Archibald Yell
Encyclopedia
Archibald Yell was a member of the United States House of Representatives
, second Governor of the State of Arkansas
, and a Brigadier General
in the United States Army
serving in the Mexican-American War.
, but moved to Tennessee
with his parents, as a child. They first settled in Jefferson County, Tennessee
, later moving to Rutherford County
and finally to Bedford County.
As a youth, Yell participated in the Creek War
in 1813 and early 1814 under future President Andrew Jackson
, who became a special friend of Yell's. In 1814 and 1815, he served with Jackson in Louisiana
during the War of 1812
and participated in the Battle of New Orleans
.
Yell returned to Tennessee and was admitted to the bar in Fayetteville, Tennessee
. In 1818 he joined Jackson's army during the First Seminole War
in Florida
.
, and they would have four more children, before her death. He then married the widow Maria (McIlvaine) Ficklin, but they had no children. Maria died October 15, 1838 while Yell was serving in Congress.
and received several Federal appointments during the Jackson administration. He was appointed to head the Federal land office in Little Rock, Arkansas
in 1831. Yell was offered the governorship of the territory of Florida
in 1832 but declined. In 1835 he received an appointment as an Arkansas territorial judge. He is reported to have single-handedly retrieved a criminal from a local saloon and physically brought him to his court.
He was a strong supporter and personal friend of President James K. Polk
. Just prior to taking office in 1835, Polk sent Yell to Texas to advocate for its annexation to the Union. He was elected to the United States House of Representatives
in 1836 when statehood was granted to Arkansas and served until 1839. While in Washington, he was a strong supporter of Texas statehood and favored a stronger military.
It was around this time that Yell formed the first Masonic lodge in Arkansas at Fayetteville, Arkansas
.
In 1840 Yell was elected Governor of Arkansas and focused on internal improvements and better control of banks. He was also a supporter of public education. In 1844 Yell resigned his post as governor to run again for Congress. Yell is reported to have been the consummate campaigner. At one stop during the campaign he is reported to have won a shooting match, donated the meat to the poor, and bought a jug of whiskey for the crowd.
. Several other famous Arkansans served under Yell in Mexico
including future governor John Selden Roane
, and future Confederate Generals Albert Pike
, Solon Borland
, and James Fleming Fagan
.
Yell was originally buried on the field where he fell at Buena Vista. His body was soon removed and returned to Arkansas for burial at Waxhaws Cemetery in Fayetteville. When Evergreen Cemetery in Fayetteville was established his body was moved permanently to the Masonic section of that cemetery.
, and the town of Yellville, Arkansas
, are both named for Archibald Yell. During the American Civil War
, a Confederate unit named after Yell was formed in Helena, Arkansas
, and known as the "Yell Rifles." Yell's nephew, James Yell, became a Major General
of the Arkansas state militia during the Civil War.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, second Governor of the State of Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, and a Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
serving in the Mexican-American War.
Early life
Archibald Yell was born in North CarolinaNorth Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, but moved to Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
with his parents, as a child. They first settled in Jefferson County, Tennessee
Jefferson County, Tennessee
*...
, later moving to Rutherford County
Rutherford County, Tennessee
Rutherford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, it is the state's fifth-largest county by population with 262,604 people, an increase of 44.3 percent over the 2000 population of 182,023. Its county seat is Murfreesboro, which is also the geographic...
and finally to Bedford County.
As a youth, Yell participated in the Creek War
Creek War
The Creek War , also known as the Red Stick War and the Creek Civil War, began as a civil war within the Creek nation...
in 1813 and early 1814 under future President Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
, who became a special friend of Yell's. In 1814 and 1815, he served with Jackson in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
and participated in the Battle of New Orleans
Battle of New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans took place on January 8, 1815 and was the final major battle of the War of 1812. American forces, commanded by Major General Andrew Jackson, defeated an invading British Army intent on seizing New Orleans and the vast territory the United States had acquired with the...
.
Yell returned to Tennessee and was admitted to the bar in Fayetteville, Tennessee
Fayetteville, Tennessee
Fayetteville is a city in Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 6,994 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lincoln County.-History:...
. In 1818 he joined Jackson's army during the First Seminole War
Seminole Wars
The Seminole Wars, also known as the Florida Wars, were three conflicts in Florida between the Seminole — the collective name given to the amalgamation of various groups of native Americans and Black people who settled in Florida in the early 18th century — and the United States Army...
in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
Marriages and children
It was in Bedford County that he met and married his first wife, Mary Scott, in 1821. She had one daughter, also named Mary (born January 5, 1823) and died in childbirth on that day. Within a few years, he had married Nancy Moore of Danville, KentuckyDanville, Kentucky
Danville is a city in and the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,218 at the 2010 census.Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boyle and Lincoln counties....
, and they would have four more children, before her death. He then married the widow Maria (McIlvaine) Ficklin, but they had no children. Maria died October 15, 1838 while Yell was serving in Congress.
Political career
Yell became a member of the Tennessee House of RepresentativesTennessee House of Representatives
The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower house of the Tennessee General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional requirements:...
and received several Federal appointments during the Jackson administration. He was appointed to head the Federal land office in Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
in 1831. Yell was offered the governorship of the territory of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
in 1832 but declined. In 1835 he received an appointment as an Arkansas territorial judge. He is reported to have single-handedly retrieved a criminal from a local saloon and physically brought him to his court.
He was a strong supporter and personal friend of President James K. Polk
James K. Polk
James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States . Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 17th Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 12th Governor of Tennessee...
. Just prior to taking office in 1835, Polk sent Yell to Texas to advocate for its annexation to the Union. He was elected to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 1836 when statehood was granted to Arkansas and served until 1839. While in Washington, he was a strong supporter of Texas statehood and favored a stronger military.
It was around this time that Yell formed the first Masonic lodge in Arkansas at Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks...
.
In 1840 Yell was elected Governor of Arkansas and focused on internal improvements and better control of banks. He was also a supporter of public education. In 1844 Yell resigned his post as governor to run again for Congress. Yell is reported to have been the consummate campaigner. At one stop during the campaign he is reported to have won a shooting match, donated the meat to the poor, and bought a jug of whiskey for the crowd.
Death and burial
Soon after taking his seat in Congress, the Mexican-American War broke out and Yell returned to Arkansas and formed the 1st Arkansas Volunteer Cavalry. Yell's cavalry compiled a record of insubordination. On February 22, 1847 Yell was killed in combat at the Battle of Buena VistaBattle of Buena Vista
The Battle of Buena Vista , also known as the Battle of Angostura, saw the United States Army use artillery to repulse the much larger Mexican army in the Mexican-American War...
. Several other famous Arkansans served under Yell in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
including future governor John Selden Roane
John Selden Roane
John Selden Roane was a Confederate Brigadier General during the American Civil War. He also served as the fourth Governor of the State of Arkansas.-Biography:...
, and future Confederate Generals Albert Pike
Albert Pike
Albert Pike was an attorney, Confederate officer, writer, and Freemason. Pike is the only Confederate military officer or figure to be honored with an outdoor statue in Washington, D.C...
, Solon Borland
Solon Borland
Solon Borland was a newspaperman, soldier, diplomat, Democratic United States Senator from the State of Arkansas and a Confederate officer during the American Civil War.-Early life:...
, and James Fleming Fagan
James Fleming Fagan
James Fleming Fagan was a planter, public official, and a major general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...
.
Yell was originally buried on the field where he fell at Buena Vista. His body was soon removed and returned to Arkansas for burial at Waxhaws Cemetery in Fayetteville. When Evergreen Cemetery in Fayetteville was established his body was moved permanently to the Masonic section of that cemetery.
Legacy
Yell County, ArkansasYell County, Arkansas
Yell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of 2010, the population was 22,185. The county has two county seats, Dardanelle and Danville...
, and the town of Yellville, Arkansas
Yellville, Arkansas
Yellville is a city in Marion County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 1,312 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Marion County.-History:...
, are both named for Archibald Yell. During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, a Confederate unit named after Yell was formed in Helena, Arkansas
Helena, Arkansas
Helena is the eastern portion of Helena-West Helena, Arkansas, a city in Phillips County, Arkansas. As of the 2000 census, this portion of the city population was 6,323. Helena was the county seat of Phillips County until January 1, 2006, when it merged its government and city limits with...
, and known as the "Yell Rifles." Yell's nephew, James Yell, became a Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
of the Arkansas state militia during the Civil War.
External links
- Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture entry: Archibald Yell
- National Governors Association