Author Archives: Betty Peacock

Adams, David R.

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David R. Adams, a pioneer of Wayne County, Tenn., was born October 17, 1813, son of William and Unity Adams, who were married in their native State (South Carolina), and soon immigrated to Tennessee, where the father farmed and lived for many years. The mother died here December 9, 1832, and six years later the father moved to Missouri, where he died about 1850. He was a Whig in politics. David R. lived with his father until twenty-three years of age, when he united his fortunes with those of Eliza Woodward, a Tennessean, born in 1819, and daughter of Solomon and Elizabeth (Biven) Woodward. To them were born seven children: Martha E.(deceased), William J., Elizabeth A. (deceased), Wiley H., Unity J., George S. and John F. After his marriage Mr. Adams farmed a few years and then moved to Mississippi, but not being satisfied, remained only a few months, when he returned to Tennessee. He resided in different parts of the county until 1852, when he purchased his present farm of 113 acres. The land is in a good state of cultivation and fairly well improved. When Mr. Adams first moved to Wayne County it was very sparsely settled. He is a member of the Free-Will Baptist Church, and has has always been a Republican in politics. He is strictly temperate, and has always evaded lawsuits, never being sued or having to sue but one man in the whole course of his life.

Transcribed by Fred Murtishaw.

Source: Goodspeed’s history of TN (Wayne County, pp. 763-777, 849-889). Goodspeed, 1886.

 

 

Acklin, Thomas F.

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Thomas F. Acklin is one of the firm of Mays & Acklin, liverymen of Clifton. They established their business April 1, 1886, and keep a full and excellent line of vehicles, the best in town or county. They deal quite extensively in horses and mules, and in connection, in January, 1885, established a retail liquor store, which they have conducted with fair success up to the present time. Thomas F. Acklin is a son of Cleaburn and Martha (McCreley) Acklin. who were born in Tennessee and North Carolina respectively. Thomas F. is a native of Wayne County, born May 15, 1845, and was reared to manhood on a farm. He enlisted in the Confederate Army in 1861, and served in Company F, Forty-eighth Tennessee Infantry for over three years, and in the Twentieth Regiment of Tennessee Cavalry the remainder of the war. From the time of his return home until December, 1882, he tilled the soil, and at the latter date he came to Clifton and has since been engaged in the livery business. Previous to this he kept a hotel in Saltillo for some time. In 1871 he united his fortunes with those of Sarah M. Nunley, and two children have blessed their union: Tempie and James. Mr. Acklin is a Democrat and one of the eminent business men of Clifton.

Transcribed by Fred Murtishaw.

Source: Goodspeed’s history of TN (Wayne County, pp. 763-777, 849-889). Goodspeed, 1886.

 

History of Evans Chapel United Methodist Church

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by Peggy Richardson

This paper was presented at the March 2000 meeting of the Wayne County Historical Society held at Evans Chapel United Methodist Church on Eagle Creek Turnpike.

What inspired this rural community to build this church in 1898? If you are familiar with Methodist history, we know that circuit riders were a part of establishing the Methodist church. In the book “Organizing to Beat the Devil” by Charles FERGUSON, it states that of statistics of growth accumulated in its
formative years, Methodism was not a mass religious movement. It was a movement sustained at the community level by small groups. The groups formed a habitat in which the nurture of the individual was natural. Travel put the preachers where the people lived and made informal meetings easy. 

    I have reflected on my memories of this church. I remember that the men stayed outside to discuss the last week’s events regarding weather, crops or politics until the pianist started to play. They came in their newest overalls and the ladies in their newest dress. We always sat with the women on one side and the men on the other. It was not until I visited other churches that I realized this was unique to this church. 

    As a young child I remember wasps flying and at one point a bird’s nest in the top of the ceiling. It was at that time restorative work had to be done including interior painting and underpinning the church.

    One of my fondest memories was the day the bell was removed from the belfry. It was with incredible strength, determination and team effort that the men lowered the bell from the steeple to the ground using a rope as a pulley system with only a small niche in the eave of the church. I can only imagine the sense of
accomplishment when the bell was initially place in the belfry.

    I had the opportunity to meet with Dr. Carroll Van West from MTSU to assist us in the correct and appropriate information for the nomination of the church to the National Register of Historic Sites and Places. I will use the information to describe the architectural significance of the church. 

    The church is a Gothic Revival one-story weatherboard building constructed in 1898. It has a steep front-gable roof. The original two-over-two double hung sash vertical windows are topped with triangular pedimented lintels and the windows retain the original hardware. Though no the original, the outer doors are a
simple cross and Bible paneled door. The interior is dignified by its simplicity. The original beaded-board ceiling and walls are intact. The floors are the original poplar floors. The pews were made by Jesse COPELAND. James F. DICUS carved the church pulpit and altar rail. There is 3 feet, 3 inches high wainscoting
covering all the interior walls. The window and door frames are accented with bull’s eye motif at the corners. The building was wired for electricity in 1948. It is not known where the altar furniture came from.

    The property was purchased in August 1897 from H. O. and Annie GRIMES. The purchasers were James F. DICUS, George PITTS, John P. BATTLES, Oscar DICUS, and H. A. GRIMES. It is only an oral tradition that traces the name of the church to J. O. EVANS, a man who helped a lot. Carpenters were Jess and Wayne COPELAND of Waynesboro, James F. DICUS and John and Will BARNETT of Clifton.

    From 1900 to 1930 was the most active time for the church with a very popular singing school of gospel music being taught here in 1922.

    In 1978, a Sunday School room was added with carpenters being N. A. FLOYD, John TOMPSON, Raymond MORROW and Randy MORROW, assisted by James FLOYD and Carolyn STRICKLAND. Wayne LINEBERRY dug the well for the restroom installation in 1983.

    This church has served the community well. It has been the site of weddings, birthday parties and community gatherings. It has also been a place of strength and comfort. This day pays tribute to the many families that have been a part of this church, names found in Mrs. Irene DICUS’ history of the church and recorded on the roll book. Our ancestors would be honored today to know that their efforts have withstood the test of time.

History of the Martin’s Mills Community

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by Ruby Johnson

North of Pinhook about four or five miles lies a small community called Martin’s Mills. It is located in the forks of Weatherford and Indian creek and north across Indian Creek and West across Weatherford Creek to the Hardin County line.

As I searched for information on Martin’s Mills Kenneth Skillern let me borrow the history of the Martin family taken from Wayne County Historian, Volume 4, Number 3, September 1991. This was the same family for which Martin’s Mills was named and was written by Richard W. Martin of Athens, Alabama.

Ancestors of the Martins came from Belfast, Ireland to America between 1750 and 1760 and settled in Bourbon County, Kentucky. Jefferson Martin, who finally settled in Wayne County, was the oldest of ten brothers and sisters all born in Bourbon County. He was born February 1803. All the children attended the common schools of Kentucky which were primitive structures without a floor and furnished with slab benches.

Before the Civil War, the Martin family was divided and Jefferson moved to Williamson County, Tennessee in 1827. There he met Esther L. Stuart and they were married January 8, 1829. In the next ten years she and Jefferson became the parents of four children, all born in Williamson County.

In the early 1850’s, Jefferson’s family moved to Lawrence County, Tennessee where he and his oldest son, Edward B., were in the real estate business.

Their next move brought them to Martin’s Mills in Wayne County, Tennessee. Moving with Jefferson was his wife, Esther, their daughter, Sarah Martin Atkins and her son, and Edward B. and his wife, Mary Ruth and son Jim.

Jefferson and son, Edward B., bought Cravens Mills on Weatherford Creek for $15,000.00 and 600 acres of land on Indian Creek for $4,000.00. Then on August 25, 1860, the bought 22½ acres from L. P. Cheatham.

Prior to the Civil War they were operating a steam mill, water mill, grist mill, brewery, cotton gin and a distillery. They also had a general store which carried all the needs of the families in the Martin’s Mills area within a radius of ten to twelve miles. To keep the store furnished, they had to travel by wagon up Gant Hill and across the ridge to Clifton to meet the boats to buy their commodities.

The local people came to the mills to get corn ground into meal or to have timber sawed into lumber. While there they purchased other needed items such as salt, coffee, sugar, snuff, chewing tobacco and overalls. With the tanyard they could get shoes and some farm equipment.

In the 1860 Wayne County census, Jefferson Martin is shown as the owner of five slaves and his son, Edward B, as the owner of four. The slaves were used to help run the mills, cotton gin and sawmill.

On the morning of May 29, 1863, the Civil War came to Martin’s Mills. In a report made by Captain Eagleton Carmichael of Company B, 15thIllinois Cavalry to his headquarters in Corinth, Mississippi on June 2, 1863, he states that he chased Biffle’s band of guerrillas in the area around Martin’s Mills and Pinhook on the morning of the 29th of May. The Martin’s Mills had all been destroyed with only a concrete dam remaining. All the wheat fields had been burned and the women went to the burned mills and scooped up flour that was spilled on the ground.

Just twelve days after the battle of Martin’s Mills, Jefferson Martin’s wife died and was taken back to Mt. Ararat Cemetery in Lawrence County to be buried with others in the family.

In February of 1864, the Martins bought 172½ acres at Martin’s Mills for $1,800.00. They put the troubles of the war behind them and rebuilt the mills. Soon they were in business again and glad to be alive.

On August 14, 1873, a post office was established at Martin’s Mills with Edward B. Martin appointed the first postmaster. While at Martin’s Mills he served as a Justice of the Peace and as Chairman of the County Court of Wayne County. He retired as postmaster on September 7, 1882. After his father, Jefferson died in Waynesboro in 1886, he sold all their real estate at Martin’s Mills and went to Cisco, Texas to live with his son, Jim. He died in June 1893 and was buried there. From that time to the present, this area has been called Martin’s Mills, a well deserved name.

Myers, Paulk (John Paulk) and Company, dealers in dry goods, groceries and general merchandise may have been the buyers of some of the real estate sold by the Martins. They went into business in 1895.

In 1899, Frank Parker was also a dealer in general merchandise in the area.

In the early 1900’s, S. R. Eaton operated a general merchandise store north of Morgan Branch.

J. A. Lacefield built a two story house and a store and began operating a general merchandise store and a cotton gin in 1906. In 1917, Mr. Lacefield sold his property to A. A. Johnson and he and Taylor Morgan operated the store and cotton gin. After they went out of business, Isham Beckham and several others had a store there until it ceased to be in operation. Part of this store building is still standing, a reminder of times that were for the older generation.

Dan Wilkerson also operated a general store and grist mill in the early to mid-1900’s. This old building is also no longer in use.

John Paulk sold his property to Mrs. Mary Newborn and she, along with her son, Henry Newborn, and her son-in-law, Luther Webb and wife, moved in. Later on Henry Newborn became the postmaster with the help of his wife, Emma (Wilbanks) Newborn. Dan Wilkerson carried the mail and John Beckham brought the mail from Waynesboro to the post office.

The next postmaster I am told was Arthur Chowning. I do not know how long each one served, but the post office was eventually moved to Lutts. The Martin’s Mills area were served for many years bu the Lutts post office until this route was switched to Collinwood.

John Greeson was probably the first mail carried from Lutts to Martin’s Mills. He carried the mail in a buggy pulled by two big black horses. His wife Cora, was his substitute and rode side saddle on a horse to deliver the mail, which must have taken all day. The John Morgan carried the mail for several years followed by his son, David, for a short time. When David was transferred to the Collinwood post office, Grady Sinclair became the last mail carrier from Lutts to Martin’s Mills. After the route was switched to Collinwood, Dumont Hanback, W. C. Smith and at the present time Doyle Risner have carried the mail for Martin’s Mills.

The history of Martin’s Mills would not be complete without mentioning the Rose Normal school of the 1800’s. Professor Robert Sutton, the president, and Professor Tolbert McAnnally, an outstanding schoolmaster, taught at Rose Normal which was a college. It was much more than an elementary school. People who really wanted to be educated in those days were students there. Many students boarded in the boarding hall including Superintendent John Gallien, Judge Frank Melson and my uncle, William Eli Cherry of Hardin County. Many local people were also educated there.

The boarding hall was located on what is now Brodie Johnson’s farm by a well that is still useable. The Rose Normal School burned more than a hundred years ago and the boarding hall was torn down and used in building a dwelling house.

In 1912, the Rose School was built and later on in the 1900’s another room was added. It was finally called the Martin’s Mills School and served the community until it was consolidated with the Pinhook School in the early 1940’s.

Another school was located on the G. W. Johnson farm in the early 1900’s on the north side of Indian Creek in what was called the Gant Bottom. This school for the colored people was also their church.

The only other church at this time was the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1907 on December 10, H. H. Smith sold seven sixteenths of an acres more or less for $50.00 for the building. The M.E. Church used this property until October 1920 when it was sold to A. A. Johnson for $400.00 with P. D. Hall, James Lawson and W. H. Weaver as witnesses and J. D. Horton, Notary Public.

During the 1930’s the preachers from the Christian Church in Waynesboro came one Sunday afternoon a month and preached in the Martin’s Mills school building.

In September 1948, the Church of Christ started meeting in the vacant school building. In 1960, the congregation built a church building on land donated by Clura and Elizabeth Wilkerson which is still being used at the present time.

In years past the Skinner Farm on the north side of Indian creek had always been a source of community pride. After going through a gate there was a long lane leading up to a plantation type house with big cedars in the yard which was surrounded by a white picket fence.

During the last 1800’s and early 1900’s Samuel H. Sinclair, born in 1839, was the owned of the Skinner farm. He had married Eliza A. Harbour. A farmer of the farm was Elisha Harbour, probably a close relative. Sinclair owned more than 800 acres on Indian Creek.

In the 1880 census, Mr. Sinclair had three children: Minnie, Lina and James Samuel who was born in 1877 and died in 1896. Lina, born in 1874, was living in Kentucky in the late 1800’s and had married a Mr. Skinner. they had one son, born in 1896. In 1910, Lina was a widow at age 36 and Sinclair, her son, was 14 years old.

Samuel H. Sinclair was still living in April 1912 when he made a will that had not been probated in 1920. In his will he made his daughter, Minnie Martin trustee leaving land in nearby Hardin County to her and what is known as the Skinner Farm in trust to Lina and her heirs. After her father died, Lina and her son, Sinclair, remained on the farm for sometime but finally moved back to Kentucky where her granddaughter lived. Her son stayed at the farm for some time before going up north to work. At their deaths they were all buried at Mt. Hebron.

Through the years several different families occupied the Skinner House, but in 1933, the Joel Yeiser, Sr. family moved there and stayed until 1975. While operating the farm he served eight years as County Judge and five terms as County Trustee. In 1867, he died and was buried at Mt. Hebron. His wife, Mary (Young) Yeiser and daughter Sue continued to live on the farm until 1875 when they moved to Waynesboro. Sue died suddenly in 1988 and was buried alongside her father. Their son, Joel, Jr., who lived in Waynesboro, continued to operate their farms at Martin’s Mills until his death in 1991. He was also buried at Mt. Hebron.

In the Wayne County record of cemeteries, six cemeteries are listed in the Martin’s Mills area. First is the Eaton Cemetery on a hill at the Ernest Warrington farm where the Daniel Eaton family and some of the Yerby family are buried. The nine graves are dated from 1886 to 1941.

The second cemetery is the Herndon Cemetery located on the same farm about 300 yards behind Chrystine Warrington’s house on the east side of Weatherford Creek Road. Three graves are visible but one tombstone has grown into a cedar tree and the inscription cannot be read. One foot stone is marked W. H. It is believed that William and Sarah Herndon are buried there. Two graves have mounds of stone but no inscription.

The third cemetery is the Rose Cemetery up Morgan Branch from Brodie Johnson’s farm. Six members of the Rose family were buried there in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.

The fourth cemetery is across Weatherford Creek at the top of a hill behind the Ronnie Yeiser farm. It is called the Cook Cemetery with tombstones dated from 1910 to 1920.

The fifth cemetery is called the Horton Cemetery by some and the Martin Cemetery by others. It is located on the west side of Weatherford Creek on the Tom Helton farm. The tombstones are dated from 1868 to 1939. Thomas Stribling, a Civil War veteran, is buried there. This is a larger cemetery than the others with close to thirty graves having tombstones.

The sixth cemetery is called Davana. It is one mile east of Hardin County line on a hill south of Indian Creek on Alfred Gallaher’s farm. Three members of the Davana family were buried there from 1834 to 1847.

Special thanks to the following people for information used to write this history: Ruby Reece; Grady Sinclair; Clura Wilkerson; and June Scott.

References: Wayne County Cemetery Records and old deeds.

Meetings Of The Alabama and Tennessee River Tanners Association Waynesboro, Tennessee

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TANNERS’ ASSOCIATION
Transcribed from the Florence Gazette Wednesday, 12 December 1860
Transcribed and submitted by Lee Freeman

 

Our readers, generally, and those who deal in Leather Merchandise, particularly, are requested to read the proceedings of the “Alabama and Tennessee River Tanners’ Association,” to be found in the Gazette, this morning. The first meeting of the Association was held at the town of Waynesboro, Tenn., on the 28[t]h of August, 1860, at which meeting the necessary preliminary arrangements were made for a more perfect, and permanent, organization of the same. The object of the founders of this Association, was to place its members in a position to guard against impositions which it seems can be, and are, practiced upon the Tanner—as a safeguard, in many respects, to the Leather-maker and consumer.

It will be seen, by the report, that the workings of the Association are already proving beneficial, notwithstanding there have been but two meetings. Butchers will be considerably interested in the intentions of this Association, for, as will be seen, one of the members, Mr. George Philler, of Memphis, is offering premiums for the hides that are taken off in the most workmanlike manner; that is, without holes, scarred places, fleshy lumps, bruised spots, and, occasionally, a few pounds of dirt clinging to the inner side, &c.

We hope this enterprise may grow in importance and interest, and that the ends aimed at by its founders may be more than realized, and that at no very distant day, its members may, in connection with their “Tanning Association,” be able to inaugurate a “Manufacturing Association,” and then they can manufacture their own stock, and thereby save a profit that has heretofore been made off of the southern [sic] consumer, by the Massachussetts manufacturers, on stock tanned by our friends and neighbors.

Their next meeting comes off on the 20th of December, at which time they would be pleased to see all those of the craft, who take an interest in their enterprise.

 

Second Meeting Of The Alabama and Tennessee River
Tanners Association
Waynesboro, Tennessee
25 November 1860

Transcribed from Florence Gazette Wednesday, 19 December 1860
Transcribed and submitted by Lee Freeman

 

PROCEEDINGS

    Of the Second Meeting of the “Alabama and Tennessee River Tanners’ Association,” held at Waynesboro, Tennessee, on the 25th of November, 1860. Waynesboro, Tenn., Nov. 25, 1860.
The “Alabama and Tennessee Tanners Association” met persuant to adjourment, at Waynesboro, Tennessee, on Tuesday, the 13th day of November, 1860; James Sparkman, President, in the Chair. The Association was called together by the President, and after the reading of the Minutes of the last meeting, the order of business, be ng [sic] the reception of Reports. Mr. Sparkman, West, Horton & Co., Horton & Hassell, and Wm. F. Turnley, submitted reports, showing gains of 20 to 30 percent, on various lots of hides, both dry and green, in four months.
Reports of this character will receive particular attention at the future meeting of this Association.
Reports also exhibit the fact that by comparing weights here, with Invoice weights, as per purchase bill, the hides bought of George Philler of Memphis, Tennessee, give more satisfactory results in weight; and condition, than those purchased by any member of the Association from other houses.
The Association are also pleased to learn that Mr. Philler is offering premiums to the butchers for the best skinned hides, which cannot fail to produce the most satisfactory results, to both hide dealer and Tanner.
The Association, also, received some interesting communications, from hide dealers in St. Louis, Mo., and several communications from steamboat agents covering the subject of freights.
A Committee will appointed at the next meeting, to confer more fully with those agents upon this subject.
A resolution, offered by Wm. West, Esq., and seconded by Wm. F. Turnley, was unanimously adopted, recommending the members of the Association to compare weights of each lot of hides when received at Warehouses’ [sic], with weights, as per Invoice of purchase bill, and to report the loss or gain, together with the order and condition of the same, and the name of the house from whom purchased, and the per cent. gained in Tanning.
The Association will hold its next meeting in Waynesboro, Tennessee, on Thursday the 20th day of December, 1860.

JAMES SPARKMAN, President.
J T Hassell, Secretary.

1861 Convention Of Union Men Of Wayne County, Tennessee

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The following newspaper article gives a brief account of the Unionist Convention which was held at Clifton on the 1st of April 1861.  The article was transcribed and submitted by Bill Page 

 

“The Union men of Wayne assembled at Clifton on the 1st.  On motion of Judge Morris, Col. C.B. McLean was called to the Chair and John Fuson and T.J. Cypert were chosen Secretaries.  Ordered that the Chair appoint a committee of three to draft resolutions expressive of the sense of the meeting, whereupon he appointed Esquires T.H. Gibbs, Wm. Montague and John J. Porter.  Said Committee having retired in a short time returned and reported strong Union resolutions, which were adopted.  The following was also adopted.

“Resolved, That the Hon. Andrew Johnson is justly entitled to and will receive the warmest thanks and gratitude of every patriot of the land for his noble, gallant and patriotic defence of the Constitution and the Union.

“The following list of delegates were appointed, to wit:

“Thompson Morgan, King Preter, A.H. Montague, J.C. Sparman, Wm. R. Bell, J.R. Smith, Johnathan Morris, N.W. Poque, Wm. Montague, Isaac Griggs, J.J. Biffle, Peyton Craig, E.B. Martin, C.M. Thompson, J.L. Cypert, Martin Sims, Jas. Hinton, Thos. Adams, Jessee Davis, Johnathan Whitton, P.W. Hensley, Sam’l Bromley, Joseph Gallaher, Henry McGee, D.W. Carroll, Henry Culp, David C. Whitton, W.H. Brown, John Montague, T.H. Gibbs, J.A. Lawson, Wm. Cromwell, Jas. N. Staggs and Jas. North.

“Resolved, That in the absence of any of the regular appointed delegates, any good Union man from Wayne is requested to participate in said Convention as our delegate.

“Resolved, That the Chairman and Secretaries be added to the list of delegates.

C.B. McClean, Chairman
John Fuson, T.J. Cypert, Secretaries”

Nashville Republican Banner, 7 April 1861, p.2

 

Parker School House Debating Society (1881)

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Transcribed and submitted by Herman Lindsey Stricklin

 

Parker School House
June 26th, 1881

Page 1
The people of the vicinity of Parker School house met to organize a debating society.

Came to order [and?] called J. N. Davis to the chair & proceeded to business. Elected J. N. Davis President for the entire term & J. E. Lindsey Secretary. Appointed M. P. Thornton, J. E. & J. A. Lindsey as committee to write by-laws for the government of the Society, said rules to be presented at the next ensuing meeting for correction and adoption. After some discussion, selected the following question for debate at next meeting [:] Resolved That the love of women wields a greater influence over man than the love of money.

Page 2

Rules and Regulations

Rule 1st – There shall be a President whose duty it shall be to call the house to order & to preserve good order while the Society is in session.
Rule 2. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to call the roll & mark absentees & to present a minute of each meeting.
Rule 3d. No member shall leave the house while the Society is in session without first addressing to Pres. & getting permission from him,
Rule 4th . No member shall speak while a speaker is on the floor or at any other time without permission from the President.
Rule 5th. Each speaker shall take his place on the floor immediately when his name is called for that purpose.

Page 3
Rule 6th. No one shall be allowed to speak after his him has expired.
Rule 6th. Each speak shall stop speaking when his time expires.
Rule 7th. All members enrolled shall have equal right to speak on any subject by getting permission from the President.
Rule 8th. Any one violating the above rules shall be liable to a fine of not more than 15 cts. nor less than 5 cts.
Rule 9th. Any one refusing to submit to the above fine shall be suspended for 2 weeks after which time if he does not come forward and pay off his dues, shall be expelled from the society.
Rule 10th. The Pres. [sic] shall have power to enforce any of the above rules.

//s// J. E. Lindsey, Sec.

Page 4

Debaters

Aff. [Affirmative] Woman Neg. [Negative] Money
J. E. Lindsey M. P. Thornton
G. W. White S. R. Rainey
Willie Thornton J. A. Lindsey
E. G. Davis Sam Wade
D.[?] S. Davis W. H. Howell
Each speaker allowed not more than twenty minutes except the first speaker of the Aff. who shall have 8[?] minutes reply at the close.
All necessary business transacted the Society adjourned to meet ext Saturday half past 7 o’clock P.M.

J. E. Lindsey, Sect.
J. N. Davis, Pres.

Note: The Parker School was located on the north side of  Indian Creek, to the southeast of present day Memorial Baptist Church.

Short History of Collinwood

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Written by the late Eva BURNS SMITH LUTTRELL

Collinwood, located in the center of Wayne County is included in the 150 acres tract of land that was granted by the State of Tennessee to Mr. A. G. McDOUGAL by Grant No. 28 containing 2500 acres of land on Butler and Shawnattee Creek. This was on April 12, 1847. Then on September 11, 1849, the 150 acres, of which Collinwood is located, was conveyed to James TILLEY by Mr. McDOUGAL for $20.00 in hand.

Five years later, Mr. TILLEY sold the land to Harmon LAKEY and authorized McDOUGAL to make Mr. LAKEY a deed to it. Then Mr. TILLEY moved to Arkansas, Mr. LAKEY fenced in some of the land and farmed it for forty-six years. He died in 1898 leaving a son William LAKEY as his only heir. Nine years later William LAKEY sold the land to Jasper McWILLIAMS for $250.00. Three years later on September 1904, Jasper McWILLIAMS sold to a Mr. G. N. SCOTT for $500.00. Seven years later on December 29, 1911, Mr. G. N. SCOTT sold it to a Mr. W. M. SCOTT for $2,000. One year later, August 17, 1912, Mr. W. M. SCOTT sold it to a Mr. Wes McGEE for $2,500.00 and then seven days later Mr. McGEE sold it to Mr. J. E. WILBURN for $2,500.00. At this time there were just a few scattered houses owned by settlers who did some farming and timber work.

Early in 1913, the Superior Lumber and Tie Company purchased several acres of forest land around the area where Collinwood is now located. W. W. COLLINS was a Superintendent of the operations for the company and it seems was a man of great energy. He hurriedly set up the company’s sawmills, and started a plan toward building a town. He named the town Collinwood – Collin for him and wood because of the great wood industry. At this time the Collinwood Land Company was formed by the businessmen of the town along with the companies. They purchased the land from Mr. J. E. WILBURN for $12,000.00. They hired an engineer, a Mr. Edward LULL, to lay out the town. They sub-divided a portion of the land into town lots and laid off and located a number of streets and alleys.

In December of 1913 the first train pulled into the settlement. Work had begun one year before by the Tennessee Valley Railroad Company who had a contact to build and operate the railroad known as the Tennessee Western Railroad Company, and to furnish telegraph equipment and lines from Collinwood to St. Joseph, Tennessee. There was much excitement ion the town when the first train pulled in for its first shipment of lumber.

As soon as possible buildings were started being built. Some of the first buildings were a Drug Store owned by S. E. BYLER, a Grocery and Dry Goods Store owned by J. L. BURNS, and a Hardware Store owned by Gard WHITTEN, a Feed Store owned by Harman BRYANT and a Boarding House owned by T. A. ADKINSON.

In 1917 the Collinwood Land Company sold out to the Tennessee Valley Iron and Railroad Company for $5.00 cash and other goods and valuable sufficient considerations.

A brick plant was constructed where the Lumber Company is now situated and bricks were made to build the brick buildings, one of the first being the Bank of Collinwood.

The crashing sound of falling timber, the hissing of locomotives and the rush of immigrants gave Collinwood a real boom town air and the population reached two thousand. All this was before World War I. The town was incorporated in 1915, but this lasted only a couple of years. During this time a Mr. HOLMES started publishing a newspaper called the Collinwood Pilot and it had all the splendor of a frontier newspaper. A beautiful depot was built.

When the outbreak of war in Europe came and Uncle Sam began scouting around for something to fight his war with, the still large reserves of hardwoods beckoned and in almost not time two thousand men were at work setting up a chemical plant with which to manufacture alcohol, acetate of lime, car tar, pig iron and charcoal. The furnace for the plant was shipped from Rusk, Texas. In order to keep a supply of wood for the chemical plant and logs for the sawmills, a tram line made if wood and similar to a railroad was constructed to haul the logs from the forest to the mill. These trams were first pulled by a steam engine but they didn’t prove successful. Then mules and horses were used to pull them. This brought on a demand for horses and some car loads of wild western horses were being shipped to the Collinwood area and sold at auction.

The town took on a very lively atmosphere. Three trains came in each day, two of them passengers. Each time the train whistle would sound the town would gather at the depot because each time the train came it meant more new people. They came from all sections of the country but most of them came from the North and East and the Southern people could hardly understand their language. Included with these people from the East were the personnel of the companies. They built fine homes in the area where Hassell & Hughes Lumber Company is now located. These homes had running water and baths which was unheard of until then.

The Collinwood Hotel, called the Highland Inn, was rapidly constructed and the company built a huge commissary and did a thriving business along with the other stores that were built. Even a silent moving picture theater was built and each week it was filled with people to see Hoot Gibson and other great actors of that time. Each week a boxing match was staged as an added attraction. This drew many fans as well as boxers. There were several boxers from this area who were great. One who was champ for quite a while was Earl CARTER.

During these days of wealth and merriment, three horseless carriages were brought into Wayne County. One of these was owned by J. D. DUNN. It was an air cooled Franklin and the many predicaments Mr. DUNN got into with it were quite interesting.

The first doctors in Collinwood were S. E. BYLER, who was Doctor and Druggist; Dr. W. W. RIPPY, Dr. REYNOLDS, and Dr. J. F. TOWNSEND. The first dentist was Dr. BLACK.

Miss Mamie ADKINSON taught the first school, a one room building. Later a larger school was built where the present elementary school now stands.

The Southern Methodist Church was built in 1917 and the First Methodist Church in 1918.

Then came Armistice Day. The war was over. The government closed down the plant and Collinwood suffered a slight depression. But in 1919, workers were sent back and the plant was operated for about a year then the Tennessee Valley Iron and Railroad Company was declared insolvent and the Tennessee Charcoal Company bought most of the property including the vast forests. They cut lumber and shipped it out to other plants and kept the town going for several more years.

Along about 1928 Collinwood’s world quivered and tottered. The stock market broke too. Work on every project stopped. The hotel burned down and Collinwood folded. The charter was revoked by the legislature. The railroad were taken up and most of the Northerners moved out and as one reporter put it, “It took on the look of a ghost town.”

The Tennessee Charcoal Company was declared insolvent and Bon Brother Corp. bought the property in 1929. They employed a few people in lumbering. But the main form of livelihood was farming and many people had to move away in order to live.

Then Hassell and Hughes Lumber Company bought the property and set up a lumber industry that helped almost every family here.

When World War II broke out bomb racks were made here and many people were now being employed in the Muscle Shoals area. There was a growing demand for lumber and the lumber company expanded and hired more men.

At the present time [1985] we have a new manufacturing plant that employs about 350, mostly women and another lumber industry, the By-Far Products operated by Allen FARRIS that employs several.

Our population now is around 1,000 with new people moving in regularly. We have a new high school that everyone is proud of. We also have five churches, two new supermarkets and other stores that help us.

Since Collinwood is the only town on the Natchez Trace, many tourists come through especially in the summer and this helps gas business immensely.

We now have two policemen – only one was needed in the early days. The old depot is now being used for a Senior Citizens Center.

We may never reach the population of 3,000 as in the old time, but as one old timer said, “It’s a good place to live.”

 

Clifton and Wayne County Newspapers

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The Clifton Mirror Newspaper
Clifton, Tennessee – Friday, Dec. 9, 1904 – Vol. 24, No. 9, Page 1

The newspaper history of Wayne County dates from before the civil war. Just antecedent to this great conflict Wm. Morris published the Gazette at Waynesboro. Our informant could not tell us much about the Gazette. It was a 6 column folio all home print, as there were no patents in those days, and also, of course, was printed on a Washington hand press. It went down during the storm period of ’61-4.

    In 1867, however, twelve ambitious capitalists of Wayne county contributed $100 each and a stock company was organized for the purpose of publishing a larger and more pretentious paper than had hitherto been attempted in this section. An outfit was purchased at Columbia and the Waynesboro Gazette was launched under flattering auspices, the capital of the county, as before, being selected as the seat of publication. The incorporators were C.C. Stribling, D.S. Skillern, John Jackson, G.A. Talley, P.H. Craig, Wm. Burns, John G. Berry, W.J. Sims, John H. Cole, R.P. Cypert, A.T. Hassell and Matthew Collier. The last mentioned six of this notable band of twelve have passed over the river. The other six, with the exception of Wm. Burns, still reside in Wayne County and are prosperous and highly respected citizens of the communities in which they live.

    The Gazette outfit consisted of a fair assortment of body and display type and the inevitable Washington hand press. C.C. Stribling was made business manager of the concern. Tom Malone and Hiram, his brother, were editor and foreman respectively at a joint salary of $150 a month. Will Berry, Elihu Grimes and Will Boswell were type setters. The subscription price of the Gazette was $2 a year. The advertising rates were $100 a column per year. The paper was a seven column folio, and at that time was the most pretentious sheet published between Columbia on the north and Jackson on the east (west). In fact, it was the only paper published within these bounds, with the exception of a small affair at Lawrenceburg.

    In those halcyon newspaper days the art preservative had not been cheapened by the introduction of a flood of low-grade and low-price so-called family storypapers, and the local newspapers occupied a position of commanding influence. Taken as a whole the subscription price of the Gazette, and its advertising and job rates were about twice what the country paper of today can command. As a matter of business logic the subscription price of the country newspaper of today should be $2 a year. The smallest, measliest country weekly in the world is worth that much to the community in which it is published. The city weeklies are a rehash of the daily editions. They have the whole country to draw on and reach out for enormous circulations in order to reap a golden harvest of advertising. They are at no extra cost for typesetting for the weekly, as the matter is simply transferred from the daily. They figure on putting their weekly at a price that will just about cover the cost of press work and white paper, relying on their adverting for the profit.

    It is largely the same with the cheap monthlies and family story papers. They get immense circulatious through offering their publications at about the actual cost of production and reap their profits from their advertising, which they draw from all sections of the country.

    The case is different with the country weekly. It operates essentially in a limited local field. Very few country newspapers have a circulation of over one thousand copies. Because of their local circulation they can get but a small amount of foreign advertising. They must depend almost entirely on the business enterprise and patriotism of the home community, and if that fails them they are indeed in sore straits.

    So it will be seen that it is obviously unfair to attempt to establish the same standard for the metropolitan and country weekly, and when we hear a man deriding his local paper because it is not up to the standard of the New York Bazoo in quality and price, or complain that he can get the Woman’s Home Story Teller for 25 cents a year whereas he has to pay one dollar for his home paper, which hasn’t got half as much reading matter in it, we feel like summonsing our Fool-killer and giving him the command to slay and spare not. But to return to our mutton.

    The Waynesboro Gazette ran only one year. At the end of that period it was discovered that the receipts and expenditures just about balanced, and the plant was sold to some Savannah parties, who moved it to that town and started the “Tennessee River News. The News was edited by Thomas H. Payne, a gentleman of considerable note. At various times Mr. Payne held the position of State Superintendent of Public Instruction and State Comptroller. He died about a year ago.

    In 1872 C.C. Stribling, Thomas Warren and Robt. T. Cypert made another venture on the tempestuous sea of newspaperdom. They purchased the old Henry Watterson outfit at Columbia and started the Wayne County Citizen at Waynesboro. In about a year the paper was moved to Clifton. At that time Clifton was a town of about 300 people, but was fast coming into prominence as a trading point. In 1875 the paper was sold toDr. Henry Blakemore. Subsequently it changed hands several times. Finally Messrs.. Tom S. Hughes, C.C. Stribling and T.S. Hassell bought the plant and Mr. Joe W. Cooper was placed in charge of it. Mr. Cooper ran it until 1897, when he went to Savannah, and Messrs. Sam J. Stockard, Jr. and J.B. Ozment took charge of the Citizen. They ran it about a year and were succeeded by Otis Pettus. Stockard is now on the Cairo Daily Bulletin and Ozment is with the Centerville News.

    In September 1898 a destructive fire visited Clifton and among the building burned was the newspaper office. In a short time the Clifton Herald was established by Messrs. Jim and Frank Stockard, but in about a year fire again wiped the newspaper out of existence. In 1901 Rev. J.S. McCluney brought an outfit from Savannah and started the News. He ran it about six months and then accepted a call to preach in Illinois. Joe W. Cooper then took charge of the paper and ran it until the spring of 1903, when he suspended the paper to accept the position of mail carrier on Rural Route No. 2 leading out of Clifton. On October 14, 1904, the Mirror was started under the present management, acquiring the Fews (News) outfit and adding materially to it, thus being equipped with the most modern outfit in this section of the state.

    It will be seen from this hasty review that Clifton has experienced many newspaper changes. Yet amid all the vicissitudes of fickle fortune the one idea has been kept steadily in view that no matter what comes or goes the town must have a newspaper to reflect its social, moral and business life. The Mirror is published on a more extensive scale than any of it predecessors. This is but natural, as we are living in a world of growth. While this is an age of keen competition and close prices we reason that the best in any line is what the people demand, and it is the ambition of the Mirror management to merit the support of the public by publishing a clean, wholesome, bright paper, doing artistic job work and generally conducting our publishing business along modern, enterprising business lines.

Meeting Of The Cypress Land Company February 1849

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Copy of document submitted by Mrs. Jo Anne Norwood

Meeting of the Cypress Land Company February 1849

first Ressulutton[?] the Division of the Land then Run out to which the propsion[proposition?] was to put in Two Draws a peace to which  was as he first that Draw shall in the Second Chois be last & son [so on] through the Hole of the Drawings to whitch Mason Whitten Drew first George 2d Stirling Philips 3d & so on, Mason Whitten being in titled to two Draws for himself & Thos. Hare & Taking their Chois he took one North & East of his Home place 2d west & south of Charles Whittens, George Whitten his south of his plantation Sterling Philips taks his North & East of Josiah Philips, Jas. Philips Takes his round his farme west of his farme Josiah Philips Takes his Round his farm Gray Philips his on Location Line on the East of M. Whittens John Philips Taks his on the West Boundary Line of Location & State [or Stak] line 2d Chois G Philips part on the State Line west Location line & some South of Josiah Darbys John Philip some on west side of Location & some Route his farm Stirling Philes Taks his N of Robert Lackey James Philip Taks his in diforant pieces Josiah Philips taks his in the same way Mason Whitten & Hare taks in diferant places George Whitten on the N & West corner of Location 56 – the amount suposed to be 650 Acres to each person — then the Company proced to appoint two of that Body to hunt out the small fractions of Land that was not included in said division to take notes &c & give bonds for notes to sell and Dispose of the land that is Claimed [or closed] for [unreadable] & to wind up the Hole of the Business whereupon John Philips & George Whitten was appointed to attend to the same & then the meeting ajorned  //s//G. Whitten & all the Compay –

[Note: This record deals with the division of a five thousand + acre entry which was bought by the eight men of the company: Mason Whitten, Thomas Hare, George Whitten, Sterling Phillips, Gray Phillips, John Phillips, Josiah Phillips and James Phillips. The land was bought at the Great Land Auction held at the courthouse in Waynesboro in the fall of 1848. This is the original copy of the meeting record and to my knowledge, it is not recorded anywhere in the deed records of Wayne County, Tennessee. Edgar D. Byler, III ]