MOORE COUNTY lies in the south central portion of Tennessee, and is bounded
on the north by Bedford, east by Coffee, south by Franklin, and west by Lincoln.
It contains about 170 square miles, and its surface is greatly diversified.
About one-half the county lies on the Highland Rim, and the remainder in the
Central Basin. The eastern portion has a high, flat, slightly-rolling surf ace,
known as the “barrens,” which breaks off to the south and west into
ridges and ravines, some of the latter having a depth of 300 to 400 feet.
These ridges are spurs which shoot out into the valley of the Elk and Mulberry
tributaries, the valleys constituting a part of the broken southern division Central
Basin which is partially cut off by Elk Ridge. These ridges are very fertile.
They are composed mainly of the Nashville limestone, upon which rests the black shale
or Devonian, and upon this shale rests as a protecting rock, the siliceous layers
of the barren group, which is characteristic of the barren portion of the Highland Rim.
Marble of a fair quality is found in the county.
The eastern portion, known as the
“barrens,” is covered mostly with a light growth of scrubby oak timber,
and the soil has a whitish clay surface, with a porous, leachy subsoil, and is very
sterile, except for the cultivation of fruits and tobacco. Elk Ridge is very fertile,
and almost as productive as the best valley lands. It is heavily timbered with poplar,
oak, chestnut, walnut, sugar, linden and locust. The valleys of the Elk, Hurricane,
Mulberry and their tributaries, have a rich alluvial soil, which is very productive.
The staple crops of the county, are wheat, corn, rye and oats. Blue grass is indigenous
to the soil. Clover, timothy and most other grasses yield bountifully with proper
cultivation. Stock raising is carried on to some extent, and the county, with its
numerous springs, is well adapted to dairy farming, which however is not carried on to
any considerable extent. The farms are not in as high a state of cultivation as they are
capable of being brought. A good turnpike road leading from Shelbyville to Fayetteville
passes directly through the county, via County Line and Lynchburg. The county is high,
healthy, and well drained. It has no swamps to contaminate its atmosphere with malarial
poison.
The first settlements in the territory now
composing Moore County were made near the beginning of the present century, when bears,
wolves, deers, and all kinds of game were abundant. Just when and by whom the first actual
settlement was made cannot be stated, but the names of a considerable number of the earliest
settlers can be given. William B. Prosser came from North Carolina and settled in this County
in 1806, and William Spencer came in 1808. Isaac Forrester, born in South Carolina in 1790,
settled here prior to the war of 1812, in which he participated. In 1816 he married Miss
Matilda Hodges, and both are yet living. They are the parents of fourteen children,
eleven of whom are still living. They have had eighty-nine grandchildren, sixty-nine
of whom are living, and they have had nearly seventy great-grandchildren, sixty of whom
are living, and two great-great-grandchildren, both living. A remarkable family-certainly
they have obeyed the Scriptural injunction “Be ye fruitful, multiply, etc.”
A Mrs. Wiseman, who was also born in 1790,
is still living in this county. Frederick Waggoner and family settled in the county
before the war of 1812, in which he participated in the battle of the Horse Shoe Bend.
Woodey B. Ttylor and his wife, Nancy (Seay) Taylor, parents of John H. Taylor (Uncle
Jack as he was familiarly called), came from Georgia with their family in 1809, and
settled on East Mulberry, about two miles below the site of Lynchburg. There was only
one house then between their settlement and Lynchburg, and that one was at the place now
owned by Mrs. B. H. Berry. At that time there were only two log-cabins in Lynchburg,
one where Dr. Salmon now lives, and the other at Mrs. Alfred Eaton’s place; Mr.
Joel Crane then lived in the former. The same year, 1809, Andrew Walker came from
South Carolina, and settled upon and mostly cleared the farm, and soon thereafter
erected the house where Smith Alexander now lives. Samuel Isaacs then lived on the
Jack Daniel’s farm, and Daniel Holman lived in the next house down the valley.
Anthony and Thomas Crawford, James Clark and Champion Bly were then living near Lynchburg.
Mrs. Agnes Motlow, widow of a soldier of the war of the Revolution, settled in this
county in 1809 or 1810, with her five sons, Zadoch, William, James, John and Felix,
and two daughters, Elizabeth, who married Andrew Walker, of whom mention has been made,
and Lauriet, who married Mr. ---- Massey. The Motlow family in this part of the State
originated from the above ancestors. Reuben Logan settled here soon after l800, and
had many successful encounters with the wild animals. He killed many bears and deers,
and was a soldier in the war of 1812.
James Cox and Mary, his wife, were among
the first children born within the limits of Moore County. Dempsey Sullivan and
Naomi, his wife, were born in this county in 1811 and 1812, respectively.
Michael Tipps settled in the county in 1813.
His wife, nee Leah Scivally, was born here in 1810, and she is still living.
Thomas H. Shaw, father of Elder Shaw, born at Perryville, Ky., in 1798, settled in this
county before the war of 1812, in which he was a soldier under Gen. Jackson.
He married a daughter of Thomas Roundtree, and was a magistrate for many years,
and died in 1872. In 1815, James P. Baxter and family settled on where John F.
Taylor now resides. He was a county surveyor thirty-three years, and was
a member of the commission to locate the Creek Indians. John F. Baxter was born
in 1827, on the farm where he has always resided and still resides, without ever
having been away from home seven days at a time. James S. Ervin settled in the
county in 1816, and Martin L. Parks in 1818. The latter was an officer in the war
of 1812. About 1812, a Mr. Brown and others erected the first grist mill in the
county near where Jack Daniels’ distillery now stands. Soon thereafter a
distillery was established there, as probably the first one in the county.
The first cotton-gin was erected
near the same place in about 1818. Thomas Roundtree built the cotton-mill
on the creek at Lynchburg, about the year 1820. At this time there was a
cotton-gin and cotton-mill on East Mulberry Creek near the county line,
owned by Levi Roberts. The grist-mill and cotton-gin at Lynchburg, was then
operated by Wm. P. Long. A large tannery was also in operation at Lynchburg
about this time. A Mr. McJimsey is said to have opened the first store in
Lynchburg some time prior to 1820, at which time Wm. P. Long kept a general
store in the same place. Barnes Clark, and, Wm. Howard, Wm. Bedford Mr. ___ Bird and
Wm. Burdge were all among the earliest settlers in the county, and the three latter
were among the pioneer school-teachers. For a number of years after the first settlements
were made, and before local mills were the people had to go all the way to
Murfreesboro and to Mill Creek, near Nashville, to get their grinding done.
John Guthrie with his family settled near the site of Dance & Waggoner’s
mill in 1820, and lived there until his death. Wm. Tolley, whose death occurred
in 1884, settled in this county in 1825. Samuel Edens and his family were living
at Lynchburg at that time. Stephen M. Dance and family settled in 1826, on the
farm where Dance now resides. Joseph Call and Rebecca, his Wife, settled in 1834,
on a farm in the present District No. 6, where he died in 1842. Mrs. Call subsequently
had three husbands and outlived all of them, and died in 1850, in this county.
Davie Crockett, the great pioneer hunter
and adventurer, resided for a time on of the East Mulberry in this county.
Moses Crawford came to this county in 1809 and lived at or near Lynchburg,
and attended the “sale of lots when the town was laid off in lots and sold.”
The valleys were then covered with cane-brakes. The
Falcon of March 20, 1885,
published a letter from Mr. Crawford dated at Grand Island, Neb., where he then resided.
This letter refers to the early settlement of this county, and especially the great
earthquake shock so sensiblv felt here in 1811. He says “the prevalent idea was,
judgment is knocking at the door. The earth reeled as a drunken man. Mercy
was sought and pardon found in many eases. * * * Preaching every four weeks
at my father’s house. Rev. Adams, of Flat Creek, was minister or pastor
in charge. My father and mother were old members of said church for years before.
People came from far to bear the Scripture propounded. The ministers were Adams,
Hardy, and Whittaker. The addition to the church was large every Sabbath. There
were none but Baptists in this neck of woods. They used to take the applicant for
baptism to the ford, singing as they went. The place for immersion was near where
Roundtree built his dam across Mulberry. Revivals stopped and drinking liquor began.
I think I knew some of your ancestors. Two brothers by the name of Parks came there
some time between 1815 and 1820, I think with, Smiths. Time rolled on and rolled them
off. I soon shall follow.”
Crawford then
says “that after the war of 1812 closed, a clan of’
thieves was found in and about the present town of Lvnchburg. And that in the
neighborhood of Barnes Clark, a blacksmith three or four miles southeast of Lynchburg,
stealing was as as going to church. A member of this clan by the name of Woods,
or something else, was lynched till he told of or showed the cave or warehouse
of stolen goods. Old Hickory Jackson permitted the shooting of John Woods and a
brother for stealing.”
About this time it, seems there were no laws
in force hero for the suppression of crime, and consequently the good people organized
themselves into vigilance committees, and took the administrationof justice into their
own hands and “Judge Lynch” presided at their meetings. They selected the
large beech tree which stood over the spring, afterward known as the town spring of
Lynchburg, for a whipping post, and after arresting offenders and becoming satisfied
of their guilt, tied them to this tree and authorized some one to administer the whipping,
which was generally very severe. Uncle Jack Taylor says he saw about twenty persons whipped
at that famous tree, and three others at another tree, near which he now resides.
In this way public offenders were punished for All kinds of crime until the courts were
established, and the civil authorities sufficiently empowered to enforce the laws for
the protection of society, The noted lynching tree stood until about the year 1880.
Like most rural counties Moore’s
industtries have been limited principally to agriculture. Manufacturing, except
in the article of whisky, has never been developed to any considerable extent.
A few grist mills and saw-mills, sufficient for the accommodation of the people,
have been erected and operated. The manufacture of whisky has been extensive.
In addition to what has already been mentioned, Samuel Isaacs and John Silvertooth
erected a distillery on the German branch of East Mulberry, one and a half miles below
Lynchburg, in about 1825; and near the same time another was erected by Mr. Isaacs,
three miles below town.
Alfred Eaton erected a distillery in an early
day, about two miles below Lynchburg. Calvin Stone erected one on West Mulberry in 1852.
As the country improved numerous distilleries were constructed and operated, from time
to time, in the territory composing the county. There are now fifteen registered
distilleries in Moore County. Tolley & Eaton’s, established in 1877, at
County Line, is said to be the largest sour mash distillery in the State. It has a
capacity of 98 bushels of corn and 300 gallons of spirits per day. It is all run by
machinery. Jack Daniels’, the next in size, was built in 1876, at the Cave Spring,
at Lynchburg, where, it is claimed, the first one in the county was erected. The
capacity of this distillery is 50 bushels of corn and 150 gallons of spirits per day.
The other thirteen distilleries have an average capacity of 23 bushels of corn and 70
gallons of spirits per day. Then, when all are running, they will grind 447 bushels of
corn per day and produce about 1,360 gallons of whisky. This is an immense industry.
Suppose these fifteen distilleries to run their full capacity for six months, or 156
days, in the year, they would manufacture the immense amount of 202,160 gallons,
or 5,054 barrels, of 40 gallons each; which, at $2 per gallon, would amount to the
sum of $404,320. When these distilleries are running they consume, at an advanced price,
all the surplus corn that the farmers can raise. They also consume thousands of cords
of wood annually. They thus make for their farmers a home market for their grain and
wood; and the revenue to the people of the county for the corn, wood and whisky is
immense. The whisky manufactured here is known in commerce as Lincoln County Whisky,
and is among the best manufactured in the United States. The capital employed in this
branch of industry is said to pay 20 per cent. The manufacture of domestic goods is
carried on, in the families, to a great extent.
The lands of the country are rich and productive,
teeming with thousands of horses, mules, cattle, sheep and hogs. All kinds of grain,
fruit and vegetables can be raised in great profusion. All kinds of grass, clover
and millet grow to perfection. The highlands of the eastern part are especially
adapted to the production of grape. The people are cordial and hospitable--primitive
in their habits, and manufacture and wear a great deal of home-made clothing.
The county of Moore was organized in accordance
with an act of the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, entitled “An act to
establish a new county out of portions of the territory of Lincoln, Franklin, Coffee and
Bedford Counties, to be called the county of Moore, in honor of the late Gen. William Moore,
of Tullahoma,Tenn., one of the early settlers of Lincoln County, Tenn., a soldier of the
war of 1812, and for many years a member of the General Assembly of the State of
Tennessee,” passed December 14, 1871.
The act provided that the county should
be bounded by a line described therein. And for the purpose of organizing the
county, the following commissioners were appointed by said act, to wit: Berry
Prosser, Lewis Morgan, J. B. Thompson, John D. Tolley, H. H. Smith, William
Copeland, J. E. Spencer and S. J. Green, of the county of Lincoln; C. T.
Shiver, A. J. Simpson, Goodwin Miller and Harvey Farris, of the county of
Franklin; James 0. Aydelotte, Mike Campbell, Thomas Colley and S. J.
MeLemore, of the county of Coffee; William Smith, W. P. Bobo and John
Sullivan, of the county of Bedford; who, before entering upon their duties,
should take an oath to faithfully and impartially discharge the same as such
commissioners. And to ascertain the will of the people of the fractions of the
old counties out of which the new county was to be composed, said commissioners
were to cause elections to be held at as early a day as practicable in each of
the fractions of the old counties to be included in the new one. And if the
requisite constitutional majority was found to be in favor of the new county,
the said commissioners were to complete the organization in accordance with the
provisions of the act.
The act provided
that said commissioners should have power to make any change in the lines of said
county, if found necessary, so as to conform with the requirements of the
constitution of the State--
i.e., that none of the old counties out of which
the new one was to be formed should be reduced below 500 square miles; and that
they should cause an actual survey of the county to be made, and an actual
enumeration of the qualified voters in the limits of said county to be taken,
to ascertain if said new county contained 275 square miles, and 700 qualified
voters. Accordingly, on January 6, 1872, said commissioners met at Lynchburg
and organized by electing A. J. Simpson chairman and John D. Tolley secretary,
and at once employed J. B. Thomison and R. F. Darnoby to survey the boundary
line of the new county, to begin at 12 o‘clock M., on Monday January 8,
1872, at or near Rev. J. W. Holman’s place, on the Mulberry &
Lynchburg Turnpike. The commissioners then adjourned until the 23d day of
January, when a plat of the survey of said county was presented to them by said
surveyors. The plat was accepted, and the surveyors ordered to make a full and
complete written report of the survey, which they afterward did.
Three hundred and forty-one square
miles were found to be included in this survey. Subsequently the commissioners
learned that Coffee County contained less than 500 square miles, and consequently
no portion of it could be attached to the new county. By this survey the county
line was run eleven miles from the county seats of Bedford, Lincoln and Franklin
Counties by. surface measurement. This was not satisfactory to Lincoln and Franklin
Counties, consequently each brought suit against Moore County to reclaim their
lost territory. The matter was fully litigated in the Lincoln County Chancery
Court, and finally decided that the line of Moore County should be established
eleven miles, on a straight air line, from the county seats of the old counties
from which it was composed. This made a new survey necessary between this county
and both Lincoln and Franklin Counties. Bedford County brought no suit to enforce
this “straight line rule,” but allowed the line to stand as originally
surveyed. This very materially reduced the county in size, so that it now contains
only about 270 square miles, or about seventy-one square miles less than the original
survey included.
On Saturday, April 13, 1872,
elections were held in each of the fractions of the old counties to be included in the
new, to ascertain the will of the people on the formation of a new county, and the
votes cast were as follows: In fraction of Lincoln County for new county, 799; for
old county, 51. In fraction of Bedford County, for new county, 59; for old county,
none. In fraction of Franklin County, for new county, 284; for old county, 6. The
requisite number of two-thirds having voted in favor of the new county, the county of
Moore became established, and it only remained to perfect its organization. The
commissioners then appointed Wm. Tolley, M. Spencer, Berrv Leftwick, G. W. Byrom
and F. T. Davis to divide the county into civil districts. The subdivision was made
and the districts formed and named as follows: Lynchburg, Ridgeville, Marble Hill,
Reed’s Store, Tucker Creek, Wagoner’s, Prosser’s Store, Charity,
County Line, Hurricane Church and Wm. B. Smith’s mill. The districts were
numbered in the order named, from one to eleven. The commissioners then ordered an
election to be held on on Saturday, May 11, 1872, for the purpose of electing county
officers. Accordingly elections were held in each of the several districts, and the
following officers duly elected: John A. Norman, sheriff; James W. Byrom, county court
clerk; W. R. Waggoner, circuit court clerk; John A. Silvertooth, trustee; E. F. Brown,
register; W. J. Taylor, tax collector. Magistrates, J. D. Tolley, J. W. Martin, B. F.
Womach, A. J. Simpson, G. W. Byrom, C. H. Bean, A. C. Cobble, J. E. Spencer, R. L.
Gillespie, Wm. Copeland, John Swinney, John L. Ashby, T. G. Miller, D. J. Noblet, A. M.
Prosser, J. A. Prosser, L. Leftwich, Samuel Bobo, T. J. Baxter, J. L. Holt, J. M. Byrom,
J. W. Eggleston and J. J. Burt. These magistrates elect assembled on the third day of June,
1872, at the house of Tolley & Eaton in Lynchburg, and organized and held the first
county court ever held in the county, They organized the court by electing A. J. Simpson,
chaiman, and John D. Tolley & D. J. Nobblett, associates. At this term the court
ordered an election to be held in the several districts of the county on the first
Saturday of July, 1872, to determine where the people desired to have the county seat
located. The elections were accordingly held, and out of 499 votes cast, 465 were in
favor of Lynchburg as the county seat.
The court then appointed a committee of one
from each district to select suitable grounds for a jail and jailer’s house,
and a public square for a court house site. This committee selected a plat of ground
300 feet square on Mechanic Street for a public square, and a tract of one acre belonging
to E. Y. Salmon, and lying across the creek, between the town and Parks’ tan-yard.
The Public Square was located by the court, as reported, and title acquired thereto by
donation from the owners. The tract for the jail was purchased of Dr. Salmon, for $100.
Before building the jail, the court decided that this lot was not suitable and convenient,
and thereupon sold it at public outcry for $10, and at the August term, 1875, the court
bought the present jail lot of Col. J. M. Hughes for $200. A committee, consisting of M. L.
McDowell, A. C. Cobble, J. E. Spencer, B. F. Womack and J. L. Holt, was then appointed to
let the contract for the building of a jail and jailer’s house. The contract was
awarded June 7, 1875, to Bobo & Stegall for $2,550, the building to be completed by
the first Monday in October of the same year. At the January term, 1876, of the county
court, the committee reported that the jail and jailer’s house had been completed
according to the contract, It was accepted and the committee discharged. The jail has two
cells, 8x8 feet, made of heavy oak timber, and large nails driven in almost every square
inch. It is a very safe jail. The house is in the shape of an L, the front consisting of
two nice rooms for jailer’s residence. It is situated on the lot bought of Col.
Hughes, nearly opposite the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is a very neat and comfortable
building.
On the 8th of January, 1884, the county
court appointed a committee to select and secure a new location for a public
square. And in July of the same year the committee reported that they had deeded
the square on Mechanic Street back to its former owners, and secured title to the
Public Square where the court house now stands. Their action was approved,
and a building committee, consisting of R. B. Parks, John E. Bobo and
W. D. L. Record, was then appointed, with instructions for the construction of a
court house. This committee awarded the contract to S. L. P Garrett. And at the
April term, 1885, they reported that the house was completed according to contract,
and that they had paid the contractor $200 for extra work over and above the original
contract. thus making the total cost of the court house $6,875. The building was
accepted by the court and the committee discharged. The court house is a very substantial
two-story brick structure, 40x60 feet, with the county offices on the first floor,
and the court rooms on the second. The people of the county are very fortunate in
having good and sufficient county buildings. The county has no asylum for the poor.
The latter are provided for by appropriations from the public treasury, by authority of
the county court.
The sessions of the courts were first
held in Tollev & Eaton’s Hall; then the county bought the Christian
Church, which stood on Main Street, on the east side of the Public Square.
The courts were held in this church building until it burned down in December,
1883, after which the sessions were held in the schoolhouse on Mechanic Street
until the court house was completed. The following is a list of the county
officers and the time served by each:
County court clerks--James W. Byrom, the present
incumbent, was elected at the first election, which was in 1872, and has been
re-elected and held the office continuously ever since. This shows the high
estimation in which he is held by the people. Circuit court clerks--W. R.
Waggoner, 1872-74; Dr. W. D. Frost, 1874-78; J. A. Norman, 1878 to June, 1880,
when he died; then B. H. Berry was appointed to fill vacancy. H. H. Neece, 1880
to present time. Sheriffs--J. A. Norman, 1872-78; H. S. Hudson, 1878--80; A. J. Travis,
1880-82; J. S. Hobbs, present incumbent, 1881. Registers--E. F. Brown, 1872-74, M. G.
Osborn, 1874-82; J. R. Brown, present incumbent, 1882. Tax collectors--W. J.
Taylor 872-74; E. F. Brown, 1874-76; J. A. Silvertooth (the trustee), 1876-82; B. E.
Spencer (trustee), 1882. Trustees--J. A. Silvertooth, 1872-82; B. E. Spencer, the present
incumbent, 1882. Clerk and master--Dr. E. Y. Salmon, 1870; W. A. Frost, 1880-84; R. B.
Parks, present incumbent, 1884 to ___. Coroner-R. C. Hall, 1872-73; H. B. Morgan,
present incumbent, 1873 to ___.
The following table shows the amount of taxes
charged on the tax duplicates for the several years since the organization of the county,
for county purposes, and the total amount charged for all purposes:
| County. | Total. |
| 1872 | $3,863.29 | 7,726.59 |
| 1873 | 5,022.17 | 13,307.68 |
| 1874 | 2,953.20 | 11,265.81 |
| 1875 | 3,091.55 | 10,852.87 |
| 1876 | 1,984.36 | 8,962.91 |
| 1877 | 2,158.48 | 6,410.10 |
| 1878 | 2,358.97 | 6,057.07 |
| 1879 | 2,215.88 | 5,940.79 |
| 1880 | 2,461.13 | 6,131.12 |
| 1881 | 2,864 03 | 8,088.53 |
| 1882 | 2,418.30 | 6,684.89 |
| 1883 | 2,938.35 | 8,654.74 |
| 1884 | 3,458.63 | 9,393.21 |
| 1885 | 3,946.82 | 8,685.02 |
The indebtedness of the county for
current expenses is about $1,000, and for balance due for the court house
$1,431. The levy on the duplicate of 1886 will be about sufficient to liquidate
the latter, thus leaving the county in a very good financial condition,
Prior to the year 1882 the general
elections in the territory composing the county, for State and National purposes,
were controlled by the old counties, the same as though Moore County had never been
organized. In 1882, after the census of 1880 had been published, and Moore County was
recognized in redistricting the State, it held its first election for officers of the
legislature. At the presidential election in 1884, the vote in the county stood as
follow: For Cleveland, 906;
Blaine, 53; St. John, 5; Butler, 5.
According to the census of 1880 Moore County
contained the following number of inhabitants: White males, 2,766; white females,
2,691; colored males, 376; colored females, 355. Total white, 5,457; total colored,
731. Grand total, 6,188.
The county court is composed of the several
civil magistrates of the several civil districts of the county, and is presided over
by one of their number, whom they elect as a chairman. The county court clerk
and the sheriff are officers of this court. The court meets in quarterly sessions the
first Mondays of January, April, July and October. Quorum courts convene on the first
Mondays of each month. For the organization of this court and a sketch of its proceedings,
the reader is referred to the organization of the county, in which its history is
interwoven.
The first term of the circuit court was held
in the room used for court purposes in Lynchburg, beginning on the third Monday of June,
1872, the time fixed by act of the General Assembly of the State. W. P. Hickerson,
judge in the Sixth Judicial District, of which Moore County forms a part, presided.
The court was opened by proclamation made by J. A. Norman, sheriff. Whereupon W. R.
Waggoner, clerk-elect, produced to the court his certificate of election and filed his
bonds as required by law, and was duly sworn into office. J. W. Byrom, clerk of the
county court, then officially certified the names of twenty-four “householders and
freeholders” of the county, appointed by said county court at its June term, 1872,
out of which the circuit court should select a grand jury. And out of the number so
certified the following named persons were selected as the first grand jury of Moore
County, viz.: J. T. Motlow, J. H. Taylor, B. F. Womach, Jacob Tipps, J. E. Spencer,
J. W. Franklin, Wm. Tolley, J. L. Ashby, A. M. Prosser, P. G. Prosser, J. M. Byrom,
J. J. Burt and J. F. Leach. Wm. Tolley was made foreman. H.S. Hudson and Wm. Cooper
were appointed constables to wait upon the court. W. H.Allen and E. S. N. Bobo each
presented his license as an attorney at law, and was admitted to the bar. The first
cause of action in this court was Pique, Manier and Hall
vs. John Read, to recover
a judgment of $249.15 rendered by F. P. Fulton. a justice of the peace. The case was tried,
and the court decreed that the land of the defendant be sold to satisfy the said judgment
and costs. The grand jury, after having retired to inquire into “indictable
offenses,” etc., returned into court an indictment against Jeff Berry (colored)
for assault, and four presentments against other offenders, to wit, Calvin Shofner,
James Simpson, Daniel Downing and Hiles Blythe, for “carrying pistols.” And
thus ended the business of the first term of the circuit court.
At the next term, the court ordered that the
first Monday of each term be fixed “as State’s day for the county.”
Jeff Berry, colored, was then tried for assault by the first petit jury of “good
and lawful men of the county,” viz.: J. D. Smith, Wm. Richardson, W. A.
Hobbs, A. C. Cobble, N. Boone, K. J. Bobo, E. J. Chambers, John N. Morehead, Will.
Copeland, Wm. Waller, Henderson Gilbert, and Walter Holt. The defendant was found
guilty, and fined $5 and costs.
At this term, T. P. Flack, who professed to be
an attorney at law, was arraigned for larceny. The attorney-general, being related to him,
declined to prosecute, whereupon the court appointed Hon. W. D. L. Record attorney-general
pro tem to prosecute the defendant. Wricketts was then arraigned and tried for
“horse stealing and larceny.” He was found guilty, and was sentenced to jail
and penitentiary for five years. At the February term, 1873, of this court, the grand jury
found a true bill against Wesley Speck for the murder of John Jean. The defendant
was tried, found guilty, and sentenced to twenty years in the penitentiary. An appeal
was taken to the supreme court, where the sentence was affirmed. After serving for
a few years the defendant was released by executive clemency. At the February term, 1885,
Jordan Whitaker, colored, was tried for the murder of John Kiser, colored. The jury found
the prisoner “guilty of murder in the first degree, with mitigating
circumstances,” and fixed his penalty at imprisonment in the penitentiary for
life. Whereupon the attorney-general, A. B. Woodard, and Judge Williams joined in
suggesting to the governor that sentence ought to be commuted to twenty years instead
of for life. Also at this term James Silvertooth, marshal of the town of Lynchburg,
was indicted for the murder of Bird Millsap. He asked for and obtained a change of
venue to the Lincoln County Circuit Court, where he was tried and acquitted, on the
ground that he committed the act in self defense. These are the principal criminal
cases that have been brought in this court.
In the year 1875 there were 87 prosecutions
for carrying pistols, 8 for assault and battery, and 7 for disturbing public meetings.
In 1885, ten years later, there were 21 prosecutions for carrying pistols, 5 for assault
and battery, and 3 for disturbing public meetings; thus showing that crime is on the
decrease. Judge W. P. Hickerson presided over this court, either in person or by proxy,
from its organization up to and including Its October term, 1877, and Judge J. J.
Williams, the present incumbent, has presided over it since.
The first term of the chancery court was held
in the court room at Lynchburg,. beginning on the fourth Monday of July, 1872, with
Hon. A. S. Marks, chancellor, presiding. The court was opened in due form by Sheriff
John A. Norman. Dr. E. Y. Salmon was appointed clerk and master, and filed his bond,
to “safely keep the records of said office and faithfully
discharge the duties thereof,” and took the oath of office. He also filed a bond
to faithfully collect and, account for fines, taxes, etc., and another as special
commissioner and receiver. There being no other business the court adjourned to “term
in course.
At the next term of this court William Thomison and
others filed a petition for a turnpike road from Lynchurg to Prosser and Sullivan’s
store, in Moore County, a distance of about six miles. A number of the petitioners were then
named and appointed a body politic and corporate, by name of The Lynchburg & West
Mulberry Turnpike Company. The capital stock was divided into shares of $95 each.
At this term, December, 1872, the charter of the town of Lynchburg was amended so as to
enlarge its power and immunities. The first case brought in this court was“Lewis
Newson
vs. Mollie Neece and others.” At the October term, 1873, E. S. N.
Bobo, the county superintendent filed his report of the formation of school districts for
Moore County, numbering them from one to eleven; and the court declared each one an
incorporated town, with all the privilege conferred thereupon by law. At the June term,
1877, the members of the bar and visiting attorneys held a meeting, and passed resolutions
of condolence upon the death of Hon. Abe Frizzell, a member of the Moore County bar, who
died June 17, 1877. The first resolution reads as follows: “That in the death of
Abe Frizzell this bar and community have lost a member, who in generosity of nature,
kindness of heart, and charitable conduct was without an equal, and one who loved his
neighbor better than himself. That while he had faults, they were so far outweighed by his
many distinguished virtues, that the first are lost in the splendor of the last.”
Judge Marks served as chancellor of this court from its organization to the close of the
June term, 1878. And from time to the close of the October term, 1883, Judge J. W. Burton
served as chancellor. And since then Hon. E. D. Hancock, the present chancellor has
officiated. R. B. Parks, the present obliging clerk and master was appointed in 1884.
Hon. Abe Frizzell was a member of the bar
from the organization of the county until his death, in 1877. He was an able lawyer
and fine business man. The following attorneys were all members of the bar at the
organization of the county: W. A. Cole, a young and studious lawyer, who moved to
Alabama some years ago; E. S. N. Bobo, who practiced until 1880, and then went into other
business; W. H. Allen, who practiced only a short time; James M. Travis, who practiced a
few years, and J. T. Galbreth, likewise; R. A. Parks, who now edits and publishes the
Lynchburg
Falcon, joined the bar soon after its organization, and has practiced
ever since; W. D. L. Record joined the bar at its inception, and has been a constant
practitioner ever since; R. E. L. Montcastle, a young and energetic attorney, joined
the bar in 1885. The latter three are now the only resident attorneys.
The citizens of the territory composing Moore
County have contributed their full share of soldiers to fight the battles of their country.
A few of the early settlers were survivors of the war of the Revolution, and some of them
served in the struggle of 1812, but it is impossible now to obtain an account of their
names and services. A few survivors of the Mexican and Florida wars still reside within
the county. Public excitement ran very high here at the outbreak of the late civil war.
Public meetings were held at Lynchburg, and at other points throughout the county, and
were addressed by Hon. Peter Turney and others, and the people were almost unanimously
in favor of a Southern Confederacy.
The first
company to enter the service was Company E, of the First Tennessee Confederate Infantry.
This company was raised at Lynchburg in March, 1861, and joined its regiment at Winchester
in the next month. The following is a list of the officers and privates who were mustered
into the service, together with the recruits: Officers--Dr. E. Y.Salmon, captain; T. H.
Mann, first lieutenant; C. W. Lucas, second lieutenant; W. F. Taylor, third lieutenant;
W. P. Tolley, first sergeant; J. P. Edde, second sergeants T. H. Parks, third sergeant;
J. N. Taylor, fourth sergeant; M. C. Parks, first corporal. J. H. Silvertooth, second
corporal; A. W. Womack, third corporal; F. W. Motlow, fourth corporal; W. B. Taylor, ensign.
Killed--Lieut. T. H. Mann, Sergt. J. P. Edde, Corp. J. H. Silvertooth, and Privates
William T. K. Green, B. W. Shaw, B. R. Bobo, T. E. Brown, J. J. Lucas, J. W. Stockstill,
John McCulley, W. M. Jones, W. A. Dillingliam, J. F Metcalf, J. T Hunter, C. M. Wade,
William F. Morris, F. G. Motlow. Clay Hoskins and J. S. Green. Wounded--Lieut. W. F.
Taylor, Sergt. W. P. Tolley, Sergt. J. N. Taylor and Privates M. L. Parks, A. F. Eaton,
B. H. Berry, R. H. Crawford, O. J. Bailey, S. W. Edens, W.H. Hutchenson. George Jones,
T. C. Spencer, T. D. Gregory, B. A. W. I,. Norton, J. H. Brandon, M. A. L. Enochs,
John Gray, and Alex. Bailey. Ensign W. B. Taylor and Private M. V. Hawkins each lost
an arm, and Private Joseph S. Hobbs lost a leg. Died--Corp. A. W. Womack, Privates John
W. Brown, W. C. Kirtland, W. H. Waggoner, David Roberson, W. A. Strawn, J.
C. C.
Felps, John R. Cates, F. D. Bedford, J. C. Jenkins, William F. Scivally, John D. Hinkle,
F. A. Thurman, and Olla Overby.
The following
are those who passed through the war without being wounded: Capt. E. Y. Salmon, Lieuts.
C. W. Lucas, and A. F. Eaton, Sergt. T. H. Parks, Corp. M. C. Parks, Corp. F. W. Motlow,
T. J. Allison, M. L. Parks, Jr., T. J. Eaton, C. D. Williams, Z.Motlow, J. K. Bobo,
Anderson Edens, A. H. Parks, S. E. H. Dance, C. W. Felps, T. A. Chapman, J. M. Rhoton,
F. P. Brown, W. C. Jones J. R. Strawn, J. S. Hubbard, W. M. Miles, W. A. Parks, J. W.
Robinson, J. P. Rives, J. S. Kirtland, Joseph Miles, J. R. Mullins, Jacob Mullins,
Williiam M. Cowan, M. R. Cobbs, J. M. Shaw, W. M. Pearce, S. C. Tucker, James H.
Holman, W. B. Daniel, F. Motlow, William M. Banks, Frank Edens, Sanford Stewart.
Officers after reorganization were W. P.
Tolley, captain; T. H. Mann, first lieutenant: O. J. Bailey, second lieutenant; A.
F. Eaton, third lieutenant. Capt. Tolley was wounded and retired, and Lieut. Mann
was promoted to the captaincy, and at his death Lieut. Bailey was promoted to the
captaincy and held it to the close of the war. Lieut. Lucas resigned during the
first year of the war, and his place was filled by the election of Private A. H.
Parks.
Company D, First Tennessee,
Confederate States Army, was organized at Ridgeville in March, 1861, and joined
its regiment at Winchester the next month. Its captain, N. L. Simpson, died during
the war, and John Bevel then became captain. First lieutenant ____ Awalt;
lieutenants, William Davis, Thomas Baggett, Nat Norvell; Tuck Hill, Thomas Davis,
Allen Pogue, Jacob Mitchell, Ben George, Henry Driver, Giles Powers and Thomas
Taylor were among the killed in the service. Capt. John Bevel, Lieut. H. J.
Byrom, Alex Reedy, John Clark, were among the wounded. J. W. Byrom lost left hand. R. H.
Anthony, William Lewis and Isaac Mitchell each lost a leg. Thomas Reedy. John Clark,
wounded; ____ Tribble, Olla Overby and Ezekiel Shasteen died in the service. Lieuts.
John Tribble and Monroe Farris, and Privates Thomas Rogers, James Allen, Thomas Anderson,
Tobe Anderson, Milt. Byrom, James Bailey, R. S. Anthony, Rev. William Anthony, chaplain
of the regiment, L. A. Rogers, Larkin Rogers, Benjamin Shasteen, H. W. Farris, Joseph
Pogue, George Sanders, William Fanning, Wes. Fanning, Watch Cook, William Jones, Dick
Jones, James A. Sanders, A. A. Davis, E. J. Chambers, Henry McGivens, G. Raney, W.
Weaver, George Weaver, Ben Hutton, James Hutton, E. Brown. Toliver Hendricks, John
Hendricks, Turner Childs, Dr. ____ Childs, R. A. Overby, H. C. Bolen, Joseph Bolin,
___ Smith, John McKinzie, John Strong, John Cobble, William and Robert Majors, H. Pilot
and Gabriel Lewis--all are supposed to have served to the cllose of the war. The
information concerning this company were given by county court clerk, J. W. Byrom,
who gave it to the best of his recollection.
Company H, Eighth Tennessee Confederate
States Army, was raised by Capt. William L. Moore from this and adjoining counties,
and consisted of 104 men. When the regiment was organized Capt. Moore was elected
lieutenant-colonel, and William J. Thrash, was made captain of the company. The
company was organized with its regiment at Camp Trousdale, in Sumner County, May
29, 1861. The following named persons enlisted from what is now Moore County:
Benjamin Morgan, Frank Johnson, Lieut. J. G. Call, W. L. Davidson, W. H. Martin,
Joseph Stacy, P. Y. Mitchell, Alexander Brady and John Reese, all of whom were
killed in the service. And L. A. Farrer, W. J. Taylor, Nat. S. Forrester, Lieut.
John Sullivan, Berry Leftwich, Brittain Carragan, P. A. Raby, Lieut. John D.
Tolley, H. L. W. Boon, Alex. Crane, Stephen Johnson, M. M. Dean, Wilson Call
and John Raby, all of whom were wounded. And James and Rufus Morehead, both of
whom died in the service. The following are supposed to have served to the
close of the war: Albert H. Boon, Joseph Broughton, Wiley H. and John S.
Carrigan, Jas. H. C. Duff, John Eslick, Isaac V. Forrester, Enoch Glidewell,
Geo. C. Logan, H. D. Lipscomb, W. M. Montgomery Geo. F. Miller, E. M. Ousley,
B. H. Rives, John C. Raney; John B. and Robt. F. Steagall, John B. Thomasson,
Daniel J., George A., Geo. W., Sr., Geo. W., Jr., Felix M. Daniel N., George H.,
Felix, Henry A., and Riky Waggoner, Edward D. and James W. Whitman, Wm. A.
Woodard, Elijah W. Yates, Benj. Broughton, Green B. Ashby, W. N. Bonner,
Isaac Evans, W. R. Evans, Geo. W. Gattis, Sr., J. H. Leftwich, Jacob C.
Morgan, Jas. F. Massey, J. F. M. Mills, Ellis Mills, F. M. Moyers, Jas.
W. Mitchell, Jas. Marr, Jas. M. Major, Wm. Norvall, John Owens, E. B.
Raby, Jos. M. Sebastian, Stephen P. Wiles, John C. Waid, W. H. Webb.
Company C, Fourth Confederate Infantry,
was raised by Capt. J. W. Smith, with headquarters at Ridgeville, and consisted of
over 100 men. It joined its regiment at Knoxville in July, 1861. It was raised
wholly within the territory now belonging to Moore County. Capt. Smith has kindly
furnished us the following list of names of members composing his company: James Osborn,
James Cobble, Henry Farrar, James Jackson, John Graves, John Steagall, T. W. Steagall,
George Shasteen, Alfred Travis, Joseph Rose, Thomas Pearson, T. Roberson, M. J. Brown,
Robert Brown and Tom Shasteen--all of whom were killed in the service. And Marion
Bedford, M. A. and W. B. Couser, S. Dillingham, John Eaton, Robert Farmer, James Gore,
H. Gore, John Byrom, George Damron, H. Nelson, Samuel Rolan, Thomas Raney, H. Rosenberger,
J. F. Mitchell, J. Hammontree and Polk Nix--all of whom were wounded. And William
Brannon, J. A. Cobb, Enoch Garner, Davis Marshall, Javan Nelson, John Buchanan, P.
Osborn, William Runnells, Allen Revis, A. Shasteen, Ed. Rose, C. L. Parks and N. M.
Ivey--all of whom died in the service. A. Cummins, James Osborn and James Burt were
discharged on account of disability. And Capt. J. W. Smith, Lieuts. G. W. Byron, D.
P. Muse and R. Simpson, and Sergt. S. J. Shasteen and the following non-commissioned
officers and, privates: S. W. Anderson, D. G. Branch, George and Samuel Brown, W. M.
Browning, D. R. Bedford, J. R. Bolin. A. W. and E. A. Cobble, E. Bolin, J. P. Damron,
D. Ellis, William Evans Henry Fullmore, J. C. Gobble, Stephen Hanes, Doll Byrom, Henry
Miles, Isaac Dannel, Henry Ivey, Tom Graves, Tom Muse, William Curle, Sam Ray, M.
Runnells, Doe Runnells, William Shasteen, Elijah and Jacob Shasteen, H. and R.
Smith, Ralph Gray, R. Riddle, J. Pardon, Dan Baker, Levi Lawson, Stephen and John
Pilant, Sam Parks, Henry Bevell, J. Y. Price, J. Hendricks, James and William Travis,
A. J. Parks, J. J., William and M. and C. Tankesley, W. W. and Alfred Burt, E. Brown,
Jack Ivey, James Hudgens, James Rodgers, William Smith, George Tipps, Joe Ford, H. M.
Bean, M. Holt, N. Thompson, W. M. Tucker, J. Timms and J. R. Parks--all served to the
close of the war.
Company G, Forty-first
Tennessee Confederate Infantry, was raised in the vicinity of Marble Hill by C. H.
Bean, who was its original captain. Sergt. J. M. Waggoner has kindly furnished us the
following roll of officers and men: Captain, W. E. Murrel; lieutenants, W. N. Taylor,
G. S. Tipps (killed) and H; H. Johnson; sergeants, J. J. Matlock, A. Smith, G. Hall
and J. M. Waggoner; corporals, G. W. Davis, R. C. Hinds, J. Hill, W. H. Noah and G. W.
Reneger. Privates, Conner Awalt, E. M. Bean, J. W. Bowling, J. B. Benson, Wm. and Abe
Brazzelton, Nick Copeland, Fletch Church, James Cooper, H. Church, Jesse and James
Ethridge, W. C. Grant, T. H. Hall, Zib Frily, Rich Groves, Richard Hill, Jack Hall, J.
F. Hall, 1. H. Hall, T. J. Hise, J. K. Higgenbotham, J. H. Higgenbotham. S. M. Lewis,
Samuel Morris, J. M. Mayes, George McClure (killed), Z. R. Murrel. F. M. McCoy, John
Morris, J. M. McKinzie, P. J. Noab, M. Powers, H. G. Renegar, W. C. Roach, G. R.
Scivalley, J. V. Scivalley, G. W. Syler, J. N. Scivalley. S. W. Smith, Kit Smith,
Pen Sandredg. John Tipps, J. F. Tipps, J. C. Tipps, W. J. Tipps, C. M. Taylor, J.H.
Vanzant, Izaac Vanzant,W. M. Wiseman, R. C. Wiseman, J. T. Wiseman (killed), M. G.
Waggoner, G. W. Wicker, J. M. Woods, W. D. Young, M. V. Wiseman.
Company A, Forty-first Tennessee Confederate
Infantry, Capt. James, was partially raised in the vicinity of Charity, and the following
is a list of names of those who joined it from the territory now belonging to Moore County.
Lieut. H. B. Morgan, who lost his left arm at the battle of Franklin, H. H. Neece
lost right arm at Atlanta. Lieutenant L. Leftwich, Henry Davidson, J. C. Davidson killed at
Franklin, Mart Collier, J. R., T. M. and Robt. Rees, J. B. Rainey, M. A. Prosser, Wash Cox,
Joseph Brock, Nat and M. B. Rees, and Thos. Albright.
The following named persons joined
Forrest’s escort, which organized at Shelbyville in the fall of 1862, and joined
the army at Murfreesboro after its return from Kentucky: F. G. Motley, S. J. Green and
W. T. K. Green, killed in the service; W. F. Taylor, received seven wounds; Lieut.
John Eaton and Privates J. N. Taylor, T. J. Eaton, D. R. Bedford, D. H. Call, E. Clark,
T. M. Dance, M. A. L. Enochs, C. W. Lucas, and Orderly Sergt. M. L. Parks were among those
who served to the end of the war without being wounded. This command served under Gen.
Forrest during the war, and surrendered May 10, 1865, at Gainesville, Ala.
In 1862 Samuel Dillingham, of Confederate fame,
while at Cumberland Gap visited a distillery, and filled a canteen with “Mountain
Dew.” He corked it tight, and sent it home, and afterward declared that when the
next Democratic President was elected he intended to uncork it. Accordingly, in May, 1886,
he turned it over to a select committee, consisting of H. B. Morgan, J. Y. Price and
W. W. Holt; and on Saturday, June 13, following, due notice having been given, the
committee, after appropriate remarks had been made by H. B. Morgan, uncorked the
canteen in presence of a large audience in the court house.
Drs. Dancer and Taylor inspected the contents and pronounced it old bourbon,
of the genuine article.
The people of the territory composing
this county suffered great loss during the late civil war, and lived in constant fear
of death from marauding parties and bushwhackers. Being a rich agricultural district
it was constantly preyed upon by foraging parties sent out from the armies stationed at
these points. It is hardly probable that any county in the State of Tennessee
furnished more, if as many, soldiers in the late civil war as did Moore County, or
rather, the territory now composing it, in proportion to its population.
Thomas Roundtree, who lived in the log house
on the lot where Dr. E. Y. Salmon now resides, was the original proprietor of the lands
on which Lvnchburg is located. He laid out the town about the year 1818, and, as the
famous beech tree, used as a lynching post, where early offenders were punished, stood
over the spring near his house, he very appropriately named the town Lynchburg. Lots
were laid out and numbered on the street south of the court house. and sold at public
sale; but, no records having been preserved, it is impossible to give date of sale and
names of purchasers. For the early settlement of the town and its first business interest,
the reader is referred to “early settlements.” It being a rural town,
without an outlet for its commerce, its growth has been generally slow. Lynchburg was
incorporated by an act of the General Assembly of the State, at its session in 1841-42.
The charter was amended in 1872, by the Chancery Court of ’Moore County, in
conformity with an act of 1870-71, Chapter 54, Section 1, and follow ing. It was so
amended as to confer all the rights and privileges, powers and immunities conferred
upon municipal corporations, from Sections 1358 to 1399 inclusive, of Thomson and
Steger’s Code. The early ordinances and record of proceedings of the municipal
authorities were destroyed in the fire of 1883. The revised ordinances, now in force,
were adopted January 12, 1885, and published in the
Falcon of January 16, 1885.
Within a few years, about the time of the organization of Moore County, the population
of Lynchburg more than doubled. The fact of its becoming a county seat gave it an
impetus to improve. In 1874 it contained five dry goods houses, whose signs read Parks,
Eaton & Co., Hiles & Alexander, J. L. Brvant & Co., D. B. Holt, M. N.
Moore & Co.; one drug store, Salmon & Frost; three drinking saloons;.two
good flouring-mills, under the firm names of Hiles & Berry, Womack, Dance
& Co.; two planing-mills, Spencer & Co. and Bobo & Steagall; one
tannery, by M. L. Parks; the boot and shoe shop of M. T. Allen; the saddle and harness
factory of Stafford & Cummins; one cooper-shop, by Colsher Bros.; a tin-shop;
two wagon-shops, and three blacksmith-shops.
In December, 1883, a fire broke out, which
consumed a large portion of the town, including the old Christian Church,
then owned and used by the county as a court house. The town has been rebuilt
and the business reestablished. In 1867 Womack, Dance & Co. erected a cotton-mill
with a capacity of over 300 spindles. It required about a dozen hands to run it, and
did a flourishing business until 1870, when it burned down. Then in 1871 the flouring
mills now owned by Dance & Waggoner were erected on the same site.
Dr. S. E. H. Dance commenced the practice of
medicine here in 1856, and still continues. And Dr. E. Y. Salmon, whose biography
appears elsewhere in this work, began practicing here in 1857. Dr. J. N. Taylor began
the practice in April, 1872, and is still in practice.
The societies at present are Lincoln Lodge,
No. 50, I. 0. 0. F., which has a charter dated May 14, 1849. Jas. McBride, W. C.
Byron, Thos. J. Lindley, J. A. Silvertooth and W. F. Smith, were the members
named in the charter. The lodge has a membership of thirty-five, and is in a
flourishing condition.
Lynchburg Lodge, No. 318, F. & A. M.,
has a charter dated December 5, 1866. The officers named in the charter are J. T.
Motlow, W. M.; E. Y. Salmon, S. W. ; and D. L. Enochs, J. W. There are about
twenty-five members belonging to the lodge at the present writing, “who dwell
together in peace and harmony.”
The first newspaper published in the
county was the
Moore County Pioneer. It was established at Lynchburg
in 1872 by James R. Russ, who continued its publication until near the close
of 1874, when it suspended. The Lynchburg Sentinel, W. W. Gordon, editor,
was established in April, 1874, the first number being issued on the third
day of that month. Mr. Gordon continued to edit and publish the paper until
December, 1878, when he sold it to Mr. W. A. Frost, who continued its
publication until it was burned out in the great fire of 1883.
The first number of the Lynchburg
Falcon, R. A. Parks, editor and proprietor, was published February
15, 1884. It is a good county paper, well patronized, and satisfied the
demands of the people. The press of Moore County has been ably edited,
and has always been, as it now is now, Democratic in politics.
Dr. J. N. Taylor, the present
able and obliging postmaster in Lynchburg, has the honor of being the
first postmaster appointed under the new administration by Postmaster-General
Vilas. His commission dates early in April, 1885. At present writing (June, 1886)
Lynchburg contains the following business houses: J. L. Bryant & Co.,
general store and millinery store-the latter superintended by Mrs. M. J. Morgan;
Dr. S. E. H. Dance & Son, drugstore; Parks & Evans, saloon;
Billingsley & Bailey, general store; Parks, Tavlor & Co.,
general store; Waggoner & Houghton, general store; Tolley & Eaton,
wholesale liquor dealers, warehouse; Tolley & Bedford, pork, packers;
Mcdowell & Son, undertakers; M. F. McGregor, carriage manufacturer;
Warren & Co., blacksmith-shop; J .H. Warren, wagonmaker; J. W. Stafford,
saddles and harness; W. J. Walker, and George Daniel, colored boot and shoe shops;
Wash. Chrisman, colored, barber-shop; Dance & Waggoner, merchant mills;
Jack Daniels, distillery; G. G. Mitchell, tannery; Colsher Bros., cooper-shop;
Allison & Moore, first-class livery, sale and feed stable,. Tbe town has two
good hotels, one conducted by Mrs. McClellan and the other by Mrs. Salmon. There are
two good schools and five churches--one Primitive Baptist, one Methodist Episcopal
South, one Christian, and two colored churches, one Methodist and the other Christian.
The population is about 350. The municipal officers are R. A. Parks, mayor; J. T.
Bickley, recorder; M. L. Parks, treasurer; A. R. Hinkle, T. F. Roughton, S. M.
Alexander, W. H. Colsher, aldermen; H. R. Blythe, town marshal.
The first house in Marble Hill was built
by Allen Johnson, about 1835. It stood alone about ten years, and has been occupied,
in order of time, by Allen Johnson, John J. Angel, Dr. Thomison, Mrs. Cole and Jacob
Tipps, the present occupant. The first business house was built by Allen Johnson
about 1844. About 1855 three other business houses, general stores, were erected
by Robert Wiseman and John Whitfield, Wm. Whitfield and Isaac Parks. Also, there
were erected two saddlery-shops, two shoe-shops, two blacksmith shops --one of the
latter was run by Thomas & John Graves, the other by “Pink” Cole.
Over a dozen dwelling houses were built about the same time (1855). R. Richardson
& Co. have erected the only business house since the war. There are two churches,
one large schoolhouse, two doctors, Drs. Ferass and Tripp. The town was nearly
destroyed during the war. County Line contains one distillery (Tolley & Eaton’s),
one school, two churches, two general stores, a blacksmith-shop and postoffice.
Ridgeville contains one general store, one school, one church and a blacksmith-shop.
Charity contains One general store, two churches and a blacksmith-shop.
The early settlers of the territory
composing Moore County had, in common with the early settlers of all new counties,
very meager opportunities for educating their children. No free public schools were
then established. The country was a vast wilderness, which had to be cleared and
subdued in order to furnish homes and provisions for the pioneer, his wife and
children. They had to labor hard, and had but little time which they could devote
to the education of their children. There were a few schoolteachers among the early
settlers who taught private subscription schools. They would contract with the parents
to teach their children a specified time for a stipulated price, usually agreeing to
teach spelling, reading, writing and arithmetic--rarely anything more. Those who
could afford it sent their children to these schools, and those who could not had to
raise their children with scarcely any educational advantages.
As time rolled on, and the country developed,
small academics were established at a few villages, and later a meager school system
was inaugurated by the State, and finallv the present system of free schools, which
promises efficiency in the future, was formulated and established. Among the early
teachers we may mention Andrew Walker, William Bedford, Mr. Bird and William Burdge.
The two latter taught school on the old Taylor place, near the present residence of
Uncle Jack Taylor. William Pegram was a later teacher. The old school-masters kept
order and enforced obedience with the rod. Uncle Jack Taylor was a pupil of Andrew
Walker, and the latter whipped twenty-four boys in his school in one day--all the
boys except two, Uncle Jack being one of the latter.
The Lynchburg Male and Female
Institute was chartered by an act of the General Assembly of the State,
passed January 24,1870. J. T. S. Dance, D. B. Holt, Dr. S. E. H. Dance,
M. N. Moore and J. A. Silvertooth were named therein as charter members
of the association. This school opened soon after receiving its charter,
and has always been well sustained by the people. It has had an average
attendance of from 80 to 100 pupils, and has had as high as 150 at one
time. It is deservedly popular, and is doing excellent educational work.
The school year consists of two sessions of five months each. It has
generally had two teachers; Prof. W. W. Daffron is the present able
principal. He is assisted by Miss Rosa Tolley, who is also a successful
teacher. This institute is controlled a board of trustees, the members of
which are elected annually. The school building, which is large and
commodious. is very pleasantly located on the east bank of the Mulberry,
just above the town. This school is an outgrowth of the academy which was
established there several years before the late civil war. The building was
erected in 1856, and enlarged in about 1866. Prior to the war, and up to the date of
its charter, as the “Lynchburg Male and Female Institute,” the
school was conducted as an academy, and it is one of the few schools in this part
of the State that did not suspend its sessions during the war.
The Lynchburg Normal School was chartered
by an act of the General Assembly of the State. The charter is dated June 25, 1885,
and the charter members are John D. Tolley, J. T. Motlow, T. J. Eaton, Dr. J. N.
Taylor, C. M. Wilson, Dr. S. E. H. Dance, Dr. E. Y. Salmon and M. N. Parks.
This school opened on the first Monday
of August, 1885, with about forty-five pupils. Prof. T. W. Estill is the principal,
and Miss Lura L. Motlow, teacher of music. The school year consists of two sessions of
five months each. The Lynchburg Normal School is centrally located, and is the young
rival of the Lynchburg Male and Female Institute, and is making laudable efforts to excel
the latter, if possible, in educational work. It has been well sustained and patronized
during its first year’s work. Persons desiring to locate in a healthy, rural town,
with first-class educational facilities, can not do better than to locate at Lynchburg.
To show the present condition of the schools of Moore County, is appended the following
items from the county superintendent’s report for the year ending June 30, 1885:
Scholastic population, between the ages of six and twenty-one years--white males, 976;
white females, 962; colored males, 140; colored females, 104. Total, 2,182. Number of
pupils enrolled during the year-white males, 710; white females, 627; colored males,
74; colored females, 65. Total, 1,476. Average daily attendance-white, 924; colored,
82. Total, 1,006. Number of schools in the county--white, 25; colored, 4. Total,29.
School districts, 16; consolidated schools, 2. (These latter are the Lynchburg Male
and Female Institute and the Lynchburg Normal School.) Receipts of school funds for
the year, $3,348.18; expenditures for the same time, $3,193.13. Number of teachers
employed--white males, 17; white females 14; colored males 5. Total, 36.
Average compensation of teachers per
Mouth, $25.35. By reference to the foregoing it will be observed that only
two-thirds of the scholastic population attend school, and less than one-half are in
daily attendance. There are seven frame and twelve log schoolhouses in the county.
The religious history of the territory
composing this county began with its first settlers. Among them were pioneer
ministers who began to labor in the ֻLord’s vineyard” when they struck
the first blow to erect their log cabins in which to shelter their families.
A Mr. Adams, Hardy Holman, John Whittaker, Levi Roberts and Aldrich Brown were
ministers and Christian workers among the first settlers, who began their labors,
both physical and spiritual, with full faith that God would reward their efforts.
The Christian workers among the first
settlers seem to have been Primitive Baptists and Episcopal Methodists. The former
erected the first church within the territory composing this county in the year 1812
or 1813. It was a log structure located at the place known as Bethel, a short
distance above Lynchburg. Anthony and Thomas Crawford, James Clark, Champion Bly,
William Smith and his son, William, were members of this church.
About 1814 a Methodist Episcopal
Church, “Wesley Chapel,” was built at “Enoch’s Camp
Ground.” And soon thereafter the Allen Church was erected about one and
a half miles below Lynchburg. The Baptists established a church at County Line
about the year 1820, and Brannon’s Methodist Episcopal Chapel was erected
about the same time, and later the Olive Branch Methodist Episcopal Church was
erected. Revs. Joseph Smith, Lem Brannon and Stephen M. Dance were among the
pioneer Methodist ministers.
The Ebenezer Church near Marble Hill
and the Union Church about five miles southeast of Lynchburg, both belonging to the
Evangelical Lutherans, were organized about 1826, and the church of the same
denomination at Pleasant Hill was organized about 1845. Rev. William Jenkins
was the principal worker in the organization of these churches. He was assisted
in pastoral work by Revs. John and Benjamin Scivally and Richard Stephens, who
were prominent among the pioneer preachers. The Waggoners, Scivallys, Awalts
and Beans were early members of these churches. Services are continued at these
three churches, Rev. L. R. Massey, a resident minister, and others officiating.
Before many church edifices were erected
the people of all denominations met at the old camp grounds, near the sparkling
waters of some noted spring, and there in the cool shade of the forest mingled
their devotions to Him through whose care they had been enabled to endure and
overcome the hardships of pioneer life. As the country developed and more
churches were erected the camp-meetings were finally discontinued.
The first Christian Church in the
county was built in Lynchburg in 1849 and dedicated in June of that year by Elder
S. E. Jones. This building stood on the present Public Square and was purchased by
the county soon after its organization, and used as a courthouse until it burned
down in 1883. The first regular ministers of this church were Elders T. W. Brents
and Calvin R. Darnall. Since the late civil war Elder Thomas J. Shaw has been and
still continues the regular minister. The first members of this church were Thomas
J. Shaw and wife, E. H. Womack and wife, Nancy C. and Eliza Womack, W. P. Bobo and
wife, B. H. Berry, R. B. Parks, James McBride, T. E. Simpson and wife, and Sarah J.
Simpson.
The Christian Church at County Line
was erected in 1877, and dedicated the same year by Elders Wm. H. Dixon and C. M.
Crawford. The new Christian Church in Lynchburg was dedicated September 26, 1875,
by Elder Thomas J. Shaw. The Methodist Episcopal Church at Lynchburg was established
in 1872. The first trustees were J. T. S., J., W. M. and S. E. H. Dance, J. B. Price
and B. M. Edens. The ministers have been G. W. Anderson, J. P. Funk, W. C. Collier,
T. H. Hinson, G. W. Winn, J. W. Bell and the present pastor T. L. Darnall. When this
church was established, it had a membership of about forty, which has increased to
about ninety. The Methodist Episcopal Churches now in the county are--the one just
described, one at Marble Hill, Brannon’s Chapel on Coffee Creek, one at
Pleasant Hill, Smith’s Chapel, Friendship and Wiseman’s Chapel. The
Missionary Baptists have a church at Charity. The Baptists, one at County Line,
one at Chestnut Ridge and the Hurricane Church. The Cumberland Presbyterians have
one church, Moore’s Chapel, recently established near Charity. The Christians
have a church at County Line and one at Liberty Hill. The Primitive Baptist Churches
are Bethel, Harbor and Mulberry. There are three colored churches in the county, one
Methodist Episcopal and two Christian.
