Margaret Brown Coppinger (1910-2001) Papers 1819-2000
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MARGARET BROWN COPPINGER (1910-2001) PAPERS 1819-2000 Mf. 1785 Processed by: Charles A. Sherrill Brentwood, Tennessee for the Beersheba Springs Historical Society 2005 For Microfilming by the Tennessee State Library and Archives Originals to be retained by the Beersheba Springs Historical Society INTRODUCTION The papers of Margaret Brown Coppinger, teacher, historian, and genealogist of Beersheba Springs, Tennessee, are the property of the Beersheba Springs Historical Society. The collection occupies approximately 8 linear feet of shelf space. Single photocopies of unpublished writings in these papers may be made for purposes of scholarly research. SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE The papers of Margaret Brown Coppinger include original items dating from 1819 forward, but the bulk of the material was created between 1960 and 2000. The papers include personal papers, correspondence and genealogical materials of Mrs. Coppinger, as well as the records of the Beersheba Springs Historical Society. Mrs. Coppinger was avidly interested in three principal subjects, all of which are reflected in her papers. The first was the history of the Beersheba Springs resort, founded in 1835 in what was then Warren County, Tennessee. She collected material relating to the people, homes and organizations of Beersheba Springs. Her second interest was family genealogy, and particularly the genealogy of the descendants of Absolom Brown, one of her own ancestors. Her collection of family group sheets, correspondence and genealogical notes on the Browns and other families in her lineage is extensive. Mrs. Coppinger’s third interest was the history of education in Grundy County. She was an active member of the Retired Teacher’s Association and involved in the collection and publication of the memoirs of her colleagues. This material, too, is represented in her papers. The records of the Beersheba Springs Historical Society, of which Mrs. Coppinger was a founder and de facto archivist, are part of her collection. These records include the manuscript materials created prior to the 1983 publication of Beersheba Springs: A History as well as correspondence, financial records, newsletters and membership data of the Society. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE Margaret Brown Coppinger was born Feb. 23, 1910, to Henry Brown and Anna Medley Brown, in Grundy County, Tennessee. She married July 3, 1956, to Floyd William Coppinger. Educated in Chattanooga, she began her teaching career at Utah School in Grundy County in 1932. A resident of Beersheba Springs, she was one of the founders of the Beersheba Springs Historical Society in 1977, and remained its guiding light throughout her life. She was a genealogist and an avid collector of materials and artifacts related to Beersheba Springs and vicinity. In 1982 she founded a small museum of Beersheba Springs history in a building adjacent to her home; she served as museum curator and tour guide until her death. Margaret Brown Coppinger died in Beersheba Springs on July 16, 2001. SERIES DESCRIPTIONS The collection has been divided into seven series, described as follows. Series I: Subject Files This series contains files related generally to the history of Grundy County and Beersheba Springs. They are arranged topically and include notes, newspaper articles, pamphlets and photographs. Information relating to the preservation of Savage Gulf and other natural areas in the vicinity of Beersheba Springs is of interest. Original material, such as the guest book from the Means Cottage, is interfiled with photocopies of newspaper articles and notes made by Mrs. Coppinger while working with original government records. A group of love letters from frustrated suitor J.A. McGoodwin of Kentucky to Anne Cooke dated 1883-1884 are a curious part of the collection, as they bear no apparent connection to Beersheba Springs or Mrs. Coppinger. Series II: Beersheba Springs Historical Society Records The records of the Beersheba Springs Historical Society include financial records, newsletters and membership data. More importantly, they also include the draft manuscript materials gathered prior to the publication of the Society’s 1983 history of the community. These manuscripts contain important annotations and notes not always included in the published volume. Information about each historic building in Beersheba Springs is included. Series III: Family Files This series contains information about families connected with the history of Beersheba Springs as well as Mrs. Coppinger’s own genealogical files. The series begins with a file of materials about families for which there were five pages or fewer of information; these are arranged alphabetically. Following are more extensive family files, some of which contain original documents from the 19th century. The earliest of these are the Klutts documents collected by Leonard C. Tate (it is not clear whether that family had a connection to Beersheba Springs). Series IV: Deeds Mrs. Coppinger attempted to compile the history of the homes and buildings within the Beersheba Springs resort by studying the deeds of Warren and Grundy counties. Copies of more than 70 deeds were made and retained in her papers. Some have been removed to an oversized box. Series V: Oversized Volumes Two oversized manuscript volumes are included in the collection. The first is a store ledger from Northcut’s store in either Beersheba Springs or Altamont, with entries dating from 1870 to 1875. The second is the docket book of an unidentified Grundy County magistrate serving the Beersheba Springs area, dated from 1931 to 1958. Series VI: Scrapbooks As part of her efforts to preserve the history of Beersheba Springs, Mrs. Coppinger compiled 13 scrapbooks of clippings, photographs and other items about the community. Several of the scrapbooks relate specifically to the Beersheba Arts & Crafts Festival, an activity which drew many people to the mountain community each summer. Series VII: Photographs While some photographs are included in the subject and family files, as well as in the scrapbooks, these photographs were maintained separately. They include views of Beersheba Springs and photographs of people associated with the community. CONTAINER LIST Series I - Subjects Box 1 Folder Title Notes 1. “Another Country” article and reaction 1993 article about Grundy County 2. Barnes, Thomas Inventory of manuscript collection 3. “Battle at Sewanee” by Edgar Pennington 4. “Beersheba” Article by Morton Howell, 1954, with addenda by Mary L. Means 5. Beersheba Chalybeate Springs Bill to incorporate, 1839 6. Beersheba Library 7. Beersheba Museum 8. Beersheba Sewing School Attendance roster, 1908-1913 9. “Beersheba Songs” by Comfort Adams 10. Beersheba Springs Arts & Crafts Festival 1966-1990 11. “Beersheba Springs Authors” by Patricia Shirley 12. Beersheba Springs cemetery 13. Beersheba Springs Centennial, 1935 14. Beersheba Springs Community Center 15. Beersheba Springs events 16. Beersheba Springs events – guest book 1993-1998 17. Beersheba Springs events - Thanksgiving Service Minutes and attendance rosters, 1971-2000 18. Beersheba Springs fire, 1957 Fire Department, 1961-1969 19. Beersheba Springs history – articles 20. Beersheba Springs history – manuscripts Drafts and notes by Margaret Coppinger and others 21. Beeresheba Springs history – published Pamphlets and booklets 22. Beersheba Springs homes, buildings & places 23. Beersheba Springs homes, buildings & places – Howell Cottage Box 2 Folder Title Notes 1. Beersheba Springs Hotel 2. Beersheba Improvement Co., 1902 3. Beersheba Springs newspaper columns 4. Beersheba Springs Parent-Teacher Assn. 1938-1979 5. Beeersheva, Israel Correspondence, 1960 6. “Billy Yank’s Impressions of the South” by George H. Cadman 7. Birds 8. Burritt College, Spencer TN – history 9. Churches and church records 10. Churches – Fall Creek Primitive Baptist C.H. Dykes’ record book 11. Churches – Methodist – Beersheba Springs Mission Conference minutes 1897-1898 12. Civil War 13. Collins River 14. “A Confederate Sergeant … from Tullahoma to Dalton” by Hiram T. Holt 15. Coppinger, Margaret Biographical material 16. Coppinger, Margaret Correspondence, 1971-1998 17. Countiss, Dick Poems 18. Cunningham v. Griswold and others 1896 bill of complaint re Sheep Ranch lot in Altamont 19. “The Dearmess” Photos of Beersheba area; captions; poetry; 1888 20. Douglas, Beverly (Dr.) 21. Fancher, Sarah Letters from Fred and – Hunerwadel, 1904 22. French, L. Virginia Civil War journal, 1862 23. Greeter Pines subdivision Auction brochure, 1987 24. Gruetli Map, articles, etc. Box 3 Folder Title Notes 1. Gruetli – Forgotten Colony Article by David Clayton, 1971 2. Grundy County Agricultural Census Notes from the 1860 census 3. Grundy County Court Notes on court minutes, 1844-1866 4. Grundy County Courthouse and Jail 5. Grundy County – history 6. Grundy County – history – articles by Velma Schild and William Ray Turner 7. Grundy County – news articles - miscellaneous 8. Grundy County’s 150th Anniversary, 1984 Clippings and photos 9. “Highlander Folk School: The Depression years” by H. Glyn Thomas 10. Historical markers and National Register of Historic Places 11. Homecoming ‘86 12. Hubbard’s Cave 13. Irving College 14. Lenox, John B. Poems 15. “Living Proof” motion picture, 1982 16. Maps Beersheba Springs and others 17. McGoodwin, J.A. Letters to Anne B. Cooke, 1883-1884 Box 4 Folder Title Notes 1. Means, Mary Autograph book and diary, 1912-1925 2. Means, Mary Guest Book, 1937-1942 3. Methodist Conference purchase of Beersheba Springs Correspondence,