Transcribed by Melody Carter
August 28, 1952
* CAL’S COLUMN *
We resume the publication
of the records of the Quarterly Court and Court of Pleas of Smith County, on Monday, June 21, 1802. The place is the home of William Saunders,
near the town of Dixon Springs. Present for the day’s work are the
following: Peter Turney, Nathaniel
Brittain, Elmore Duglass and John Looney.
The next published item is a follows:
“Ordered that Samuel
Stalcup be allowed a license to keep an Ordinary at his now residence on
Peyton’s Creek, and that he be rated agreeable to the customary rates of all
other taverns in this county, who came into Court, and gave security accordingly.” This Samuel Stalcup lived on Peyton’s Creek,
but we do not know where. We would
suppose that he most probably lived in the vicinity of the present Monoville. An “ordinary” was a public eating and
drinking place where meals were placed on a table and eaten and not prepared to
order. The word is now almost obsolete,
but it is still found in the dictionaries.
“Deed, 75 acres, William
Haynie to Elijah Haynie. Acknowledged
and ordered to be registered.” This
land, we presume, was also in the vicinity of Monoville, where the Haynie
family originally settled on their !!coming to Smith County from North
Carolina. Elijah Haynie, “who is now
nearly a hundred years old and formerly a citizen of Trousdale County, and a
member of the County Court at Hartsville for years, who now lives in Nashville,
is believed to be a direct descendant of Elijah Haynie of June 1808.
The writer of this column
is of the opinion that the William Haynie who sold 75 acres of land to Elijah
Haynie was the father of Elder E. B. Haynie, known as Elder Ned Haynie. Elder Haynie baptized R. B. Davis in 1859
into the fellowship of Peyton’s Creek Baptist church. Fifty years later R. B. Davis, who had in the meantime became a
Baptist minister, baptized this writer, which event occurred on Oct. 3,
1909. A sketch of the life of Elder
Haynie, from Grime’s History of Middle Tennessee Baptists, follows:
This man of God was born in
Smith County, Tennessee, five miles west of Carthage, October 1, 1805. His parents were natives of North Carolina
and came to this State when young; they were among the pioneer settlers of this
section. Though not religious
themselves, yet they had a high regard for religion and often entertained
preachers, and would sometimes have preaching at their house. When in his fourteenth year, young Haynie
was convicted of sin under the preaching of Elder Joshua Lester, the honored
bishop of Smith’s Fork Baptist Church.
Soon after he embraced a hope and united with Peyton’s Creek Baptist
Church and was baptized by Elder John Wiseman, December 20, 1819. Brother Wiseman on the day he baptized him,
prophesied that he would preach. In a
short time, though but a boy, he had impressions in that direction. His father, though not religious, suspected
something of the kind and stopped him from work on the farm and started him to
school, where he secured a good practical education. While yet in the teens he married Elizabeth Payne. Seven children were the result of this
marriage. Having a wife, with an
increasing family to support, he turned his attention from the ministry to the
things of this world. But the God who
could subdue a Jonah knew how to deal with this rebellious child. In the summer of 1827 he was brought down to
death’s door. His physician gave him up
to die, but it proved to be only the chastening of the Lord, and, in the end,
yielded the peaceable fruits of righteousness.
It was here that his grasp on the world was relaxed, and holy zeal
kindled in his soul which must find vent in preaching the gospel of peace. From this time on he was about the Master’s
business. In May, 1832 he was ordained
to the full work of the gospel ministry by the following presbytery: Elders Miles West, William C. Bransford and
Daniel Smith. He “made full proof of
his ministry.”
He traveled as missionary
in Jackson and Overton Counties. He was
pastor of the following churches, viz.:
Peyton’s Creek, Defeated Creek, Round Lick, New Salem, Rome,
Meadorville, Hillsdale and Friendship.
He did a great work with all these churches; but the monument of his
ministry is found in old Peyton’s Creek Church, near his home, and where he was
baptized and ordained. He was called to
the care of this church as soon as he was ordained, and remained their pastor
for fifty years, during which time the church continually flourished. It could truly be said that this was his
“joy and crown.”
In April, 1852, the wife of
his youth fell on sleep and he was again married, March, 1853, to Miss Margaret
Haynes, by whom he had two sons.
Bro. Haynie was a good
preacher and a great revivalist. In
doctrine he was a strong Calvinist and gloried in the doctrine of
election. In practice he sometimes
affiliated in the exchange of pulpits with ministers of other denominations.
He was a man of means,
owning a valuable farm, near where he was born, and a beautiful country
home. It was a privilege of this author
to spend some time in this home short!!ly before his death, and a more
companionable brother he never knew. It
was his delight to encourage a younger brother who had aspirations.
He lived to a ripe old age
and at his own home in the mist of loved ones, he peacefully breathed his
last. You say he is dead? “No, not dead, but sleepeth.” Though numbered with the dead, he lives on with the deeds of
righteousness which know no death.
Grime’s History, pages 195-197.
“Ordered that Daniel
Witcher, Reuben Goad, James Bodine, Martin Young, Abealom Tedwell, Charles
Wakefield, James McKain, Willoughby Pugh, William Jenkins, Robert Collier,
Frederick Hill and Louis Pipkin be a jury to view, mark and lay off a road
agreeable to law, from Daniel Witcher’s to the State line in a direction to the
Salt Petre Cave, and report same to our next Court.” Here we have an item of more than passing interest. We know that Daniel Witcher died in the year
1815, 13 years after the Court record just given. We reported last week that he lived in the vicinity of Red Boiling
Springs, from the best we had then been able to learn. Since that time we have learned that Daniel
Witcher lived on what later became known as the Dr. Smith farm on Long Fork,
not far up the creek from where Highway 52 crosses the stream, that the older
members of the family were buried on top of the hill to the east of Long Fork
on the present Patterson farm. So a
road leading from Daniel Witcher’s to the Kentucky line in the direction of the
“Salt Petre Cave,” would have naturally been viewed and marked right down Long
Fork Creek. The “Salt Petre Cave” of
that day and time was doubtless the present “Salt Petre Cave” owned by Jimmie
Tucker and located on the waters of White Oak Creek, not many miles northeast
of Lafayette. The supposition is that
the road was laid out down Long Fork by the Louis Pipkin farm, thence up the hill
at Liberty church, thence across the dividing ridge to White Oak Creek about
the Abe Cook farm, thence !!to the top of the next ridge and then on to the
Kentucky line by way of the present Underwood.
Our view of this matter is
strengthened by reason of the appointment of certain men whose early member of
the church at Liberty. The name,
Frederick Hill, is recalled by one of our fellow townsmen, but he does not
remember where he lived. All these
points “tie” together and make out a fairly good case for the road as above
outlined.
Reuben Goad was a
son-in-law of Daniel Witcher, whose daughter, Mary, married him in 1788 or
1789. James Bodine and Absalom Tedwell
are entirely unknown to the editor, as are also James McKain, Willoughby Pugh
and Robert Collier. We would judge that
Martin Young was another son-in-law of Daniel Witcher, as three of his
daughters married Youngs. Charles
Wakefield very probably was another son-in-law of Witcher, whose daughter,
Susannah, married a Wakefield. William
Jenkins, who is included in the number to lay off the road, was the founder of
the family in this part of Middle Tennessee.
He was the father of Roderick Jenkins, known as Roddy Jenkins, ancestor
of our own Alex W. Jenkins; Noah Jenkins, ancestor of the Long Creek family of
Jenkins; and Jacob or John Jenkins, and perhaps both. Jacob Jenkins is believed to have been the ancestor of the
present merchant, Jacob S. Jenkins, of Bakerton, above Red Boiling Springs. Both Jacob and John Jenkins are listed in the
census of 1820 as residing in Jackson County, and both being men of families
and each was then above 45 years of age.
We believe that all four were brothers are the sons of William and Nancy
Jenkins. William Jenkins died in 1807,
and his wife was left to administer on his estate.
Martin Young was probably
son-in-law of Witcher, as above mentioned.
He or one of the other Youngs is believed to have been the ancestor of
the Hailey Young who was once a leading citizen of Lafayette and a public official. He was the husband of the late Mrs. Annie
Young, whom we rec!!all quite well in our early work as editor of the Times.
The spelling of the word,
“Saltpeter,” which is correct, was used as given above because it appears
spelled in this manner in the old records.
“Ordered that Thomas Draper
be Overseer of the road leading from Pleasant Kearby’s to Daniel Witcher’s, and
that all the hands living on Wartrance waters and on the main fork of Salt Lick
Creek and the waters thereof, work under said Overseer.” We do not know where Thomas Draper lived,
but would suppose that he lived in the upper Jennings’ Creek section. However, this is a mere guess. The main fork of Salt Creek probably
referred to that part of Salt Lick of Cumberland which rises near Dean Hill and
flows southeastward into the Cumberland.
We do not know where Pleasant Kirby (sic) lived. If any reader can tell of the place of his
residence, the information will be appreciated. It would appear from another part of this article that the road
overseeing by Draper ended on Long Fork Creek, where Daniel Witcher lived.
“Ordered that the
certificate of Governor Williams, of North Carolina; and also the certificate
of William White, Secretary of said State, with the papers accompanying the
same, in favor Joseph Fox, be admitted to record and the same registered.” No comment.
“Ordered that Andrew Greer,
William Carothers, William Martin, Peter Turney, James Ballou, Daniel Tyree,
Godfrey Fowler, William Douglass, Vincent Ridley and Abram Thompson be a jury
to lay off and mark a road from Samuel Carothers’ to intersect the Fort Blount
Road near McFarland.” Andrew Greer
lived on the lower part of Middle Fork of Big Goose Creek. The Carothers are thought to have lived
somewhere on the waters of the East Fork of Big Goose Creek, perhaps not far
from Greer. William Martin, Peter
Turney and James Ballou lived on Dixon’s Creek. We do not recall at this time the places of residence of the
other here mentioned. We know wher!!e
the Fort Blount road was, but we confess we do not know where McFarland was.
“Ordered that Robert
Collier be Overseer of the road leading from Michael Murphy’s to Witcher’s on
the Ridge; and that Tandy Witcher, Absalom Tedwell, Jonathan Hill, William
Tedwell, Charles Wakefield, Jr., William Marshall, Lacy Witcher, Daniel
Witcher, Charles Wakefield, Sr., James Bodine, Reuben Goed, William Jenkins,
William Donoho, Frederick Jones, James McKain, and George Wins or Winzard work
under him.” Here we have another order
which is somewhat confusing at this time, 150 years removed from the time and
place set forth in the above item. We
know that Michael Murphey lived then at the present Pleasant Shade, an earlier
Court having been held in his home, which is said to have stood in the present
field to the rear of the Bob Williams home in Pleasant Shade. We would judge that the road led up the
present Highway 80 to the foot of what is called Boston Hill, thence up that
big hill, around the Ridge to the present Russell Hill and we know not how much
further, except that it was to end at Witcher’s on the Ridge. Just what Witcher this was, we do not
know. As has been noted already,
Daniel Witcher did not live on the Ridge, but in the valley of Long Fork
Creek. However, he had three sons,
Tandy, Lacy and Booker Witcher, and one of them might have been the party
referred to as marking the end of the road over which Robert Collier was to be
overseer. This Robert Collier is one of
the same men mentioned earlier in this article as having been appointed to mark
or lay out a road to the Kentucky line from Daniel Witcher’s.
The reader will note that
about half of those to work under Draper had been previously appointed as a
jury to lay off the road from Witcher’s to the Kentucky line. New names that appear are: Jonathan Hill,
presumed to have been a brother of Frederick Hill; William Tedwell, presumed to
have been a brother of Absalom; and Charles Wakefield, Sr., supposed!! to have been
the father of Charles Wakefield, Jr., although the first mention of Charles
Wakefield, in the jury to lay off the road to Kentucky, has neither Sr., nor
Jr., after it. William Donoho is
presumed to be the ancestor of the numerous Donohos of Smith, Jackson and Macon
Counties, who married a daughter of Roderick Jenkins and reared a large
family. Frederick Jones is another
newcomer to this column, and is believed to have lived in the vicinity of the
present Russell Hill. The last name,
that of George Wins or Winzard, is not clear and we have no further comment at
this time.
We would again remind our
readers that we gladly correct any item that is in error. We would also call your attention to the
fact that quite a lot of “supposing” and “presuming” is to be found in our
comment on the old records. We stand
subject to any correction on any point that is in error. Furthermore, if additional information that
any reader has about any of the characters herein mentioned can be furnished to
us, we shall be more than glad to publish same. Your co-operation in getting these items as nearly correct as
possible is requested. It is
exceedingly difficult to be certain on many points that involve a lapse of 150
years.
(To be Continued.)