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'«*i "T S^ \ '% r 'P W . ••••;a-^^i.-{,>»v3. v' l 0 I .c-, .Cl \ tI fx* 9I Fbahkl. .iy L s N ws 1^ .ifc» -•yO^^^l/TftcrZy. -CT.. \ V \ \ \ JfXk%w Mf •/ 7a«n««W ^ "1 1 Cit9Zj C»/tfmSU'> >■ ^r-r ^ £'ip rOJ3£> Co. spring 1932 WILLIAMSON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY PUBLICATION Number 13 Spring 1982 Published'by Williamson County Historical Society Franklin, Tennessee 1982 WILLIAMSON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY PUBLICATION Number 13 Spring 1982 Published by the Williamson County Historical Society EDITOR: T. Vance Little OFFICERS President Earl J. Smith 1st Vice-President Mrs. Thelma Richardson 2nd Vice-President , T. Vance Little Treasurer Herman Major Recording Secretary Mrs. John Lester Corresponding Secretary Mrs. Cornelia Holland PUBLICATION COMMITTEE T. Vance Little Mrs. Louise G. Lynch George F. Watson Mrs. Virginia G. Watson The WILLIAMSON COUNTY HISTORICAL PUBLICATION is sent to all members of the Williamson County Historical Society. The annual membership dues are $8, which includes this publication and a frequent NEWSLETTER to all members. Correspondence concerning additional copies of the WILLIAMSON COUNTY HISTORICAL PUBLICATION should be addressed to Mrs. Clyde Lynch, Route 10, Franklin, Tennessee 37064. Contributions to future issues of the WILLIAMSON COUNTY HISTORICAL PUBLICATION should be addressed to T. Vance Little, Beech Grove Farm, Route 1, Brentwood, Tennessee 37027. Correspondence concerning membership and payment of dues should be addressed to Herman Major, Treasurer, P. 0. Box 71, Franklin, Tennessee 37064. PRESIDENT'S REPORT In an introduction to A Heritage of Grandeur, the most recent book celebrating Williamson County's heritage, Virginia Bowman pays tribute to the "unique and colorful history" of the county. Our society's Journal provides a very significant con tribution toward the preservation of that precious past. We are both proud and pleased to present the thirteenth consecutive edition of the Journal. Over the years the writers, editors, and printers for the Journal have won respect and appreciation from other members but were never formally honored until this year. At our April y meeting Walter Durham, noted biographer and local historian from Sumner County, praised the achievements of the first twelve issues and selected Marie Williams Batey as the author of the best article in last year's edition. We congratulate Mane, thank all the other authors, and acknowledge a special debt to Vance Little, George and Virginia Watson, and Louise G. Lynch for tireless and skillful efforts in editing and pub lishing the Journal since its inception. In addition to launching what we hope will become an annual awards dinner for contributors to the Journal, the society can take credit this year for our first overnight trip. In June a bus will transport the participants to Bardstown and Shakertown, Kentucky. Thelma Richardson has performed yeoman's service in organizing this worthwhile and delightful venture. Warm fellowship and interesting programs were the main elements in another successful season. We thank all who attended the meetings for their friendship. We thank Hugh Walker Blanche Henry Clark Weaver, Louise G. Lynch, Walter Durham, and Jacque Voegeli for their efforts and eloquence. I owe personal thanks to more people than I can name in this report. All the officers, named elsewhere, performed above and beyond the call of duty. Mary Trim Anderson, Lois Crowley, Elva Darby, Ann Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Battle Rodes, and Mr. and Mrs. George Watson are a few of those members who played key roles behind the scenes. Thelma Richardson and Vance Little helped me so much and so often that they were practically co-presidents. Earl J. Smith President, WCHS, 1981-82 FOR,SALE The following publications on Williamson County, Teninessee are. for sale by: - Mrs. Clyde Lynch Route 10 Franklin, Tennessee 37061+ The following Williamson County Historical Society Publicati ions are: Publication #1, Publication #4-, Publication #6, Publica- , tion #8, and Publication §10 - OUT OF PRINT Publication J2: The Crockett House; The Battle of Franklin; Memories of Sunny Side School; Mt, Zion Methodist Episcopal Church; Sumner's Knob; The Tenth Tennessee's . ■ "Battle Flag" - $4.00 + 75<;: postage. Publication §3: The Edmondson Family; A Short History of •Saint Philip. Catholic Church; Green Hill; Soldiers •of the War of 1812; First Inhabitants of Brentwood; Thomas Stuart; The Presbyterian'Church in Williamson . , County; The Fates of Three Cousins - $4.50 + 75<: postage. Publication §5: A Williamson Countian Reminisces: Reunion at Gettysburg; Leiper's Fork (Hillsboro); Boxmere; Old Settlers at Boxmere; The Covered Bridge at Triune; Some Recollections of Franklin; The Tennessee ■Years of Thomas Hart Benton; Yankee in the Garden - $4. 50 + 75<:: postage. Publication §7: The History of Trinity Station Methodist Church; My Recollections of Old Hickory and the Powder Plant; The Frost Connection; -Old Harpeth Academy, a Casualty of the Civil War; Eyewitness Account of the Battle of Franklin; Frances Was A Lady; The Wilkins'Whitfield Family of Williamson County, Letter from Collin McDaniel to his sister, June 15, 1826; Some Early Settlers on Arrington Creek; Fort Granger - $5 . 50 + 75 Other available publications are as follows: 1840 Census Of Williamson Countyj Tennessee - $8.50 +■ 75<|: postage. 1850 Census Of Williamson County, Tennessee - $10.00 + 75,'i: postage. Bible.Records of Williamson County, Tennessee, Vol. 1 - $ip.00 + 75^ postage. ■, Bible Records of Williamson County, Tennessee, Vol. 2 - $10.00 + 75^ postage. County Court Of Williamson County, Tennessee Lawsuits (1821-1872)- Books; 2 through 8 - This book contains many important records. There are many lawsuits petitioning- the court to partition property. The names of the heirs are given,- sometimes even the date of death of the person leaving the property. In a few instances, thecomplete wills are included in the original- books, even though they died in another state. - $12.50 + 75^ postage. Directory of Williamson County, Tennessee Burials, Vol. 1 - The gravestone records,were collected by.the mem bers, of. the Williamson Coun-fcy Historical Society and include many old graveyards from all over the county. - $15.00 + 75^ postage. Directory of Williamson County, Tennessee Burials, Vol. 2 -This book has'the records of burials in.the Mt. Hope Cemetery in Franklin and many small graveyards over, the county that were not included in the first book. - $15.00 + postage. '. 1 Early Obituaries Of Williamson County, Tennessee - • Obituaries taken -from the local newspapers (1821- ■ 1900) - $10. 00 + 75 Tennessee Marriage Records (185'1-1879) - ese^records, are taken from the loose marriage bonds and licenses. The bondsman and person performing the ■ceremony are given. - $14.00 + 75<;: postage. , ^^°°^whiGh^h!^^th^^°^?^°^°^which has three issues "each year. ^ Itgenealogical will include magazine various records from Bedford, Davidson, Smith, Wilson, Lincoln, Marshall, Sumner, Rutherford, and Williamson counties. Each subscriber may place a query in the • magazine free' of charge each year,' The price of this magazine is $10.00 per year including postage. WILLIAMSON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY PUBLICATION NO. 13 Spring 1982 CONTENTS Page The Town Of Franklin - First Buyers Of Town Lots by Frances A. Gibbs 1 The Irish.Potato Famine And Williamson County 1835-1981 by Jo Ann Parrott Connor 9 The Belleview Cumberland Presbyterian Church by Mrs. Eilene M. Plummer 21 Small Town Boy Makes Good by Kay Shelburne Trickey 33 The Rainey House 1839-1982: A Narrative by Miss Ruby Bateman 47 Our Gray Family by Jane G. Buchanan 57 Muster In Roll Of Capt. John L. McEwen's Company by E. Gale Pewitt 75 Leipers Fork Primitive Baptist Church Book 1, 1824-1880 by George F. Watson 79 Quick Witted Franklin Woman Devised Ingenious Means To Aid Confederacy by Christine Sadler contributed by Mrs, Frances A. Gibbs 93 Contributors 97 Index 101 THE TOWN OF FRANKLIN First Buyers of Town Lots By: Frances A. Gibbs . (Mrs. Will'iam M. Gibbs) Various biographical sketches of- Abram Maury have stated that he - came to lennessee in 179 7 and bought 640 acres of land from Anthony Sharpe. On a part of this land he laid out the plan for-'a town before Willi^amson, County was created October 2.6 , 1799.- . ■ ' " The above facts are borne out by a deposition made on'Dec ember 15, 1825, by Joseph B. Porter of Williamson County. He stated that he bought land in Williamson County in March, 1798; that the Town of Franklin was laid. out in the fall or winter of 179 7. Mr. Porter also said that Abram Maury had made a contraC|tj with Anthony Sharpe to buy all of Sharpe's land but rescinded the■agreement, evehtually buying 640 acres from Sharpe. The Davidson County, Tennessee, Deed Index indicates that the deed for 640 acres sold to Abram Maury was dated August 13, 179.9 and was recorded February 8 , 1800 . That index also indi cates that three town lots, located in Franklin, were sold by Maury to Robert McBride, Lot 20., deed dated Feb. 8 , 1799 ; Lot 120 to John Goff dated June 29, 1799; several town lots to Henry Walker, Sr.■dated July 9 , 1798 . The Williamson County Deed records also include several deeds, dated -prior to the date the 640 acres Were deeded to Maury. A copy of the original map of Franklin is'made a part of this article. It was filed in the Clerk's office on April 5, 1800 . , It shows that the town was divided into J92 numbered lots of 72 square poles each. An exception in the size of the lots' was made for numbers 93 , 94., 104 and -105, all on the Public Square. These numbers were later assigned to lots located on the boundary line of the town on South'Margin- Street, In order to give a better idea of who purchased the first lots in the town the map has been.divided.into four sections allowing enough space to include the lot number, name of the buyer and the year bought. The majority of the deeds show Abram Maury as the grantor. ' In .a few cases no information was found on certain numbered lots, due possibly to the deeds not having been registered. Further research into a later period may reveal those buyers. There are several lots where the name of Abram Maury-Is pot included in the deeds but the dates indicate the owners 'to have been the f.irst;,or second purchasers from Maury. These are marked with an'asterisk. . • . ; Maury ..gave a part of L6t'10,2 to the commissioners, of the .co- deed dated the 15th of September 1810, • stating that it adjoined the ■ other part of Lot 102 that he .had deeded on .the', ' . same day'to the. commissioners of the town. In the deed to the town he explained that lot was known as the. jail lot. and, to be ■ , .used as that until "such time it may be deemed insufficient for public use". On 28 November 1808 he gave "one certain parcel of land" to:the, commissioners of the-,town tliat was located opposite ,, the middle of Main Street (near Harpeth River) so as to include ,. the spring commonly known as the Town Spring.' ■ It is said that Abram Maury gave the lot for--.the, "Methodist ^ Meeting House" which was located on the east side of what Is now First Avenue South. It was established in the early days of ■ Franklin and the name is meptioned in many of-.the deeds.. However, , the transfer to or from Maury has not been located. In addition, . when the ■ inventory of the estate'of Abram Maury was filed by his adrainistratpr after Maury's .death in 1825. the lot of .the" "Meth odist Meeting House" was listed as belonging to the estate, as , .well as Lots 134 and 144. , .... Some of the early buyers of lots in Franklin, were, relatives .. of Abram Maury. His sister Mary Ann had married Metcalf Degraffenreid and they owned several lots. A brother.Philip bought and sold many lots. Another sister was Martha who had mar ried Chapman White,and they bought several lots.- Joel Parrish whose name was .often associated with Maury's in various businesses had married Susan Maury, a sister of. Abram.- Their, first purchase ,, of Ihhd was located" on the boundary line of Franklin. Many of the descendants of Abram Maury, his sisters and brother, are residents of • this town and county'. ■ ■,' ■—' ' ■' '>t' 'VV^ "■ ' ■■ Hfi .f' - -^i -;.'. . V. ■ . ■• , -.liu " '■ ^ / : ";, i : 9f>/ «i// y. f^./ 4fZ ■H" ; 77/ % * .t^ M-y. . %^y/ : : y ?// ///■ : * >7' .Zi S; ■ 7// \/!'/'.C'^/\ ZZ/ ] S V/ ' 17/ /. r- , ' ■ C\ ■ ■ iZ . ■*. . . r. ...1/ ■'* ■ ' /f/ Nrr/'-ov- 'Hy •" s^/ '/ €/ :c.7/ ffi/ *** '" ii ' * '^ • •••»«. .. • -r : /// y. :• j'/ ^ A// : . * 1 > **■ '■ r^ *"J '• "'j "'^''* * '■ '// I* ' >' •' f ;:-g :V^ - „. ..t-r •y,. K/l <5- V •- . r. 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W Sappingtor Jermaln w; Hermen White 4 IH- 1804 1801 P- 1800 1798 CO 01 ct Cameron Street CD 4 (2nd Avenue North) (D 03 to Ct (T) 49 Joseph ct 56 Henry ct 50 Joseph 51 Joseph ^ Wm. B. 53 James 54 22 John P. 4 4 (D McCorkle Jermain Dooley CD Hermen McConnall Buford McCorkle CO CD ct ct 1801 1801 1801 1800 1800 1800 1800 68Chapman 65 Joseph S6 Wm. 67Wm.Chas White McCorkle Banks Cole Clai- bourn 1800 1801 1817 1800 73 Joseph 24Joseph 75Ephraim 26 77 Joseph 28 Wm. 22 Wm. 80 Henry McCorkle McCorkle Brown Mairs Campbell Smith Walker,Sr » 1801 1801 1801 * 1802 1800 * 1804 1798 89 Joseph ^Metcalf 91 Robert Public McCorkle Degraffen- Shannon Square reid 0 n 4 CO 1801 1800 1800 CD CD Main Cross Street (3rd Avenue North) 2 Caleb lOJordan 11 Andrewj12 Andrew 13 John 14 John *12 John 16 John Manley Soloman Johnson 1 Johnson Purviance Purviance Purviance Purviance and James - -1800 180^ I8O6 Hicks 1802 1802 1802 1802 fel Caleb 22 James 23 John 24 John Manley Hicks Purviance Purviance 1800 I806 1802 1802 Thos. 2^Joseph 35 Samuel 36 Henry 37 John 38 John 39 John 40 John Burnside Porter McClarey Cook Purviance Purviance Purviance Purviance John Patt 1800 1800 18o4 1802 1802 1802 1802 erson 09 12 Abram j+6 Henry 47 John 48 John O C ^hiteside Cook Purviance Purviance ct - 0 cr 1803 1804 [tr i 1802 1802 4 ca c+ 6lEdward 6Z Wm. 63Somerset ^Somerset 4 57 .T)avl& James 59 James 160 Ewen CO Moore Moore (D Buford Buford Cameron ct "Sagsdale Smith (D Can^bel'l' 4 CO (D ct d" 1801 1800 1800 1800 (D 1800 1804. 1801 4 «+ (D 72Somerset (D 70 James ZlEdmbM- ct 69 John Moore Gordon Buford - Ba'i^ker 1801 1802 1800 * JPIB 03 86 Wm» ^ Wm. 88 Thos.A. 81 BenJ. 32 David 12 Henry ^ Hugh 85 Thomas Masterson Smith Smith Claibourn Lee Long Walker,Sr Mairs * 1803 1802 1802 1800 . 1800 I805 1798 1800 26Samuel O e-t ^i^Samuel 95 Thomas Public21 o o Masterson Chapman Square 4 CO Mairs fr M 3 1803 (D O 1800 * 4S83 Main Cross Street (3rd Avenue South) Main Gross Street (3rd Avenue North) ^ Public 97 Joseph 98 Joseph 99 Josephi100 Joseph 101 Thomaji 102 Wm. 103 John 104 Square Ralston Ralston Ralston1 Ralston Shannon Sappington Fohn and Wm. 'urvi •1799 1799 1799 1799 1800 Legate tnce 113Joseph ll4joseph 115Samuel 116 Philif) Ralston Ralston McClarey Maury 1799 1799 1801 * 1803 121Joseph 122Joseph 123Joseph 124 John 125Samue1 126 Henry 127 Philip 128 Wm, Ralston Ralston Ralston Gordon McClarey Buford Maury Legate 1800 1800 1800 1802 1801 1800 * 1805 1800 3 o 137Joseph 138 Joseph 139 James l40George Ralston Ralston W Harder Neelly ct 4 tr j 1800 1800 5 1802 1800 3 wl P 03 4 Indigo Street • ™ (4th Avenue ^orth) ct 0) • \JJ 4 l46Andrew l47Andrew l48Andrew ct l49Jenkin£ 150Jenkins 151Jenkins 152George P l45Andrew 4 P Johnson Johnson Johnson Johnson CD Whiteside Whiteside Whiteside Neelly ct M CD c+ 1803 I803 I803 I8O3 ct 1801 1801 1801 1800 4 P P l63George ct 160Andrew l6lAndrew 162Jenkins Neelly Johnson Johnson Whiteside 1803 1803 1801 1800 l67Andrew l68Andrew l69andrew 170Andrew 171Jenkin£1172Jenkins 173Jenkins 174 Alex. Johnson Johnson Johnson Johnson Whiteside Whiteside Whiteside Mays 1803 1803 1803 *1803 1801 1801 1801 * 1800 T82Andrew lQ?ftndi^w l84jenkin!1 l85Samuel McClarey Johnson Johnson Whiteside I803 .ii803 1801 1801 West Margin Street (5th Avenue North) 05 ►r) Main Crn.cic! refit f?r(i_Avfinnfi Smith] Q P LO6 Wm. P ■ L2Z Thos. ^Q8 Thos. 109 Thos, 110 Thos. {D (-1 lllSamuel 112 John 0 0 White 4 H- 4 ra McKay McKay McKay McCi>bry Mltchei] Gordon (D O {V • 1798 1800 1800 « I806 * I8I6 1802 1802 f® 30 117 Phom&s 118 Thos. LI9 Luke 120 John Criitcher McKay Pry or Goff L801. 1800 1802 1799 129 John 130 Isaac 131 James 132Isaac 133 Thos. 134 Abram 135Samue1 126 Patten Wadkins Hicks Wadkins Hlter Maury Mitchell 1801 1801 * I8O3 1801 I8I7 1798 1800 1^1 Wm. B. 142 David 143 John 144 Abram CO Dooley Davis Neugent 0 0 Maury P s 3* ct p 1800 1802 i P * 1802 1798 H- 3* a : 4 3 Indigo Street (4th Avenue South) SO CO tj ct w 92 David W 153 Peter 154 John 155 John 156 John ct 157 Wm. 158 Wm. 159 Wm. M- (D 4 CD Edwards Walthall Mltchei; Mltchei] Smith Smith Smith Davis 3 ct ® 1802 1802 CO 1803 1800 I8O5 180 5 ct ^ 1802 1802 ct 4 (D 16^ John 165 John 166 Wm. 22 Wm. ® ct Walthall Mitchell Smith Smith 1802 1802 > 1800 1805 104 Wm. 175 John 176 John 177 John 178 John 179 Wm. 180 Wm. 181 Wm. Walthall Mitchell Mitchell Mitchell Smith Smith Smith Smith 1800 I805 I805 1805 1802 1802 1802 1802 186 David 187 John 188 Wm. 105 Wm. Smith Squler Mitchell Smith 1802 ! 1800 I805 1802 West Margin Street (5th Avenue South) - THE IRISH POTATO FAMINE AND WILLIAMSON COUNTY 1835 - 1981 BY: Jo Ann Parrott Connor If you have an Irish ancestor, he could have been one of the 1.5 million Irishmen who emigrated to America between 1815 and 1855 -r ..the decade of the -worst potato famine in the history of Ireland. As is usually the case when there is a great population shifty,, it; ia the laboring class that is most affected. Between the beginning Industrial Revolution eliminating potato fields for development and landlords changing from potato crops to grazing sheep for income, Ireland was faced with 75% unemploy ment in the labor force. There was no work for unskilled labor during this period and,these men were completely dependent on the yearly potato crop for their very existence. Faced with this.impossible situation, is it any wonder 1.5 million. Irish men chose to emigrate to America alone? ! ■ ■ Qnce the decision to emigrate had been made, a sailing ticket for about 24 pounds was procured from a local agent. The fare w.as sometimes paid by the absentee British landlord,, not out of charity, but out of eagerness to clear..his land of starving and dying people who could no longer pay their rent. In many cases their misery did. not end with the purchase of a ticket. Living conditions were harsh on board the poorly equipped passenger ships and sometimes as many as 50 people would die on a 50-80 day crossing. : If■ they arrived at their destination healthy, they were iT.UiCky. A healthy male could find work as a labourer for seventy-cents a day and a healthy girl could find work as a . rhouaemaid for room, and board and a dollar a week. Actually, the girls fared- best of any other group of immigrants. They v^ere able to find work, in upper class homes where they were given good food and were, exposed to gentle manners. ■ ' ■ The inclination of people of.like circumstances to con- gregate i.n. communities is natural when they have a common cause 10 and the immigration ports or east coast cities was the logical place. However, not all- Irish- immigrants, clustered in the big cities, many of them dispersed themselves in all' directions seek ing that which they did not have at home, security and a healthy environment in which to live and work. Many took advantage of the beginning boom in transcontinental railroad construction as a livelihood. all the vicissitudes confronting these emigrants, my husband's great grandfather managed to wend his way',' probably by railroad, and possibly by other ways and means to' FrankLin,-.-, Williamson County, Tennessee. ^ When I entered the-picture, very little was known about this errant gent-leman except that his name was John Thomas Connor? that he had married a Margaret Sullivan, herself an Irish immigrant, he came from County Clare, Ireland, that he served in the Con federate Army, and that the names of some of the'children born to iiim and Margaret Sullivan Connor were known. Family stories sometimes .become distorted and/or twisted from being passed from one generation to'another. Also, sometimes they lead to dead-ends, i.e. . It was thought by'family members that John Connor and Margaret Sullivan had married in Pennsylvania and came to Franklin County, Tennessee. This was a dead-end and ■ also not true -- he was married in Franklin, Tennessee. - I' thought John Connor had once resided in Franklin County and began my search in the Franklin County records. I soon exhausted the records for that period with no trace of John Connor. ■At this point, I needed to regroup and begin again. The logical . thing to do, was to work with what I knew. I had learned, for instance, that John Connor and Margaret Sullivan Connor were buried in th'e. Calvary Cemetery in Sedalia, Missouri; I knew from a funeral announcement in the possession of an aunt that Margaret Sullivan -Connor was buried on December 2 , 1903. • v-i ^ obtained, by inter-library loan from the Nationad Archives, 'the 1900'United States Census for Pettis County, Missouri-. Based on information contained in the census (E. D. 98, sheet 3, line 59), I■dearned that both John Connor and Margaret Sullivan were born in.. Ireland, as were their parents. John Connor was born ih June 1835 and his, year ,of emigration was 1852. Margaret 11 Sullivan was born in 1845 and her" year of emigration was 1865« In 1900, they had been married for■thirty-one years and had had twelve children, nine of whom were surviving. Their children, "Charles, 21; James, 19; Michael J. , 17; and Katie, 14; were liv ing a"! home. Other information contained in the census revealed their place of residence to be. the Flatcreek Township of Pettis County, Missouri; occupation was that of farmer, and he rented his farm and house. John Connor could read and write and speak English. Census information revealed, "more importantly, that he was-a naturalized citizen of the United•States. ; ■ ■ The' next step was .to request the 1880 Pettis County, Missouri, Census on inter-library loan. This census information revealed that both John Connor and Margaret Sullivan were born in Ireland and that they were currently residing in Sedalia, Missouri, and that he worked at the gas house. Their children, - Lizzie, 9; Mary A., 7; John, 6; Charles, 2; and Ellia, born in June 1880; were residing at home. Charles was my late hus band's (Charles R. Connor) grandfather. I suspected that in 1860, John Connor was living in Tenn-, essee, but did not know where. I paid the fee to have him located in"the 1860 United States Census of Tennessee. He was. found to be living in Franklin, Williamson County, Tennessee (on stamped page 155, written page 102) in the household of , Dennis and Mary Hagerty, themselves Irish immigrants. This in formation fixed his place of residence to be Franklin, Tennessee, rather than Franklin County. A later search of the Williamson County Circuit Court Minutes revealed that on July 16, 1867, he^niade his Declaration of Intention to become a United States citizen.^ This indicated he had been living in Williamson Co unty for a period of five years. On July 19, 1869, he became a- naturalized. citizen.. . 2 Prior. to his naturalization, John married Margaret Sullivan in Williamson County on January 4, 18 6 8 .:'^ Upon finding John Connor living in the household of Dennis Hagerty and his wife, Mary, I naturally became curious about the relationship between them. After some diligent research, I met with an 85-year-old lady, Mrs. Mary-Walsh, who is the granddaughter of Dennis and Mary Hagerty. She had lived with 12 her grandmother as a child and remembered the whole story.' Mary Hagerty was, prior to her marriage to Dennis Hagerty in Ohio, Mary Connor. She did indeed have a-brother, John, who ha^ emi grated and lived in Franklin and later moved on to Missouri. This gracious lady remembered, as a little girl, her Uncle John coming back from Missouri to visit her grandmother. Mary and Dennis Hagerty stayed permanently in Williamson County. Dennis and Mary Hagerty purchased a farm east of Franklin, on what is now Caruthers Road, just off Murfreesboro Pike. They raised fourteen children and lived there for the rest of their lives. The birth of the first child., Catherine, in Illinois in 1855, and Patrick in Indiana in 1858, indicate their path of emi gration.' Their third child, Margaret, was born in Tennessee in ' 1860. Their other, children were Daniel, born in 1861-, Ann, born in 1863 (the mother of Mrs. Mary Walsh); Johanna, born in'l8'6i+; John, born in 1866; Dennis,,born in 1867 (the father of Miss Winifred Hagerty); Jeremiah, born in 1870; .Elizabeth, born'in 1871; Willie; born in 1877; Mike (the father of Dan Hagerty); Padnie or Pat, born in 1879. Several of the Hagerty children stayed on the" farm and were buried there beside their parents. The graves were moved to Mt. Hope Cemetery in 1936 when the farm was sold to E'd -Caruthers. ' ' Something is known of the activities of this large family. Mike Hagerty was a successful butcher, and.had his own meat market. Dennis Hagerty was head of the original waterworks which was first installed over a spring to supply Franklin with water. Jeremiah Hagerty was a livestock trader and was in business with his brother-in-law, Sandy Brown, the husband of his sister, Margaret. ■ ' '' The 1850 Williamson County Census shows twenty males of Irish birth. Of the occupations enumerated 6 were farmers, 2 were physicians, 2 were painters, one was a tailor, and one was a mer chant's clerk. There was one each of machinist, cooper and ditcher, which were most likely railroad'occupations The 1860 Williamson County Census shows thirty males of Irish birth. ' Eleven were listed as being labourers, four as farmers, one as stone m'ason, one as burner, one as. ditcher, one as bank clerk and one as grocer.^ 13 Irish immigrants were found on both sides in the American Civil War.. They were recruited into the Union Army as they en tered the country. Cash bounties were offered to' persuade the penniless immigrants to enlist. The Confederacy had its Irish men, too,,.though not nearly so many, for the immigrants settled primarily in the north.^ My husband's ancestor, John Connor, served in the Confederate Army. He enlisted for one year as Private 2nd F Company, 15th Tennessee Infantry, and was discharged July 10, 1862,'in Tupelo, Mississippi. He fought at the Battle of Shiloh and at the ' '! Battle of Belmont, Missouri. He listed his occupation as '^'Labourer" and home as Memphis, Tennessee."^ Even though he lived in Williamson County in 1860, his work, possibly with the rail road , maj^ have taken him to Memphis, where he enlisted in 1861. John Connor never received a Confederate pension as he died be fore they were granted in Missouri. For the most part, the Irish immigrants brought with them their religious values. Memories of centuries of oppression directed against:,them because they were both Irish and Catholic, made the imm^igrants intensely loyal to their church and to their priests.^ The■anti-Catholic feeling that met them only served to reinforce that loyalty. The priest served the im- migrant community in many ways. In addition to being a spiritual , guide, he gave financial advice, taught school, and wrote job references, as well as letters home. The immigrant priest, ' however, was mostly an organizer and a builder. He had to be. Unlike his European counterpart, he inherited neither cathedrals nor universities. He and the immigrants had to build the church in America brick by brick. The railroad through Middle Tennessee was completed just before the Civil War; when the war was over, the Irish Catholics along the railroad, built churches at Franklin, Columbia and Pulaski, all of them county seats." The builder-of these churches, Fathe.r Aloysius Orengo, an Italian Dominican priest, erected his churches ;in the above mentioned places near the rail road stations, as most convenient for missionary;'s work. The first authentic record of Mass in Franklin was by Rev. Father Robert Abell, accompanied by Bishop David, Coadjutor of 14 Bardstown, Kentucky, who visited Franklin in 1821 .finding one Irish family in" the town. On November "22, 1838 ,..accompanied by ^ Reverend Father Elisha Durbin-, Bishop Miles, newly,.consecra'ted' Bishop of Nashville, left the city- for a four to five, weeks'visit of-,the-, diocese. On their return they stopped at Franklin, Dec ember' 7, 1838, and ministered to the handful of Catholics of the town and vicinity. In 1839, Father Stokes visited Franklin. • -Jn" .1840, Father McAleer and Father Maguire came and preached-to both Catholics and non-Catholics. It was felt a pastor might be stat-^ ' ioned there soon. Father Maguire was left as a traveling'mission-' ary, and he visited Franklin, May 21, 1841, where he administered the Sacraments. In 1842, Franklin was visited by Reverend Father ' Joseph' S. Alemany. In March 7, 1843, Hugh Dempsey-.and James McLaughlin gave to Bishop Miles a lot in Franklin to build a church. This lot was eventually exchanged for another,- where "St. Philip Church-stands today. On this lot stood the home Of John H. Eaton, U. S. Senatorj," and his wife, the former-Peggy O'Neal. During all this time, Mass was said in private homes. Practically all members were Irish. Father Orengo built the church by subscription, much of the labor being done by the members. The brick was made and burned on the grounds. Father Orengo was called home to Italy, his native country, and the church was completed by Father F. Marron, Pastor, and dedicated November 6, 1871. A special train was run ' from Nashville for the occasion. The oldest member at the time of the dedication was Mr. Timothy Sheehan, a veteran of the Battle of Waterloo, The first baptism recorded by Father E. Gazzo in St. Philip's is that of Daniel Shea, child of Cornelius and Eleanor McGarry Shea, born July 11, 1872, and baptized August 11, 1872, with Jeremiah Shea and Jane Donnelly as sponsors. - One of the most influential in raising money to build St. Philip Church was Jeremiah Cornelius Shea. He was a merchant who fi^^st settled in Columbia before coming to Franklin. He was married to Mary Ann Sullivan, who was also an Irish immigrant. Names-of some of the early Catholics were Mr. and Mrs-. Hugh Kelly, Pat'McLaughlin, Mr.^ and.Mrs. Plunkett, Thomas Dempsey,. Lawrence and Elizabeth Finn.,.. John Finn, William and Margaret ■i -i' ^ , Pat McKson ,.. Eliza. Kernahan , Charles and Elenor 15 (Harrison) Champion,. Agnes Pollock, Tina Sheehan, the Doyles, Sheas, Hagertys, Sullivans, Lyons, Murphies,- Donnellys, Malloys, Reillys , Callahans, and Daggers. ^ A little school for Catholic children was conducted in the home of Tim Sheehan by Miss Kate Doyle during 1866-1868. Mass was said monthly in the new church. The first priest. Father Marron, served until 1872, then Father Gazzo. He was followed by Father T. C. Abbott, who came November 10, 1879. In the meantime, debts acquired had not been paid and the church near ly faced financial ruin. Through the efforts of Father Abbott, the church was saved. John Connor and Margaret Sullivan were married in Franklin on January 4, 1868, by Father Orengo with J. C. Shea signing the marriage bond.9 No doubt they played some part in helping to build St. Philip Church, but they had moved to Missouri before it was dedicated. The overwhelming majority of Irish immigrants worked, stayed clear of crime, and if they did not prosper, at least they ate regularly. These men built the canals and railroads that were uniting the settled parts of the American continent. In the cities they built the new streets and sewerage, lighting, and transit systems. In some areas, they became miners; and in industrial areas, they worked in mills. Their wives, widows, and daughters took whatever jobs were available. John Thomas Connor was buried in Calvary Cemetery, Sedalia, Missouri, on April 16, 1901. Margaret Sullivan Connor was buried beside her husband on December 2, 1903. Their child ren were: Lizzie, born in Missouri in 1871; died in Missouri in 1916. Dennis, born in Missouri in 1872; died as an infant and was buried on December 25, 1872, in Calvary Cemetery, Sedalia, Missouri. Mary, born in Missouri in 1873; buried in Calvary Cemetery, Sedalia, Missouri, on December 7, 1910. John, born in Missouri in 1874; later moved to Wyoming to work for the railroad. He is buried in Wyoming. Charles Richard, born in Missouri in December, 1878; died in 1968 and is buried in Calvary Cemetery, Sedalia, Missouri, Ella, born in Missouri in 1880; died in St. Louis, Missouri, February 11, 1914. 16 James Leonard, born in 'Missouri in February, 1881; buried in Calvary Cemetery, Sedalia, Missouri, ^March 13, 1904. Michael^J., born in Missouri, December, 1881. Nothing more is" known of this son. Katie, born in Missouri in January, 1886; married Lincoln J. Pierce and lived in Kansas City, Missouri. Nothing more is known about this daughter. 17 FOOTNOTES 1. Williamson County, Tennessee, Circuit Court Minutes, Vol. 16, November 13, 1865 - July 30, 1867, p. 413. ,2. Williamson County, Tennessee, Circuit Court Minutes, Vol. 17, November 11, 1867 - July 22, 1871, p. 363. ,3. Williamson County, Tennessee, original marriage bond, dated January 4, 1868. 4. 1850 United States Census, Williamson County, Tennessee. 5. 1860 United States Census, Williamson County, Tennessee. 6. Murphy, Eugene and Timothy Driscoll. An Album of the Irish Americans, New York, 1974, p. 33. 7. Confederate Service Record, Private John Connor, in 2d F Co., 15th Tennessee Infantry. Record at Tennessee State Library and Archives. 8. George J. Flanigen Collection at Aquinas Jr. College Library, Nashville, Tennessee. 9. Lynch, Louise G. Williamson County ,■ Tennessee. Msm'^crp Records, 1851-1879 . page 37. — 19 BIBLIOGRAPHY Birmingham, Stephen^ Real Lace;. America's Irish Rich. Harper and Row, New York, 1973. Flanigen, Rev. George J., A.B. S.T.D., Ed., Catholicity in Tennessee. A Sketch of Catholic Activities in the State, 15'4l-1937. Ambrose Printing Company, Nashville, Tennessee'', 1937. Handbook on Irish Genealogy: How to Trace Your Ancestors and Relatives in Ireland. Heraldic Artists, Ltd., Dublin, 1980. Historic Saint Philip Catholic Church, lOGth Year Anniversary Book. Lynch, Louise G. Williamson County,, Tennessee ,vMarriage Records, 1851-1879. ^ ~ ^ Murphy, Eugene and Timothy Driscoll. ^ Album of the Irish Americans. Franklin Watts, Inc., New York, 1974. Woodham-Smith, Cecil. The Great Hunger. Harper and Row, New York, 1963. PERIODICALS Walsh, James P. "American-Irish: West and East", Eire-Ireland, Summer, 1971, p. 25-32. UNITED STATES CENSUS RECORDS 1850 Census of Williamson County, Tennessee. 1860 Census of Williamson County, Tennessee. 1880 Census of Pettis County, Missouri. 1900 Census of Pettis County, Missouri. 20 WILLIAMSON COUNTY,-TENNESSEE, RECORDS Williamson-County, Tennessee, Circuit Court Minutes, Vol. '16 November 13, 1865 - July 30, 1867. ■ ' Williamson County, Tennessee, Circuit Court Minutes' Vol. 17 . ^;---;--November il-j-18-6 7";- July •2-2, 18 71. •' -MISCELLANEOUSrSOURCES George J, Flanigen Collection at Aquinas Jr. College Library* Nashville, Tennessee. . . ^Confederate Service Record of John Connor taken from Combined - Servrce_Records -of-Tennessee Soldiers in CSA.at Tennessee State Library and Archives. • • • 21 THE BELLEVIEW-CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ■By: Mrs. Eilene M. Plummer On a hillside north of Highway 96 about -six miles east of Frar^klin is the meeting place of the Belleview Cumberland Presbyterian Church, still in use after over a hundred years of service. It is a amall white building typical of the sou'thern tural church of'the Nineteenth Century.. Through the years the members have improved it with a modern heating system- rather than a pot-bellied stove, new Sunday School classrooms, better lighting, aluminum siding, and so on. Its handmade pews are still in use. , • The church was organized in 1852. For two years they met in a grove near the present site, but in 1854- Mr. L. L. Waters gave a tract of land and Mr. J. H. Lampkin made a contract to build the church for five hundred twenty-five dollars. No records of. its earliest years are available-, but'the minutes of the session from 1887 to 1905 yield much information. Charter members memorialized at the times of their deaths were: the Reverend Mr. John M. Macpherson, a moving spirit in organizing the church, J. Harry Lampkin, Thomas P. Carsey, and Linzy L. Waters. The minutes of 1887 indicate that the church had been trying to get a well and were in financial difficulty, even after an ice cream supper.. . . The session resolved to state the financial- condition to the congregation and take steps to relieve the church of its indebtedness before trying to employ a pastor for another year. Leaders were: Elders 0. G. Prince, J. D. ~ Roberts, W. H. Childress, Hugh Duff, and T. D. Carsey and Deacons R. R. Wray and 0. J. Prince. The session voted to call again the pastor. Brother E, P. McGaughey. After "the opening of the doors of the church" the following were received into membership: John Walpool, Jennie Walpool, J. S. Morten, Mrs. C. M. Morten, Mary Jones, Maggie Jones, Katty Waggoner, Addie Irvin, Betty J. Robinson, Lucy J. Warren, Dora Stanfield Marry Wray, Thomas M. Layne, Charles E. Robinson, William J. Robinson, 22 N. N. Ladd, Nancy E. Ladd, Ewell Ewine Liadd, Hattie'Glenn, Mattie House, Jennie Harper, Mrs. Mariah Walters, Jennie Cun ningham, A. K. Stewart, J. P. 'McNich, Blanch Warren, Florence Wagoner, and Kattie Futman. In October of 1897 there were these members in the session; Elders 0. G. Prince, Dr. B. H. Paschall, S. P. Redford, and F-. ,8.. Carsey, and Deacon William Ozburn. At that time T. H. Burk asked to be reinstated as a member and Ben H. Paschall requested a • "letter of dismission". Both requests were granted,. Brother and Sister W. A. Paschall were given a letter of "dismission and.- recommendation". Mattie Robinson and Jeannie.Crockett were ap pointed to raise funds for the church to donate to Ministerial' Relief. In November of 1899 the Rev. Mr. McGaughey received a call from the General Superintendent of the Sunday Schools and Board of Publication; so he resigned from his pastorate. The Rev. Mr, ■ W. M. Crump of the McMinnville Presbytery came and preached and was selected as the church's next pastor. He agreed.to give his full time for a salary of three hundred dollars to be paid quarterly plus use of the parsonage and firewood. The session elected Miss Kattie Robinson and Miss Jeannie Crockett as dea-, conesses, but "they declined to be installed". A treasurer's re port shows that W. H. Childress and S. P. Redford had lent the church enough money to pay what was still owed to Brother McGaughey. Despite its debts the church continued to give to Ministerial Relief, Home Missions, and Foreign Missions.-and paid : its Presbyterial dues to the church at large. The name John Stephens first appeared among the deacons at that time. He had been'ordained in 1888. The clerk presented a communication from the Presbytery in regard to the fifteen cents per capita assessment for the benefit of the Gal ? church. After careful consideration it was de cided "to make no special effort to raise the required amount,, the right of the Presbytery to make the assessment being questioned and meeting with considerable opposition". At that'time F. D, Carsey was appointed to remove the floor in front of the building and replace it with rock and gravel. Another problem arose. Brother McGaughey was asked to read 23 what .the ^fieneral Assembly had said about dancing. It was an nounced- :.that a committee,had been appointed to confer with members who had been dancing. On June 30 the committee made ..re ports and the. following resolution was adopted: "Resolved that any member of this church'who shall persistently engage in dancing, or in giving of dances shall be suspended from all. privileges of the church until they are brought'to repentance . and confession of their sins".- Brother McGaughey was directed to preach, a. special sermon on -dancing.. .The treasurer's-: report mentioned a debt to "J. J. Anderson for nails.;and to -the Rev. Mr. G. H. Shellbrake for his assistance in a revival of 1889. In August the following new members were admitted: Frank ' B. Roberts, -Nannie Adair, Mrs. Lewis Mangrum, Fannie Mangrum,. and J. L. Mangrum-. Brother W. H. Childress reported that A. R. Childress: was "inavoidably absent at school" and so could not attend .the session. Brother S. P. Redford, formerly a Ruling Elder of the Pleasant View congregation (now dissolved) applied for membership, was received, and elected a Ruling Elder in this church. . Brother Hugh Duff, who had been appointed to hire a sexton, reported that he had employed Meredith King (colored) at a salary of fifteen dollars. Brother Duff was kept on the committee: "to. raise the sexton's salary and see that he does his duty". It was decided by the session to revise the church roll. The committee had "sufficient information that thirty-two members were guilty of public and general offenses and unchristian conduct ; so their-names were taken off the roll along with the name of one who ..had joined the Campbellites'^ Forty-seven mem bers were indefinitely suspended,-some' guilty of absenting them selves from church privileges and some for unchristian conduct. The account of J. J. Anderson was to be paid' with a notification to him that he was not to charge anything more to the church without ..an order from the session." At that time Dr. B. H. Childress resigned^ as an acting elder. The session agreed to write to the grand jury requesting their attention to the disturbance created in the services of Jan. 19, 1890 "caused-by the Sheriff calling a man from the 24 , congregation and arresting him. at .the church door-, a man Attend ing public worship".. The clerk was authorized to address the ' foreman of the grand jury a communication adopted by the session. In July of 1890 the clerk reported letters of dismission and recommendation had been granted , to Sister E. P.-'McGaughey, Brother M. J. Irvin, and A. J. .Warren, The new sexton was James Beech, hired by Mr. Carsey for fifteen dollars per annum. The'n Mr. Carsey was appointed to collect the sexton's salary. The ' treasurer reported that a contribution had been given to Divinity Hall in Lebanon. During a revival the following new members were admitted: May Turner, Lillie A. Irvin, Julia E. Beech, Nowley Bagley, Delia Slinkard, Genie Lampkin, J. W. Neal, Fanny Slinkard, Missie Slinkard, Willie Irvin, and Sallie Irvin. New deacons were J. W. Lampkin, Jr. and D. L. Stevens. The treasurer and deacons were directed to give bond for the safe handling of-church funds. The church called Brother Crump for another year at three hundred dollars. He accepted the contract. Into the church were admitted Mrs. Hannah E. Robinson.by letter and Mr. Sam Robinson by experience. It seems that the church owed the sexton about four dollars for 1889o The treasurer was "ordered to make a compromise with the former sexton for services in the year 1889". It was reported that Dr. George C. Paschall had been given a letter of dismission and recommendation. Brother Hugh Duff re signed as treasurer, and Brother S. P. Redford was elected to succeed him. Another change came on the' occasion of Pollak McPherson's having removed from the church, and C. W. Childress fill the vacancy on the Board of Directors. Great, loss was felt and expressed in a memorial, a flowing tribute to Brother Owen J,. Prince, who died on Dec. 1890. At one meeting of the session it was decided to resolve the whole session into a committee to;consult with all members of the church who had publicly violated .church rules and engaged in unchristian conduct. Reports were to be made to the session in Jan. 1891 and acted upon. In April the clerk stated that he had written letters to seven members to find out their intentions as to the church. Two replied, and the names of Martha H, Vaughn and Margaret Vaughn- were, re-entered on the roll in 1891. Mean-' 25 while a new member, Mrs. Sarah. A. Tanner;, was taken in. The following requested to remain-on the roll: Allice M. Burnett, Mary.Wray, Susie Wray, J. P. Wray, W. T. Wray, Maggie Pulley, •Fannie.Cuh-riTngham, and N. Pokie Ridley. The session voted to retain.these names and strike off the ones who had not replied. A new deacon's'name appeared in August, B. M. Meeks. The following members were a committee to raise funds for an evangelist; Miss Addie Iryin, Mollie Wilson, Lula Roberts, Mrs. Claude Meeks, and JohnBoxley. In August the following be-' came members of the church: Lena S. ? p. J, Halfacre, Nora S- Paggett, Effie P. Paggett, Jessie Harper, Ida Ozburn,' James. Paggett, and Mr. and Mrs. John Putman. On-Sept. 20, 1891 Wm. H. Childress'died and the church paid him a fine memorial tribute. In October the treasurer announced that they had paid the evangelist thirty-five dollars and then had seventy-five dollars in the. .church repair fund. J. F. Roberts was selected to re- placp Brother Childress on the building committee, and J-. H. Roberts, was elected to be trustee. In 1892 Miss Juda Warren became a member by letter and these also were accepted into the church: Sam Beech, C. D. Stevens, Anna B. Stevens, and Lillie and Sally Cunningham. Trouble was brewing between two of the church leaders. One absented,himself from meetings of the session, so a committee was formed "to wait upon him and inquire ihto his spiritual ' condition". It was composed of V. D. Roberts, D. J. Stevens, and Daniel Robinson. They all asked to be relieved of that task; so A. R. Childress was appointed instead. Finally a let- ^ ter came to the- session in which'the man in''trouble admitted guilt in "unchristian conduct and too much spirits" and.asked for their prayers. In response the session considered the ' ' of the church" and dropped his name from the Z__'' Nowley was given a letter of dismission and re-- commendation about this time, but the offending leader and his wife were givdn "a letter of dismission. Brother Crump accepted a call to be the pastor for another year. J-- In 1893 the session met on July 27 at 8 a.m. The Reverend 26 Mr. R. T... Reed of. the Elk Presbytery was asked to act as moderator. They considered the possibility of a meeting of the.organization of pastors, elders, and deacons of the Franklin division at.their church on July 29. The session, invited the group to come, though, somewhat reluctantly, as the Belleview' Church seemed to feel inadequate. The clerk was ordered to send letters to nine members about their unchristian conduct. Five ;of them responded with requests to ha.ye-.their names removed from the roll. Later several others did the'same. 'Meanwhile, the Reverend Mr. H. F. Miller was called to be a.half-time pastor for two hundred dollars, the parsonage, and firewood. Brother J. D. Roberts .was appointed to visit the Wes.t..,Harpeth Church to arrange for a group which would employ Brother Miller for both churches. At this time B. M. Meeks re- . ■ signed-from being a deacon and Ben Lampkin was hired as sexton at' a dollar a month. Brother A. R. Childress was appointed to see road authorities about a change of the road across the churchyard '■ so that it could be fenced". There were six members reinstated and three dismissed. In 18-9 5 Tom Rivers was employed as sexton at a dollar a month.. Miss Carrie Noland and Miss ? Walters became members. Brother Miller discussed with the session a balance of one hundred fifty dol-lars that the church still owed him of his two years' salary. He bffered to reduce it to one hundred dollars if the church would-pay him by Dec. 1, 1895. The session accepted this plan and agreed to raise the money, but at the next session meet ing they asked for one more week. On Dec. 21 they paid it by "prorating the' unpaid difference". Brother Miller resigned! and the church accepted his resignation. Brother John Stephens was called as pastor for seventy-five dollars to serve for the remaining eight months. On May '9 , 189 6 the church passed resolutions showing grief and appreciation for Andrew R. Childress, who had died. He had been a Ruling Elder for twelve years. His parents and sisters were still living after his death. That summer the session voted to raise money to help Brother William Paggett to continue in school another year'. They voted to combine the offices of clerk and treasurer and to appoint a 27 committee to investigate the possibility of buying a lot for a church cemetery. The following became members: James Noland, C. W. Williams, Robert Noland, Harry Neal, Catie Duff, Janie Putman, Jennie Buchanan, Lulu Cook, Mattie L. Buchanan, Emma Jamison, Susie Duff, Minnie Steward, Josie McPherson, Caty. Wagoner, Lizzie Bedford, Hattie Cook, Lizzie Hunter, Jessie Duff Ella. Cherry, Ben Rivers, Mrs. Allie Roberts-, Willie Bedford, Oscar Stephens, Audie Bedford,' Spencer Steel, Mattie Heathcock, Emma Chadwell, Mariah Bruce, Mrs. Mary Bruce, Mrs. Irene Biffle, Rebecca Bruce, Hanna Warren, Jamie Roberson, W. T. Ozburn, dim Stephens, John Steward, Sam Burk, Dora Harper, Lula Belle, Pad-, gett.. Lee Roberson, and Allie Hicks. James Noland and C. W. Williams were elected and ordained as elders. In December of 1896 the session met to employ a pastor for 1897. Brother William McCoy of McKays Church visited-this group. Brother John Stephens'was called and accepted for a ■ salary of one hundred twenty-five dollars and "as much more as , -can be raised". Brothers Cars'ey, Noland, and Williams were a committee to rent the parsonage and^employ a sexton for 1897. At that time the church had eighty-five members! with ..the roll revised. A committee was chosen to- "put a pillow under the church" and to have some trees topped and to raise funds to paint the church. The names of the children of W. T. Robinson, who had been, baptized by Brother. R. M. Crump were added to the church,roll. Brother Roberts reported that he had met with the McCoy's church session and that they would not continue to employ.a,pastor jointly for 1898. The Belleview session agreed to continue■with Brother John Stephens'its plan of 1897. They asked the parsonage rental committee "to make parties renting give a'note with good security". Brother Carsey resigned as treasurer, succeeded by Brother Noland. The Presbytery urged the session to employ Brother Stephens as a full-time pastor.. The session P^y. him quarterly fifty dollars more for the rest of the .year. He accepted the position for- the year 189 8 .. W. R. Robinson died that year, and Brother C. W. Williams .was_ elected trustee in his place. The committee on church repair reported that their work,was 28 done in 1899 and there was a committee "mostly of young ladies" to get up funds to paint the, church• Two new members were' Luther Stephens and Rubie Steelei Several were dismissed ? Will Redford, Mrs. Thomas P. Carsey and Lizzie Carsey, W. T. Roberts, Josie McPherson, and Rubie Steele. Brother John Stephens was granted a half-time plan of work for 1900. Early in 1901 J. H. Fields became an elder end Benson-Milton a deacon. John Steward and the J. H. Lampkin family were dis missed and recommended. The session called Robert J.- Bailey to ' prea'dh two Sundays a month for six months for sixty-five dollars. He aldcepted the call beginning Dec. 2, 1902 (1903). It was re ported that the repair committee spent $43.50. J. D. Roberts re signed and became trustee, and J. H. Fields became clerk. '.Let ters of dismission and recommendation were given Mary Rivers and Mr. and Mrs. Joe Irvin. The session decided not to- employ W. J. Bailey when "his time is up" but to consult with, the Presbytery committee on pastorates and locate-a preacher in the.parsonage and'to "group with another church". .So they-called"W. T. Dale for two hundred dollars for half his time; they wanted- to pay monthly and thus help him to be "free of cares". The members admitted were W. T. Robinson and Ruby Steele, who had been members of Franklin Cumberland Presbyterian Church and came in by letter. Miss Lizzie Robinson, member of the M. E. Church south of Bethesda, was taken in by certificate. Mr. Robinson, who had been an eider,' was elected and.ordained as a Ruling Elder at Belleview Church'. In 1904 the following are listed as new members: Bessie Harper, Cynthia Fields, Willie Stone Steele, Mattie Reed Mangrum, Daniel Mangrum, Marry Robinson, Hardie Fields, Isaac Williams, Susie E. Wray, Sallie Harper, and Harry Meal and-Mrs. Josie..Neal, who were from the Methodist Church. Thomas Milton-:Robinson, in- ' fant son of W. T. and Lillie Robinson, was baptized.-.' Oh Sept. 11, 1904 the session seems to have had a spirited meeting reaffirming their beliefs, as Cumberland Presbyterians. On motion the following resolution was adopted: Whereas, the ■ General Assembly in session at Dallas, Texas, May 1904, adopted the "Joint Report" formulated by the committee on organic union between our church and the Presbyterian Church, U.,,S. A. and has 29 so passed the same to the Presbyteriahs for'■action thereon; and whereas, the terms of union,therein ai?e not satisfactory to us, being, as we- think, a complete>renuh'ciation of the doctrines and usages of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and a sur render of the ground to which we have held our undisputed claim for the last 94- years in as much as there is no other church which has discovered the."Via Media" or middle way before; and whereas the terms of union do not provide for a satisfactory solution of the race problem, nor for a satisfactory standard of ministerial qualifications and whereas, this movement is not constitutional, and therefore unlawful, unauthorized, and re volutionary, therefore, be it resolved that we the session and members of the Belleview Church deem it highly important that we hereby' express our disapproval of the plan of Union as sub- , mitted to the Presbyteries and protest against the Cumberland Presbyterian Church being abolished or altered in any part. We hereby instruct that our delegate to Presbytery vote in ac cordance with these instructions. Resolved, that we reserve to ourselves the right to control our church property, which is ours by inalienable right regardless Of any action which may be taken by the Presbyteries looking to Union with the northern Presbyterian Church on the ? basis and will firmly adhere to the doctrines as defined in our present confession of Faith. Uniting our ? with other congregations of like '■ ' of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church-. This action is based on the fact that this whole move ment is revolutionary. The organic law of the church contem plates no such action. We have ho law for "Going out of business" or for "Forming a partnership with another company". Neither have we any law for going as a body into another church or for forming "Organic Union" with another church. Such action, therefore, could only be taken on the unanimous consent of all parties concerned. The plea that we must be "Submissive to our brethren in the Lord" does not hold good when a revolution- is in progress. The revolutionist can not control the action of others, not even by a two-third vote when they themselves reject the creed constitution by which the compact has agreed to be governed. The foregoing preambles and resolutions were 30 unanimously adopted by the session' and corigregation in joint assembly Sept. 11, ordered to be spread upon the minutes and that the same be p)resented to the Presbyters, by • our delegate as expressive of the sentiment of the church. J. H. Fields CP W. T. Dale Moderator Other events of that month were the renting of the parson- ' age to. Albert Waters and a called■meeting at 12 noon on Oct. 9 at which there was a special baptism. The infant daughter of J. A. and :Lula Roberts Boxley was baptized with water from the Jordan River, water imported by the Jerusalem Exhibit at St. Louis. (This probably refers to the World's Fair.) ■ The session pledged that they would help the mission in Hickman'County. They gave $2.50. They asked the Rev. Mr. Dale to continue being the Belleview pastor. Mary L. Burk was re ceived, into the church membership and Walter Tanner and Amanda ■ Tanner Lamb were, at their request, given letters of dismission and recommendation. The session decided to get the aid of the Rev. Mr. N. D. Crawford or "anyother good man" that could help with a proposed protracted meeting to begin on Sept. 2. On Sept. 17, 1905 the session was called to witness the ' baptism of-Eddine and Oline Fields, children of J. H. and Susie Fields'. . Mr-. Fields at that time was Clerk of the session. The elders were W. T. Robinson, D. Roberts, James Noland, C. W. Williams-, and J. H. Fields. The deacons were D. J. Stevens, Mil ton Harper, -and W. W. Ozburn. The moderator was W. T. Dale. At-a later session J. D. Roberts, delegate to the Presby tery, reported that he had attended the Presbytery, and the session reaffirmed its action on the question of Union that was "adopted last Se.ptember". -They closed the year 190^. with all debts paid in full,-..stating that they had prorated, a deficit with one dollar and fifteen cents "per each of the eight members of the financial board". The minutes of Oct. 21, 1905, are the last in this book. Following the minutes is the Church Register of 1888. It in cludes a register of elders with dates served; a register .of ' deacons with dates; a register of trustees; a list of members (names, date of- admission, how received); register of those dis missed (date dismissed and how - by letter, experience, or 31 profession)j remarks, a register of retired members (they seem to be excommunicated, suspended, or reinstated); a register of infant baptisms (with parents' names, date, and preacher present); a register of adult baptisms (with name, date, and by whom); a register of marriages; a register of deaths (date and name of the preacher of the funeral); and a group of memorial pages. Today, seventy-five years since the detailed minutes of 1905, the church continues and a third generation of some found ing families are among the leaders. It is said to be in a healthy condition with fifty or more in church attendance on Sundays 3 a recent renovation of the building, and a successful pastor at work. 33 SMALL TOWN BOY,MAKES GOOD By: Kay Shelburne Trickey It was often said that anyone with half a.n eye could see that young John Eaton was going places. He.certainly lived up, to that prediction because before he died he had become a well known attorney in both Tennessee and Washington City, a Senator, Secretary of War, Governor of Florida and United States Minister to Spain. Last, but very far from least, John and his wife. Peggy were believed to have been instrumental in putting Martin ■ Van Buren in the White House. i ■ John Henry Eaton, the son of John and Elizabeth Eaton, was :^orn on June .18 ,- 1790 , in Halifax ,■ North Carolina. At the- age of sixteen he attended the University of North Carolina and afterwards studied law.. In 1796, Eaton's father received, through an uncle, a. 4,800 acre grant in Williamson County, Tennessee. It was then that young John became interested in Tennessee and finally in 1808 went so far as to move to Franklin, a small town in present Williumson County. When his father died in 1811, John closed out his father's North Carolina estate and moved his mother and two sisters to a newly purchased home in the town of -Franklin. His sister, Mary, married Edward Breathitt, a Tennessean, in 1815, and the other sister, Ann E. Henderson, had been married and was widowed. Ann died shortly after moving to Tennessee, leaving two babies to be brought up by the family. In 1813, John Henry took Myra Lewis as his bride and,, ac- ■ cording to reports, that is how he made his fortune. Myra was the daughter of William Terrill Lewis, a wealthy landowner.j .who - added another 500 acres of land to Eaton's holdings, giying the couple oy^r,.10 ,000 acres to call their own., Myra was also a ward of Apdrcyj and Rachel Jackson which made one. more tie Eaton was to haye to Jackson. Jo||n had served with distinction under Old Hickory during the Indian wars..,.,and had received the rank of major.- He had also been a member of ^t^ljie Tennessee Legislature and,; while .there, was known as a staunch,supporter of . Andrew Jackson.- ; . ; 34 Another event that worked in Eaton's favor, as far as the people and Jackson were concerned, was the finishing of Andrew Jackson's biography. It seems the biography was started by a John Reid, and when Reid fell by the wayside, Eaton was asked to finish writing it. The newspaper took pains to call him to the attention of the people after the book was published in 1817, since Eaton' was not too well known. , , - In 1818, Eaton was'appointed.to the United States Senate to' complete an unexpired term. Being a ■,capable young man and one with the Tight political ties,' John H. held his Senate seat until he resigned to become,Secretary of War under President Jackson. ' 'Edtbn, as later did Jackson, went to Washington as a widower. His wife Myra had only lived a few years, and they had had nC^ ' children''.' John waS;,twenty-eight and an outstandingly handsome man. He was 'tall and rugged looking with hazel eyes and auburn hair. When he first went to Washington, Eaton stayed at Franklin House, a popular boarding house run by William and Rhoda O'Neal. Thdir ' daughter Peggy was too much in love with her new husband John Timberlake to pay heed to'Tennessee's■newest Senator and, as it turned out, her future husband. Not only did Eaton become fast friends with Peggy's husband' John Timberlake, but,he loaned him money and even spoke to the Secretary of Navy so Timberlake could resume his job as purser aboard a ship, the Shark. It was during Purser Timberlake's extensive voyage in 1821, the gossip about Peggy and Eaton first began. Widower Eaton es corted the temporary grass widow .Timberlake to a number of dinner parties and at least a half dozen balls. As if that were not enough flaunting of conventions, the .well gossiped about couple could be seen driving'together in a carriage and taking long walks in the woods. All of this, of course, merely added fuel to the fire as far as the,good ladies of Washington were concerned. Peggy at twenty-two was ravishingly beautiful although taller than most women with large come-hither blue eyes and a mass of dark brown hair with reddish highlights. ■ To top it off she was '■ slender, with long legs, a tiny waist and a.high bust. It is mighty hard .to understand what got into Eaton to make himself the talk of Washington. John H. had always behaved as a 35 perfect gentleman and been the very soul of convention= Now for the first and only time in his life he was throwing convention . to the winds. Maybe he felt he and Peggy were innocent and had nothing to hide or maybe he was so besotted with Peggy that he see any farther than the end of his rather good-looking nose. For whatever the reason, the two went everywhere, together. It was not long before the gossip reached the White House and Mrs,.^,.,lJonro.e decided to take action. ' She sent a letter to Mrs. Timberlake: at Franklin House telling her she was no longer welcome at the President's home. Later, some friends of Peggy's claimed she was being snubbed by Washington society because she had been a bar maid at her father's inn. That information was quite false. Back in those days humble beginnings had no effect on a person's social standing. , ; Actually, the rejection of Peggy Timberlake by Mrs. Monroe was striqkiLy .on moral grounds. Americans, in 1821, believed that' any woman who was not faithful to her husband —or appeared to be unfaithful -- was not a welcome member of polite society. As the years passed Peggy's husband continhed to spend some time in Washington and, after a while, to go on lengthy sea voyages. The poor man always seemed to have money problems, appeare.d- to drink too much and above all chose to ignore the continued rumors of a close friendship between his wife and Eaton. Purser Timberlake's last voyage was on the Constitution. Before he ..left, his marriage seemed to be in better shape than it had been in-years. Peggy was even making plans to join her husband with their two girls in Spain. There had been a boy but he had died in infancy. All this took place in the spring of 1828. Just before Peggy was ready to leave notice'came of Timber- lake's death. , For one year' after that Peggy lived in seclusion. Finally, in the spring of 1827, she cast aside- her period of mourning and, as ,the good ladies of Washington-noted, emerged prettier than ever -. -Although she, made very: feW' public ap pearances, it was always with Senator Eaton which caused the Washington cats to scratch and snarl. 36 In the midst of continual gossip' and anxious whispers Eaton, who-really had paid very little,attention to any Washington talk^ asked the newly elected Andrew Jackson if he should go on and marry Peggy, Jackson promptly replied if he loved her to go on. and marry her.. That, said Jackson, should shut a few Washington mouths. _ After receiving the president elect's piece of advice, Eaton ,, took the bull by the horns and married Margaret O'Neal Timber- ,• lake on January 1, 1829, with Peggy's parents and children in at--,... tendance. By this time, Washington was really a-twitter. Peggy at ■ ■■■ twenty-nine was by far the most beautiful and charming woman in i.. Washington and her husband, who was in his forties, was both rich, ' and powerful. Right after the wedding, the whole Eaton family, including Pussy's children, went down to Nashville for the preinaugural ac- "l-ivitieS', finding Rachel Jackson dead and the president-elect in a state of shock. A few days before Peggy and John returned to Washington, they had dinner at the Hermitage. When dinner was an nounced and Jackson did not heed the call, Peggy went in search of him. She finally found him lying on Rachel's grave. No one knows what passed between Peggy and Jackson but the incident cemented a strong'relationship between the two that lasted to the end of Jackson's days. When they got back to Washington, friends of Eaton's tried to persuade him to leave Washington for awhile to let the gossip about his wife die down. However, when Miss Peggy got wind of the suggestion, she told her husband that Washington was her home and she was not going to let a flock of spiteful old geese drive her away. Jackson brought with him from Tennessee his nephew, Andrew Jackson Donelson, to act as his private secretary and his wife Emily Donelson Donelson to serve as White House hostess. Emily had already.'heard some nasty stories about Peggy Eaton and the . Oi'" Washington matrons, who called on her prior to the inauguration, filled in a few'more juicy morsels. They knew full well Emily was. . going to be her uncle's White House hostess, and they wanted to get their licks infirsti 37 Meanwhile,■Jackson and Eaton were too.busy putting a cabi net together to listen to a bunch of conniving women. Martin Van Buren was given the top post -- that of Secretary of State. John Eaton finally agreed to become Secretary of War;, Ingham was given Treasury; Branch was picked for the Navy post; Berrien became Attorney General and W. T. Barry was made Postmaster" General. John C. Calhoun had already been elected as Vice President of the United States. The Petticoat War, Ladies War or Eaton Malaria as the sit-^ nation was referred to, was the main event during Jackson's first year in office. Early in the year, Peggy declared war on one and all of the cabinet dowagers -- and a few others to boot. The C3-binet ladies retaliated by ignoring Peggy at parties and by not attending many of the official dinners. The Wash ington women seemed to be suffering from an epidemic of head aches. As a Mrs. Smith summarized the whole mess in one.of her . letters to relatives: "Mrs, Eaton continues excluded from society except the home of the foreigners, the President's and Mr. Van Buren's." According to her enemies, Peggy was described as brittle, cold, pleasure-loving and as constantly attending dinners and parties given by her male admirers. However, the self-righteous ladies failed to note that she ran -- and did it well -- a com plicated household, made a good home for her husband and spent . ■ much time with her two daughters. . By the winter of 1829-30, all business of state seemed to ■ have been pre-empted by the,Petticoat War. Knowing that his ad^, ministration was suffering, Jackson had Van Buren send out invitations for a cabinet-dinner. What started out to be a couples' affair turned out to be a bachelor dinner. It-, was • a delightful and pleasant affair but brought Jackson no closer to a solution of what to do with his difficult women. To top it all off, Emily Donelson was not just snubbing., P^ggy Eaton, but was going out of her way to be rude. ,,,Jt,was then Jackson started hinting to her husband Jack that either the Donelsons officially recognized Mrs,. Eaton or they would.be. ; asked to return to Tennessee. It was soon pretty obvious that Jackson had made;no idle 38 threat. When Peggy.refused an invitation to a White^House dinner accusing the Donelson fami.ly of injustices, Emily's husband Jack took such fierce issue with Peggy's letter of refusal that Jackson hac^ to order them to either recognize Peggy or return to. Tennessee. Prideled them to choose Tennessee. Their decision led Jackson to decide to go back to Tennessee and atter)d a conference to sign a new peace treaty with the Indian tribes. He left Washington in the early summer accompanied ;by Jack and Emily Donelson. Since the heat and the humidity have always made the United. States capital might nigh uninhabitable in the summer, the. Secre tary and Mrs. Eaton soon followed President Andrew to Tennessee. The 'Eatons spent a few, weeks in Franklin and then went on to Nash ville for a visit. ..Jackson gave a large dinner party at the Hermitage in honor of, the, Eatons and invited the entire Donelson clan. As expected, , a few, members of. the family declined to attend but Jack Donels.on was among those present although wife Emily was indisposed and,.,. couldn't be there. The party was considered a definite victory .for Peggy. One thing the trip to Tennessee proved to John Eaton was the furor over his wife had hurt him politically and also was harming the President. Greatly troubled, he went to see his o.ld friend Judge Overton at his law office across from the Nashville Inn.' Overton agreed with Eaton and suggested that young Donelson be cal,led. in so the three men. could discuss the problem at length. General Coffee was drawn into the discussion too. . The,upshot of the hpurs of discussion was for Eaton and Donel son to ride out to the. Hermitage for a high level meeting' with Jackson. After more than five hours of, at times, heated conver- sation, it was decided that Donelson, as his uncle's secretary, and Eaton would return to Washington with Jackson at the end of the summer. But the two head,generals in the Petticoat War were to remain in,Tennessee. Taking.Peggy back . to .their home in Franklin from Nashville., John tried to, break, the news to her, but he had his hands full with his furious wife. , ' Peggy did face.a rather critical decision. Heaven knows, she 39 ^ had to obey and stay in Franklin regardless of what she wanted,, but she could choose whether she stayed with grace or sulked the. whole time. , Being a pretty wise young lady, she chose the grace bit. Peggy even went so far as to go to Jackson himself to say that she would make "any sacrifice" for his sake. On August 17, 1830 , a few we.eks before the men had to re- ■. ■ turn to Washington, President Andrew Jackson and the United States Commissioners, John Eaton and John Coffee, sat in council with ■. ■ the -Chickasaw delegation to discuss the sale of their lands. The' impressive ceremony with the Indian chiefs in full regalia was held at the Masonic Hall on Second Avenue in Franklin. The treaty signed on that hot August day led to the Redman's re moval to the west some seven years later. Fince the Eaton house was close by —— right where St. ,. •• Philips,Catholic Church stands today -- Peggy had the piano moved;• to the porch so she could play and sing for the entertainment of the Indian delegates. It has been said'that the Chickasaws couldn't decide if the "squaw" was giving an example of the white man's war dance or his peace pipe. By early fall, Peggy was left to her own devices in Frank lin while her husband, the President, and the President's nephew went oh back to running the government in Washington. The Franklin ladies were left in a dilemma. They were a little afraid to get too friendly with Peggy, but by the same token they couldn't very well ignore her since her husband was by far the largest landowner and the wealthiest man in the area. Peggy proceeded to really shake them up. She worked in her ... vegetable and flower gardens, put up preserves and even took to the kitchen to show the cook how to make one of her favorite dishes. . Each Sunday she stunned the town by attending church and going so far as playing the-piano for the congregation. After about five months, remembering Jackson's promise say-, ing she could return.to Washington, Peggy went back to her hometown, landing right in the middle of another Eaton'melee'. The ladies were still giving'dinner parties and not including the Eatons, Vice President Calhoun's wife refused to return to Washington because of "that Eaton woman" and President "J." was 40 still looking for a solution to, what was now being called, a political firecracker. It was left to the "Little Magician", Martin Van Buren, to come up with a solution -- politically ex pedient to him, of course. Van Buren proposed to Jackson that he resign as Secretary of State, paving the way for Eaton's resignation and Jackson's chance to clean house as far as the cabinet was concerned. ' After much thought Jackson agreed to accept the resignation of Van Buren if he would then become the United States Minister to Great Britian." ' After Eaton resigned, he was to stay in Washington -- Peggy's wish-. and wait for Jackson to persuade a Tennessean to resign from the Senate in Eaton's favor. Within twenty-four hours the President had demanded the- resignation of the rest of the cabinet. The newspapers got into the act by tar and feathering Peggy, hoping to make the Eatons turn tail and 'slink back to Tennessee. To the papers chagrin, John Eaton continued to call at the White House where he was always greeted with enthusiasm. But Peggy ' stayed home and, for a change, out of the limelight. Neither Peggy nor her husband realized the problems they were ' causing the administration by remaining in Washington. Finally, in August, 1831, the Eatons announced they would leave Washington and let Eaton think about which diplomatic post he wished to accept. - . Biefore leaving for Tennessee in September, John Eaton had one' more shot td^ fire, and it was a biggie. In fact, it was so de vastating that about all of Peggy's critics were silenced and a new -li-ght was seen oh a war that had fascinated Washington for two and a-..half years. John;Eaton started writing a book after he resigned from the Cabinet entitled A CANDID APPEAL TO T^ AMERICAN PUBLIC. The book was published a little before he and Peggy left Washington for Tennessee and proved to be an instant best seller. Thousands of copies.-were sold in the weeks'following its publication. In this slender little volume, not much more than a pamphlet, Eaton destroyed the fallacy that 'his wife was a wanton by taking point by.point, rumor by rumor and story by story. All' the whispers and innuendos were proven to have been the work of mali cious-imaginations.' - 41 Perhaps the most remarkable result of Eaton's book was the effect on the press and general public. Almost overnight senti ment had whipped around in favor of Peggy. Mrs. Eaton had scored another win over her critics. When the ex-secretary and his' wife left Washington for country living in Franklin, they left their Washington home com pletely intact because they certainly planned to return. Franklinites flooded the Eatons with irivitat ions , to dinners and suppers 5 barbecues and jamborees. In return Peggy gave a good many parties herself at the Eaton home. Certainly, the lady Eaton scored a triumph of sorts when General and Mrs. Coffee came for a visit, although the subject ^of Mrs. Coffee's sister, Emily Donelson, was not mentioned. When Tennessee's governor William Carroll gave a dinner.at the Nashville Inn to welcome the Eatons back home, every,.'sejat was taken. At the dinner, all the ladies present, including^ .a number of the Donelson clan, made it a point to come up-to Peggy to .extend warm greetings. It was rather apparent John Eaton was glad to be back home in Tennessee. People were surprised to hear Eaton say■that he had no desire to run for office. He seemed to be enjoying the rest and'the carefree'days away from Washington. Finally, Eaton was persuaded to run for a Senate seat, but he lost the election to Felix Grundy. Eaton.' had done very .little campaigning for the Senate and could not have cared less that he had lost, but "pretty Peggy" was disappointed and homesick for Washington. Knowing how she felt, John H. took the whole family to Washington for a visit in■the late autumn of 1834. In Nov ember pf that same year, while the Eatons were still in Washing ton, Jackson appointed John Henry Eaton as Governor of the Florida. Territory. ' '' ' . The appointment lasted drily a short time, but- their sojourn in Tallahassee was a triumph for Peggy. She. was.jthe first lady of the .territory and was treated as' 'such.' ... ' .r.: .. Discovering that husband John thought'-'she was better look ing w:^th a suntari, Peggy took daily sunbaths and ignored the gossip of the Florida ladies, ,who thought she was quite daring. Although Peggy wa's probably not the first American woman to seek 42 a.tan, she was 'one, of the first and, since she loved it so' much, ,cultivate,d a tan the rest cjf her life-. While Governor Ea^ton was carrying on' successful negotiations with the Seminole Indians, Peggy, feeling homesick, packed up her daughters,. .Virginia and Margaret, and went to visit her parents in. Washington. Very shortly, Eaton joined his family there and told Jackson he wished to resign his post as Governor- of Florida. Jackson, knowing he planned to reward him further, told Eaton to take a,leave of absence. A few days later the family headed back , to.Franklin. Back home in Tennessee, Eaton renewed old political friend ships and gave some time to his law practice. Peggy entertained and went out for a daily horseback ride with her husband and child ren. For the first time Miss Peggy felt the need to improve her mind. . Eaton was almost a compulsive reader, and he gave her a great deal of encouragement. .One thing Peggy was bound and de termined to do was to learn to read, write and speak Spanish. Pretty soon after Peggy's learning fit, Jackson announced the appointment of Eaton as the United States' Minister to Spain. The Eatons were estatic over John's appointment and could hardly wait to leave for Madrid. The family .spent four years in Spain, and it proved to be an adventure for all of them. Within forty-eight hours after his arrival Minister Eaton .presented his credentials to Queen Maria Cristina and the very next- day he and his wife were invited to a dinner at the Royal Palace. , . . In a month's time,.,to the shock of other, diplomats and tc the pure, joy.of Andrew Jackson, Peggy O'Neal Eaton became the intimate friend and confidante of•the queen-regent of Spain, Maria Cristina. Naturally, other members of the small American colony were jealous and once again rumors flew about the Eatons. One rump,!; that was true -- Peggy admitted it -- was her fondness for Spanish.cigars, which she often smoked, but never- in public. It was a habit Maria Cristina happened to enjoy,' too. . Eaton realized, when^the queen-regent began making impossible demands on the diplomatic corps, the -time had come to slowly fold head for home. He wrote to the new president, Martin Van Buren, to have him recalled.and Van.Buren, seeing the- 43 soundness of his advice, did just that. The Batons hurried to Washington where John Eaton sought out the President expecting a new appointment to a high post in the administration. Although it was a well known secret that the difficulties of the Batons, Peggy in particular, during Jackson's administration had placed Van Buren in the White House, no appointment was forth coming. Van. Buren, a sly old fox, was well aware Jackson had favored him for the presidency because he had been free to entertain Psggy during her difficult years. Martin's wife had died before he came to Washington so he had no petticoat to tell him what to do. But he still refused Baton an appointment, his excuse being: ;hia administration was having its own problems and he did not want.anyone controversial in a high place. .Baton was hurt and angry, but, saying nothing, he simply gathered his family together and headed for their home in Fi^ankl.in., • This time Peggy's widowed mother Rhoda O'Neal went with -them and seemed to enjoy the peacefulness of the Baton estate. : . Around'1840, the family returned to Washington and John Batop. opened' a law office, listing himself as a former United States Senator, Secretary of War and Minister to Spain. During the next presidential campaign Baton, to the shock of many people, supported General Harrison for president rather than Martin Van Buren. After Harrison's election and subsequent death, John Tyler became president, a long time friend of John Baton's. During Tyler's term of office the Batons were fre quent guests at the White House. John Baton was now considered one of the most prominent and influential attorneys in Washington. Peggy was no longer a lady left standing outside society, looking in.with a wistful face. Now she was considered Washington's "hostess with the mostest." The Baton family settled down•to:a.quiet routine --winters, in Washington and summers in Franklin.. The'-.Major, aA Baton was often called, continued to have a successful law pr'actice with more busines.s than he' could handle. He. w.as' the man to see when anyone wanted something done in Washington. Virginia Timberlake, Baton's stepdaughter, made a 44 brilliant nia.rriag6 to Antoine Due de Sampago, secrstary of ths French legation. The couple later returned to Europe where they remained except for brief visits to the United States. Margaret •Timberlake made an advantageous marriage, also, to Lieutenant John Randolph of the United States Navy and a member of a prominent Virginia' family. After 'James'Polk became President, the Batons were invited to the White House more than ever. ' When Polk wanted to sell some land'-'/in Tennessee, he had-the Major handle it for him. That in cident gave rise to Eaton's new nickname, "the President's lawyer'^" which did nothing to harm his business. Many of Peggy's former enemies were now her friends. In fact, "that Eaton woman" seemed to be settling down into middle age with.grace. '^'Here she' was, married to the most respected at torney in Washington, wealthy and with the reputation of enter taining in'style. In the fall' of 1855, John Eaton, almost seventy, suffered a heart attack. Only because his doctor insisted, he gave up his law practice although his friends continued to flock into his home, seeking advice. Peggy made a few half-hearted attempts to get him to slow down'a bit more, but didn't push the issue because she knew he would die with boredom if he had nothing to do. About a year later in the fall of the year, John Henry Eaton had another heart attack and lived barely long enough to tell his wife he loved her. Instead of bringing his body back to his adopted state of Tennessee, he was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in his beloved Washington, where he had known so many triumphs. Peggy Eaton found herself a very wealthy widow, not that she cared very much. Her husband had left her $75,000 in cash and securities -- a fortune in those days -- the Washington town house, the large Tennessee estate and all' of the Major's personal property. A year later, she discovered she had inherited a tract of 10,'000 acres in Florida. Peggy accepted the world again in 1858, after spending two years grieving for Eaton. She served as hostess for the country's . only bachelor president, James'Buchanan. After this brief inter lude, Widow Eaton's life took a downward slide, Out of a clear blue in 1859, came the news that sixty year "•C>\ 45 old Peggy Eaton had married twenty year old Antonio Buchignani, her grandchildren's dancing master. A little over five years later, Antonio deserted her and ran away with Emily Randolph, Peggy's seventeen"year old granddaughter. Although-.not quite poverty stricken, .Peggy never again ap peared in the limelight as she had years before. She did pick 'JR .the- pieces of her Buchignani marriage and managed to face the public eye once again. Often during her last days she could be -seen visiting Oak Hill- Cemetery, as' a lively white-haired erect old lady. Peggy died at dawn on November 9,' 1879 , a few weeks before her eightieth birthday. Just before her death, she opened her -eyes .and said, '"I- am not afraid to die, but this, is- such a beautiful world to leave." Margaret O'Neal Timberlake Eaton. Buchignani was' buried next to her second husband and the most beloved, John Henry Eaton, at. Oak Hill. So ends the saga of John Eaton, a hazel-eyed man of destiny, -and of 'Peggy Eaton, be she saint or sinner. Peggy had as many believers on both sides as the story "The Lady or the Tiger." 46 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY Bowman, Virginia M., Historic Williamson County, Nashville, 1971, Bowman, Virginia M., "John Henry Ea.ton", Williamson County ^ 'Historical Society, No. 8, 1977. Clayton., W. W. Prof., History of Davidson County, Tennessee, Nashville, 1971. ^ „ Corlew, Robert E., Tennessee, A Short History, Knoxville, 1981'. Davis, Louise L., Frontier Tales of Tennessee, Gretna, 1976. Dictionary of American Biography, New York, 1930. Durant, John .and Alice, Pictorial History of American Presidents, New York, 1955. Freidel, Frank, Our .Country's Presidents, Washington, 1967. Horn, Stanley F., The Hermitage, New York, 1950. Morisoh', Samuel Eliot, The Oxford History of the American People, New York, 1965. Phillip's, Leon, That Eaton Woman, New York, 1974. Sadler, Christine, America's First Ladies, New York, 1963. Smith, Reid, Majestic Middle Tennessee, Prattville, Ala., 1975. Williams, Samuel Cole, Early Travels in the Tennessee Country 1540-1800, Reprint Nashville, 1972. Whitney, David C., The American Presidents, New York, 1975. 47 THE RAINEY HOUSE 1839-1982: A NARRATIVE By: Miss Ruby Bateman I have always wanted to live on a farm and I have spent hundreds of Sunday afternoons scouring the countryside to find just the right one. But, one day as I was returning to Nashville from one such jaunt in west Williamson County, and, for no ap parent reason, I chose to travel a back street rather than go straight down Franklin's Main, Street. Eventually, of course, I would have to return to Main Street, to cross the Harpeth River at. First Avenue where East Main becomes Franklin Road, or Nashville Pike, as it is' called in Franklin, to continue' my travel homeward. Almost to this point, I rounded the corner at South Margin and First Avenue and there it stood with a "For Sale" sign in the front yard! It was mutual love at first sight. I could not resist the dignity and simplicity of the little red brick, charming, but neglected and forlorn. It was as if the little house itself "iSs J , : RAINEY HOUSE 1982 National Register of Historic Homes 1980 48 reached out and took me by the hand and. welcomed me in. The house, of course, was the Rainey house after many, many years of being lived in. I could not go in,,for the door was locked, and I didn't know that the key was under a brick on the front steps. But I looked all around the yard and the building and,stood on tiptoe to look in all the windows I could reach. On the back of the lot, I examined a burned out cottage which had been a small dwelling but now was filled with soggy sheet rock walls, burned and broken furniture, and dirt! " I looked at the smoke house, the kitchen building behind the main house, separate now again, but at one. time connected to, the main house. Inside were rotting floors, half hinged doors, ■ broken windows, and dirt. Perhaps generations of dirt, or so it ';seemed. I moved on'to the area between the two original buildings, at this time a pile of rubble. There was only a portion of a wall standing from a room once added, then torn out, almost. Broken bricks, twisted pipes,'trash and weeds and seedlings were trying to grow' amid it all. But there on top, like a crown, a beautiful new cedar shake roof not yet weathered to its future loyely silver grey color. I murmured to myself, a new roof! I could hear my father saying as he often had, "Keep a good roof over your head." As I carefully copied the agent's telephone number from the sign in the front yard, and drove away, I knew I was in love with the sad little house. So, fifteen minutes and one telephone booth later, I was dialing the number. The recorded answer reminded me that it was Sunday afternoon and that the agent was not in his office, but would return my call. When he showed me the house, reason took no cognizance of the ferns and moss growing out of the living room wall, of the birds' nest in the drooping ceiling, of broken and decayed windows, of the missing hardware, the sagging doors, the fallen plaster, the neglect and abuse, and again, dirt everywhere. But there was no doubt about' it, I must have this little house. I could see it restored, loved, alive again, with log fires beneath the beautiful mantels, and candles burning in the dining 49 room and happiness everywhere. I knew we were meant for each other. So went my heart and all the cash I could scrape to gether.. Eventually, the beautiful wreck was mine. With the official purchase' papers came a box of zerox copies of old deeds and census information gathered by the sell er. From these I learned that the house had been' listed on the National Register of Historic Places. More important to me, I learned that it was built in 1839 by Robert Rainey for his wife Martha, late of Ireland, but now .of: Tennessee via Pennsylvania and Ohio. The house was built on lot number sixteen of the original town of Franklin. The lot had passed through' several hands until 1835 when Mr. Rainey bought'it•for $575.00. In 1839, he started the house. Though a skilled mechanic, whose work was in demand, Robert Rainey did not find it easy to pay for his house'. History books remind us that during the term of President Van Buren the United States suffered a recession known as "The Panic of 18 37 .," Though Mr. Rainey eventually prospered as a machinist and - later as a store owner and operator, to finish his house,'he must mortage all his belongings several times. But finish it he did. 'And there Martha and-Robert lived happily'for 50 more years until they both died on the same day. May 10, 1889. After a squabble among the heirs and 5 years of Chancery Court action, the little Federal Brick on lot number 16 was sold to...Jasper Lillie, who had built the Lillie Flour Mills, a long time landmark in Franklin. After Jasper's death, his son came home to manage the estate, but he fell upon hard times and found it necessary' to file voluntary bankruptcy five years later. In the final-settlement, the Harpeth Trust Co; of Franklin be came owner of-..the Rainey house, and so for almost 44 years thereafter ..the house was rental property. Sometimes several families would- rent different portions of the house at the same time even -to the point where one family would move from one section to another -as their needs- changed. This went on for over thirty five years. Finally, the house was bought by a Will-iamson County -cattle farmer, who loved history and recog nized the. basic beauty of its Federal Architecture and the 50 quality of its materials and workmanship. It was this owner who put on the new roof, but then changed his mind about further re storation and decided to sell, and this is where I came in! Lucky me! I was now the owner of this beautiful but dilapi dated Federal brick built in the days of Andrew Jackson and Indians on the warpath. In fact. General Jackson negotiated the Chickasaw treaty just around the corner in the Masonic Hall. And during the Civil War years, the little "house sat quietly within 50 yards of the Nashville-Decatur • Railroad which ran .south from Nashville, , a scant 200 yards from where the railroad bridge crossed the Harpeth just below the Union Armys' Fort Granger. During the eleven recorded official engagements which took place in Franklin, the lines of battle moved like waves through . the town along this rail' line for the years 1862-1864. The well and large cistern behind the Rainey house might have filled many a soldier's canteen during the anxious- wait to cross the river.- The house is a testament to the quality of culture shared by Martha and Robert Rainey and was far from modest in 1839. Al though essentially Federal there are touches of Greek Revival in the small Doric windows and door supports on the front. The brick work on the front exposure is Flemish bond which was used ex tensively by masons who had been exposed to English tradition. The Carter House, which saw fierce fighting during, the Battle of Franklin was built in 1830 and is now a well known Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities property. Actually the Carter House and the Rainey House are built on the same basic floor plan, a one room deep house with a central hall, a room to the right and to the left, a back hall door opposite the front one and a stairway leading to two bedrooms and a central trunk hall upstairs. This much of the main houses are identical. s -! and both had 3 room cellars and brick kitchens which were built separate from the m.ain houses. There the likenesses ended. Dif ferent additions were added to meet the needs of the different families. The Carters, parents of eleven children, added a "borning" room and a dining room. The Raineys, parents of one little girl, Caroline F., presumed to have died in childhood, had no need for more room, but, sometime after the house left their care, a room, joining the kitchen to the main house was built. The 51 Carters also built a- back porch across the width of their house. On the Rainey house- three small shed-like roofs over the three outside back doors had been added. But these and the "joining" room had been demolished before I found the house. Though neglected and abused, the Rainey house remained structurally sound and there had been no changes in its functional design since its construction in 1839. •So -- here I took a deep breath -- so much to do -- so much to learn. How to start? Where to start? What to dO first? Where to look for labor? Did I need an architect? I had been so certain about buying- the property, but now I knew the answer to none of these questions! However, it never occurred to me to regret my purchase or to try to sell. Somehow, I had accepted the task of restoration without question. Somehow, that I was to live in the little house was also accepted without conscious decision making. This I did know - only quality workmanship would be ac ceptable and there must be no compromise in quality of materials and design. This meant no shortcuts, no make-do solutions. Upon second look, two immediate needs were apparent: the small burned out cottage must be cleared, cleaned, the trash hauled away, and its burned fourth wall replaced. The main house, in Spite of its new roof was far from weather proof. The original mortar of mud and lime between the' house bricks and between the foundation stones had deteriorated; ' both must be repointed. Here then was a place to start. A masonary contractor was engaged to clean and repoint. It was now mid winter, and work ' went slowly. After much seeking and many promises and still no labor, I -decided to clear and clean the burned cottage myself. Where upon, I bought four of the largest garbage cans on sale at Western Auto Main 'Street downtown Franklin and began. iSIow that I had',- begun to work and the "For Sale" sigh was down, the com munity was ■ becoming interested in what might' be going on.' One Saturday-as I was stuffing garbage cans. One of the city officials stopped to ask if I wanted him to get the city fire department to burn down the rest of the cottage. I had not thought of that as ah easy-out, but I. did consider that there was too much good cottage left: to waste. So I politely (I hope) re-' fused the offer but asked if.' he knew, where I might look for some one to haul the debris , away .. I then d'iscover.ed that my visitor was responsible for the operation of. the Sanitation Department for the City of Franklin, an angel in disguise who was to become an invaluable aid. He" said he wasn^' t generally supposed .to send trucks on to private ' property, but if I would get the stuff out of the cottage and on to the porch, he would have it hauled away. How grateful I was! Over the next five years he and his successor' were to haul away perhaps another hundred trucks of trash. The completion of the.work on the brick exterior turned at tention to the missing■downpipe at the corner of the front porch. It was this pipe, or rather the lack of it, that led to the moss and fern on the living room wall. The water which should have been carried off by the gutters and downpipes was spilled against the porus brick and seeped" through. Closer examination recalled the need for a complete set of new gutters and downpipes, a standing seam metal roof over this porch, a new floor which in turn called for new floor .joists and a.restored or rebuilt stone foundation. The entire porch needed restoration. This restoration also included the four supporting columns and the two pilasters. These were made.of yellow poplar but lUO years of standing water at the bases and crowns had rotted certain parts. These columns were taken down and, apart, good portions "Saved and" patched. The rotted parts were replaced with exactly duplicate pieces of. matching materials. Finally, all 204 parts were cleaned, sanded, re-assembled, primed, sanded again and finished with tw.o coats of exterior enamel. Even though I had not known how or where to start, one project led to another until all the work was done. Some major additions were necessary to prepare the house for rtlodern living. These included a modern bathroom and kitchen, plumbing, .^electrical wiring, central heating and cooling. A contractor was hired to handle the installation of these systems, to rebuild the keeping room and to make the required changes in the upstairs rooms. It was here that the only major 53 changes in "The Old Brick" were madeo I was reluctant to change the darling little upstairs hall, but., a bathroom near the bedrooms . was needed, so half the hall was sacrificed. The half up under the front eaves was de veloped into a small but complete bath-, even though the tub had ■ ;to be so short that, had' my legs, been two inches longer, I could not have sat down in it; but they weren't, and I just fit. • There was even some space for a linen closet The wash basin ■. and the counter tops were specially molded to size and thfe cabi net custom built. And so, a bathroom! The upstairs ceilings were a scant seven feet. This low height, combined with the slanting attic walls gave 'one a cramged feeling and the sensation of having to stoop. Since the plaster was half off anyway and the rest falling, the entire piaster and old hand-split-laths were stripped from the walls and ceilings. Then the rafter tie beams were shortened, ,raising the middle section of the :c'eiling six inches which gav.ej pudh improved feeling of space. ' A three foot closet on each side of both bedrddm doors was added to each bedroom. This shortened the 'rooms'to,17x2Q but ' added great ' convenience. Of course.., .while t'he' 'walls were still uncovered, insulation, wiring, pTumbing and' duct work fo.r heat ing and cooling were put in place.,,., Throughout the house, wall board replaced the old plaster. .The upstairs was painted an off-white textured paint called . simulated whitewash. The rooms retained their original floors, baseboards and lovely mantels, and beautiful paneled doors. New paneTed doors matching the originals in every detail were made for the closets and bath. Also, two loose floor boards through which one tenant had thrown ashes down on top of the closets in the room below, were repaired. The keeping room or joining room was rebuilt. It is indeed a multi-purpose room. It's complete area includes a fireplace and sitting area, a small L-shaped kitqhen, a bright windo.w eating area/and, space for a utility room, a closet and §.,full b^th. Since,:'.this room adjoined the kitchen - 'smokehousev;|)uild- il'S 5 only two new exterior walls were needed. For the other two walls, one exterior kitchen brick,.w^H becomes an interior 54 keeping room wall, and opposite it, the back exterior wall of the main house, becomes' the other. A covered gallery was designed and built running from the rear dpor of the main entry hall past the length of the keeping room to the end of the original smoke-house - some -sixty feet long. This served, to solidify the long ell and to. tie"the whole design together visually. It is also a useful and practical patio-porch. • All did not go as smoothly as it sounds, nor as' quickly as it takes to tell. There was difficulty in finding■labor and even more difficult in finding skilled workmen. Workmen had a tendency to fail to come .when' promised or to present themselves as experts, when in truth, they could not read blueprints or use tools cor rectly. One "expert" even sawed off the edge of one of the beautiful handmade doors and hung it so the raised paneling faced the inside of the closet! From time to time as I worked. I. would have an unexpected visitor... If..I were outside, a passing pedestrian was apt to say, "I'm glad you're fixing it upj I used to live there." One afternoon while I was working.upstairs, alone, I thought I heard footsteps echoing downstairs. I went down to investigate. There was a woman and her young grandchild. "Do you mind if I see what you're doing?"'she asked. "My first baby was born in that room." The large front room had been divided into parts and rented to newlyweds. On jSnpthsr occesionj I wes ebout to leeve for the de.yg when a taxi rolled up and out stepped a spry little lady. "I've lived in Franklin many years, off and ..on," .she said, "but, I've always been out of town when this house was on the market and I've always yanted. it. ;Do you mind if I build one just like it?" So she did and celebrated her 83rd birthday in it. On another occasion when I was working outside, a young man with a qamera in his hand, came around the corner-of the house. "Do you mind if I take a picture?" he asked. "My grandmother was, born in this house." He was from a small town south of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and his grandmother was Emma Lillie. ' It was in teresting-^to me that Emma Lillie Moody had gone to Louisiana to teach school after graduating from the old Peabody Normal School the year I was born. She married and reared her family there, but 55 her granddaughter is living in Murfreesbo!ro and the young man had been visiting his sister. Emma Lillie Moody/now past her mid-eighties, and I corresponded briefly, and when the house'was on the- Heritage Foundation tour, it was visited by Mrs, ' Moody's daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren-, ■ ^ The^ restoration was now more than half' domplete ^with only' two rooms and a hall on the main' floor:to go - the worst was be hind me-.- -Against my better judgment, I was hoping-to retain the original plaster='in these rooms. But, it was not to be - the risk was too great. Suppose all was finished and then the patched-plaster gave way and the original mud and lime let go all over the newly restored rooms?' I couldn't risk it! So, down^came the old plaster and the old oak laths, out came the garbage cans and I began the shovel work. This kind of labor one cannot hire for love nor money. The old walls were replaced with plaster board, but,the old and lovely mantels, the beautiful doors, the original window trim and baseboards in each room remained. These were cleaned, sanded and painted. : The wall over the dining room mantel was completely paneled in a fashion to resemble the old raised paneling and a one-time back window was turned into a china display cabinet. In the hall, the stair rail was rescued from a battered and abused condition and restored to its former beauty. Four layers of linoleum were removed from the hall floor. Hundreds of tacks were pulled from the floors and stairs, A huge missing section of the old popular flooring was replaced in the living room before the refinishing job was turned-over to professionals. In addition to the many imperfections of all the many tack holes and patches, there were numerous coats of paint to be re moved, and much dirt. This was the last interior restoration project. Results were uncertain to predict. I almost held my breath as the workmen sanded, sanded and sanded, and sealed, and waxed for almost a week. When they were finished the floors were just beautiful! The hall, stairs and dining room floors were ash and were finished in their natural golden color. The remaining floors were poplar and they turned the beautiful bronze color that only 56 old poplar can give. Moving could not really be done until the floors were finished and had a few days to harden, but, for weeks I had already been moving in a few small things at a time. Now the fun really began. Because I was moving to a smaller house, there were choices to be made, but they came about naturally. For example, there was only one corner in the housp where a corner cupboard would fit. But, that was'all right, I only had, one corner cupboard and it' fitted beautifully. A collection of Blue Danish plates, fitted perfectly on the soft brown speckled pine wall surrounding a large window. So it went, each room graciously,accepted, its furnishings and little by little the move was complete and the furnishings in order. I was moved in! And here I have lived happily ever after! NOTE: The smokehouse - kitchen building with its original woodwork, five foot stone fireplace and attractive open stairway, together with the cottage, was also restored and both are now apartments. 57 OUR GRAY FAMILY By: Jane Go Buchanan FOREWORD ..fpllpwing sketch on the ancestry of my father,, Joseph Alexander Gray, Jr. is the result of two and one' half years of -sporadrc research.' It was inspired by the autobiography written by him, dated January 29, 196M-. •The memorable occasion of_my father's 90th birthday provided tpe impetus .to put something on paper at- this time.. This an niversary in Itself sets a record, since we know of none of is progenitors who has ^reached the age of four score -and'-teh. • A great deal more time and effort is heeded before a comiDle'te ■ ' family hrstory: cian be written; hopefully^ that will be-dorie- by ■ ■ someone some day. In the ;meantime, this sketch which places emphasis on my father's paternal ancestry will' serve as a ■ :;basiis^ ;for. -more research."' ■ ' ... - - 58 Part I. ALEXANDER GRAY - ELIZABETH FITZHUGH Although references to the name Gray are made in several areas of early Virginia^ it is now established that our line is to be traced from one Alexander Gray^ significantly, the name of the descendant, my father, to whom this sketch is dedicated. Ac cording to William S, Bryan in his Pioneer Families of Missouri^ (in a biographical sketch on Alexander's son Geo-rge), Alexander;. Gray came to this country from Scotland and was . married tQ->iA . Elizabeth Fitzhugh; we do not know where or•when,' (The Fitzhugh family was prominent in the early history of.Virginia, but no at tempt has. been made to trace the ancestry of .Elizabeth.) i ' Research of the Virginia records concerning the Grays is in complete at this time. ■ The information presented below is from secondary sources and deeds which were examined during a few,hours of research in the Virginia State Archives in Oc.tober,-197,3''. It is hoped that at some- time in the future more information on Alexander Gray's family will come to light. Alexander Gray bought land^ in Halifax County, Virginia from William Byrd on April 27, 1761. The purchase price of the 150 acres of land "lying on the county line", (also on the North Carolina state line), was 1 pound, 12 shillings, and 8 pence. An additional 100 acres was added to the original purchase at a later date. No record of earlier transactions has been found, although it is quite possible that Alexander settled for a short while in the more established eastern counties of Virginia prior to the granting of the deed of 1761. It can be assumed that the family of Alexander Gray supported the revolutionary cause, although nothing is yet known of the active service of family members." in the War for' Independence. ^Pioneer Families of Missouri. William S. Bryan, p. 335, 1876, Halifax County (Va.) Deed Book 3, 1761-1762, p. 166. Halifax County (Va.) Deed Book 13, p. 6, 1784. 59 u In 1782, an official entry shows that Alexander Gray furnished the Colonial Army with corn, oats, etc. from his storehouses. Alexander and Elizabeth Fitzhugh Gray reared their family of 6 boys and 3 girls^'^ in Halifax County. The Halifax County Tax List of 1785 includes: Alexander Gray as the head of a family of' "9' white souls" with "1 dwelling" and "1 other build ing" listed*," Jbhn Gray (our ancestor, who was apparently re cently married" at the time), "2 white soiils, 1 dwelling"; and ■James Gray "'7' white souls, 1 dwelling^'. ' ' Alexander Gray ap parently died in 1796, because it was at that time that an ad- 6 ministration of his estate was filed by his widow and admin istrator, Elizabeth. Elizabeth Fitzhugh Gray is mentioned again occasionally in legal- -reco-rds ■ concerned with the settlement of her husband's estate. In addition, on April 30, 1811, Elizabeth made a gift1 to'^her^granddaughter Polly Gray of "a negro boy named Manuel Parks, one'feather bed, and furniture, and 3 head of cattle". 1 . . . . We do not know the Mate of her death, but we do know that on May 2, 1813 she was'still living at the original homeplace deeded from William Byrd. It was at that time that her son, Henry,' turned over his 1/9 share of his father's estate to a ■ 8 neighbor in payment of a-debt. ' Part II. JOHN GRAY - ANNEY PRICE ' The children of Alexander and Elizabeth Fitzhugh Gray mar ried one by one and in some cases settled on nearby farms and plantations. Their son John (1760-1838, our ancestor) married Anney Price (1767-1838), probably in 1784 or 1785. No official record of this marriage has been found, but family tradition in 4 (Va.) Commissioners Book, LL, p. 14, p. 17. (reference from BAR papers of Kathryn Hall Lewis of- Sedalia, Mo. ,- deseendent- of Alexander Gray through his son George Gray). James, John, Alexander, Jr. , Robert, George, He,nry, Elizabeth, Mary, and Sally. ^Virginia Wills and Administrations, 1632-1800 , Torrence, 1931. "^Halifax Deed Book 23, p.' 94, Ehtehed oh June 24, 1811. " ^Halifax County Deed Book 24, p. 255. Entered on May 2, 1813. 60 the Shannon line of ,their descendants carried the . information through the years that Anney was the daughter of John Price.- Sure 9 enough, the will of John Price was probated in Halifax■County on March 12, 1772. Ann was the youngest of the 10 children mentioned in his will, and would,have been 5 years old at the time -of-her father's death.; ' Additional evidence which support's the ■•cla■,i■m^"■ ■ that Price ■ was Anney>'s-maiden 'name is, of course, the fact 'that John, and "4nney named their- first child Price, it being fairly com*- mon practice.- 'for' the, eldest' 'Sdn to be named for the wife''s father. On July- 20 , 1786 ,: less than a month before his eldes.t child- was born-, John .Gray bought 150- 'acres^'^ adjoining his fathe-r"'s land on the South Dan River. He added to this purchase the-''fol-' lowing year.^^ It was on this farm in 'Virginia that John ahd Anney's children12 were born,. ■ ■ ■■ :- ■. ■ ■ Eventually John, 'and' his: brothers-,Alexander, Jr. and George, and probably others, could not resist the call of the lands to the west. On October 27 , 1806^- John Gray and his wife Anne sold their 2.50 acres, making plans for the, westward move with their family. J-;ha-ve often wondered what the journey from Central Virginia to Middle Tennessee was like in the- early.1800's. Indians were still very much a problem along the. route, particularly in the mountains. Even after arrival in the settlements of Middle Ten nessee, there was no!'guarantee-as to safety from lhdian attack. For this reason families usually traveled in groups, hoping that there would be safety in numbers. . Members of the Brooks family married into - the ;Gray and Price families in addition they were neighbor,S:::and, witnessed legal documents for each other, both in Virginia'and, Tennessee. Therefore, I have visualized in my mind's eye■their'making the long journey together, most probably in the company of other families. It is likely that Alexander Gray, Jr. Torrence, 0£. cit. ^^Halifax County Deed Book.JS, p.. 449. , Entered on July 20 , 1786. ^^Halifax County Deed Book 14, p. 180. Entered on Oct. 18, 1787. 12Price, . -Ja-me-s, W, , John, . Jr.':^, ,Henry T.',, William, Elijah, Mary Ann, and Anna survived their parents. 61 and his family also moved to Tennessee from North Carolina about this time. The name of John-Gray appears consistently in the tax re cords of Williamson County from the year 1808 until the year of his death, 1838; so we must assume that the family moved to Williamson County shortly after the sale of their Virginia hold ings. Details of the lives of the John Gray Family liieiribers immediately after the move to Tennessee are lacking, although the name of John Gray appears on numerous occasions for various reasons in the legal records of Williamson County. Land was bought in 1810, again in 1814, 1816, 1829., 1830 , and 1835 ; there are no records of any land being sold by John Gray. It appears ^hat in 1814, a move was made to the Little; Harpeth property purchased in that year. Evidence for this assumption is an entry in the Williamson County Court Minutes of July 4, 1814. In-an order concerning road maintenance, a reference is made to "the plantation where John Gray did live''. (It is fortunate for our research that during this period of Williamson County history our John Gray and his son, John Gray, Jr. were the only males by that name making their residence in the county). There ' is an entry in the Williamson County records of - 181513 thdt puzzles me. "Ordered that John -Gray have letters of administration on the estate of Alexander Gray, deceased who gave bond of $400 with James Smith and Nicholas Perkins, his securities. Rec'd letters and qualified accordingly."' Who was this Alexander Gray? John's brother, Alexander, had moved from Burke County, North Carolina to Tennessee by this time.and was living in nearby Hickman County. (Spence's History of Hick- mSD; County, Tennessee^^ notes that Alexander Gray was living on Gray's Bend in Hickman County when it was established As-^a ' county early in 1808. There are records of numerous land grants 13Williamson ' ' County Court Minutes, 1812-1815, p. 282, July 7., 1815. Information in Virginia and North Carolina deeds, tax and census records confirms this statement. 15A History of Hickman County, W. Jerome Spence, 1900. 62 issued to Alexander Gray in the early years of Hickman County. ^ The. state legislature named him as one of Hickman County's first magistrates; he was also elected coroner.) He was,very much alive in 1815, because he and his family appear in the 1820 Census; " Could the Alexander who was deceased in 1815 have, been a son of John Gray? This certainly seems possible, since the names'of the children of John -and Anney Gray known to us came from legal dodu- ments following their deaths at advanced ages. There iS' no Alexander among them; it is likely that there would have been.^® . John,, was ..a member of the Grand Jury in 1816; he'also served on other juries during the period 1816-1817. Times werehard on occasion. iln,1812, Radian Poe sued John Gray for a debt of $300 plus $100 damages:. He received the $300 plus $10 damages. The War of- 1812 saw two of Anney and John's sons enlist. John and Henry T...: represented their family in . the patriotic effort which earned,Tennessee' its reputation as the Volunteer State. Jphn,and.Anney Gray Spent more than 30 years together'after' the move, relatively late in life, to Tennessee. They died a week apart in June .of 1838 ; he was 78, she was 71,. One wonders why,-' ' 16It has been brought to my attention (and quite correctly so) that the Alexander.Gray who settled in Hickman Co., Tenn. came from ' Mecklenburg Co., N. C. rather than Burke Co., N. C. and was not. thO'^brother of "our" John Gray. (We do not yet know of the re lationship, if, any, of the Hickman Co. Alexander Gray to our family.)^ Instead, the family, of Alexander II, brother of John, settled in^Lincoln Co., Tenn, The census records speak clearly on this point, since both the Hickman Co. Alexander and his son Shehrod'are listed in the Mecklenburg, N. C. 1800 census. A <3ifford. White, examined'the N. Carolina theV fairtily-makeup of _thecounty Alexander by county; Gray living and determined in. Burke Co.that fit onl.^ ■ the known fac-ts of his ancestor Alexander Gray, whose family in .Lincoln.- ' It is not known whether Alexander II died in^N. Carolina or shortly after coming to Lincoln County. Mr. White•states that his "family record is solid back to 1812 in Lincoln Co., Tenn." It is known that Alexander Gray II's widow.. - was Mary, and that he had sons John H., Alexander III,"and ^_^William, and daughters,another whose and namepossibly is unknownalso sons (b. Reuben,c. 1810), James, , ' " Williamson County Court Minutes, 1812-1815, p.'16, July 16, 1812':. 63 their deaths occurred so close together. Was it the result of a cholera epidemic, a common killer at the time; or was it just coincidence? John and Anney are buried side by side .in the stonewall encircled family cemetery situated, on the farm near Brentwood. The acreage is still known in some Williamson County Circles as the "Old John Gray place". In more recent.-.times it has been owned by the Puryear family, and was recently sold to S local real estate developer. We were fortunate enough to dis- .cover the place before the old home and several accessory build ings (including a 3-story smoke house with unusually.;thick brick walls) were torn down. In anticipation of the. developer's.:-: ^ulldozers, the place had reached a state of disrepair,-.. ." But the beautiful pastoral setting made it easy to imagine what the' scene was at one time. At the death of John and Anney.Gray, their property was divided among the surviving heirs. Since there was no will, it was necessary for an administrator to be appointed and a sale i conducted. John Gray was by.no means the most affluent citizen of Williamson County at the time of his death, but the estate he left was sizable. The inventory^^ presented by the ..admin- istrator, James Shannon, to the county court makes interesting reading. It includes the myriad items that were necessary in • tunning .of a plantation---a great variety of tools and numerous farm animals, including horses, cattle, oxen, sheep, and hogs, in addition to household goods and his twenty-two slaves. (This is a point that always makes me flinch when reading old records. It seems .ironical that it was .only re cently that these first citizens of our country had ■;fought so valiantly to achieve "life, liberty, and the.pursuit- -.of., happiness." Here they were placi-ng a monetary value.on human, beings and dividing them among surviving heirs!) j ; At the. public sale, the list of purchasers includes a few individuals who were not family members, but over and. .over again .. we see the names of the sons and sons-in-law of John; an<;i Anney ; : ISwiiLiamson County Will Book 7, p. 1-3; p. 324; p. 3^8. 64 Gray. For example William Gray received (purchased) a desk, a clock, a cupboard, a sugar chest with sugar in it ($5.00 worth at 15<|:/pound), a churn, 2 sieves, 18 pounds'of wool, 112 pounds of cotton',' a pair of flat irons, a wheat fan, 25 pounds .of lard, .3 lots of hogs,^ 70'barrels, of corn, etc., 'etc.. For some reason Price Gray (our ancestor) bought very littlc----2 axes and 2 flat irons'. '' He received two slaves, Henry and'Nancy, At an earlier date. Price had married and settled on a beau tiful farM'-in- Williamson .Cpunt.y,' south and west of his parent's location'. ' This .'farrfi was known to my father's generation as the John B. Gray place... . Before we follow the movements of Price and his descendents in more detail, a few of the known facts of the lives of the other sons and daughters of John and Anney Gray will be mentioned. John Gray, Jr. and his family left Williamson County and set tled temporarily in the Arkansas and Missouri Territories, where two of their children were born. Louise Shannon Bedman of Frank lin has in her possession correspondence between,the Shannons of Williamson County and those who had moved on to the Arkansas Territory in 1824, apparently in the company of' John Gray, Jr. and his family. These fascinating letters are .of interest not only because mention is made of the John Gray Family and its hospital-, ity on several occasions, but because they give vivid descriptions of life in the early settlements. The quotation, that follows is from one of the letters written by James Shannon, who apparently traveled- with John dray, Jr. and h'is wife to the Arkansas Territory. They had not- yet arrived at "their-destination at the time the letter-was written, November 8, 182'4 from■ Prospect Township, Arkansas Territory. ,. "John Gray Vishes to- be remembered to his people; Mr. Gray and.family'are- well. Mrs. ^Gray appears to be. fully reconciled to_ the, -trip as I " 'ex'peeta'd,-."and -I 'think fear must be at an end, etc." . Another let- ''i '• ' tef;- i .. dated .November 10 , 1827 , co-signed by John Gray and" Hugh Shannon, is wri'tten to the parents of young Robert .Shannon, who died in the Gray home of "inflammatory fever." The.courageous spirit'6"f the" pioneers .is reflected over and over again throughout the correspondence. The'se people had to. 'he'brave as- .there were many hardships. Yet they were not hard and unfeeling. The 65 element of tenderness, caring^ -true concern for friends and': family members is always apparent, John, Jr. and his family apparently returned to Williamson County during the 1830's. James Shannon had returned in 1825.to marry his friend's sister, one of John and Anney Gray's two daughters, Mary Ann Gray.19 (The Shannon correspondence indi cates that they considered returning to the Arkansas. ■ Territory, but decided not to do so. This couple were the grandparents of Dr. Jim Shannon, whom my father remembers fondly as his family physician. He brought Daddy into the world on February 11, 1885.) Another daughter, and the youngest child, Anna Gray, mar ried Everett Owen, mothered several children and died at age 35. She ,is buried in the family cemetery near her parents. It appears that by the early 1840's John and Anney Gray's four other sons (Eli jah, Henry T., William, and James W..) had, • sold their holdings in Tennessee and moved to Missouri,' possibly .to join relatives already there. (Their uncle George and his. family had made the journey to Callaway County in 1823.^) These four sons and their families all appear in the 1850 census of Green County, Missouri. Part III. PRICE GRAY - ZILPHA BLACKMAN . , Their Sons and Daughters, ■ ■ ■The earliest official, record of Price Gray is that -of hiS' marriage to Zilpha Blackman December 24, 1810.^^ (His brother John, Jr. married Zilpha's sister Susan Blackman 10 years later.) The bonds^man for the ceremony was Robert Gray, whose identity is uncertain. He might have been a brother who proceeded their parents in death, an uncle, or a cousin; we don't know. Zilpha Blackman was the daughter of John and Nancy Hays, Blackman, who settled in Davidson County well before Tennessee became a state in 1796. A separate,sketch will be included on this branch of our family whose roots have been traced to William Blackman, that 19 Williamson. County Marriage Records ,■ 180 0-18 50 , Bejach. and' Gardiner, 1957 .' 65 line's original colonist who' arrived in Virginia in 1652. Price Gray and his family can be found in "the censuses of 1820, 1830, 18M-0, and 1850. His family grew and so did his fortune. But life was not easy. His wife of 23 years died early in the year 1833 at the age of 40, not long after the birth of their eighth child. Nine months later Price married Zilpha's 29-year-old sister, Mary Jane Blackman,^^ and she became mother to his motherless brood, which included at that time Charles Hays, age 19, Alexander Washington, 17, James W., 12, Henry Price, 10, Susan Ann, 7, John Blackman, 5, Mary, 2, and Tabitha, 1. Mary and Tabitha died before reaching maturity. Price became the father of one child by Mary Janej she was Martha Elizabeth, There are records of several land transactions involving Price Gray. In 1846 his was the highest bid in the auctioning of 200 acres of land by the sheriff. He paid $19 for the tract. Price Gray died on April 18 , ,1855 at age "68. . His will,^^ written on October 19, 1852, provided for the disposition of his property among his surviving seven children and his wife Mary Jane. His widow survived him by five years. Price Gray's,eldest son, the first of the five brothers that my father mentioned in his autobiography, was Charles Hays Gray, Sr. (1814-1884). From Family Bible records- we know that he had seven children by his first wife, Sarah Ewing Hughes, and four by his second wife, Mary A, Simmons. According to a phone conver sation with Margaret Gray Bohannon, (daughter of Charles Hays Gray, Jr.), the sons of the first marriage of Charles Hays Gray, Sr. moved to Texas, introducing a particular breed of cattle to that section of the country. One of the two sons of the second marriage, Charles Hays Gray, Jr. and his two sisters, Eliza and 20Buried ^ inI PriceI ~ Gray Cemetery at homeplace —on Boyd's Mill Pike. Davidson Co., Tennessee Marriage Records, 22 Williamson• County Deed Book S, p. 530-1. 23. Williamson . . .County Will. Book .11.,, p. 506^.508 ,. 24Elizabeth ■ ! Price, ^George -Washington, .Narcissa-Ameri-c-a, Mary" ■I'T Tabitha, James Richard, Charles Blackman, Virginia- Hughes, Henry Thomas, Charles Hays, Jr. , Eliza, Nannie Ada. 67 Nannie Ada married and had families. . Charles, and his elder brother, Henry Thomas, operated a country store near the beau tiful old colonial homeplace. Both building\s are still standing. The second of Price and Zilpha Gray's five sons was my father's grandfather, Alexander Washington..(.Sandy) Gray, (1816-1883), who married Maria Moore Thompson (1820-1888). (Maria's antecedents will be touched On, briefly in a separate section-of this account.) The most vivid memory my father has about this grandfather who died before his birth is-the story his- own father told him about their family's part.in the after math of the Battle of Franklin, the bloodiest ,battle - of the.. C.ivil War. Sandy Gray brought home with him from .the scene of the battle several wounded soldiers, transporting them .in hi.s wagon. • He and his family nursed them back to health. Another incident involving A. W. Gray's family during the Civil War- should be mentioned here. The autobiography^^.pf.a dousin on the Thompson side, recently discovered in the South ern Historical Collection at the University of North Carolina. Library leads to the conclusion that one of Alexander and Maria Gray's-daughters wanted to arrange a dramatic escape for this Thompson cousin from Alabama, who lost his leg during the Bat tle of Franklin and was^ imprisoned by the Union forces. , He was' •foo gallant to -implicate this cousin he did not know. in. so daring -a-scheme, and managed to survive his ordeal, even though at. one time he was near death while in a prison camp in Ohio. S-andy and Maria had seven children, three of whom died in -infancy. My father's three aunts,.all of: whom he knew well, were Aunt Maggie, who married Rev. James; N. McDonald., a leader in the Cumberland Presbyterian movement, and lived at Bell. / Buckle,- Aunt Mary, who married Thomas Brown and lived on a beautiful farm north of Boyd's Mill. Pike, and Aunt Laura, who -.-ftispn Experiences---Camp Ch^, Ohio, City Pt., Va., and Pt •Snn-thP^' -ffi",Historical JQseph Collection,N." Thompson, Wilson The Thompson-'FamilyLibrary, University Papers, of .-North Carolina,: Chapel Hill, N. C. 26 Margaret Zilpha,•. Mary 0.,. Laura7 J.•, Joseph Alexander,..--Susan M., Wilson P., Juliet Emma. ' ■ 68 married Philip Kinnard, The only son in the family, (my grand father) Joseph Alexander Gray, Sr. (ISS^-ig^g) met his bride, . ■ ■ Rachel Louise (Loulie) Russell (1858-1934), .through his cousins.. Kate and Susie Gray (daughters of James W. Gray), who were her friends at Tennessee Female College in Franklin. The third of Price's sons, James W. Gray and. his wife Frances Amanda (Mandy) Ferguson had a dozen children, most .of wh.om my. father knew when he was growing up. He also remembered visiting in the home of this great aunt and uncle as a young child. - ...The Ipng dining table with silver napkin rings and the ■foot-pedal- ,r ; pperated fly bush made a lasting" impression on the young boy. Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Mandy died within a week of each other . in.June of,1894; my father was nine years old. Of all of James W. 's children, John Blackman Gray's family was the one that my father felt closest to and knew best, men-, tioning them fondly in his' autobiography. ' John Blackman Gray had Core, "a dear close friend" of Joseph Alexander Gray .Sr. 's wife, Loulie Russell Gray (my father's mother, of ' . .course). The fourth son of Price and Zilpha Gray was Henry Price Gray (1823-1885). He married Sarah Jane Southall and served in various capapities as a public official of Williamson County. Hischild- .less widow married a Presbyterian minister, Rev. James Marshall, after his death. My father remembers the visits of.Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Jane during his boyhood. ■ ; The fifth child and first daughter of Price and Zilpha was Susan Ann Gray, who married John R. Ferguson, brother of James W. ..(Bray's wife Amanda. During his boyhood my father remembers his mother'.s distaste for the visits 'of this childless great aunt, because she smoked a pipe.' John and Susan Ferguson^-.w.ere the vic tims of real tragedy during the Civil War, when their home, and all their possessions were burned. Like many of the.ir ;friends and F. ,- Sarah Jane (Jennie), Mary L. Charles Henry, Kate E., WilliamBlackman, Hays, AlexanderMargaret A.Washington,, Susan A. (information from James W. Gray Family Bible). 69 neighbors, they were apparently ruined financially and borrowed heayily from family members. To quote from the legal records^^ dealing with their financial problems, " but whereas by the vicissitudes of the times, the .losses by war and the burning 'of the dwelling of the said John R. and Susan Ann, all furniture, wearing apparel, books, papers were utterly destroyed, the said John R. and Susan Ann barely escaping With their lives, etc." The sixth child and fifth son of Price and Zilpha was John Blackman Gray (1828-1919), fondly remembered as a good and kind man by those who knew him. His first wife Margaret died at age 27 soon after; the birth of her fourth (or fifth?)■ chili, Wilson Price Gray. His second wife Mary Jane (Molly) 'Flippen was the mother of Jennie Gray. Wilson Price and Jennie married a bro ther and sister, Eugenia Bostick and James A. Bostick. ..The seventh and eighth children of Price' and Zilpha were Mary Gray-, who died at age 12, and Tabitha, who died at age two. Both are buried near their mother in the family cemetery. Price and his second wife, Mary Jane Blackman (mentioned had one daughter, Martha Elizabeth, who married John M. Byers. The only information we have on this line is that this couple had a son, David P. Byers. ^ With this generation, we conclude an attempt to record some, of the info.rmation that has been collected in the past two and one half years on what we assume to be the first■four genera tions of our Gray Family in America. It is purposely brought to. a close at about the time of my father's birth, since information, on his parents and later generations is included in his auto biography., .The remainder of this account is devoted to infor mation on.three of the maternal lines that emerged as the search for information on the Grays intensified. In each case a great deal of information has come to light, some of it only after diligently following hunches, some of it literally handed to me by other researchers. These lines will be covered only super ficially, although this-approach certainly does not mean that 23 ! — Williamson Co. , Tennessee Deed Book I, p. 56U-565, 29 I860 Census■ of Williamson Co. , Tennessee.' ^ . 70 they are of any less interest or importance. The s.earch has been at times fun, fulfilling, .and frus trating. But it is-not finished. Hopefully, other; family mem bers will help ;in the -task of compiling a more complete family , history -at some...time in- the future. . .. , Part IV. THOMPSON - BUCHANAN ■ Mafia Moore Thompson (1820-1888 ), wife of Alexander." W. -Gray .-was oh-e of nine children 30 of James Thompson (l-773-l;848T 31- and^ -Margarett Buchanan Thompson (1779-1860).^^ James Thompson's- marriage to Margarett (Peggy) Buchanan on May 14, 1800 is-re- corded in the Davidson County, Tennessee records. His will 32 is dated March 1, 1848, five days before he died. It is known that James came to Tennessee at an early date, probably with other ' .members of his family, but not his parents, who stayed in Ora'hge County,- North Carolina. His sister, Nancy, married. Thomas Thompson (possibly a cou- I sin) and settled in Davidson County., they being the founder's of -the branch of the family for whom Thompson Lane in Nashville is named. James' brothers Lawrence and Joseph were active business-' ..men in the area before settling in Florence, Alabama. - (Their des- cendents have been prominent in Southern financial circles.')" Correispondence 3 3 between Rebecca, the wife of Lawrence Thompson, and her Thompson nephews, Joseph B. (son o-f "our" James), John (son-of 'Thomas' and Nancy) and Jacob (son of another brother' Nicholas) during the period 1839 to 1855 gives us considerable in formation about this family. Joseph B. was a young man at the time and had moved to Louisiana during the late 1830's to run a plantation for his uncles. The fact that Jacob was serving in • Congress during part of the period also adds interest to the ex4 change of letters'."' (Jacob was later Secretary of the Interior • 30 ^ Sarah M., Susan Ann, Margarett, Mary, Maria, Thomas J.,„James,.... M., Joseph B., and an infant son who died yo.ung. r . 1-'^' 31Thompson-Sheltpn 'Cemetery, Williamson County, Tennessee. 32 Williamson Co, Will Book 9, p. 67-68.1 3 3Thompson Family Papers, Southern Historical Collection, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. 71 'under President Buchanan.) ■- : We know that our James Thompson was the son of Joseph and Sarah;.McAlister Thpmpson. (Joseph is a recurring name in the Thompson family, generation after generation that's, of course the source of the Joseph in Joseph Alexander Gray, Maria Thompson Gray'.s son.) We are fortunate that Sarah Thompson left a willj 3 4- giving. . ■ the names of all her children g c who survived her death.in 1831 at age 83. She and her husband are buried in the old Eno Presbyterian Church Cemetery near Hillsborough, North Carolina, an early capital of the state. (Apparently many set tlers from that area came to Williamson and Davidson Counties in the- late 18.th century, bringing the name Hillsborough and other North Carolina names with them.) Information on file in the Tennessee State Archives^^ states -■■that Joseph the son of Capt. Law-rence. Thompson and Margaret Logue. Letters in the Samuel Thompson Papers in the Southern Historical Collection at Chapel Hill lead to the conclusion that Joseph was, the brother of Capt. Lawrence Thompson and the son of 'Thomas Thompson. This point is not settled. Looking into the Thompson Family history has been made es pecially interesting by the location of' the two separate sets of family papers.in the Southern Historical Collection. 'AH the documents, but especially the letters make fascinating reading. • ■ . ■ BUCHANAN The first inkling that I might have a Buchanap ancestor, as well as- a Buchanan husband, came when we discovered an especially old grave (for Williamson Co.) in the James Thompson Cemetery. Robert Buchanan, who is buried there, died on October 4, 1818 at age 85. 34 ^ — : Orange County (North Carolina) Wills, 1785-1865, Vol. XI. 3 5 John, James, Jilsey, Ann, Thomas, Lawrence, Rebecca, Joseph, and Nicholas. 3 6Bedinger, Brown, Dorsey, etc. Collection, folder 3,. . Ancestral Tables. 72 A streak of luck (and a tip from my husband) put me in touch with two ardent researchers on the Buchanans, who have generously shared their notes with me. A great deal of research has. been done on- this line, but there are many missihg 'pieces to the puzzle. We do know that the above mentioned Robert and Mary. Buchanan were the^ parents, of James Thompson's wife, Margarett, as. well as Samuel, Esther, and Martha. They lived in'Augusta County, Virginia before coming to Tennessee. Martha married Thomas Edmohdson and cande to the Nashville settlement at a very early date. A grand daughter of this couple, Mrs. Bethia White Bell, was often' told .by her'grandmother of being one of the women who molded bullets "all night in a stubbornly contested battle with the Indians at Buchpan's Station near Nashville. One 'of the most interesting aspects of the Buchanan research is 'the existence of a paper dictated to Thomas Wesley Buchanan (her great nephew) by "our" Margarett Buchanan ■ Thompson i.on, May 16, 1860.^ She died shortly.thereafter--—on June 9, 1860-at age 81. According to my fellow researchers, the remarkable thing about this interview, is that none of her statements about her several ^ relatives has been discounted. (Unfortunately,' there were many questions that were not asked of her.) She said that her grand father "Samuel came from Ireland to America and settled in Penn sylvania, and reared five sons named: Andrew, Robert, Moses, John, and Samuel, etc." We know that this Samuel Buchanan'married Martha Keys and settled in Washington Co., Virginia. Some of the many records concerning Samuel Buchanan pertain to his activities as an elder in the Presbyterian Church. Both the'Buchanan and Thompson families were active in this denominatioh. Part V. BLACKMAN - HAYS '■ As is noted in the preceding sketch. Price Gray's two'wives, iZilpha and Mary-Jane. Blackman were the daughters of John and Nancy ...Hays Blac'kman, Their sister Susan married',Price's brother John Gray,' Jr.' Eortunately, we have access to first hand information on John Blackman and his family. On file in ■ the,-Tennessee State Ar- 73 chives are notes 3 7 dictated by a granddaughter of John and Nancy Hays Blackman, Susan Blac.kman Clark, widow of Dr. Wm. M. Clark, owner and editor of the "Nashville Banner" during the 1880's. She is quoted as saying, "John came (to Tennessee from' North Carolina) to live near his brother, Bennett Blackman, and his sister, Mrs. Charles Hays.^^ The two owned much land about Antioch the Whittemore's present home as well as the old Blackman place."' Her notes include many details on family mem bers. She adds that after Nancy's death, "Our grandfather John Blackman married a second wife, a widow. I. do not remember her name, but I have pleasant memories of her. Dear Grandpa was a gentle and amiable man, giving children a good time when at ■ his home." Susie Blackman Clark .had the old Family Bible i^' heb possession, and comments, "Charles Hays was the one I remember as reading- that old Bible. He gave,it to Mary Jane Gray, their--'' niece', and' she gave it- to me about 1858 or 1859. She died ' 1860. (It might be noted here that the Blackman, Hays ,' and'^--- * Gray families all used the names "Charles Hays' and "John' Blackman over and over again in naming their sons.) John Blackman's name and that of his brother Bennett ap pear frequently in the early records of Middle Tennessee. ■ The two brothers owned land in Davidson, Hickman, Williamson, and Maury Counties. They apparently both settled in Maury Co. in the early 1820's. The simply designed, two-story brick home^^ that Bennett Blackman. built for his family in Maury County is one of the oldest houses standing in that county today. John Blackman died in Maury Co., Tennessee, November 3, 1844-, age 76. His obituary may be found in the November 7, 1844 edition of "The Nashville Whig." John Blackman's ancestry has been traced by professional 37 ; — Blackman File, Tennessee State Archives 38The home that Charles Hays built for his bride, Ann Blackman is one of the residences featured in Architecture of Middle Tennessee, The Historic ^erican Buildings Survey, edT!! Brumbaugh, Strayhorn and Gore, 1974. - *' 39Historic. . Maury County, Tennessee in Pictures, .-Vol. 1, Maurv • .C.O...,. Historical Society, 1966. 74 genealogists back to William Blackman, who arrived in the Colony ^ of. .Virginia in 1652, as headright of Richard Thomas. , His hand written will,^*^ which was probated'April 1, 169.-8, states tha.t he leaves "to son John upper half of plantation, guns, furniture, and young horse, when he shall arrive to manly age, I mean my son and n'o.t the horse." , This early John, the son of William, was born.about, 1678. He ...and his wife Sarah settled in Bertie . Precinct, North...Carolina and. had among other children, a son St.ephen. Stephen and his wife, Ann Snell King,'a widow, were ■the. parents of the John Black- ,,m^n, who is the subject of our'original discussion, , ^ , The notes on the Blackmans- (most of■ them generously given to me), .are much too 'voluminous to-' summarize easily. But it is ap parent .'that this branch of our family played an ap.tive role in the early history of our country, holding public office and fighting • 42 ■ for the independence that finally came.. ^'^Henrico Coi', ■ Virginia Deeds ,. 1697-1699 , p. 66. ^^Col.onial Records of North Carolina, Vol. IX, 177T-i-775 j p. 447-448. ; ^^Roster and Soldiers of the Tennessee Society of -the - D.auEhters of the American Revolution, 1894-1960. Figure 1. Lt. Col. John L. McEwen, Jr. from McEwen-Goff(3) (left) Figure 2. Tombstone for Lt. Col John L. McEwen, Jr. in McEwen Family Cemetery on Amis Farm, lA.' Nashville Pike. (below) IS ' <-i 'k %■' s; «ii Jt t%:% m t .*A J* V. ' •. -. -v.:..- 1 mkdi iif« a,/ 3 m-ii 75 MUSTER IN ROLL OF CAPT. JOHN Lo McEWEN'S COMPANY ■ By:„. E. Gale Pewitt ■My mother told me that her grandfather, Andrew Jackson Hughes, was in the Confederate Army," but she did not know the unit. : 1 looked ' in ■ the list of Tennesseans in" the Civil War,' ^^ and.found there were, about ten possibilities. After JO' the National Archives several tim'es, 1 converged on Private Andrew J . ■ Hughes' who enlisted" in Captain John L. McEwen' s Company. Private Hughes enlisted along with a number of other Williamson County residents on.'26th day of November 1861 at ■ Franklin. This company arrived at Nashville 18th day of December, 1861 and,became an unlettered company in the 55th (McKoin's) Tennessee Infantry Regiment. 1 obtained a photostat of the ori ginal muster in roll of McEwen's Co. from the National Archives. The names are as follows: John L, McEwen, Jr. Capt. John H. Hunter 1st Leut. Samuel F. Perkins 2nd Leut.' ■■ James Allison 2nd Left Leut James C. Robinson 1st Sergt. Joseph H. Cunningham 1st Sergt. Benjamin F. White 1st Sergt. John H.i Pinker ton 1st Sergt. Isaac S. Berry 1st Corp. _ Fountain P. Scruggs 1st Corp. John H. H. Thweatt 1st Corp. John G. Poynor 1st Corp. Betts, William J; Pvt. Crutcher, Thomas S.' Pvt. ir Boyd, John Crenshaw, James C. tl Bingham,. Thomas .^R.' Cricket, Andrew ■ " Tl Baxter, John E. Davis, William H. tl M- Cator, Moses'L. ■ Davis, Robert H. . tl tl Collins, Robert B. Forehand, James r? !I Collins, Richard W. Forehand, George II tt Cook, William Forehand, William It ' ?? Cook, Henry H. Forehand, Martin It. tr Cook, John H. Gresham, John A. tl tl Crafton, David S. Gee, James W. It 76 Gatlin, James Pvt. Prim, Robert T. Pvt. Hughes, Andrew-J. Reed, George M. D... Hill, Andrew J, Rei^mond, Archy Hill, George W. Richard, Wiley ? , Joseph Short, John J. Harper, John Short, Isaac S. Hulme, John W. Scruggs, Walter C. Hamer, Robert H. Southall, Thomas Hargrove, John Sledge, Elihu . , Johnson, Willis R. Still, John P. Johnson, James V. , Still, Samuel J. Johnson, John P. Sawyers, John S. Moore, James P. . ? , Nicholas P. ■ ■'Mckay ,• Thomas- H. Spencer, Thomas P, .McLelland;, James R. , Sutton, John Mitchell, Henry L. Sickert, William Morton, Joseph S. Scott, William R. Owen,. John- Thomas, William W. i Owen, Samuel Vaughn, John Parker, William T. Vaughn, Benjamin P. Peach, Hardin W-. .Wall, William C. ■ Peach, John W. Waddle, William Peach, George Whiters, Richard Peach, Gasway■ Wilson, John M. ■Peach, James . .Wilson, Charles W. Pewit-t, James H. Whitby, Samuel .Bryan, William , . , ...McKoin's regiment never did receive a regiment number from the..Confederate Government in Ric.hinondj ,however, it was,.known in the field as 55th (McKoin's) Tennessee Infantry. It wa.?.organized at Camp Weakley, near Nashville in.January 20, 1862 with com panies from Bedford, Sumner, Lincoln, Davidson, Rutherford, Macon, Smith and Williamson Counties. At Shiloh, Ai^ril 6-7 , 1862 , this regiment Was in Brigadier • j , J • General S. A. M. Wpod's Brigade, Brigadier, General. Gideon J. Pillow's Division in the forces commanded by Major General William J. Hardee. General Wood listed the 55th as being 280 muskets. I! According to. Tennesseans in the Civil War, Part _I^ no record of casualties have survived, but they were heavy. After Shiloh the 55th was consolidated with the M-M-th Tennessee Infantry. McEwen's Company became Company "I". John L. McEwen was appoin-ted Lieutenant Colonel of', the regiment. , 77 In addition to Shiloh, the IHth was engaged in the battles at Murfreesboro, Perryville, Chickamauga, Fort Sanders (Knoxville) and Bean's Station. Records indicate that it was transferred to Virginia and fought at Walthall Junction, Swift Creek, Drewry's Bluff, and Petersburg. - Col. McEw'en was present at all battles, except when on sick leave-during the Battle;af Murfreesboro, until he was mortally wounded on May 16,.1864 at Drewry.'s Bluff. Cbl. ;McEwen's body was' returned to Williamson County and buried in the McEwen Family Cemetery on the Amos Farm on Nash ville Pike. According to Military Annals of Tennessee,^ the following casualties from the original enlistees are given for Company "1" of the 44th Tennessee Infantry: Wilson, Charles W., killed at Chickamauga; Gatlin, James W., killed at Bean's Station; Spencer, Thomas, died Aug. 1, 1864; Forehand, James, died June 23, 1862; Pewett, J. H., died May 15, 1862; Peach, John W., died July 9, 1863. Col. McEwen was born January 29, 1824 on the east of Ropers Knob on Spencer's Creek. He was the son of Major John Lapsley McEwen and Tabitha Barfield. - After graduating from the University of Nashville, he read law with John Marshall. After practicing law for several years in Franklin,, he contracted typhoid fever and retired to his father's farm. When the war opened, he raised a company and led them off to battle. According to McEwen-Goff,^ Col. McEwen was "universally popular, strict in discipline and his company placed great con fidence in. his judgement, honor and bravery." This respect re sulted in his name being chosen for the Bivouac of United Con federate Veterans in Franklin. 78 REFERENCES 1. Tennesseans in Civil War Part !_ S. .Hs' Civil War Centennial Commission .(19,64) Nashville, Tennessee. ■•2. "Mrlitarv Annals of Tennessee. Confederate by J. B. Lindsley, Lindsley Publishers, Nashville (1888V. Chronicles of Three Pioneer Families of Williamson ■ County, Tennessee 1798-1925 McEwen-Goff. Williamson County, TN Library. ' ' ' • M 79 LEIPERS FORK PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH Book I, 1824-1880' By: George F. Watson One hundred fifty eight years ago on July 22, 1824, Elders Thomas Hanks, John Little, John Atkinson, Joel Anderson and . .• Andrew Craig, formerly members 'of Baptist Denomination to the • Churches of Big Harpeth and West Harpeth, met and .adopted a- written creed which officially recognized the beginning of a body of United Baptist and in particular Leipers Fork Primitive "Baptist Church. ^ Although the document mentioned above,' and signed by J. L. Tlipmpsdn, first Church Clerk of record, recognized the beginning, the first meeting of record was on the Saturday before the f'durth' Lord's day in March 1835. The record reads thus: ■ "Sat urday before the 4th' Lord's day in 'March 18'35 , the Church, taet ..dn 'ConFd'hence and after cervis by brethern'-Ja'mes King and White.- was called, to'gether by J. King moderator no reference dismi.ssed in order." • , What exactly happened between July 22,'1824 and March 18.35 no one seems to know, but a senior member of the present mem bership whose father was pastor there for many years believes that G. L. Sparkman, the first Church Clerk, either lost, or • permanently misplaced, the records of the first eleven years. With the loss of these records goes all knowledge of the trials and tribulations this budding organization went through. • How ever, we can reconstruct the probable events leading up to their permanent home on Murfrees Creek near the old Columbia and; . Nashville Road. - ■ ■ In 1815, according to tradition, John Dobbins gave a.plot 'of land in' Leipers Fork, probably by verbal agreement, on which to build a church. It was known as Unibn and.was used by all denominations. On March 17, 1821, Hugh Dobbins, relationship to John Dobbins not known but probably father and -son, conveyed by a deed registered in Williamson County, Tenn., Deed Book "G", pages 8-9, this same one acre of land to the trustees of Union, 80 called Union Meeting House, Richard Steele, Sterling Gunter, Bond, Jacob Carl and William Keador(?). This is not to be confused with another meeting house constructed about this same time (1823) called Mt, Pisgah Meeting House which is in the Nolens- ville area. We lose the day to day workings of the Leipers Fork Primitive Baptist Church at this point until March, 1835,.when.the records begin again and are carried forward faithfully, until the end of this reporting period. ■ The records or minutes of the meetings reveal to some extent the character of the Church. The membership seeiped to be stern and. very strict with their own members and at the same time loyal to each other-and the 'Church. Discipline seemed ,to be the eternal hammer hanging over their heads. To-be disciplined by the .Church or -Committee carried with it a stigma that, was daffi- cult .to.;erase since it was 'written in the minutes'. One member disclosed a' sin'he had committed although he and only one other- person could have possibly known about it. He was subsequently^ .excluded. One sister was excluded for bing "guilty of keeping a Very .disorderly house". She too was. excluded from fellowship. '• . did not necessarily mean exclusion from the church it self, just its fellowship. .The Church definitely was a force to be reckoned within the lives of the membership, and to wield this force judicially there had to be good leadership if the Church was to survive and. also'"' to give it continuity and stability, .According to the records, James King seems to have assumed ■' this responsibility early in the Church's history and stayed with it for. about forty one years. Leipers Fork. Primitive Baptist Church was fortunate to have James King. He was the first Moderator..or Pbeacher and Continued to act as such with some ex-" - ' ceptions until April 1876 when T. W. Rascoe replaced him. James King-was a dedicated man. Besides ■ the Pastor, or Moderator, who exerted the. catalist - to hold the congregation together, the Church Clerk should be re-• cogniz-ed. -as-the next in line. He was the one who attended 'EVERY-' -- meetlng,- recorded- the minutes, was nominated tp. represent the con-^-'^ gregatiori at the Association Meeting and. perform., other tasks such' -i 81 . as "locate some 'suitable person for three dollars for the. next year to open the doors, Sweep the house, and make fires". The minutes themselves are usually very brief and usually follow the same format. A typical entry would read thus: "Saturday before the 4th Lords day in December (1838) ,the church met and after cervis by Br. King she came together and a door was opened' for reception of members and reed by esperence Edaline Dodd and Baptised on Sunday. Brother Dooly taken up for non-attendance - forgave him". It'is not known when G. L. Sparkman, the first Church Clerk, ended his tenure and Jas. L. Thompson began, but it is known, that Jas. L. Thompson, one of the men who signed the original document establishing the official existence of the Church, signed the minute book for the last time on a-Saturday in Novem ber 1845. W. H. Bedford was appointed in June 1846 to succeed him. Jo's.-King, M. D. signed the minutes along with W. H. 7 'Bedford in August 1855. John J. Short signed the minutes in November 1855 at which time Deacon' H. S. Beynolds was chosen Church Clerk. W. H, Bedford again signed the minutes in June 1858 and was released from his duties in July•-IS69-.^nd H. S. Beynolds'was officially appointed. He'''last .signed,.the. minutes in April 1872. , In June 1872, W. H. Thwe'att was appo.inted Church Clerk and-served until Hirum J. Johnson was- appointed in May 1877 which ends the first minute book 1824-1880'. ■ Synopsis: 'G.-. W. Sparkman 18 2 4-''' ? ,Jas. L. Thompson ? -1845 Becords lost ' W. H. Bedford 184.6-1855 H.'.S. Beynolds 1855-1858 W.. ;H. Bedford ' T858-:1869. H. S. Beynolds 1869-1872 ' W,. H. Thweatt 1872-1877 J. J. Johnson 1877-1880+. ■ -.Six men serving as Church Clerk in fifty six years show true dedication to a cause. Getting a Pastor for small churches in outlying districts has always been a difficult task. The Leipers Fork Primitive Baptist Church had its problems along these lines at times, but, at the same time, as has-been mentioned, they were fortunate to have Brother James King.^ For about 41 years Brother James King was associated with the Church with the exception of the 82 Civil War. period. In the,minutes after July 1862, there appears a statement, unsigned,, in a handwriting different fr.om H. R. Redford's., the appointed Clerk, this paragraph: "We had no regular■meeting from September 1862 until July 186S .Brother James King joind the Suthurn Confedert Armey "he went South in June in 1863 and returned in 1865 June the 10th I went tovisee him on the 2Qth of June and he agreed to attend the Church at Leapers on the 4th Saturday S Sunday in July 1865". In June 1865, the Church-again began regular meetings. There were many other names that appeared quite often in the minutes and played important roles in Church business and seemed to contribute much of their time to the survival of the Church, ■Some whose, names appeared-most often in the minutes are: ------Beard, R. G. Cowen, Jesse Cox, Pinkney Johnson, Green Meacham, Wm. Ragsdale, C. P. Sparkma,n and Elihu White. As stated previously., family folklore believes that all was not "heaven" between the various denominations me.eting at the Union Meeting house in Leipers .Fork, Splinter groups were begin ning -to spring up in nearby commun.iti.es as the population grew. Ldipers Fork Primitive Baptist Church was one of these. Although exact dates are not known, speculation has it that about 1845-48 a brick buil;di.ng was built on "a certain lot of ground containing one a.cre, situate in the Co. of Williamson. .. .on Murfrees fork of West Harpeth - Beginning at a sugar tree N. W. of meeting house, then South 1.6 poles to'a stake in Allisons North Boundry line then East 10 poles to the middle of the lower Franklin S Columbia road then, .back to beginning". Although it began as a communal meeting place, this i'Brick House" became the future home- of the Leipers Fork Primitive Baptist Church. , : The land on which the brick house stood belonged to Thomas F. Perkins and he deeded the land to the denomination of Christians -called D.esciples of Christians who named' the building Christian Chapel. This deed was witnessed by Samuci' B. McConico in .Qctober 1,848 and registered in Williamson County, "Tenn. , May 2-4;,,. 184.9, Deed Book "T", page 222 . ' '' ■ Today this Church is still in its original location about eight miles south of Franklin on Carter's Creek Pike where it crosses Murfrees Creek. It measures approximately 36'xSl" . It ( 83 still retains its outside appearance except for the added kitchen and dining area, and as seems to have been the custom in the past, the bricks were painted - in this case,, red. HowdVer,"' some time after, this publication is printed plans call for sand blasting and pointing the.bricks to restore the Original color. The walls are three bricks wide (12 inches) sitting on a' quarried stone foundation about twenty-two inches wide. An entry in the minute book ..for August 1877 Saturday reads: "....Agreed■that the church should meet at the brick meeting house on the third Saturday and Sunday in each month to trans- adt' any church business". So, it seems the Leipers Fork Primitive Baptist Church found its final resting place. The inside original appearance is still there but now it is covered by new paneling, a^ dropped acoustical tile ceilingand new hard wood flooring. For historical purposes, four'of the original thirty-one benches are kept inside and are well pre served. One, however, is kept outside against the north wall. It is in fairly good condition despite being exposed to all kinds of weather. The benches are made of yellow poplar nailed to gether with square headed nails. Each bench is fourteen feet long: the seat a very uncomfortable eleven inches wide. There are two "amen" corners: one group of five benches.to the right of the Moderator-Pastor was reserved strictly for the women of the membership. However, the passing years has altered this age old custom somewhat. The second "amen" corner is another group of five benches to the left of the pulpit re- ., served for the deacons and officials of the Church. The re maining benches presumably were' strictly for the men. WfuJ-e-buiidin-gs", in and of themselves, can sometimes have historical merit, usually it is the closeness of the people within that create the history. These are the people that come ' in horse and buggy, congregate in the yard under the trees, discuss whatever is important to them at the time, scandal or whatever, who enter the building through their customary door, take their customary seat,. lis:ten to the Pastor deliver his lesson, listen more alertly when one of their flock is disciplined for non-attenda.nce or possibly excluded for a more serious 84 offense, gather together at nearby Murfrees Creek to watch the • baptism of new members, and after service watch the kids and some grownups play games and possibly have "dinner-on-the-ground", resume interrupted conversations and finally disperse to their various destinations- to-meet again on'the next Saturday before ■ the Hth Sunday.. ,i ' ■ ■ ' At about this time (1849) the building was used as a communal meeting place,., :.,While the -Leipers Fork Primitive Baptist Church • met there some of the; time, their records show they also met at the Ragsdale, School House, Forest Hill Academy, Sycamore School' House besides some homes of the members. While individual members of an organization are important to" the whole, the names of some of the members live on and are re membered years ..after their time. Dick Poyner .was one of these- members. He was a colored member who is remembered for the inde- structable chairs he made. They were constructed as follows; 1.- Posts - green maple, 2. Rungs -. seasoned oak' 3. Slats seasoned maple 4. Splits- hickory strips When the green wood of the posts dried around the seasoned wood of the rungs and slats,, the chairs could not be pulled apart. Dick and his wife, Miley, were received in the Leipers Fork Primitive Church in April 1865 by letter. Dick, his wife, and his parents, James and Hasty Poyner, and other colored members, were dismissed later, by letter, probably to join the newly created colored'Primitive Baptist,Church situated about one mile from the "Brick 'House" along'Perkins Road. Although Thomas F. Perkins did not deed this land to the church until June 6, 1887, as recorded in Williamson County, Tenn., Deed ,Book 12, page 271,'meetings had -. ,; been held at this site for some time previously. On the following pages are copies .of the' original documents accompanying the Minute Book I, 1824-1880v The first document. Statement of intent, is self-explanatory. Document II, Rules of Decorum, reveals the humaness of human beings, then as now, such as: "Only one person shall speak at a .time...," and Document .III, , Articals of Faith..., Then,follows lists of member's names in the exact order and grouping, as found in the original Minute Book. 85 It is not clear to this writer why the lists were written as they were because some names were found in the text of the minutes that were not listed in the Rosters and the reverse was true also. These lists were at the end of Book 1, 1824-1880, so it is assumed all those named were members before the-end of this■reporting period. NOTES; 1. As a point of interest, the Big Harpeth Church of Christ from which Leipers Fork Primitive Baptist Church first drew some of its membership, is still standing. •: A new addition isbuilt around the old structure showing only the front of the old building. It is now the Big Harpeth Primitive Baptist Church.located on Liberty . Pike in "Franklin. It was originally the McConico Church, 2. The. name Hillsboro was changed to Leipers Fork about, . 1875 because the postoffice would not create an office in any community or town whose name was duplicated eTsewhere in Tennessee. Interesting, though, is-the • sign that proclaims "Hillsboro" on one side of town while .another sign on the opposite side of town'says it is' Leipers Fork. 3. It may .be a coincidence, but the Desciples mentioned in Thomas F. Perkins's Deed in 1848 (mentioned above) could refer to a splinter-group from the original group or ganized in 1832. They descended from the Kentucky and Pennsylvania Presbyterians. ' 4. In August 1916 this church was referred to as "Pleasant Dale or Brick Church". On November 14, 1916, an exchange of deeds took place whereby the Leipers Fork Primitive Baptist Church traded their legal right in the House of Worship of the Congregation of the Desciples in Leipers Fork and/or Hillsboro represented by the Churches of Desciples at Leipers. Fork-, Bos-ton-, Thompson' Station and Berea, for their legal rights in the Brick Church at Murfrees Creek. 86 ■DOCUMENT I - STATEMENT OF INTENT Be it remembered that on the 22nd day of July in the year of our Lord 182H all whos names are hear unto Subscribed being formely members of Baptist Denomination to the Churches of Big, harpeth and west harpeth being regularly dismissed from them and hay-ing. Called for. a fresbytry of Ministers from the united assosiationiof .Cumberland.and Concord have by and with the concent of our ■■visiting, and concenting brethren goven ourselves to each other, in a; .church relation to keep up and maintain, a regular 'Cospel desciplin and Church government to wach (watch) over and perform each relati.ve duty to God to ourselvs and each other not forsaking the'assembling of ourselvs together and acknowledging ourselvs bound according to the word of God to feed the poor Support the Gospel not muzzling the mouth of the ox believing the Labourer is worthy of his hire, and as a body of united Baptist acknowledg ourselvs bound to support the General union and as a cljurch Embrace as our. Creed the abstract of Principles- of the Assoc. . arid , in all cases to maintain truth and detect error to be governed by a proper Decorum the bretheren here after named were were on the day above written pronounced a Gospel church by Elders Thomas Hancks. .^ John Little John Atkinson Joel Anderson and Andrew Craig. , , , .('Signed by) . J. L. Thompson ..Cler.k DOCUMENT II RULES OF DECORUM l.st We agree to meet together on the i+th Lords day and Saturday preceeding in each month to conduct the business of the Church. 2nd Conferences shall be opened and Closed by prayer. 3rd Three male members shall be a quorum to do business. 87 Document II Rules of Decorum (cont'd.) M-th A moderator shall be chosen 5th Only one person shall speak at a time who shall rise and address the moderator and while speaking. Shall confine . himself to- the subject in question • ; ■ 6th No member of the Church shall absent himself without leave. 7th Every motion maid in order and seconded' and shall'- come under the Consideration of the Church Except it be with :drawn by the person that who maid it. 8th No member shall not whisper laugh read any Book or paper . in time of publick speech. 9th No member shall speak more than three times to the same subj.ect without leave of the Church 10th No member shall address another by any other appelation than that of Brother. 11th The names of the members shall be enrolled in the Church Book 12th,. The Moderator shall be entitled'to the same privilege of speaking, as another member provided the Church be filled 13th . ; We .agree to do business by a majority except the ■ reception of members which must be unanimous- 14th Any member violating the above rules shall be reproved as the Church may direct 15th Additional amendments may be maid when thought necessary 18th , Every • member being. grieved with an other Shall if in- his . ■ .or ■-her power before the next meeting-go to the member with whom he or she is agrieved and indeavor to get the difficulty remcved. a neglect to do so shall Subject the offender to the Senoure (sensure) of the Church (The 16th Rule, not 1-15 )..-•• Adopted in Conference at the June term 1844 88 DOCUMENT III , ARTICALS OF FAITH OF LEIPERS FORK CHURCH 1st We belive in one true and living God The Father.Son and Hol.y' gost and these- three are one 2nd We believe that the Scriptures of the old and new Testa- ment are of devine Authority and the only rule of faith and'., practise. ' 3rd We believe in the Doctrine of original sin and.that all of Adams -posterity are Sinners by Nature 4th We believe in the doctrine of personal and unconditional election as taught in the Scriptures. 5th We believe that Sinners are justified in the sight of God only by the richeousness of Christ being imputed to them. 6th We believe that a Knowledge of Salvation is manifested to the heirs of ? "promis?" by a direct opperation of the holy-Spirit in their'hearts. 7th We believe that Saints are Kept by the power of God and never .fall finely away. 8 Baptism by immersion and the Lords Supper and washing the ■ Saints feet are ordinences of Jesus Christ and should be practiced by his people in a Church capassity. 9 We believe the Mortal bodies of all Mankind that die and lain in the Graves or elswhere will be raised. Some to everlasting life and some to everlasting shame and contempt. 10th We believe joys of the richeous and the punishment of the wicked will be eternal It! 11th We believe that NO minister has any right to administer the ordinance of Baptism only s.uch as has been, regularly .'i Baptiaed and have come under, the imposition of hands of a Presbytery by the the authority of the Church,of Christ. 12th We believe that none but regular Baptised believers have a right to commune at' the Lords Table. 13th We believe it to be disorder for members of the Church to unite with any secret Institution of the day. This done 'in' Gonferance "Saturday"before 4' sunday in July 1824 89 LIST OF FEMALES 1 Sally Radferd 13 2 Philadelpha Taturn 14 Sara Johnson 3 Amandy Sparkman 15 Mahaly Crasen 4 Jane Jewet 16 Nancy Johnson 5 Mahala Johnson 17 Adeler Byrd 6 Delilah A. Polk 18 Mary Grimes 7 Sara Ragsdale 19 Alice Johnson 8 Viney A. Ragsdale 20 Sanson Venable 9 Milligan Hewitt 21 Elizabeth Fitzgerald 10 Sousen Marlin 22 Mary Redford 11 Mary Ragsdale 23 Betsey June Ragsdale 12 Vinyan Marlin 24 Mary Holt dead 25 Jane Johnson LIST OF MALES 1, John M. Johnson 7 W. J. Ragsdale 2, E. Johnson 8 James Johnson 3, 9 Polk Fitzgerund 4 P. A. Johnson 10 Cain Johnston Jr. 5 C. T. Sparkman 11 Lance Byrd J. B. Marlin 12 Louis T. Johnson 1 Elizabeth Adams ded • 18 Faney Echol's ded 2 Mary Jones ded . 19 Milley Haley ded 3 Fanny Flippen ded, 20 Elizabeth Hughs ded 4 Mary Shelton 21 Nancy Allen ^ ded 5 Rhoda Allen ded 22 Sally Wall ded 6 Zerina Gode ded 23 Susan J. Billops dismisd 7 Susan Edwards Excluded 24 Susan Hughs 8 America Cowan 25 Sally Hughs excluded dismissed by letter 26 Sally Ham dismisd 9 Eliza Johnson 27 Talitha Holt dismissed by letter 2 8 Martha Dodd ded 10 Nancy Beasley ded 29 Polly Sinclair dismisd 11 Francis Lightfoot ded 30 Rosy Meachaem ded 12 Sally Thompson 31 Sally Coleman dismisd by letter Dismisd by letter 13 Polly Jones dismisd 32 Mary Trimble Dismisd 14 Nancy Senclair dismisd 3 3 Elizabeth Wilkins 15 Mary Cook ded 34 Dycia Moore Dismisd 16 Mary Atkeison ded 35 Cynthia Brumfield dead 17 Bet'sey ■Atkeison' ded (cont'd. ) 90 (cont'd.) 36 Elizabeth Meachaem Ded 52 Rebcha Vawn 37 Susa.n..Allen. . . . - . . . . Dismisd 53 Betsey Chanlier dead 38 Nancy Flippen , dead 54 Elizabeth Hughs ■' 39 Martha Vowel excluded 55 Sarah Ragsdale 40 Edatine Dodd Ded Dismiss by letter 41 Rebecche Berry dead 56 Mary Hassel 42 Mary Thweat. Ded. 57 Jane Brown dismist 43 Mary Alen Dismisd 58 Mary Allen dismissed 44 Mary Ray;olds ded 59 Nancy Walker 45 Permela Powers Dismissed 60 Mary White 46 Seiah Powers. Ded 61 Mary Medders 47 Susan. Marling Dismiss 62 Malinda Siegfied 48 Betsey Meachaem . dead Excluded Dec. 1855 49 Sara Riedford ,. 63 Sally Puett 50 ■ Jane Cowan dead 64 Mary E. Hay Excluded 51 Jane Thompson 65 Amanda Sparkman Dismiss .by letter 66 ■Mehaly Ragsdal - ■ (No Number) Jane Puett (sic) WHITE MALE 1 John Atkeinson Ded 24 Wm. H; Redford Ded 2 Samuel Allen Ded 25 Lewis T. Jones Excluded 3 Taylor" Jones excluded 26 Samuel Ragsdale Green Meachaem Excluded Dismiss by letter 5_ Samuel Dodd Ded .2-7 Wm. Thweatt dead 6 Jesse Shelton Excluded 28 Samuel Powers Excluded 7 Jesse Sparkman Ded 29 Henry Runnels 8 Fedrick Ezell Dead 30 Colburn Burch ,9 Zachariah Beasley Ded Dismiss by IJetter 10 James Adams Dead 31 Lazarus Gatlen ded 11 Tapley Ligh.tfoot 32 D. C. Right- Ded dismissed by letter 33 John Short . Ded 12 Stephen Cavinder 34 Richard Hay Ded dismissed by letter 13' Joseph Cook excluded 14- .Richard Haley;', ,, ' ..Ded, 15' Edmond Wall .Ded, 16 Nathaniel Dooly excluded 17 David Allen' . , dismissed ,'18 Jesse Johns Ded 19 John Billups ,dismissed 20 Joseph L. Thompson Dismiss by letter 21 . Jacob Carrol Ded 22 Heny Allen ■ ■ dismissed 23 Elihu White.. ; ■ dismissed by letter 91 LIST OF MEMBERS.AT LEIPERS FORK 1870 Males 1 Wm. Ho Thweatt dead 8 Pinkney Johnson 2 Wm. Ho Redford dead 9 Co P. Sparkman 3 Ho S. Reynolds dead 10 Wm. Ragsdale "Oct 1869 4 R. Go Cowan 11 Silas Merritt Nov. 1810 dismissed by letter Dead 5 John Johnson 12 James S. Johnson 6 Cain Johnson 13 Joseph Marlin (#7 scratched out) (No number) Louis T. Johnson Blacks Members 1870 1. Dick Poyner 2. Miley Poyner dead- 3. Carolin Southall 4 Tom Hughes dismiss by letter 5 Matilda Hughes dismiss by letter 6 Jane Moss dismiss by letter 7 Fanny Short dismissed by letter LIST OF THE MEMBERS AT LEIPERS FORK 1870 Females 1, Elizabeth Arms(?) dead 20 Martha Reynolds dismiss 2 Susan Hughes dead 21 Vina 0. Ragsdale 3 Thelitha Coalman 22 Milly Merritt 4 Sally Redford 23 Susan Marlin 5 Susan Hay dead 24 Mary Ragsdale 6 Nancy Hughs dead 25 Elizabeth Ragsdale 7 Philadelphia Tatum 26 Vina A. Ragsdale Sonya Cowan 27 (No name) dismissed by letter 28 Sarah Johnson 9 Milly Bingham dead 29 Mahalia Ragsdale 10 Hanner Mossly 30 Nancy Johnson 11 Amanda Sparkman 31 Sarah Young 12 Jane Pewett (sic) 32 A. Dillar Ragsdale 13 Mahala Johnson Oct 1870 14 Milly Ragsdale ded '71 33 Mary Grimes Oct 1870 15 Sara Johnson ded 34 S.(?) C. (?) S.(?) Johnson 15 Eliza Simmons 17 Sarah E. Walker dismiss 18 Delila Wren 19 Sara Ragsdale 92 white males ISM-S 7 1850 - 6 " Females " 24• " 25 Black Members " 24 " 24 93 QUICK. WITTED FRANKLIN WOMAN DEVISED INGENIOUS MEANS ^ TO AID CONFEDERACY By Christine Sadler Published in the NASHVILLE BANNER newspaper'. May 8 , 1932. Contributed by Mrs. Frances A. Gibbs (Mrs. William M.) Miss 1933 may have the edge on her feminine ancestry when 'it comes- to 'sophistication, inhibitions, and the little quality sometimes■described as verve. -'But ■ as fo'h the equipment that would make her a patriotic blessing in the time of war--judging by Civil War standards, and they produced plenty of results--the girl of today must stand as almost.a total loss. Where, for instance, could she quickly procure a horse and buggy? How could she conceal important documents in her ; ; : puffless and smoothly-curled hair? And.How, pray tell, could her skimpy costumes replace the voluminous hoopskirts of the. 60's as a means of smuggling supplies across the lines? These are but a few of the "means of defense'' and ."strategic aids" employed by three quick-witted Franklin girls during the days when Federals and Confederates were playing their bloody game of hopscotch there and cannon rumblings were the most con sistent items on the list of daily happenings. Ann McEwen, Annie Briggs, and Betty Vaughn are the names of the girls, who as a result of the invaluable information and supplies they were able to get for -adherents to the Lost Cause easily take their places as three of the unwritten heroines of the period. STORIES ARE LEGEND Stories concerning the three are legend, interesting, and rich in the variety of original ideas involved. Annie Briggs, who later became Mrs. James W. Harrison, wife of a prosperous . . Franklin'merchant and organizer of the Williamson County Bank and Trust Company, was a close friend of the beautiful Sally 94 Carter, whose, story, appeared' in a .'recent issue of THE NASHVILLE BANNER. One of the stories is that when the commander of Confederate troops at Pulaski desired „plans of Fort Grainger in Franklin and other data pertaining to Federal forces occupying the fortress . Thomas J. Handy, kinsman of John H; Eaton, climbed to the third floor of the''old Masonic Temple and sketched the fort. The in formation was .inserted' in a corn cob from which a section had been removed and carried through the Federal lines in a bottle of- fine liquor, from which the demure Miss Briggs permitted some,,; • drinks to be taken. On another occasion Annie Briggs and Betty Vaughn drove from Nashville to Franklin with sketches of fortifications about. . i, Nashville sewed into the top of their buggy, spending the night at a-.friend-'s'home, where Federal scouts searched for them un- availdhgiy.' Mrs. Harrison lived to be 87 years of age and was always beautiful.- Mb's. W. W. Campbell of Franklin is her niece and adopted daughter. Throughout Mrs. -Harrisoh's life she remained a brilliant conversationalist and retained her love of enter taining. Her home at Five Points, two blocks west of the public square, was a gathering place for fashionable Franklin for many years. It contained gorgeous crystal chandeliers., many huge and heavy mirrors, and other furnishings which were the height of, fashion. DARING ESCAPES During her later years she talked much of her Civil War - i - experiences and, especially d'id she loye to tell of the time she wore her mo.ther,:'s dong cape and mourning veil into Federal terri tory for some wanted information. She secured this information, had it pinned in her dark hair, and was returning home when she realized that scouts were after her. ' As she turned into her home., she was pulling off the long, , cape and veil. -These she pitched behind a large corner bed, donned a gay hat nearby, ran out the back door, and walked serenely through'a side gate and down the street' before the be wildered pursuers'. As she walked- slowly along she heard the 95 Federals discussing her disappearance wonderin^ly'^--as if they - suspected magic. - Ann McEwen, who later became Mrs. J. P. Chest.nutt, retained the vivacity and fearlessness which she displayed in-several Civil War throughout her life, being in old age a woman of striking personality and of exceedingly Strong character. Medicines, clothing, food, and most other things wdrecon- ,traband during Civil War days and it was necessary that- permits be obtained from the provost-general in command a't Nashville' be fore, any supplies of these could be obtained. Close watch was- - kept, that none of the contrabands be smuggled out by Con-fed-- erate sympathizers. The McEwen family usually delegated Ann to make their- purchases. On one occasion there was crying demand among the Gray soldiers for quinine, spirits of camphor, and cloth f-dr uniforms. "Aunt Ann," relates Mrs. Ann McEwen McGann,'a niece who -" lives in Franklin "went to Nashville in her buggy to obtain the necessary permits, which when obtain called for a bottle of quinine and a bottle of camphor. No size of bottle was speci fied. So she procured two one-gallon bottles, took them to the city-, had them filled with the remedies, and brought them proudly home under the noses of the astonished provost guard. Afterward the remedies were divided up and distributed- sur reptitiously among the who sent after them." SPY SMUGGLED IN On another occasion, the brave Ann obtained permission to visit Nashville with a young lady companion to do some shopping. The trip was made-,' as -usual, in the buggy. The "young ladies" made the trip and returned,in safety, -the Yankees never suspected that the companion was a young Confeierate spy--dressed in female attire for the occasion. "Aunt Ann came back elegantly dressed in flowing skirts of a becoming gray, with a long mantle of the same material. This dress and mantle, on being removed after the return home, proved to be'yards and yards of cloth suitable for soldiers' uniforms. Her voluminous hoopskirts yielded up astonishing garnishings of a pair of man's boots, numerous,pairs of socks. 96 and other, articles of masculine attire, which were delightedly received by the nee'dy boys in gray5",Mrs. McGann tells. Intensely patriotic--to the point of utter detestation of all Yankees, whom she delighted in humiliating and outwitting--Miss McEwen had more than the usual oppiortunities of showing her con (' tempt for the ability of the Northerners, The home of her' father, C. E. McEweh, was about two miles north of Franklin on the;-Nashville turnpike, and subjected to visits from prowling squads of troops who looted the premises and subjected members of the family to various insults. When complaint was made, ^a Federal guard was placed on duty to remain on the premises at all times. This was good in that it prevented the Federals coming--but it also kept the Confederates away. Ann's brother,,J. K. P. McEwen, was in the Confederate army and-once had an opportunity of coming home. The sister engagingly of.fered the. guard a powerful toddy, which made him immune .to .all noises. The bro'th'er came :home,.Franklin girls were invited in and windows were heavily .draped and a night of reunion festivities were undisturbed. Betty Vaughn married William T. Marshall. Her son, Sergt, J. I. Marshall, is a member o.f the Nashville Police De partment. He remembers that his mother's favorite Civil War story had to do with a very fine saddle mare, which the Yankees were continually taking. Each time the mare, "Fanny", was stolen, the daring Betty would follow the thieves into the Fed eral camps and demand her mare. Once the Yankees denied having the mare, but Fanny squealed and Miss Vaughn proved that she was right. The generals would order the mare given up. Finally one general said, "If you will let me have that mare and ride her through the war, I will bring her back to you." Despairing of her ability, to keep Fanny at home, the girl -con sented and the general faithfully kept his word. 97 CONTRIBUTORS BATEMAN, RUBY G., B. S., M. A., George Peabody College for Teachers with extensive graduate study at Peabody, University of Tennessee, and University of Wyoming. Miss Bateman claims not to be an author, "having written only papers, reports, theses and curriculum studies as required during forty-three years work in the public schools of Alabama, Illinois and Tennessee". She is a'native of Davidson County by birth, resident of Williamson County by choice. BUCHANAN, JANE GRAY (Mrs. Joel R. Buchanan, Sr.) was born' in. Waverly, Tennessee, and is a graduate of Ward-Belmont School and Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. After re ceiving her degree in chemistry from Vanderbilt, she was employed by Union Carbide in;Oak 'Ridge, Tennessee for four years. Now she. is employed part-time at the Technical Information Center in Oak Ridge. Hobbies other than genealogy include gardening, mus.ie, travel, and working w;ith the American Field'' Service foreign student.exchange program, for which she has . served for several years as State Travel Coordinator. She is a member of various historical societies, including the Williamson Qounty, East Tennessee, and Tennessee Historical Societies. . CONNOR, JO ANN PARROTT (Mrs. Charles Richard Connor) is librarian at the Middle School in Franklin, Tennessee. She was born and reared in Lawrence County, Tennessee. She attended George Washington University, received her B.' A. degree from David Lipscomb College and an M. Ed. degree from Middle Tenn- ' essee State University, majoring in,library-science and curriculum and instruction; -. She is' the widow'of Lieutenant Colonel Charle's .Bichard -Connor, United States Marine Corps, who was killed-ih action in Vietnam. She has a daughter, Sharon. GIBBS, FRANCES ANDERSON (Mrs. William Moss Gibbs) is a native of' Perry County,'Tennessee •, B. S.,, Peabody College, Nashville, - Tennessee. She was a librarian in the Franklin, Tennessee, city schools and the Williamson County Public Library from which she retired in 1978. She is a member of Colonial Dames of the Seventeenfh Century, Daughters of the American Revolution, United Daughters of the Confederacy, and is a charter member of the Williamson County Historical Society. 98 CONTRIBUTORS (cont'd.) .PEWITT, E. GALE is a.-,resident of' Naperville g Illinois, but. a native of Williamson County, Tennessee. , He has four great grandfathers who'were in the Confederate Army— in addition to. Pvt'. A. J. Hughes,'two served in 20th TN inf. Co. H and one in 'iOth TN Cavalry. Pewitt attended EGA and graduated from Vanderbilt University, Carnegie Mellon University and the Univ ersity of Chicago. He is a physicist employed at Argonne National Laboratory. , • _ PLUMMER, EILENE M. (Mrs.' G. R. 'Plummer), a. gra.duat.e .of Phillips,, University at 'Enid, Oklahoma, and George Peabody- Qollege,, NashvilTe, Tenh., has spent much of. her life t.eaching in Pen- sacola High School, Pensacola,, Florida, and Parmer. School, in Nashville, Tenn. At one time she served as president of the Davidson 'County Education .Association. She is ,a member of, the • Tennes'see Historical Society, f.he B'ellevue Historical and Liter,ary Society.-, the Williamson County Historical Society, Campbell Chapter^, Daughters of the American Revolution, and other civic organizations. She currently is serving as Registrar of Nash ville Chapter No. '1, United Daughters of the Confederacy. TRICKEY, KATHARINE (KAY) SHELBURNE (Mrs. Harold R.) went to Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia, has a B. A. degree ,in^ English and History and attended graudate school at the,,.Ujii;Ver;-, sity of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, Mrs. Trickey taught schp.pl in both Virginia and Tennessee' and later became a writer for the . Tennessee Valley Hi'storical Review magazine. For four years she was the edito'f of. the Historical Review and Antique Digest magazine and is presently the editor of the Cottonwood Gazette, a newspaper for realtors. She is also a free lance writer. Mrs. ; Thickey is a'm'em'ber of Cumberland Chapter, Daughters of the f . American Revolution, Colonial Dames of America, Chapter VII, Southern Dames, Carnton Association, Heritage Foundation, Cheekwood, Blue Goose and the Williamson County Newcomers. 'She-'i is a former, member of the ■ Daughters of the American Colonists Virginia'Association, A. P. T. A. and the Ladies Hermitage, ■ , Association. • , . 99 CONTRIBUTORS (cont'd.) WATSON, GEORGE FRANKLIN, a native of Nevada, holds a B. S. in Business Education and a M. S. in Library Science from George Peabody College for Teachers, Nashville, Tenn,' In 1980 he retired as Director of the. Library at Columbia State Community College, Columbia, Tenn., after 14 1/2 years. Prior to that he was Director of the Library at Northeast State Junior College in Rainsville, Ala., 1965-66, Head of Inter-Agency Relations £ Stacks at the Tennessee State Library S Archives, Nashville, Tenn., 1962-65, and served in the U. S. Navy, Submarine Service, 1935-1957. He held membership in the American, Tennessee, Middle-Tennessee, Alabama, and Southeastern Library Associations, Carter House, APTA, and was Editor of the Tenn essee PATROL REPORT, the magazine of the Tennessee Chapter of the U. S. Submarine,Veterans of World.War II,.1972-78. He is a member of the A. F. £ A. M., a Mark Master Mason and Knight Templar, the. Tennessee State Museum Association, Inc., and a charter member and past vice-president and president of the Williamson County Historical Society. He has frequently served as editor and co-editor of the Society's annual publication. 101 INDEX ABBOTT - 15 BURNSIDE - 5 ABELL - 13 BYERS - 69 . ADAIR - 23 BYRD - 58, 59, 89 ADAMS - 89, 90 ALEMANY - li+ CALHOUN - 37, 39 ALLEN (ALEN) - 89, 90 CALLAHAN - 15 ■ ALLISON - 75 CAMERON - 5 ANDERSON - 23, 79,'86 CAMPBELL - 4, 5, 94 ' ARMS - 91 CARL - 80 ASHLIN - 4 CARROLL (CARROL) - 41, 90 ' / ATKEISON - 89 . CARSEY - 21, 22, 24, 27, 28 ATKINSON (ATKEINSON) - 79, CARTER - 50, 51, 94 86, 90 CARUTHERS - 12 CATOR - 75 BAGLEY - 24 CAVINDER - 90 BAILEY - 28 CHADWELL - 27 BANKS - 4 . CHAMPION - 15 BARFIELD - 77 CHANLIER - 90 BARKER - 5 CHAPMAN - 5 BARRY - 37 CHERRY - 27 BAXTER - 75 CHESTNUTT - 95 BEARD - 82 CHILDRESS - 4., 21, 22, 23, 24, BEASLEY - 89, 90 25, 26 BEECH - 24, 25 CLAIBOURN -4, 5 BELL - 72 CLARK - 73 BERRIEN - 37 COFFEE - 38, 39, 41 BERRY - 75, 90 COLEMAN (COALMAN) - 89, 91 BETTS - 75 COLLINS - 75■ BIFFLE - 27 CONNOR - 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, BILLOPS (BILLUPS) - 89, 90 17, 20 BINGHAM - 75, 91 COOK - 5, :21, lb, 89, 90 BLACKMAN - 65, eS, 69, 72, CORE - 68 73, 74 COWEN (COWAN), - 82 , 89 , 90 , 91 BOHANNON - 66 COX - 82 BOND - 80 CRAFTON - 75 BOSTICK - 69 CRAIG - 79, 86 BOXLEY - 25, 30 CRASEN - 89 BOYD - 75 CRAWFORD - 30 BRADY - 14 CRENSHAW - 75 BRANCH - 37 CRICKET - 75 BREATHITT - 33 CRISTINA - 42 BRIGGS - 93, 94 CROCKETT - 22 BROOKS - 60 CRUMP - 22, 24, 25, 27 BROWN - 4, 12, -67, 90 CRUTCHER - 7, 75 BRUCE - 27 CUNNINGHAM -■ 22 , 25 , 7 5 BRUMElELD - 89 BRYAN - 58, 76 DALE - 28, 30 ' ' BUCHANAN -. 27, 44, 70, 71, DAVID - 13 11 DAVIS - 7, 7;5 BUCHIGNANI - 45 DEDMAN - 64 BUFORD - 4, 5, 6 . DEGRAFFENREID, - 2, 4 BURCH - 90 DfeMPSEY - 14 BURK - 22, 21, 2^ DOBBINS - 79 BURNETT - 25 DODD - 81, 89, 90 102 DONELSON - 36, 37, 38, 41 .HASSEL - 90 DONNELLY - 14, 15 HAY (HAYS) - 72, 73, 90, 91 DOOLEY (DOOLY) - 4 7, 81 HEATHCOCK - 27 90 HENDERSON - 33 DOYLE - 15 HERMEN - 4 DUG DE SAMPAGO - 44 HEWITT - 89 DUFF - 21, 23, 24, 27 HICKS 5, 7, 27 DUGGER - 15 HILL - 76 DURBIN - 14 HITER - 7 HOLT - 89 EATON - 14, 33, 34 , 35, 36, HOUSE - 22 ■■ 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42,, HUGHES (HUGHS) - 66, 75, 76, 43, 44, 45, 46, 94 89 , 90 , 91 . ECHOES - '89 HULME - 76 : ■ EDMONDSON - 72 HUNTER - 27, 75 EDWARDS - 7, 89 EZELL - 90 INGHAM - 37 IRVIN - 21, 24, 25, 28 FERGUSON - 68 FIELDS - 28, 30 JACKSON - 33, 34, 36, 37, FINN - 14 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 50 FITZGERALD - 89 JAMISON - 27 FITZGERUND - 89 JERMAIN - 4 FITZHUGH • 58 JEWET - 89 FLIPPEN 69, 89, 90 JOHNS - 90 FOREHAND - 75, 77 JOHNSON - 5 76 , 81, 82 ,' ■ 89, 91 GATLIN (GATLEN) -76, 77, 90 •JOHNSTON - 89 GAZZO - 14, 15 JONES - 21, 89, 90 GEE - 75 GLENN - 22 • KEADOR - 80 GODE - 89 KELLY - 14 GOFF - 1, ■7 - KERNAHAN - '14 ^ GORDON -5, 6, 7 KEYS - 72 GOSLIN - 4- KING - 2 3', 74, 79, 80 81,;' GRAY - 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 82 62', 63'i 64 , 65 , 66 , 67, KINNARD - 68 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73 GRESHAM - 75 LADD - 22 GRIMES - 89, 91 .LAMB - 30 GRUNDY - 41 LAMPKIN - 21, 24, 26, 28 GUNTER - 80 LAYNE - 21 LEE - 5 HAGERTY - 11, 12, 15 LEGATE - 6 " ' HALEY - 89, 90 LEWIS - 4, 33 HALFACRE - 25 LIGHTFOOT - 89, 90 HAM - 89 .LILLIE - 49 , 54 ■ HAMER - 76 LITTLE - 79, 86 HANDY - 94 " LOGUE - 71 HANKS (HANCKS) 79, 86 LONG - 5 HARDEE - 76 LYON - IS- HARDER - 6 HARGROVE - 76 MACPHERSON (McPHERSON) - 21, HARPER - 22, 25, 2,7, 2 8 24 , 27 , 28 30, T' o MCALEER HARRISON 15, 43, 93, MCBRIDE -1, 4 94 MCCLAREY - 5, 6 " ' 103 MCCONICO - 82 OWEN - 65, 76 MCCONNALL - 4 OZBURN - 22 , 25 , 27, .30 MCCORKLE - 5 ''7 MCCOY - 27 RAGGETT (PADGETT) - 25, 26, MCCRORY - 7 27 MCDONALD - 67 PARKER - 76 MCEWEN - 75, 76, 77, 93, PARKS - 59 95, 96 PARRISH - 2 MCGANN - 95, 96 PASCHALL - 22, 24 MCGAUGHEY - 21, 22, 23, PATTERSON - 5 24 PATTON- :-:-7 MCKAY' - 7, 76 PEACH - 76, 77 MCKEON - 114'■ ■ PERKINS - 61, 75, 82, 84, 85 MCKOIN - 75, 76 PEWITT(PEWETT) (PUETT) - 76, MCLAUGHLIN - 14 77, 90, 91 MCLELLAND - 76 J PIERCE - 16 MCNICH - 22 PILLOW - 76 PINKERTON - 75 MAGUIRE - 14 PLUNKETT - 14 MAIRS - 4, 5 POE - 62 MALLOY'- 15 I ' POLK - 44, 89 MANGRUM - 23, 28 POLLOCK - 15 MANLEY - 5 : ■ PORTER - 1, 4, 5 .i ;::,- MARLIN (MARLING) - 89, POWERS - 90 90, 91 ■ ■ POYNOR (POYNER) - 75, 84^,' 91 MARRON - 14, 15 PRICE - 59, 60 MARSHALL - 68, 77, 96 PRIM - 76 MASTERSON - 5 PRINCE - 21, 22, 24 MAURY - 1, 2, 6, 7 PRYOR - 7 MAYS - 6 PULLEY - 25 MEACHAM (MEACHAEM) - 82, PURVIANCE - 5, 6 ./■ ■ 89, 90 PURYEAR - 63 MEDDERS - 90 PUTMAN - 22, 25, 27 MEEKS - 25, 26 MERRITT - 91 RADFERD - 89 MILES - 14 RAGSDALE ( RAGSDAL) 4, 5, MILLER - 26 82, 89, 90, 91 MILTON - 28 RAINEY - 47 , 48,, 49 , 50 , 51 MITCHELL - 7, 76 RALSTON - 6 MONROE - 35 RANDOLPH - 44, 45 MOODY - 54, 55 RASCOE - 80 MOORE - 4, 5, 76, 89 RAY OLDS - 90 MORTEN (MORTON) - 21, 76 REDFORD - 22, 23, 24, 27, MOSS - 91 28 , 81, 82 , 89 , 90 , 91 MOSSLY - 91 REDMAN (REDMOND"') 39, 7 6 MURPHIES - 15 REED (REID) - 26, 34, 76 REILLY-.15 NEAL - 24, 27, 28 REYNOLDS - 81, 91 NEELLY - 6 RICHARD - 76 ■ NEUGENT - 7 RIDLEY - 25 NOLAND - 26, 27, 30 ■RIGHT - 90 NOWLEN - 4 RIVERS - 26, 27, 28 NOWLEY - 25 ROBERSON - 27 ROBERTS - 21, 23, 25, 26, O'NEAL - 14, 34, 43 27, 28, 30 ORENGO - 13, 14, 15 ROBERTSON - 4 OVERTON - 38 104 ROBINSON 21, 22 ,, 24, 25 VAN BUREN - 3 3, .37, 40 ,• 42, 27, 28, .30 , 75 43 49 ' RUNNELS - 90 VAUGHN (VAWN) - 24, 76v90, RUSSELL - 88 ■ 93, 94, 96 RUTHERFORD - 4 VENABLE - 89 ■ VOWEL - 90 SAPPINGTON -4, 6 SAWYERS - 76 WADDLE -, 7 6 ■ SCOTT - 76 WADKINS - 7 SCRUGGS - 75, 76 WAGGONER (WAGONER) - 21, '22, SHANNON - 4, 6, 60, 63, 27 64, 65 WALKER - 1, 4, 5:, 90, 91 SHARPE 1 ■ WALL - 76, 89, 90 SHEA. - 14-,' 15 WALPOOL - 21 SHEEHAN - 14, 15 WALSH - 11, 12 SHELLBRAKE - 23 WALTERS - 22, 26 SHELTON - 89, 90 WALTHALL - 7 SHORT - 76 , -81 , 90 , 91 WARREN - 21, 22, 24, ,25, 27: SICKERT - 76 WATERS - 21, 30 SIEGFIED - 90 WHITBY - 76 SIMMONS - 66, 91 WHITE - 2, 4, 7, 75, 79, SINCLAIR (SENCLAIR) - 89 82, 90 SLEDGE - 76 , WHITERS - 76 SLINKARD - 24 WHITES IDE - 5, 6 SMITH - 4, 5, 7, ; r 61 ^ WHITTEMORE 73 ■ SOLOMAN - 5 ,, i , ■ WILKINS' - 89 SOUTHALL - 68, 76 91 WILLIAMS - 27,'2,8, 30 SPARKMAN - 79, 81 82, 8,9, WILSON - 25, 76, 77 90, 91 ■ WOOD - 76 SPENCE - 61 WRAY - 21, 25, 28 SPENCER - 76, 77 ■ WREN - 91 SQUIER - 7 STANFIELD - 21 YOUNG - 91 STEEL (STEELE) (STILL) - 27, 28, 76, 80 STEPHENS (STEVENS) - 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30 STEWARD; - 27, ,2 8 STEWART - 22 STOKES - 14 SULLIVAN - 10, 11, 14, 15 SUTTON - 76 TANNER - 25, 30-'' TATUM - 89, 9.1 THOMAS - 74, 76 THOMPSON - 67, 69, 71, 72, 79, 81, 86, 89, 90 THWEATT (THWEAT) 75, 81, 90, 91 !I-' TIMBERLAKE - 34, 35, 36, 43, 44 TRIMBLE - 89 TURNER - 24 TYLER - 43