Category Archives: History

Russ Hotel – Clifton, Tennessee

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The Russ Hotel - (photograph from The Taylor~Trotwood Magazine, February 1907)

The Russ Hotel – (photograph from The Taylor~Trotwood Magazine, February 1907)

The Hotel Russ, A Palace for Travelers

This article was published in “The Clifton Mirror” Clifton, Tennessee, Friday, February 3, 1905. The Rust family, along with their related familiintention to have his own electric light plant, but he has decided to use the power now in course of furnishing by the new company, in which he is one of the principal stockholders. It should be added here that the doors, windows and sash were furnished by the Cottage Building Co., the iron by Geo. L. Meskey & Co., and the carpet, rugs and curtains by the Wm. E. French Co., all of Evansville. The hotel has its own water works and sewerage system. Mr. W. W. Atchinson and wife conducted the Hotel Russ

The Hotel Russ, A Palace for Travelers

This article was published in “The Clifton Mirror” Clifton, Tennessee, Friday, February 3, 1905. The Rust family, along with their related families, had settled in Wayne County between 1840 and 1850. It is said that the father of J. G. Russ admonished his son for changing the family name from Rust to Russ. Legend relates that this hotel was the host to German General Rommel prior to his North Africa campaign. Stated purpose for his visit was to study the tactics of Civil War General Nathan Bedford Forrest. Author of the article is unknown.

The commercial traveler—and his name is legion—may travel far and wide before he finds a cozier and more hospitable home in which to repose his restless bones for a brief season than the Hotel Ruses, a picture of which is presented herewith. We speak of the commercial traveler especially because he is the most ubiquitous bird of passage produced by this age of enterprise, but as a matter of fact the traveling public generally may find a warm welcome and generous treatment beneath the rooftree` of this hostelry. The Hotel Russ was thrown open to the public just one year ago. It was built by Mr. J. G. Russ, one of the wealthiest and most substantial citizens of Clifton, as well as one of the most enterprising. Mr. Russ was himself on the road for twenty years, representing the wholesale dry goods house of The Mackay Nisbett Co. of Evansville, Ind., and knows from practical experience the kind of accommodations that delights the hearts of the traveling fraternity. When he retired from his profession a few years ago he resolved to erect in Clifton a hostelry that would be a credit to the town, a never failing source of satisfaction to the caravan that passes this way, and that is incidentally a monument to his enterprise and generosity. The Hotel Russ is the result. The building is located at the corner of Water and Main streets, overlooking the beautiful Tennessee river, that sweeps in graceful curves and bends within the range of one’s vision until it narrows into a faint blue ribbon many miles away. It occupies a ground space of 100×85 feet, is three stories in heighth including a basement, and has added an attic and observatory. A 70-foot plumb line measures the distance from the flag pole to the ground. The building is finished in pressed brick and iron. A 10-foot veranda 95 feet in length fronts the Tennessee river, with an extension of 75 feet on Main street, making a total length of 170 feet. Large iron columns support this veranda and the balasters are of wrought iron. This veranda alone cost $1,500. From it one gets a magnificent view of the surrounding country, while a peep from the observatory enlarges the vision until on a clear day the country for many miles up and down the river is plainly visible. This hotel was build at a total cost of $20,000. Neither pains nor expense was spared to make it a model of its kind. Every department was carefully supervised and contructed under the immediate direction of the most competent craftsmen and artists in their respective lines. W. F. Hartman was the architect and forman. T. Wyche did the painting and graining. Herman Stoermer and son Fred did the brick work. J. W. Spain looked after the plastering and frescoeing. All of these parties, with the exception of Mr. Wyche, are from Evansville, Ind., and their work stands as an enduring monument to their skill. The hotel is furnished throughout in hard woods, oak being the predominating wood. There are twenty rooms in all. The first floor is given over to the lobby, dining room, reception room and living rooms. On the second floor are the parlors, guest rooms and bath rooms. A beautifully decorated bridal chamber opens off from the ladies parlor. This parlor is magnificently furnished in upholstered leather, and a bay window retreat furnishes a cozy corner for tete`-a-tetes. Just across the hall are two other Stoconnecting rooms of corresponding size, and the combination furnishes accommodations for the entertainment of a large party. In the spacious basement is the culinary department, we cannot penetrate its mysteries but a peep into its interior gives the masculine mind visions of substantials and delicacies for the inner man that set at rest any forebodings on this score. This department is furnished with every modern appliance for up-to-date cookery. The entire building is occupied by the hotel proper with the exception of the two store rooms, 25×85 feet each. The block is one of the most attractive in this section and is a source of much pride to our citizens. The hotel is steam heated, the plant being installed by the Grolette Mfg. Co., of Evansville. It is also thoroughly wired for electricity. It had been Mr. Russ’ for the first year. The first of this week they left for Lexington to take charge of Deason Springs, and are succeeded here by Mr. B. J. Stockard and his daughter Mrs. Frank Evans. Mr. Stockard is himself and ex-drummer and will understand thoroughly the art of entertaining the traveling public. He is widely known and his popular and affable nature cannot fail to add new prestige to this delightful inn. Mrs. Evans will superintend the culinary department and look after the social atmosphere, and in her skillful and artistic hands we predict that the Hotel Russ will become a center of attraction for the hungry, both of body and soul.

 

Submitted by Margaret Nolen Nichol

Development of the Iron Industry in the Upper Buffalo River Valley

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THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE IRON INDUSTRY
IN THE UPPER BUFFALO RIVER VALLEY

by Edgar D. Byler, III

[Note: This paper was delivered before a joint meeting of the Lewis County Historical Society and the Wayne County Historical Society at Oak Grove Methodist Church, Lewis County, Tennessee, September 10, 1989.]

The history of the development of the iron industry in the upper Buffalo River Valley spans over one hundred years, from about 1816 until the beginning of the Great Depression in 1929. For the purpose of this paper, two particular areas of iron manufacture will be discussed. The first is what was known in the twentieth century as the Napier Iron Works, which traced its origins to a small forge in operation in the 1810’s. The second area of concentration will be the Allen’s Creek furnaces. These furnaces occupy only a short period of the history of the area, but were part of a much larger and grander operation than the Napier Works.

The first iron producing operation on the upper Buffalo was that of John McClish, a Chickasaw Indian. From available records it appears that McClish operated a small forge on either Buffalo River or Chief’s Creek about 1818. This forge was located on property McClish had obtained as part of the Chickasaw Session Treaty of 1816. The treaty granted to McClish and his heirs in perpetuity, 640 acres of land, or one square mile, at the point where the Natchez Road crossed the Buffalo River1.

It is not known what type of forge was in operation at this site. Nor is it known what types of iron or iron products were produced. It is probable that McClish used the forge to make cast products such as kettles and pots, and may have also produced rod or bloomery iron for sale in Natchez and Columbia. The production could not have been great since no reference is made to any mining operations in the area. The ore used by McClish was readily available in large quantities on the top, or near the top, of the ground.2

By 1822, McClish was experiencing financial problems and the sheriff of Lawrence
County, Tennessee sold portions of McClish’s lands to satisfy judgements against it.  It appears that at this time McClish leased his iron works, or the lands on which they stood, to John Jones, David Steel and Thomas Steel. Reference is made in Lawrence County, Tennessee Court minutes of a petition from these men at this time to condemn 3000 acres of worthless and unclaimed land for their iron works located on the southwest corner of McClish’s land. This may have been the “Hed’s Old Works” referred to in 1827.3

The on 3 July 1827, McClish sold 160 acres, which included the “Hed’s Old
Iron Works” to John Catron and John C. McLemore who had earlier bought out the heirs of Jones, and the interest of the Steel’s. McLemore sold his interest to Lucius J. Polk who with John Catron and Catron’s brother, George, entered into a partnership known as the Buffalo Iron Works. George Catron, familiar with iron production, became manager of the works. By 1828, John Catron was the sole owner of the operation. George Catron died in 1828, and Polk sold his interest to John Catron in 1827. At this time Felix Catron became manager of the works.4

The Cantrons managed the Buffalo Iron Works for five years. It is not known whether or not the operations were successful or would have been. The “Biddle Panic” of 1833, brought on by the dissolution of the Bank of the United States by President Andrew Jackson, brought an end to the management of the works by the Catrons. John was forced to sell the works to his son, John Jr, and George F. Napier. They were unable to obtain funding for the purchase due to the unsettled financial conditions and Napier had to get brother, Dr. E. W. Napier, to co-sign the loans from the banks.5

The Buffalo Iron Works were apparently inactive at this point. In 1836, Napier announced that he was going to completely rebuild the works. However, again financial panic closed the operations before the new furnace could be brought into blast. The company underwent several reorganizations and was finally taken over by Dr. E. W. Napier.6

In 1845, Dr. Napier gave his nephew, William C. Napier, one-half interest in the Buffalo Iron Works. At this time, it appears the works had been idle for some time as the younger Napier set about rebuilding the furnace stack and improving the operations. When Dr. E. W. Napier died in 1848, William C. Napier became the sole owner.7 According to J. B. Killebrew, production during this period had been about 20-23 tons of pig per day when in blast.8

The Buffalo Iron Works now became known as the Napier Iron Works. L. G. W. Napier, possible brother of William C., is listed in the 1850 Lawrence County, Tennessee census as iron maker and was probably in charge of the operations.9 The works seems to have continued throughout the 1850’s and into the early 60’s. In 1860, William C. Napier himself was listed in the Lawrence County, Tennessee census as “Iron Monger” and had probably taken direct control of the operations.10

We have no record of the activity of the Napier furnace during the Civil War. The
furnace is prominently marked on the military maps made during the war, but no indication is made as to whether or not the furnace was in use, abandoned or destroyed. Gen. Buell’s army passed by the furnace in April 1862, and Gen. Hood’s army passed the neighborhood in November 1864. Neither makes any reference to the operations.

At this point the furnaces were located in Lawrence County, Tennessee as a result of the repeal of the act creating Lewis County. Maps of the period show the iron works to be on the south side of Buffalo River.11

Following the war, the furnace seems to have undergone extensive repair and was put back into operation. The following excerpt from Tennessee’s Western Highland Rim Iron Industry, complied by Samuel D. Smith, Charles P. Stripling and James M. Brannon in 1988, gives a description of the furnaces at Napier.

The furnace is reported to have been again repaired in 1873, and at that time the single stack was 33 feet high by 9 feet across at the bosh, dimensions suggesting an old-style furnace stack. The forge was refitted in 1879-80, and consisted of a water powered operation with four fires and two hammers, with an annual capacity of 600 net tons of charcoal blooms.12

During the 1870’s the works appear to have been leased by Napier to other operators. Although later reports indicate that during the 1880’s the furnace and forge were abandoned or inoperative. In 1885, all the Napier Furnace lands were included inside the boundaries of Lewis County.13 By 1891, the company was again reorganized and the new owners, E. C. Lewis and J. Hill Eakin, under the name, Napier Iron Works, built a new furnace.14

In 1891, a new stack 60 feet high by 12 feet across at the bosh was built and was put into blast in February 1892. This is evidently the furnace located about one-half mile northwest of the original operation. The old hillside furnace was permanently abandoned at this time and the village of Napier was established.15 

During the 1870’s the iron blooms and pigs were carried by wagon to Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee where they were transferred to the railroad for shipment. Several years later, the railroad was extended to Carpenter’s Station and finally in 1894, the Nashville, Florence and Sheffield Railroad was granted a right-of-way through the Napier properties and the line was extended to the furnace.16

The new furnace was remodeled in 1897 to use coke instead of charcoal and operated in this capacity producing foundry pig iron until 1923 when it was blown out for the last time. In 1927, a corporation was formed under the leadership of W. R. Cole, a former company president, but plans for the revitalization of the Napier Iron Works were not realized due to the onset of the Great Depression. The furnace was dismantled about 1930
for salvage material.17

According to Mr. Lindsey, President of the Napier Iron Works in 1912, the Napier
furnace was producing about 100 tons of #2 foundry pig per day.18

—————-

bonair1

Ad for the Bon Air Coal & Iron Company which appeared in “The Taylor-Trotwood Magazine” February 1907 

The second of the iron furnaces in the upper Buffalo River valley was the Allen’s Creek furnaces. This operation was started in 1891 by the Southern Iron Company as a mining operation. Through the machinations of the Southern Iron Company, the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railroad built a trunk line from Shubert in Lewis County, Tennessee to Allens Creek in Wayne County, Tennessee. The main interest at first seems to have been mining ore. But in 1892, construction was begun on two furnaces. These were built from materials and machinery salvaged from two abandoned coke furnaces in west Nashville. Called Mannie #1 and Mannie #2, the #1 furnace was blown in on 22 April 1893.

But before #2 could be brought into blast, the financial panic of 1893 made the company insolvent and operations ceased.19

In 1895, the assets of the Southern Iron Company were bought by the newly established Buffalo Iron Company of Nashville. The new company refurbished Mannie #1 and blew in #2 in 1896.20

During the period from 1892 until 1902, the furnace, when in operation, used charcoal for fuel. At one point, with both #1 and #2 operating, it took two acres of timber a day to furnish charcoal for the furnaces.21 The process was expensive and required many hands to cut the timber, saw it to length for the ovens, fire the ovens and then remove the finished charcoal. A review of the 1900 census for this area reveals that over 50% of the hands were involved in the timber operation.22

In 1902, the Bon Air Coal & Iron Company took over the assets of the Buffalo Iron
Company, which included the assets of the Warner Company in Hickman County, Tennessee.  In exchange for $730,265.94 in preferred capital stock and $730,264.94 in common stock, the Buffalo Iron Company transferred all its assets, contracts, lands and its indebtedness to the Bon Air Coal & Iron Company.23

At this point the furnaces at Allens Creek were changed from charcoal to coke fired furnaces. From an economic standpoint, this was a more profitable arrangement since the Bon Air company owned coal mines at Bon Air, Ravenscroft and Eastland, Tennessee. When necessary they also bought coke from the Virginia coal fields.24

bonair2

The Mannie furnaces at Allens Creek, 1923. Reproduced from the Tennessee Division of Geology Bulletin 39, Plate 29.

Then in 1917, the Bon Air Coal & Iron Company was reorganized as the Bon Air Coral & Iron Corporation with Mr. William J. Wrigley as chairman of the board, James R. Offield, president, Wm. J. Cummins of Nashville as vice-president, John Bowman, treasurer, and Frederick Leare as secretary. Mr. Wrigley, the principal financier in this reorganization was the founder and president/chairman of the board of Wrigley Chewing Gum Company of Chicago. Bowman, president of the Biltmore Hotel chain in New York was the secondary financier.25

Mr. Wrigley’s perception of the problem with the iron industry was summer up in a letter he wrote to J. H. Patrick of Nashville on 5 August 1918:

Some of your descriptions have caused me to laugh for I know how true they are; especially what you say about the Iron Division. First, they are long on coke and short on iron, and then long on coke and iron and short on limestone; then, they are short on all three.26

Because of his sizable investment in the Bon Air operations, Mr. Wrigley made an
inspection tour of the operations in 1917. He arrived by private railroad car in
Collinwood, Tennessee from Nashville, Mr. W. M. Cummins in tow. While in Collinwood, they toured the Bon Air lands and operations west of the town. Then on the second day of the visit, they drove to Waynesboro where Mr. Wrigley delighted the children on the square by passing out free chewing gum. Returning to Collinwood, there was a grand reception in the evening at the Highland Inn, hosted by the Highland Inn Country Club. The following day, the entourage boarded Mr. Wrigley’s private care for a tour of the Allens Creek and
Lyles, Tennessee operations before returning to Nashville.27

bonair3

Ore washer at the mines of the Bon Air Coal & Iron Corporation, Allens Creek, Lewis County (formerly Wayne County) Tennessee, 1923. Taken from Tennessee Division of Geology Bulletin 39, Plate 28.

The furnaces at Allens Creek continued intermittent operation until 1923. From 1920 to 1923, only one stack was in blast. The company underwent reorganization in 1920. In an attempt to remain competitive, the corporation induced the state legislature to change the county line between Wayne and Lewis Counties so that the Allens Creek operations were placed in Lewis County. This occurred in 1924. But all attempts at revitalization failed; the furnaces were dismantled in 1926 and sold for scrap iron.28

The biggest problem associated with the iron industry in the Buffalo River valley, as well as elsewhere on the Western Highland Rim, was the lack of capital to finance the operations. To build and operate the furnaces required large amounts of money which was not always readily available. Prior to the Civil War, the only means of obtaining this capital was in loans from banking institutions and in partnerships of monied people. The limited liability stock company had not generally come into use prior to the war.

This practice of partnerships and loans was fraught with problems. Frequent financial panics forced calls on loans and often forced the dissolution of the partnerships. Each time the iron works were the first to feel the effects of the panics.

The Civil War practically destroyed the industry in the Western Highland Rim. Prior to the war, much of the labor had been supplied by slaves, usually leased from the planters or their estates. The war and the subsequent emancipation of the slaves, eliminated a pool of cheap labor. Attempts to rebuild following the war were often met with further economic setbacks. The Panic of 1873 for example resulted in a four-year long depression which wiped out most of the operations.

Another problem facing the iron producers in the upper Buffalo River valley was
transportation. Prior to the 1890’s their ores had to be hauled to the furnace or forge site by wagons; the finished product, either pigs or blooms, had to be hauled, again by wagon, to either the railhead at Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee or to the nearest river port, Clifton, Tennessee. The building of the spur lines from Summertown to Napier and from Centerville to Allens Creek eliminated most of the transportation problems. But it was simply too late; by this time, the rich ore fields in Minnesota and Wisconsin had eliminated the need for the poorer quality iron produced at Allens Creek and Napier.

There is little doubt that the iron industry play a significant role in the development of the upper Buffalo River valley. There is also little doubt that financial instability and the availability of higher grade ores spelled doom for the iron industry in the upper Buffalo River valley.

____________________

Footnotes:

1. Phelps, Dawson, “Stands and Travel Accommodations On The Natchez Trace”,
unpublished. manuscript, Natchez Trace Library, Tupelo, MS, p. 53.

2. Carpenter, Viola H., “Some Lawrence County Iron Mongers And Their Mines.” Yesterday
and Today In Lawrence County, [Tennessee], Volume VII, Issue 3.

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.

5. Smith, Samuel D., et al, A Cultural Resource Survey Of Tennessee’s Western
Highland Rim Iron Industry, 1790’s – 1930’s, Tennessee Department of Conservation,
Division of Archaeology, Research Series #8, 1988, pp. 88-89.

6. Carpenter

7. Ibid.

8. Smith, page 88.

9. Carter, Maymaud & Joan C. Hudgins, 1850 Census of Lawrence County, Tennessee,
page 105.

10. Warren, Polly C., Lawrence County, Tennessee 1840, 1860 Census, Private Acts and
Miscellaneous Newspaper Extracts, P-Vine Press, n.d., p. 86.

11. Map, Army of the Cumberland, US Army, Corps of Engineers, 1863.

12. Smith, p. 89.

13. Whitney, Henry D., comp., ed., The Land Laws of Tennessee, Chattnooga, J. M.
Deardorff & Sons, 1891, p.954.

14. Smith, p. 89

15. Ibid.

16. Purdue, A. H., The Iron Industry Of Lawrence and Wayne Counties, Tennessee”, The
Resources Of Tennessee, Volume 2, Number 10, October 1912, pp. 375-376.

17. Smith, p. 89.

18. Purdue, p. 375.

19.Miser,Hugh D., Mineral Resources Of The Waynesboro Quadrangle, Tennessee,
State Geological Survey, Bulletin #26, 1921,p. 46.

20. Ibid.

21. Ibid.

22. Scott, Alf & June, Census Records of Wayne County, Tennessee, Volume
5:1900, pp. 123-148.

23. Buffalo Iron Company to Bon Air Coal & Iron Company, Deed, 5 August 1902, Wayne
County, Tennessee Deed Record, Book Y, pp. 124-215.

24. Miser, p. 46.

25. Wrigley, Wm. F., Jr. private correspondence, Wm. F. Wrigley, Jr. Company Archives,
Chicago, Illinois.

26. Wrigley, Wm. F. Jr. to J. H. Patrick, personal correspondence, 5 August 1918.

27. Lawrenceburg, Tennessee “Democrat”, 17 June 1917.

28. Smith, p. 88.

 

SOURCES:

Anonymus, “From The Collinwood Pilot,” Democrat, 17 June 1917,
Lawrenceburg, Tennessee.

Carpenter, Viola H., “Some Lawrence County Iron Mongers And Their Mines,” Yesterday
and Today in Lawrence County [Tennessee{, Volume Vii, Issue 3.

Carter, Marymaud K., & Joan C. Hudgins, 1850 Census of Lawrence County,
Tennessee, privately printed, Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, n.d.

Miser, Hugh D., Mineral Resources Of The Waynesboro Quadrangle, Tennessee, State
of Tennessee, State Geological Survey, Bulletin 26, Williams, Nashville, 1921.

Phelps, Dawson, “Stands and Travel Accommodations On The Natchez Trace”,
unpublished manuscript, Natchez Trace Parkway Library, Tupelo, MS, n.d.

Purdue, A. H. “The Iron Industry of Lawrence and Wayne Counties, Tennessee,” The
Resources of Tennessee, Volume 2, Number 10, October 1912. Tennessee Geological
Survey, Nashville, Tennessee.

Scott, Alf & June, Wayne County, Tennessee Census Records, Volume 5: 1900,
The Byler Press, Collinwood, Tennessee 1988.

Smith, Samuel D., Charles P. Stripling, and James M. Brannon, A Cultural Resource
Survey of Tennessee’s Western Highland Rim Iron Industry 1790’s – 1930’s,
Tennessee Department of Conservation, Division of Archaeology, Research Series #8, 1988.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Map – Army of the Cumberland, 1863, US Archives,
Washington, DC, unpublished.

Warren, Polly C., Lawrence County, Tennessee 1840 Census, 1860 Census, Private Acts,
Miscellaneous Newspaper Abstracts, P-Vine Press, Columbia, TN, n.d.

Wayne County, Tennessee Deed Records, Book Y, Wayne County Courthouse,
Waynesboro, Tennessee.

Whitney, Henry D., comp., ed. The Land Laws Of Tennessee, Chattanooga, J. M.
Deardorff & Sons, 1891.

Wrigley, William F., Jr., Private Correspondence, William F. Wrigley, Jr. Company
Archives, Chicago, Illinois.

Introduction To The Resources Of Tennessee

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NOTE: Originally published in 1874, and commonly referenced as Killebrew, this volume of data and statistics about the resources of Tennessee provides a large picture window into the state of industry in Tennessee from the founding of the state in 1796 until 1874. The chapter on Wayne County is reproduced here, from the original book, courtesy of Mr. Jerry MOORE who donated a copy of the volume to the Office of the County Historian.

Bibliography: KILLEBREW, J. B., assisted by J. M. SAFFORD, Introduction to the Resources of Tennessee, Nashville, Tenn. Tavel, Eastman & Howell, Printers to the State, 1874.

The Wayne County chapter begins on page 971and concludes on page 979.

WAYNE COUNTY

County Seat — Waynesboro

The act establishing Wayne county was passed November 24, 1817. More than half of the present county of Hardin was originally embraced within the territory of Wayne. Be the creation of Hardin, Wayne was shorn of its most fertile lands; its river front being reduced to about ten or twelve miles.

Topography, Extent, etc. Wayne County is situated on the extreme western side of the Highland Rim, with its north-western corner projecting into the western valley of the Tennessee. It contains about 700 square miles. The county is bounded on the north by Perry and Lewis, on the east by Lewis and Lawrence, on the south by the State of Alabama, and on the west by Hardin county and the Tennessee River. It is a high elevated plateau, between eight hundred and a thousand feet above the sea, furrowed by deep winding ravines or “hollows” , with intervenient high rolling ridges, cur transversely in places by other ravines, which give the surface of the county the appearance of what sailors call a “chopped sea”. Generally, however, these ridges radiate from the center of the county in every direction, except toward the east, in which direction the lands are flat, level and barren.

Streams. As might be inferred from the broken surface of the county, the number of water courses is very great, and the high elevation of the county above the Tennessee River gives them a rapid fall. After heavy rains these creeks rise with startling rapidity, and run down almost as rapidly as they rise. Indian Creek, noted for its wide bottoms and good farming lands, rises in the eastern part of the county and runs west, passes through Hardin and empties into the Tennessee River below Satillo. This creek has numerous tributaries which branch out as son ascends the stream until they resemble the numerous limbs of a pictured tree. Many good mill sites are found upon these branches, though the quantity of water is variable, and cannot be relied upon throughout the year. Hardin Creek rises in the south-east part of the county, and running west, empties into the Tennessee River, a short distance above Clifton. It has two or three good un-improved mill sites upon it. Mill Creek, a tributary of the last, is an excellent stream for milling purposes. The stream, in many places, has cut down through a solid ledge of rocks, so that the banks are firm and durable. Butlers’ Creek, a tributary of Shoal Creek, runs southeast through a rich portion of the county. This stream has a rapid call, good limestone banks and a fine lay of land upon the banks for the building of mills and factories. Big Cypress, Middle Cypress and Little Cypress all rise in the south-eastern portion of the county, run south, and after their confluence, empty into Shoal [editor’s note: obviously Killabrew did not pay close attention to the map of Wayne County. This paragraph is full of obvious errors. The Cypress Creeks don’t empty into Shoals Creek, but rather into the Tennessee River just west of Florence, Alabama. And Hardin Creek does not rise in the southeastern part of the county. So the reader is warned to use this material with great caution – edby3] There are already erected several good mills on these streams. Second creek rises in the south-east corner [that’s interesting, I thought it had its beginning in the south-western quarter of the county], runs south-west and empties into the Tennessee River at Waterloo. This stream could be readily utilized as a water-power. Factory’s Fork rises in the east part of the county, runs south-east and empties into Shoal Creek. It is a good water-power. Forty-eight Creek rises in the north-eastern part of the county, runs north-west and empties into Buffalo. It is a good stream for mills, and upon its banks before the was there was a forge of the same name. Green River rises in the south-eastern part of the county, runs north and empties into Buffalo. It is very rapid in its fall, and has some good mill sites. Moccasin Creek, a tributary of Buffalo, rises in the northern part of the county, and runs north. It is a short, swift stream, but is constant in its supply of water, and is an admirable milling stream. Buffalo River enters the county from the north-east, and after running west half way across the county, makes a right angle and passes out north through Perry County. It is a tributary of Duck River, is very rapid in its fall, but the banks are not usually good for the erection of mills and factories. It is bountifully stocked with game fish. Rock House rises in Lewis county, and running a short distance through the north-east corner of Wayne, empties into Buffalo. It has no great excellencies. Opossum is a small stream that rises in Lewis county and empties into Buffalo. It has an excellent mill site. Mill Creek, a tributary of Buffalo, rises in Lewis county. It has good substantial banks, a rapid descent, and has much available water-power. Chapel Creek, also a tributary of Buffalo, enters that stream near Flatwoods. It drives an excellent flouring-mill, also gin and saw-mill. The supply of water is small during the summer. Beech Creek rises two miles west of Waynesborough, runs west and empties into the Tennessee River. It has one mill and several good mill sites. Eagle Creek rises six miles west of Waynesboro, runs west and empties into Hardin’s Creek, three miles from Clifton. It is worthless as a water-power, the banks being low, changeable, and the supply of water very variable. The low bottoms supply many convenient sites for tanyards, of which there are several on this stream.

Lands and Soils. The lands in Wayne county may be divided into three classes, viz: mineral, agricultural and grazing. Of the first class there are more than 200 square miles, lying in the eastern and south-eastern parts of the county. These lands usually have a rolling surface, are well supplied with timber, except in those spots where it has been consumed in the manufacture of charcoal. The soil upon these mineral lands is exceedingly sterile. The humus is a thing wafer that is lost when brought into tillage by the superabundance of gravel and yellowish clay. The gravel upon the highest hills is often waterworn, sometimes angular, but always indicative of an unproductive and stingy soil. The characteristic growth, besides the timber, is greenbrier, persimmon bushes and a grayish moss, upon which the wild deer subsist during the winter. This rolling land is sometimes deeply cut by streams, upon the banks of which are found exposed limestone, siliceous and black shale, and occasionally hydraulic rock. The agricultural lands are mostly confined to the river and creek bottoms. They are heavily charged with a black, flinty, angular rock; soil alluvial and highly productive of wheat, corn, cotton, peanuts, sorghum and hay. The best bottom lands will make per acre thirty bushels of corn, twenty bushels of wheat, 1,200 pounds of seed cotton, fifty bushels of peanuts, and from two to three tons of hay. Instances are given where four tons of German millet have been raised to the acre. Clover would grow with an abounding luxuriance upon the bottom lands, but the habit of sowing clover has not yet been adopted by many of the farmers. The objection to raising perennial grasses is, that the broomsedge soon destroyed the meadows, and it has been found in practice impossible to keep out. These lands command very high prices, ranging from $20 to $50 per acre, according to improvement and location. Scarcity, too, makes this quality of land in demand. It may be stated that the fertility of the soil adjoining these bottoms reaches high up on the hills on the south side of the streams, and but for the tendency of such hill-sides to wash, they would be almost as valuable as the bottoms themselves. The south sides of the ridges are poor. It would be a mistake to infer tat the north sides of all the ridges are fertile. The fertility is only confined to such ridges as bound the water courses. Away from these and on the south sides of the dry “hollows” the soil is almost as thin as on the north sides. On the waters of Buffalo River, Indian Creek, and a portion of Beech Creek, the bottoms are wide, the farms good, the improvements respectable, while on Hardin’s Creek, Butler’s Creek, Second Creek, Factory’s Creek, Forty-eight Creek, Green River, Moccasin, Opossum, Chapel and Eagles Creeks, the bottoms are narrow, farms small and improvements common. On the Cypress the bottoms attain a width of half a mile, and many productive farms are found upon that stream. It is estimated that the lowlands of the county will cover 70 square miles, or 44,800 acres. The third class of land, which is put down as grazing land, is flat and open, covered during the summer with a rank wild grass, which supplies nearly all the food for the stock (other than work stock) in the county for eight and ten months in the year. The usual practice with farmers is to begin to feed about the middle of December, and to stop the first of April, or so soon as the buds and young grass appear. But little of this flat land is cleared for the purpose of cultivation. Here and there a spot with a rich red clay subsoil may be found that will yield remunerative crops, but wherever the subsoil is white or bluish in color, the land is cold and unprofitable for general cultivation. Fruits, however, yield abundantly on such lands, and the trees are long-lived, hardy and not subject to disease. Old, abandoned homesteads on such lands, of which there are many on the road leading from Waynesboro to Columbia, show the fruit trees vigorous and healthful. Some of these tress, peach and apples, are known to have been set out fifty years ago, and they are still fruitful. The high elevation of this barren land, its healthfulness and cheapness, may cause it in time to become one of the great fruit-growing regions of the state. The people of the county are turning their attention to fruit-growing, many orchards of choice fruit having been set out during the past two years.

Stock. Sheep husbandry could be made a profitable business but for the grand army of curs that roam over the country. Twenty-five per cent of sheep killed annually is the least estimate put down by any one. Many are deterred from sheep and wool-growing on this account. The wild, savannah-like surfaces that cover a large portion of the county, the sheltering hill and the genial climate, all point to Wayne as being well adapted to sheep-growing. A few fine Berkshires introduced by some enterprising citizens several years since, have greatly improved the breed of hogs. But little pains are taken with the hog. Subsisted in the woods upon the mast from September to June, and then upon the wild grasses, this animal is scarcely domesticated. Pork enough is raised to supply the demands of the county, but very little for export. The cattle are principally “scrub”. Some of them make good milkers. A few Short-horns are being introduced, and the quality of the cattle is gradually improving. Before the war mules were raised for the southern markets, but the destruction of the breeding animals was so great during the period of hostilities that the farmers have only been able since to raise enough for the home demand.

Timber. Very few counties in the State are more abundantly supplied with timber. The southern part is covered with a dense forest of yellow pine, which has scarcely been touched. On the ridges, white oak, black oak, chestnut, poplar and chestnut oak prevail. Cedar timber of a good quality covered the glady hills near Clifton, but most of it has been cut down. The white oak timber is largely consumed in the manufacture of pipe staves for the French and Spanish markets, and near the Tennessee River it is growing scarce and dear. Seventy-five thousand staves are annually shipped from the county, and as the demand continues to increase, the vast white oak forest of the interior will be rapidly consumed in meeting this demand. The tanbark from the chestnut oak is largely used in the various tanneries, and is found in practice to be the best for tanning purposes. It makes by far the best leather, which brings at least ten cents per pound more than the hemlock or oak-tanned. In he iron regions, the timber is very valuable. Charcoal, of which forty bushels are made from a cord of wood, is the fuel used for smelting purposes. In the neighborhood of Wayne Furnace, timber is consumed at the rate of 700 acres annually. With proper protection by law, the great extent of land denuded of timber could be made to yield a new growth, but the annual burnings destroy all the young sprouts as fast as they appear, so that the old coaling lands are a dreary waste, covered with broomsedge and green briers , and worthless to the owners.

Minerals. Hydraulic rock of an excellent quality has been found near Clifton, underlying a reddish limestone. This red limestone is classed as a marble, and though not equalling the variegated beauty of the East Tennessee Marble, yet some of it makes quite a handsome and durable building stone. But by far the most valuable mineral in Wayne County is the iron ore. This is found in large local deposits called banks, and the quality of the ore is vary variable, some of it being so intermixed with gravel and siliceous and argillaceous material as to be nearly worthless. The best banks yet found are two miles south-east of Wayne Furnace. The ore lies in wave-like masses, running mostly parallel with the surface. But these masses sometimes approach and run into each other and then separate, leaving between large masses of clay and flint. The ore has been dug to a depth of thirty feet with no apparent diminution of quality. Outcrops of iron ore occur upon nearly every hill around the furnace, and these indications extend at places down to the beds of the streams. The gravel overlying the ore is sometimes white and water-worn, but generally of a pale yellowish appearance. Practical iron men consider the quantity of ore inexhaustible. The ore is a brown hematite, and yields from the furnace 44 per cent. Near Clifton is a bed of anhydrous red oxide of iron that is vary valuable. A shaft has been sunk in this bed to the depth of twenty-five feet without reaching the bottom of the ore. Much of this ore is very soft and can easily be reduced to powder and used as a pigment.

Wayne Furnace Thirty-five years ago, two furnaces were erected upon the same ground where Wayne Furnace now stands. One of them was discontinued and the other was kept in blast for many years. Six years ago, the Gaylord Iron and Pipe Company, of Kentucky, bought the property for $40,000, inclusive of 21,000 acres of land, and set to work to repair it. They introduced the hot blast, erected new stacks, and began operations on a scale much more extensive than ever before. The capacity of the furnace was increased to twenty-four tons per day, but it rarely makes above eighteen. The iron manufactured is cold short, and is unfit for boiler plate, car wheels or wrought iron. It is mostly consumed in the foundry owned by the same company in making iron pipe. One hundred and fifty bushels of charcoal are consumed in making one ton of pig iron. The estimated cost of coal at present is six cents per bushels. The cost of green ore delivered at the furnace, $2 per ton, of which two and one-third tons are used to one ton of iron; cost of limestone per ton of iron, fifty cents; labor and salaries, $6.44; incidentals, such as sand, hearth, interest, etc., $1.33; making present cost of a ton of iron $21.97. It costs $5 per ton to get to Clifton, on the Tennessee River, and $3.62 from that point to Cincinnati, making its present (January , 1874) cost in Cincinnati $29.59. It must be remembered, however, that much labor is paid for in goods, upon which a profit of from thirty to fifty per cent. Is made.

About 200 hands are kept in constant employment, and nearly all the work is done by contract. Sixty cents per cord is paid for cutting wood; $2 per ton for digging and delivering ore; daily laborers, $1.20 per day; skilled laborers, $1.60. The furnace force consumes annually 20,000 bushels of corn, 30,000 pounds of bacon, 600 barrels of flour, 1,200 bushels of corn meal, and 360 tons of hay. It may be stated as a significant fact that all the hay and most of the bacon are brought from Indiana and Kentucky. This furnaces furnishes the best market in the county.

The height of the stack of Wayne Furnace is forty-two feet; width across the boshes, eleven feet; hot blast being heated by the waste heat from the trundle head. It is driven in through two tuyers. Capacity of furnace, 5,800 tons annually.

Tanneries. Previous to the war, Wayne county was noted for the number and excellence of its tanneries. More than a dozen were then in operation, manufacturing annually 200,000 pounds of superior leather. Many of them were abandoned or destroyed during the war, and now the number is reduced to four. These manufacture 100,000 pounds of leather annually. The hides are obtained in the St. Louis and New Orleans markets. The leather is mostly shipped to St. Louis. When the abundance of streams that thread the county, and the almost exhaustless quantities of tan-bark, the manufacture of leather will doubtless become in the future one of the leading industries of its citizens. Bark is sometimes shipped, though not in large quantities.

Towns and Villages. Waynesboro, the county seat, was located by commissioners appointed by an act of the Legislature November 5, 1821. The court were removed to that point in the fall of 1823, and since that period, it has been the seat of justice. It is situated on a level plateau on Green River, and has many high hills encircling it. Population 300; dry goods stores 4; saloons 3; hotels 1; churches 2, one of which is a colored church, the other Cumberland Presbyterian. It has also a large tannery, and a school averaging eighty scholars.

Clifton is a flourishing little town of five or six hundred inhabitants situated on the Tennessee River. It has five dry goods stores, two drug stores, two saloons, one saddler’s shop, one hotel, one foundry, one church, Presbyterian, a Masonic school that contains about sixty students, male and female. There are annually shipped from Clifton: 1,200 bales of cotton, 6,000 tons of iron, 3,000 bushels of wheat, 100,000 pounds of leather, 50,000 staves, 7,000 bushels of peanuts, 500 bushels of dried fruit, besides considerable quantities of feathers and lumber. The latter article, delivered on the river bank, is worth from $14 to $15 per thousand feet. Ashland, on Buffalo, has three stores, one grocery, blacksmith shop, and two churches, Southern Methodist and Cumberland Presbyterian. Flatwood, on Buffalo, has two stores, one church, Protestant Methodist. Wayne Furnace has a store, blacksmith shop, and two churches. Martin’s Mill has a store, saw-mill, grist-mill, woolen mill, tanyard, and one church, Cumberland Presbyterian. Parker’s store, on Indian Creek, has two stores, cotton gin, blacksmith sop and tanyard.

The Agricultural and Mechanical Association has erected handsome buildings upon a lot near Waynesboro. The first fair was held in 1872 and another in the fall of 1873. Both were eminently successful. The Association is out of debt, and the people of the county flock in droves to the annual exhibition.

School Statistics. There were enrolled in 1873, between the ages of six and eighteen years, whites, 1,270; colored, 69; total, 1,339. Between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one years, white, 64, colored, 5, total scholastic population, 1,408.

There are employed in the public schools thirty-nine teachers; average salary paid teachers $31.37. Owing to the failure of the magistrates to levy an additional tax for school purposes, the free schools were only kept up for a period of two months and a half.

Statistics. The population of the county in 1870 was as follows: whites, 9,316; colored, 893; total, 10,209. Number of acres of land assessed for taxation in 1873, 422,267; value, $1,243,009; number of town lots, 178; value, $70,901; value of mills, manufactures, etc., $70,238; value of personal property, $278,433; total valuation, $1,664,484. Number polls, 1,452. Amount State tax, $6,650.32; amount county tax, $3,325.16; total tax, $9,975.48

Health. There is no healthier county in the State, as the experiences of physicians show. Being well drained, and but a small portion lying in the Tennessee Valley, there is little or no malaria in Wayne county. Its elevation above the sea gives it a mild and pleasant climate and makes it peculiarly pleasant in the summer.

Immigrants. While the citizens greatly desire to see their county populated with an industrious class of immigrants, they have been unable as yet to attract but few from other States. The want of transportation, schools, and public spirit has deterred many from making Wayne county a permanent home. There are no railroads in the county, and while the citizens would hail with delight any external movement to open up their resources to the world by rail, they are yet averse, many of them, to a levy by the county for that purpose. The word tax has a sound to their ears as ominous as the road that precedes a whirlwind. Taxes, to their minds, are destructive of the best interests of society. It is the taking of something for which nothing is given. In consequence of this erroneous idea, schools have been neglected, public buildings have been suffered to fall into dilapidation, roads are mean, and at times well igh impassable, bridges are scarce and out of repair, and, indeed, all the great public interests which society for its own convenience and safety has been accustomed to look after have been neglected. While the county greatly needs immigrants, its citizens still hesitate to take the very steps necessary to secure that immigration, which to them, in their sparsely settled county, means wealth, intelligence, comfort and independence.

The Waynesboro Citizen, the only newspaper in the county, will doubtless awaken a more zealous interest in public affoirs. [sic]

History of Wayne County, 1880 by Thomas Meredith

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Contributed by Mrs. Edwinna STRICKLIN, Lutts, Tennessee

Note: This is taken from a xerox copy of a manuscript in the Tennessee Historical Society Collection, Tennessee State Archives and Library.

Wayne County – 1820

Wayne County was established by act of the General Assembly passed on the _____day of _____, 18__, and named for “Old Mad Anthony Wayne”, one of the heroes of the Revoluntionary War. This county is situated in the south western part of Middle Tennessee, and is bounded on the South by the State of Alabama and Hardin County; on the east by Lawrence; on the north by Lewis and Perry; and on the West by Decatur and Hardin Counties, from which it is separated by the Tennessee River, and has an area of 1000 square miles.

The pioneer settlers of this County were chiefly from the older and more central Counties of this division of the State. The first settlement within the limits of what is now Wayne County was made by Frederick Meredith, Mark F. Edwards, William Newton, Lovick Rasbury, Richard Churchwell, and Cary W. Pope on Buffalo River, in 1815; Isaac G. Grimes, Henry Grimes, Peter Renfro and John Johnson, settled on Hardin Creek in 1816; Thomas G. Harvey, Charles Burns, James Reeves, Samuel Loggans and William Scott, all settled on Green river in 1816; Henry and John Rayborn, Jessee and Baker Cypert, Ben Hardin, and David Shull, settled on Indian Creek in 1817-18; James Arnett settled on _______? branch of Hardins Creek in 1819; and //
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William Morris pitched his tent on Hardins Creek in 1818; John Dixon and David Gallaher on Shoal Creek in 1818; and on Forty-eight mile creek, William B. Pogue, William B. Walker, Joseph Staggs and Nathan Biffle were the pioneer settlers.

The first water mill built in the County was in 1817, on Mockasin Creek, by John Meredith; and the first horse mill was built by John O. Roberts on Eagle Creek in 1820. The first school taught in the County was in 1818 by Mark F. Edwards on Mockasin Creek.The first church erected in the County was on Green river, just east of the site of Waynesboro, by the Methodists in 1820, the Rev. James English and Rev. John Craig being among the first ministers to preach in it. At the mouth of Forty-eight mile creek, the Primitive Baptists erected the next church in 1820, the Revs. Willis Dodson, John   Reeves and William Hodges being the first preachers here.

The first merchants in the County were Malachi Wimberly and Andrew Stowball near Ashland in 1819. The first cotton gin built in the County was by William B. Ross, near old Carrollsville in 1819; Thomas established the first ferry on the Tennessee river, in Wayne County, in 1818.

Wayne County was not organizaed //
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______20, though ineffectual efforts to this end had been made before this date. The first County Court was organized at old Town Branch, in the winter of 1819-20 by the following named Justices of the Peace who was commissioned by Gov. Joseph McMinn, to wit:

Ben. Hardin, Henry Rayburn, Jesse Cypert, William Burns, Cary W. Pope,John Meredith, Reuben Kyle, William R. Curtis, William B. Ross, Syphus Reily, WilliamB. Walker and David H. Gallaher.

William Burns was elected Chairman of the Court; William Barnett, Clerk; Ben. Hardin, Sheriff; John McClure, Register; John Meredith, Trustee; John Hill, Ranger; and William B. Pogue, Coroner.

The first Circuit Court was held in the little log Court house, on OldTown Branch, 4 miles north of the present County Seat; in the spring of 1820, Judge _____Turley, presiding; GeorgeBarnett, Clerk; and William F. Doherty, Solictor-General.

Wayne County has had four Court houses. The first was of logs, resembling a primitive log smoke house, with one door, dirt floor, and “big cracks” for windows, board roof, &c. This //
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used about two yearsas the “temple of Justice” for Wayne.

The second was built at Waynesboro about 1820. It was of logs also and not any more pretentious than the first. The third was a frame building built about the year 1827. 24 x 30 feet two stories high with Court room, Clerk’s offices &c. It had a door at each end was lighted by about a dozen windows. It was regarded as afine structure in its day. The fourth and present [1880] Court house is of brick, 30 x 40 feet, two stories high with Court room, Clerk’s offices &c. and cost about $4000.00. It was erected in 1840 or about that time.

There have been five jails: the first was of logs at “old Town”, and was used for about two years. The second was of logs also, being the first at Waynesboro. The third was a hewn log jail, 18 x 18 feet and well finished. The fourth was of brick, lined with logs, and was used until 1876. The fifth is a strong log building, 2 stories high, weatherboarded, and lined with 1½ inch oak plank with iron cages.

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Thomas Meredith, son of Frederick Meredith, from whom I obtained all my information concerning Wayne County, is now in his 75th years and has lived within ¼ miles of where his father first settled for the last 64 years. He is active for one of his age, enjoys good health and has a second wife, in her 49th year. Thos. Meredith, Rocky Point, Wayne County, Tenn.

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Waynesborough
Waynesboro, the County Seat, was founded in 1821, on the land of William Burns and named for Gen. Anthony Wayne, of Revolutionary farm. It is located in a broken, though healthy and productive section on the west bank of Green river, about six miles north of the geographic center of the County and is supplied with excellent water from a never failing spring which issues from a bluff just north of the public square. The town is situated about 90 miles south west from Nashville, 18 miles north of east from Clifton on the Tennessee river, with which it is connected by a turnpike road. It has no railroad facilities, and its chief shipping points are Clifton and Columbia, to and from which goods and produce are conveyed by wagon.

The first dwelling built in the place was by William Burns, in 1821; and Wm. Merrill was the first merchant, beginning business in the Fall of this year. The first hotel keeper was William Barnett, who opened house in 1821 also. The post office was established in this year, and William Barnett appointed the first postmaster. Dr. Martin Mahon was the first physician here, beginning practice in 1822-3; and the first attorney to locate //
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in the town was Thomas F. Edwards in 1822-3. The Methodists erected the first church in Waynesboro in 1834-7 and Rev. William P. Kendrick was their pastor. The first newspaper – Waynesboro Times – was published here in 1856, B. F. Murtishaw, editor and proprietor. The first school taught in the town was by Nathaniel Casey in 1821-2. Waynesboro was incorporated in 18__. and Thomas H. Maberry elected the first mayor.

The town attained its greatest prosperity about the year 1836, and has rather declined since. It has now 4 stores of general merchandise, 1 drug store, 1 saloon, 1 milliner shop, 3 blacksmith shops, 1 boot and shoe shop, 1 carpenter shop, 1 tanyard, 2 hotels, 2 livery stables, 1 school – Ashland FemaleAcademy, 1 church – occupied by Methodist and Cumberland Presbyterians alternately, 1 colored church, 1 Masonic Hall, Lodge Knights of Honor, brick Court house, jail, no preachers, 2 physicians, 2 lawyers and a population of about 300, of which about 75 are colored.

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Villeges of Wayne Co
Clifton, a post village on the east bank of the Tennessee River, 16 miles west from Waynesboro, was founded in 1840, on the land of Stephen Roach, and took its name from the high [banks] on which if is situated. It is the most flourishing village in the county, having the advantage of the navigation of the Tennessee River, and being the chief shipping point for the County. Clifton has some half dozen stores, a number of mechanic shops, a foundry, a school, two churches, a newspaper establishment “Wayne County Citizen”, 4 physicians, a good ferry and a population of about 200, of which 35 are colored.

Ashland, a post hamlet, in the Centerville road, 11 miles north east from Waynesboro, was established about 1830 by Ephraim Dixon and Samuel Mitchell, its first merchant. It has two stores, 2 churches, a school, Masonic hall, mechanic shops & a small population of about 50 inhabitants. It is pleasantly situated on the south bank of the Buffalo river.

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Flatwoods, a post hamlet, on the Linden road, 14 miles north west from Waynesboro is pleasantly situated on the north bank of Buffalo river, and has a store, blacksmith shop, schhol, church and a small population of about 25 inhabitants.

Carrollville, once a small place on the Tennessee river, a mile below Clifton, exists now only in name. “Old Town” on old Town branch, 4 miles east of north from Waynesboro, was for a year or two the seat of Justice for Wayne County. Northing of it now remains, but the spring from which issues most excellent water.

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Wayne County 1820 – 1880
State Senators: Jonathan Morris, Archibald McDougal, Thomas J. Cypert.

State Representatives: William Burns, Benj. Hardin, John Rayborn, Jonathan Morris,Andrew Brown, Merida Morrison, William Pougue, John A.Talley, Ed. B. Martin, John Porter, William Benham, Ulyses Ross, Wm. P. Kindrick.

Sheriffs of Wayne County 1820 – 1880
1. Ben. Hardin – 2 years – 1820-1822
2. John Rayborn – 12 years – 1822-1834
3. James L. Smith – 2 years – 1834-1836
4. Jesse S. Ross – 4 years – 1836-1840
5. Samuel J. Alexander – 2 years – 1840-1842
6. Samuel L. Burns – 2 years – 1842-1844
7. William Benham – 4 years – 1844-1848
8. William Pollard – 2 years – 1848-1850
9. Elijah H. Pugh – 2 years – 1850-1852
10. Rial Brewer – 2 years – 1852-1854
11. Elijah H. Pugh – 4 years – 1854-1858
12. Jacob B. Biffles – 2 years – 1858-1860
13. David S. Skillern – 2 years – 1860-1862
14. John F. Hall – 2 years – 1862-1864
15. John Grimes – 1 years – 1864-1865
16. Jas. M. Dickerson – 3 years – 1865-1868
17. Elijah V. Turman – 1 year – 1868-1869
18. Jas. M. Stribling – 1 year – 1869-1870
19. Joseph G. Gallaher – ½ year – 1870-1870
20. William J. Grimes – 2 years – 1870-1872
21. James M. Stribling – 2 years – 1872-1874
22. Henry Brewer – 2 years – 1874-1876
23. David H. Jones – 2 years – 1876-1878
24. blank
25. blank

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The first paper established in Wayne County was the “Waynesboro Citizen” published and edited by Malone Bros. on the 23rd of Feb’y 1872. Neutral in politics. H. R. & T. B. Malone.

– End –

Goodspeed’s History of Wayne County, Tennessee

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Transcribed by Fred Mutishaw

[Note: This history was published in 1886 and was compiled from a number of different sources which were not listed or cited. Please use information in this history with caution. And always verify the information given]

WAYNE COUNTY is on the extreme western side of the Highland Rim, with its northwestern corner extending into the valley of the Tennessee. The county presents a generally broken surface, with parallel and transverse ridges and intervening hollows, the ridges usually radiating from the center in all directions, except to the east, the general surface of the county being a plateau of about 800 feet elevation.

The principal streams are Indian Creek, Hardin Creek, Shoal Creek, Buffalo River, Bush Creek and Second Creek. Mill Creek is a tributary of Hardin Creek. Butler Creek, Big, Middle and Little Cypress and Factor Fork are all tributaries of Shoal Creek. Forty-eight Creek, Moccasin, Rock House, Mill, Opossum, Chapel Creeks and Green River are all tributaries of Buffalo River. Wayne has lands particularly suited for farming and grazing, and the remainder for minerals. Of the 700 square miles in the county, about 200 square miles of it are mineral lands of iron ore. This seems to lie in inexhaustible beds of fine quality, the yield at the furnace being forty-four per cent. For working this ore the Wayne Furnace was built about 1835, and in 1868 the Gaylord Iron & Pipe bought the old Wayne Furnace and 21,000 acres of land for $40,000. They increased the capacity of the furnace to twenty-four tons per day. The agricultural land in found in the river and creek bottoms, and covers about ninety square miles of fine lands. These lands yield heavy crops of all the cereals, cotton, peanuts, and the other lands are suited for grazing. From the extensive ranges, stock raising can be carried on at immense profit. Wayne County affords an immense growth of valuable timber. In the southern portion of the county are immense growths of yellow pine. The ridges furnish oak, chestnut and poplar, and the glades furnish cedar. large quantities of the chestnut oak bark is used in the various tanneries in the county. Great quantities of timber are used at the furnaces for wood and charcoal smelting.

The first settlers of Wayne County were mainly from the older counties of Middle Tennessee and from North and South Carolina. The early settlements were made on North Carolina military grants, occupants’ claims and warrants. The first settlement was made by Frederick Meredith, Mark F. Edwards, William Henton, Lovick Rasbury, Richard Churchwell and Craig W. Pope, on Buffalo River in 1815. On Hardin Creek were Isaac G. Grimes, Henry Grimes, Peter Renfrow and John Johnson, in 1816. Thomas G. Harvey, Charles Burns, James Reeves, Samuel Loggans and William Scott settled on Green River in 1816 and 1817. On Indian Creek Henry and John Rayburn, Jesse and Baker Cypert, Benjamin and David Schull settled in 1818. James Surrett settled on the east fork of Hardin Creek in 1819. David Gallaher and John Dixon settled on Shoal Creek in 1818. William B. Payne, William B. Walker, Joseph Staggs, Nathan Biffle and Isaac Robertson settled on Forty-eight Mile Creek in 1818. Other settlers in different parts of the county before 1820 were Jacob Biffle in the Eight District, where land was entered in 1812; David Carter, assignee of Elizabeth Walker, also in the Eighth District; also William B. Ross, Joseph Denton, Wiley Harrington, Thomas Reeves, J. W. Nunley, T. Gambel, Daniel Cherry, Jacob Fraley, J. R. Russell, John Gibson and J. P. Walker. John Watson settled on Hardin Creek in 1820, and Lewis Johnson and Henry Colston on Beech Creek about the same time. The following entered lands before 1820: Michael Robertson, Henson Grove, Mark F. Edwards, Isaac Rice, William Williams, Thomas G. Harvey, James H. Gambel, Alexander Steele, James R. Russell, Daniel Voorhees, Samuel Mayfield, John Meredith, John Duke, R. P. Scoot, John McCulley, David Carter, John Welch, Allen Brown, James Davis, James Collins, John Mitchell, G. H. Garrett, R. C. Harris. John Akin, S. Read, J. L. Smith, James Davis, James Elliot, John Brown, James Staggs, W. B. and James P. Walker, Jesse Thompson and the Morris family. The first water and tub-mills in county were build on Moccasin Creek, in 1818, by John Meredith; the first horse-mill was built by John O. Roberts, on Beech Creek, in 1820. The first cotton-gin was built near where old Carrollville stood, by William B. Ross, in 1819. The first ferry across the Tennessee River, within the limits of the county, was established in 1818 at Carrollville, but the owner of the ferry is unknown.

The first church erected in the county was built on Green River, just east of the site of Waynesboro, at the grave-yard in 1820, by the Methodists. The Rev. James English was the first preacher. At the mouth of Forty-eight Mile Creek the Primitive Baptists also built a church in 1820, the Rev. Willis Dodson was the first pastor of it. The first merchants in the county were Malachi Wimberly and Anderson Stoneball, near Ashland, in 1819. A Mill was built on Buffalo, near Ashland, by John Biffle, about 1830. The first tan-yard was built on Eagle Creek, by James Elliott, in 1819.

The first boat up the Tennessee for business was a keel boat owned by Samuel Cade. This was loaded with salt and other supplies. Wesley Warrington kept the first wood-yard for steam boats, about 1823-25. The first camp-meeting was held on Eagle Creek about 1823.

Near Ashland may be seen many relics of the Mound-Builders. These mounds are the usual shape, but arranged in a somewhat circular outline, with the larger mounds in the center. The whole cluster numbers perhaps forty or fifty. Surrounding these is an old earth-work of very distinct outline, having a moat and embankment of considerable height. In the hollow below is an old Indian burying-ground, where numerous skeletons have been found, some in very perfect state of preservation. The graves are marked by stones above ground, with the graves walled and covered by the same material. In all or nearly all are found charcoal or charred remains. This burying-ground was discovered by Prof. Smith, of the Columbia Atheneum, in 1877, where may be seen excellent specimen remains. On a tributary of Forty-eight Creek, called Court House Creek, are fine natural bridges. Passing beneath the first sharp angle in the little stream there appears an open court which rivals almost any of the natural curiosities of the world. Here, according to tradition, the dusky savage once held his council fires. A little further down the stream the water passes under the second archway and dome of splendid beauty and symmetry.

Wayne County was created by a act of the Legislature in 1817, but on failure to have it engrossed it had to be repassed in 1819. It was named in honor of Gen. Wayne, “Mad Anthony,” of Revolutionary fame, and embraces an area of 338,291 acres. The court for organization met at Factor Fork, where the old Natchez trace crosses that stream. The next meeting was held at William Barnett’s, on old Town Branch, where it continued to meet till 1822. The following justices were present, holding commissions from the governor: Benjamin Hardin, Henry Rayburn, Jesse Cypert, Wm. Burns, C. A. Pope, Wm. Walker, John Meredith,Reuben Kyle, Wm. B. Curtis, Wm. B. Ross, S. Perley and David N. Gallaher. The officers chosen were Wm. Barnett, clerk; Benjamin Hardin, sheriff; J. M. Barnett, circuit clerk; John McClure, register; John Meredith, trustee; John Hill, ranger; and Wm. B. Payne, coroner.

The first court house was built, it is supposed, by Wm. Barnett in 1819 or 1820. This was a small log house with a dirt floor, board roof, and large openings in the side for windows. This house was in use about two years. On the location of Waynesboro as the county seat in 1822, a new log court house was erected the same year. This house was built at a cost of $800 on the Square, and differed not greatly in size or construction. The third house was built in 1827, and was a frame building. This building was two stories high, and was about 24X30 feet. The upper floor was used as the court room, with the offices below, and had two entrances as the present house.

The present court house was built by Nathaniel Thomas. It was begun in 1843 and completed in 1844. It is a good brick building, in excellent state of preservation, and is two stories in height. The upper floor is used as the court-room, while the offices are below. The building is about 35X40 feet, and was erected at a cost of about $4,000.

The first jail was built at Old Town, and was a very rude structure. It was in use only about two years. The second jail was built of round logs at Waynesboro in 1822. The third jail was built of hewn logs. It stood till some time between 1830 and 1840, when it was replaced by a brick jail. This jail stood just north of the Eureka Building, and was erected at a cost of about $700. The elements, time and war unfitted this as safety. In 1873 J. G. Berry, A. T. Hassell, M. Collier, G. W. Boyd and J. R. Hughes were appointed committee for the construction of a new jail. The material of the old was sold to the Methodists, Masons and others, and a new lot purchased east of the Square. The contract was let to Wm. A. Fowler. The new jail was built at a cost of $1,664.25, less $148.93 realized on the old jail.

The poor at first were farmed out to the lowest bidder. The first farm was on Green River, two and three-fourths miles below Waynesboro. This was a small place, and little improvements were made upon it. In 1849 a farm was purchased by Washington Carter, D. J Jones and Jonathan Morris for $400. In 1866 the present farm was purchased of J. L. Fowler by A. Montague, G. W. Barker and J. A. Grimes, as poor-house commissioners, for $700. The county now owns about 145 acres of good land and maintains its paupers at a small cost.

Although Wayne has neither turnpike nor railroad, the Columbia Central Turnpike formerly passed through the county from Columbia to Clifton. This road was completed about 1844, but has suffered to fall into disuse since the war. In 1880 the charter of the Nashville & Tennessee River Railroad was spread upon record. This road is intended to connect the Nashville & Tallapossa Road with the Memphis & Knoxville Road, at or near Clifton.

The meeting of the first county court is elsewhere stated, both as to place and members. The first circuit court was held at the log court house on old Town Branch, north of Waynesboro, in the spring of 1820, with J. M. Barnett as circuit clerk, Benjamin Hardin as sheriff and Wm. F. Doherty as solicitor-general. A loss of all county records to 1848, the circuit court records to 1851, and those in the chancery court to 1861, renders it impossible to follow the courts fully. One of the longest cases ever tried in Wayne County was the case of Meredith against Renfro, which vexed the courts for sixteen years. The first murder case believed to be the case wherein Haggard killed Busby. The case grew out of a quarrel between two little boys, sons of the two men. The case was tried in Dixon County on change of venue, and Haggard was acquitted. Another case was the “State vs. Choat,” for the killing of Mosby. This case resulted in acquittal, on the plea of self-defense. In 1828, Wm. Venable and James McDool, the former a gray-bearded old man and the latter a boy of sixteen, were convicted of passing counterfeit money. They received for punishment on the bare back, twenty-five lashes. About this time the officers of the law were compelled to contend with a gang of counterfeiters, horse-thieves and murderers, under John A. Murrell, whose life and adventures were written many years ago. and whose exploits extended over a large portion of the State. About 1830, occurred several damage suits, one, “Miller vs. Robertson,” for false imprisonment, in which the plaintiff got judgement for $10,000. Another was case of Chas. Teas against W. B. Ross, for swearing to a lie. This suit resulted in a verdict for $10,000 for the plaintiff, but was afterward compromised for $900. Charles Reeves brought a suit for slander against John O. Roberts, for saying that Reeves “stole horses, cattle and hogs.” The plaintiff was awarded damage to the amount of $2.50. All cases previous to the passage of the “penitentiary law,” in 1832, were punished by imprisonment, fines, whipping, standing in the stocks, branding — any or all of these. The first person sent to the State’s prison was Mathew Murphy, who was sentenced on March 23, 1839, for a term of three years and the second case was David Staggs, who was sentenced for one year from October, 1842. The offense in neither case is given, but it is presumed it was larceny. The first divorce suit was the wife of Henry Mahon against her husband. The suit was brought in 1829, on the plea of inhuman treatment, and granted. The first of the circuit court records began with May 26, 1851. The usual number of cases of gaming, peace warrants, wearing bowie knives, larceny, vi et armis, and other minor misdemeanors occur. In 1852, Moses Page, “without the fear of God before his eyes, and being moved and seduced by the instigation of the devil,” assaulted Thomas H. Short and killed him with a gun. Page was tried , convicted, and sentenced to the penitentiary for a term of three years. One of the heaviest suits for damage, in former years, was the suit of Sanders and Martin against Gallaher, King, McDougal and East, in which the plaintiffs got judgment for $1,126.05. This case was decided at the March term, 1840.The case of the State against Daniel G. McCarn, on a change of venue from Hardin County, came up for trial in Wayne County Circuit Court. He was tried for being accessory before the fact for an assault and Battery with intent to commit murder. The trial was begun in 1850, and ended October 9, 1852, in conviction and sentence to the penitentiary for seven years. An appeal to the supreme court was taken, and the case reversed and ordered begun de novo. The case was tried again with the singular result of conviction and sentence for twelve years instead of seven. A very hotly contested suit was the case of Dr. Wm. G. Childress against John Morrow, for slander. The case was begun in 1857, and ended in February, 1860 in judgement for $5,000 for plaintiff. Dr. Childress had treated a son of Morrow, who died. The latter accused the former of malpractice, hence the suit. The jury in the case were Andrew Jackson, W. T. Bryant, J. M. Moore, Little Choat, J. I. Biffle, John Stockard, J. W. Howard, Jasper Davis, J. L. Kyle, J. Scott, J. N. Hollis, and J. C. Whitton. Judgement was rendered, and it was ordered that execution issue, when the plaintiff in open court remitted all the fine except one cent. A very hotly contested case was begun January 3, 1876, entitled State vs. John W. Bundrant and Peter Bundrant. They were tried for the murder of S. R. Dicus. The case was continued from January 3, 1876, till November, 1879, and ended in the conviction of John Budrant and sentence to the penitentiary for five years,

Another case of note was the case of the State against T. G. Brown, D. E. Holt, Wallace Hays, Austin Hays, Wm. A. Fowler and Jesse Atkisson. They were tried for the murder of Wm. H. Hays in October, 1878. Atkisson died before trial. The suit ended August 20, 1879, in a sentence of Thomas G. Brown and D. E. Holt for a term of several years in the penitentiary; Wm. Holt, Austin Hays and Wallace Hays to six months in the county jail. The circuit courts were closed from January 29, 1862, to September 23, 1865. The last jury before the war consisted of L. M. Morgan, Little Choat, S. R. Denny, J. H. McClure, Wm. Eads, A. G. Clay, Wm. Pollard, J. H. Rutledge, Jas. Durham, J. C. Walker, Wm. Sinclair, J. J. Porter, J. N. Hollis, J. A. Gibbs, John L. Smith, Isaac Robinson and F. Churchwell. Many very bitter suits grew out of offenses committed during the war. On January 23, 1874, was spread upon the minutes a tribute of respect to the memory of Judge Elijah Walker, of Savannah, who died December 31, 1873. Judge Walker was doubtless the ablest judge ever upon the Wayne County bench. The chancery court for the district of Wayne, Hardin, Lewis and Lawrence was established by the Legislature February 5, 1847, with Jerry H. Cahal as chancellor, who served till 1852, when J. L. Brine was chosen to fill his place. Judge Brine was succeeded by C. Pavatt in 1855, who in turn was succeeded by R. H. Rose on February 28, 1866. Judge J. W. Doherty served from 1868 to 1870, when he was succeeded by Hon. Geo. H. Nixon, who served till 1886. The clerks and masters have been Col. McLean, A. T. Hassell, J. W. Helton and Capt. P. H. Craig since 1873. One of the longest and most peculiar cases ever tried in the chancery court was the case of Sarah C. Smotherman against James Smotherman, for divorce and alleging as a plea, brutal and inhuman treatment. The case was in the courts for about sixteen years. A judgement rendered by Judge Hughes in favor of the plaintiff in April, 1868, and the same confirmed by Judge Nixon in September, 1871. The divorce, custody of their child and alimony in lands were granted to plaintiff. The case was taken to the supreme court on a writ of error by the defendant. Whereupon said court found error, not only in the point at issue, but the whole proceedings. The whole case was accordingly referred. Pending this decision the defendant had married a second time and the plaintiff had been confirmed in possession of her lands. The curious case was then presented, of two legal owners of the same property and a man having two legal wives.

In 1861 the case of Mary J. Ricketts, administratrix, vs. C. B. McCulley et al., involving the right of title, was begun. McCulley was the legal owner of two tracts of land. On March 2, 1861, he conveyed to his wife and children one of his tracts of land. He was owing Ricketts $1,260. Although it was proved McCulley was owner of other real estate valued at $1,500 and personal property to the amount of $1,000, he subsequently failed. S. S. Ricketts died in 1863, intestate, and the plaintiff, as administratrix, revived the debt in her own name, and got judgement against the land conveyed, and had it sold on execution. The case was take to the supreme court in 1865, and the conveyance made by McCully was confirmed from that fact that at the time of the conveyance he had ample property to pay his debts and the conveyance at the time indicated no fraud. The case of Carr vs. Grimes, executor, in 1877, involved the mental capacity of the decedent to make a will. In this suit about $10,000 worth of property was involved. The supreme court confirmed the action of the defendant. W. P. Kendrick and Rob A. Hill were, doubtless, the resident lawyers of the Wayne County bar. The latter in now United States district judge, with headquarters at Oxford, Miss. The present bar is represented by Robert Cypert, Boyd & Haggard and John F. Montague.

Waynesboro was founded in 1821, on the lands owned by Wm. Burns. A deed was made for 40 acres to James Hollis, John Hill, Nathan Biffle and Chas. Burns for $300. These men were the commissioners appointed by the General Assembly to establish a county seat for Wayne County. The transfer was made March 1, 1823. The commissioners were empowered to sell lots, and with the proceeds to build a courthouse, jail, stocks, ect. Among the first purchasers of lots were James Blair, Chas. Burns, Wm. Barnett, Wm. Copeland, Wm. Burns, Willis Copeland, H. W. Mahon, Willey Simmons, J. W. Lemaster, Jordan Morris, John Hill, Obedience Hill, James Anderson. The first dwelling-house was erected by Wm. Burns in 1821. Wm. Meredith began merchandising in 1821; and Wm. Barnett opened the first hotel in the place, also in 1821. A postoffice was established in 1821, with Wm. Barnett as postmaster.The first practicing physician was Martin Mahon, who began practice in 1822-23. The first local attorney was Thomas F. Edwards, who began practice about the time of Dr. Mahon. The first school was opened in the town in 1821-22. The first church was built at the grave-yard just east of town, across Green River, with the Rev. James English as pastor. The house of Burns, above mentioned, stood some distance from town near where Mr. Whitby now lives. Wm. Barnett’s stood where Mr. Hassell’s house now stands; John Hill’s was near. These were the first houses in Waynesboro proper, and were small round-log houses.

The business of Waynesboro was about such as is seen in a small inland town till about 1844-45, at the completion of the old Central Turnpike, when business gradually increased, reaching its maximum activity about 1855, but remained good until the war. Since that period the place has suffered some loss of trade from the sale of goods at many country stores throughout the county. The principal business for one or two decades before the war was done by A. T. Hassell, James Anderson, and Wm. West & Co. The former of these has done an extensive business since 1844. The present firms are A. T. Hassell, M. J. Sims, Bromley & Martin, Huckaba Bro. & Co., Turman Helton & Co., drug stores, G. W. Boyd & Co., A. T. Collier; hotel, Thomas Young.

Waynesboro was incorporated in 1852, with the usual powers of such corporations. The following constituted the first board: Cyrus Tyree, I. Warner, S. R. Laird, J. C. Bridges, G. W. House, J. Morris and N. C. David. Of these Tyree became mayor; David, recorder, and Bridges, treasure. The charter was allowed to lapse in 1860, but was renewed again in 1870, with Matthew Collier, mayor, and C. C. Stribling, recorder.

The first newspaper in Waynesboro was The Family Visitor, edited by W. L. Morris. This was in the early part of 1850. This was followed by Waynesboro Times, under B. A. Murtishaw, in 1856. Then came the period of the war, and no more paper till 1872, when the Review was started by the Malone Bros. This was followed by the Wayne County Citizen, on February 19, 1874, by Stribling & Warren as proprietors, with Robert Cypert as editor till December 24, 1874. On November 24, 1875, the paper was first issued at Clifton, where it has since remained.

Waynesboro Lodge, No. 127, was organized February 13, 1851, with the following officers: Jas. Anderson, W. M.; Chas. Cox, S. W.; N. F. Biffle, J. W.; D. K. Hood, Treas.; John McDougal, Sec.; A. P. Cook, S. D.; S. R. Laird, J. D.; J. C. Bridges, S. and T. Visiting members, P. Whitehead and S. D. Whitley, both Master Mason. The first members added were W. R. Kindle and J. M. Jones. The membership now numbers thirty-seven. A chapter was instituted November 1, 1879, with J. J. Comes as High Priest; C. Buchanan, King, and J. Jackson, Scribe. A Grand Army Post was organized in 1884 by Capt. Jones, of Nashville. It is known as the Wm. P. Kendrick Post, No. 5. It enrolls from fifty to sixty members.

About two miles below where Clifton now stands, formerly stood Carrollsville, named in honor of Gov. Carroll. This place was founded in 1818 on the lands of Thomas Reeves. The sale of lots began in 1821. At the time Reeves sold his interest to Johnson & Blackburn. Henry Mahon, John Blackburn, Matthew Grimes, Henry Rayburn, Stephen Stubblefield, Jacob Spencer, Malachi Wimberly, Chas. Harrington and John Elliott were principal property owners of the place. The business men were Hugh Simpson, Chas. Teas, Hine & Ross, and R. A. McCullough. It is claimed that Carrollsville came within one vote of being made capital of the State. On the completion of the Central Turnpike to its terminus on the river, at Clifton, Carrollsville began rapidly to decline, so that now noting remains to mark the site of the old town. This place witnessed one of the first tragedies in the county, the killing of Dr. Green by Edward Sanford. A quarrel arose over the sale of some liquors, and Green assaulted Sanford with a gun, and was himself killed by a stone in the hands of Sanford. Clifton, it may be said, grew from the ruins of Carrollsville; it was founded in 1840, and was named from the high cliff upon which it stands. It is situated sixteen miles west of Waynesboro, on the Tennessee River, at the terminus of the old Central Turnpike. The lands were purchased of Stephen Roach by Evan Young, Granville A. Pillow, W. J. Polk and James Helton, of the Turnpike Company. The first owners of lots were R. C. Hemphill, A. T. Hassell, James Walker, John O. Roberts, Edward Spears, J. Wright, R. H. Cooper and S. S. Ricketts. The first business men were James Walker (who managed the old “Marine Furnace),” A. T. Hassell & Co., Cooper & Hemphill. Clifton has always been an excellent business point, by far the best in the country. It now has the following dry goods and general stores: Hughes & Grimes, Thompson & Cook, J. J. Nichols, T. N. Copeland. Drug and grocery stores: T. R. Ricketts & Co., Stribling & Hassell, Hardin & Duncan. Groceries: Charles Ricketts.

The Cumberland Presbyterian Church was built in 1859, on a lot deeded to them by H. W. Hunter. The Methodist Church was built much later. Masonic lodge, No. 173, called Clifton Lodge by last report, has a membership of forty-five. Clifton also has a chapter, No. 57, R. A. M., and a council, No.37, R. & S. M. Clifton was incorporated by an act of Legislature in 1854, but allowed its charter to lapse during the war; however, it has since revived. The first number of the Wayne County Citizen was issued on November 25, 1875, by C. C. Stribling and Warren. The paper, however, had been published at Waynesboro by the same firm since 1874. On December 21, 1876, Mr. T. F. Warren severed his connection with the paper. Since that time it has been owned by C. C. Stribling. It is no more than justice to say that the Wayne County Citizen is a paper of uncommon merit. Politically it is Independent.

Ashland is situated eleven miles northeast of Waynesboro, and was established in 1830 by Ephraim Dixon and Samuel Mitchell. The postoffice at that place is called Forty-Eight; formerly it was called Pleasant Hill. Malachi Wimberly and Anderson Stoneball sold goods near where Ashland now is in 1819. The first settlers around Ashland were Lovick Rasberry, Nathan Biffle, James Russell, Wm. Walker and Wm. Burns. Following Dixon & Mitchell, above mentioned, Buckner & Dickson were the next business firm. Ashland has usually had from one to two general stores. The principal business of the place in now done by A. H. Cunningham.The Cumberland Presbyterian Church and Masonic lodge room, on Buffalo, was built in 1878. The trustees of the church were G. T. Walker, A. B. Wisdom, R. A. Shaw, W. F. Edwards and James Durham, and the Buffalo Lodge, No. 329, were T. S. Evans, W. M.; Theodore Clendenen, S. W.; P. H. Craig, J. W., and others.

Flatwood is a small neighborhood village, about fourteen miles north-west of Waynesboro, founded about 1850. It is the seat of two stores, a postoffice and a school. The business firms are Harris & Hurt and Burns & Graves.

Old Town was the former seat of justice for the county. It was situated on Old Town Branch, a small tributary of Green River, about five miles from Waynesboro. The only residents of the place were Wm. Barnett and John Hill. Nothing now remains to mark the former site of Old Town, so called in distinction from Waynesboro, or the new town.

Though hardly a part of military history, it may be stated that Wayne County was, like all other counties, divided into districts embracing all subject to military duty. The first divisions for the county were Beech Creek, Eagle Creek, Hardin Creek, Indian Creek, Cypress Creek, Buffalo River, Forty-eight Creek and Rich Creek. In these were the companies of Capts. William Gambrell, G. H. Tucker, Isaac Robertson, H. J. Ray, A. Morris, Thomas Reeves, John Rayburn, Frank Mayberry, Sherrell, Thompson and Aydlotte. These increased in number as the population grew. No regular organized body of men went from this county to either the Seminole or Mexican war. The only representatives of either of those wars is the Rev. George E. Huckaba, who commanded Company H. of the Second Tennessee (Federal) Mounted Infantry in the late war. The county was almost unanimous for the Union till hostilities began, when there was a division. The southern part of the county remained firm for the Union during the whole struggle, while the northern portion was almost unanimous in favor of the Confederacy. The first troops raised for the Confederate Government were for the Ninth Tennessee Cavalry. These troops were mainly recruited about Waynesboro and in the vicinity of Ashland and Flatwood. The first company was A. The officers of this company were J. T. Biffle, captain; J. M. Benham, first lieutenant; P. H. Craig, second lieutenant; G. P. Wells, third lieutenant. The second company had for its officers James M. Reynolds, captain; Reiley Littleton, first lieutenant; John Littleton, second lieutenant. The third company of this regiment was commanded by Capt. John A. Johnson, with B. S. Hardin, first lieutenant, and A. H. Ross, second lieutenant.

The Ninth was mustered into service in August, 1862, at Waynesboro. The operations of the regiment were confined to the surrounding counties, in guarding railroads, bridges, rivers, ect. Later the regiment was ordered to Murfreesboro with Forrest, where it joined in an attack and capture of the same, also in the raid through West Tennessee in December, and upon Franklin and Spring Hill. In 1863, the regiment was in pursuit and capture of Col. Streight, of the Fifty-first Indiana, in his raid through Georgia. The regiment was engaged at Chickamauga, Chattanooga, and at Knoxville in the siege of Burnside’s army. In December, 1863, P. H. Craig raised Company B, consisting of about seventy-fife men, and was attached to the Twentieth Regiment. Their operations were confined mainly to Alabama and Mississippi till the fall and winter of 1864, when the entire army invaded Tennessee in the advance upon Nashville. A very brilliant dash was made upon Johnsonville and the Federal supplies at that place captured and burned, amounting to more than a million dollars. The troops then advanced upon Nashville, by way of Florence, Wayland Springs, Lawrenceville, Columbia, Spring Hill and Franklin. In that engagement the Twentieth was on the right, under Forrest. After the retreat to the Federals from Franklin the Twentieth joined in the pursuit, and struck the Federals at Hollow Tree gap and drove in the pickets at Nashville. Forrest, with a large portion of his cavalry, was sent to assist in the operations against Murfreesboro. After the defeat of Hood at Nashville these forces were hastened to Franklin to cover the retreat from Tennessee. Those that escaped the disaster were collected at Tupelo, Miss., and soon afterward sent East to engage in the final struggle in that section. For the ninth Battalion there recruited Company F from Wayne County. This was commanded by T. D. Whitehead as captain; William M. Biffle, first lieutenant; Dr. R. W. Couch, second lieutenant; S. W. Burns, third lieutenant. These men were mustered into the service in 1861, at Camp Anderson, near Nashville. After the defeat and capture at Fort Donelson, the men captured were held till the last of August, 1862, when they were exchanged and were soon after reorganized. At the reorganization, W. L. Bromley was chosen captain; Joseph Clendenen, first lieutenant; James E. Grimes, second lieutenant; J. T. Cotton, third lieutenant. J. H. Akin was in command of the battalion, the history of which is found elsewhere. Several companies went out in Deering’s Fifty-fourth, but after the stampede and disorganization of the regiment the men were assigned to Dixon’s Forty-eighth. The companies were three in number. The officers of the first were T. R. Hughes, captain; William L. Montague, first lieutenant; Jasper Benham, second lieutenant; A. K. Hardin, third lieutenant. Of the second, D. S. Skillern, was captain; D. H. Jones, first lieutenant; J. H. Shields, second lieutenant; J. B. Huckaba, third lieutenant. Of the third company, James M. Reynolds, was captain; J. N. Hollis, first lieutenant. (See history of Dixon’s Forty-eighth for a history of this regiment.)

The first company for Federal service was Company A. of the Tenth Tennessee (three years). Officers: Captain, Ed B. Bladen; Henry N. Lee, first lieutenant; John J. Brewer, second lieutenant. Mustered into service April 26, at Nashville. Henry N. Lee was afterward chosen captain. The men were mainly from south part of the county. Number of men, 92. Services were mainly garrison and guard duty. Second Mounted Infantry (one year), regimental officers: John Murphy, colonel; Owen Haney, lieutenant-colonel, J. M. Dickerson, major; Nat Brown, adjutant. Organized at Nashville in 1864. Services were mainly at Clifton and other parts of Wayne and other counties. Company A — T. J. Cypert, captain; Jas. Moore, first lieutenant; C. C. Stribling, second lieutenant. Company B — W. A. Harrison, captian (afterward Sam H. Martin); E. D. McGlamery, first lieutenant; Elias Thrasher, second lieutenant. Company C — A. J. Roberts, captain; Wm. Barnett, first lieutenant; Alfred Cottham, second lieutenant. Company D — C. W. Shipman, captain; Phillip Howard, first lieutenant; Asberry Thompson, second lieutenant. Company E — Henry D. Hamm, captain; J. J. Bromley, first lieutenant; G. H. Brewer, second lieutenant. Company H — Geo. E. Huckaba, captain; John Judd, first lieutenant; Wm A. Skillern, second lieutenant. Company I or K — A. Garner, captain; Mr. Barnett, first lieutenant; Mr. Glasgow, second lieutenant. These were all in the Second Tennessee Mounted Infantry.

Sixth Tennessee Cavalry was composed of the companies of Capt. G. Berry and Capt. D. I. Dickerson. The Eigth Mounted Infantry consisted of the company of Capt. C. W. Shipman, formerly of the Second Tennessee, as above, with E. V. Truman as first lieutenant. Eldridge’s artillery consisted of Lieut. Wright and a few men from different parts of the county.

The schools of Wayne County were entirely isolated in their character till 1843, when Ashland Academy was built. This was built under the old seminary law. This building stood a short distance southwest of the Public Square of Waynesboro. The first trusttees were John McDougal, Nathan Biffle, J. L. Ross, Abraham Montague, D. L. Jones, R. W. Kendel, S. D. Mack and T. M. East. In 1849 the funds had so accumulated that an additional academy was erected. This was called the Female Academy, and stood on Lot 31, where the college building now stands. The building was under the same board of management as the other. These served the public until the reorganization of the schools since the war. In 1885 was erected in Waynesboro the new school building known as the Waynesboro College. This was built by a joint stock company of leading citizens of the place and vicinity. This is an excellent building and is managed as a consolidated school. The schools of the county were organized under the present system in 1873, by James Anderson, county superintendent. A comparison of superintendent’s reports for 1880 and 1885, the only ones available, will show the increase in attendance and number of the public schools. In 1880 the number of scholastic population was white, 3733, colored, 334; total, 4,076. Number of teachers in the county: White, 56, colored, 5: total, 61. The enrollment during the year was 2,577, white and 127 colored. The average attendance was 2.003 white, and 98 colored. The county then had 1 brick, 12 frame and 20 log schoolhouses, and expended for schools $2,109.95. The scholastic population for 1885 was 4,180 white and 392 colored; total, 4,572. The pupils enrolled were 3,042 white and 297 colored; total, 3,339. The average daily attendance was 1,861 white and 200 colored, or 2,061 in all. The number of schoolhouses was 19 frame and 26 log houses, the whole number being 45. The whole number of schools in the county, however, including females’ schools, was 75, 67 of which were white and 8 colored. The total amount expended for that year was $6,546.62.

The first Methodist Church erected in the county was built just east of Waynesboro, at the grave-yard, about 1820. This was a small log building, and served as a place of worship till 1840. In That year the lot opposite Capt. P. H. Cray’s residence was deeded by Thomas Boshers to D. J. Jones, John McDougal, Thomas Boshers and Thomas East, as trustees of the church. This was a frame building and stood till the war. In 1878 one wall of the Cumberland Church fell, and was repaired by the Methodists and Masons. The Methodists were allowed an interest in that building. The Methodists also have churches at Indian Creek and a camp-ground was also established there in 1859; the trustees having been A. G. McDougal, J. B. Biffle, W. T. Childress, A. P. Denning, J. J. Denning and W. Roachwell; one at Culp’s Chapel, built in 1877, Eagle Tannery, Clifton, Ashland, Flatwood, Furnace Branch, El Bethel and Beech Creek.

The first Primitive Baptist Church was built near the mouth of Forty-Eight about 1820. To this belonged the Russells, Biffles, Walkers and Thompsons. This church is still sustained with a good membership. The church on Hardin Creek is half a century old: also the one at Goshen, in the Sixth District, is nearly as old. There is also a church of this denomination on Upper Indian Creek. Churches of more recent datestand in the First and Ninth Districts. The founders of these older churches have long since been “gathered to their fathers.”

By far the most numerous branch of the Baptist family is the branch known as the Missionary Baptists. The oldest organizations of this church are at Indian Creek and Philadelphia, each of which dates back more than a half a century. Besides the two mentioned, there are churches at Green River, Zion, Friendship, Bethlehem, Union, or Beech Creek, Holly Creek, Chestnut Creek, Oak Grove, Macedonia, Rayburn Creek, Pleasant Valley and Leatherwood. The aggregate in membership amounting to about 700. Besides these, there are a number of Free-Will Baptists in the county, there being a church of this denomination at the head of Factor Fork and at Oak Grove; also a number of others.

The first Cumberland Presbyterian Church erected in this county was perhaps, the church at Waynesboro. This was erected about 1830 by the Presbyterians and Masons. The church at Clifton was built in 1859; they are both substantial brick buildings. This denomination has churches at Shady Grove, Ashland, New Providence and Mount Olive.