The following is from The Goodspeed History of Tennessee, Crockett County, published by the Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1887.
Friendship, the second town in size in Crockett County, is twelve miles northwest from Alamo, in the Twelfth Civil District, and formerly belonged to Dyer County, and has a population of about 500. In 1844 a postoffice was established in the neighborhood of what afterward became the town site, at the house of A. T. Fielder, who was appointed postmaster. In 1853 the town was founded upon the lands of M. P. and A. T. Hurley and William Johnson. In 1854 J. F. Sinclair & Co. opened a general store at Friendship, they being the first merchants. This firm continued in business until 1856, when the firm changed to Sinclair & Rice, and as such continued until 1874. At the same time as above Dr. T. A. Peacock & Bro. carried on a general mercantile business. From 1865 to 1870 T. A. Peacock & Co., then Peacock & Binford, and Robertson & Briggs were the merchants. From 1870 to 1880 the merchants were F. M. Bowling, Field & Bros. and Walker & White. The business of the present is as follows: Thompson & Perry, groceries; Lore & Lore, hardware; J. A. Coffman, general store; J. D. Smith, L. B. Harwell, J. Q. Craig, F. S. Moore and C. Beaver & Son, dry goods; J. W. Duffeys and J. F. Sanders, drugs; D. E. Love, livery stable; F. J. Rice, hotel; J. G. Lovelace and R. J. Sanders, blacksmiths; W. P. Ripley, woodshop; R. C. Coffman, saw-mill and cotton-gin; Drs. D. A. Walker and Coop & Jork, physicians. In 1870 T. A. Peacock & Co. erected a large flouring-mill at a cost of about $25,000. In 1873 the mill was purchased by Dr. J. D. Smith. Since 1880, however, the mill has not been in operation.
Friendship was laid off into town lots in 1858, and incorporated the following year with W. P. Rice as mayor.
The first schoolhouse was a frame, and was built in 1870. In 1876 the present commodious school building was erected at a cost of about $1,200, and in 1885 the Home Institute, the school of the town, was chartered under the four-mile law. The churches are the Missionary Baptist, a frame, built in 1859, cost $1,000, and the Methodist, also frame, built in 1870, cost $3,000.
The secret societies of Friendship are Enon Lodge, No. 215, I.O.O.F., established as Centre Lodge before the late war, and reorganized as at present in 1880; Crockett Lodge, No. 1535, K. of H., established in 1879; Friendship Commandery, No. 34, K. of G. C., established in 1881.