CHAPTER II.

DEKALB COUNTY ESTABLISHED - OFFICIALS.

In 1837 Hon. H. L. W. Hill of Warren County, introduced in the Tennessee House of Representatives a bill to form a new county out of parts of Warren, Cannon, Jackson, and White Counties, to be named for Baron DeKalb, a Bavarian, who fought for American independence during the Revolution. The bill was amended in the Senate, then passed, specifying the following boundaries: Beginning at the corner between Smith and Cannon Counties on the Wilson County line near Alexandria and running thence south twenty-three degrees east with the old line between Wilson and Smith Counties eight miles to a point on said line; thence south forty-eight degrees, east eleven and three-quarter miles to the Warren County line at John Martin's; thence north eighty-three degrees, east seven miles to a point twelve miles north from McMinnville; thence south eighty degrees, four and three-quarter miles to Caney Fork River at the mouth of Barren Creek; thence down said river with its meanders to an oak on the road from Sparta to Dibrell's Ferry, four miles from said ferry; thence north thirty-seven and a half degrees, east nine and three-quarter miles to a point on the stage road from Sparta to Carthage; thence north two miles to a corner between White and Jackson Counties on Cane Creek; thence south seventy-five degrees, west sixteen and a half miles so as to strike the northwest corner of Cannon County,

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on the Caney Fork River; and thence with the line run by Thomas Durham between Smith and Cannon Counties to the beginning.

From time to time the line has been changed, slightly, however, in most instances. On January 2, 1844, for instance, the Alfred Hancock property was taken from DeKalb and added to Cannon County. The Hancocks came from Virginia about the time the Overalls, Turneys, and others arrived, and have been among the foremost citizens of their section for more than a hundred years.* On February 1, 1850, the legislature so altered the line between Smith and DeKalb as to include the residences and farms of Nicholas Smith, Andrew Vantrease, John Robinson, and others in the latter county, as well as the farm and residence of John F. Goodner, near Alexandria.

On Monday, March 5, 1838, the following citizens, holding certificates as magistrates of the county, met at Bernard Richardson's, on Fall Creek, and organized the county court by electing Lemuel Moore chairman: Lemuel Moore, James Goodner, Jonathan C. Doss, Reuben Evans, Joseph Turney, Watson Cantrell, Thomas Simpson, John Martin, Watson Cantrell, David Fisher, William Scott, Samuel Strong, Henry Burton, Martin Phillips, John Frazier, Joel Cheatham, Jonathan Fuston, Peter Reynolds, and James Beaty.

The various county officers elect exhibited their cer-

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*It is told of Alfred Hancock's kindness to the poor that in times of drought he refused to sell his corn to those who could pay cash, but sold it on time to the needy at much less than he could get from the well-to-do.

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tificates of election, qualified, entered upon the discharge of their duties, and the county was organized.

The county court continued to meet at the home of Richardson until a log courthouse could be completed. The circuit court was also organized at Richardson's, the first term beginning on the second Monday in August, 1838, Judge A. J. Marchbanks presiding. The chancery court was organized in 1844 by Chancellor B. L. Ridley. (See the chapter headed "The County Seat.")

The county is bounded north by Smith and Putnam Counties, east by Putnam and White, south by Warren and Cannon, and West by Cannon and Wilson. Its population in 1840 was 5,868, ten years later it was 8,016, and by the commencement of the War between the States it was 10,573.

About two-thirds of the county lies on the Highland Rim. The Highlands occupy the eastern and northern parts. The western part lies in the Central Basin and embraces several valleys of considerable size and great agricultural value, separated from each other by irregular ranges of hills, while there are some peaks and ridges which mount up to a level with the Highlands. The valley of Caney Fork is long, winding, and irregular. It begins below the falls between Warren and White Counties near the southeast corner of DeKalb; runs toward the northwest, then westerly, till it opens out in the Basin in the northwestern part of DeKalb. It is narrow at the upper end; below Sligo Ferry it has an average width of half a mile. Its greatest width is about a mile; its length, following the

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general direction, about thirty miles. The valley of Smith Fork extends from south to north through the western part of the county. Its length is about fifteen miles and its breadth variable, spreading out in some places for a space of two or three miles, while in others it is cut in two by projecting spurs on each side. Each of Smith Fork's tributaries has a valley of its own, and these small valleys contain many valuable tracts of level land.

The best lands in the Highlands are found on the hillsides and along streams. In these situations there are numerous excellent farms. The timber of the barrens includes a number of valuable varieties, such as black oak, chestnut, hickory, post oak, and white oak. There were once some pine groves at the head of Pine Creek and between Smithville and Sligo. In the Central Basin the timber was once dense and heavy, owing to the disintegrated limestone - beech, sugar maple, walnut, oak, poplar, and other varieties.

Orchards are not so numerous in the valleys as they were a half century ago, but are numerous and profitable in the Highlands. Fires ("log heaps") in the orchards for protecting fruit against late spring frosts were used by some of the pioneers.

The leading crops are corn, wheat, rye, and oats, though the first settlers grew flax, cotton, and tobacco. Some of the finest mules driven South before and after the War between the States were raised on DeKalb County farms. In 1840 Tennessee was the greatest hog and corn State in the Union, and this county produced its share. Small fortunes have been made in

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hog-trading. Early traders were Francis Turner, William B. Stokes, Matthew Sellars, Edward Robinson, Robin Forrester, William G. Stokes, and others. The last named, a son of Thomas Stokes, of Temperance Hall, disappeared before the war on a trip South and was never heard of again. Buyers after the war were C. W. L. Hale, W. G. Evans, Gips West, Fox Frazier, and others. Hogs handled by the earlier dealers were from two to three years old when fattened. They were driven across country south, mainly to Georgia. Ten drivers could manage one thousand hogs, and one route was through Liberty, up Clear Fork, by McMinnville, over Walden's Ridge, across the Tennessee River, and on to Marietta, Milledgeville, Macon, and various Southern towns. Thirty-five days were allowed to go from Liberty to Georgia. The animals traveled from two and a half to ten miles a day. Dr. Foster imparts the interesting fact that in the "flatwoods" years ago there were many wild or feral hogs, belonging to no one but claimed by many. Descended from domesticated stock, "they developed immense tusks and long, heavy coats of hair."

In the Basin, where there were once large maple groves, maple sirup and sugar became a considerable industry in ante-bellum times, and these articles could be purchased for some years after the war. To hear the old slaves tell of the sugar camps, it would appear that the industry was pleasurable as well as a source of income.

The county is well watered, the principal streams, besides Caney Fork, being Smith Fork, Clear Fork,

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Sink Creek, Pine Creek, Fall Creek, Eagle Creek, Hurricane Creek, Hannah's Branch, Holm's Creek, Indian Creek, Mine Lick, Hickman Creek, Walker's Creek, Helton, Dismal, Falling Water, the Canal, Adamson's Branch, and Dry Creek. Dry Creek sinks some distance east of Dowelltown, then emerges at the Big Spring in that hamlet and flows into Smith Fork.

The malignant "milk sickness" breaks out occasionally, mainly on the headwaters of Holm's Creek and probably on Hurricane, though it is unknown after reaching the top of the Highlands. Cattle and a few people have been victims of the poison.

The southwestern part of the county is a great poultry section. There are also numerous nurseries, the income from which amounts to many thousands of dollars yearly. On the east side of Caney Fork, near the White County line, there are beds of iron ore extending several miles. This ore also exists on the west side of the river and was once worked at a bloomery on Pine Creek by the pioneer Jesse Allen. State Commissioner Killebrew wrote in 1874 that "the county is very rich in iron."

The first things considered by the early settlers were good springs, dwellings, and mills. The earliest mill in the county was no doubt Adam Dale's, at Liberty, erected about 1800 and patronized by the Dale and other settlements. Jesse Allen settled on Eagle Creek in 1801 and soon built a small mill, in connection with which were a cotton gin and distillery. Other mills soon followed - Fite's, on Smith Fork, just west of

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Dowelltown, a part of its dam being visible still; Fite's (later Crips's), on Dry Creek, the water furnishing its power coming from a large cave; Durham and Farrington's, on Pine Creek; Abraham Overall's, on Clear Fork; Hoover's, on Hickman Creek; Bate's, on Helton; and that which became known as Nicholas Smith's, on lower Smith Fork. In later years, in addition to those mentioned in the sketches of various towns, the following citizens have erected mills in different parts of the county: T. H. W. Richardson, Washington Reynolds, James Oakley, W. G. Crowley, John Bone, and James Kelton.

There are (1914) in DeKalb County 3,235 homes. Of this number, 2,407 are farm homes, 1,511 being owned by their occupants and free of mortgage incumbrance. The mortgaged farm homes number only seventy-seven, while renters occupy 815 farm homes. On the other hand, 828 homes are urban, the number of owners of town homes being 329. Eleven of these homes are mortgaged, and 300 are free of incumbrance. There are 472 rented urban homes.

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With the county organized, many of its citizens displayed an anxiety to "save the country." Politics at length became strenuous and has remained so. Prior to the War between the States a majority of the people in the Basin - below Snow's Hill - were Whigs, Know-Nothings, and Opposition; after that event they were called Unionists, Radicals, or Republicans. Most of the voters of the sixth, seventh, and ninth districts - above Snow's Hill - with a sprinkling elsewhere,

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were Democrats before the war, Confederates during the struggle, and Democrats after hostilities ceased.

The two opposing parties down to 1861 were almost evenly divided; then came many unexpected changes. To give one illustration: Abe Lafever, of the Mine Lick section, had been a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat; after the war he was known throughout the county as a rabid Republican and a leader of that party locally. Again, certain Unionists, like Joseph Clarke, became strong Democratic partisans.

One of the old-timers says of the partisan zeal of the days of the Whig party: "It was not an uncommon thing to witness a Whig speaker, say for Representative, draw a coon's tail from his pocket and wave this emblem of Whiggery. When Clay and Polk were candidates for the presidency, Polk adherents would drive into Liberty with their oxen's horns ringed with poke juice, while their cart beds were striped with it. Directly another cart, driven by a Clay supporter, would enter the village having a mammoth clay ball in each corner of the cart bed and the horns of the steer smeared with clay. When Dr. J. A. Fuson was elected to the legislature in 1845, the Fuson supporters to a man wore red ribbon in their hats on which was printed Fuson." This illustrative anecdote also survives: Moses Spencer (" Blackhorse"), who was in the battle of New Orleans and a Whig in politics, was once solicited to vote the Democratic ticket, the solicitor kindly presenting him with a bag of cured hog jowls. Carrying to his home in Liberty this necessary ingredient of the famous dish of greens, Mose threw it

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down on the floor and observed to his wife: " Barbara, Colonel Tubb has asked me to vote for a Democrat the coming election. Barbara, now you hear this Blackhorse that fit an' bled under Andy Jackson: I'm a Whig an' have always been one, an' I would not vote for a Democrat for even a bag o' middlins."

The greatest orators of the State were developed in the days of the Whigs and Democrats. Some of the forensic giants had appointments in the county. Probably the most noted discussion of political issues took place in 1855 between Andrew Johnson, Democrat, and Meredith P. Gentry, Whig, with Know-Nothing leanings, for the governorship. It came off on the Fulton Academy grounds at Smithville, and the crowd was very large.

The Know-Nothing party was a secret organization and was aggressively opposed to the Catholic Church. There were both Whigs and Democrats in the new party, and it was thought that it would poll one hundred thousand votes in the State at the end of the 1855 campaign.

Johnson was not "flowery," but was a most effective speaker. Gentry, nominated by the remnant of Whigs and the Know-Nothings, was one of the best orators in Tennessee. In his excoriation of the Know-Nothings Johnson was extremely bitter, arraigning them for their signs, grips, and secret conclaves, and declaring that they were no better than John A. Murrel's clan of outlaws. "Show me a Know-Nothing," he stormed, "and I will show you a monster upon whose neck the foot of every honest man should tread!" Gentry was

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"hacked." In a lofty manner he defended the party which nominated him, but his party was not satisfied with his reply. Many Democrats forsook his cause and Johnson was elected.

Neil S., Aaron V., and John C. Brown all spoke at various times in the county; also Isham G. Harris, William B. Campbell, D. W. C. Senter, William B. Stokes, James D. Porter, Horace Maynard, B. F. Cheatham, R. L. Taylor, A. A. Taylor, G. G. Dibrell, E. W. Carmack, John H. Savage, and even Squire Yardley, the Knoxville negro who canvassed the State for the governorship.

The citizens for many years were politically swayed by oratory, and those of DeKalb had an opportunity to hear other forensic giants besides the men named. A campaign almost as exciting as that in which Johnson destroyed Know-Nothingism came off when the question of secession was discussed pro and con by John Smith Brien, William B. Campbell, and others; also that after peace was made in which Stokes and Senter stumped the State. Of the last-named canvass, something will be said farther along.

A digression is made to present as full a list as can now be made of the county officers from the organization of the county to 1914.

County court clerks: P. M. Wade, William Lawrence, Wash Isbell, M. T. Martin, G. W. Eastham, P. G. Magness, E. J. Evans, Z. P. Lee, H. K. Allen, J. E. Conger, W. B. Foster, John E. Conger.

Circuit court clerks: David Fite, W. J. Givan, J. B. Gibbs, J. T. Hollis, W. T. Hoskins, T. M. Christian,

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T. W. Shields, James Fuson, Felix Hellum, J. M. Young, Jack S. Allen.

Clerks and masters: Thomas Whaley, Wash Isbell, J. T. Hallum, John P. Robertson, W. W. Wade, M. A. Crowley, J. B. Moore, Sam Foster.

Sheriffs: P. M. Thomason, James McGuire, E. W. Taylor, J. L. Dearman, J. Y. Stewart, John Hallum, W. L. Hathaway, Charles Hill, Henry Blackburn, M. F. Doss, C. S. Frazier, B. M. Merritt, H. S. Gill, S. P. Gill, W. H. C. Lassiter, Silas Anderson, Ben Merritt, Louis Merritt, John Odum, B. B. Taylor, Everett Love, George Puckett, A. Frazier.

Registers: Daniel Coggin, Wash Isbell, David Fite, J. Y. Haynes, John K. Bain, W. H. McNamer, Judson Dale, J. C. Kennedy, J. B. Atwell, John Harrison, B. M. Cantrell, E. W. Taylor, John G. Evans, Dabner Lockhart, Dave Worley, E. G. Pedigo, W. H. Hays.

County trustees: Rev. Joseph Banks, Aaron Botts, W. A. Nesmith (1861-62), Bluford Foster, Eli Vick, Brackett Estes, Sr., W. P. Smith, James Fite, James Fuson, H. C. Eastham, W. G. Evans, Pope Potter, Lee Overall, J. W. Reynolds, J. A. Newby, W. N. Adcock, William Taylor, J. A. Phillips, Thomas Crips, Matt Bratten.

The county had no Representatives until 1843, while a part of the time it was in a floterial district with the Representative from some other county. These DeKalb Countians have filled the office: Twenty-Fifth General Assembly, 1843, Daniel Coggin; Twenty-Sixth, 1845, John A. Fuson; Twenty-Seventh, 1847,

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John A. Fuson; Twenty-Eighty, 1849, W. B. Stokes; Twenty-Ninth, 1851, W. B. Stokes; Thirtieth, 1853 (first session held in the new State Capitol), Horace A. Overall; Thirty-First, 1855, M. M. Brien; Thirty-Second, 1857, A. M. Savage; Thirty-Third, first session 1859, second 1861, third April, 1861, J. J. Ford; Thirty-Fourth, first session 1861, second 1862, adjourned to Memphis, no Representative; Brownlow's Legislature of 1865-66, session held in April, 1865, John A. Fuson; Thirty-Fifth, 1867, W. S. Robertson; Thirty-Sixth, 1869, W. A. Dunlap; Thirty-Seventh, first session October, 1871, second March 1872, James P. Doss; Thirty-Eighth, 1873, none; Thirty-Ninth, 1875, none; Fortieth, first session January 1, 1877, extra December, 1877, none; Forty-First, first session January, 1879, second December, 1879, none; Forty-Second, first session January, 1881, extra December, 1881, second extra 1882, none; Forty-Third, 1883, Horace A. Overall, Forty-Fourth, first session January, 1885, extra May, 1885, J. M. Allen; Forty-Fifth, 1887, J. M. Allen; Forty-Sixth, 1889, extra session 1890, M. L. Bonham; Forty-Seventh, 1891, J. H. S. Knowles; Forty-Eighth, 1893, Henry C. Givan; Forty-Ninth, 1895, Samuel Wauford; Fiftieth, 1897, A. T. Phillips; Fifty-First, 1899, W. T. Dozier; Fifty-Second, 1901, P. C. Crowley; Fifty-Third, 1903, L. Driver; Fifty-Fourth, 1905, L. Driver; Fifty-Fifth, 1907, J. H. S. Knowles; Fifty-Sixth, 1909, J. E. Conger; Fifty-Seventh, 1911, A. N. Cathcart; Fifty-

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Eighth, 1913, extra session, Norman Robinson; Fifty-Ninth, 1915, Horace M. Evans.*

The following DeKalb Countians were members of the State Senate: Caleb B. Davis, 1851; W. B. Stokes, 1855; J. S. Goodner, 1857; Wingate T. Robinson, 1865; John A. Fuson, 1867; Joseph Clarke, 1872; M. D. Smallman, 1881; M. D. Smallman, 1883; B. G. Adcock, 1893; P. C. Crowley, 1903.

It is noted that Hon. Horace A. Overall represented the county when the General Assembly met first in the State Capital, newly erected, October 3, 1853. The fact suggests that the first legislature of the State met in Knoxville, which was for a while the seat of government, in 1796. In 1807 the legislature met at Kingston, but in a few hours adjourned to Knoxville. Nashville was the place of meeting in 1812, 1813, and 1815, then Knoxville again in 1817. In 1819 it met at Murfreesboro and continued to meet there until 1825. The next session (1826) was held in Nashville, as have been all succeeding sessions.

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*Mr. James Dearman writes: "I understand that James McGuire represented the county sometime in the forties." The name is not found in the records, however.

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