Transcribed by Gary Jenkins

June 25, 1953

* CAL’S COLUMN *

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We continue with the old records of the Quarterly Court and Court of Pleas of Smith County. The date is Wednesday, September 22, 1802, almost 151 years ago. The first item of business that we have not already published is as follows:

"A list of the Venire (cause to come)* to the November Superior Court of Miro District: Nathaniel Brittain, Joseph Collins, Peter Turney, and Edward Settles." The Middle District of Tennessee was called Miro for some years. We once had a Baptist association called the "Miro District Association," and originally made up of the following churches: Mouth Sulphur Fork, Head Sulphur Fork, Middle Fork, West Fork, and Station Camp. It was formed in 1796 and lasted only about seven years, being dissolved in 1803, and a new Association, the Cumberland, was organized. It may be added here that the Miro District embraced in its early history, practally all of Middle Tennessee. When the Cumberland Association was formed in 1803, 15 churches went into its formation.

The Superior Court was a higher tribunal than the Quarterly Court and the Court of Pleas. The men appointed as a venire, Nathaniel Brittain, Joseph Collins, Peter Turney, and Edward Settles, have had with one exception, comment on part of the writer. Brittain lived at the present home of George Burnley, about 200 yards east of the Donoho Bridge across Big Gose Creek, some five miles northeast of Hartsville. Peter Turner lived on the present Bud Garrett farm, on the Young Branch of Dixon's Creek. Edward Settles lived on Peyton's Creek, not far from Mt. Tabor Baptist Church. Elder Daniel Smith was converted at a prayer meeting held at the home of one "Old Brother Settle," in the year 1831, and the writer is of the opinion that this was none other than the juror appointed 29 years earlier to serve on the Superior Court. It is said that he lived on what later became known as the Dr. Stone Farm. The name, we suppose, was originally Settle, but it became an easy matter to say, "Settles," as the old Court records have it. Some of the older people of a much later day called the name in our presence, saying it as if spelled "Suttles."

Joseph Collins is unknown to the writer. There was a William Collins, an ensign in Davidson County, as early as 1784. Joseph Collins is listed in the Smith County Census Records in 1820 as having: One male between 18 and 26; and one over 45, no doubt, Collins himself; and one female above 45, presumably his wife. He was the only Collins head of a family listed in Smith County that year. Ten years later when the census was again taken, he was either dead or had removed from the County, as there is no Collins named in that census.

"Ordered that William Sullivan, Sr. be appointed overseer of the road leading from the Fort Blount Road to Sullivan's Ferry on the Cumberland River, near the mouth of Buffalo Creek, and that the hands on Defeated Creek below the said road work on the same. William Richards and Moses Ashbrooks and all the other hands on said road who live nearer to it than to the Fort Blount Road." Here is an item that is not quite clear to the writer. We know that the Fort Blount Road crossed Defeated Creek at the present Difficult. But it appears from the above item that the road over which William Sullivan Sr. was Overseer, began perhaps at the present Difficult, and extended down Defeated Creek, over the hill near the present Cornwell's Chapel and thence to the present Donoho and down that stream to the river at Sullivan's Ferry. If this is not the road, then it had to begin about a mile north of the present Kempville, thence southward to Buffalo Creek and down that stream to its mouth and the ferry nearby. We see no reason why hands living on Defeated Creek below the Fort Blount Road should leave their own road along the creek and go east about two miles to the present Kempville to find a road on which to work.

We do not exactly understand how that hands who lived on Defeated Creek above the Fort Blount Road, as evidently William Richards and Moses Ashbrooks did, could have been nearer to the road leading down Buffalo Creek than to the Fort Blount Road which lay between them and the road over which Sullivan was Overseer. We would suppose that perhaps that if the place on which work was to be done on the Fort Blount Road which was many miles in length, extending from Fort Blount in Jackson County through Difficult, Pleasant shade, Mungle's Gap, and other points to the west, was farther from the places of the residents on upper Defeated Creek, then such were to work on the road leading down the creek to the Ferry. If this is incorrect, we will appreciate your view of the matter.

"Billey" Richards is listed in the 1820 Census Record of Smith County as having: Two males under 10, and one male from 26 to 45; and one female under 10, and one from 26 to 45. But we are sure that this is not the William Richards who lived on Defeated Creek 151 years ago. In fact we believe he is listed in the census as having the following family: One male under 10, two males from 10 to 16, and one male over 45, presumably William Richards himself; and two females under 10, and one from 16 to 26. There is no mention of Moses Ashbrooks in the 1820 census.

The next item follows: "Ordered that Robert Rowland oversee the road leading from Walton's Road to Sullivan's Ferry and that the hands on Indian Creek, Hurricane Creek, and in Sullivan's Bend work on the same." This road, we suppose, began about the present Chestnut Mound, and came down to the river at Sullivan's Ferry. We do not know what stream or valley it followed, but we feel sure that it came near or through Sullivan's Bend which is to the north of Elmwood. There is no mention of Robert Rowland in the old census records for 1820.

On the matter of Hurricane Creek, it is spelled in the old records as "Harricane" Creek. Old-timers referred to any thick tree-covered and badly tangled growth as a "harricane." We supposed this was true due to the badly tangled nature of a heavy woods through which a hurricane had passed. Our own father was the first man we ever heard use the word, "Harricane," and he had no idea as to its origin. The same name was sometimes given to a heavy canebrake. Possibly early settlers on Hurricane Creek found dense, tangled undergrowth and maybe even the reminders of a violent wind storm through that section, and so named the stream.

"Report of the jury relative to the road leading from Defeated Creek Hill near Fort Blount Road: We, the jurors appointed by the Court of Smith County, on Monday, 20th of September, 1802, to lay off a road beginning at Defeated Creek Hill on the Fort Blount Road, crossing the Cumberland River near the mouth of Buffalo Creek and to intersect Walton's Road at the head of Snow Creek, have laid off and marked the same according to law."

This gives some light on one or two points above referred to. We said in a preceding paragraph that we did not know exactly where the new road joined the Walton's Road, but believed it to be about the present Chestnut Mound. In this we were practically right, for Snow Creek rises at the top of the hill to the west of Chestnut Mound.

One other point is still in doubt, and that is the beginning place of the new road. We had thought perhaps that it began at the point where the Fort Blount Road crosses Defeated Creek in the present town of Difficult. But the report of the committee states that it began at the "Defeated Creek Hill." This would almost force one to the conclusion that it started on the hill about a mile north of the present Kempville and extended south through Kempville, thence southward down Buffalo Creek to its mouth and to Sullivan's Ferry. It is extremely difficult to be positive as to some locations after the passing of a century and a half of time.

"Report of the Jury and etc., we, the jurors of a road from Charles Kavanaugh's, Esq., to intersect a road leading from William Walton's at or near John Campbell's on said road, have laid off and marked same, agreeable to the appointment of the Court last term." No comment is offered at this time, as we commented on the appointment of the jury, whose names were given in the preceding Court.

"Ordered that Oscar Moore be appointed Overseer of the said road from the house of Charles Kavanaugh, Esq., to the Flat Rock Branch on Hickman's Creek, and that all the hands living north of said Branch, including the hands on the waters of Hickman's Creek between it and Bishop's Road above said Branch, work on same." Evidently this was the same road which the jury reported in the preceding paragraph. It was on Hickman's Creek, which is in the south side of the present Smith County. We do not know where Flat Rock Branch of Hickman's Creek is, nor do we know where Bishop's Road leaves the stream. Oscar Moore is not listed in the census of 1820, although we find the following Moore heads of families in Smith County in 1820: Five John Moores, two William Moores, Thomas Moore, Mason Moore, Haynes Moore, Francis Moore, Abner Moore, two James Moores, Enoch Moore, and Benjamin Moores. Two families spelled their names Moores.

"Ordered that Zadoc McNew be appointe Overseer of the above road from the mouth of the Flat Rock Branch to a ford on the Caney Fork near the house of Thomas, Esquire, and all the hands on the waters of Hickman's Creek below the mouth of said Branch, work on said road excepting the hands of Thomas Smith and Esquires Enos Herell and the two Pierces."

Zadoc McNew is a man whose name appears occassionaly in the old record, although we have at this time no information as to where he lived or who his descendants were or are. His name, Zadoc, is from the Bible and is found in various places in the Old Testament Scriptures. Zadoc took the place of Abiathar. The family continued in the priesthood for hundreds of years, according to history.

In looking over the old records one is impressed with the many Bible names used as given names for the early men of Smith County, Tenn. In this article and the one last week appear the following Bible names: Samuel Donalson, John Smith, John Lancaster, John Kingberry, John Luke, Joseph Gordon, Daniel Hammock, Michael Murphy, John Payne, David Cochran, James Cochran, John Brevard, Abram Thompson, John Johnson, John Douglass, Phillip Day, John Hargis, Thomas Bowman, Samuel Carothers, Samuel Huges, John Murphy, Daniel Alexander, James Butler, David Rorex, Nathaniel Brittain, Joseph Collins, Peter Turney, John Campbell, Thomas Smith, Enos Harell, Zadoc McNew, and others.

We have no information as to McNew. We do not know what Thomas is referred to as Thomas. Esquire.

Enos Herell, we are virtually certain, was the great-great grandfather of Mrs. Katherind Harrell Berry, of 500 W. Second Street, Cisco, Texas, who paid the writer a visit a little more than two years ago. She was seeking information about her people, particularly the Greanead family. Mrs. Berry stated to the writer that the harrells had perhaps half a dozen spellings of the name, Harrell, Herald, Herreld, Herrald, Herell, Harold, and even others. We are quite sure that the herald family of Macon County is related to Mrs. Berry. The Enos Herell of the old records must have lived in the south side of the present Smith County, perhaps on the waters of Hickman's Creek. According to Mrs. Berry, Enos Herell, her ancestor, married Ascanith Lee. Enos was born in North Carolina. Mrs. Berry gave her line of Herell descent as follows: Enos, married Ascanith Lee; had at least one son, Asa Herell, born in 1794 and died in 1870. He married Elizabeth Greanead, who was the daughter of Polly Greanead.

Asa and Elizabeth were the parents of at least one son, Jesse Lee Herell or Harrell, born in 1822 and died in 1863. He married Rhoda Robinson. Jesse Lee was the father of Wylie Lee Herell or Harrell, born in Texas in October, 1857, and died in September, 1907. He married J. C. Green who became the mother of Mre. Katherine Harrell Berry, who paid us the visit.

There is one Ruth Herrald in the census of Smith County for 1820. She had: Two males from 10 to 16; and one female under 10, and one between 26 and 45, presumably herself. She was evidently a widow.