Author: tngenwebproject@gmail.com

In the heart of the Seventh Civil District of Crockett County, there stands a church building that exists as a true monument to human triumph over adversity. The meeting house of the Nance Church of Christ has been visited by natural disaster upon three different occasions. The continued presence of the building represents the spirit of endurance that has always been a trademark of Nance. In addition to Nature’s onslaught of wind and fire, the terrible epidemics and fevers of the late 19th century have taken a heavy toll. But perhaps the most tragic circumstances under which Nance has labored, were due to the ravages of war. The sacrifices that the community made during World War II were among the highest in the nation. Thus, it is with a deep respect for the suffering of the past that one views the building today. But a visit with the people of the community finds no trace of disillusionment or discouragement. The vital spirit that always motivated the community to rebuild and face adversity is still much in evidence. The community force is strong, vibrant and active in county affairs. The misfortunes of the past have only strengthened Nance’s appreciation of life and the joy of everyday living.

The center of the Nance community is located about four miles north of Alamo at the junction of Nance Road and State Route 152 (also known as Will Nichols Road).There are no definite boundaries of Nance. One is generally assumed to be in the community when the Gulf, Mobile, and Ohio Railroad is crossed north of Alamo. The line, now owned by the Illinois Central Railroad, also forms the western boundary of the community. Cotten Creek and Buck Creek are usually designated as the northern and eastern limits of Nance respectively. Most of the area residents are farmers with cotton and soybeans being the principle cash crops. In the past, many farmers have devoted acreage to strawberries.

The community is named in honor of Mr. William W. Nance who, in 1875, deeded one acre of land upon which a schoolhouse was to be erected. Thus, at the time of this writing, Nance community is in its 99th year of existence. The first schoolhouse was known then as Nance Academy. In 1890, the first religious services at Nance were conducted in the academy building. The first members of the church were Messrs. Sylvester Green, Jim Jones, Martin Nance, Smith Randle and their families. Mr. Randle served as Sunday School superintendent from 1890 until his death in 1930. In the year 1905, a fire swept through the academy and destroyed the building. Two years later, another schoolhouse was completed and worship services commenced. The community leaders involved in this formation were Messrs. Henry Conley, William S. Corbett, Will Hunt, Jim Pittman, Smith Randle, Edd Stallings, and Frank Yearwood.

In 1913, the church appointed Messrs. Dee Colvett, Will Hunt and Smith Randle as its first elders. The continuous growth of the church induced the community to build a separate meeting hall from the academy. In 20 minutes, $1,600 was raised. Mr. Claude Laman donated one acre of land directly across Nance Road from the existing school structure. The new building housing the Church of Christ was completed in 1916.

The worship services continued until the community was struck by natural disaster once again. In 1933, an extremely powerful wind destroyed the church building. The community finished the new quarter in 1938 and services were instituted once more.

In the latter part of the 19th century and continuing into the first decade of the 20th century, commerce and trade for Nance residents were transmitted in other surrounding communities. By far the largest amount of business transacted was with the firm of Robertson and Durham in Crockett Mills. This business was owned by Squires Thomas H. Durham and J. Frank Robertson. Some of the community’s trade was with stores at Cairo and Quincy. In Nance, a gin and grist mill was in operation until 1902. These mills were owned by Mr. Lam Nichols and were operated by Mr. Elmo Randle.

In the years shortly preceding the First World War, a general merchandise store was erected at Nance by Mr. Will Nichols. This establishment became the primary source of supply for the community until the store’s dissolution in the 1940’s.

Mr. Nichol’s store was built in the area known as Waldron’s Crossing. The crossing was an important passenger and freight platform on the Birmingham and Northwestern Line (B.N. & W.R.R). This line was known in later years as the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad. The B.N. & W.R.R. was constructed through Nance in 1911 and furnished the area residents with transportation to Jackson, Tennessee and points south, and Dyersburg, Tennessee and points north.

The community at Nance was destined to suffer excessive losses to the havoc wrought by illnesses. An extremely high rate of the community’s most prominent citizens were fated to succumb to disease. But the people were of great faith and faced the future with courage and hope of blessings restored.

New techniques of farming were being profitably employed by the landowners in the area. Under the guidance of Mr. Dee Colvett, first county farm agent, agricultural prosperity was enjoyed. Mr. Colvett’s successor, Mr. Will Hunt, also brought considerable geoponical progress to the community and county.

Nance has always been a closely knit community. In addition to its connected and involved blood lines, the families of Nance were kindred in spirit as well. The terribly dark days of World War II were to touch practically every home with death and to shatter the entire community. Before the war was consummated in Berlin and in the islands of the Pacific, Nance was to lose ten of her finest sons upon the battlefields. Nance and a small community in Oklahoma were to share the sad honor of losing more of their young men proportionally than any other communities in the nation. In defense of its country, Nance lost Frazier Churchwell, Larimore Colvett, Marion Cotten, Andrew Emison, Billy Austin Harber, Leon Hunt, Tommy Redmond, Paul Taylor Rice, Everett Lewis Rogers and Paul Stallings.

In the early 1950’s, Nance Community Center was the site of the Crockett County Fair. The old Nance Academy had been converted into the community center. From Mason Grove to Chestnut Bluff, from Elizabeth to Gum Flat, Crockett Countians came to place on exhibit their best produce. Always of interest was the livestock judging held on the grounds of the community center. The ladies of the county verified their culinary skills by bringing their baked and canned goods. The best kitchens were always represented. This fair was an annual event until the last one was held in 1962. In the spring of the following year, the events of a rainy, Monday afternoon were to force termination of the fair and to change the face of Nance community forever.

On the 29th day of April, 1963, Nance was literally demolished by a tornado approaching from the west. The storm first touched down north of Maury City. After entering the western edge of the community at 6:10 p.m., the tornado’s deadly path adopted Nichols Road as its guide and proceeded for some eight or nine miles along this route. In the after-math, Nance had fourteen homes destroyed. Three people lost their lives. Both the community center and the Nance Church of Christ building were total losses. Nance was immediately aided by all the communities in Crockett County and many towns and villages throughout West Tennessee.

The community effort once again was directed toward the rebuilding of the meeting house and the reconstruction of the many homes that had been destroyed. In less than one year, a dedication ceremony was held in the new home of the Church of Christ with 501 friends attending. The congregation at Nance has been assisted in the years since 1964 by Bros. Wendell Bloomingburg of Henderson, Logan Lewis of Humboldt and the late W. A. Bradfield of Henderson. Presently, Bro. Bill Mitchisson of Jackson is working with the assemblage. The current elders with the church are Messrs. Fred Colvett, Glen Warren Corbett, and Freddie Strange. Nance’s deacons of the present are Messrs. Lonnie Colvett, Marvin Knox, Charles B. Reece and Jones Warren.

Two of the homes in Nance are of historical interest. The old Lyons Home, now owned by Mr. Tollice Lanier, is a one and one-half story home. It was built some time prior to the War Between the States and is located about two miles north of the Nance Church of Christ. The Corbett Home is the oldest structure in the community. It was built in 1854, the product of slave labor. Mr. John Epperson was the original owner of the home. Mr. J. Frank Robertson of Crockett Mills purchased the home and plantation soon after Mr. Epperson’s death. Squire Robertson continued to operate the farm until 1893. In that year, Mr. William S. Corbett, son of Mr. Robertson and his wife, Mrs. Lou Hamlett Robertson, was married to Miss Ophelia Durham, daughter of Thomas Henry and Mozella Klyce Durham of Alamo. As a wedding gift, the families presented the house and the surrounding 500 acre plantation to the newly married couple. The home has remained in the family’s possession for the past 81 years. The house was originally a two-story structure but the top floor was destroyed by a tornado in 1924. It stands today as a one and one half story home.

The Corbett home is presently the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Harber. The original 500 acre plantation is now owned by the Harbers, Mr. and Mrs. Sol. B. Reece and Mr. and Mrs. A. Glen Corbett. Mrs. Harber, the former Tommie Lou Corbett, Mrs. Reece, the former Mozell Corbett and Mr. A. Glen Corbett are all children of Mr. and Mrs. William S. Corbett. Mrs. Dean Speight and Mr. and Mrs. Glen Warren Corbett, grandson of Mr. and Mrs. William S. Corbett own the remaining acres.

The foregoing compilation of facts concerning Nance community in Crockett County, Tennessee was principally researched by Mr. Lynn Colvett, Mr. Jeff Reece, and the late Mr. Henry Conley. Those greatly assisting in the effort were Mrs. Frances Colvett Bruce, Mrs. Mozell Corbett Reece, Mr. Charles B. Reece, Mr. A. Glen Corbett, Mrs. Wanda Thornton Reece, Mr. Glen Warren Corbett, Mrs. Carolyn Cheatham Peal and Mr. James Hunt.

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The preceding article was contributed to this web page, with permission of the Crockett County Historical Society, by Natalie Huntley.
This information was taken from an article and written by Jefferson Glen Thornton Reece, dated July 15, 1974, and, published in the book “Crockett County Courthouse Centennial, 1874 – 1974”, prepared by the Crockett County Historical Society. 

This article is not to be reprinted, or used for any commercial purposes.

Perhaps the most notable element in the history of Maury City is the record of the religious activity that gained the vicinity a place in the county’s history at least forty years before the town itself was established. According to the best available information, the territory within the limits of what is now Crockett County, up until 1825 did not have even one religious organization or church building. At about that time, however, the circuit rider of the Jackson Methodist Church began to preach, by appointment, once every four weeks at the home of Henry A. Powell, a member of the Methodist Church, who lived near the present location of the town. Then, in the latter part of 1830, the second regular meeting house for worship to be erected in the county came into existence when the residents of the community built a log church which was used by all denominations in the area. It was named Palmyra; Goodspeed, in History of Tennessee, has told us of its influence; “In the summer of 1831, Capt. Porter, one of the early settlers of the Lanefield neighborhood, and an enthusiastic Methodist, conceived the idea of holding a camp-meeting, and the following fall Palmyra Campground was established at the church of that name, and a campmeeting held. The meeting was continued for a week, the people camping in tents and improvised shanties, and upward of 100 conversions were made. The result of the meeting worked quite a religious revolution over the entire Forked Deer River country, and from that time, churches were established in all sections of the County.”

Maury City, established in 1876, had its origin in the fact that the building of a railroad through the area was contemplated at that time. Stock in the projected line was sold, some rails were laid, and there was one run made by a train to the Forked Deer River from Jackson by way of Brownsville. Plans called for the building of a station, which was to be called Maury’s Station in honor of one of the officials of the railroad. The operation of the rail line never materialized, but the little village slowly grew, became a town in 1906, and received its charter September 7, 1915.

The first school building in the town was constructed in 1880; the high school was built in 1911.

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The preceding article was contributed to this web page, with permission of the Crockett County Historical Society, by Natalie Huntley.
This information was taken from an article compiled and written by Maxine Mayo, and, published in the book “Crockett County Courthouse Centennial, 1874 – 1974”, prepared by the Crockett County Historical Society. 

This article is not to be reprinted, or used for any commercial purposes.

About 1824 the area of Lanefield was cleared and settled by a party of laborers in charge of Thomas Ferguson. One year later William R. Johnson and son Isaac and Timothy Parker came to the same neighborhood. By 1828 the first school met in a log cabin and was taught the year round by Isaac Johnson. After this, a general store and saloon were opened; later a Methodist Church was organized. By 1847 Lanefield was one of the two places in the western district of what is now Crockett County to have a Post Office and a stagecoach stop.

In 1847 the first Baptist Church in what is now Crockett County was organized. A blacksmith shop run by Mr. John Adams, a saloon run by Mr. Ed Tucker, and a general store operated by Mr. Jim Worrels were opened. Later Mr. Ed Tucker acquired the general store, and, at the present time, Mr. R. T. Tucker is the fourth generation of Tuckers to own and operate a general store there. By the late 1800’s there were two other stores, one run by J. A. Cooper, who was also the postmaster, the other by S. J. King. Miss Lou Forsythe had a millinery shop in a part of the Tucker store. There was a public well dug whose waters must have been just short of being nectar from the gods. The school was moved from Lanefield to a spot near the Baptist Church where a large two-story building was erected, with stairs on either side – one for the boys, one for the girls – and never the twain did meet. Later the Lanefield Methodist Church was moved across the road from the school and Baptist Church, and Lanefield ceased to exist except in memory.

Many of the houses erected between 1856 and 1900 were constructed by T. A. Williamson. He always carved his name and the date somewhere on a rafter. Some of the familiar names of that era were: Best, Hughes, Adams, King, Brown, Smith, Kail, Ray, Buford, Williams, Tucker, Carter, Winburn, Phillips, Norville, Castelow, Worrels, Jennings, Thompson, Dawson, Branch and Tritt.

Many black people had settled in the area by that time. Among the names were those of Jelks, Johnson, Jennings, Lillard, Hardville, McLemore and Mayfield. There was a deep bond of affection between the black and white people. Joe Johnson, a little black boy, was a gift from Sam Smith to his daughter Nannie when she became the bride of a Mr. Carter. Joe had only one ear, and he always liked to tell the story of how the hogs had eaten off his ear when he was a baby.

Time takes its toll as time eventually will, and today R. T. Tucker’s General Merchandise Store is the only place of business in Johnson’s Grove. The old dug well has given way to the more modern and sanitary running water furnished by the County Wide Water System. But God is still in business there. Both churches are still in existence and meet each week.

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The preceding article was contributed to this web page, with permission of the Crockett County Historical Society, by Natalie Huntley.
This information was compiled and written by Frances (Williamson) Pollard, and, published in the book “Crockett County Courthouse Centennial, 1874 – 1974”, prepared by the Crockett County Historical Society.

This article is not to be reprinted, or used for any commercial purposes.

Gadsden was founded in 1858, when businesses from the nearby hamlet of Mason’s Grove moved to be near the railroad. In 1868-69, when the Louisville and Nashville Railroad was built through Gadsden, the freight room of the old Union Station in Memphis was moved to Gadsden and served as a station there until 1972, when use was discontinued and the old structure was torn down.

Gadsden, in 1870, had fewer than a hundred residents, half-dozen one-story brick buildings, a cotton gin and a depot. At the formation of the county, Dr. Thomas J. Hicks of Gadsden was one of the commissioners appointed to survey and mark off the boundary lines of the new county. Before this Gadsden had been part of Madison County.

On a little hill rising on the west stood the school, the Church of Christ and the Baptist Church. On a hill, across the tracks to the east, was the Methodist Church, and immediately above the depot, the local hotel, a small frame two-story building.

William McLaughlin, b. 1815 – d. 1904, a brick mason, built the first brick building in Gadsden, and it was also supposed to have been the first such built in Crockett County. William McLaughlin is buried in the Salem cemetery. His great grandson, Clyde Byrd, resides with his wife, Fern, in Gadsden. His daughter Bobby Ann and her daughters Melinda and Julie Ann live in Jackson. Mr. Byrd is a former teacher, farmer, and coach. He has served his city as alderman. He was a magistrate from 1950 – 1961. He was a member of the 81st session of the General Assembly in 1959 as representative. From 1961 to the present he has been a tax auditor for the Tennessee Department of Revenue. Other descendants are Mrs. Horace Evans of Center, her daughter Leanne, and Richard and Rollie Byrd of Alamo.

Newton Harris, born 1801 in N.C., died in Gadsden in 1882. His wife was Nancy Spencer. They had twelve children. From them descend all of the Dr. Harrises of Bells. One son, Roland Green Harris, was the first sheriff of Crockett. A great granddaughter of Newton’s lives where his house once stood. A crape myrtle bush, planted by Newton’s wife, Nancy, is still living. Mrs. Myrtle Richardson Booker received her name from that bush.

In 1886, $100,000 worth of berries was shipped from Crockett County, $75,000 from Gadsden and $25,000 from Bells. The center of shipping was the L. and N. railroad station in Gadsden where, during peak years, between 2,500 and 5,00 crates have been shipped in a day. As many as 35 boxcars have been loaded there in a day. During the 1930’s and 1940’s trucks began to haul a great deal of the berries. Today the growing of berries has dwindled to a trickle because of the lack of hand labor necessary to pick the berries.

David Brandenberg and his brother-in-law, A. T. Horine, came from Maryland in 1867 to settle just west of Gadsden. Soon after, they introduced the growing of strawberries to this county. A daughter of David Brandenburg, Mrs. Ness Persell, still lives at her father’s old home. She sleeps in the same corner of the same room in which she was born. July 15, 1974 was her eighty-ninth birthday. A granddaughter of Mr. Brandenburg’s, Miss Audrey Young lives in Gadsden.

Robert and Elizabeth (Hathaway) Armstrong are both buried in the Raines Cemetery south of Gadsden. In 1870, they had a son born, and they gave him the name of John Nelson Armstrong. Prof. J. R. McDonald was teaching in Gadsden by 1873, and John Nelson Armstrong began his schooling under him. His Gadsden classmates included Fred James, Hiram Reeves, Willis Reeves, and Theophilus Humphreys. After finishing school in Gadsden, John Nelson and Fred James entered Freed Hardeman, where they roomed together. The second year there a group of Gadsden boys roomed together in a private home. This group consisted of John Nelson Armstrong, Fred James, Hiram Reeves, and Mose Dunlap. John went on the enter David Lipscomb when that institution was only two years old. He married the president’s daughter, Woodson Harding. They left immediately after the wedding and there was a crowd at the depot in Gadsden when they arrived home. Mr. Armstrong later went on to become President of Cordell Christian College, Cordell Okla., President of Western Bible and Literary College of Odessa, Missouri, President of Harper College at Morrilton, Ark., and then President of Harding College in Harding, Ark. They often visited back in Gadsden. Dr. Fred James served the people of Gadsden many years.

Things were not so dull in Gadsden in the 1870’s for the had a debating society and a literary society.

In the “Alamo Signal,” issue of Feb. 16,1900, we find: “The Corporation election was held here Monday and the following officers were elected, S. W. Fullalove, Mayor; L. L. Cox, Recorder; and W. W. Richardson, T. M. Raines, Dr. Harris, and G. D. Brandenburg, Aldermen.”

In the “Alamo Signal – Supplement and Trade Edition,” Nov. 1903, the following Gadsden Directory is given. Cornatzar and Henderson, druggists; F. M. Thompson, groceries; F. M. Thompson, undertaker; Mrs. M. E. Richardson, Frank Richardson, manager, dry goods, furniture, and undertaker’s furnishings; W. W. Richardson, groceries; G. M. Cornatzar, groceries; Mrs. A. F. Fullalove, S. W. Fullalove, manager, dry goods and groceries; Williams Bros., livery stable; L. L. Cox, harness shop; C. L. Miller, hotel; Isham Burrow, blacksmith; Ira Davis, barbershop; James Daniel, groceries. There were three physicians and surgeons, J. H. Harris, J. L. Fuller, and Fred James. The ministers were, Elder A. G. freed, pastor of the Christian Church, Rev. W. L. Duckworth of the M. E. Church, and Rev. B. W. Brown of the Baptist. A. R. Sensing was the depot agent. R. L. Mobley was principal of the school and Miss Mattie Lou Reeves was his assistant. Col. John W. Rosemon was President of the West Tennessee Horticultural Association.

The Superintendent of the Gadsden Schools is Frank Latham and the Principal is Charles Nolen Leggett. The system is housed on two separate campuses. The lower grades are located in the Graham School building on the Bells highway, and the other grades on the campus in town. Mr. Latham has been with the Gadsden school for twenty-nine years and Miss Audrey Young and Mrs. Fern Byrd have a combined total of eight-nine years.

Following is a list of the business establishments in Gadsden at the present time (1974).

• The Gadsden Gin Company – owned and operated by Frank W. Raines and Jessie Lee Antwine.
• The Gadsden Post Office – Postmaster, Fred James; Rural Carrier, Horace Evans; Clerks, Audrice Antwine and Nell Carnell. This is a new modern brick building that was built in 1966.
• M. and R. Cabinet Shop – operated by Riley Runyons and Bennie Macon.
• W. B. Booker – owned and operated by Billy Booker. This is one of the most interesting mercantile stores. It has been operating continuously for ninety-nine years under the same family. It is called a general merchandise store except for one item – wallpaper. The store carries one of the largest stocks of wallpaper in West Tennessee and has developed a long list of established customers. Billy’s mother, Mrs. Myrtle Richardson Booker, her sister, Mrs. Maude Richardson Williams, and their brother, Frank Richardson, had operated the store before Billy, and their parents had operated it before them.
• L. Ferguson – livestock, produce, and fertilizer.
• A blacksmith shop – owned and operated by Luther Blurton for over thirty years.
• Gadsden General Merchandise – owner and operator, Junior Holyfield.
• Dairy Kreme – John Smith
• James Davis Cash Market – owned and operated by James Davis.
• Reeves Grocery – owned and operated by C. E. Reeves.
• Brown Antiques – owners and operators, Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Brown.
• Davis Construction – Carl and Jeff Thomas Davis
• Bell Grocery – J. C. Bell
• Bank of Gadsden – The bank moved to a new modern brick building on Quincy Street in 1972. In front of the building, very helpful and much appreciated is a revolving clock giving the time and temperature. The Vice-President and Manager is Mr. Archie Kincaid. Herman Emison is the Cashier. The tellers are Mrs. Martha L. Matthews, Mrs. Diane Griffin, Van Holyfield, and Mrs. Jane Smith. 

Now serving, 1974, on the town council are; Mayor, Jeff Thomas Davis; Recorder, Archie Kincaid; Aldermen, Cecil Norville, Merlin Leggett, Charles Lloyd, and Herman G. Emison.

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The preceding article was contributed to this web page, with permission of the Crockett County Historical Society, by Natalie Huntley.
This information was taken from an article on Gadsden, which was compiled and written by Mrs. C. C. James, and, published in the book “Crockett County Courthouse Centennial, 1874 – 1974”, prepared by the Crockett County Historical Society.

This article is not to be reprinted, or used for any commercial purposes.

Early settlers of Fruitvale were the Williams families from North Carolina by way of Wilson County, Tennessee. The exact date of their arrival is not known, but Nathaniel and Jeremiah Williams bound themselves to pay Edward Williams two barrels of corn per acre on all the ground they planted in corn and cotton, and one dollar per acre for all the small grain planted. This was in March of 1836. Nathaniel Williams purchased 635 acres in District 9 of Madison County. The center of this tract is located about one and one-fourth miles east of Fruitvale.

Nathaniel’s wife was Gilley Cooley. Her sister, Malinda, married Gray B. Medlin and they, too, came to Crockett County. Many Medlin descendants still live in the county.

By 1850, three of Nathaniel’s children had married, and swven remained at home. A daughter, Wealthy, married Henry Blurton. Sons of Nathaniel were: Wesley, Winfield, Wyat, Woodson, Wilson, Whitfield, W. D. “Dock”, W. P. “Pony”, W. S. Shug”. Thos directly descended and still living in Fruitland are Carl Wayne Williams, Edward Williams, Hiawatha Williams, Leon Williams, Jim Williams, and Mrs. Earl Dunlap.

Nathaniel’s son, W. P. “Pony”, married first Julia Ann Eliza Edwards, and his second wife was Almedia Louisa Jackson, daughter of Elisha Jackson, also one of the first settlers. Pony’s children by the first marriage were Tiny and Lemuel Ammon. By the second wife the children were Dena, Lizzie, Zab, Ernest, Ethel, Cora, Allie, Otto, Laudell, Lurline, Claude, and Chester. Many descendants remain today in Fruitvale, across the county and other states. Pony Williams cared for many victims during the small pox epidemic soon after the Civil War. Many of the victims were attended in a one-room log house on the southeast corner of the original Nathaniel Williams 635 acre tract. When a victim died, Mr. Williams and an elderly colored man would carry them out for burial, Mr. Williams riding along in front to warn people to move away from the road. Crockett County later had another epidemic for the County Court called a meeting on Monday, Feb. 19, 1900, to take action relative to small pox.

Direct descendants of W. P. and Almedia Louisa Jackson Williams totaled 169 in 1971, and in 1971 there were 139 still living. Dan Williams, son of Claude, has written a booklet on the Williams family and much of our information has come from him. There are more people carrying the name of Williams in Crockett County today than those bearing any other name.

The first Crockett County magistrates from the Fruitvale community were John E. Pearson and T. B. Casey.

Henry Bluron, b. 1813 married Wealthy Williams, b. 1819. They were married in Wilson County and came west with her parents. Their children married into the Kenner, Medlin, Faulkner, Permenter, and Mayfield families. You will find their descendants all over the county. Those bearing the Blurton name are mostly in the southeast portion of the county. Mrs. Idella, widow of Gald Blurton, is among the oldest members of the family. She is now eighty-seven, a wonderfully interesting person to talk with, and an artist of some note. She has painted many pictures, and done artwork for several churches.

Joseph A. Bedwell came from Carroll County in 1899 to Crockett County. He boarded with Mr. Clinton Scarborough and taught school. He taught for many, many years, and today there are many teachers in the family. His daughter, Erin, married Dorse Leggett of the Fruitvale Community. Miss Erin has written many articles for the newspapers and at least one book. The Leggett children were Garland, Nathalie, Joe Leonard, Merlin, Clifton, Madeline, and Bennie Faye. Most of them still live in Crockett County or in nearby counties.

An ad in the “Alamo Sentinel” in 1900 says that T. P. Taylor has moved to Fruitvale and will deal in drygoods, notions, boots, shoes, a full line of staple groceries, and will take country produce in exchange for groceries. He must not have remained long for his name is missing from the businesses listed in the 1903 directory. This 1903 list included these businesses: Marlow Bros. Grocery; Nelson, Raines, & Scarborough Groc.; J. R. Jackson and Co. Dry Goods and Groceries; W. Z. Williams, blacksmith; R. N. Raines, express agent; R. W. Riggins & Co., Sawmill.

It seems that Fruitvale has had three names. It was first called Jackson Hollow, for Elisha Jackson, one of the earliest settlers. Later it bore the name of “The Switch”. In 1874, a post office was commissioned there and the name seems to have been changed to Fruitvale at that time. The name must have come from the fact that so many vegetables and fruits were shipped from there.

A list of all those who have served as postmaster is not available to us at this time, but in 1906, Mr. J. O. Boyd was appointed postmaster. He served continuously as postmaster for forty-five years, until his retirement. Mr. Boyd began business with his brother, Oscar Boyd, in Fruitvale in 1906. They were related to the Boyds who came very early to the Center Community. When World War II began, Mr. Oscar Boyd entered the armed service. When he returned from the war, he did not again re-enter business with his brother.

Mr. J. O. Boyd seems to have bought and sold everything – hardware, groceries, dry goods, fertilizer, coal, and in modern times he a added electrical appliances. He had several warehouses filled with goods. He bought produce, cabbage, tomatoes, berries, beans, and sweet potatoes. That area seems to have been the sweet potato capital of Crockett County. He shipped all these things in carload lots. All the people of the community must have helped during the peak of the shipping season each summer. As many as eight railroad cars of green wrapped tomatoes have been shipped in a sigle day in years past. Mr. Boyd als acquired a vast amount of land and raised many cattle and hogs. His niece, Mrs. Merlin Leggett, began working for him when she was about twelve years old and worked for about nine years. Her sister, Mrs. Geneva Emerson, also worked for him and continues to work for Mr. Q. W. Boyd, his successor. Cecil Stewart, of Alamo, got a lot of experience working there in the summers. Mrs. Lonnie Boyd was also a clerk for a long time. Elmer Brassfield was a clerk for many years, and people still remember his piano playing. Probably the one who worked the longest was Mrs. Malcolm Emerson. She was both clerk and bookkeeper.

Mr. Boyd died July 4, 1971, at the age of ninety. Relatives still in Fruitvale include Bill Emerson and his family, Joe Emerson and his family, Mrs. Geneva Emerson. Mrs. Lonnie May Leggett is a niece living in Gadsden.

Mr. Q. W. Boyd assumed ownership of the business after Mr. Boyd died. The business still has anything you would need to buy, almost. They still sell dry goods, groceries, well supplies, hardware, and fertilizer. Mrs. Geneva Emerson is still working as a clerk for Mr. Quentin.

After Mr. J. O. Boyd retired as postmaster in 1951, Mr. Malcolm Emerson became the postmaster, and has held the office to the present time.

Mr. Dorse Leggett ran a store for a long time up on the highway. This store is now operated by his daughter, Mrs. Nathalie Yearwood. The store is known as Leggett’s Grocery.

Mr. Clarence Nelson ran a store on the south side of the highway for many years, but has now retired and the store is vacant.

Like all other country communities in the county, Fruitvale has lost its school. The children go two ways, some to Bells, and some to Gadsden. The old school building now serves as a community center for community meetings

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The preceding article was contributed to this web page, with permission of the Crockett County Historical Society, by Natalie Huntley.

This information was taken from an article compiled and written by Mrs. C. C. James, and, published in the book “Crockett County Courthouse Centennial, 1874 – 1974” , prepared by the Crockett County Historical Society.This article is not to be reprinted, or used for any commercial purposes.

Frog Jump, located on the west side of Crockett County, is bounded by the South Fork of the Forked Deer River on the west and Black Creek on the east. This long, narrow, irregular strip of land extends all the way across the southwestern end of the county. Legend has it that the area derived its name from the notion that a frog is supposed to be able to jump from the river to the creek in one leap.

Frog Jump has always been divided into two communities, Upper and Lower Frog Jump. The name of the Upper end was long ago changed to Murry’s Chapel community and the name “Frog Jump” is most often used now to refer to the Lower, which is the westernmost section.

The first instance of the name “Frog Jump”, so far as can be determined at this point, appearing in print occurred in 1874, when the county paper correspondent from Johnson’s Grove reported the following:

We had the pleasure, not long since, of attending a frolic in the neighborhood known by the aristocratic name of “Frog Jump”. We passed the evening very pleasantly notwithstanding the dance was a little on the “puncheon floor” style. The rural lasses were there in all their magnificence, innocence and beauty. The hospitable old gentleman busied himself making the young folks enjoy themselves, while his hale old wife was all smiles. We “tripped the light fantastic” until the rising sun reminded us of the duties of the coming day. (Crockett County Sentinel, March 20, 1874).

The community had been settled (though somewhat sparsely) long before that time and had one public building, originally named the Moore School House but referred to, usually, as the “Old Frog Jump School House”. It was a one-room log building with a dirt floor and with wooden shutters instead of glass at the windows. This building was used not only as a school but also as a house of worship, perhaps by various denominations. When the newer Parker’s School House was built, sometime around 1890, the old building was used for all church activities: Sunday School, preaching, and funerals. It soon decayed to the point, however, that it was used only for storage, and the area had no public place for worship for several years.

Gilliland’s School, with grades one through eight, was the last one located in Frog Jump and went out of existence in the 1950’s. For a few decades, there was usually only one store there; in recent years, however, there has been an expansion in business activities: William Gilliland has a grocery store, J. L. Garrett a service station, and Mr. And Mrs. O. D. Fincher the 88 Dairy Bar.

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The preceding article was contributed to this web page, with permission of the Crockett County Historical Society, by Natalie Huntley.
This information was taken from an article that was compiled and written by Maxine Mayo, and, published in the book”Crockett County Courthouse Centennial, 1874 – 1974″ , prepared by the Crockett County Historical Society. 

This article is not to be reprinted, or used for any commercial purposes.

In 1824, a few brave and hardy settlers began building their cabins among the fine groves of poplar, hickory and ash trees which were growing in abundance between the Middle Forked Deer and the South Forked Deer Rivers.

John Warren built a saw mill; James Taylor erected a store and began hauling his goods by ox wagon from Front street in Memphis. Mrs. Taylor, who lived to celebrate her 95th birthday, says that they kept the chickens in the kitchen at night to prevent the wildcats and wolves from carrying them off.

A store had been established at Lower Cross in 1844 east of where the town of Friendship was later located. Another store was doing business about one mile south of this location. The Federal Government decided to place a post office in the territory. The post office was to be located at one of these stores.

In 1844, for the mutual benefit of the people, the owners moved both stores to “The Hill” or Upper Cross. The government set up the post office and named it Friendship after the act of courtesy shown by these store owners. 

In 1858, the town was laid off in town lots. This location was in the eastern part of what was then Dyer County, now the 12th district of Crockett County.

The town was incorporated in 1859 and W. P. Rice was elected the first mayor. The town had just begun to make progress when in 1861 the call of the Civil War came to the town and progress was hampered.

In 1913 the town was again incorporated, with the following boundary lines. From the old wall, which used to be located on the present day Main Street, all measurements were made. From the wall, the line goes north 700 yards, thence west 200 yards, thence south 1500 yards, thence east 1100 yards, north 1500 yards and thence west 900 yards.

Friendship had as its mayor after the 1913 incorporation, Frank Moore. Some of the mayors that have served the town in the past are: R. T. Hayes, Roy Privett, Mark Rice, Dr. W. H. Stallings, and Ira D. Park.

The founders of this community have not forgotten the God who made the town possible. The Baptist house of worship was first constructed in 1850. The present church was built in 1914. The Church of Christ first built its church building in 1912. The present building was built in 1941. The Methodist Church was first constructed in 1870. After the wood structure was destroyed by fire, a new church was built in 1914.

In 1870 the first school building was erected in Friendship. In 1885, the “Home Institute” was chartered to train boys and girls in the three R’s and Latin. Later a frame building was constructed, and in 1915 the present large brick building was erected.

The mail service to town was first brought by stagecoach over a route that ran from the Tennessee River to the Mississippi River via Eaton and Chestnut Bluff. The post office was one of the first to be located in this territory.

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The preceding article was contributed to this web page, with permission of the Crockett County Historical Society, by .

This information was published in an article published in the book “Crockett County Courthouse Centennial, 1874 – 1974” , prepared by the Crockett County Historical Society.

This article is not to be reprinted, or used for any commercial purposes.

Dog Hill is located between Maury City and Chestnut Bluff. It was established in 1938 by Mr. Scarbourogh(sp?). He open a store in the “S” curve at that time. Which is now know as “down town” Dog Hill. This store was located just a few feet east of Odell Woods Rd. Mr. Scarbourogh named the place because he said it was as many dogs in the community as it was kids. The old store was located in front of what is now Nick Spry’s home. My grandmother had many memories of the store and claim there was approx. 30 – 40 kids that would go to the store and play. However, the store moved location and ownership several years later. This store was located in front of what is now Mr. and Mrs. John Butler’s home. However, the store closed in early 1990’s, but Dog Hill and it’s beauy lives on.

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The preceding information was contributed by Kyle East .
This article is not to be reprinted, or used for any commercial purposes.

The following is from The Goodspeed History of Tennessee, Crockett County, published by the Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1887.

Crockett Mills is a small village in the Ninth District, seven miles northwest from the county seat, with a population of about sixty. In 1867 J. F. Robertson opened a general store at Crockett Mills, and conducted same until 1870, when he sold out to Baulch & Nance. In 1872 Mr. Robertson purchased the store and ran it until 1879, and sold it to J. B. Tucker.

Robertson again purchased the store in 1880, and is conducting it at present. The one other business house in the village is that of Ferguson & Elliott, undertakers.

Robertson & Perry erected the Crockett Mills in 1871. The mills then consisted of saw, grist and cotton-gin. In 1879 the mills were destroyed by fire, and being rebuilt were built a second time in the spring of 1882. The mill was again rebuilt in 1883, and in addition to saw, grist and cotton-gin, flour attachment was added, and the buildings were constructed of brick and made fire-proof.

Jackson Ferguson and John Lawrence have blacksmith and wagon-shops in the village.

The Christian Church, the only one in the place, is a handsome brick structure, and was built in 1883, the expense being borne by J. F. Robertson. The cost of the building was about $4,000, and it is probably the most handsome church building in the county.

The Crockett Academy was chartered in 1883, under the provisions of the four-mile temperance law.

Chestnut Bluff, which was, before 1872, a part of Dyer County, was one of the oldest towns in West Tennessee. It was given its name by the old flat-and keel-boatmen who traveled the Forked Deer River in the early 1830’s and purchased their supplies for the crews there while buying furs and hides from the trappers who lived in the river bottoms. John Hartwell Moss, who came from Middle Tennessee, established the first store at the place in 1833.

Francis (Frank) Nunn and John (Jack) Nunn, from North Carolina, were early settlers who were living in the community at that time. Some of the residents in the area in the 1840’s were Cornelius Johnson and his wife, Absaley; John H. Halliburton, Eli Lucas, B. O. Watson, William Shearin and H. N. Jackson.

In the 1850’s F. B. Wyse had a saddle shop in Chestnut Bluff and A. W. Brooks had a store. In 1854 John Moss sold to Dr. Isaac A. Nunn (who had married Elisabeth Moss in 1849) a lot “for and in consideration of Two Dollars and fifty cents in hand paid for the further consideration of getting the improvement of the Village of Chestnut Bluff… by having a Business House built.” 

In the period just after the Civil War, Chestnut Bluff was regarded as one of the best business points in the state according to size. Disaster struck in the 1870’s, however; a planned railroad was re-routed away from the town and, not long afterward, the whole town burned to the ground. But it was thriving again by 1903, and had four doctors located in the area. Doctors J. h. and W. T. Nunn, had by that time, constructed a brick store building, which was occupied then by B. H. Moore, who sold dry goods, groceries and hardware. Lawson Spence and a Mr. Sullivan had a store, as did Sam Young and Tom Shouse under the name of W. A. Young and Company; Young and Shouse were also undertakers. Joe H. Brooks had a drug and variety store; William B. York, a semi-retired doctor, was the postmaster and also a druggist. A cotton gin that was owned by a stock company, with Dr. W. T. Nunn as its president, was in operation; both Z. W. York and Joe S. Spence were operating sawmills. Jno. Bailey and J. B. Palmore had a blacksmith and wood shop at the time.

Until at least 1900, mail was brought to Chestnut Bluff by boat, usually the Davy Nunn, and distributed to other points by men on horseback. It appears that the almost total demise of the town as a business center occurred as a result of the river becoming unavailable and other, more rapid methods of transportation being developed. Although there are two grocery stores in the area – Bernard Mayo’s and Homer Young’s – as well as a television and radio shop owned by Mr. French, the only business in operation at the site of the old town is Mrs. Luther Allen’s Grocery. A part of the building in which the gin was housed is now part of a barn, and the old store buildings are becoming ruins.

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The preceding article was contributed to this web page, with permission of the Crockett County Historical Society, by Natalie Huntley.

This information was compiled and written by Maxine Mayo, and, published in the book “Crockett County Courthouse Centennial, 1874 – 1974”, prepared by the Crockett County Historical Society.This article is not to be reprinted, or used for any commercial purposes.