Shelby Co. TN
SHELBY COUNTY is situated in the southwest corner of the State of Tennessee. It is bounded on the north by Tipton County, on the east by Fayette County, on the south by the State of Mississippi and on the west by the Mississippi River. In area it contains about 700 square miles. Generally speaking the surface is either level or gently undulating, and the soil is extremely fertile. Outside of the bottoms, at the lowest points the La Grange sands outcrop. This is a stratified mass of sand mostly argillaceous and quite variable in color. Their thickness is not known, and in them occur veins of lignite, as at Raleigh. The Orange sandstone also appears at the slopes at the bluff, and at the surface in the eastern part of the county. Above all lies what is known as the Bluff deposit or loess loam. This is a stratum of fine siliceous loam, and is usually of a light ashen, yellow or buff color. In thickness it varies from a few feet to about 100 feet. Memphis is built on this deposit. The loess deposits are famous the world over for their excellence as a subsoil, on account of their porosity and fertility, by which crops growing above them are enabled to survive long periods of drought better than those growing above most other kinds of subsoil. Above all is a rich alluvial deposit or vegetable mold, furnishing abundant material for the sustenance of crops, and is as rich as is anywhere to be found. The surface of the county is interspersed with a few creeks and small rivers, and the upland back from these creeks and rivers frequently rests upon a bed of reddish fire brick clay. The water courses are as follows: Wolf River, Loosahatchie River, Big Creek, Nonconnah Creek and Bayou Gayoso. There are two sets of mineral springs, one of Raleigh, the other at Nashoba, both containing sulphur and iron; but neither has as yet become famous as a health or summer resort. For convenience of reference the bluffs may be here enumerated: The first Chickasaw bluff is at Fulton in Lauderdale County, the second at Randolph in Tipton County, the third at Old River, and the fourth or lowest at Memphis. It is generally believed and it is probably true that it was from this bluff that De Soto crossed the Mississippi River, instead of at Randolph, as is suggested by Killebrew. The remains of extinct animals found in the county are thought by geologists to be representatives of the genera mastodon. megalonyx, castor and castoroides. Some think these remains belong to diluvium of the Mississippi Valley, but Prof. Safford thinks they are more probably from the Bluff loam.
The general trend of testimony seems to be that De Soto first saw the Mississippi at the lowest or fourth Chickasaw bluff, and that Chisca was located thereon, at the point where Fort Pickering was afterward built, where are the remains of two Indian mounds, since called the Jackson mounds. Authorities differ somewhat as to the date of De Soto's approach to the Mississippi River. Bancroft fixes the date at April 25, 1541, while others with perhaps too little investigation prefer the 8th of the same month. From this time forward for a period of 132 years the foot of white man is not known to have trod the sacred soil of West Tennessee. In June, 1673, two of the most celebrated personages known to the early religious history of this country, Father Marquette and M. Joliet, entering the Mississippi from the Wisconsin, passed down the Father of Waters to the mouth of the Arkansas, stopping on their way at the fourth Chickasaw bluff, where they were kindly received by the native Indians. After their return to the North a map, prepared by Marquette, was published in 1681, on which dense settlements are marked along the "Mitchisipi Highlands," corresponding to the first, second and fourth Chickasaw bluffs. After Father Hennepin returned from his trip down the Mississippi, made shortly after 1680, the Chevalier de La Salle in 1682 passed down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico, and on his way down stopped at the fourth Chickasaw bluff, built a cabin thereon and erected a fort which he named Prud'homme. In 1686 Chevalier de' Tonti stopped at this same bluff on his way down the Mississippi, and in 1699 M. D'Iberville, ascending the Mississippi, landed at this bluff and found here a letter written by De Tonti thirteen years before addressed to La Salle. In 1735 Bienville also visited the country, as did also D'Artaguette.
In 1739 Bienville again entered the Chickasaw country, this time passing up through Arkansas, crossing the Mississippi River at the fourth Chickasaw bluff and remaining there all winter. In March, 1740, a portion of his troops having sunk under the climate and all having become discouraged, he made a treaty of peace with the Chickasaws; returned to New Orleans, leaving Fort Assumption (now Memphis) in their possession, But little is known about the history of this portion of the country from this time until the arrival at this point in 1783 of Benjamin Foy, sent by Gen. Don Gayoso, and who in that year erected at the mouth of Margot (Wolf) River fortifications, to which he gave the name of Fort San Fernando. The Spaniards remained in possession of this fort until the ratification of the treaty by which Louisiana was ceded to the United States, and the thirty-third degree of North latitude made the boundary line between the two countries.
Soon after this treaty Lieut. Pike was sent by the United States Government to take possession of the fort and the Spanish troops, evacuating it, crossed the river and established Camp L'Esperance, afterward called Camp Good Hope, near the terminus of the Military Road. Gen. Wilkinson came on soon after the arrival of Lieut. Pike, dismantled Fort San Fernando and established Fort Pickering about one mile below on the Mississippi River. The Chickasaws remained in possession of this country, then, more as a hunting-ground, however, than as a residence country until the treaty of 1818, by which they ceded West Tennessee to the United States. This treaty was ratified in 1819, and proclaimed by the President January 7, that year. By its terms the Chickasaws removed to the Indian Territory and received $20,000 annually for fifteen years.
But long previous to this treaty North Carolina, while Tennessee was yet under territorial government, made numerous large grants to individuals, mostly at the rate of £10 for every 100 acres so granted. The first grant recorded in the register's books of Shelby County is North Carolina Grant, No. 17, to Samuel Harris for 5,000 acres, lying on the North Fork of Looshatchie River, near the mouth of that fork and adjoining Grant No. 1010 to John McKnitt Alexander, and Grant No. 572 to Robert Goodloe; Grant No. 561, for 2,000 acres in favor of William Alston, lay on the north side of Looshatchie River adjoining No. 465 of 2,000 acres to James Robertson. John Gray Blount and Thomas Blount had granted to them eight separate tracts of land each containing 1,000 acres and numbered 117, 178, 190, 195, 219, 224, 225 and 239. Grant No. 86 for 5,000 was in favor of Richard Cross, and lay on the North Fork of Looshatchie. No. 306 lay on Big Hatchie and was for 5,000 acres in favor of Robinson Mumford. Alexander McCullock had two grants, No. 41 for 3,000 acres and No. 42 for 2,000 acres. But perhaps the most interesting grants made within the limits of Shelby County were those to John Rice and John Ramsey, because of their connection with the great city of Memphis. The John Rice grant was No. 283 and was described as follows:
Know ye that we, in consideration of £10 for every 100 acres hereby granted, paid into our treasury by John Rice, have given, granted and by these presents do give and grant unto the said John Rice, a tract of land containing 5,000 acres lying and being in the western district on the Chickasaw bluff, beginning about one mile below the mouth of Wolf River at a white oak tree marked J. R.; running thence north 20° east 226 poles; thence north 27° west, 310 poles to a cotton-wood tree; thence due east 1,377.9 poles to a mulberry tree; thence south 625 poles to a stake; thence west 1,304.9 poles to the beginning, as by the plat hereunto annexed doth appear, together with all woods, mines, minerals, hereditaments and appurtenances, to the said land belonging or appertaining, to hold to the said John Rice, his heirs and assigns forever; this grant to be registered in the register's office in our western district within twelve months from the date hereof, otherwise the same shall be void and of no effect.
In testimony whereof we have caused these our letters to be made patent, and our great seal to be hereunto affixed.
Witness: Samuel Johnson, Esquire, our Governor, Captain-general and Commanderin-chief, at Halifax, the 25th day of April, in the XIII year of our independence and of our Lord 1789.
SAM. JOHNSON.
By his Excellency's command
J. GLASGOW, Secretary.
The John Ramsey grant was No. 19,060, and was recorded May 10, 1823, the record in this case being as follows:
Know ye, that in consideration of Warrant No. 383, dated the 24th day of June, 1784, issued by John Armstrong, entry officer of claims for the North Carolina western lands, to John Ramsey for five thousand acres, and entered on the 25th day of October, 1783, by No. 383 there is granted by the said State of Tennessee unto the said John Ramsey and John Overton, assignee, &c., a certain tract or parcel of land, containing five thou and acres. by survey bearing date March 1,1822, lying in Shelby County, Eleventh District, Ranges Eight and Nine, Sections One and Two, on the Mississippi River, of which to said Ramsey four thousand two !hundred eighty-five and five-sevenths acres, and to said Overton seven hundred and fourteen and two-sevenths acres, and bounded as follows, to wit: Beginning at a stake on the bank of said river—the southwest corner of John Rice's five thousand acre grant, as processioned by William Lawrence in the year 1820—running thence south 850 east with said Rice's south boundary line, as processioned aforesaid, one hundred and seventy five chains to a poplar marked R.; thence south two hundred chains to an elm marked F. R. ; thence west, at sixty-two chains crossing a branch bearing south. at seventy chains crossing a branch bearing southeast, at one hundred and nineteen chains crossing a branch hearing south, and at one hundred and sixty chains a branch bearing south, in all two hundred and seventy-three chains, to a cottonwood tree marked F. R., on the bank of the Mississippi River ; thence up the margin of said river with its meanders (here follows a minute description of the course of the river) to the beginning, with the hereditaments and appurtenances, to the said John Ramsey and John Overton and their heirs forever.
In witness whereof William Carroll, governor of the State of Tennessee, bath here-unto set his hand and caused the great seal of the State to be affixed, at Murfreesborough, on the 30th day of April, in the year of our Lord, 1823, and of the independence of the United States the forty-seventh.WILLIAM CARROLL.By the governor,
DANIEL GRAHAM, Secretary
In order that it may be understood what is meant above by the Eleventh Surveyor's District, it is proper to explain that during the session of the Legislature which convened in October, 1819, the western district of Tennessee was laid off into five land districts, numbered from 9 to 13 inclusive. District No. 9 embraced the southeast part of West Tennessee, beginning on the Tennessee River, where the line previously run between Tennessee and Alabama crossed it, the presumption then being that this line was on the 35' of north latitude, running thence due west thirty-five miles; thence north fifty-five miles; thence east to the Tennessee River, and thence up the Tennessee River to the beginning. The Tenth Surveyor's District adjoined the Ninth on the west, extending west thirty miles; thence north fifty-five miles, and thence east to the Ninth District. The Eleventh District lay between the Tenth and the Mississippi River, including Shelby County. Jacob Tipton was appointed surveyor of this district. The Twelfth District embraced the northeastern part of West Tennessee, commencing at the intersection of parallel of latitude 36° 30', north with the Tennessee River, and extending with this parallel westward to a point midway between the Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers; thence south to the north line of the Tenth District, and thence east to the Tennessee River; and the Thirteenth District lay west of the Twelfth, extending to the Mississippi River.
The names of the early settlers in Shelby County, so far as can be consistently given in this work, are introduced in connection with the sketches of the towns in the vicinity of which they settled. It is deemed appropriate here to present a brief outline of the famous institution of Frances Wright, about which much has been written and much misapprehended, the name of which was Nashoba.
Nashoba (the name in the Chickasaw language meaning wolf) was an institution established by Miss Frances Wright in the year 1826 upon lands purchased in 1825, for the purposes of benevolence and the emancipation of the slave. The lands of Nashoba, amounting in the aggregate to 1,940 acres, lay on both sides of Wolf River, in Shelby County, in the vicinity of Germantown and Ridegway, and are described as follows:
1st. A tract of 640 acres, granted by the State of, Tennessee to William Lawrence
and William A. Davis by Grant No. 21,815, and conveyed by them to Miss Wright. 2d. A tract of 240 acres, granted to her as assignee of William Fewkes. 3d. A tract of 240 acres, granted to her as assignee of James Richardson. 4th. A tract of 200 acres, granted to her as assignee of Andrew Jones.
5th. A tract of 200 acres, granted to her as assignee of John Gilliam.
6th. A tract of 200 acres, granted to her as assignee of Powel Busby.
7th. A tract of 200 acres, conveyed to her by the grantee, Richard Hensband.
8th. A tract of 20 acres, entered in the name of T. H. Persons, by entry No. 907 under date of August 5, 1824, and conveyed by Mr. Persons to Miss Wright.
In order to accomplish the purpose she had in view, Miss Wright appointed certain trustees to manage the institution, giving the lands described above in trust to them. Their names were the following: Gen. Lafayette, William McClure, Robert Owen, Cadwallader D. Colden, Richardson Whitby, Robert Jennings, Robert Dale Owen, George Flowery, Camilla Wright and James Richardson.* The lands, according to the deed of trust, were to be held by them, their associates and successors in perpetual trust for the benefit of the negro race. The object of the trust was confided to the discretion of the trustees, with the limitation that a school for colored children should always be a principal part of the plan, and with the further limitation that all negroes emancipated by the trustees should on quitting the limits of Nashoba be sent outside of the limits of the United States. The trustees were not at any time to permit their own number to be reduced below five, and the trustees on the lands of Nashoba, provided their number should not be less than three, should be a quorum for the transaction of business. Besides the trustees, coadjutors were provided for, and the trustees were permitted to admit other coadjutors, with the unanimous consent of the trustees, and provided the proposed coadjutors had lived six months on the lands of Nashoba; but the coadjutors were not to have anything to do, with the management of the affairs of the institution. In order to secure the independence of every one connected with the institution it was provided that no one admitted as either trustee or coadjutor should be liable to expulsion for any reason, but from the moment of admission each person was to have an indefeasible right to the enjoyment of the
*The supposition that Andrew Jackson was one of the trustees is not sustained by the deed of trust.
comforts afforded by the institution, i. e., to food, to clothing, to lodging, to attention during sickness and protection in old age. No member, whether trustee or coadjutor, who might quit the institution was to be entitled to any compensation for past services in addition to the participation he might have had in the comforts of the institution while residing therein. Every admission to the institution was to be strictly individual, except in cases of children under fourteen years of age, who were to be admitted with one or both parents, and reared and educated by the institution until they should be twenty years of age, when they should either be admitted into the institution or assisted in forming themselves into a community elsewhere. Among other provisions was the following: That on the Fourth of July, 1876, the trust should devolve on the then existing trustees and coadjutors jointly, and thenceforward every member was to be a trustee; and Miss Wright said: " Notwithstanding the legal inconsistency such a reservation may seem to involve, Reserved to myself all the privileges of a trustee."
Miss Wright proposed a system of education for the young black people which should fit them for self-support, and a system for the young white people having the same end in view, and her institution at Nashoba was founded on the principle of community of property and labor. Following is a bit of philosophy by Miss Wright : " Were a system of prevention adopted instead of punishment, laws would be unnecessary. In all the transactions of life the only effective precautions seem to be those which provide against the occurrence of evil, not those which attempt to remedy the evil after it has occurred." She made an appeal "to all the friends of men and of their counlry, to those who respect the institutions of the Republic and to all endowed with favorable principles, to all who believe in the possibility of the improvement of nian, to all who sympathize in the sentiments expressed in this paper," to aid in the prospective work of the institution of Nashoba. This paper was dated December 17, 1826.
On January 6, 1827, Miss Wright gave to the trustees of the lands of Nashoba above mentioned, and to their associates and successors in office, the following named slaves: Willis, Jacob, Grandison, Frederick, Henry, Nellie, Peggy and Kitty and the male infant of Kitty, on the condition that when their labor—together with the labor of another family consisting of female slaves entrusted to her by Robert Wilson of South Carolina—should have paid to the institution of Nashoba a clear capital of $6,000, with six per cent interest on that capital from the 1st of January, 1827. and in addition a sum sufficient to defray the expenses of colonizing them, they should all be emancipated and colonized by the trustees.
The institution of Nashoba did not, however, by far come up to the expectation of its founder, and in about four years it failed. During three years she was from ill health compelled to be in Europe, and the institution's failure she attributed, not to any defect in the scheme or plan nor to the intractability of the negro, but wholly to the base conduct of those she left in charge. But to the negroes named above, whom she had placed in the institution, she was true, at her own expense sending them to Hayti and establishing them there in independence. Then, on the 1st of November, 1831, "on account of its being impracticable for them to conduct the school or to be of service as trustees of the lands of Nashoba, Gen. Lafayette, William McClure, Robert Owen, C. Colden, Richardson Whitby, Robert Jennings, Robert Dale Owen, George Flowery and James Richardson resigned their trusteeship," and also for the further reason " that Miss Wright had emancipated the slaves and colonized them on the island of Hayti." After this failure of her cherished schemes Miss Wright continued for a number of years to manage her estate in her own way, and at length it became involved in litigation, which is sufficiently traced in the history of the courts of Shelby County.
Commencing with 1840 the political history of Shelby County is succinctly as follows: In that year William Henry Harrison received 950 votes for President of the United States while Martin Van Buren received 681. In 1843 James C. Jones received 1,352 votes for governor; James K. Polk received 1,026, and in the next year Henry Clay received 1,625 votes for President while James K. Polk received 1,352. In 1845 E. H. Foster received for governor 1,307 votes and Aaron V. Brown 1,316; in 1847 Neill S. Brown received 1,409 votes, and Aaron V. Brown 1,207. In 1848 Zachary Taylor received 1,828 votes for President, to 1,607 for Lewis Cass. In 1849 there were cast for Gen. William Trousdale for governor 1,405 votes to 1,453 for Neill S. Brown. For congressman, IF. P. Stanton received 1,426, and Harris 1,425; for the State Senate George W. Fisher 1,351, and Farrington 1,464. In 1851, for governor, Gen. William Trousdale received 1,490 votes, and William B. Campbell 1,563; for the State Senate William C. Dunlap 1,543, and Mr. Wickersham 1,480; for representative, M. B. Winchester 1,490, and Pope 1,474. In 1852 Winfield Scott received for President 1,824, and Franklin Pierce 1,628. In 1855 Meredith P. Gentry received 1,831 votes for governor, and Andrew Johnson 1,467. At the presidential election of 1856 James Buchanan received 2,016 votes, and Millard Fillmore 2,083. By a review of the votes given above it will be seen that at every presidential election during those twenty years the Whig candidate, considering
Millard Fillmore a Whig, received a majority of the popular vote in this county, as was the case in nearly every gubernatorial election. In 1859 Isham G. Harris received 2,231 votes, to John Netherland 2,026. In 1860, the most important presidential year thus far in the history of the country, the vote in Memphis was as follows: for John Bell 2,319, Stephen A. Douglas 2,250 and John C. Breckenridge 572; and in the rest of the county, for Bell 3,048, Douglas 2,959 and Breckenridge 744.
On the 7th of February, 1861, a meeting was held to discuss the questions of the day at which Luke W. Finlay and James Brett delivered enthusiastic speeches in favor of secession, the latter gentleman especially dwelling eloquently upon the " Government as it was and as it is." This meeting was held preparatory to the election which was to take place on the 9th, at which the following votes were cast. Marcus J. Wright received 2,089 votes for State senator from Shelby and Fayette Counties; Solon Borland 1,574 and David M. Curry 2,088 for representative from Shelby County, and Humphrey 2,087 votes for floater from Shelby, Fayette and Tipton Counties. On the question of convention or no convention the vote stood: For the convention 4,720 votes, against it 209. The Union ticket and votes for each candidate were as follows: Dunlap, 2,711; Harris, 2,722; Topp, 2,808; Carroll, 2,715. These votes were cast in Memphis, and indicate the state of feeling then existing; but when the vote was taken in June following on the question of separation or no separation the result showed that meanwhile a great change had taken place in public sentiment. The vote on the 8th of June, 1861, for separation and representation was in the entire county 7.132, against both, five, the five being cast in Memphis; and the vote in Memphis for separation was 5,608, for representation 5,604.
In 1867 the vote for congressmen was as follows: For David A Nunn 4,414, and for John T. Leftwick 2,745; and for governor, W. G. Brownlow 4,419; for Emerson Etheridge 3,009. In 1868 Gen. U. S. Grant received 5,004 votes as candidate and Horatio Seymour 3,009. This was one of the most remarkable elections ever held in Shelby County, and was watched, particularly in Memphis, with the keenest interest, as it was the first presidential election at which the newly enfranchised colored man cast his ballot. In order to know with certainty how he did vote, separate ballot boxes were prepared for the white and black electors, and the result found to be as follows: In Memphis Gen. Grant received 535 from white men and from colored men 4,283, a total vote of 4,818; Horatio Seymour received from white men 2,436 votes, and from colored men 86; in all 2,522. The total white vote was 2,971, and the total colored vote 4,369. On congressman the vote stood for W. J. Smith white vote 291, colored vote 4,212; for John T. Leftwick, white vote 2,431, colored vote 85; David A. Nunn, white vote 232, colored vote 71. In the entire county, however, Mr. Leftwick was elected over W. J. Smith by a majority of 633 votes.
In 1870 the vote for governor was, W. H. Wisener 2,968, John C. Brown 6,713; for congressman, Smith 2,804; Shaw (colored) 170; Du-Bose 6,506. The total city vote at that election was 6.726, and the total county vote, including Memphis, was 9,687. In 1872 occurred another remarkable election for President, the two candidates being President Ulysses S. Grant and Horace Greeley. In Shelby County Mr. Greeley received 6,356 votes, and President Grant 8,445. For governor, John C. Brown (Liberal Republican) received 6,598, and A. A. Freeman (Grant Republican) received 8,275 votes. At the county election held that year the vote for sheriff was W. J. P. D.---7,797; A. P. Curry 6,081; for trustee A. Woodward 7,747 ; T. Foley 5,042; privilege tax collector, J. H. Mathes 12,614, no opposition ; chancellor, S. P. Walker 8,210, J. B: Bigelow 4,574 ; supreme judge, R. McFarland 9,735, J. B. Cook 2,416. The vote in 1874 for governor was James D. Porter (Democrat) 8,828, Horace Maynard (Republican) 5,877; for congressman, H. Casey Young 8,841,--Lewis 5,849. The presidential vote in 1876 was. more nearly equal, Samuel Tilden (Democrat) receiving 8,539 votes, R. B. Hayes 8,127; for congress-man, H. Casey Young received 8,503 votes, and – Randolph 8,092. In 1878 E. M. Wright (Republican) received 1,817 votes for governor, A. S. Marks (Democrat) 2,099, and R. M. Edwards(National) 1,729; for congressman the vote stood, H. Casey Young 5,522,----Randolph, 3,199. In 1880 James A. Garfield (Republican) received 7,788 votes, W. S. Hancock (Democrat) 6,927, and J. B. Weaver (Greenback) 264; for governor Alvin Hawkins (Republican) received 7,758, and John V. Wright 5,265. In 1882 Alvin Hawkins as candidate for governor received 5,421 votes, William B. Bate 5,524, and Joseph H. Fussell (low credit Democrat) 257.
In 1884 James G. Blaine for President received 9,165 votes and Grover Cleveland 7,627. For governor that year Frank T. Reid received 9,290 votes and William B. Bate 7,296. The vote for congressman stood, Zach Taylor 8,732, James M. Harris 7,671. For State Senate Smith received 8,565 votes, Ramsay 7,638, and Jacob S. Galloway 7,583, and J. D. Montedonico 7,715. For representatives the following were the candidates and their respective votes: James F. Hunter 7,812, M. R. Patterson 7,838, Alfred Frohman 6,868, Morgan Kelly 7,795, and J. S. McKinley 7,465, Haynes 8,800, Fields 8,591,Vernon 8,618, Evans 8,446, and Brogan 8,987.
The most remarkable election of recent years, both for methods and results, was that of August 5, 1886. Following are the names of the various candidates and their respective votes : Sheriff--W. D. Cannon (Democrat), in the city 11,537, country 6,122, total 17,659; Silvers (Re-publican) 1,449; total vote for sheriff 19,108. County trustee—Andrew J. Harris (Democrat), city 8,689, country 2,877, total 11,566; Rumsey (Republican) 7,546; total vote for trustee, 19,112. Register—N. F. Harrison (Democrat), city 9,294, country 2,971; total 12,265. Fields (Republican), 7,017; total for register, 19,282. Attorney-general--George B. Peters (Democrat), city 8,599, country 2,985, total 11,584; Haynes (Republican), 6,536; G. P. M. Turner (Independent Democrat), 1,280; total vote for attorney-general, 19,400. Chancellor—Henry T. Ellett (Democrat), city 8,820, country 3,934, total, 12,-754; Smith (Republican), 7,270; total vote for chancellor, 20,024. Criminal court judge—J. J. Dubose (Democrat), city 10,127, country 2,647, total, 12,774; Moss (Republican), 6,437; total vote, 19,211. Probate judge—J. S. Galloway (Democrat), city 8,750, country 2,794, total, 11,-544; Eldridge (Republican), 7,653; total vote, 19,197. Circuit court judge—L. H. Estes (Democrat), city 8,132, country 3,856, total 11,988; Vernon (Republican), 7,323; total vote 19,311.
In November, 1886, the votes for the respective candidates for governor were, Robert L. Taylor (Democrat), city 4,871, country 2,144, total 7,015; Alfred A. Taylor (Republican), city 1,403, country 2,102, total, 3,505; total vote in the county for governor, 10,520, against 20,024, the total vote for chancellor in August previous.
The following are the general statistics: The population of Shelby County in 1860 was whites 30,861, blacks 17,229, total 48,090; in 1870, it was whites 39,737, blacks 36,640: total 76,377, and in 1880 it was whites 34,508, blacks 43,903, total78,411. In 1880 the assessed valuation of real estate was $17,794,085; of personal property, $1,074,370. The amount of taxes was for the State, school purposes, $35,879; other purposes $18,868. County purposes—schools, $36,309; other purposes, $86,842. The number of manufacturing establishments in the county was 186; capital invested, $2,452,425; value of materials, $2,646,910; value of product, $4,759,691; the number of males employed above sixteen years of age, 2,278, and the number of females above fifteen, 69. The total amount of wages paid was $876,566.
Paulette Carpenter, Project Coordinator
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