Excerpts from A Brief Sketch of the Settlement and Early History of Giles County Tennessee by James McCallum, 1876, published by The Pulaski Citizen, 1928 (Excerpted by Giles County Researcher Janice Castleman for the USGenWeb and TNGenWeb Projects, August 1997).
by Janice Castleman
CHAPTER FIRST – CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY (partial)
To fully appreciate the character and noble achievements of those heroic men and women who came to the County when the whole face of the country was a dense cane-brake, inhabited only by wild beasts of the forest, with the Indians living in near proximity, and occasionally passing through it on their hunting or marauding excursions, it is necessary to recur to the antecedent and contemporaneous history of the country.
For this I digress – prior to the Revolutionary War, the British Government claimed the title in fee simple to all the lands in her American possessions not disposed of by the King, vested in him, and that the Indians were but tenants at will.
The Colony of North Carolina claimed that, under her Colonial Grant from the King, her boundaries extended west as far as the British Government had title, and without admitting the title of the Indians, but from motives of policy, treated with them from time to time for portions of the land. At that time and for many years before no Indians permanently resided within the State of Tennessee, except the southern portion of East Tennessee. The Indians lived in North Georgia, the Southern part of East Tennessee, and Southwestern North Carolina, but claimed as hunting grounds East and Middle Tennessee, also Kentucky, and as far north as the Ohio River. The Indians had their trails and war paths through Tennessee, which they traveled in their hunting and war excursions from the settlements South of the Tennessee River, and those North of the Ohio.
One of these, the old McCutcheon trail, crossed Elk River at Latitude Hill, passed through the Eastern portion of Giles, crossed Duck River near the mouth of Fountain Creek, and North to the neighborhood of Nashville. Another crossed Elk River at the month of Ford’s Creek near prospect, and went north or northwest and was traveled in their excursions to Northern tribes.
The country between the Tennessee and Ohio Rivers had been for many years the great battle ground of the Indians, each Nation claiming an interest in it, but no one of them was permitted by the others to permanently occupy it; hence the vindictive and unceasing warfare they waged against the first white settlers.
But by 1806, the Cherokees ceded all their claim to lands north of the Tennessee River, and west of the line run from upper part of Chickasaw “Old Field” on the Tennessee River, about five miles above Ditto’s landing, to the most eastwardly headwaters of Duck river, etc. A subsequent treaty in September, 1807 included the headwaters of Elk River.
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CHAPTER SECOND–INDIAN TREATIES (partial)
In 1801 the United States Government opened a road from Nashville to Natchez, called to Natchez road, which crossed Duck River at Gordon’s Ferry, below Williamsport, and the Tennessee at Colburt’s Ferry. The road from Williamson County was through Chickasaw territory the most of the way, and they claimed the right to establish ferries, and houses of entertainment, on the road. There was then no white family on the road from Gordon’s Ferry to near Natchez.
In July, 1805, a treaty was made with the Chickasaws by General Robertson and Colonel Meigs, by which they ceded all their claims to land North of Duck River, and East of the Natchez Road as far as the ridge that divides the waters of Duck River, at present known as “Lewis’s Grave,” and all North and East from a line from Lewis’s Grave eastwardly along said ridge to the headwaters of the Buffalo, thence South-east to Ditto’s landing, striking the Tennessee River three miles below the landing, and eight miles below the Easter boundary of the Chickasaw claim. This line passed through Giles, entering it near the Northwest corner, crossing the Lawrenceburg road at the eight mile post, near where Robert Reed lived, passed four or five miles West of Pulaski, crossed Elk River about three miles above Prospect just West of the Ward place, and the State Line at Phillip’s Mill, the place known as “Old Virginia,” and then to Ditto’s landing or near that on the Tennessee, leaving a considerable part of the Western and South-western portion of Giles County in Chickasaw territory; and such it remained until the treaty of 1816, when the Chickasaws ceded all their land North and East of the Tennessee River. In October, 1805, the Cherokees ceded their claim to land North of Duck River, and to the headwaters of the most Southern branch, then Eastwardly to the mouth of the Hiawassee on the Tennessee River.
In January, 1806, the Cherokees ceded all their claim to lands North of the Tennessee River, and West of the line run from upper part of Chickasaw “Old Fields” on the Tennessee River, about five miles above Ditto’s landing, to the most eastwardly headwaters of the Duck river, etc.
This treaty not being entirely satisfactory was reaffirmed by a subsequent treaty in September, 1807, including the headwaters of the Elk River.
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CHAPTER THREE– ORGANIZATION OF GILES COUNTY (complete)
Prior to 1806, many persons from the Eastern States, who had entered land in Middle Tennessee, south of Williamson county, moved to Davidson and Williamson, and resided there temporarily, waiting for the Indian title to be extinguished, that they might settle on their purchased land.
Williamson County was established in October, 1799, and its boundaries extended south to the Indian boundary, and all south of that was in Indian territory until after the treaty of January 1806, except the portion which lies north of Duck river as to which, the Indian title was extinguished in October 1805. Until after the organization of Maury county, what is now Giles County was regarded as a part of Williamson. Some of the old deeds and grants for lands in Giles county on the south side of Elk River, described the land as being in Williamson County, and were required to be registered there.
Maury County was established in November, 1807.
The territory south of Maury remained for two years under the jurisdiction of Maury. The first settlers paid taxes in Maury, prosecuted criminals, and instituted legal proceedings in the courts of Maury.
On the 14th of November, 1809, Giles County was established by act of the Legislature. The Bill was introduced by William FRIERSON, grandfather of Judge W. F. COOPER, and uncle of Chancellor FLEMMING, the Representative of Williamson and Maury, to establish a new County south of Maury, and north of the state Line, by the name of “Richland County”. The tradition is, that at the suggestion of General JACKSON, “Giles” was substituted as the name of the County in honor of Governor William b. GILES of Virginia. When the Bill was on its third reading in the Senate, on motion of Mr. Benton, it was amended by striking out Giles, and inserting Shelby, as the name of the County. The House refused to concur in the amendment, and after some delay the Bill was finally passed, retaining the name Giles.
The boundaries of the County as defined by the Leislature, commenced at the South-east corner of Maury, thence South to the Southern boundary of the State, thence West far enough to include a constitutional County, thence North to the Maury line, thence with the Maury line to the beginning. As this indicated, nearly half of the County lay West of the Congressional Reservation line. The vacant land West of said line belonged to the United States Government, over which the State of Tennessee had no control, and about one-fourth of the County; the Western and South-western part, was Indian territory, and remained such until September 1816.
The Act establishing the County appointed James ROSS, Nathaniel MOODY, Tyree RODES, Gabriel BUMPASS and Thomas WHITSON, Commissioners, to select a place on Richland Creek, as near the center of the County as practicable, and cause a town to be laid off; and to sell lots, reserving a public square of two acres, on which should be erected a court house and stocks; that the town should be called “Pulaski”, in honor of Count PULASKI, who fell in the attack upon Savannah in 1779.
The Commissioners were judiciously selected as to their location. ROSS lived at the Andrew YOKLEY place; MOODY near Lynnville Station; RODES where his son, Robert RODES lived afterwards; BUMPASS at Cross Water; and WHITSON on Elk River, about a mile above Prospect on what was then Indian territory.
The Commissioners selected the present site of Pulaski, then known as the “Shoals on Richland Creek,” although at that time it was vacant land, lying South and West of the reservation line, but assurance of title had been given, which authorized the Commissioners to make the selection. The cane and undergrowth were removed from a small portion of the town in 1810. Among those who removed the first cane were: General R. H. ALLEN, then a lad fifteen years of age, and Spencer CLACK, then a young man living with his father, on mile west of the court house.
In August, 1811, the first lots were sold, and in due time a court house and stocks were erected.
On the 22nd of November, 1809, the Legislature, by joint resolution, selected the following magistrates for Giles County, viz: John DICKEY, Jacob BAYLOR, Somerset MOORE, Charles NEELY, Robert STEELE, Nathaniel MOODY, William PHILLIPS, Benjamin LONG, Thos. WESTMORELAND, David PORTER and Maximillian H. BUCHANAN. At the same time the Legislature elected Thos. STEWART, Judge of the 4th District, embracing Giles and Alfred BALCH, Attorney General.
DICKEY lived at Campbellsville, BAYLOR one mile west of it, MOORE on Moore’s Creek, two miles southwest of Pulaski, NEELY on Pigeon Roost Creek, near the TILLERY place, STEELE on the turnpike, opposite Buford Station, MOODY half a mile south of Lynnville Station, PHILLIPS two miles north of Elkton, LONG in the suburbs of Elkton, WESTMORELAND near Aspen Hill, PORTER near Mount Moriah church, and BUCHANAN at Crosswater.
The Act which established the County also established a Circuit Court, to be held the second Monday in June and December; and a Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, to be held third Monday in February, May, August and November, and provided that the first courts should be held at the house of Lewis Kirk, who lived in a log cabin on the bank of Richland Creek, about two hundred yards above the Nashville and Decatur Depot.
The first County Court was held 3rd Monday in February, 1810, when the Magistrates were sworn in, and County officers elected or appointed. German LESTER was made Clerk, Charles NEELY, Sheriff, and Jesse WESTMORELAND, Register. Charles NEELY, the first sheriff, was one of the Magistrates, and the tradition is that the magistrates, at the first election for sheriff, were in favor of keeping the office among themselves, as was the custom in the State of Virginia at that time; but, owing to some dissatisfaction about the mode of electing, NEELY resigned, and James BUFORD, who was his deputy, was elected.
The third Circuit Court was held in June, 1810. Thomas STEWART was Judge, and James BERRY was appointed Clerk. The first courts were attended by a large number of attorneys from other counties, among them were: Thomas H. BENTON, Felix GRUNDY, O. B. HAYS, Alfred BALCH, Marmaduke WILLIAMS, Peter R. BOOKER, John KELLY, John WHITE, Robert MACK, Wm. WHITE, Easthouse LEWIS, _________HASKELL, COULTER, and others; besides Alfred M. HARRIS, George CUNNINGHAM, and Lunsford M. BRAMLETTE, resident attorneys. A few years later Aaron V. BROWN, Wm. H. FIELD and Tryon M. YANCEY were numbered with the resident lawyers. At a later date, John H. RIVERS, Wm. C. FLOURNOY, Collin S. TARPLEY, E. J. SHIELDS, James W. COOMBS, and a few years later, Archibald WRIGHT, Neill S. BROWN, Calvin JONES, John W. GOODE, Thomas M. JONES, A. F. GOFF, and Dixon TOPP, were added to the number of resident attorneys. Thos. H. BENTON was attorney for the Plaintiffs in the first two cases on the Civil Docket in the Circuit Court. Henry CLAY’s name appears on the docket as an attorney at three or four courts a few years after the courts were organized. It is said he was looking after an important land suit.
On the 23rd of November, 1809, the Legislature chartered an Academy for Giles County, called Pulaski Academy, and appointed John SAPPINGTON, Nelson PATTERSON, Tyree RODES, Samuel JONES, Somerset MOORE, Charles BUFORD, and Charles NEELY, Trustees; and in the month of September, 1812, the name of the Academy was changed to Wurtemburg Academy; and Doctor William PURNELL, David WOODS, and Alfred M. HARRIS appointed additional Trustees.
In 1809, the Legislature declared Richland Creek navigable to the mouth of Big Creek. A few years later the Act ws so amended as to declare it navigable only to Pulaski; after which a mill was built on the creek at Pulaski, and another below Mt. Moriah Church.
In the Legislature of 1809, Thos. H. BENTON represented the Counties of Williamson, Riutherford, Bedford, and Maury in the House of Representatives. In the Legislature of 1811, Amos JOHNSON represented Williamson, Rutherford, Maury, Bedford, Lincoln and Giles in the Senate.
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CHAPTER FOUR – FIRST SETTLERS (partial)
The first white persons who explored Giles County or passed through it, so far is now known, were the Commissioners with their guard, and citizens who accompanied them to lay off a district on the northern part of Middle Tennessee, 55 miles wide, for the satisfaction of warrants issued by the State of North Carolina to her officers and soldiers; and to lay off a tract of 25,000 acres south of that district, donated to General GREENE.
A large number of those who went out in said expedition went across the State from Nashville, through the Eastern portion of the County to Latitude Hill on Elk River, and on their return passed up Indian Creek, over to and up Buchanan’s Creek; and thence to Fountain Creek in Maury County. After that time and until 1790, it was occasionally visited by locators and surveyors in search of land. The entering of land being stopped by the United States Government as soon as the cession of the territory was accepted, but few persons came to the County until after the Indian title was extinguished. Although a large portion of the best lands in Giles County was located and entered soon after the passage of the Act in 1783, and grants issued for a considerable portion of it, yet the owners were not permitted to go on their lands, or to have them surveyed or the lines marked, until after the treaty of January, 1806. And until after that time it is believed there were no permanent settlements in the County.
It is now very difficult to ascertain who were the first settlers and when they came. But few of the first settlers who were old enough to remember dates when they came are now living.
I have met with a few who think their parents were in the county in 1805, others in 1806, and that corn was raised in the county in those years; but upon inquiry as to who came with them, or who were here before them, or came the same year they did, or the routes they came, I am inclined to believe they are mistaken as to dates.
It is highly probable there were a few here in 1806, and possibly in 1805, as we find adventurers on Indian lands in other places, notwithstanding the prohibition of the Government. But who they were, or when they came, if any such were here, I have not been able to satisfactorily ascertain.
The information upon which I base the following account of the early settlement of the County, has been derived from the few of the early settlers yet living,who were young men and women when they came; from those who were of an age to remember how old they were when their parents came, or that they were born the year before or the year after they came verified by family records. From these and from the records of the County, together withwhat I learned from my parents who came to the County in 1809 when I was a small boy; and from what I learned from other old settlers having had a general acquaintance throughout the County since early manhood, I velieve the persons hereinafter named were among the first settlers and that they came about the dates mentioned. Many others, whose names are not mentioned, were early settlers, but I have been unable to learn when they came.
It is believed the first permanent settlement in the County was made on Elk River near the mouth of Richland Creek; and in the neighborhood of Prospect by emigrants from East Tennessee who came down the Tennessee River in boats to the mouth of the Elk, and thence up Elk.
The treaties of 1805 and 1806 extinguished the Indian title to a considerable portion of what is now Madison County, in Alabama, a scope of country in the shape of a “V,” some thirty miles wide on thee South boundary of the Tennessee with a point on the Tennessee River at Ditto’s landing, with about eight miles front on the river. Soon after the treaty, Zacharia COX and his associates, the “Tennessee Zazoo Company”, claimed this scope of country as against the US Government. Under their purchase from the State of Georgia in 1795, they commenced settling it and having it settled up.
They were resisted by the Government and those claiming under said purchase were driven off. But the character of the country being well known to the people of East Tennessee, soon after the treaty a number of persons of wealth and influence came down the river in boats and settled around what is called Hunt’s Spring, afterwards Huntsville; and soon thereafterwards, others descended the river to the mouth of the Elk, and ascended Elk to the neighborhood of Prospect, and the mouth of Richland. Among these were William CROWSON and his four sons, and his son-in-law, VINCENT, with their families, who came about February, 1807, and settled the west side of Richland Creek, and near the mouth of it and raised corn in 1807.
About the same time or soon thereafter, Thos. WHITSON, settled on Whitson’s Creek, a mile or two above Prospect, and for him Reynolds’ Island was called. Jordan WARD settled on the north bank of the river three miles above Prospect, at what has since been known as the Abel EZELL place. A man named JENKINS settled on Jenkins’ Creek, for whom the creek was named. A man named JOHNSON between Ford’s and the Thomas REED place; and a man named ELLIS settled near the REED place; a family named EASLEY settled on the south side of the river, opposite the mouth of Richland, near where John BAILEY lives.
These settlers, with a few others in the neighborhood raised corn in 1807. James FORD with a number of others, including James WILLIAMS, Parish SIMMS, Thos. DODD, Simon FOY, and Thos. KYLE, with their families started from Hawkins County in East Tennessee in the Spring of 1807 with four boats, when the boats had ascended Elk about opposite SIMMS’ settlement three of the boats with the SIMMSES, KYLE and others went out to view the country, and concluded to stop there and settled what was long known as SIMMS’ settlement, in Limestone Co., AL.
FORD with his boat and those with him ascended the river some distance and stopped and with a canoe, FORD and two or three men went up the river several miles until they came to a small branch running into the river a short distance above the mouth of Ford’s Creek, when they stopped, and as they landed FORD said, “Boys, this is my spring branch”, and going up the branch they soon found the spring.
Ford went back and brought up his boat, and landed on the north side of the river at the mouth of the spring branch about 200 yards above the railroad bridge, on the fourth day of June, 1807. He built a house near the spring. The place has since been known as the Dever place, and is now owned by A. J. REED, Esquire, and adjoins Prospect on the east. Ford’s Creek that runs by Prospect was named from Ford.
Two or three months after FORD came, Major Wm. KYLE came and settled on the south side of the river, opposite Prospect, at what has since been known as the BROWN or VETO place. He was a man of considerable property, and owned a number of slaves. about the same time the McKINNEYS came and settled in the neighborhood. The old man HUNNICUT and sons came soon after FORD and settled on the south side of the river below the mouth of Richland; the place is now owned by the heirs of DALY. John TUCKER came the same year and settled the TUCKER place now owned by Carey GILBERT, Esquire. James and Wm. PRICE, came about 1808 and settled on the east side of Richard Creek near the mouth at what was called “lower Elkton”. John and Lewis NELSON came about 1809 and settled a few miles northeast of Prospect. John NELSON settled where his widow now lives, and Lewis NELSON in the same neighborhood. Dr. Gabriel BUMPASS, with a number of families from South Carolina, settled at Crosswater at a very early date. The precise date cannot be ascertained; but from the fact that the BUFORDS and others traveled his trail as early as the Fall of 1807, he must have come sometime in 1807 as early at least as the Summer or Fall.
In the party that came with BUMPASS were William BUCHANAN and his sons Robert, Maxmillian H., (the father of Mrs. Col. Solon E. ROSE), John and Jesse, Timothy EZELL, Mike EZELL and William EZELL, the father of P. H. EZELL, together with others whose names are not remembered. Dr. BUMPASS settled the Crosswater place now owned by George E. SUTTLE. Wm. BUCHANAN settled the place owned by the Rev. C. P. REED; Robert BUCHANAN about a half mile north of where REED lived on the east side of Buchanan’s Creek; it is not certainly known whether the creek took its name from them, or was named by the Commissioners in 1783, as there was a BUCHANAN with them. The general impression is that it took its name from Robert BUCHANAN who lived on it and built a mill on it about 1809; it was grinding in 1810. The EZELLs settled east of the mill, and in the immediate neighborhood.
BUMPASS and his company opened the first road in the County south from Columbia; it came to Little Bigby by where Pillow’s Mill was, striking the Giles County line at what is now known as Yokley’s Gap, at the headwaters of what is now known as the eastern branch of Big Creek and down the same by CUNNINGHAM’s, now John ENGLISH’s; thence by Andrew YOKLEY’s, thence a little east of Campbellsville, by the place John I. MORRIS lives on, thence south on the dividing ridge between Big Creek and little Dry Creek striking Dry Creek where Sam WILSON lives; crossing Weakley Creek at Reed’s ford, near the southeast corner of REED’s land; thence up Agnew Creek, thence by the WALTHALL place, known as the William D. ABERNATHY place; thence to Coopertown, and by the BLACK place to Richland, crossing at Mrs. Tyree RODES’ farm, and thence to Crosswater, making a very circuitous route to avoid the large cane. The cane was small on the ridges, and poor land, but very heavy in the creek bottoms, and on the rich land. This was called Bumpass’ trail, and was the principal road for emigrants going as far south as Pulaski, and west of Pulaski-for two or three years. The first mails were carried on this route. BUMPASS, the BUCHANANs, EZELLs, and others, who came about the time they did, raised corn in 1808. Lewis BROWN, Lester MORRIS, Buckner HARWELL and his sons, William CRITTENDN (sic) and his sons, Alexander TARPLEY, Robert McNAIRY, William WELLS Sr., and his sons, Mark MITCHELL, Jesse WESTMORELAND, Thos. WESTMORELAND, W. B. PEPPER, Colonel L. CLEAVELAND, Reverend William CALLOWAY and William ABERNATHY, (father of Chas. C. ABERNATHY), came in the latter part of 1808, and early in 1809. They all or the most of them made corn in 1809. CLEAVELAND and CALLOWAY may have made corn in 1808. The WESTMORELANDs lived in Davidson County, sent their hands out, and improved places and made crops, but did not move their families out until the latter part of 1809.
Lewis BROWN settled on Richland Creek on the place known as the Ira BROWN place. Lester MORRIS was a Revolutionary soldier and settled about a half mile west of Rehoboth CHURE; Buckner HARWELL Sr. settled the farm now owned by John MARKS, and his sons settled in the neighborhood. His son, Colonel Gilliam HARWELL, father of Dr. T. B. HARWELL, settled not far from where Dr. HARWELL now lives. William CRITTENDEN settled the place lately owned by Robert DICKSON. Robert McNAIRY, Alex TARPLEY, and Wm. B. PEPPER settled the places on which they resided at the time of their deaths, and which have been long known by their names. Mark MITCHELL settled the place now owned by Colston ABERNATHY; Jesse WESTMORELAND settled the place now owned by John NEWBILL; William WELLS the place since known as the WELLS or MOSELEY place; CLEAVELAND and CALLOWAY settled on the old Stage Road, half a mile or three quarters south of where the Rev. C. P. REED lived. CLEAVELAND at the place BIRDSONG lived on, and CALLOWAY about 300 yards further on south. CALLOWAY was a Baptist preacher, and one of the first preachers in the County. Wm. ABERNATHY settled the place Chas. C. ABERNATHY now lives on. He sent his hands out from Davidson County, improved the place and made a crop, but did not move out his family until the latter part of the year. One of the first churches in the County was a Baptist Church about a quarter of a mile south of or southwest from Crosswater spring, built in 1809 by the BUCHANANS and EZELLS. Rev. George BROWN and perhaps, CALLOWAY were the preachers. A Methodist Church at Rehoboth was built in 1810, principally by Lewis BROWN, who was a man of considerable property.
Lewis BROWN erected a horse mill about 1810, which was resorted to from a considerable distance in the Summer season. Dr. BUMPASS practiced medicine at Crosswater, and over a large extent of country, as there were but few physicians in the county. He was a learned and skillful physician, but a man of great eccentricity of character so much so that his influence was effected by it. Among those who came at later date to the neighborhood of Crosswater were: Robert OLIVER, who lived for many years on the place afterwards owned by the Rev. C. P. REED and Isaac MASON who settled on the place long known as the MASON place, and Thos. MEREDITH, who settled the place where Mrs. Tyree RODES now lives.
SECTION THREE-ASPEN HILL AND NEIGHBORHOOD
The neighborhood of Aspen Hill was settled at a very early date. Thomas REED Sr., the father of the late Thomas REED, Esq., came from Kentucky and settled the place Thomas REED, Esquire, first lived on, about a quarter of a mile east of where J. P. C. REED now lives.
Old William RIGGS, Joseph MOORE, and Daniel COX, came about the same time. Dan COX settled on Richland Creek, where Thomas WESTMORELAND a year afterwards settled, long known as the JONES place. James KIMBROUGH, the father of Henry T. KIMBROUGH, Elijah ANTHONY and Joseph ANTHONY, the father of James D., and Joseph C. ANTHONY all came about the same time and settled in the neighborhood. Joseph ANTHONY, where James D., now lives. Joseph C. ANTHONY, thinks his father came about 1805; and J. P. C. REED thinks his grandfather came about 1806, but as they have no record of dates to refer to, and as they nearly all came along the BUMPASS Trail, it is very probable they came in the Summer or Fall of 1807. They all raised corn in 1808. In the latter part of 1808, or first of 1809, Thomas WESTMORELAND, father of the late Thos. A. WESTMORELAND, Esq., brought out his servants and settled on what has since been called the JONES place.
He made a crop in 1809, and moved his family out from Davidson County in the latter part of 1809. He was appointed by the Legislature in the Fall of 1809, one of the first Justices of the Peace in the County, and must have been regarded as a citizen of the County at that time. John BUTLER and John BARNETT came soon after WESTMORELANDS; the precise date not known. BUTLER settled on what was long known as the BUTLER place, north of Aspen Hill. BARNETT settled about a mile southwest of Aspen Hill. A few years later the Rev. Aaron BROWN and his sons, Thomas and William settled in the neighborhood. The Rev. Aaron BROWN on the place afterwards owned by his son, Governor Aaron V. BROWN, and called the Aspen Hill place. Thos. BROWN half a mile southeast of Aspen Hill, at what has since been known as the PETTY place. Wm. BROWN at what has since been called the Steven BILES place. Captain Baker P. POTTS settled at an early date west of the place owned by Gov. Aaron V. BROWN.
SECTION FOUR-PULASKI AND VICINITY
It is difficult to ascertain who were the first settler in the town of Pulaski, or the date at which they came. It is believed, however, that Lewis KIRK, Alexander BLACK and his brother, Robert BLACK, were the first who lived in the town; and that they came as early as the Fall or Summer of 1807. It is known that they were here in 1807; settled the lot on which David S. MARTIN now lives in First Main Street; Robert on the same street near the old cemetery; Lewis KIRK on the bluff at the foot of the shoals on Richland Creek, about two hundred yards above the Nashville and Decatur Depot. These lots are now owned by Thos. FLIPPEN and Pleasant SMITH. About the time the BLACKS and KIRKS came, or soon after, Ralph GROVES, Sr. settled about two hundred yards east of J. B. CHILDER’s residence, and a little east of the Corporation line. Charles BUFORD, Jas. BUFORD and Somerset MOORE came to the neighborhood of Pulaski in the Fall of 1807. The father of the BUFORD’s, James BUFORD, Sr., was one of the first settlers of Williamson County, lived in Williamson County near Thompson’s Station and owned a tract of two thousand acres of land adjoining the southwest corner of Pulaski. His sons and MOORE who was a son-in-law, made some improvements on the land in 1807. In the Fall sowed turnips and went back and moved their families out early in 1808. Charles BUFORD settled the place known as the Charles BUFORD place. James BUFORD settled the place now owned by the heirs of Nicholas BUFORD; Somerset MOORE the place on Moore’s Creek, now owned by Mrs. FOGG. The creek was named for him, though BUFORD’s and MOORE came the BUMPASS trail. Major John CLACK, with his son, Spencer CLACK, moved from Sevier County and settled about a mile west of the Court House on the CARTER farm near where his Negro cabins were, early in 1808. These all raised corn in 1808. Wm. GIDEON came in 1808, and settled what was long known as the GIDEON place, on the GIDEON road half a mile north of town. Col. Nelson PATTERSON with his sons, James and Bernard M., came in the latter part of 1808, and settled the PATTERSON place one mile east of Pulaski. They raised corn in 1808. Major Thos. WILKERSON, father of the late F. H. WILKERSON, came in 1809 and settled near the PATTERSON spring, between the spring and Col. Solon E. ROSE’s residence. Tyree RODES settled the place his son, Robert RODES now owns in 1809, probably in the early part of the year. He was appointed by the Legislature in November, 1809, one of the Commissioners to lay off the town of Pulaski. Wm. KERLEY, known as Captain KERLEY came to the County with him, and lived on his farm several years. Charles NEELY settled near the TILLERY spring, three miles north of Pulaski at a very early day; he was appointed by the Legislature in 1809 one of the magistrates of the County, and in February, 1810, was elected sheriff; John WHITE, father of Dr. R. G. P. WHITE, Newton and John M. WHITE, settled the place Newton WHITE lived on in the latter part of 1809. Wm. MAYFIELD and sons were very early settlers, but the date they came is not known.
STEELE, the father of Alexander G. STEELE and his sons were very early settlers. They settled the place now owned by the Hon. Thos. M. JONES, two miles west of Pulaski on the Lawrenceburg road. Silas FLOURNOY, the grandfather of Capt. Wm. C. FLOURNOY, came about 1813, and settled on the Locust Hill place, where he died and was buried. Of the first settlers in the town, besides KIRK and the BLACKS, the following persons were here at a very early date, before 1812, but the date at which they came is not known.
Wm. B. DAVIS, Wm. BALL, Jas. BERRY, German and Fountain LESTER, Dan MARTIN, Richard SCOTT, Jas. DREW, Jas. H. WILLIAMS, Wm. HAMBY, Thos. SMITH, Jno. McCRACKEN, Jno. O. TALBOT, Henry HOGAN, Dr. Shadrack NYE, Joseph H. TROTTER, Joseph H. HODGE, Dr. Gilbert D. TAYLOR, David WOODS, Lewis JAMES and William CONER, Samuel G. ANDERSON, Nathaniel MOODY, Alfred M. HARRIS, Lunsford M. BRAMLETTE, of these DAVIS, BALL, SCOTT, and TALBOT were among the first. German LESTER came in 1809; probably the latter part of the year. The County was established in November, 1809. Dr. TAYLOR came in 1811, and was here at the sale of the lots as were most of those here named. BRAMLETTE, and perhaps a few others, did not come before 1812 or 1813. C. C. ABERNATHY, who first visited Pulaski Oct. 11, 1810, and has lived in the neighborhood ever since, thus describes the place: “The town was mostly covered with tall cane, large poplar, beech and other forest trees.
Alexander BLACK lived in a log cabin near where David S. MARTIN now lives on First Main Street, and had cut down a few rods of cane where his house stood. Robert BLACK lived in a similar cabin, on the same street, near the old cemetery. Lewis KIRK lived in a rough log cabin on the bluff of Richland Creek at the foot of the shoals. A rough log house had been erected in his yard in which to hold court. KIRK kept a boarding house, and tavern during the session of the courts. Richard SCOTT had a small stock of goods in a cabin near KIRK’s which he soon after sold out to Jno. Q. TALBOT. William BALL kept a grocery in a cabin near KIRK’s.” These were then the only houses and improvements in what is now the town of Pulaski that he remembered. A number of persons were then living in the immediate neighborhood and vicinity of whom he remembers, PATTERSON, WILKERSON, BLACK, the BUFORDS, MOORE, and others. Mr. ABERNATHY further states that after some of the lots were sold in August, 1811, and the cane cut down on the public square, a court house was built out of round logs and covered with boards in which courts were held for several years. Among the first merchants were Richard SCOTT, David MARTIN, Jno. Q. TALBOT, Jas. DOREN, Jno. McCRACKEN and Henry HAGAN.
Among the first taverns were Lewis KIRK, on Richland Creek at the foot of the shoals. Captain Thomas (Tubb) SMITH on the northeast corner of the square. ALEXANDER, who kept on the southeast corner of the public square at what was known as KENNAN’S tavern.
Among the first physicians were Dr. Gilbert D. TAYLOR, Shadrack NYE, David WOODS, Alfred FLOURNOY, Elijah ELDRIDGE, and Charles PERKINS, etc.
The first tan yards were established by Jas. HAMBY and by Lewis and James CONNER; the CONNORS settled the place where G. W. McGREW’s tan yard is at present, and established a yard. HAMBY settled the place now owned by Joe B. CHILDERS and established a yard south of his house, near the spring in W. G. LEWIS’s lot. German LESTER was among the first to build a comfortable family residence; he improved the lots now owned by Major B. F. CARTER, and lived on them until about 1847. The first resident lawyers were Alfred M. HARRIS, George CUNNINGHAM, Lunsford M. BRAMLETTE, Tryon M. YANCY, W. H. FIELD, and Aaron V. BROWN.
Among the early settlers in the neighborhood of Pulaski not mentioned were David and Wm. MAXWELL, Josiah P. ALEXANDER, Wm. W. WOODS, Gideon PHILLIPS, the father of our present Captain John PHILLIPS. These all settled on Pigeon Roost Creek on the southwest and south. Thomas McKISSACK, the grandfather of J. T. McKISSACK, settled the place lately owned by James P. SMITH, Thos WALTHALL the place on which William D. ABERNATHY lived, now owned by _______SHORT, John WALTHALL, the place lately owned by Jno. MARKS, Thos. WILLIAMS, the place on which he long lived on the Lambsferry road, John WILLIAMSON, the father of Thos. S. WILLIAMSON, in the same neighborhood, Hugh CAMPBELL on the place afterwards owned by Captain George EVERLY and on which he lived until his death.
RESIDENTS OF PULASKI IN 1820
From a copy of the census of Giles County, taken by Charles C. Abernathy in 1820, it appears that the following inhabitants of Pulaski designated as “heads of Families” and entered together, and, as it may be interesting to some of their descendants to know that their parents or relatives were here at that date, I will give their names, to-wit: James PERRY, Samuel Y. ANDERSON, Thos. WILKERSON, Jas. CONNOR, Jno. E. HOLDEN, Wm. ENGLISH, William CONNER, Francis GUTHRIE, Nathan ALMAN, William BOYLE, Bernard M. PATTERSON, Lunsford M. BRAMLETTE, German LESTER, William R. DAVIS, Robert GIBSON, Tryon M. YANCY, Amos DAVID, John BROWN, Jesse DAY, Francis HIX, William HAMBY, Matthias SHARON, Jno. B. CONNOR, Masterson C. MCCORMACK, Aaron V. BROWN, Elizabeth BERRY, Judith BURCH, Elizabeth HOOKS, Mary SCOTT, William BALL, Thos. WHITE, Joseph H. HODGE, John MCCRACKEN, William ROSE, Jacob TEMPLIN, Peggy CYRUS, Francis ALEXANDER, Joseph TROTTER, Robert CROCKETT, Henry HAGAN, Fountain LESTER, George LOVELL, James TERRILL, Archibald STORY, Jesse PEEBLES, Samuel PEARSON, Jeremiah PARKER, Alf M. HARRIS, Thomas SMITH, William H. FIELDS, Rebecca CRENSHAW, Shadrack NYE, Nathaniel MOODY, James LYNCH, Alfred FLOURNOY, James PATTERSON, Elisha ELDRIDGE, Sallie COLLIER, John KEENAW, John HAMBLETT, William FLIPPEN, John WLADROP [WALDROP?], Thos. MARTIN, Charles PERKINS.
MORIAH CHURCH, WEAKLEY’S CREEK
Robert REED, father of Levi REED, Esquire, settled on the East branch of Weakley’s creek eight miles from Pulaski near where the “Bumpass trail” crossed. He moved from Logan Co., KY, came by the Bumpass trail-by Columbia; he built his first cabin on the Chickasaw line and a year or two afterwards had to move it back. John AGNEW settled at the mouth of Agnew’s Creek for whom it was named. Isaac LAMB, Levi COOPER, John KITCHEN and David CAMPBELL settled near the same place and used water from the same spring.
Lawson HOBSON settled the place on the east fork of Weakley’s Creek, known as the HOBSON place; his hands came out with son Newton a few years before the old man came out. They were among the first settlers and came about the time Reed did. Some of them may have come before him. Valentine CHOATE settled on Choate’s Creek, from whom the creek took its name. Major JURLSTON settled on Dry Creek, at a very early date and built the first cotton gin that was run by water on Dry Creek where Col. Jas. T. WHEELER now lives. Owen SHERMAN and William WREN were among the very first settlers. Wren lived near Robert Reed, Weakley’s Creek, it is said was named or took its name from Robert WEAKLEY, who was one of the early surveyors. In the Fall of 1809, John REED the father of Robert REED came from Kentucky, with eight sons and settled on Weakley’s Creek; after he settled on Weakley, and about 1810, Robert REED and his eight brothers came, of whom was the late Rev. C. P. REED, and Levi REED, a son of said Robert REED all went to school together. The first school taught in the neighborhood was in 1810 by Jno. MORGAN. In 1811 a school was taught by the Rev. James B. PORTER. Captain James L. HENRY was one of the first settlers and was the first constable in his “beat”.
Robert REED and Jonathan BERRY were Magistrates in their “beat” (or Captain’s Company), at an early day. Old Reese PORTER and his sons, Reese, John, David, Jas. B., and Thos. C. came at an early day and settled near Mt. Moriah Church; the old man owned a large tract of land in the neighborhood and settled near what is now Mt. Moriah Church. His sons, David and John settled on the Lawrenceburg road at what has since been called the CONNOR and PORTER places.
The Rev. James B., on the Kennedy farm, Thomas C., on the PULLEN place at Wales Station; Reese PORTER, Jr., died early. He was the father of Reese W. PORTER, for many years a merchant and citizen of this county.
There is some discrepancy in dates as to when the PORTERS came. James L. HENRY, who is now in his 87th years says he came to the neighborhood of Mt. Moriah church early in 1808 and his recollection is that old Father PORTER was there when he arrived. He says he knows that Owen SHERMAN and Wm. WREN were there also; John BLACK thinks SHERMAN and WREN raised corn in the neighborhood in 1806. It is difficult in some cases to reconcile the recollection of old people as to dates; but from the fact that one of the PORTER family informs me that he was born in Davidson County in 1808 as he learned from his parents the year or year before they moved to Giles and from other information, I think it probable they came in the latter part of 1808 or early in 1809. In November 1809 the Legislature appointed David Porter one of the first magistrates of the County. He must have been recognized as a resident citizen at that date.
Sampson MCCOWAN and MCALLILY were early settlers. A man by the name of Gibson first settled on the place where Samuel GIBSON now lives, but very soon afterwards was settled by Colonel John BODENHEIMER, who lived and died there. He was the father of David BODENHEIMER, Esquire, long a magistrate and prominent citizen of our county. Captain HENRY says the first marriage in the County that he remembers was Jesse BEAVER to Miss HARBEN, in a little cabin with a dirt floor in the cane-brake, near where Mt. Moriah church now stands. Says they had bear meat, venison and corn bread for dinner, and hot toddy in tin cups, sweetened with tree sugar. The Cumberland Presbyterian Church at Mt. Moriah was organized in the Fall of 1811. Rev. James B. PORTER was the first preacher. Major HURLSTON, Thos. RUBY, Reese PORTER and Jonathan BERRY were the elders. This was the first Cumberland Presbyterian Church organized in the County. In the same Fall a camp meeting was held at that place, and camp ground established.
CAMPBELLSVILLE AND BIG CREEK
John DICKEY, Esquire, father of James R. DICKEY, Esquire, moved from Logan Co., KY., and first stopped in Maury and thence to this County in 1808. He cut the cane near the Big Springs at Campbellsville and sowed turnips that Fall, and made a crop of corn in 1809. James ROSS, the grandfather of Jas. R. DICKEY, came the same Fall and settled in the place old Andrew YOKLEY lived on until his death.
ROSS was one of the Commissioners appointed by the Legislature to locate and lay off the town of Pulaski. They traveled the Bumpass trail. The only road at that time coming south from Columbia was the Bumpass trail. They came up Little Bigby, crossed Elk ridge at what is now called the Yokley gap, and came down the eastern or Yokley branch of Big Creek. The first corn raised in that part of the County was in 1809. Hamilton C. CAMPBELL and Jacob BAYLOR came about the same time that DICKEY did. Jacob BAYLOR and John DICKEY were appointed by the Legislature in November 1809 Magistrates for the “beat” in which they lived. Jas. ASHMORE was among the first settlers. He settled the old James HANNAH place, one mile north of Campbellsville. He was elected the first constable in his Captain’s “beat.” Daniel ALLEN was one of the first settlers and settled at what has since been known as Wright’s spring. He erected a powder mill and made powder there for several years. Dan ALLEN was the father of General Richard H. ALLEN, for many years a prominent citizen of this county, and afterwards of Lawrence County. John DICKEY was elected Representative to the Legislature in 1817. The settlers went to Williamson County the first year for corn. Jacob BAYLER built a mill on Dry Creek about one mile west of Campbellsville about 1809 or 1810. This was the first mill built in that part of the country. A mill was built about the same time or soon after on Richland Creek below Moriah Church opposite James HAYES’ place, called MAYFIELD’s Mill. James R. DICKEY was about twelve years old when his father came to the County; says there were but few houses in Columbia when his father moved through there and but few on the road after he left Columbia. Gideon PILLOW lived on Little Bigby three miles south of Columbia. It was several years after that before he settled the Pillow place in Giles at Wales Station. He says the Bumpass trail came down the eastern branch of Big Creek, by the old man ROSS’ and by Mack ALEXANDER’s or rather between the two thence south leaving Campbellsville about one mile to the right hand; it then left big Creek and took the Dividing Ridge between that creek and Dry Creek, bearing towards Dry Creek and crossing it where Samuel WILSON now lives, and where old Colonel John BODENHEIMER lived and died. This trail went rather a zig-zag course to avoid the large cane. CUNNINGHAM, who settled the place now owned by John ENGLISH on the East branch of Big Creek; Jesse FOSTER, who settled on Dry Creek where Sam WILSON lived; and KIRKLAND who settled where Jno. I. MORRIS lived were among the first settlers. Isaac MORRIS Sr., and his sons, Matthew BENTHAL, Peter SWANSON, John WRIGHT, Andrew YOKLEY, Walter LOCKE, the GIBSONS, REAS, CALDWELLS, ENGLISHES, ALEXANDERS AND MCCUTCHEONS, HANNAHS, BROWNLOWES, KELTNERS, WILCOXES, SHULERS, NORMANS and others, were early settlers; all came before 1820, and some of them among the first; but the dates at which they have not been ascertained.
OLD LYNNVILLE AND LYNN CREEK
The first settlers in the northern part of the County on Lynn Creek and Robertson’s Fork crossed Duck River, mostly at Davis’ ford, came by where Culleoka now is, and crossed Elk Ridge at Dodson’s Gap or went higher up Fountain Creek and crossed farther west. John FRY, father of Captain Wm. FRY moved from NC in the Fall of 1805, crossed the Caney Fork at Stone’s River and came by Nashville to Williamson County and stopped on the Harpeth and remained two years and then moved to this County. He came the Davis ford road to Fountain Creek, kept up Fountain Creek by John RICHARDSON’s big spring, and crossed Elk Ridge at a gap west of the turnpike gap; went down a branch of the middle prong, and crossed over to the Western prong of Lynn Creek where he settled the eighth of March 1808. William DEARING, George MALONE, Gabriel and John FOULKES, and Daniel HARRISON settled on the East prong of Lynn Creek in the Fall of 1807. John and William RUTLEDGE, Jacob and Andrew BLYTHE, Joel Rutledge, and Parrish Simms, settled on the middle prong of Lynn Creek in the Fall of 1807, Nicholas Absolom, and Hugh BARREN, Thomas MOONEY and Andrew PICKENS, settled on the west prong in 1807; most of these raised corn in 1808. John MCCABE, John ANGUS, James WILSFORD, James BROWNLOW and others, settled a little south of John FRY in 1809. John LAIRD came in December 1809 and settled the place he lived on for many years on the turnpike half a mile north of Old Lynnville. He crossed Duck River at the Davis Ford, came by John LINDSAY’s crossed the ridge at the Dodson Gap, came to old Mrs. FOLLIS’ who lived where Col. T. M. GORDON now lives, and to Lynnville, and from thence to Old Lynnville; he built a mill on the main branch of Lynn Creek, and started the first cotton gin that run by water in that part of the County in 1811. He packed cotton in a square box and pummelled it in with pestles and mauls. He opened a store near his house at an early day and for many years sold goods and without previous training in the business, became a successful merchant. An incident is related illustrative of his character. At a time when he needed an assistant or clerk in the store he made enquiry of his farmer acquaintances for an honest respectable, industrious young man of good mind and good habits. One was suggested, but at the same time he was told that the young man had been raised on the farm; had never been from home and knew absolutely nothing of the mercantile business. He replied that was the kind of a young man that he wanted if his other qualities suited; said he had his own way of doing business and he would rather undertake to learn a teachable young man who knew nothing about the business than one whose training differed from his mode of business. John C. WALKER and Elisha WHITE came about the time LAIRD did, and settled at Old Lynnville. Walker settled first where WHITE and WALKER’s store was, and a year or two afterwards moved east of Elk Ridge church where he resided until his death. Elisha WHITE owned the land on which the town was built and sold out the lots. he was an energetic and successful man in business. William DEARING settled the Dearing place one mile north of Old Lynnville and kept tavern on the road. His house was a favorite stopping place for travelers and a noted stage stand for many years. George MALONE first settled by Dearing, but soon moved to the place one mile south of Old Lynnville on the turnpike where he lived for many years and died. He was a successful farmer and one of the first in the County who raised cotton in considerable quantity for the market. Gabriel FOULKES first settled where Laird’s mill-pound was. Gabriel and John FOULKES worked in a salt-petre cave, three-fourths of a mile southwest from Dr. RUTLEDGE’s old brick house. John MCCABE settled the Rutledge place about the time LAIRD came out. The TUCKERS, WILSFORDS, EVANSES, and ENGLISH were early settlers but the dates at which they came have not been ascertained.
LYNNVILLE AND LYNNVILLE STATION
John CAMPBELL, William FOLLIS, Nathaniel MOODY, John PARCHMENT, Richard and Martin FLINT, John GRAVES, Joel LANE, and others settled in a colony around what is now Lynnville Station on Robertson’s Fork in the Fall of 1809, and raised corn, the most of them in 1808. Mrs. FOLLIS settled the place on which Muck GORDON now lives. Nathaniel MOODY built the first mill in the County about half a mile south of Lynnville on Robertson Fork, near where the railroad crosses it. This was built in 1808 or early in 1809. The county was established in November 1809 and the act establishing the county appointed Nathaniel MOODY one of the Commissioners to locate and lay off the County Seat, to be called Pulaski; he was also appointed one of the first magistrates of the County. Soon after the location of the County Seat, he moved to Pulaski and built a mill on Richland Creek at Pulaski. Hiram and Boyd WILSON settled the lands over in the valley now owned by Martin FRY at a very early date, as early as 1809.
BUFORD STATION
John JONES, the father of Mrs. Benton R. WHITE and Mrs. A. A. DICKERSON settled the place east of BUFORD’s Station, long known as the John JONES place; but at present known as the FITZPATRICK place.
In the early part of 1808, this was for many years a noted stand on the Davis Ford road from Nashville to Pulaski and considerable business was done at it in the early days. Andrew M. BALLENTINE opened a store there in 1815, and sold goods there for a number of years before he moved to Pulaski. At the same time John JONES settled the place aforesaid, Samuel JONES, his brother, settled at a place about a mile east, now owned by Mrs. Judge SPOFFORD. John WHITE settled near where Buford Station is, and built a mill on Robertson’s Fork, just above the Station. Ostin CARTER and John PATE settled on lands now owned by A. A. DICKERSON, Robert GUTHRIE and Colonel L. CLEAVELAND of King’s Mountain memory, came about the time John and Sam JONES came, or soon after. They all raised corn in 1808. Col. CLEAVELAND settled on part of the farm now owned by Mrs. Judge SPOFFORD where he died; and his grave is near the building occupied by the Superintendent of the farm. John JONES died in 1823, and Sam JONES in 1815. He was killed by a tree falling on him. About the time John JONES came or soon afterwards, David and Alexander JONES settled in the same neighborhood. Rebecca JONES, widow of David JONES, is still living and is over 90 years of age. Col. Robert STEELE, brother of Thomas and David STEELE settled on the west side of the creek opposite Buford Station, about the time the JONESES came. he was Colonel of the first regiment organized in the County. William and Henry SHEPPARD settled the place on which Albert BUFORD lived at an early date. Richard, Matthew and John JOHNSON and Jack MILLER settled the places long known by their names on Haywood Creek at a very early day. James TINNON the father of Robert and Aleck TINNON, and Joseph and David ABERNATHY, were early settlers on Richland and Haywood in the neighborhood of Tinnon’s Mill.
The settlers on Haywood came some of them in 1808, others about 1809 or 1810. TINNON and the ABERNATHYS it is said, came by the Bumpass trail, leaving it somewhere south of Campbellsville.
I regret that I have not the information to give a more extended notice of Col. CLEAVELAND, on of the immortal heroes of King’s Mountain. Judge SPOFFORD has kindly furnished the following transcription from the inscription on his tomb:
| “SACRED” To the Memory of Col. Larkin Cleaveland Formerly of Franklin County, Georgia. Born April 1748. Died July 9, 1814. |
ELK RIDGE CHURCH
John MONTGOMERY and Sam MONTGOMERY settled on Robertson’s Fork near Elk Ridge Church early in 1808, and crossed the ridge at what was first called the Sam Montgomery gap, and afterwards known as the Dodson Gap. Leander M. SHIELDS, father of John M. SHIELDS, came in 1809 and settled near the church where he lived many years. Samuel SHIELDS and James SHIELDS came about the same time or soon after and settled in the same neighborhood. Samuel SHIELDS was the father of the Honorable Ebenezer J. SHIELDS–for several years a Representative in Congress from that district, and one of the most graceful and elegant public speakers our County has produced. Joseph BRADEN, the grandfather of Major J. B. STACY, Archibald CROCKETT, Alexander SHIELDS, Robert CROCKETT, Samuel COPELAND and James MONTGOMERY were early settlers. John C. WALKER, after remaining a short time at Old Lynnville settled on the road east of the Church where he lived for many years and until his death. East of WALKER’s and in the same neighborhood were Presley and Robert TOPP; William James; William Urssery; and Hugh Caruthers; Samuel Patrick; Ephraim PATRICK; Ephraim M. MASSEY; and William MARR. These were all early settlers; some of them among the very first but the dates at which they came have not been ascertained with sufficient certainty to give them.
BRICK CHURCH and ROBERT GORDON NEIGHBORHOOD
Robert GORDON with his sons, Thomas K. and John, settled on Richland Creek near the Brick Church at what was long known as the Gordon place–the third of March 1808, and made a crop that year; cultivated 11 acres in corn; he moved from Kentucky ten miles from Crab Orchard to Williamson County, TN, and settled nine miles west of Franklin and two miles from Gideon where he lived two years and then removed to Giles. He was in the outside settlement when he lived in Williamson. In coming to this county he traveled the old McCutcheon trail. It passed east of Spring Hill, crossed Duck River at what was afterwards known as Holland’s Ferry above Davis’ Ford; passed by the widow MCNUTT’s not far from where Mooresville is situated. The old trace passed a little west of where he settled; went by the old Brick Church thence south to Elk River at SHOEMAKER’s Ferry near Latitude Hill. From MCNUTT’s to where Gordon settled was twelve miles and McNutt’s was the last house he passed; and there were but few settlers between MCNUTT’s and where he moved from in Williamson County. Two or three families were in the neighborhood before GORDON came. A man named VAUGHAN was living at the spring on the widow Mary GORDON’s place, half a mile north of where Robert GORDON, Sr., settled. The widow CLARK and two or three of her sons had settled on the MARSH and WOOD farms.
There were no settlers for six miles in a northeast direction to Jno. HENDERSON and James S. HAYNES; they came about the same time GORDON did, and settled the places long known by their names near Cornersville. Going west down Richland Creek there were not any settlers nearer than John or Sam JONES’ and they were six miles off. In a southern direction, it was ten miles to Robert ALSUP’s who lived on the southwest side of Pisgah Hill. Soon after GORDON came, Joseph JARMIN and old John MCCANDLESS and his sons and their families came. A man named NATION, with several sons, settled the Robert H. LAIRD place south of the old Brick Church. For the first two years they packed the most of their meal on horses from Williamson County. The first year some of the settlers used hand mills. Martin LANE, Sr., and his son-in-law, Thomas LANE, Esquire, came about two years after Gordon. The FRAZIERS, TUNGETTS and SAMUELS came about the time Lane did. GORDON’s oldest daughter, Elizabeth, was married the first of Feb. 1810 to Joseph MCDONALD, two weeks before the courts were organized in Giles and they went to Maury County for license and were married at the widow MCNUTT’s by John LINDSAY, Esquire. The father of William and David MAXWELL owned the land on Pigeon Roost settled by them and sent out a man named MILROY with his stock to improve it. This was before Gordon came and a year or two afterwards William and David came out to live on the land. Richard MCGEHEE lived one and a half miles west of Gordon; was an early settler and one of the first magistrates in that part of the county. John DABNEY, Sr., settled about one mile north of Gordon at a very early day. James S. HAYNES and his father, John HAYNES, old William HENDERSON and his brother, John HENDERSON, and Jno. Andrews were among the first settlers in the neighborhood of Cornersville and came about the time GORDON did. At that time there was a trace from Cornersville that intersected the McCutcheon trail south of Gordon, near where the old Brick Church stood. The cane had been chopped so that people could ride along it. This trace and the old McCutcheon trace were the only roads opened when GORDON came.
BRADSHAW
Odem HIGHTOWER, father of Hardy HIGHTOWER, was one of the first settlers on Bradshaw Creek, and came either the latter part of 1807 or early in 1808. He raised corn in 1808, which was the first raised on the creek.
Hardy HIGHTOWER, John KENNEDY, John ELLIFF, James MCKNIGHT, and Samuel MCKNIGHT came the latter part of 1808, or early in 1809, and settled the places known by their names. Joe JARMIN came in the early part of 1808, John YOUNG, Esquire was one of the first settlers. John YOUNG settled the place known as the Archibald YOUNG place. Nicholas HOLLY, father of Jno. HOLLY, came in Feb. or March 1809.
Those mentioned above were all here when Holly came. The first year the settlers beat most of their meal in a mortar and ground some in a little hand-mill. Hardy HIGHTOWER built the first mill on Bradshaw. Old Nicholas HOLLY moved from South Carolina to the State of Ohio, and from thence to Tennessee. He came by Columbia, by where Jno. C. WALKER, Esquire, lives; by DABNEY’s and by old Robert GORDONO’s.
MT. PISGAH
The first settlement about Mount Pisgah was by the Reverend Alex MACDONALD and his brothers, Joseph, Robert and John; and his relatives Major William MACDONALD and James MACDONALD, all of whom came in the latter part of 1808. MacDonald settled the place now owned by Sterling ABERNATHY, John MACDONALD, where Col. Willis WORLEY now lives. Joseph ALSUP came before the MACDONALDS about the first of 1808, and settled in the hollow over the hill south of Alex MACDONALD’s. Laban WESTMORELAND, the grandfather of Dr. Theo. WESTMORELAND settled near the John NEAL place west of Mt. Pisgah hill. He came to the county about the time his brothers, Jesse and Thomas came in the latter part of 1808 or early in 1809.
He raised a crop in 1809, although his family might not have come until the latter part of the year. Aquilla WILSON, the STOVALLS, Tilman R. DANIEL, George OLIVER, the BRADLEYS, Rickman WILLIAMS and CRAFT were early settlers in the neighborhood but the dates have not been ascertained. The first camp meeting at Mt. Pisgah was in 1811 and held near where William OLIVER lived about half a mile north of Mt. Pisgah Church. In 1812 the camp meeting was held at Mount Pisgah and kept up for many years.
BLOOMING GROVE CHURCH and LEATHERWOOD CREEK
Thomas MARKS, father of Edward and Major Lewis B. MARKS came to the county the first of January 1811, and settled the place Jacob REASONOVER lives on. James DUGGER, Esquire, came at the same time, and settled on the place Carroll MARKS now lives. They came from Davidson County by Columbia, crossed Richland Creek at John JONES’, now FITZPATRICK’s; came the Gideon road to Pulaski; camped the first night at William GIDEON’s near the factory, and thence traveled over Locust Hill to Leatherwood Creek; kept on the ridge because the cane was small on the ridge, and there was no undergrowth of timber or bushes, and in some places, no cane. Where there was no cane the ground was covered with peavines. They kept along the ridge and went down at the point where William ARROWSMITH lived; and when they struck the creek they kept up the bed of the creek to avoid the large cane, and even cut a log that was across the creek and rolled it out to travel the bed of the creek as far as they could, in preference to cutting their way through the large cane on the creek bottoms. Major Nathan DAVIS settled the Daniel ABERNATHY place and Captain Thomas C. STONE, the place now owned by John M. WHITE at a very early day; as early probably as 1808 or 1809. They settled a year or two before MARKS came. A man named STEVENS lived where Edward MARKS now lives in January 1811. Old Tom WEBB lived west of the creek on the top of the hill on the place owned by ARROWSMITH heirs. Thomas MCKERLY built a house near where Mrs. ARROWSMITH lives. Old man PATITE first settled on Locust Hill, where old Silas FLOURNOY settled. FLOURNOY came about 1813. Shade HARWELL and Henry LOYD moved to the county the winter that Thomas MARKS came. Austin SMITH settled the place east of the Creek that Doll HOPKINS lives at. Allen ABERNATHY was one of the first settlers in the neighborhood as was Austin SMITH. At the time Thomas MARKS came to the county about the last of December, 1810, or the first day of January, 1811, his son Edward was ten years old and Lewis B., eight years old.
Wm H FEILD is correctly spelled FEILD, notFIELD. He was my great great great grandfather, who around 1842 relocated to Little Rock AR, around 1842
I found a 1811 tax list for Giles Co. TN in Chattanooga with what I believe was my 3rd ggrandfather Joseph Morpheus listed. Should be Morphis. My 2nd ggrandfather Ezekiel Morphis entered the war of 1812 from Giles Co. Joseph moved onto McNairy Co. Not sure what year.
Does anyone have any information regarding Bell family around Giles County, TN during 1820’s? I cannot find any sibling, mother or father to my gggrandfather born there in 1820’s.
The one you must have yet didn’t learn about!