CHAPTER III.

The Oldest Village.

On his arrival at the site of Liberty from Maryland in 1797, Adam Dale, who came by way of East Tennessee and over Cumberland Mountains, Mr. Riley Dale says, must have been impressed with the country, for he sent back in some way a report to his friends which induced the coming of a colony consisting of William and John Dale, Thomas West, William and George Givan, Thomas Whaley, Josiah and T. W. Duncan, James and William Bratten, Henry Burton, the Fites, Truits, Bethels, and many others, some of whom were young married couples.

It is not certainly known that he had a companion during the something like three years before the arrival of the immigrants. If he was alone, life must have been lonely at times. The descendants of all the pioneers who have talked on the subject, repeating the stories handed down, join in saying there was no wagon road through from Nashville after the first few miles. One, perhaps W. G. Bratten, told the agent for Goodspeed's history of the State that the colony "came down the Ohio River, up the Cumberland to Nashville, and from that point made their way overland to the Dale settlement in wagons." Another, perhaps a descendant of Rev. John Fite, stated to Rev. J. H. Grime, author of "A History of Middle Tennessee Baptists": "When he [Fite] landed here in the very beginning of the nineteenth century, he found

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this country still a wilderness. . . . He helped to cut away the cane and underbrush to construct the first road to Liberty, the work consuming a period of nineteen days for a number of hands." We may assume that there were roads a short distance eastward from Nashville, but it may be taken as true that a part of the fifty-six miles to Liberty was almost primeval forest. Doubtless game and fish abounded, and these occupied Dale's mind by day; but the snarl of the bobcat or other noises of the night, together with the solemnity of the great woods, were necessarily spirit-depressing, even if he had no fears of Indians.

We are told that he passed his first months in a rude shack built on the bluff overlooking the creek on the north side of town, about where the Whaley lime kiln was for a number of years. After his friends came he erected a small dwelling on the west side of the turnpike beyond the bridge going north. This writer saw the building carried off by the flood near the beginning of the War between the States, at which time the small mill Dale erected, but at the time belonging to Daniel Smith or the Lambersons, was wrecked.

Mrs. Jean Robertson Anderson, wife of Gen. Kellar Anderson, of Memphis, is a great-granddaughter of Adam Dale. Her mother was Mrs. James ( Anne Lewis Dale) Robertson, the third daughter of Edward W. Dale, who was the oldest son of Adam Dale and the only one to leave issue. From a letter of Mrs. Anderson dated November 4, 1914, these facts are gleaned: Adam Dale was born in Worcester

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County, Md., July 14, 1768. He was a boy volunteer of the Revolution. In 1781 this company of boys from fourteen to sixteen years was raised in Snow Hill, Md., to oppose the progress of Cornwallis through Virginia. Receiving land grants with his father, Thomas Dale, for service, he settled in Liberty, Tenn., in 1797, after having married Mary Hall February 24, 1790. He raised, equipped, and commanded a company of volunteers from Smith (DeKalb) County and fought under Jackson at Horseshoe Bend and other battles of the War of 1812. Removing to Columbia, Tenn., in 1829, he died at Hazel Green, Ala., October 14, 1851, and was buried there. His wife died in 1859 in Columbia. To this couple were born ten children.

Mrs. Anderson says further:

When the surviving children of Adam Dale had his body removed from Alabama to Columbia after his wife's death, his body was found to be absolutely perfect - petrified. The picture is from an old daguerreotype made shortly before his death. I have several letters from him to his grandchildren. One minutely describes the battle of Horseshoe Bend. Another tells of his English ancestry and their coming to America. I also have the newspaper clipping of the eulogy on his career as soldier, patriot, citizen, and friend published at the time of his death. Among his descendants are Mrs. W. D. Bethell, Denver, Colo.; Mrs. John M. Gray, Nashville, Tenn.; Mrs. Thomas Day, Memphis, Tenn.; Mrs. E. M. Apperson, Memphis, Tenn.; Mrs. J. S. Van Slyke, Dallas, Tex.; Mrs. Joseph Houston, Denver, Colo.; and Mrs. W. R. Holliday, Memphis, Tenn.

Adam and William Dale were probably sons of Thomas Dale, who came to Liberty with the Mary-

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Facing page 24, photo captioned:
Adam Dale
DeKalb County's First Known Settler FROM AN OLD DAGUERREOTYPE BY
MRS. KELLAR ANDERSON, MEMPHIS

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landers. Josiah Duncan married a daughter of Thomas; while another, Sophia, was the wife of William Givan. There are many descendants of these Dales in Tennessee and other States. Among them is Mrs. H. P. Figuers, of Columbia, whose father, W. J. Dale, was born in Smith (DeKalb) County in 1811 and removed to Maury County in 1822. Another is Mrs. Bertha L. Chapman, of Alexandria. She has a Bible containing these entries:

Sophia E. Dale was married to William Givan June 26, 1802. They had children: Nancy, born January 11, 1804; George, born September 21, 1806; Elizabeth, born May 1, 1810; Sarah, born April 11, 1812; Thomas, born March 20, 1814; Mary Ann, born June 23, 1816; Robert Johnson, born August 9, 1818; and Martha Laws Dale, born November 5, 1820. Martha Laws Dale Givan was married to James D. Grandstaff September 19, 1839. Mrs. Grandstaff lived in widowhood from 1844 to 1893.

Riley Dale has in his possession a letter from his grandfather, Rev. William Dale, dated February 28, 1844, containing this genealogical note:

I was born on the Lord's day, the 4th of May, 1783. My place of nativity was Worcester County, Md. My father's name was Thomas Dale, of John Dale, of James Dale, both of Londonderry, Ireland. My mother's name was Elizabeth Evans, of John Evans, of William Evans, from Wales.

Thomas Dale, who was a Revolutionary soldier, enlisting in Gen. Charles Smallwood's command, soon became captain of a company of the Maryland line. He owned a great deal of land around Liberty, in which village he erected a house. This was on the lot on which Will A Vick more recently built. His

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son-in-law, Josiah Duncan, was settled on the land last owned by the W. G. Bratten heirs. Erecting a house on the farm now owned by George Givan, a mile south of Liberty, he died before moving to it. His widow, with his son-in-law, William Givan, removed to the farm, and it is in the possession of the Givan family in 1914. In the family graveyard in the rear is a limestone slab with this legend: "In memory of Thomas Dale, born March 5, 1744; died January 6, 1812."

The colony set about preparing homes and the community soon took on a more encouraging aspect. The mill was erected on Smith Fork Creek north of Liberty, and the place became widely known as the Dale Mill Settlement. As the little cluster of houses grew larger, the name of Liberty was given it by its founder. It is possible that the mountain between Liberty and Smithville was named Snow's Hill by him in memory of the place where he enlisted for American independence. There is not a Dale in what was once called the Dale Mill Settlement. A grandson of Rev. William Dale, Riley, resides on his farm, several miles from Liberty, aged seventy-two.

There is a diversity of opinion as to who was the first merchant. Goodspeed says he was a Mr. Walk; James Givan thinks his name was Vaught. George Givan, on Clear Fork, it is interesting to state, now owns a well-preserved wash kettle purchased from the first merchant about a century ago.

The earliest dwellings were supposedly built by William Givan, Josey Evans, and Henry Burton, who

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came with the Maryland settlers. All three were carpenters. Other pioneer merchants were Fite & Duncan, Ben Blades, Joshua Bratten, and Moore Price.

From Dr. Wright's daybook it is seen that the following firms were in existence as early as 1832-33: Fite, Whaley & Co., Ray & Reed, woodworkmen and smiths, David & Wood, Derickson & Braswell, saddlers, York & Bailey, and Whaley & Son.

Some years prior to the War between the States the following were in various businesses: Eli Vick, William Vick, Hale & Hays, merchants; W. G. Foster, Frank Foster, William Whaley, and William Ford. Among the merchants after the war were Eli Vick, William Whaley, C.W.L. Hale, William Vick, J. H. Overall, Overall & Hollandsworth, M. C. Vick, D. D. Overall, Elijah Bratten, Vick Bros., George Turney, James Pritchett, Isaac Whaley, H. L. Hale, Blue Givan, W. T. Hale, and others. The business directory for 1914 shows: Maud Spurlock, Robinson & McMillan, Whaley Bros., general merchants; Bright Bros., vehicles; W. L. Vick, harness; Will Fite, hardware; Turner & Son, groceries; Bratten Bros., grain; William Organ, Jr., tinner; Tom Lamberson, blacksmith; Hugh Gothard, liveryman; H. L. Hale and Joe Conley, produce; Grover Evans and J. C. Stark, insurance; L. Woodward, photographer; W. C. Smith, painter.

As early as 1832-33 the neighborhood around the village must have been thickly populated or many patrons of the stores came from the Smithville and Woodbury communities. Some of the names on Dr.

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Wright's daybook are: J. G. Roulstone, S. J. Garrison, David L. Ray, W. C. Garrison, Lemuel H. Bethel, David Fite, Reuben Evans, Eli A. Fisher, M. A. Fricks, German Gossett, Francis Turner, G. Shehane, Henry Fite, Charles Jenkins, James Stanford, George L. Givan, John Floyd, Zach Williamson, Brackett Estes, John L. Strong, Joel N. West, John Stark, Peter Hays, Joshua Bratten, B. F. Wood, T. W. Duncan, James Wilder, Moses Fite, Joseph Cameron, Louis Y. Davis, Thomas Allan, Lem D. Evans, Richard Arnold, Matthew Simpson, John Little, John Griffith, James Bayne, William Boyd, Joseph Fite, Alfred Wallace, Capt. William S. Boswell, David Thompson, Thomas Allan, David Fricks, Richard McGinnis, John Stark, John Hays, John E. Dale, W. T. Cochran, Wyatt Pistole, Shadrick Trammel, Moses Spencer, Thomas and Moses Pack, Shadrick Kelley, Tilman Bethel, Lewis Parker, Milka Strong, Rev. William Dale, James Pendleton, Capt. Joseph Evans, Aaron Davis, Moses Allen, Capt. James Spurlock, Alex Armstrong, David Dirting, John Owen, Nancy Kelly, Mrs. Mary Hart, Henry Hart, P. W. Brien, William A. Wisner, George Barnes, Joseph Snow, Henry Horn, Rev. James Evans, George Foster, Hugh Smith, Joseph Atnip, R. H. Parkison, John Martin, Nancy Givan, William Blair, Charles Hancock, Luke McDowell, Lewis Parker, John Hollandsworth, Jordan Sellars, James Baity, Benjamin Clark, Dempsy Taylor, Archibald McDougle, Benjamin Goodson, Lemuel Moore, Abner Evans, Leonard Fite, Richard Bennett, Isaac Pack, George A. Rich, Smith Brien, Peter Tur-

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ney, Augustin Vick, Thomas Underwood, Nathan Wade, John Candler, James Carney, Wingate Truitt, Littleberry Vick, Leonard Lamberson, James Perryman, Lewis Ford, William Estes, Wiley Wilder, Crag Parsons, Leven Gray, William Brazwell, William Carroll, Alfred Wales, Thomas West, A. W. Ford, William Measles, Harriet C. Roulstone, John Conger, Joshua Ford, Wiley J. Melton, Samuel Hays, James Robinson, Mathias S. West, John Frazier, Alex Dillard, Friday Martin, Robert Wilson, Samuel Bryson, James Yeargin, D. H. Burton, Benjamin Avant, Edward Sullivant, James Pistole, Washington Gossett, William Gossett, S. C. Porterfield, Gideon B. York, Green Arnold, Tilman Foster, Mrs. Kesiah Alexander, Thomas Bratten, U. G. Gossett, Moses Mathews, Sophia Givan, David H. Burton, Ed Evans, Gilbert Williams, Samuel Williams, Silas Cooper, John R. Dougherty, Goulding Foster, J. M. Farrington, John Reed, Mikel V. Ethridge, Dr. Samuel Tittle, Moses Spencer, Emerson M. Hill, Edmund T. Goggin, Giles Driver, P. C. Watson, Bryant Spradley, Peter Reynolds, Josiah Spurlock, Jonathan Fuston, John Curtis, Nathan Evans, A. Overall, J. A. Wilson, Thomas Bratten, O. M. Garrison, Matthew Sellars, Joab Hale, John Burton, W. H. Burton, Thomas Taylor, Sally Evans, Welles Adamson, W. A. Nesmith, Acenith Fite, Washington Bayne, Lee Brazwell, Coleman Johnson, James Bayne, Thomas Close, W. B. Stokes, Jane Lawrence, Joseph Hendrickson, Lewis Stark, Phillips Cooper, Henry McMullin, Sally Woodside, Robin Forester, Cantrell Bethel, Jesse B.

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Jones, Col. James Tubb, Jacob Page, Thomas Pack, John Dodd, William Botts, Thomas Whaley, Jacob Overall, John M. Leek, Adam Bratten, Abe Adams, Benjamin Pritchard, Isaac Bratten, Gilbert Williams, Nancy Burton, George Grizzle, Onessimus Evans, W. S. Scott, Joseph Evans, Solomon Davis, Edwin Shumway, John Merritt, Matthew McLane, Benjamin Blades, F. S. Anderson, and Randall Pafford.

There is a certain pathos connected with the changes that have come about in the personnel of the population during the past fourscore years. For instance, a leading family of Liberty in other days was that of Gossett; there is now not a person of the name in the village or in the county. The Dales, as shown, have also disappeared from the town.

Mrs. Rachel Payne wrote in 1914:

I well remember the Liberty of sixty-two years ago, my father, Frederick Jones, having bought Duncan Tavern in 1843. In that year the first schoolhouse was built, not far from the Methodist church. Mr. Chambers was the first teacher in it. I was one of the later pupils. Most of the houses were of logs back then. I went to school in the log church that stood by the graveyard. The seats were split logs, with holes in them for the insertion of legs. The first person buried in Salem graveyard was Major Lamberson's girl, Martha. Nearly all the old-time people are gone to their reward. Aunt Polly Youngblood is the oldest resident. She was a Miss Avant, of Dismal Creek. I was only six months old when she became the wife of William Youngblood, and I was sixty-eight years old September 23, 1913. There were about thirty houses in Liberty when I was a child, and nearly all the public travel was by stagecoach.

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In a gossipy letter Dr. Foster names some of the residents of about 1850: Mr. Dean (blacksmith), Dr. J. R. Dougherty, Joshua Bratten and his son James, Dr. J. H. Fuson, Dr. J. A. Baird, Aunt Sallie Bratten, Len Moore, Bill Thompson (blacksmith), Jim Crook (wagon maker), Leonard and Clint Lamberson, William Youngblood, Dr. G. C. Flowers, Isaac Whaley, Tom Price, Elijah Strong, J. P., Bob, Hilary, and other Dales, Frederick Jones (tailor), W. G. Foster, Arthur Worley, U. D. Gossett, Ben Blades, Eli Vick, Seth Whaley, James Hollandsworth, John Woodsides, William Gothard, Bill Avant (tanner), John Evans, John Reid, and John Perryman. Dr. Foster adds:

I can see other things as I look back to Liberty: Aunt Polly Blades's ginger cakes, set on a little shelf as a sign; Aunt Hettie Bratten selling good whisky for ten cents a quart; Dr. Flowers's John with his bowlegs; Jim Crook and his legs; Alex Bayne and his snow-white steers; and Sam Wooden as he hits and raises a knot on Bill Pack's head. I go around to Reuben Evans's farm and see his sons, Ed, Will, Ike, Mose, and Jim, and his daughters, Nancy, Matilda, and Martha, and his wife, Aunt Clara, as well as a dog named Danger, that bit Jim Youngblood on the hindmost part. Likewise I see old Dr. Tilman Bethel and his black horse and his sons, Chess, Greene, Blue, Fayette, and John; Louis Vick, Jim Bratten, and Clint Lamberson (the last three died when yet young men). Then I look on Polly Stanley, the best "fisherman" with a pole and line in the county and a good fiddler; Sam Barger, fat and squat, who wore his shoes when he rode to Liberty, but came barefooted when he walked. Coming on down several years, I was in the village the night Montillius Richardson died. That was after the battle of Fishing Creek, and I was on furlough. (I belonged to the Fifteenth Mississippi Confederate Regiment.) Sixty-five years ago, when I

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was a ten-year-old boy, changes were going on, of course. The physicians were George C. Flowers, E. Wright, John A. Baird, Horace Sneed, Samuel Little, J. A. Fuson, and J. R. Dougherty, with Tilman Bethel, a steam doctor, living a mile or two west. The magistrates for that district were Reuben Evans and Joe Clarke. The constables were William Blackburn and Josiah Youngblood. Church Anderson was one of the merchants. The blacksmiths were Bill Thompson and Greene Perryman, but preceding them were Goolsberry Blades and a man named Brooks. Later smiths were W. G. Evans and Bill Givan; miller, "Chunky" Joe Hays (who was not chunky), his wife being Aunt Sukey, mother of Mrs. William Blackburn; shoemaker, John Woodside; saddlers, W. G. Foster, U.D. Gossett, John A. Carroll, George Warren, G. F. Bowers, and others; saloon keeper, James G. Fuston; cabinet workmen, James Hollandsworth, Bob Burton, and Isaac Whaley; brickmason, Berry Driver; tailors, Joe Perryman and Len Moore. The Lamberson boys were also millers, running the old Dale water mill. Liberty had a horse saw mill and a rope factory - the latter about where the tanyard was afterwards. Wagon makers were Jim Crook and Perry Wells. Perry and Jim Wells put up a store on Dismal Creek after the Clay and Frelinghuysen canvass, and some one got off this doggerel:

"Hurray! hurrah! the country's risin';
Perry and Jim are merchandisin'.
One sells liquor, and t'other sells goods;
And when they start home - get lost in the woods!"

Liberty was incorporated January 17, 1850. The boundaries were: Beginning at a sour oak near Leonard Lamberson's wellspring, thence south to Smith's Fork, thence down said creek with its meanders to the mouth of the branch west of the town spring; thence west to a chinquapin oak standing on the north side of the Liberty and Dismal Creek road,

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thence south to the beginning; provided that the west boundary shall not include any of the land owned by Leonard Lamberson.

Revived after the war, the corporation was abolished soon after the passage of the four-mile law of 1877. William Blackburn and Elijah Bratten were post-bellum mayors.

The people of Liberty for some years had to go as far as Carthage to mail letters. This was changed when the stage began to run, maybe before. The earliest postmaster recalled by the old people was "Grandaddy" Dougherty, who carried the mail around in his hat, collecting the postage. Perhaps Dr. Wright preceded Dougherty, as in his daybook various persons were charged "cash for postage." Wright was a son-in-law of James Fuston, third host of Duncan Tavern. In 1844 Isaac Whaley succeeded Dougherty, holding the position until 1888 with the exception of a few months when, at the beginning of the war, Frank Foster was postmaster for the Confederacy and when, after the war, M. C. Vick held the office a short time. H. L. Hale succeeded Mr. Whaley in 1888. Mrs. Cannie Whaley was appointed some years later. C. L. Bright is the present postmaster.

It should be noted that there were no envelopes until a late day. The writer has before him now a letter addressed in 1827 to "Mr. M. S. West, Liberty, Smith Co., Ten." It is a sheet of paper folded and fastened with a small bit of sealing wax, the amount of postage, ten cents, being marked on the outside. It was mailed

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at Haysboro, Davidson County, Tenn., and shows that postal rates were high.

In an interview with Isaac Whaley several years ago the writer obtained these facts bearing on the old times: "The letter postage was once six cents from Liberty to Alexandria, seven miles; ten cents to Nashville, fifty-six miles; over four hundred miles the postage was twenty-five cents, double that if the letter consisted of two sheets. Like registered letters today, a record of every letter was made on a 'way bill,' each postmaster receipting for it to the postmaster back on the route."

The physicians of Liberty have been numerous. These are recalled: Early, J. R. Dougherty, J. A. Baird, E. Wright, George C. Flowers; Tilman Bethel and Dr. Little, herbists; Horace Sneed, George R. Givan, J. A. Fuson, Thomas Black, J. S. Harrison. Later, A. S. Redman, J. W. Campbell, T. J. Sneed, W. H. Robinson, W. A. Whaley, J. H. Johnson, J. G. Squires, W. A. Barger, Robert Estes, T. O. Bratten, J. R. Hudson, Present, T. J. Jackson, T. J. Bratten, Harrison Adamson.

Dr. Foster mentions the old miller, "Chunky" Joe Hays, whose service was after Adam Dale's time. The Lambersons and Daniel Smith owned the mill still later. W. C. Youngblood and Edward Robinson were owners of the steam mill when it was burned by the troops of Gen. John T. Wilder, Federal.

Allan Wright, of Maryland, came to Liberty in 1866 and built a mill on the site of the one which had been burned, the first to be erected in the county after

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peace came. For many years the patronage of this mill was very great. Among those who have been connected with it since the war were: E. W. Bass, Jep Williams, George Wood, L. N. Woodside, J. H. Overall, John L. Lamberson, and George Bradley.

A water mill was erected by Buck Waters about 1873 or 1874 a few yards below the site of the Dale mill, the dam which supplies the big turbine wheel being one hundred and twenty-five yards wide and twelve feet high. It was sold to Vannata & Hicks. Within the next few years it was owned by Vannata & Stark Bros., H. L. Hale & Stark Bros., and H. L. and Bruce L. Hale. About 1884 a stock company was formed and the roller process installed, the stockholders being R. L. Floyd, George Turney, R. B. West, Sams Sellars, T. G. Bratten, W. C. Youngblood, B. L. Hale, and C. W. L. Hale. The capital stock was $6,000. On the death of B. L. Hale, in 1898, R. B. Floyd and C.W.L. Hale bought all the shares. The property is now owned by Bradley Bros.

The earliest attempt at publishing in Liberty was made by H. L. and Will T. Hale. The paper was small, miserably printed, and called the Imp. Only one issue appeared (September 20, 1879); and had it been larger, its failure would have deserved what the father of the young men cheerfully called it, "a stupendous abortion."

The Liberty Herald was established April 1, 1886, by Will A. Vick. Mr. Vick spent considerable money on the plant, and the journal, existing several years,

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became very popular in DeKalb and surrounding counties.

The Bank of Liberty was established by A. E. Potter and J. J. Smith in 1898. The latter became President, H. L. Overall, Vice President, and A. E. Potter, Cashier. Directors: D. D. Overall, J. J. Smith, H. L. Overall, H. C. Givan, C. D. Williams, E. J. Robinson, Will A. Vick, L. D. Hamilton, A. E. Potter, W. R. Robinson, and J. W. Reynolds. Mr. Potter was Cashier until 1895, when D. D. Overall became President and W. H. Overall, Cashier. The officers in 1914 were: John W. Overall, President; Thomas M. Givan, Vice President, T. H. Chapman, Cashier; J. C. Stark, Assistant Cashier. Directors: T. M. Givan, W. H. Overall, T. J. Jackson, J. F. Turner, B. W. Robinson, T. H. Chapman, John W. Overall, and Tom W. Overall.

The American Savings Bank opened for business December 8, 1905. This bank, like the other, has been successfully conducted. The first officers were: T. G. Bratten, President; W. H. Bass, Vice President; J. M. Bradley, Cashier. Directors: G. B. Givan, D. B. Wilson, J. B. West, R. B. Vannata, S. J. Chapman, Mrs. M. J. Corley, J. R. Corley, W. L. Evans, W. F. Hooper, H. M. Evans, J. E. Williams, and J. L. Lamberson. These officers, or all that were living, held their positions until 1914. The President's health became such that on January 10, 1914, the following officers were elected: L. A. Bass, President; G. B. Givan, Vice President; J. M. Bradley, Cashier. Directors: L. A. Bass, G. B. Givan, H. M. Evans, R. B. Vannata, J. M. Bradley, H. A. Bratten, D. B. Wilson,

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A. L. Reynolds, A. J. Williams, J. E. Hobson, J. L. Lamberson, W. L. Evans, and S. J. Chapman. H. M. Evans, T. M. Bright, and C. G. Givan, as finance committee, have served since the organization.

Among landmarks reminding this generation of a past era are Lamberson's wellspring and the town spring. The former was on the southwest, with a sweep and the "old oaken bucket." Here on baptizing days the crowds going to and from the place of baptism higher up Smith Fork Creek would stop to quench their thirst and to gossip. The town spring, on the north side, was of more romantic interest. The pioneers greatly appreciated a good spring. It for a while furnished drinking water for almost the entire village. It was walled up, while a long flight of stone steps led down to the entrance on the east side, where a bucketful of the sparkling fluid could be easily dipped up. For half a century it was a Sunday meeting place for the young folks. Seated in couples on the steps or under the big oak on the bluff, they engaged in light badinage or love-making. The spring is yet held in pleasant memory by many elderly people.

There is one other landmark demanding notice, the pioneer cemetery on the northwest edge of Liberty. It is referred to by H. L. Hale as the "old Methodist graveyard." It lies on a gentle slope facing the sunrise, and at one time it must have been a beautiful spot. Pathos now hovers over it. But few stones are standing, and these are the stone pens covered with broad slabs of carefully worked limestone. Not a flower can be seen in the most gorgeous summer save the

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wild rose. No one walks there to meditate over the departed. A century ago children's voices were heard, and relatives of the dead walked among the tombs to pay the tribute of a sigh. Now nobody cares. James H. Burton writes: "My grandfathers, Ebenezer Burton and John S. Woodside, my father and mother, W. H. and Nancy Burton, and Uncle John Woodside are buried there." H. L. Hale writes: "Few names on the two or three tombs are legible. On a little 'house of rock,' the last home evidently of a husband and wife, this only could be read: ' ----- Daugherty. Born 1770, died 1828.' Near by was this: ' Caroline Arnold. Died July 22, 1828.' On another tomb: ' D.E.S. Kenner. Died December 4, 1809; age seventy-seven years.' One other: ' Nancy Fite, born 1805; died July 22, 1828.' Judging from the grave of D.E.S. Kenner, the cemetery was used at least one hundred and five years ago, and the slumberer was born the same year Washington was, 1732."

Liberty, fifty-six miles east of Nashville, has suffered much from fires. It is in one of the finest agricultural sections of the State, with a population estimated at five hundred, and perhaps it is of more romantic interest than the other towns in the county.

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