by Susan Peterson

Carl J. Barger, a native of Cleburne County, retired in 2001 after 38 years as an educator in Arkansas. No doubt he has plenty of stories to tell from his 33 years serving as a superintendent in five school districts around the state. But the stories Carl chooses to write don’t come from his lifetime work, but from his love of history, especially the Civil War period, and his dedication and admiration of his family. 

Carl wrote his first book, “Swords and Plowshares,” which he self-published through AuthorHouse in 2004. He combined historical and genealogical research to trace his family’s story through three generations from the early 1800s into the 20th Century. It is described as “an epic tale of one family’s struggles in the cauldron that shaped modern America: The Civil War.” Carl’s admiration for the struggles endured by his family are evident in this narrative that recounts his ancestors’ convictions, tribulations and successes.

A year later, Carl published “MAMIE: An Ozark Mountain Girl of Courage.” The book is about Carl’s mother, Mamie Totten Barger, who spent her life in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. The reader learns how strong bonds and Christian faith overcame the meager financial resources available to a growing family, which eventually grew to 11 children. 

Extending his historical research even further, Carl then published two more books in 2008 – “Cleburne County and Its People,” Volumes I and II. Reviewers of these books love finding family names and recollecting the places he mentions. Carl’s service on the Arkansas History Commission for 14 years (during Gov. Mike Huckabee’s tenure) contributed to the accuracy of his writing.

In 2013, Carl published his first work of fiction — “Dark Clouds Over Alabama: A Story of Struggles and Triumph in the Old South.” He chose to publish with Strategic Book Publishing and Rights Agency (SBPRA). The book is described as “the heart-wrenching story of Obadiah, his forbidden love for Penelope, his struggles with the immorality of slavery, his service in the Confederate Army’s medical corps and how he overcomes every challenge by adhering to his traditional values, Christian beliefs and deep faith in God.”

The book’s sequel is “Blue Skies of El Dorado,” published by SBPRA in 2016.  The story’s setting changes from Alabama to Arkansas when Obadiah and Penelope marry and move with their mothers and several slaves to a 600-acre plantation named Three Oaks near El Dorado.

Recently, Carl finally penned his own story — “Arkansas Hillbilly: One Man’s Memoir of a Blessed Life” (SBPRA, 2017). He recounts growing up in an Ozark paradise that included forests, rivers and moonshine-brewing folk who would give you the shirt off their backs. He tells of his faith, his struggles to succeed and the work ethic needed to fulfill his ambitions despite being dubbed a “hillbilly.” Even more heartwarming is the personal story of the growth of his family. He and his wife, Lena, adopted two children, and the book details the successful search to locate their birthparents. Miraculously, after 15 years of marriage, they were blessed with a child of their own. 

Carl and Lena have been married for 53 years and now reside in Conway. In addition to his writing, he keeps busy gardening and serving on the boards of several educational institutions.

His books can be purchased at Amazon and Barnes and Noble in various formats, including Kindle and Nook. Look for his newest book, “Sons of War,” which will be released in about a month. It is a Civil War novel about three brothers who serve in the Missouri Infantry and eventually join Gen. William T. Sherman in his march to the sea.