Brackintown became a thriving community during the early years of Sumner County. It is located in the north central part of the County in an excellent farming area.
In 1794, James BRACKIN, Sr. bought 640 acres of land, from Samuel MARSH, on the middle fork of Drakes Creek. This land extended over to what became the Brackintown community. BRACKIN built his house on the knoll directly across from the current site of Brackintown Cemetery.
William BRACKIN followed his two sons, James BRACKIN, Sr. and Isaac BRACKIN, to the area and settled there in 1806. These men, and their children, were the actual founders of the Brackintown community.
In 1828, the last BRACKIN immigrant, from North Carolina, arrived to settle and live in the area. This was Isaac BRACKIN, Jr., brother to John BRACKIN. He bought land adjoining his brother John's land near the Kentucky state line.
John BRACKIN had bought land on February 14, 1812. He actually lived in a tree while he built a two story log cabin. This BRACKIN was a dance master, a fiddler and a farmer. In addition to teaching dance, John BRACKIN'S farm became one of the largest and most successful operations in Sumner County. He had large orchards and made his own peach and apple brandy. He raised thoroughbred horses and had stables 300 feet long. He raised large numbers of hogs and cattle. His smoke house was large enough to handle 800 hogs at a time. John BRACKIN was also known for his extraordinary strength. When he was about 35, in Nashville on the Andrew Jackson wharf, he is said to have won a pool of money by betting that he could lift a load of iron. The iron was estimated to weigh about 900 pounds. No one thought he could do it; but he apparently lifted the weight and won the money.
John BRACKIN'S log cabin was made of split log construction. It was two stories high, 20 by 25 feet. Later the house was weather-boarded. It was papered on the interior and its appearance was that of an 1890 farm house. This house was torn down in 1960 and the original logs were sold.
Brackintown was a small town with several big businesses that served a wide area. Thurman BUTT (1889-1976) and his wife, Elzie (1902-1992), opened a large store in the early 1920s. The store sold groceries, hardware, lumber, farm supplies, dry goods, coal and many other items. The store was so large that, most of the time, it employed five or six clerks. Their son, Jim M. BUTT, worked in the store. He and his wife, Jan, are currently residents of Portland. The BUTT'S store went out of business in the late 1970s. Thurman BUTT held several positions in Sumner County government and represented three counties as a State Senator in the Tennessee legislature.
In addition to the BUTT'S store, Grand BRACKIN ran a drug store in Brackintown for years. It closed in 1932. Jim BRACKIN operated a flour mill. It closed in 1940. The community had a grade school located there until it was closed in 1950.
Brackintown was always small but always an active place. It continues to carry on the name among local residents as many of them will proudly say that they are from "Brackintown."