Tag Archives: Beckham

Beckham, Ivy F.

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Ivy F. BeckhamBECKHAM, IVY F. was born 4 February 1895 in Hill County, Texas, he died 10 February 1949 at Pinhook, Wayne Co., Tennessee. He was the son of John Finley BECKHAM (3 Nov 1864 – 24 Sept 1928) and Mary C. BECKHAM (30 Jan 1870 – 13 Jan 1927). Ivy married Lorene HOUSE of Lutts, Tennessee in 1923.

Ivy BECKHAM was inducted on 27 June 1918 at Florence, Alabama and served as a corporal in the American Expeditionary Forces in France and Germany from 8 Sep 1918 until 31 Oct 1919. He was discharged on 14 Nov 1919 at Camp Gordon, Georgia. According to his discharge he was a mail carrier at the time of his induction. He was described as having blue eyes, dark hair, light complexion and was five feet, eleven inches tall.

According to a story told by Ivy BECKHAM, he was in charge of a group of Chinese soldiers and had to take them back to China aboard a cattle train. This resulted in him returning to Wayne County much later than others.

After being discharged in 1919, Ivey Finn came back to Wayne County and from 1921 to 1922 he served as a Star Route Mail Carrier, his route being from Lutts to Collinwood. In 1923, he became a truck driver and substitute mail carrier on Rural Route No. 2. In 1932, he and Lorene purchased her father, John HOUSE’s General Store which they operated until the time of his death in 1949. Ivy and Lorene had three daughters: Geraldine, Sue and Laura Jo.

History of the Martin’s Mills Community

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by Ruby Johnson

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

References: Wayne County Cemetery Records and old deeds.

Some Early Settlers of Wayne County

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By Charles M. THOMPSON. Reprinted from “The Clifton Mirror”, Clifton, Tennessee, “Anniversary Edition” of 20 October 1905.

“Some time ago the editors of the “Mirror” made a request of Mr. C. M. THOMPSON of Houston to furnish us with her early reminiscences of the early history of Wayne County. Mr. THOMPSON replied with an installment which we published several weeks ago when we published his life sketch. In this second [editor’s note: actually first installment] installment he deals with the early settlers. All Wayne County people in particular will find this article exceedingly interesting. The contribution follows:

Editor’s Mirror,

By your request I will give you now some of the early settlers of Rain’s Creek (now known as Indian Creek).

My father, Zachariah THOMPSON, Jesse CYPERT, and John CYPERT came to Wayne County in the year 1818 together with Francis CYPERT, their father and also the grandfather of the undersigned. Robert CYPERT, a brother of Francis, and a soldier in the war of 1776, came with the above and all settled on Indian Creek.

My father settled the place where Joseph SIMS (the son-in-law of J. N. DAVIS) now lives. This farm has never passed from the connection. Robt. CYPERT, the old soldier, built the first mill on Indian Creek. It was built on the George WHITE farm, a few hundred yards southwest of the corner of J. N. DAVIS’ land and was a failure. The old man then moved up the Creek about seven or eight miles and built a mill on what is known as Johnson’s Fork of Indian Creek, near the place where the Martins Mills now stands. This mill went into the hands of Willoughby PUGH, from PUGH to Samuel COOPER, from COOPER to Archibald WALKER, from WALKER to the CROMWELLS, from the CROMWELLS to the MARTINS, the present owners.

Soon after the CYPERTs came to Indian Creek, Isaac HORTON, an old soldier of the war of 1776, and his three sons, Isaac, Nathaniel and William came to Indian Creek and settled just below the old mill. It might be of interest to record the sons of Jesse, Baker and John CYPERT.

Jesse CYPERT had seven sons. John L. was a Baptist minister (correction: preacher) and was one of the organizers of the Indian Creek Association. Zachariah, William C., James, Thomas P., Robert Jasper and Jesse N. CYPERT. The latter is the only member of the family now living. He resides in Searcy, White County, Arkansas. He served one term as judge of his county. Baker CYPERT had only one son. His name was Samuel and he now resides in the State of Oregon. John CYPERT had six sons, Jesse, Robert, Anderson, Thomas J., John W., and James W. CYPERT. Thomas J. CYPERT was captain of a company in the Federal Army, served in the Legislature of Tennessee two terms as Senator, was assessor of Internal Revenue for the sixth collection district of Tennessee and was a preacher for several years before his death. His brother John was a Captain in the Confederate Army in Arkansas. The members of this family have all passed over the river.

Henry RAYBURN came to the county a little later than the CYPERTs and settled near the mouth of Rayburn Creek, where it empties into Indian creek thence its name.”

C. M. THOMPSON, Martins Mills, Tennessee.

 

Second Installment, published in “The Clifton Mirror”, 10 November 1905, page 8.

“Inasmuch as my last article missed the waste basket, I will come again. In my former contribution I mentioned Henry RAYBOURNE as being one of the early settlers of this county. It might be well enough to give a short sketch of him and his family.

“Squire RAYBOURNE served for years as justice of the peace for his civil district. He had four sons and three daughters. His oldest son, Gen. John RAYBOURNE was a very prominent man in the county. He was sheriff for a number of terms, surveyor and a state senator. The names of the other three sons were Samuel, Davidson, and Elihu. The latter died young and never married. Squire RAYBOURNE was the grandfather of John A. SMITH and his sister Tennie, who live near Old Town in Hardin County; he was the grandfather of Charley SMITH of Cerro Gordo and of Mrs. Joseph HARRISON living near Saltillo. The two old people, son, daughter and infant are buried in the old apple orchard near the old home.

“Thos. BROOKS settled at an early day and the farm remained in the family for several years. It then passed to Wm. PARKER, father of John Y. PARKER and an uncle of your townsman, C. C. STRIBLING. John Y. PARKER now owns and lives on this farm.

“About a mile above the creek Andrew DOWNING settled. He came with three son: John, William and Jonathan to Indian Creek about the same time BROOKS did. John DOWNING settled across the creek at the place N. W. BRATCHER now lives. Wm. DOWNING, I think, went further down the creek, perhaps in Hardin County. Jonathan remained on the old homestead until about 1860-61 and moved to West Tennessee. After the war, R. J. CYPERT bought him out, the farm having been divided and changed hands several times. John W. MIDDLETON now lives on the Old DOWNING homestead and in the house that DOWNING built.

“The next farm on the creek above was settled by David SHULL. This farm changed hands several times. After SHULL came J. R. HUGHLING, then Col. Jacob BIFFLE (BIFFLE lived on it when the war came up) then Luther FARRIS, an uncle to Dr. Will FARRIS of your town. After FARRIS, A. F. HASSELL, after HASSELL, Daniel EATON, after EATON, James RIGHT and after RIGHT, the present owner Dr. E. R. YEISER.

“The next farm of note that I will mention is that of J. N. DAVIS. It was settled at an early date by David GALLAHER who remained on it for several years. It passed from GALLAHER to Wm. PARKER and from him to his son Frank. From Frank PARKER to Capt. David I. DICKERSON from DICKERSON to the present owner, J. N. DAVIS.

“I will now cross the creek opposite to place of the writer’s birth to the David TACKETT farm. MR. TACKETT was a large land owner. His farm has been divided and sub-divided. The names of the parties occupying the lands formerly owned by TACKETT are Samuel DAVIS, Bart LAY, Will and Marion LINDSEY, Joe ROBERSON, John ROBERSON, Thos. MARTIN, Wm. NOWLIN and Wm. SCOTT.

“This brings me to the Wm. YOUNGBLOOD farm. Mr. YOUNGBLOOD came to Indian Creek at an early date and settled the farm where his grandson Zachariah HORTON now lives. Mr. YOUNGBLOOD raised three children: Josiah, Lidda, the mother of Zachariah HORTON, and John William, the father of Joe and Mat YOUNGBLOOD.”

C. M. THOMPSON, Martins Mills, Tennessee

 

Third Installment, published in “The Clifton Mirror”, 24 November 1905, page 1

“Here I came again. As I started out to give a short sketch of the early settlers of this section of Wayne County, I will resume by dropped down from upper Indian to what we call lower Indian.

“Squire A. B. GANTT came to Indian creek at a very early date from Bedford County, Tenn. and bought an improvement from an old gentleman by the name of Jesse O’STEEN and settled what is now known as the GANTT farm – I think the second best farm in the county.

“Squire GANTT served several terms as justice of the peace but never held any other county office. He had three sons, L. B., W. M. and A. B. GANTT and several daughters. They have all passed away except three daughters who now reside in Texas. The farm is divided and is now owned by J. Y. PARKER and W. W. JOHNSON.

“I now cross the creek to the farm where Daniel EATON lives. It was settled at an early date by Phillip CANARD who did not live but a few years. His widow remained on the farm until her death. After that it passed to Mr. HERNDON. From HERNDON to J. and E. B. MARTIN, and from MARTIN to the present owner, Daniel EATON.

“I will now cross the creek to the farm settled by George HAWK. It passed from HAWK to David COOK, a great-uncle to your townsman, Dr. COOK. After COOK it passed to Wm. J. STRAYHORN (Mr. STRAYHORN was a very prominent and influential man in this neighborhood). After STRAYHORN to Ledford NEIGHBORS and thence to the present owner, Samuel H. SINCLAIR.

“I see in the last issue an extract from a letter written by Dr. Wm. T. CHILDRESS of Terrel, Texas. He resided just across the creek south of the S. H. SINCLAIR farm and practiced medicine for ten or twelve years. Dr. CHILDRESS is well known in this neighborhood and a man who stood high in his profession.

“I will not give a short sketch of John COOK. He came to Indian Creek at an early date and settled on the farm adjoining Daniel EATON on the West side and lying in the fork of Indian and Weatherford Creeks. Mr. COOK had four sons: David, Martin, Christian and John COOK. The latter is said to have obtained the first marriage license issued in Wayne County. His bride was a Miss MARTIN, a sister of the late John A. MARTIN of Martin’s Mills. Mr. COOK was a German by birth and a hatter by trade. He was the great-grandfather of your townsman, Dr. COOK, and the grandfather of H. C. GREESON. Mr. COOK also had three sons by his second wife: Austin, Henry, and Frederick. The latter lives just across the line in Hardin County, on a portion of the land formerly owned by Hugh McCARN.

C. M. THOMPSON, Martins Mills, Tennessee

 

Fourth Installment, published in “The Clifton Mirror” 22 December 1905.

Mr. C. M. THOMPSON of Martin’s Mills who has been contributing a series of articles to the Mirror on the early settlers of Wayne County continues his histories sketch with the following communication:

“Editors Mirror

“Since my last article found a place on your front page, it is a pleasant inducement for me to write again.

“Continuing a sketch of the early settlers of Indian Creek, I wish to say that Messrs. Frederick ROSE, William BECKHAM and Green BECKHAM came to Indian Creek with or about the time John COOK did. Rose settled the farm across the creek north of the Daniel EATON farm. He had four sons, William, Phillips, Eli and Eanis. All settled in the same neighborhood together with William and Green BECKHAM. The former was the father of Zachariah BECKHAM, who raised twenty-one children to be men and women – fifteen sons and six daughters and all had families. Mr. BECKHAM was married three times.

“I will now pass up Weatherford Fork of Indian Creek, to the farm now known as the John SINCLAIR farm. It was settled by Stephen STUBBLEFIELD about the year 1819 or 20 and passed from STUBBLEFIELD to John SINCLAIR, (father of S. H. SINCLAIR of your town) about the year 1830, and has remained in the family to the present time.

“The above farm adjoining the latter on the south was settled by James SMITH at an early date. It passed from SMITH to William SINCLAIR, a brother of John, and remaind in the family until two or three years ago when it passed to the present owner, Jack BREWER.

“Douglass GILLIS, a Methodist preacher, settled the farm just across the creek, west from the latter and built the first camp ground that was built in this section of the county. Mr. GILLIS sold out to the SINCLAIR’s and mvoed to Horse in Hardin County, where he remained until his death.

“Jas. COPELAND, a brother-in-law of Mr. GILLIS, came to Weatherford’s Fork about the same time GILLIS did and settled the farm adjoining the above. COPELAND had five sons and one daughter. The names of the sons are Thomas S., Daniel G., James D., William and Joseph M. COPELAND. The latter is the grandfather of your townsman, Elihu DAVIS. The COPELAND farm is now owned by J. B. COPELAND, a grandson of the old man, having never massed out of the family.

“I now come to the Pinhook farm as it was known. This farm was settled by William Weatherford (thus the name of the creek) about the year 1818-1819 and was the first settled on the creek. Weatherford was part Indian and claimed to be related to Old Chief WEATHERFORD. He had four sons, Joel, Hill, John and William. The latter died young and never married. The farm passed to the Rev. W. P. KINDRICK.

“Mr. KINDRICK possessed considerable wealth and was above the average ability. He was a fine pulpit and stump orator and was a candidate for Congress at one time being defeated by the Hon. Barkley MARTIN. KINDRICK had three sons, W. P., James, and Clay. The latter died in the Confederate Army and was never married. The first son, W. P. Jr. was a very prominent man and served one term as State Senator and ranked high as an orator. He ran for Congress and was defeated by the Hon. John V. WRIGHT. Mr. KINDRICK was captured while organizing a regiment for the Federal Army and was sent to Libby Prison, and was one of the men who escaped through a tunnel and returned to Clifton. He died soon afterward and was buried in his own garden in Waynesboro, now owned by John F. MORRISON, attorney-at-law.

“James KINDRICK made his home at Florence, Alabama, and represented his county in the state legislature. Rev. Wm. P. KINDRICK was the grandfather of Dr. James BARLOW of Savannah. His wife was a sister of Judge CLAY of Alabama and also a cousin of the great statesman, orator, and politician Henry CLAY of Kentucky. The KINDRICK family have all passed away.

“I will in the near future have something more to say about the early settlers of the Pinhook neighborhood provided it is agreeable with the editor.”

Mirror Editor’s note: “Come ahead, Uncle Charlie, our space is at your disposal. Your article this week is exceedingly interesting and we are sure our Wayne County readers in particular will enjoy it. Ed.”

 

Fifth Installment, published in “The Clifton Mirror”, 12 January 1906, page 1.

“As I stated in my last communication that I would have something to say concerning a few more of the old settlers in the Pinhook Community and having been granted the permission of the editor to continue this series of articles, I will do so by stating that Gregory SINCLAIR, a brother to John and William SINCLAIR, bought land from Pryor YATES and settled the Pinhook farm, SINCLAIR living on this farm for several years and accumulating considerable property, both real and personal, but concluded that he could do better out west, so he sold to his nephew, William SINCLAIR, a son of John SINCLAIR, who remained on the farm until his death. His widow still occupies the old homestead.

“William SINCLAIR, Jr., was a very prominent man in his neighborhood and was a man of more than the ordinary talent. He served as Justice of the Peace for several years and ranked high as a gentleman, socially, religiously, and masonically.

“The farm adjoining the latter on the south was owned by Richard MOORE (Uncle Dickey), the father of Mastin MOORE of Hardin County and Thos. MOORE of Hardin’s Creek, the father of Richard and Ed MOORE and also the uncle of Dr. K. L. COOK of Clifton.

“The SINCLAIR family, John, William and Gregory, together with their father and two sisters came from Ireland to N.C., thence to Wayne County, Tennessee. John was a horse doctor, William a blacksmith, and Gregory, a weaver.

“The farm adjoining the Pinhook on the East at the mouth of Bear Creek was owned for several years by Benjamin WATKINS, but was sold to Wm. SINCLAIR, Sr. and remained in the family until the old man’s death. Since that time it has changed hands several time. The present owners are John HOUSE and the widow of John D. STRICKLIN.

“The farm adjoining the latter was owned at an early date by Rev. Wm. BAKER, the grandfather of Thos. J. GILLIS, living just across the line in Hardin County. BAKER sold to James A. LAWSON. The farm on the east of this was owned at a very early date by Robert SIMS, the grandfather of Robt. M. SIMS, attorney-at-law, Clifton, and also the grandfather of Thetis SIMS of Linden, the present member of Congress from the 8th district. Mr. SIMS had four sons, M. J., Robert, G. W. (father of Thetis), and A. M. (father of your townsman). SIMS sold to James A. LAWSON.

“The farm adjoining the latter on the east was settled by Nathaniel MARIN [editor’s note – surname probably MARTIN), and passed to Wm. SINCLAIR, Sr., and after him to James A. LAWSON.

“Next comes the farm settled by A. J. MARTIN, which remained in the family until about a year ago when it passed to James M. LAWSON, a grandson of James A. LAWSON.

“The next farm was settled by John N. GILLIS and passed to James A. LAWSON. LAWSON was a large land owner. He had four sons, Samuel, G. W., Thos. J., and John M. LAWSON. They are all living but the latter, and occupy the farms purchased by their father. These farms are all on Bear Creek of Weatherford’s Fork.

“If this misses the waste basket, I will come again. Wishing the editor a happy and prosperous New Year, I am, Yours truly, C. M. THOMPSON, Martin’s Mills.”

 

Sixth Installment, published in “The Clifton Mirror” 16 February 1906.

“Having been some time since writing you last, I have concluded to write another short sketch of the first settlers of Wayne County.

“Mr. Ben HARDIN, a land speculator, came to the county about 1817 and settled the form now known as the Gallaher farm on Factor’s Fork of Shoal Creek where the old Notchey Trace cross’d said creek (This trace was the road Gen. JACKSON cut on his march from Nashville, Tennessee, to New Orleans, the latter part of the year 1814, just before he fought the battle that is known in history as the battle of New Orleans which occurred on the 8th day, Sunday, January 1815.) The farm is still owned by the GALLAHER heirs having never passed out of the family.

“The farm lying east and adjoining the William YOUNGBLOOD farm, spoken of in an earlier article, was settled by a Mr. James GIPSON in the year 1819 or 1820, passing from him to Elijah HARBOUR. Mr. HARBOUR had three sons, Samuel, Elisha, and Elijah, and two daughters. The two first named settled in Hardin County, Sam settled on Turkey Creek about three miles above Old Town.

“Mr. HARBOUR’s farm was divided and subdivided and finally passed out of the family. Elisha settled on Indian Creek some two miles below the line. The farm settled by HARBOUR is one of the best farms on Indian Creek, this said farm never having passed out of the family. The present owner is the great-grandfather (Ed. – he means great-granddaughter) of the original settler. She is Mrs. Minnie MARTIN and is the daughter of your townsman, Mr. S. H. SINCLAIR.

“Elijah fell heir to his father’s farm and sold it to A. B. GANT and went to Mississippi. Before being divided, this was the best farm in the neighborhood. Mr. GANT divided it between his two sons, L. B. and W. M. GANT. The latter sold his to James HORTON and S. A. KING, while L. B. GANT sold his a few years fore the war between the states to Henry L. BURKETT and went to Texas. When the war came, MR. BURKETT took his family and went South, his oldest son going into the Confederate Army.

“After the war closed they settled in Mississippi and a few years later Frank BURKETT was Grand Master of the Masonic Lodge of the State of Mississippi. Henry BURKETT came back to this state and sold his land to R. C. MARTIN and Mr. MARTIN’s daughter, Mrs. Charles BOYD, is the present owner.

“The farm adjoining the Elisha HARBOUR farm on the east in Hardin County was settled by Kenneth MURCHISON, the great-grandfather of your townsman, Dr. K. L. COOK (this is his name) Said farm passed to Hugh McCARN, who accumulated considerable wealth both real and personal. He had four sons and two daughters by his first marriage and two daughters by his last marriage. The four sons were named Neal, Daniel D., John and William. The latter married but did not live but a year or two. Neal and John emigrated to Arkansas before the war. Daniel G. still remains in this county and is the only member of the family now living so far as the writer knows.

“Mr. McCARN owned a large farm at one time, but it is all owned by other people with the exception of what is owned by Daniel G. and Thomas J. GILLIS, who is a nephew to the old man.

“I guess I had better ring out before my contribution falls into the waste basket.”

 

Editor’s note: The Sixth Installment was the last article of the series found. If there were other articles contributed by Charles M. THOMPSON, the issues of the newspapers have not survived and therefore the articles are lost.