CARYVILLE GOT ITS NAME FROM WILLIAM CAREY, LAND OWNER, COUNTY JUDGE, FREIGHT LINE OPERATOR

By Dallas Bogan

Reprinted with Permission from Dallas Bogan.  This article was published in the LaFollette Press.

At this time we shall take some excerpts from the book compiled by Marshall L. McGhee and Melba Jackson entitled, "Careyville Through the Years."

William Carey's family, Robert Phillipson Carey and Martha "Patty" North originally came from Virginia. They were descended from the Patrick Henry and George Washington families. William was born in either Claiborne or Campbell County. The county boundaries were changed so were not sure which county.

In 1806, three brothers came from Virginia to this area also. They were Thomas, Richard and Benjamin Wheeler. Thomas and his wife Elizabeth lived at Walnut cove (Wheeler Station), Careyville.

At Walnut cove, William Carey met Malinda Emily Wheeler, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Wheeler. An article in the Nashville Banner and Nashville Advertiser on Tuesday, December 18, 1831, announced that Miss Malinda E. Wheeler married William Carey, Esq.

William Carey was born August 6, 1806 and died March 30, 1863. Malinda Emily Wheeler was born May 4, 1813 and died August 12, 1892. The children of William and Emily were (1) Susan (Sue) E., 1834-1910. She married Frederick De Tavernier, December 5, 1865. (2) Martha Jane, 1836-1866. She married Thomas Hart on October 2, 1852. (3) Malinda Bennett, 1837-1883, married Dr. Addison Guthrie. (4) Elizabeth, 1839-1901. She married John Spence. (5) William, 1842-1872. (6) Kate, 1844-1909. Never married (7) Phillipson, 1846-1862. (8) Helen, 1850-1921. She married Martin Ross.

William Carey's first known job was carrying mail on horseback. Being very thrifty he soon became a landowner. At one time he owned about 11,000 acres of land. He was clerk in the land office. He and his father-in-law, Thomas Wheeler, ran a freight line from Wheeler's Station to Middlesboro Ky. The railroad terminated at Wheeler's Station. He was also at one time County Judge.

The land around Wheeler's Station was later named Careyville in honor of Judge William Carey. The Careys were living on the Free Soil Farm during the Civil War. William Carey ran an inn at this time. During the Civil War, troops went into camp at Careyville. In correspondence connected with the movement of troops, government officials so frequently spelled Careyville without the "e" it soon became the form of spelling generally used.

William was killed during the Civil War. He is buried in the Carey Cemetery at Caryville. Malinda E. Carey is buried in the Old Gray Cemetery at Knoxville, Tennessee.