Angel in the Field

Have you ever been curious about the “angel in the field.” I have...

Motorists traveling along U.S. Highway 149 to the town of Earle in Crittenden County may be surprised to see a marble angel statue, 13 feet tall, standing proudly on a mound in the middle of a field.

The locals, however, are very familiar with the story. The angel is their “guardian angel” and marks the gravesite of the Rev. George Berry Washington, a man believed to be born into slavery on December 25, 1864... a man who dared to dream that equal opportunities belonged to all men.

His parents, George and Hanna Washington, were originally from Kentucky, the slaves of James G. Berry. Berry moved to Crittenden County, Arkansas around 1833, soon becoming one of the largest landowners in the area. Little did he know that title would someday go to his former slave.

In 1883, George B. Washington married his first wife Ella Rostelle, had two children, and began purchasing land. He soon developed a farm for local sharecroppers and day laborers. Records show Washington’s first 40 acres were purchased for $200.

In 1897, Washington would marry his second wife Lula Wright. And by 1900, he owned 177 acres, a cotton gin and numerous livestock.

He and his family, at this time, lived where the Tyronza River meets Gibson Bayou in an area known as the “Main Place.” His memorial, erected by his widow and two daughters, sits on that exact spot today.

By 1911, Washington owned 924 acres worth some $10,690. By 1921, he had increased his acreage to 1043 and peaked in 1927 with 1,145 acres worth more than $20,000.

Washington’s plantation featured a one-story frame family home, a commissary store, a cotton gin, numerous outbuildings and tenant houses. It is believed he had nearly 100 farm laborers. And, he owned two automobiles in a time when the majority were still traveling by horse and buggy.

Old timers in the Earle community have heard many stories about the man who made big strides during the difficult times of Reconstruction. The one told the most is how “the reverend” would gather all the farm workers and preach to them the word of God.

Washington did not, however, just preach on the farm. He was a social and religious leader of the community. He preached at the St. Peter’s Baptist Church and the Spring Hill Church; and was a member of the Prince Hall Freemasonry.

Washington became ill and died August 30, 1928. He was buried at Main Place. The George Berry Washington Memorial was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.

Noted artist, the late Carroll Cloar, a native of Earle, brought some attention to the memorial when he used it as his inspiration for “Angel in the Thorn Patch” which was exhibited at the Brooks Museum of Art in Memphis.

Sandra Brand is the editor of the NEA Town Courier and The Osceola Times. She may be reached by phone at 870-563-2615 or by email at brand@osceolatimes.com.