PROMINENT RESIDENTS OF JACKSBORO IN APRIL 1900 INCLUDED FAMILIAR CAMPBELL COUNTY FAMILY NAMES

By Dallas Bogan

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

    The city had been recently incorporated for the purpose of building up good schools and to promote the welfare of its people generally. The governmental board are as follows: William Baird, Mayor; P.H. Schlosshan, Recorder; Lewis Wilson, Treasurer; H.R. Allen, Chief of Police; A.J. Agee, W.R. Peters, Alex Loyd, Henry Miller, and A.B. Myers, Aldermen.

     J. Henderson Reid, Attorney-at-Law was born in Botetourt County in Virginia. He was educated at Preston and Olin Institute at Blacksburgh, Va., finishing at King's College, Bristol, Tn., He began life's work as a teacher, but afterward took up the practice of law at Jacksboro, where he now resides. 

     He authored the present law granting municipal rights to the city of Jellico. He has been and is now the attorney of several large moneyed corporations, plus he enjoys a good share of the chancery practices not only of this county, but in others. 

     W.R. Peters, Attorney-at-Law was born in Morgan County. He attended People's College, at Sequatchie Valley and at other Tennessee institutions of learning where he received his literary training. For several years he taught school and during this time read law. 

     After reading at the office of Wright & Wright, at Rockford, Tn., for a considerable time he was admitted to the bar, the year being 1894. After practicing at Rockford and before the Kingston bench for a year, he came to Jacksboro, where he has since devoted his entire time to law practice. He was a factor in politics but totally avoided the political scene, and in consequence, his law practice has never suffered from neglect. 

     As a jurist he is considered one of the best to represent this section of the State. He is one of the City Aldermen of Jacksboro, member of the Masonic Fraternity, a devout member of the Methodist Church, and Superintendent of Sunday School.

      J.C. Hollingsworth was one of Jacksboro's pioneer merchants, having established his business on November 17, 1868. Except for a few months, he has continuously represented the trade channels of the County. He operates the largest store in Jacksboro and handles everything needed in a community. 

     The store is 60x68 feet in dimensions; including the basement is three stories high. The stock is composed of dry goods, clothing, boots and shoes, groceries, hand and heavy hardware, queensware, harness, farm implements and machinery, vehicles, furniture, and undertaker goods. For eighteen consecutive years he was Postmaster of Jacksboro.

     He is a member of the Methodist Church. In the store he is assisted by C.W. Donly and W.E. Allen.

     Judge R.D. Perkins, through his legal stature, has elevated himself as a man of prominence. He was born in 1850 near Elk Valley, Tn. His boyhood days were passed on the farm. After receiving an academic education in Campbell County, he entered the Nashville Business College, graduating in 1876.

     A year previous to his college graduation he entered public life by being elected to the office of County Surveyor, serving for 12 consecutive years. He was admitted to the bar in 1879 and has since given his attention principally to law practice. He is one of the leading Republication of East Tennessee. 

     He was president of the Campbell County Harrison and Morton Club; was chairman of the Republican Executive Committee for Union and Campbell counties and, in 1889, was chosen chairman of the County Court. A year later the Legislature created the office of County Judge, Mr. Perkins was elected to the office for Campbell County; served four years and was re-elected to serve for eight years. 

     Judge Perkins is largely interested in the Elk Valley Coal and Iron Co., and owns a farm near Jacksboro. He is a member of the I.O.O.F., K. of P., and Masonic Lodges.

     A.J. Agee, Attorney-at-Law, was born and raised in Campbell County. At the age of 16 he began teaching school, using the money earned in pedagogy (the function or work as a teacher) to educate himself in law. In 1886 he was admitted to the bar, and was soon one of the leading attorneys to represent Campbell County.

     C.A. Templeton, Attorney-at-Law, became a Campbell County citizen last September. He was born, reared and educated in Knoxville. He was a graduate of all courses of the University of Tennessee, and a graduate of the famous University of Virginia. Three years ago he was admitted to the bar at Knoxville. He is a young man, clean in character, temperate in habits, and broad-gauged in ideas.

     E,H. Powers, Attorney-at-Law, was born in Claiborne County and had to make his own way in life from boyhood up. Passing from the common school, he took up school teaching. Later he graduated from Emory and Henry College, of Washington Co., Va.

     For one year he had charge of the high school in Fincastle, Tn. Soon after he was admitted to the bar, and has since practiced before the bench of Campbell County. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge and a central figure in the life and progress of Jacksboro.

     John J. Graham, Lawyer and Politician, is a native of Campbell County, mostly educated in local schools. He finished his schooling in the Grant Memorial University at Athens, Tn. He began work by teaching and then went into the mercantile business at Jacksboro. In about 1890 he was appointed Clerk and Master by Judge Gibson, of the Chancery Court, and re-appointed in 1896 by Judge H.B. Lindsay. 

     Mr. Graham is a Republican and is now the county's member of the Congressional Committee to the Second Congressional District, and also a Delegate to the Republican National Committee. He is one of the leading lawyers of the County, a member of the Methodist Church, a Mason, Odd Fellow, and Knight of Pythias. 

     Loyd & Bowman, general merchants, presently occupy a store building on Main Street, Jacksboro. The business was founded in 1894 and is one of the leading trade establishments of the County. The stock carried is the usual line of a first-class country store. Alex Loyd and William Bowman lend their full support to build up the town that is now taking a second lease on life.

     J.W. Agee, Campbell County Sheriff, was born on a farm near Jacksboro. Leaving the farm he accepted a position in the district pension office at Knoxville, being installed to the office of clerk. 

     Returning to Jacksboro he entered the Clerk and Master's office as Deputy under his father, J.H. Agee. He later became qualified for the Sheriff's office, to which he was elected. He is a member of the K. of P. Lodge and several other orders.

     Dr. W.R. Irish was born, reared, and partially educated in Campbell County. He graduated in the class of 1894 from Louisville Medical College. He began the practice of medicine at Lesley, Ky., moving from there to Jacksboro. He for quite a period was engaged in merchandising and selling out so as to give medicine and surgical practice his undivided attention.

     He is county physician for the indigent, filling the office with credit to himself and his profession. He is a member of the Masonic and I.O.O.F. secret societies, and a Deacon in the Baptist Church.

     John Bowman, County Court Clerk, was born and reared on a farm near Newcomb, Tn. In 1873 he came to Jacksboro, and from then until his election to office in 1890, he was associated with various mercantile interests in the capacity of assistant, Jacksboro, Knoxville, and Chattanooga being points where he gave most of his time. He is a member of the Masonic, K. of P., I.O.O.F., and order American Mechanics societies.

     Capt. Winston Baird, Deputy Clerk and Master and Mayor of Jacksboro, was born and reared near Jacksboro, the son of Hon. S.C. Baird. He was appointed to the position he fills in the year 1897, leaving the office soon thereafter to serve in the Spanish American War. He was commissioned Captain by President McKinley and raised a company of local boys, forming a part of the 6th Immune Regiment, of which Capt. Baird had charge. Shortly thereafter, the company was sent to the front and rendered service on the island of Puerto Rico. He was mustered out March 15, 1899, with his regiment and returned to work as Deputy Clerk and Master. Mr. Baird is a member of the Masonic and I.O.O.F. societies.

     R.M. Harrell, Attorney-at-Law, was born and reared in Grainger Co., Tn., and received his literary training in the Franklin Academy. At an early age he took pedagogy. Later he took up the study of law, teaching school to defray from the expense of studying during the interim of school months. The practice of law has not been given his full attention. On January 16, 1899, he was appointed Store Keeper and Gauger by the Government, which position he is now filling. He is a member of the F. & A.M. and K.of P. secret orders. 

      Philip Schlosshan, Attorney-at-Law, is a native of Germany, immigrating to America at the age of 17. During the Civil War, before he could speak a word of the English language, he volunteered in the cause of the Union enlisting with the 16th Illinois Cavalry. At the close of the war he settled in Jacksboro, where he has been content to reside ever since. 

     He was admitted to the bar in 1882, and practiced in all the courts, and in all the interior departments of the United States. While a lawyer of marked ability, he is a student of jurisprudence. Mr. Schlosshan is an especially friendly person and considered as a genial whole-souled gentleman. He is not a politician and his vote goes with the man.

     R.L. Ray, Circuit Court Clerk. His life began as a mere boy earning ten cents a day, elevating himself from mere existence to the position he now holds. He is filling the office with credit for himself and to every man that saw in him a bright future. Mr. Ray belongs to the Methodist Church.

     J.M. Bibee, merchant and hotel keeper, was born and reared near Jacksboro. He served a stint in the Civil War in the quartermaster department under Capt. Lynch. 

     He spent fifteen months in Kansas and is now a resident of Jacksboro. After shortly leaving the service, in 1867, he purchased what is now the historic building of the county, the first court house. He modeled it into a business house. Long before this period it had served fully the purpose of its creation. 

     During the Civil War it lent an aid to the Confederates, first for office quarters and later for a stable. The rough usage thus being subjected to, and time ravages, left the senile building in a very dilapidated state, and if it had not fallen in the good hands of the present proprietor, the chances are that long since it would have been destroyed entirely.

     During remodeling, great care was taken not to change the original court room which subscribes to the storage demands for the general store conducted by Mr. Bibee, who has since 1870 represented the commercial circles of Jacksboro. 

     He has interested himself in various enterprises, and is one of the principal stockholders in the Elk Valley Coal and Iron Co. For twenty years he has conducted a hotel, a very fine one at that. He is a member of the Masonic Fraternity.

     W.B. Powers, M.D, graduated from the Ohio Medical College in 1884. He began his practice of medicine and surgery in Jacksboro, and is one of the most successful in East Tennessee. For years he operated a drug store at Jacksboro and, at a later time, he abandoned this vocation other than keeping on hand a full line of medicine for his own practice. Dr. Powers was born and reared in Claiborne County, Tn.

     Clark & Isley, merchants. This business is located in the Wilson building at Jacksboro. Their store is not the largest in the County, but one that fills the wants of the community. Prior to engaging at the present stand they operated a store at Jacksboro Junction, and at the same time engaged in lumber buying.

     The personnel of the firm are W.C. Clark and Milton Isley. Mr. Isley is a son of Capt. Isley, who was a prominent character in the early days of Campbell County. Mr. Clark, the junior member of the firm, is a gentleman that stands high in the community.