Blount County TNGenWeb

On the Ancestry mailing list for Blount County, Caleb Tefetter shared the following article from the August 11, 1911 issue of the Maryville Enterprise.  This is just one of three articles he posted. Visit the forum for more details!

Maryville Enterprise, Friday, August 11, 1911, Page 1:

“Logan’s Chapel—A Sketch. A Historical Article Dealing With The Older Families Who Lived About This Old Chapel. Paper Prepared and Read by James McCamy at the Decoration, May 20, 1911.

Logan’s Chapel is situated in Blount County, Tennessee, six miles northeast of Maryville and twelve miles southeast of Knoxville. We do not know the date of its organization, but it must have been between 1800 and 1810. We do not know its first pastor’s name, but we think we know some of its charter members.

It is not the object of this little article to eulogize the dead. We could not change their destiny if we could. But we think it right and proper that we keep alive the names of our forefathers, and mothers, who lived and served their generation around this hallowed spot where we are now gathered. We are here to strew flowers on their graves and to show our gratitude to them and to Him who permitted them first and us later to live in this beautiful and Gospel enlightened land where we have so many glorious privileges.

Today we want to turn the pages of time back one-hundred years and see who lived in and went to make up this neighborhood. One-hundred years ago farms were larger and houses further apart, so the neighborhood so called covered more ground than the neighborhoods of today. Our parents and grandparents went for miles to visit their sick neighbors. Families have grown up and divided and subdivided the old farms until now one original farm makes many; for instance, the old Martin farm contained 1,410 acres. Now it makes 10 homes. The woodman’s axe too, has played a prominent part in the development of the community. This country once had fine timber. The Martin and the Kennedy saw mills used to boat fine lumber down Little River during a tide to the Tennessee River, thence south to different markets. That is where the old boat-yard at Kennedy’s upper ford got its name. They would build on that sand bar large lumber boats 60 to 80 feet long; launch them in that deep eddy, load them and wait for a tide to take them out. They also took bacon and other farm products. They had no railroads here 100 years ago.

But who were they? Who lived here? That is our mission today. Well, there were the Logans, the Kennedys, the Stones, the Kinnamons, the Duncans, the McCamys, the Cavins, the Greens, the Hafleys, the Shavers, the Davis,’ the Kidds, the Newmans, the Julians, the Brakebills, the Dupes, the Mayes,’ the Martins, the Adneys, the Reeders, the Plumlees, the Porters, the Wolfs, the Wheelers, the Vineyards, the Covingtons, at Haggard place. These 26 families covered an area of several miles.

David Logan gave the ground for the church and graveyard, an hence the name Logan’s Chapel. The first church was built of hewn logs and stood almost in this site of the present structure. Camps stood almost all around the church which were occupied by their builders for two or three weeks every fall when they met in camp meetings. This was the one great occasion of the entire country around about. People would come for miles to attend camp meetings, and the local citizens who had the camps or lived near would feed and lodge them, while they’d send their horses home to the pasture. So popular were these camp meetings that about the year 1845, a large shed was erected. It was about 50 X 80 feet in size, with a dirt floor which was always covered with fresh straw for each annual gathering; and had board benches with backs and some without backs. This shed stood until only about 15 years ago when it became dangerous from decay and was torn down. Uncle Tom Martin, one of the best old Negroes who ever lived, is living today near Chandler in this county, helped to haul the lumber to build that shed. He was then a young man; he is now 85 years old and the only survivor of the old Martin family, black or white. The framing of this great shed was great hewn beams, but the lathing and weather-boarding at the gables were sawed, while the shingles were shaven. We take time to describe the shed because it was the center of attractions. Without it, the great crowds could not have been accommodated to shelter. I suspect few young people around here today realize what a place this has been to so many thousands of people. At this place and at some particular meeting, thousands have dated their spiritual birth; and when we all meet in that glorious beyond, I imagine they will tell us all about what a glorious place this was to them. Then the social feature was here too. Many a matrimonial match has been made on the road from here to the Sulpher Spring.

What became of these old pioneers, and who succeeded them? David Logan’s daughter, just blooming into womanhood, dies and was the first person buried there.

The Kennedys are probably the most interesting family of all. They lived at the old Kennedy Mill place. Uncle Alex’s father, Andrew Kennedy, built the house that was only torn down a few years ago to give place to a more modern home by Mr. Jack Rorex. Uncle Alex used to say his father got the stone in North Carolina that made the wall or foundation, when it was built almost on a bluff of rocks. His joke was that this was all North Carolina when the house was built. Uncle Alex was born in that house. He died in the same room in which he was born, having lived in the house 93 years, longer than any other man ever lived in this neighborhood that we know of. He was twice married and was the father of 26 children. His first wife was Hetty Henry, who reared to be grown: Arthur, James, Alex Jr., Andrew, William Gustavus, and Mrs. Jane Sanford. The others dying early in life. These all are now dead but James, Gus and Jane. James is 78 years old. The second wife was Mary Ann Thomas, who was the mother of Houston, Rufus S., John W., Edwin W., Walter B., Charles M., Richard, Triphenia, Lillie and Cora. Andrew Kennedy, father of Uncle Alex, was born in Pennsylvania, August 12, 1752. He was but a child when his parents,John and Betsy Kennedy, moved to South Carolina where John was killed in an Indian massacre. His widow and her son then removed to Roane County, North Carolina, where they lived until the Revolutionary War broke out, when Andrew joined Capt. Dickens Company but finally became Captain himself. He was wounded seven times in the battle of Camden, South Carolina, August 16, 1780. He came to this country and to the old Kennedy homestead in 1792. This was then known as the Territory South of the Ohio River. He entered the old home place, the Adney place and the farm where John Trundle now lives. He reared a family. The old records show his name as being one of the first Trustees of Porter Academy, being appointed in 1806. Andrew died May 5, 1834, being 83 years. His son, Alex, came into possession of the old home. The Adney place was sold to Bija Conger and by him to Benjamin Duncan for 1,500 axes and mattocks in 1820. Mr. Duncan was a fine blacksmith and made these articles. He, with his wife and son, Frank, were buried here.

The Trundle place was sold to Nicholas Vineyard, who reared a family there, but no trace of them can be found. Will Kennedy lived there after the war. Prof. Robert Porter, one of the best men this or any other neighborhood ever had, came into possession of the Vineyard farm and reared a family there; but later sold to Prof. W.M. Rogers, then principal of Porter Academy, and cast his lot in Knoxville where he died some ten years ago. Prof. Porter and Rogers were both prominent in school work and have served Porter Academy long and well.

Mr. Logan, from the best we can learn, lived in a small, log house almost in front of the present church just above Mr. Walker’s last shop. He gave the ground on which the church stands and where the old part of the graveyard is; but later it was necessary to add more ground for hitching and burying. So according to the records at Maryville on August 7, 1854, Jefferson Stone deeded a certain tract or parcel of land to the Trustees of Logan’s Chapel M.E. Church South for the consideration of $140.00 The Trustees named are Wesley Huffaker, Alex Kennedy, William Goddard, Jacob French and Vance Walker.There are two stories as to the final end of David Logan; one is that he moved from here to Illinois with his family in a wagon; and another is that he died and is buried here and that his widow married another man and went to Illinois.

Dr. Stone owned and lived at what is now Wildwood Springs. We do not know what became of Dr. Stone but the next we know of the place it was the property of David Hodgsden, who died and left the place to his wife, Martha. She sold it to its present owners, the Rev. C.B. Lord in 1870. Rev. Lord’s wife died in 1882. Mr. Lord himself lived until 1906, when he died at the advanced age of 90 years. The only survivors of his family are Claudius, Miss Nellie and Mrs. Follette.

John Kinnamon married the sister of Uncle Alex Kennedy. Mr. Kinnamon was born in 1811, just 100 years ago. He was the father of Arthur K. and Sam R.; the latter still lives at the old home place, while Arthur lives in South Knoxville.

James Cavin lived at the Cavin Ford. He was born in North Carolina in 1802. At an early age he came here with his mother who lived to be nearly 100 years old. She was widely known as Aunt Betsy Cavin. James Cavin had one sister who married a Mr. Holcomb, a relative of the well known evangelist. Mr. Cavin married for a first wife a daughter of Henry Dupes of Nails Creek. He had four daughters, the only survivor of the four being Mrs. Jane Clemens, who lives one mile across the river from here, and whose age is 82. William R. Everett is also a grandson. He married a Murphy of Sevier County for a second wife and reared one daughter. Mrs. Clemens is likely the oldest person living in the neighborhood who has lived here all her life. She remembers the graveyard when it had only eight or ten graves in it. It was the custom at this time for the women to take their knitting to church during the week and knit until the service began. Mr. Cavin died at the age of 89. Rev. H.C. Clemens, who is one of the preacher boys going out from this place is a grandson of Mr. Cavin. We received a card from him a few days ago asking us to remember him on this occasion. Mrs. Clemens is the mother of three other children, Phi, Hugh and Mrs. Granville DeArmond, all living.

John Hafley lived up the dry branch from here about two miles. He was twice married. By the first wife he reared two sons and three daughters. The sons were Harvey and Wash. The girls were Tennessee, who married William Kidd; Melinda, who married Vance Cummings and Peggy, who married Major McCamy. By the second wife he reared two boys and one girl, Andrew and Charles and Sarah. Andrew married Euprazia Goddard and reared George, Horace and Estel. Charles died single. John Hafley had a brother, Cornelis or Cosnrod, who was the father of Wash and Bart, who are also buried here. Bart also lived up the dry branch only about one mile where his two sons, Wash and Pres, still live.

Philmore Green kept a public house over on the Goddard place. He sold toWilliam Goddard on October 24, 1851. Mr. Goddard was reared in Knox County near the Stock Creek Baptist Church. His wife was a Miss Hitch. They reared a family of three boys and four girls. The boys were Elias or Dick, as he was called; William W. and James A. Of these, Elias is dead while James and William live in Maryville. The girls were Lucy, who married B.F. Willard;Euphrazia, who married Andrew Hafley; Mollie, who married John DeArmond;North Carolina or Cud as she was called, married J.C. DeLozier, all these reared families but only Bub and Bob, sons of William. Mrs. Nellie Ruble, daughter of J.C. DeLozier, remain in this neighborhood. Some are dead and the rest have gone to help make up the world in other places.

George Newman’s father came from Pennsylvania, and was one of the first settlers in this country. He was accidentally killed in an old fort just across the branch from his home which was the DeLozier place. His son, George,succeeded him and reared a family of two sons and daughters. Jacob married a sister to our Jack and Jim Davis. Her name was Elizabeth. They reared a family of girls. One married William Coulter, one married Bud Headrick and Ellen married J. Back French. Susan married Jesse DeLozier, who was born near Eusebia in 1824 and came in possession of the old Newman place in 1876, and reared a family of seven boys and three girls. The boys were George H., J.C., John B., Wiley, Andy, Willie and Ollie. Of these, Ollie and George are buried here. Lizzie married William McNelly and reared a family, but is also dead.Maggie married Dr. J.D. Singleton and lives in Maryville, while Cora married James Keller. The five boys and Cora all remain here. Another of the Newman girls married Robert L. Houston, kinsman of the noted Sam Houston of Texas. They reared a family just above the old Ambrister tan yard. Later the Trotter place. Mr. Houston died in 1902. His widow and son, Joe, live at the old place.

Samuel Bogard came from Sevier County in 1881. He died in 1887 leaving a widow and two children, Walter and Hannah, who still live here.”