John Wesley Huddleston

John Wesley Huddleston discovered the first diamonds found in Pike County, Arkansas in August 1906. The stones were sent to Charles S. Stifft, a Little Rock jeweler, who confirmed they were genuine and described them as blue-white diamonds, one weighing 2 5/8 carats and the other 1 3/8 carats. To verify his findings, Stifft sent them to New York, where after every test they were pronounced diamonds of fine grade. Earlier in 1906, Huddleston, a farmer, had purchased the 160-acre McBrayer farm to make a home for his family, a decision that brought him lasting fame. Recounting the first finds to Tom Shiras of the Arkansas Gazette, Huddleston said he was crawling on his hands and knees when he saw a glittering pebble unlike any he had seen before, with a fiery eye, then hurried home, saddled his mule, started for Murfreesboro, and found another glittering stone in the dust while riding through the lane. Huddleston later sold his diamond-bearing land for $36,000, became nationally famous with the nickname "Diamond John," and was also known as the "Diamond King." He later met with misfortune and died a pauper, but was said to have had no regrets. He is buried in Japany Cemetery, about three miles east of the diamond mine.

Murfreesboro, Arkansas · United States