White Oak winners Cannon County are announced Vs. York Institue See Photos, Page 11 See Sports, Page 13 Home of KENNY CUNNINGHAM 132rd YEAR - NO. 11 Tuesday, September 20, 2016 TWO SECTIONS - 75¢ PER November ballot set Candidates to vie for mayor, aldermen in Presidential election An interesting list of Deanna Brown and Lu candidates have qualifi ed Ann Curlee, are hoping to for the upcoming Novem- unseat an incumbent. ber 8 election. Aldermen seeking A heavy turnout is ex- re-election are Faye N. pected for the election Knox, Lois Larimer, Dot- which includes the pres- ty Duggin, Adam Melton idential race featuring and JoAnn Davis. Trump and Clinton. In the Auburntown elec- The ballot also includes tion, current Mayor Rog- candidates for Woodbury er Turney is unopposed and Auburntown munic- as are aldermen Rita Kay ipal elections as well as Davis, Denise Crowell and Tennessee General Assem- Janice Fletcher. bly District 46 and U.S. Seeking the Tennessee House District 6. General Assembly District In Woodbury, two can- 46 post are incumbent didates are seeking the Mark Pody (Republican – KEN BECK photo post of mayor. Vice Mayor Lebanon) and challenger From left, Carol Denson Williams, Judy Taylor Fuson and Ria Baker hold a copy of their new book, “Under the Charlie Harrell has quali- Amelia Hipps (Democrat Lake,” which shares rich history about the hundreds of families, mostly from DeKalb County, that lost their fi ed for the post along with – Lebanon.) farms when the Caney Fork River was dammed and Center Hill Lake was created in the late 1940s. The book challenger Andy Duggin. In the U.S. Congress contains more than 1,000 photos and an abundance of family genealogies. Harold Patrick, current race, incumbent Republi- mayor, had earlier an- can Diane Black is being nounced his decision not challenged by Democrat to seek re-election to the David Kent in the Sixth Drowning in memories post. However, Patrick is District. seeking a seat on the Board Voters might be sur- of Mayor and Aldermen. prised at the number of ‘Under the Lake’ brings Caney Fork In the aldermanic race, candidates on the Presi- three other candidates, dential and Vice Presiden- Walter “Chuck” Holt, See ELECTION, Page 9 history to the surface KEN BECK farmhouses, barns, schoolhouses roots engulfed by the waters nearly Pioneer heritage The Cannon Courier and church buildings once stood. 70 years ago. Within a year, dozens of rural com- “It’s a hurt feeling. It’s something Three DeKalb County women munities such as Cove Hollow, Indi- you don’t never forget,” said Reba of Blake L. Sagely have spent the past four years resur- an Creek, Holmes Creek, Mine Lick, Taylor Nixon, 91, who lives in Wa- recting memories that were buried Second Creek and Falling Water tertown with her husband, Virgil. ROBERT D. BUSH beneath the waters of Center Hill were immersed. Mrs. Nixon was raised with six County Historian Lake seven decades ago. Today, the 64-mile-long Center siblings on a farm on the lower end The result is “Under the Lake,” Hill Lake boasts 415 miles of shore- of Indian Creek where her father, As a boy growing up a 304-page hardcover book that line and is renowned for fi shing and Horace Taylor, raised tobacco, corn near the old town of weighs four pounds and holds more recreation. But that gives small com- and vegetables and had a fl ourish- Bradyville, my own father than 1,000 photographs and 8,000 fort to those who saw their family See MEMORIES, Page 9 would make frequent vis- names. its to his grandparent’s The subtitle of the monumental farm located where some undertaking by Carol Denson Wil- called the Tolbert Hollow. liams, Judy Taylor Fuson and Ria The Tolbert Hollow was Baker is “Historic Images, Stories just south of a community and Genealogy of Life Along the called Bradyville. Caney Fork River, Tn. DeKalb, Put- This old farmstead was nam, Warren and White Counties of located in the southwest- Tennessee.” ern regions of Cannon The fi rst printing of 400 copies County near a ridgeline ‘Uncle Polk’ Sagely sold out in seven days. A second that bordered the coun- printing should be coming. ties of Cannon and Cof- Polk married his grand- Said Baker, “Carol says it took fee. It was traditionally mother’s sister. four years. I say 10. It got to be a known as the headwaters Blake Leander (Polk or chore before it was done. I had to of the Brawley Fork Creek, Pope) Sagely was born in keep reminding myself, ‘Am I hav- however nobody called the Dug Hollow branch of ing fun yet?’” it that in those days. My the Brawley Fork (Cannon What inspired the three to tackle great-grandmother, an in- County) on Christmas day such a sublime project? dependent minded wom- 1845. It’s been told that one “The lake is a large part of DeKalb an, lived on that old farm of Polk Sagely’s forefathers County, and no one writt en any- for many years after her was fi rst to live in what lat- thing about it,” said Williams. “We husband’s death. er became Cannon County, knew the Army Corps of Engineers My father, being a boy exploring the upper ar- had taken the property, but what as he was, sometimes by eas of this Brawley Creek about all those families who lived horseback, would ride when it was still “Indian there? Where did the come from and over several miles of ridg- land.” where did they go?” es and hollows that sepa- Whether the story is en- Center Hill Dam and Lake was au- rated the Bush homestead tirely accurate or not Sage- thorized by the Flood Control Act of from the Polk Sagely farm. lys did indeed sett le near a 1938 and the River and Harbor Act The farm was located near ridgeline where an ancient of 1946. Construction began on the the village of Gossburg. fort is believed to have dam in March 1942 but was delayed He enjoyed visiting, who once stood – “some forty three years due to World War II. KEN BECK photo everybody called, “Uncle miles south from the main The 250-feet-high dam closed its While Marian Starr Watson Driver’s family lost their Wildcat Hollow Polk,” known widely in waters of the Cumberland gates on Nov. 27, 1948, and the ris- farm to Center Hill Lake, her father found work helping construct the surrounding communities River.” ing waters of the Caney Fork swal- dam. Marian holds some photographs from the late 1940s that show as a great storyteller. Uncle See PIONEER, Page 9 lowed 18,000 acres of land where Center Hill Dam as a work in progress. See Cannon Blast on Page 7 PREVIEW DAY SEPT. 24, 8:00 A.M.–1:00 P.M. REGISTER NOW! MTSU.EDU/RSVP 0916-3260 / Middle Tennessee State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, or disability. See our full policy at www.mtsu.edu/titleix. PAGE 2 CANNON COURIER SEPTEMBER 20 2016 CANNON COURIER OBITUARIES Jeff St.John Nora Lee Peeler Cook Jeff St. John, age 54, of Woodbury passed away Sunday, September 11, Nora Lee Peeler Cook was born on March 16, 1926 on her parent’s farm in the Mooretown Community 2016 at Vanderbilt Hospital. He was a native of Cannon Co. of Cannon County. Nora was the daughter of Hessie (Moore) and George Lee Peeler who preceded her in death. Also preceding her in death was her daughter, Cathy Cook Bennett , sister and brother-in-law, Survivors include his wife, Jessica Knox St. John of Woodbury; Children, Grace Peeler and Fred Todd, and husband, Bill Cook. Jeff ery St. John, Tina Lucus, Paula Norris, & Paul Norris; Mother, Mary Parsley St. John of Woodbury; Siblings, Lisa (Kelly) Jordan of Lebanon Survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Mary Lou and Darrell Goins of Woodbury; son and and Scott St. John of Fayett eville, GA; Special Grandson, Jeff ery Scott daughter-in-law, Billy and Karen Cook; son-in-law, Michael Bennett ; Grandchildren, Ray & Sara Bennett St. John; Grandchildren, Holly Meyer, Heather Hille, Hope Robertson, and Tabitha & Kevin Ragland, both of Murfreesboro, Michelle Bennett & Joey Pott s of Shelbyville; Jakob, Andrue, Annah, & Lincoln Norris, Damian & Stefani Lucus; Catrina & Bryan Jones of Manchester; Step grandchildren, Seth (Heather) Powell, Lydia (Eric) Weber, Great Grandchildren, Bryson & Waylon Meyer and Shia Lucus; Nieces and Hannah Powell; Great grandchildren, Knox Bennett , Eli & Nolan Ragland, Dawson & Jordan Reed, & Nephews, Charlie Jordan, Austin Jordan, Dakota St. John, & Nikki Lee and Wyatt Jones. Step great-grandchildren, McKenna, Landon & Grayson Powell; Brother and sister-in- St. John; and In-laws, Larry & Becky Knox of Readyville. law, G.L. & Kay Peeler of Woodbury. Also surviving are many great nieces and nephews. Jeff was a member of the Hollow Springs Community Church and the A Cannon County native, Nora Lee grew up on the farm and graduated from Woodbury Central High owner of Parsley’s Market. He loved camping, boating, and the outdoors. School in 1944. Anxious to aid in the war eff orts, she left for Oak Ridge, Tennessee three days after graduation where she supervised the mail room at K-25 Uranium 235 Separation Plant. It was in Oak Funeral services will be 2 PM Friday, September 16, 2016 in the Chapel of Ridge she met her husband, Bill Cook from Macon County, TN and until their divorce in October 1967 Woodbury Funeral Home with Bro.