I was looking for my roots on my mothers side of the family. Her grandfather was born here in Strawberry Arkansas about six miles up the road her grandmother was born in Lynn and her father.
This is the Old Lebanon Cemetery where the grandmother is buried and all of her family. The Casper's and Blackwells near the Strawberry River.



Three brothers came to Lawrence Co. Arkansas from North Carolina. In 1852 they build this church and school ( Presbyterian) the first in Lawrence Co. There is a great story about the first teacher Mrs Reanor , she walk two miles each day, carrying her shoes and stockings until nearly in sight of the church, where she would put them on. The books used were the Holy Bible and the Blue Back Speller Book.

After the house was completed the date of the dedication was a cold and rainy day. The preacher came riding horseback from old Jackson, and found that his congregation consisted of three persons. He stated that he would not preach to so small a congregation.

My mothers great uncle whose land the cemetery and church was built on John Casper said to the preacher, if you had a bunch of hogs and after calling, only three came would you feed them, or take the corn back because the whole bunch did not come? And quoted the Scripture," If you love me, feed my lambs. This was to much for the preacher, who arose and took the text and read the scripture "if you love me, feed my sheep.,and be it said that was one of the greatest sermons ever delivered at this old church, and lasted two hours and 35 minutes.

The out house and used to this day. Sure it is not the some one from long ago. Homecoming is every third Sunday in Aug.My mother's great great grandmother and John Casper's wife.