Ira F. Twist Records
Scope and Content Note
The Ira F. Twist Records contains the financial, agricultural, and personal records of Ira F. Twist, Jr. This consists primarily of receipts and statements from companies that were used by Ira F. Twist and the Twist Plantation. Some other topics included in this collection are precipitation records, maps and drawings for the construction of roads and agricultural structures, tenant housing photographs, leases, legal documents, records of Twist’s hobby, and crop records.
Dates
- Creation: 1878-1993
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1959-1993
Creator
- Twist, Ira F., Jr. (Creator, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This manuscript collection consists of physical materials. This collection has not been digitized. This collection is open for research use only in the Reading Room. It is not available for request through Interlibrary Loan. Please contact the archive via email (archives@astate.edu) at least a week in advance of your arrival to ensure the availability of the material.
Access to Series 3: Employee Records is restricted. Please contact Archives & Special Collections for questions pertaining to this series.
Biographical and Historical Note
Twist Plantation
Ira Twist, Sr., operated grain elevators and oversaw the operations of the family farm lands in central Illinois. In 1910, Twist invested $50,500 for 3,881 acres of land in Crittenden County, Arkansas, one of the largest land deals in the county’s history at the time. He sent his eldest son, John Francis (Frank) Twist, to supervise the clearing of prime timber for cotton cultivation. In 1918, his other son, Clarence Ciscero (C. C.) Twist, joined his brother to help operate the plantation, with other members of the Twist family soon following. The plantation continued to purchase more land, having between 18,000 to 21,000 acres or about 32 square miles of land in both Crittenden and Cross Counties in its heyday.
Over time, the land held by the Twist Plantation was sold off. By the 1980s, the plantation stopped growing cotton and switched to crops such as soybeans, wheat, rice, and milo. By the time of Ira F. Twist, Jr’s, death, the plantation only consisted of 4,000 acres.
The highly successful plantation leased out portions of the property to tenant farmers, having close to 100 houses on the property by 1922. The plantation built Twist Headquarters, a town with a general store, shops, and barns mostly used by tenant workers and their families. At one point, the town housed about 1,400 farmers who worked on the plantation. ‘Headquarters’ was eventually dropped from the name, and the town became known simply as Twist. The land remained with the family until the early 1980s.
Ira F. Twist, Jr.
Ira F. Twist, Jr. was a farmer born on April 2, 1915 in Illinois to Clarence C. and June Twist. After failing, to obtain degree in Agriculture at the University of Illinois at Champaign, Twist returned to the family plantation and operated it until his death. Along with overseeing the farm, he and John F. Twist, Jr., helped lead the charge of rural development, such as rural water, to the town that bore his family’s name. He also led the farm through agricultural hardships, including the drought of 1980. Twist died on January 3, 1994.
In addition to being a farmer, Twist was a model train enthusiast. It started with his son’s train set before he built train cars from various model kits, recording the type of car, its weight, and how long it took him to construct. Twist constructed an entire miniature town he named Twist for his trains. He continued to expand the miniature town and his collection to where he eventually added a 60-by-20-foot addition to his home specifically for his hobby.
Extent
50.917 Linear Feet (The collection consists of 1426 folders and items in 49 boxes, 27 volumes of ledgers, and 15 oversized folders in a drawer.)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Ira F. Twist, Jr. (1915-1994) was a farmer and model train enthusiast. He managed the Twist Plantation, a Twist family business venture dating back to 1910. The contents of this collection primarily consist of records of the Twist Plantation under Ira Twist’s management including dealings with companies, crop records, employee records, and other such documents.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in twelve (12) series.
Series 1: Financial Records. The “Financial Records” series details the expenses from Ira Twist and the Twist Plantation. This series is divided into five (5) subseries.
Subseries 1.1, Statements and Correspondence, contains invoices, financial statements, and correspondence pertaining to business and personal purchases made by Ira. F. Twist. Materials in this collection were left in their original order.
Subseries 1.2, Gas Tax Refund, consists of documents pertaining to the state’s motor tax.
Subseries 1.3, Earle Investment Club, contains statements and minutes from the Earle Investment Club.
Subseries 1.4, Miscellaneous, contains two balance sheets of a general ledger and interest calculations.
Subseries 1.5, Ledgers, primarily consists of twenty-one (21) volumes of ledgers pertaining to the operation of the Twist Plantation. There are also two additional ledgers with financial information.
Series 2: Crop Records. The “Crop Records” series contains information pertaining to the various crops grown on the Twist Plantation. This series is divided into two subseries. Subseries 2.1, Care, focuses on statements and receipts pertaining to the care of various crops. Subseries 2.2, Production, pertains to the number of crops harvested from the weight to the profits earned.
Series 3: Employee Records. The “Employee Records” series documents employee information at the Twist Plantation. Included in these documents are various record books indicated farmers’ wages, documentation of taxable income, and ledgers for employee petty cash. This series is divided into five (5) subseries: Subseries 3.1, Regular Farm Labor Weekly Time Books; Subseries 3.2, Outside Labor Time Book; Subseries 3.3, Chopping Labor Time Books; Subseries 3.4, Tax Information and Series 3.5, Employee Petty Cash.
Access to Series 3: Employee Records is restricted. Please contact Archives & Special Collections for questions pertaining to this series.
Series 4: Property Management. The “Property Management” series pertains to the usage of equipment, development, and maintaining the property owned by Ira Twist, Jr. Included in this series is information on the development of the Twist Plantation, information about the value of the property, and the development of housing including photographs. This series is divided into five (5) subseries: Subseries 4.1, Loans; Subseries 4.2, Real Estate Value/Tax; Subseries 4.3, Property Development; Subseries 4.4, Farm Equipment; and Subseries 4.5, Houses.
Series 5: Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service. The “Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service” (ASCS) series covers correspondence and documents from the organization.
Series 6: Forrest City PCA. The “Forrest City PCA” series contains correspondence and documents from the Production Credit Association in Forrest City, Arkansas.
Series 7: Precipitation Records. The “Precipitation Records” series documents Ira Twist, Jr’s, records related to the amount of rainfall the plantation received.
Series 8: River Farm. The “River Farm” series pertains documents related to the River Farm operation, a short-lived agricultural venture by the Twist family and partners.
Series 9: Delta Farm. The “Delta Farm” series pertains documents related to the Delta Farm operation, a short-lived agricultural venture by the Twist family and partners.
Series 10: Contracts and Leases. The “Contract and Leases” series covers contracts in farm operations along with lease of land to tenant farmers.
Series 11: Personal Records. The “Personal Records” series contains documentation pertaining to the personal affairs of Ira Twist and the Twist Family. Included in this series are photocopies of the Twist’s family history, legal disputes between various members of the family, and documentation of Ira Twist’s hobby. This series is divided into eight (8) subseries: Subseries 11.1, Correspondence; Subseries 11.2, Automobiles; Subseries 11.3, Insurance; Subseries 11.4, Taxes; Subseries 11.5, Edith Twist; Subseries 11.6, Legal Disputes; Subseries 11.7, Family History; and Subseries 11.8, HO Train Models.
Access to Subseries 11.4 is limited. Please contact Archives & Special Collections for questions pertaining to this subseries.
Series 12: C. C. Twist Estate. The “C. C. Twist Estate” series documents the estate of Clarence Ciscero Twist, Ira F. Twist, Jr’s father, after his death in 1937. The estate was divided between surviving members of the Twist family. This series is divided into six (6) subseries: Subseries 12.1, Estate Tax and Settlement; Subseries 12.2, Insurance Related to Settlement; Subseries 12.3, Division; Subseries 12.4, Disputes and Legal Documents; Subseries 12.5, Expenses; and Subseries 12.6, Ledgers.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The record was donated to the Archives and Special Collections on August 15, 1997 by Michael Twist of Wynne, Arkansas, the son of Ira F. Twist, Jr. A second transfer occurred December 9, 1997. The second transfer included photographs and items that were photocopied with the originals returned to the family. The deed of gift was signed October 2, 2023.
Accruals
No additions to these records are expected.
Subject
- Twist, Clarence C. (Clarence Ciscero) (Person)
- Twist, Edith (Person)
- Continental Grain Company (Organization)
- Cargill, Inc. (Organization)
- Delta Farm (Organization)
- Earle State Bank (Organization)
- Pillsbury Company (Organization)
- Riceland Foods (Organization)
- Production Credit Association (Organization)
- United States. Department of Agriculture (Organization)
Genre / Form
Geographic
Occupation
Topical
- Title
- Ira F. Twist Records
- Subtitle
- 1878-1993
- Author
- Will Reaves; Matthew Mayton, editor
- Date
- February 1, 2024
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Archives & Special Collections at A-State Repository