The workmen engaged in constructing the Baptist church, on the site of the one burned down by the Federal troops during the war, are pushing their work to completion. We were in hopes that it would be rebuilt of brick, but the material could not be procured, and wood was substituted. It will be a substantial building.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.), 06 April 1867, Page 3. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
A church for freedmen, under the charge of the Episcopal Church is being built on the open lot in front of Union Cemetery. It is to be a wooden structure and large enough for necessary purposes.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.), 06 April 1867, Page 3. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
Pursuant to public notice the citizens of Hardeman assembled at the court room last Monday for the purpose of selecting delegates to the Convention which takes place at the State Capital on the 16th of the present month. From the harmony that prevailed one could not fail to be impressed with the belief that the vote of this county will be a unit on the 1st of August. A. H. ROSE, Esq., was called to the chair, and on motion, W. M. JOHNSON was chosen secretary.
By request, the address of the conservative members of the Legislature was read, after which it was moved by H. R. DORRIS, Esq., that five delegates be chosen to attend the State Convention, whereupon the following gentlemen were selected as the Hardeman county delegation: J. J. POLK, D. J. NEWBERN, M. R. PARRISH, Thomas JONES, and J. B. FAWCETT.
After the business appertaining to the gubernatorial canvas had been transacted, it was then deemed advisable to select delegates from the civil districts to attend a district convention, should one be called, for the purpose of selecting a suitable candidate for Congress. The appointments are as follows:
Dist. No. 1; J. C. PREWITT, G. W. HARRIS
” ” 2; J. C. SPINKS, Theodore HIGGS
” ” 3; Thomas BOYLE, Thomas EUBANKS
” ” 4; W. M. JOHNSON, E. BROWN
” ” 5; J. B. HARRIS, P. T. JONES
“” ” 6; William NUCKOLLS, E. P. MCNEAL
” ” 7; G. W. NEWBERN, B. F. USSERY
” ” 8; J. W. HALFORD, J. M. WEBB
” ” 9; S. T. AVENT, F. HAM
” ” 10; M. GUY, P. M. CRAWFORD
” ” 11; H. R. DORRIS, W. S. CARSON
” ” 12; R. TALLEY, A. J. SIMPSON
” ” 13; J. M MITCHELL, A. W. FITTS
” ” 14; W. FORT, T. G. PATRICK
” ” 15; J. CHISM, James TOON, Sr.
” ” 16; A. J. DEAN, James LOWERY
” ” 17; J. HUDSON, W. A. MCDANIEL
The delegates to the State Convention were added to the above, so was the chairman.
It was the moved and carried that the proceedings of the meeting be published in the Bolivar Bulletin and other papers friendly to the cause.
No other business appearing the meeting adjourned.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.), 06 April 1867, Page 2. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
There is now due from the State to the jailer of this county four hundred and fifty or five hundred dollars, every cent of which has been doubly earned, as he furnished food for prisoners and devoted time and attention to their wants. We learn that the bill has been presented several times and as often put aside on mere pretext. Will the disbursing officers of the State attend to this? Surely the laborer is worthy of his hire, and it little becomes those who are so lavish with the people’s money to keep the jailer of Hardeman county out of his dues.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.), 30 March 1867, Page 3. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
Last Thursday, in company with our clever friend, Col. M. T. POLK, we made a visit to Leatherville, two miles northwest of this place, on the Whiteville road, and found that it was a place with “busy life abounding.” Leatherville is decidely a manufacturing village, and under the fostering care and experience of its enterprising founder and proprietor, Paul T. JONES, Esq., is destined to exert no little influence for the good of the people of this county.
The first establishment into which we were shown was the Pottery, wherein jugs, jars, pipes, and all kinds of earthen ware are made in abundance and with wonderful rapidity. This is an important branch, and it under the management of a most excellent workman.
Next we were introduced to the intelligent workmen who preside over the tan yard and work-shops. Here genuine leather is manufactured, as well as saddles, made upon the celebrated Estes tree, which, we think, is an improvement upon the Hope tree of Texas, together with boots and shoes of every description, from the finest kip skin pump to the heaviest brogans, all of which are sold at the manufactory for less than Yankee made goods of the same style. As proof of this we will state that we saw there heavy sewed calf skin boots marked down at $14, and we are satisfied that no Eastern made goods of the same quality can be sold here at less figures.
The Estes saddle-tree is made at Leatherville also. Next we were shown into the Foundry, where castings of all kinds are made to order. This is also a feature at the little village, and the cast iron plows moulded there and stocked in a room adjoining the foundry, is fast winning a reputation for adaptability to the soil of this section that will cause an increased demand and compel the proprietor to enlarge his facilities for their manufacture.
Besides the activeness that now prevails at Leatherville, we learn that Mr. JONES intends to build during the coming summer, just as the foot of the hill on which is situated his “Novelty Works”, – the pottery – a saw, grist mill and cotton gin, the machinery of which will be run by the waters of Pleasant Run creek, for which purpose a race three-quarters of a mile has been cut, and which is large enough to accommodate a volume of water sufficient force to drive twice the machinery necessary for the improvements mentioned above.
It certainly would be of great benefit to this entire people if we had in our midst a few more such liberal, enterprising men as the owner of Leatherville. Such men, and only such, can change the tide of prosperity, and chain its flood near our doors. It is the duty of a good citizen to patronize home enterprise; if you need anything, purchase it from a home manufacturer if you can; by this line of policy we will soon become self-sustaining, and be enabled to keep at home in constant circulation money that would otherwise find its way into Northern pockets and be lost to us forever. Patronize home industry, that is the key-note to our future welfare.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.), 30 March 1867, Page 2. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
The Holly Springs Reporter of the 29th says: One of the horse thieves, convicted at the late-term of the Hernando Court, and sentenced to the penitentiary, has published a letter in the People’s Press, implicating several men by the names of HURST, who reside in McNairy county, Tenn., as being at the head of a band of these outlawed horse thieves. He says that they steal horses from Tennessee to sell in Mississippi, and return with stolen horses from Mississippi to sell in Tennessee.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.), 30 March 1867, Page 2. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
Officers, non-commissioned officers and privates knowing the names of men who died in service, or were killed in action, belonging to the company, are requested to forward such names to me immediately, stating the date of death as near as possible.
M. T. POLK
Bolivar, Tenn.
It is to be hoped that the above request will be complied with at as early a day as possible. The Monumental Society of Hardeman county, of which Mrs. R. P. NEELY is president, is anxious to perfect the work which has been voluntarily taken in hand. Commissioned, non-commissioned officers and privates who served in the lost cause, and who are acquainted with the named of persons from this county who lost their lives in battle or disease during the war, are urgently requested to forward information to the society at once, as a monument is to be built sacred to the memory of the Confederate dead, on which their names are to be engraved.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.), 30 March 1867, Page 2. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
On last Saturday night three prisoners, W. H. TODD, W. H. PARKS and H. T. BIRD, made their escape from jail of this county. PARKS, it will be remembered, killed a man named RAINEY, at Saulsbury; BIRD stole a horse from G. T. PATRICK, and TODD figured in the celebrated lock game which transpired at Grand Junction, a few weeks since. Owing to the remarkable manner of escape of the accused trio, we deem it not out-of-place to note the incidents therewith connected, and when it is considered that our jail is one of the best and most secure in the State, it will be seen that almost superhuman exertions were made and a fund of ingenuity brought into requisition.
The men were confined in what is known as the upper cell, or cage, which is about fourteen feet square, the walls of which are composed of solid oak timbers, eight inches square, placed in an upright position, and at intervals of a few inches, strapped with heavy iron bars, which cross and recross each other, so as to form a perfect network. The south and north walls of the cage each have an opening, left for the purpose of admitting light, about four feet high by six inches wide, formed by sawing off one of the uprights, which is narrower than the rest. On either side of the solid timber facing this opening there is a heavy plate of iron, three-quarters of an inch in thickness and fully six inches wide, firmly fastened with counter-sunk bolts, and all secured with heavy iron cletes, at once presenting an impassable barrier save to the most accomplished and ingenious knave.
This iron coop, so to speak, is situated in the centre of the upper room. There is a passage way about four feet wide between it and the main walls of the building and a north and south window, barred with substantial solid wrought iron rods. After maturing their plans, the prisoners set to work. BIRD was chained to a bolt in the center of the prison, but the chain was long enough to enable him to reach any part of the floor. A hoop was taken off one of the buckets usually placed in the room at night; a three-cornered file was found hid away in a crack, and with this they made a small saw of the hoop.
The place selected for their secret work was one admirably suited to the occasion. Eighteen inches below the ceiling of the cage, and just above one of the heavy iron bands that held the solid plate to the upright facing the aperture, for night and day they busily applied the little file, first cutting the iron facing six inches wide, then the bolts, and then the eight inch timber. Lastly, about one foot of the iron band, or clete, was cut off, with which the iron plate was wrenched from its place, the upper part of the upright taken out and a hole formed of sufficient size to admit their passage.
Having reached the space between the outer wall of the cage and the main walls of the room, they worked rapidly and cautiously at the yielding bricks and mortar beneath the windowsill. After picking a hole large enough to pass through, they took the chain which embellished the leg of BIRD, wrapped it with strips torn from a woolen blanket, fastened it to the bars above; to the chain they attached their blankets, and with ease and safety lowered themselves to the coveted ground below. Of course they never stopped to make a geological examination of that particular spot, but made all haste to safer quarters.
From pretty good information, we are led to believe that they made their escape from jail before eleven o’clock, as three men got upon the northward bound 11:30 train the same night, and in such a manner as to lead one to believe that all was not right. They paid their fair after the train was in motion, and are, no doubt, many miles from this place today.
Before leaving a letter was written to the jailer, and which, for the sake of novelty, we print below. It was evidently written by TODD. We hope he will excuse us for correcting bad spelling, and pardon us if we suggest that he should devote must of his time to Webster’s smallest sized words. Here is the letter.
March the __, 1867.
To the Jailer, Mr. H. T. PUNCH;
In many the last hours, we, William H. TODD and W. H. PARKS, and H. T. BIRD, have to leave our kind respects to you and family, for we, as prisoners, left in your charge, owe you all our kindest wishes for your kindness towards us while we boarded with you. I have no doubt but what this letter will take you on surprise, but nevertheless there has as strange things as this happened before. For days and nights we have labored hard, and very hard, to accomplish our feat, to gain our liberty. We have finally succeeded.
Now you can have all the particulars in regard to our escape. We are under no obligations to neither man or woman for any favors shown us for escape. We used the hoops off our water bucket for a saw, and the file was found in a crack in the wall. We made handles for them and set to work like tigers. We laid our plans and they came out victorious. Now we will try for our escape; everything is quiet now, and every one in bed asleep. It is a little after three o’clock.
The man who found some other man’s horse is to take the lead. He says he knows every pig path through the country. We expect to be pursued, but we trust we will not get far before we get friends and horses. We have four wide roads to take our choice of, that is east, and west, and north and south. I don’t think that we can take them all! but we will pick the one we think best for all. I don’t like to leave. If I could get bail I would not leave, for I am not guilty of no crime, and I know I will have to stay here till my trial. I will take this trip and see if I can’t make some money and fee my lawyers and I will come back on my own responsibility.
Signed W. H. TODD
With these few lines I hope I do not leave no enemies. You shall hear from me soon.
Yours as ever,
W. H. TODD
W. H. PARKS
H. T. BIRD
It is proper to state that TODD says he is a Cincinnati-an, while BIRD claims to be from Louisville. PARKS is the same person who, some time ago, ran off and left his bondsmen “with the bag to hold,” and was arrested in southern Illinois, a few weeks since, by our fellow citizen, John B. RUFFIN. It is the general impression that BIRD is the shrewdest of the trio, and a very hard bird to keep caged. The refugees have, doubtless, returned to their familiar haunts.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.), 30 March 1867, Page 2. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
For days past newspaper readers have seen accounts from various portions of the country, chronicling great loss of life and property by the high water which has prevailed in the principal tributaries of the Mississippi river, but an accurate idea cannot be formed of the dread reality of the case without one should stand upon the hills near one of the many ill-fated streams and be an eye-witness to the foaming and drift-covered waters that are rushing along and carrying destruction throughout the valleys.
While in Memphis during the past week, we gathered information from parties who had been driven from their homes, and who told us that the Mississippi river from Cairo to Vicksburg, was changed into a monster inland sea, and that the bottom lands, from the hills on the east to the highlands on the west, were all under water.
Thousands upon thousands of valuable stock, houses, and in many cases human life had been swept away. Great fears are entertained that the flood now prevailing will not subside before the spring rise in the Missouri comes down, in which case it will be impossible to till a farm on either side of the Mississippi between the points mentioned above. At Memphis the water is forty miles wide, and in many places, between that point and Madison, Ark., stands to the height of twenty feet over the bottom lands.
No estimate can be formed of the loss already sustained, as the waters rose so fast that people who lived a distance from the highlands were unable to remove any of their household effects, or drive cattle to points of safety. A gentleman from Madison told us that Crowley’s Ridge was the roaming ground of myriads of bear, deer, and wild game of every species familiar to the great swamps and bottom lands, all of which were compelled to leave their old haunts by the merciless flood. At this time Bolivar, Miss., is the only landing between Memphis and Vicksburg.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.), 23 March 1867, Page 2. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
We believe we speak the sentiments of the masses of the people of this county when we say that the new court-house should be built as soon as possible, and that too, in a substantial manner. The plan selected by the commissioners is an improvement upon any one in the State, is beautiful in its proportions, and will amply accommodate the entire business of the county. Would it not be well for the work to be put through at once?
We hear that the structure can be completed by the first of next January, provided the means are furnished the contractors as the work progresses. If the payment is to be made only as the court-house tax is collected, it will be two or three years before the records of the county, worth hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars, can be placed in position for safe keeping.
The old log hut in which they are now exposed is a rickety shanty at best, and one little match in the hands of a careless child or evil-disposed person might be the means of reducing them to ashes in a few moments. No one will say that a court-house is not needed, and no one is foolish enough to desire its erection deferred. We do hope that the court will see that steps are taken to build the court-house and that too at an early day. If they do this they will receive the thanks of this community, and do an act of justice to every man who has a valuable paper filed away in the old rookery call the “court room.”
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.), 23 March 1867, Page 2. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
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