Blount County TNGenWeb

 

In the month of March, 1867, the worst flood ever known in the Tennessee valley swept down the Tennessee River, doing damage into the millions. All the lowlands near the river were inundated and the water backed even for miles up the valley and low places. The river at Louisville rose to the height of forty-two and one-half feet. To make it plainer to the reader what that height means -will say that the water stood eight inches deep on the floor of the Methodist Church and C. R. Love (Dick) ran a canoe up through the isle of the church in one door and out of the other and the sights seen on the river were a wonderful sight. Houses, barns, haysheds, railroad bridges, lumber, logs, and in fact, almost everything that would float went by.

 

Now, the cause of this extraordinary tide was that there had been heavy snowfalls during the past month, and the mountains to the north and east were fully covered with snow. The weather turned warm, and heavy rains began to fall, melting the snow, and the whole thing turned loose at once, almost like a cloudburst, and a number of houses in the town were tied to nearby trees to keep them from floating off. All the fences were swept away. There were no wire fences in those days, and the wooden fences were all lost. Kennedy’s warehouse at the river went off. Saffell’s warehouse was only saved by the weight of the grain stored there, which was all ruined. When the waters abated, and the mud dried up, which was nearly two weeks, the people in the overflowed district had a serious job getting their houses and outbuildings righted and building new fences, and putting things in shape again to get down to business. Shortly after this, several new families came to our town. Aaron Love rented the Williston Cox farm and moved on it. Besides his wife, Mrs. Lucinda Love, there were three sons and five daughters. Aaron Love was a good farmer and a model citizen. His wife was a fine character and they enjoyed the friendship and confidence of the entire community. His oldest daughter, Nannie, married J. E. Heartsill, a son of Abram Heartsill. Mary Love married Abe Henderson, a son of Squire William Henderson, Robert H. Love married Nannie George, a daughter of J. M. George, previously mentioned in this work, and she is still living in Louisville, having survived her husband many years. The writer is proud to number them among his old-time friends. Soon after the Civil War.-Allen Underwood came to Louisville from Greene County. Among his children were John, Jim, and Tom, whom the writer was intimately acquainted with. Two grandsons, Frank and Dan Underwood, are still living in Louisville. Also one granddaughter, Mrs. Bart Robinson. Among others we call to mind were James W. Barnes, Andrew J. Dunn, Paton Gamble, William Colburn, Charles McGlaffin, James Tallent, and James W. Ferguson. Before leaving the old-time families, the writer wishes to beg to pay tribute to the memory of one of Allen Underwood’s grandsons, Robert Underwood, a son of Mr. and Mrs. John Underwood, who lost his life in the cloud burst at Harriman, Tennessee. But before being swept away by the angry waters.

 

Bob saved more than two score lives. Bob Underwood was a hero, and the people of Louisville honored his memory. The writer, especially, would call up the memory of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred L. McCarter, old-time citizens of the town. Alfred L. McCarter was a hard-working, industrious, kind-hearted citizen, and sympathetic, always ready to help in time of need. The same can be said of his sister, Margaret, wife of James Underwood. They were children of Jerry and Nancy McCarter, who lived in Louisville prior to the Civil War.-Dr. Sam H. Gault came to Louisville to practice his profession in the early 70’s and lived here for many years. Besides his wife, he had three children, one son and two daughters. He moved from here to Rogersville where he lived until death. E. G. Copey and family came to Louisville also, in the early 70’s. They originally came from New York State. Mr. Copley went into the marble business. His quarries were the ones at “Sheep Pen Bluffs”. Mr. Copley continued in this business until his death. He was a kind-hearted, sympathetic man and had many friends. The same can be said of all his family. Michael Miser moved to Louisville from Shady Grove, Blount County, bought a piece of land where Mr. Ballew now lives and built a home. He had three daughters and two sons.

 

The writer remembers Jerry Miser as one of his best friends of the olden days. Mary Miser married James Jefferies, a son of Thorton Jeffries, Jim Jeffries is still living and is totally blind. Phoebe Miser married Charles Logan, a son of Squire Alvin Logan, who was a respected citizen of Louisville for many years. These Miser married Jo Miller and we understand she is living at Melrose Springs. John L. Faulk near moved to Louisville from Jefferson County. He and a man by the name of Brooks went into the leather goods business, making harnesses, saddles, horse collars, etc. They had the shop in a building that stood on the southwest corner of the J. T. Love property on River Street. They had a fine business, as the farmers depended almost entirely on homemade things in those days. William Faulkner was the Superintendent of the Union Sunday School in the old Presbyterian Church for several years. He moved from Louisville to Maryville and entered the merchandise business with Mr. Walker under the firm name of Walker and Faulkner. John Wilburn came to Louisville in the early ’70s. He had two sons, William and Taylor, who are still inhabitants of the old town and are respected by all who know them. This applies, also, tb their families. Dr. E. Goetz moved to Louisville in the late 60’s. His family consisted of his wife and three daughters from a previous marriage. Their names were Matilda, Nettie, and Sophia. Dr. Goetz was a splendid physician, having studied his profession in Germany, where he was born. Dr. E. Goetz, Jr., who died recently in Knoxville, was born here in the house that Dr. S. S. Kittrell now owns. Another of the old-time families was J. B. Cummins. J. B. Cummins was an Alderman of the town back in the 50’s; was also Town Marshall at one time. His wife was a fine character and much respected. Mr. and Mrs. Cummins had three sons and three daughters. W. F. Cummins was a partner in the firm of J. B. Cummins and Son for a number of years and later on, taught the public schools in Louisville with Hugh M. Bonham and his assistant. He was at one time Superintendent of the Union Sunday School. He finally left Louisville and went to Knoxville, where he established the first music house in Knoxville, if not the first in East Tennessee. He finally went west and died in San Francisco a few years later. John Taylor Cummins married Adria Rogers, who lived about three miles below the town. Rev. Rogers was one of the old-time Methodist Circuit Riders of Antebellum days and was a Missionary to the Cherokee Indians and was serving such when they were sent to their homes in the “Indian Territory”, now Oklahoma. John Taylor Cummins died a few years ago and left a wife, four daughters, and one son. Another daughter of J. B. Cummins, Mary Cummins, married William J. Brown, son of the old-time blacksmith Jo Brown, previously mentioned. Will Brown was a personal friend of the writer and a good all-round citizen. He died several years since. His death was caused by cancer. Sarah Francis Cummins married John C. Snapp, a son of Samuel Snapp. who moved to Louisville from the upper part of the state shortly after the Civil War. Sam Snapp had a large family of boys and girls and added little to the pleasant society of the young people of Louisville.

 

John Snapp died in Bradley County a few years ago.   In the early 70’s there were three stores in Louisville. In the old Cox storehouse on Main Street, J. B. Cummins & Son were in the old Finley stand on the corner of the lot now owned by John R. Kennedy; this was at one time before the Civil War and occupied by Steel & Bros. This store building was on River Street. Samuel Snapp sold goods in the old Foster building on River Street. This building stood where John Harper’s store now stands. H. C. Saffell kept the river warehouse on the wharf and did a splendid business, receiving and shipping freight via steamboat. Jo Brown and Jo Cox (col) were the blacksmiths. J. M. George and James K. Orr were the wagon makers. A Heartsill had a furniture shop in the building now known as the Junior Order Hall. The mill at the east end of town was operated by Marion Thomas, a splendid, miller and a splendid citizen. I would like to dwell on Marion Thomas and his family, but space forbids it. George Ramsey operated the distillery on Lackey’s Creek on the property now owned by Mr. Smith. There were several saloons in the town.

 

Transportation on the river was at low tide in the early 70s; only an occasional boat came up to take the grain that was being accumulated in Saffell’s warehouse. The merchants had nearly all their goods brought in by wagons. In the spring of 1875, another tide swept the Tennessee Valley, doing, if anything, more damage than the big tide of 1867 because the improvements along the river were • very much in. an excess of 1867. And there were more building fences to destroy. This dreadful tide lacked two feet, being as high as the 1867 tide, reaching only to the height of 40^ feet here at Louisville, and drifts of all kinds swept by, the face of the tide being covered with it for several days and nights. Houses in the low part of town were again washed off their foundations and only saved from floating off by strenuous exertions. All fences were again lost. Saffell’s warehouse was saved again by heavyweights of rock. The writer well remembers this tide as he was nineteen years old at the time. He and Bishop Cummins did a fine business salvaging lumber and lots that circled in the backwater from the raging current further out, and others did the same thing. There have been a number of high tides on the river since the above dates, but none to compare with the great tides of 1867 and 1875. During the years 1875 and up to 1880, In the month of March 1867, the worst flood ever known in the Tennessee Valley swept down the Tennessee River, doing damage up into the millions. All the lowlands near the river were in undated and the water backed even for miles up the valley and low places.

 

The river at Louisville rose to the height of forty-two- and one-half feet. To make it plainer to the reader what that height means -will say that the water stood eight inches deep on the floor of the Methodist Church and C. R. Love (Dick) ran a canoe up through the isle of the church in one door and out of the other and the sights seen on the river were a wonderful sight. Houses, barns, haysheds, railroad bridges, lumber, logs, and in fact, almost everything that would float went by.

 

Now, the cause of this extraordinary tide was there had been heavy snowfalls during the past month, and the mountains to the north and east were fully covered with snow. The weather turned warm and heavy rains began to fall, melting the snow, and the whole thing turned loose at once, almost like a cloudburst and a number of houses in the town were tied to nearby trees to keep them from floating off. All the fences were swept away. There were no wire fences in those days and the wooden fences were all lost. Kennedy’s warehouse at the river went off. Saffell’s warehouse was only saved by the weight of the grain stored there, which was all ruined. When the waters abated, and the mud dried up, which was nearly two weeks, the people in the overflowed district had a serious job getting their houses and outbuildings righted and building new fences and putting things in shape again to get down to business. Shortly after this several new families came to our town. Aaron Love rented the Williston Cox farm and moved on it. Besides his wife, Mrs. Lucinda Love, there were three sons and five daughters. Aaron Love was a good farmer and a model citizen. His wife was a fine character and they enjoyed the friendship and confidence of the entire community. His oldest daughter, Nannie, married J. E. Heartsill, a son of Abram Heartsill. Mary Love married Abe Henderson, a son of Squire William Henderson, Robert H. Love married Nannie George, a daughter of J. M. George, previously mentioned in this work, and she is still living in Louisville, having survived her husband many years. The writer is proud to number them among his old-time friends. Soon after the Civil War.-Allen Underwood came to Louisville from Greene County. Among his children were John, Jim, and Tom, who the writer was intimately acquainted with. Two grandsons, Frank and Dan Underwood, are still living in Louisville.

 

Also, one granddaughter, Mrs. Bart Robinson. Among others we call to mind were James W. Barnes, Andrew J. Dunn, Paton Gamble, William Colburn, Charles McGlaffin, James Tallent, and James W. Ferguson. Before leaving the old time families the writer wishes to beg to pay tribute to the memory of one of Allen Underwood’s grand-sons, Robert Underwood, a son of Mr. and Mrs. John Underwood, who lost his life in the cloud burst at Harriman, Tennessee. But before being swept away by the angry waters. Bob saved more than two score lives. Bob Underwood was a hero, and the people of Louisville honor his memory.

 

The writer, especially, would call up the memory of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred L. McCarter, old-time citizens of the town. Alfred L. McCarter was a hard-working, industrious, kind-hearted citizen, and sympathetic, always ready to help in time of need. The same can be said of his sister, Margaret, wife of James Underwood. They were children of Jerry and Nancy McCarter, who lived in Louisville prior to the Civil War.-Dr. Sam H. Gault came to Louisville to practice his profession in the early 70’s and lived here many years. Besides his wife he had three children, one son and two daughters. He moved from here to Rogersville where he lived until death. E. G. Copey and family came to Louisville also, in the early 70’s. They originally came from New York State. Mr. Copley went into the marble business. His quarries were the ones at “Sheep Pen Bluffs”. Mr. Copley continued in this business until his death. He was a kindhearted, sympathetic man and had many friends. The same can be said of all his family. Michael Miser moved to Louisville from Shady Grove, Blount County, bought a piece of land where Mr. Ballew now lives and built a home. He had three daughters and two sons. The writer remembers Jerry Miser as one of his best friends of the olden days.

 

Mary Miser married James Jefferies, a son of Thorton Jeffries, Jim Jeffries is still living and is totally blind. Phoebe Miser married Charles Logan, a son of Squire Alvin Logan who was a respected citizen of Louisville for many years. These Miser married Jo Miller and we understand she is living at Melrose Springs. John L. Faulkner moved to Louisville from Jefferson County. He and a man by the name of Brooks went into the leather goods business, making harnesses, saddles, horse collars, etc. They had the shop in a building that stood on the southwest corner of the J. T. Love property on River Street. They had a fine business, as the farmers depended almost entirely on homemade things in those days. William Faulkner was the Superintendent of the Union Sunday School in the old Presbyterian Church for several years. He moved from Louisville to Maryville and entered the merchandise business with a Mr. Walker under the firm name of Walker and Faulkner. John Wilburn came to Louisville in the early 70’s.

 

He had two sons, William and Taylor, who are still inhabitants of the old town and are respected by all who know them. This applies, also, tb their families. Dr. E. Goetz moved to Louisville in the late 60’s. His family consisted of his wife and three daughters, by a previous marriage. Their names were Matilda, Nettie, and Sophia. Dr. Goetz was a splendid physician, having studied his profession in Germany, where he was born. Dr. E. Goetz, Jr., who died recently in Knoxville was born here in the house that Dr. S. S. Kittrell now owns. Another of the old-time families was J. B. Cummins. J. B. Cummins was an Alderman of the town back in the 50’s; was also Town Marshall at one time. His wife was a fine character and much respected. Mr. and Mrs. Cummins had three sons and three daughters. W. F. Cummins was a partner in the firm of J. B. Cummins and Son for a number of years and later on taught the public schools in Louisville with Hugh M. Bonham and his assistant. He was at one time Superintendent of the Union Sunday School. He finally left Louisville and went to Knoxville where he established the first music house in Knoxville, if not the the first in East Tennessee. He finally went west and died in San Francisco a few years since. John Taylor Cummins married Adria Rogers, who lived about three miles below the town. Rev. Rogers was one of the old-time Methodist Circuit Riders of Antebellum days and was a Missionary to the Cherokee Indians and was serving such when they were sent to their homes in the “Indian Territory”, now Oklahoma. John Taylor Cummins died a few years ago and left a wife, four daughters, and one son. Another daughter of J. B. Cummins, Mary Cummins, married William J. Brown, son of the old-time blacksmith Jo Brown, previously mentioned. Will Brown was a personal friend of the writer and a good all-round citizen. He died several years since. His death was caused by cancer. Sarah Francis Cummins married John C. Snapp, a son of Samuel Snapp. who moved to Louisville from the upper part of the state shortly after the Civil War. Sam Snapp had a large family of boys and girls and added no little to the pleasant society of the young people of Louisville. John Snapp died in Bradley County a few years since.

 

In the early 70’s there were three stores in Louisville. In the old Cox storehouse on Main Street, J. B. Cummins & Son were in the old Finley stand on the corner of the lot now owned by John R. Kennedy; this was at one time before the Civil War and occupied by Steel & Bros. This store building was on River Street. Samuel Snapp sold goods in the old Foster building on River Street. This building stood where John Harper’s store now stands. H. C. Saffell kept the river warehouse on the wharf and did a splendid business, receiving and shipping freight via steamboat. Jo Brown and Jo Cox (col) were the blacksmiths. J. M. George and James K. Orr were the wagon makers. A Heartsill had a furniture shop in the building now known as the Junior Order Hall. The mill at the east end of town was operated by Marion Thomas, a splendid, miller and a splendid citizen. I would like to dwell on Marion Thomas and his family, but space forbids it. George Ramsey operated the distillery on Lackey’s Creek on the property now owned by Mr. Smith. There were several saloons in the town.

 

Transportation on the river was at low tide in the early 70s; only an occasional boat came up to take the grain that was being accumulated in Saffell’s warehouse. The merchants had nearly all their goods brought in by wagons. In the spring of 1875, another tide swept the Tennessee Valley, doing, if anything, more damage than the big tide of 1867 because the improvements along the river were • very much in. an excess of 1867. And there was more building fences to destroy. This dreadful tide lacked two feet, being as high as the 1867 tide, reaching only to the height of 40^ feet here at Louis Ville, and drifts of all kinds swept by, the face of the tide being covered with it for several days and nights. Houses in the low part of town were again washed off their foundations and only saved from floating off by strenuous exertions. All fences were again lost. Saffell’s warehouse was saved again by heavyweights of rock. The writer well remembers this tide as he was nineteen years old at the time. He and Bishop Cummins did a fine business salvaging lumber and lots that circled in the backwater from the raging current further out, and others did the same thing.

 

There have been a number of high tides on the river since the above dates, but none compared with the great tides of 1867 and 1875. During the year 1875 and up to 1880 the transportation business took on new life.

 

The Cincinnati Southern Railway was built and numerous boats plied the river running between Knoxville and Cooper’s Landing on the Emory River, carrying large numbers of passengers and immense cargo of freight between the two points. These boats touched at Louisville and stimulated business very much. Among the boats that ran in this trade were the steamer “R. M. Bishop”, “Knoxville City”, “Harry Helen”, and others, but when the road was completed the river business again went below part. And very seldom a steamer came this far up. The merchants of Louisville and farmers along theriver often had trouble getting their grain and produce to market. The outlook for good local transportation looked so promising that two young men of the town -Jas. E. Heartsill and A. H. Love decided. to-enter the field. They went to Knoxville bought two large gunwalers, brought them to Louisville by water, and had them counterhewn and put into a freight boat to be operated by manpower (Poles and Oars).

 

The building of this boat was done by two old veteran carpenters, Alfred McCarter and Jim Nipper. This boat was destined to run between Louisville and Concord in the general freight business and, if necessary, to other railroad towns and did occasionally go to Knoxville and Lenoirs. Now this adventure proved very successful, indeed, doing a fine business and making good money for the owners. We want to mention some of the crew that worked on this freighter. Hugh Singleton, Ed Coker, Wm. A. Tallent, Issac Rader, Hugh McCarter, Sam and Wash Nipper, and good-hearted kind Tom Smith, one of the writer’s best friends of olden days. These men were all white men and had all been dead for many years. J. E. Heartsill having other work that demanded his time sold out to A. H. Love, who continued the business until he and F. W. Keller, who then lived at Holston College, bought the little steamer “Tellico” and put her in the run from Knoxville to Rockwood Landing. We hope at a later date to write an appendix to this work on “Steamboating on the Tennessee River” and we will touch on this again. There were only two stores in operation at Louisville at this time. Sam Snapp having sold out and moved to Texas, a new firm was organized by C. R. Love, J. C. Keller, R. A. Keller, and F. W. Keller, under the firm name of F. W. Keller and Co. They bought a general stock of merchandise and occupied the old Finley stand, J. B. Cummins and Son having moved across the street in the brick building owned by Jas. A. Jeffries. The firm of F. W. Keller and Co. was in operation for about a year, being succeeded by Love and Keller (C. R. Love and F. W. Keller), who in turn were succeeded by C. R. and A. H. Love.

 

1. E. Johnston and family moved to town from the country and went in the goods business in the old Foster storehouse under the firm name of R. E. Johnston and Son (Jas. M, Johnston). This firm later on was merged with the Love store under the firm name of Love and Johnston (J. M. Johnston and C. R., Love); R. E. Johnston and A. H. Love retiring from their respective firms, A. H. Love opened up a store in the Saffell warehouse on the wharf and in addition he operated the steamer “Water Lilly” and later on the steamer “Walter A. Love”.

 

Back in the 80’s and 90′ the marble business was in full swing at the quarries near Louisville. The “Bond” and the “Great Bend” quarries in Knox County opposite and near Louisville were running. T. Copley’s quarries were at the “Sheep Pens” on the river. These different quarries employed a large number of men who mostly lived and traded in Louisville. The steamer “Water Lilly”, owned by A. H. Love and under the command of the veteran pilot’s. H. Wilkinson (Sim) made daily trips to Concord towing barges loaded with marble. At Concord the marble was delivered to the Southern Railroad and taken to its destination.

 

I wish to speak of some more old families that lived near Louis ville and who were identified with the interests of the town, Cyrus S. Cox lived about three miles west of the town. His wife was Nancy Myers, another old time family, they had three daughters and five sons. The daughters were Mary, Anna, and Bessie; the sons were Melville, George, Charlie and Jack. The last two named are living in Texas. Another son of Cyrus and Nancy Cox lives on the Lowe’s Ferry road on the old Issac Wright farm and is one of our prominent citizens. He carries the old Cox name James Ambrose Cox. His wife is the daughter of James H. Henry (Little Jim) and grand daughter of B. F. Owens, one of the founders of the town, Samuel Thompson Cox, the oldest child of Ambrose and Mary Cox married Ann M. Cox and lived many years in the old Cox homestead, and there was not a more delightful home in all the Southland than theirs. The writer pauses here to say there were few, if any, better woman that Ann M. Cox, a pure, gentle, Christian character, loved and respected by all who knew her. She was a direct descendant of John Sevier, the first Governor of Tennessee. A son of this union was John Benson Cox, who now owns and lives in the old Ambrose Cox homestead. Issac Rader came to Louisville shortly after the Civil War and lived here for many years. He married Mary Hill, a daughter of Susan Hill. Ike was renowned for his ability in hauling heavy timbers and logs. It was no uncommon thing to see him driving a team of three to four yoke oxen at a time, doing heavy hauling. He was a number of des cendants living in the vicinity at this writing.

 

Ed, Nathan, and Alex Coker and three sisters came to Louisville back in the early 70’s. Ed was so badly injured on the steamer “Water Lily” while trying to get the boat off a shoal at “Tomotly Island” on the Little Tennessee River, that he died soon after. He was the mate of the boat and a good steamboat man. Nathan is still living at the old home which was entered by Jack Cox, one of the first sdttlers of Blount County.

 

1. W. George lived four miles east of town on the Russell Ford Road. He was one of the fine old Southern gentlemen you have often heard of; kind.and courteous to everyone and one of Blount County’s best citizens. His wife was a Badgett, another fine old family. He had three sons -Joseph, Issac, and Burhl; and two daughters -Alice and Adria. Alice married L. S. Steele and a son of Mack Steele, at one time a prominent merchant of Louisville. Adria married John C. Cox son of H. T. Cox, another old time merchant of the town. There are only two of these fine old time southern families living at present. Burhl and Adria. The writer’s memory dwells fondly on the beautiful days of long ago, when Ike, Burhl, Alice, and Adria George were his schoolmates in the old town hall at Louisville.

 

Frank F. Keller owned a large tract of land on the north bank of the river opposite Louisville. His wife was a Crozier, one of the prominent families of East Tennessee. He had five sons -R. A.,

1. C., W. S., T. W., and Barton; and one daughter -Mary. Mary Keller married Homer G. Mead. As mentioned before R. A. Keller married Martha Wallace, a daughter of Wayne Wallace at one time a citizen of Louisville. W. S. Keller married Ann Matlock, and after her death, Miss Matilda E. Goetz. J. C. Keller married Miss Amy Lopsley of Alabama. She is now living in Miami, Fla., J. C. Keller died in Miami several years since. T. W. Keller married Miss Laura Lackey, a daughter of John W. Lackey, one of Blount’s best citizens. Barton Keller married Miss Sally McClung of Knoxville and, after living several years on his land in Keller’s Bend, moved to New Mexico, where he and his wife are still living. The writer dwells with tender memories for his friend and associate Thomas W. Keller, after many years business relations with him. He always found him fair, honest and true. He died suddenly in Maryville a few years since; and a noble Christian character passed away. Quite a number of other old times. families lived near Louisville in days gone by, but we have no specific data concerning them, but later on in another chapter we may be able to call them up.

 

Wm. A. Robinson (Bert) moved to Louisville back in the 80’s and lived here until his death, not so many years ago. His first wife dying, he married Martha Smith, a daughter of Jas. Smith, previously referred to. Bert was a kind-hearted, genial fellow and a good all-around citizen. He had two children by his first wife -Columbus (Lum) and Lena; and three sons -Jim, Jo and Bart and two daughters by his second wife. Jim and Bart are citizens of Louisville at this writing. James S. Bonham and family were old time citizens of the town, but as they have all passed away we only call them up in memory. but as they have all passed away, we only call them up in memory.