemetery on the Gaines Plantation, Parks, Scott County, Arkansas. He was an attorney and a large land owner. He served in the Arkansas State Senate for several terms. He came to the Parks area around 1837, served in the lower house of the State legislature in 1842, and 1843 and in the state senate in 1844, 1845, and 1846.
"The temporary seat of justice was located at the home of Walter Cothran by the organic act. Elijah Jackson, Walter Cothran and Tandy C. Walker were appointed commissioners on October 18, 1836, to select a permanent site for the county seat. They located it at Boonville (now spelled Booneville), where it remained until James F. Gaines, Walter Cothran and Wiley Tomlinson, as commissioners, voted to move the county seat nearer the center of the county. They chose a site one and a half miles northeast of the present site and named it Winfield, in honor of George Winfield Scott, a well-known figure in the early history of Arkansas. The change was approved January 5, 1843. At the same time a post office known as Poteau Valley was established on the present site of Waldron, with William G. Featherston as postmaster. It remained there until August 18, 1843, when it was moved to Winfield." (HISTORICAL SKETCH OF SCOTT COUNTY From "Inventory of the County Archives of Arkansas, No. 63 Scott County (Waldron)." Prepared by The Arkansas Historical Records Survey, Division of Community Service Programs, Works Progress Administration, Little Rock, Arkansas, March 1942.)
1850 Scott County, Arkansas, Parks, Dwelling/Family #127/127, taken 15 October 1850: James F. GAINES, 45, male, farmer and merchant, real estate $6750, Virginia; Pamelia F. GAINES, 34, female, Virginia; Susan E. GAINES, 11, female, Arkansas; Victoria GAINES, 9, female, Arkansas; Francis C. GAINES, 6, male, Arkansas; Mildred J. GAINES, 2, female, Arkansas; Isaac BAGWELL, 22, male, laborer, Arkansas; Thomas F. COX, 2, male, laborer, Arkansas.
1850 Census Agriculture Schedule: James F. Gains had 230 acres of improved land and 660 acres of unimproved, valued at $2300.00. He had farming implements and machinery valued at $300 and 100 horses, 5 asses and mules, 50 milch cows, 25 working oxen, 50 other cattle, 15 sheep and 300 swine valued at $9050.00. His farm had produced 50 bushels of wheat, 2000 bushels of Indian corn, 300 bushels of oats, 2 bales of cotton, 6 lbs. of wool, 2 bushels of peas and beans, 20 bushels of Irish potatoes, 50 bushels of sweet potatoes and 50 lbs. of butter with the value listed as $25.00. The value listed for his slaughtered livestock was $40.00.
"James Foster Gaines' wife established the first post office at Parks, Arkansas. A farm near Parks Post Office was in the Gaines family for over 100 years." ("The Gaines Family Tree" typescript.)
James Foster Gaines was buried in private cemetery on the Gaines Plantation, Parks, Scott County, Arkansas. He was an attorney and a large land owner. He served in the Arkansas State Senate for several terms. He came to the Parks area around 1837, served in the lower house of the State legislature in 1842, and 1843 and in the state senate in 1844, 1845, and 1846.
Events
| Birth | July 20, 1805 | Prince William County, Virginia | |||
| Marriage | June 18, 1835 | Fayette County, Tennessee - Pamelia Frances Halley | |||
| Death | September 14, 1853 | Parks, Scott County, Arkansas | |||
| Burial | Gaines - Jameson Cemetery, Parks, Scott County, Arkansas |
Families
| Spouse | Pamelia Frances Halley (1816 - 1888) |
| Child | Penelope Gaines (1839 - 1839) |
| Child | Susan Elizabeth Gaines (1840 - 1866) |
| Child | Victoria Virginia Gaines (1842 - 1902) |
| Child | Francis Cornelius "Buck" Gaines (1844 - 1883) |
| Child | Andrewsia Jacksonia Gaines (1846 - ) |
| Child | Mildred Jane Gaines (1848 - ) |
| Child | Pamelia Foster Gaines (1850 - ) |
| Child | Mary Rebeca Gaines (1852 - ) |
| Father | Cornelius Gaines (1779 - 1847) |
| Mother | Susanna Foster (1786 - 1824) |
| Sibling | Judge William Henry Gaines (1807 - ) |
| Sibling | Jane Gaines (1809 - 1873) |
| Sibling | Elizabeth Gaines (1811 - ) |
| Sibling | Felix Grundy Gaines (1814 - 1859) |
| Sibling | Redmon Grigsby Gaines (1816 - ) |
| Sibling | Mary Ann Gaines (1819 - 1862) |
| Sibling | Isaac Thomas Gaines (1821 - ) |
| Sibling | Cornelius Augustine Gaines (1824 - ) |