Blount County TNGenWeb

 

Standing proudly on the banks of Big Tennessee river in what is known as the Holston College community are some old but beautiful homes dating as far back in pages of time at 1802.

 

In the days before the building of Fort Loudon Dam, when one crossed the river at Lowes·Ferry, coming from Knox County, a pay ferry powered by huge oars, one entered this community. The old white Colonial home on the bank of the river was the home of Buffalo Jim Prater, mentioned earlier in this book. A dirt road lead past the beautiful old Gillespie home, the oldest in the Community, built of native stone in 1802. It is now owned by Mr. Manley Henson the 9th owner. It was through a window in the living room that Mr.Humes, mentioned before in the Louisville community was killed by a hatchet thrown through a window. The hatchet was thrown by a slave that Mr. Humes had whipped that day. The slave was hanged from an elm tree near the old stone springhouse, which still stands at the edge of Fort Loudon Lake. As one passes on in a south­ westerly direction past the homes of Dr. H. H. Prater, D.V.S., and Rhea Armstrong the latter at one time a part of the Gillespie farm, one may see three beautiful homes and old Holston College.

 

The Oscar Prater home, now owned by his daughter-in-law, Rosamond, was built in 1831 of hand molded and baked brick. The unique thing about the Prater home, is that even tho it has stood on the same spot for nearly a Century and a quarter, it has been located on the banks of the Holston & Big Tennessee rivers, and now has the waters of Fort Loudon Lake lapping, spread around it.

 

Mrs. Prater had the land grant to John & Matthew Russell signed by, the Governor of the State of Tennessee, Sam Houston, in the year of our four Lord 1828 and of the American Independence 53rd year.

 

Across the Lake from the Prater home is Old Holston College standing silently in a beautiful grove of Giant Oaks. This College was established in 1851 as Ewing & Jefferson College, named for Fivis Ewing, leader of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and Thomas Jefferson.

 

This old College became Holston Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The College was only a boys College to begin with but later after the Civil War, girls were admitted. When the Civil War came the College was closed to be reopened after the War 1869. Rev. John Ritter of Johnson City and for many years it was a splendid College. After the College closed, it was used as a grammar school until 1922 when a new grammar school was built.

 

Holston Presbyterian Church was organized with Harrison Russell as its first pastor. The missionary society was organized in 1885, with Eva Doak grandaughter of Sameul Doak, Lynn Lackey, Laura Keller, Fanny Russell, Bl,<J.nch Henderson, Mrs. Mary Matlock, Gourley & Pink Henderson as Charter members. Solon Mccroskey was pastor of the Church at this time. There were four men among the Charter Members, namely, Mr. T. W. Queener, S.C.N. Doak, P. W. Keller and Colvin M. Russell. Mr. William Y. Warren helped solicite funds to be used both in the church and the school. Some of the pastors have been J. S. Potter, D. M. Kerr, J. C. Ritter, Dr. John M. Alexander,W. J. Shelton, Issac Hessler, George Brown and Floyd Watt, under whose pastorate it closed in 1950.

 

The Home that is now owned by Harrison Construction Company joins the Church property. This was originally owned by the Russell family and built in 1845. The home now owned by Dr. Bowen is a lovely old brick with all walls two feet thick and built with hand made brick this home was built by Mr. Billy Henderson about 1840.

 

In this community we still have descendents of these pioneer families. Mrs. Ross O’Connor and Sa ly Phelps are daughters of Eva Russell and great granddaughters of Samuel Doak, H. A. and J. Prater are sons of Buffalo Jim Prater. 

 

Even the Fort Loudon Lake covered much of the good farming land this community is still a good farming and Dairy section, with a beautiful setting on Fort Loudon Lake.

 

Standing proudly on the banks of Big Tennessee river in what is known as the Holston College community are some old but beautiful homes dating as far back in pages of time at 1802.

 

In the days before the building of Fort Loudon Dam, when one crossed the river at Lowes·Ferry, coming from Knox County, a pay ferry powered by huge oars, one entered this community. The old white Colonial home on the bank of the river was the home of Buffalo Jim Prater, mentioned earlier in this book. A dirt road lead past the beautiful old Gillespie home, the oldest in the Community, built of native stone in 1802. It is now owned by Mr. Manley Henson the 9th owner. It was through a window in the living room that Mr. Humes, mentioned before in the Louisville community was killed by a hatchet thrown through a window. The hatchet was thrown by a slave that Mr. Humes had whipped that day. The slave was hanged from an elm tree near the old stone springhouse, which still stands at the edge of Fort Loudon Lake. As one passes on in a south­ westerly direction past the homes of Dr. H. H. Prater, D.V.S., and Rhea Armstrong the latter at one time a part of the Gillespie farm, one may see three beautiful homes and old Holston College.

 

The Oscar Prater home, now owned by his daughter-in-law, Rosamond, was built in 1831 of hand molded and baked brick. The unique thing about the Prater home, is that even tho it has stood on the same spot for nearly a Century and a quarter, it has been located on the banks of the Holston & Big Tennessee rivers, and now has the waters of Fort Loudon Lake lapping, spread around it.

 

Mrs. Prater had the land grant to John & Matthew Russell signed by, the Governor of the State of Tennessee, Sam Houston, in the year •·· four Lord 1828 and of the American Independence 53rd year.

 

Across the Lake from the Prater home is Old Holston College standing silently in a beautiful grove of Giant Oaks. This College was estab­ lished in 1851 as Ewing & Jefferson College, named for Fivis Ewing, leader of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and Thomas Jefferson.

 

This old College became Holston Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The College was only a boys College to begin with but later after the Civil War, girls were admitted. When the Civil War came the College was closed to be reopened after the War 1869. Rev. John Ritter of Johnson City and for many years it was a splendid College. After the College closed, it was used as a grammar school until 1922, when a new grammar school was built.

 

Holston Presbyterian Church was organized with Harrison Russell as its first pastor. The missionary society was organized in 1885, with Eva Doak grandaughter of Sameul Doak, Lynn Lackey, Laura Keller, Fanny Russell, Bl,<J.nch Henderson, Mrs. Mary Matlock, Gourley & Pink Henderson as Charter members. Solon Mccroskey was pastor of the Church at this time. There were four men among the Charter Members, namely, Mr. T. W. Queener, S.C.N. Doak, P. W. Keller and Colvin M. Russell. Mr. William Y. Warren helped solicit funds to be used both in the church and the school. Some of the pastors have been J. S. Potter, D. M. Kerr, J. C. Ritter, and Dr. John M. Alexander,