Court January 1850

Monday Jan. Term 1850

State of Tennessee)

Wayne County) Be it remembered that a quarterly County Court was began and held for the County of Wayne at the Court house in the Town of Waynesboro on the 7th day it being the first Monday in January in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and fifty the following Justices present and presiding to wit W CARTER Chr. HOPSON WATKINS BURNS MONTAGUE GRIMES GANT WATKINS [HOPSON – crossed out] SIMS LEE LAFFERTY YOUNG WILSON VOORHIES

A settlement between Wm Jones Clerk of this Court and L W CANTRELL Guardian of Henry C Minor heir of Milly MAY Dec’d was this day submitted to the Court which was confirmed by the Court and ordered to be recorded

A settlement between Wm JONES Clerk of this Court and L W CANTRELL Guardian of Mary Ann minor heir of Milly MAY Dec’d was this day submitted to the Court which was confirmed by the Court and ordered to be recorded

A settlement between Wm JONES Clerk of this Court and L W CANTRELL Guardian Wm J Minor heir of Milly MAY Dec’d was this day submitted which was confirmed by the Court and ordered to be recorded

A settlement between Wm JONES Clerk of this Court and Wm. W. THORNTON Guardian of Wm R minor heir of Wm DUNCAN Dec’d was this day presented to the Court which was received by the Court and ordered to be recorded a settlement was this day presented between Wm JONES Clerk of this Court and Nathan BIFFLE Guardian of N F minor heir of John & Mary W BIFFLE Dec’d to the Court which was received and ordered to be recorded

Ordered by the Court that W CARTER be appointed Revenue Commissioner in the 4th District Wayne County Tennessee year 1850 in the place of D.J. JONES Resigned

Ordered by the Court that John McBRIDE be appointed overseer of the road of 2nd Class in the place of A H M STUBBLEFIELD and that he have the hands in the same bounds to work under his direction Isued Jan 10, 1850

Came Wm W THORNTON Guardian of Wm R DUNCAN into Court and renewed his bond in the sum of thirteen hundred and Sixty one dollars with Brinkley HOPSON his Security which was rec’d be the Court and ordered to be recorded

Came Wm. W. THORNTON one of the Executors of the Estate of Josiah THORNTON Dec’d and returned into Court [Inventory – crossed out] an account of Sales verefied by his oath of Said estate which was received by the Court and ordered to be recorded

Monday January 7th 1850

Ordered by the Court that J C ELLIOTT be appointed overseer of the road of 2nd Class in the place of King H ABLES and that he have the hands in the same bounds to work under his direction Isued Jan. 10, 1850

Ordered by the Court that Wm CRAIG be appointed overseer of the road of 2nd Class in the place of L P SHAW and that he have the hands in the same bounds to work under his direction Isued Jan. 10th 1850

Ordered by the Court that B D KEATON be appointed overseer of the road of 1st Class that he word [sic] from the Eleven Mile post to the County Line in the place of J N BLACKSHEAR removed and that he have the hands in the same bounds to work under his direction Isued Jan 9, 1850

Ordered by the Court that Isaac GRIMES be appointed Overseer of the road of 2nd Class in the place of John W MONTAGUE and that he have the hands in the same bounds to work under his direction Isued Jan 9, 1850

Ordered by the Court that [the Court – crossed out] N F BIFFLE by appointed overseer of the road of 2nd Class in the place of Joseph MABRY and that he have the hands in the same bounds to work under his direction Isued Jan 10th 1850

Upon motion to appropriate to John McDOUGAL the sum of Twelve 40/100 dollars the amount by him expended for blank books for the of office of Circuit Court Clerk Those who voted in the affirmative wire W CARTER Chr YOUNG LAFFERTY BURNS MONTAGUE GRIMES WILSON VOORHIES WATKINS & HOPSON 10 Noes none So said appropriation was made to be paid out of any money in the hands of the Trustee no otherwise appropriated Isued Jan. 15th 1850

On motion to appropriate to G T FREDAKING the sum of Seven 50/100 dollars the amount be him expended for a Blank Book for the Registers office Those who voted in the affirmative were W CARTER Chr YOUNG LAFFERTY BURNS MONTAGUE GRIMES WILSON VOORHIES WATKINS & HOPSON 10 Noes none So said appropriation was made to be paid out of any monies in the hands of the Trustee not otherwise appropriated Isued Jan 15th 1850

Ordered by the Court that the road running from the Union Church on Hardins Creek up Mill Creek to S C GRIMESs Mill be disannulled and that the hands [to wit – crossed out] that worked on said Road under John C GRIMES be attached to the the hands that work under Isaac GRIMES

Came Wilson GRIMES & others who was at a former term of this Court a Jury of view and mark out so as to change the Waynesboro and Savannah Road on the lands of A MONTAGUE and report a change made which was rec’d by the Court

Monday, Jany 7th, 1850

Came E. H. PUGH Tax Collector for Wayne County 1849 and returned in to the Court alist of the picked up Taxes verified by his oath which was received by the court and ordered to be recorded

Ordered by the Court that the Commissioners appointed at a former Term of this Court to sell the lots on the west Square of the town of Waynesboro hand over to the Treasurer of the Poorhouse Commissioners the balance of the proceeds of said sales and said Treasurer pay the same toward the land purchased by the Poorhouse Commissioners.

Ordered by the court that John McDOUGAL one of the Commissioners appointed at a former term of this court to set apart provisions for the Widow Shields & family for one year amend said order so as to set apart such additional articles which was done and rec’d by the Court and ordered to be recorded.

Came A MONTAGUE and D J JONES who was at a former term of this Court appointed commissioners to superintend the recovering of the Court house and report that on examination they think that the present Roof will do for several years to come with slight repairs which was received by the Court and ordered to be recorded and that the said Commissioners be discharged.

Came Thomas W HILL who was at a former term of this Court appointed Guardian of Augustus W BATT and reported to the Court the amount that has come into his hands as such Guardian verified by his oath which was received by the Court and ordered to be recorded.

Upon application of J.I.BIFFLE and others, it is ordered by the Court that L.L. MACK, Thompson MORGAN, Stephen BIVINS and Joseph EAST be appointed a Jury of View to view so as to change the Waynesboro and East Point Road so as to run with the line between the lands J.I. BIFFLE and H.H.HUNTER and that they report the same to the next term of this Court Isued Jan 10. 1850.

On motion to appropriate to W CARTER D J JONES and Jonathan MORRIS Poorhouse Commissioners the sum of fifteen Dollars each for theirservises Those who voted in the affirmative were LAFFERTY WILSON VOORHIES WATKINS HOPSON GRIMES 6 Noes BURNS MONTAGUE GANT SIMS and LEE 5 So said appropriation was made to be paid out of any monies in the hands of the Trustee not otherwise appropriated. Isued Jan 15, 1850

A Settlement between Wm JONES Clerk of this Court and Joacim DUGGAR Guardian of Wm M CROSSNO was this day presented to the Court and rec’d and ordered to be recorded

Monday Jan 7th 1850

A Settlement between Wm JONES Clerk of this Court and Joacim DUGAR Guardian of Sarah A CROSSNO minor heir of Jacob CROSSNO Dec’d which was received by the court and ordered to be recorded

A Settlement between Wm JONES Clerk of this Court and Joacim DUGAR Guardian of Malinda K minor heir of George CROSSNO Dec’d and was received by the court and ordered to be recorded.

A Settlement between Wm JONES Clerk and this Court and Joacim DUGGAR Guardian of the minor heir of George CROSSNO Dec’d was this day submitted to the Court which was received and ordered to be recorded

Ordered by the Court that John CLEMMENTS Jeremiah DOWDY Wm. L.T. EDWARDS an son Lawson SMITH?? H B V KING and John SMITH be added to the hands allotted to Charles PARKER to open a road of 2nd Class

Came James E McKNIGHT and others who was at former term of this Court appointed a Jury of View to view and mark out a road from Ashland to the Lawrence county Line and report a road found as directed in said order

Ordered by the court that Mw M HORTON be appointed overseer of the road of 2nd Class in the place of Allen FOX and that he have the hands in the same bounds to work under his direction Isued Jan’ 11th 1850

Ordered by the Court that John W YOUNGBLOOD be appointed overseer of the road of first Class and that he work the Waynesboro & East Port Road from the ford of the Creek at P M SATTERFIELDS to John LOYD and that he have the following hands to work under his direction to wit Allen SISK A R SISK Isaac HORTON, Jr. P. M. HORTON Isued Jan 14 1850

On Motion a majority of the justices being present the Court proceeded to lay the public taxes for the year 1850 for the county of Wayne as follows to wit for each poll fifty cents and for each hundred dollars worth of taxable property twenty three and a half cents and an privileges fifty per cent and the State tax.

The court proceeded to elect a chairman & quorum for said court for the present year when David J JONES was duly elected chairman of the court for the present year and said David J JONES William M LAFFERTY & James T?[or S] YOUNG were elected a quorum to hold the quorum courts for the present year.

Monday Jany 7th 1850

[the following entry crossed out] On motion to appropriate three dollars to John ROBNETT for furnishing 115 lbs of pork for J.J.BOYD a pauper of Wayne County the justices who voted in the affirmative are Chairman CARTER YOUNG LAFFERTY BURNS MONTAGUE WATKINS GANT & HOPSON yeas 8 noes none so said appropriation was made to be paid out of any moneys in the hands of the County Trustee not otherwise appropriated

On motion to appropriate to Washington CARTER Abraham MONTAGUE and David J JONES ten Dollars each for holding the Quoram Courts for the year 1849

Justices who voted in the affirmative are W. CARTER (Chairman) YOUNG LAFFERTY MONTAGUE GRIMES WILSON WATKINS GANT HOPSON yeas 9 Those who voted in the negative BURNS noes one So said appropriation was made to be paid out of any moneys in the hands of the County Trustee not otherwise appropriated Ised Jan 15, 1850

Came Samuel L BURNS Administrator wit the will anexed of Lemuel POPE dec’d and presented a supplemental report of assets which have come into his hands such as since his former Report which was rec’d by the court and ordered to be recorded

Matthew H BURKS [?] Guardian of the Minor heirs of David TILLMAN [?] came into Court and presented his report of the assets which have come into his hands as such which was received and ordered to be recorded

Ordered by the Court that John SHIPMAN be overseer of the Road of the 3rd Class in the place of Josiah YOUNGBLOOD and have the hands on the head of the creek above said SHIPMANs house Isued Jan 14, 1850

Ordered by the Court that Jesse DOWNING overseer of the Road of the 1st Class Leading from Waynesboro to [Mississippi-crossed out] East Port in the place of Benjamin KING removed have Isaac SHIPMEN Josiah YOUNGBLOOD P M SATTERFIELD L B GANT & hands in addition to the hands heretofore allowed to work under his directions Isued Jan’ 14 1850

Ordered by the Court that James ANDERSON and Abraham MONTAGUE be appointed commissioners to settle with County officers for the year A.D. 1850

Monday Jan’ 8th 1850

Ordered by the Court that W B SKILLERN be appointed overseer to open & keep up the road of 2nd Class from Ashland to the Lawrence County line as viewed and marked out by J. E. McKNIGHT & others and that he have the following hands to wit S C MITCHELL and hands J E McKNIGHT and hands, John STOCKARD and hands Jacob STRICKLAND Wm HOLLOWAY Isaac SURRATT Elias WHITE Wm C McBRIDE Wm H HILL Benjamin HARGROVE[?] James DURHAM Wm WILSON Sam’ HOLMES David SKILLERN James SURRATT Thomas W HILL A W BATTS E [?] ROSS Columbus ROSS Martin STAGGS and Nathan BIFFLE Jr’ to work under his direction Isued Jan’ 10th 1850

Came into Court James HOLLIS who was appointed administrator of the estate of Thomas GIST Dec’d and entered in to bond in the sum of two hundred dollars with John McDOUGAL his security Conditioned for the faithful purformance[sic] of said administration which was approved of by the Court and ordered to be recorded

Ordered that W CARTER Jonathan MORRIS and D J JONES be appointed Poorhouse Commissioners for the present year whereupon the said W CARTER and Jonathan MORRIS took the necessary oath for their qualification

Ordered that Court adjourn tell Court in Cours / / s / / A. MONTAGUE Wm M. LAFFERTY A.B.GANT

Court August 1849

Monday Aug 6th [9 crossed out] 1849
State of Tennessee Wayne County
Be it remembered that a Corum County Court was began and held for the County of Wayne at the Court house in the town of Waynesboro on the 6th [9th crossed out] day it being the first Monday in August in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and forty nine the following Justices present W CARTER Chr. MONTAGUE and JOBE his associates

  • Ordered by the Court that Little CHOAT and his hands be taken from C B McCULLEY and attached to the number of hands that works now under Sandy GUNTER and that Little CHOAT be appointed overseer in the place of Sandy GUNTER and have said hands to work under his direction Isued Aug. 14, 1849
  • Ordered by the Court that Thomas P. CASH be appointed overseer of the road of 2nd class in the place of John H. KELLEY and that he have the hands in the same bounds to work under his direction and that the said CASH & I W HORTON be added to the number of hands allowed to said KELLEY isued Aug 14, 1849
  • Ordered by the Court that George KYLE be appointed overseer of the road of 2nd Class in the place of Burrel WALKER and that he have the hands in the same bounds to work under his direction Isued Aug 14, 1849
  • Came John P VOORHIES and presented to the Court his Commission as Justice of the peace in Civil District No. 6 And took the necessary Oaths for his qualification
  • Came into Court Robert J CYPERT who has been appointed Deputy Sheriff by E H PUGH Sheriff of Wayne County and took the necessary Oaths for his qualification
  • Came into Court Isaac W HORTON Guardian of Martha Jane FISHER George W HORTON and Mary Ann HORTON and renewed his bond in the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars with Peter H HORTON and Thomas P CASH his securities which was approved of by the Court and ordered to be recorded

Monday August term 1849                                                                                                 Ordered by the Court that A J SPARKS be appointed overseer of the road of 2nd class in the place of C H LAFFERTY and that he have the hands in the same bounds to work under his direction Isued Aug 14 1849

  • Ordered by the Court that Elijah CROSNO Be appointed overseer of the road of 2nd Class [on the road crossed out] leading from Carrollville to Centerville and that he work from the County Line near Wm. S LEE‘s to the County Line and that he have the following hands to wit David MABRY, Thos. MABRY, Abraham MABRY, William HERRELL, Wilson HOLMES, Green GOODMAN, Andrew HALFORD, Wm. CROSNO, Henry CULP & hands and all hands in the same bounds to work under his direction
  • Came James H McLEMORE who was this day appointed Guardian of Joel McLEMORE dec’d and entered into bond in the sum of Four thousand dollars with James C WHITAKER and John WHITAKER his securities which was approved of by the Court and ordered to be recorded Where upon the said J H McLEMORE took the necessary Oath for his qualification
  • A settlement between Wm. JONES Clerk of this Court and Isaac W HORTON Guardian of Sarah C REEVES Martha J FISHER George W HORTON and Mary A. HORTON minor heirs of Wm. HORTON dec’d was this day presented to the Court which was received by the Court and ordered to be recorded
  • It appearing to the satisfaction of the Court that John N. SHIELDS late of said County is dead and having made no Last Will and testament in writing and the Widow having relinquished her right to Administration request James M RAMSEY to be appointed [and upon application of – crossed out] it is therefore Ordered by the Court that he the said James M RAMSEY have Letters accordingly whereupon the following Letters Isued to wit [here follows the standard recital of letters of administration]

Monday August 6th 1849
Letters of Administration for James M. RAMSEY on the estate of John N SHIELDS continued.

Where upon the said James M RAMSEY took the necessary Oath for his qualification

Ordered by the Court that John McDOUGAL Joseph EAST and L D MACK be appointed commissioners to allot and set apart to Mary H SHIELDS window of John N SHIELDS deceased [so much of the Stock one years – crossed out] provision sufficient for herself and family for one year from the death of her said husband and that they report the same to the next term of this Court Isued Aug 14, 1849

  • Ordered that Court adjourn tell Court in course //s// W. CARTER Wm. M LAFFERTY, James T. YOUNG

Short History of Collinwood

Written by the late Eva BURNS SMITH LUTTRELL


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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