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From: "Carroll Hayden" <>
Subject: [ARIZARD-L] Doctor in Mt. Olive
Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 22:38:45 -0500


Rosemary wrote:

<Another son, Paul (31 Dec 1882 - 12 Feb 1971), also became a doctor. He was
the "Doctor Paul" who, although I believe he lived in Bethesda, was only
about one of two doctors (the other being Dr. Noel Copp of Calico Rock) for
the folks in and around Mt. Olive for many years.>

Rosemary! You forget Dr. William Ransom Hayden (picture on front of your cemetery book). Dr. Hayden had a drug store in downtown Mount Olive. It was located just a lot or two west of the Cumberland Presby Church. Another doctor in the area was a Dr. Beenbrook. A story goes that Dr. Benbrook and Dr. Hayden were summoned at the same time by a family that was afraid that one or the other would not come in time. Dr. Hayden arrived first and began treatment. Dr. Benbrook showed up pretty soon afterward. After they left they commenced to disagree about the treatment. Dr. Benbrook continued the argument way longer than Dr. Hayden thought necessary and said, "If you don't be quiet about it we are going to have a fight." Dr. Benbrook did not "be quiet about it" and so they got off their horses and went at it. After the fight they both started treating each other for minor cuts and bruses.

Dr. Hayden "read for the medical profession from Dr. Robert Emmett Jeffery (who's second wife was Mary Elizabeth "Molly" Carson - was a first cousin and grew up with William Ransom Hayden). After several years of study with Dr. R. E. Jeffery he went before a Medical Examiners Board in Mountain Home and obtained his Certification.

Dr. Hayden had a son named Jeffery Hayden who went to medical College in Little Rock. After he graduated he married Owen Dixon's daughter, Ruth and set up in practice at Jamestown (near Desha and Batesville). About the time he started the 1918 flu epidemic hit and he died from overwork and exaustion during that epidemic.

I am told that one of the Jeffery boys "read for the medical profession" with Dr. Hayden. I don't know for sure but always thought it was Paul Jeffery.

I have a copy of Dr. Hayden's last Ledger and many familiar names from the Mt. Olive show up as patients of his. It was his last Ledger before he died in 1921.

Dr. Hayden's drug store was equipped with a Typewriter upon which he composed most of his obituary as follows:

The following was written by William Ransom Hayden shortly before
his death on a typewriter that he had in his Drug Store in Mt. Olive,
Arkansas.

I professed faith in Christ at the age of eighteen, joined the
Baptist Church and lived in it for eight years. Not being satisfied with
close Communion, I joined the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and have
tried to live a consecrated life. Having had to contend with the
weakness of man, have failed in many ways.
I would like to tell what Jesus has been to me. He has been all in
all to me. When darkness and gloom hovered over me, when earthly friends
failed to be of any comfort to me, when I gave myself up to that loving
Spirit, the sun shone in my heart and life, and it always to my captive
soul flew - and set me free.
Alas! And my poor children that were entrusted to my care, whatever
mistakes I have made, I trust that they will look over them, and try to
improve and live a better life than I have left behind me, and may they
realize that it is not all of life to live, neither all of death to die -
and may they realize that they need nothing in their lives but Jesus, who
shed His blood for them.

Wm. R. Hayden

Dr. Hayden was married to Rebecca Jeffery, daughter of Elijah and his third wife Nancy Jane Clark. Around Mt. Olive he was known as "Uncle Rant" or "Dr. Rant."

Carroll Hayden



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