Tag Archives: Rayborn

Court February 1851

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Monday Feb 3rd 1851
State of Tennessee Wayne County
Be it remembered that a Quorum [Quarterly- crossed out] County Court was began & held for the County of Wayne at the Court house in the Town of Waynesboro on the third day it being the first Monday in February in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and fifty one the following Justices present and presiding to wit D J JONES Chr. BARKER and MONTAGUE his associates

A settlement between Wm. JONES Clerk of this Court and William M GALLEGLY Guardian of Hannah K HOLT formerly H.K. MARRS was this day submitted to the Court which was confirmed and ordered to be recorded

A settlement between Wm. JONES Clerk of this court and Wm M GALLEGLY Guardian of John MARRS was this day submitted to the court which was confirmed and ordered to be recorded

A settlement between Wm Jones Clerk of this Court and Wm HAWK Admr. of the estate of E C RAYBORN dec’d was this day submitted to the Court which was confirmed by the Court and ordered to be recorded

Came George E HUCKABY and presented to the Court his Commission as Justice of the peace for the 12th Civil Dist. of Wayne County were upon the said HUCKBY took the necessary Oaths for this qualification

Came Lucinda KEATON who was this day chosen and appointed Guardian to Sarah A minor heir of Jacob A KEATON dec’d and entered into bond in the sum of one thousand dollars with John FUSON & William POLLARD her securities which was received by the Court [which was rec’d by the Court – crossed out] and ordered to be recorded whereupon the said Lucinda KEATON took the necessary oath for her qualification

Came James ARNETT who was this day chosen and appointed Guardian to Elihu B KEATON and entered into bond in the sum of one thousand dollars with John McDOUGAL and James ANDERSON his securities which was received by the Court and ordered to be recorded whereupon the said ARNETT took the necessary oath for his qualification

Ordered by the Court that the Sheriff of Wayne County summons a Jury to consist of not less than five nor more than twelve free holders to view the expediency of changing the first Class road near W J GRIMES on Hardin Creek and that they report the same to the April term of this Court Isued Febr 3, 1851

that he have the hands in the same bounds to work under his direction Isued Febr. 3, 1851

Ordered by the Court that Jas.? M.? DICKERSON [John TACKETT – crossed out] be appointed overseer of the road of 2d Class in the place of Abraham FOX and that he have the hands in the same bounds to work under his direction Isued Febr. 3, 1851

Ordered by the Court that Jonathan HOLLANDSWORTH be appointed overseer of the road of 2d Class in the place of Isaac GRIMES and that he have the hands in the same bounds to work under his direction Isued Febr. 3, 1851

Came J. N. BLACKSHEAR Guardian to Hannah P. BLACKSHEAR and renewed his in the sum of four hundred dollars with William M GRIMES and N F JOHNSON his securities which was approved of by the Court and ordered to be recorded

Ordered by the Court that Richard BALENTINE be appointed overseer of the road of 2d Class in the place of Benjamin MARTIN and that he have the hands in the same bounds to work under his direction Isued Febr. 3, 1851

[page 160]

Monday Febr. 3d 1851
James M RAMSEY et als Exparte Petition to lay of Dower and sell lands
Be it remember that this cause came on this day for hearing before D J JONES A MONTAGUE and G W BARKER Esqrs. Justices holding the County Court upon the petition of petitioners and the exhibits when by order of the Court this cause is referred to the Clerk & Master to take proof and report whether or not the heirs at law of said John N SHIELDS are correctly set out in said petition and whether or not it is necessary to sell said land to pay the debts against said estate and whether or not the said lands can be partitioned among the said heirs at law advantageously without a sale thereof and report to the present term of the court

James M. RAMSEY et als ex parte Petition for Dower and sale of land
Be it remembered that this cause came on for further hearing this day before D J JONES A MONTAGUE and G W BARKER Esqurs Justices &c. holding the County Court for Wayne County upon the petition exhibits report of the Clerk & Master and proof in the cause which report not being excepted to is confirmed when it appearing to the Court that the said heirs at law are the only heirs at law of said John N SHIELDS that said John N SHIELDS died seized and possessed of the interests in the lands as set forth in said petition that said Mary H SHIELDS is entitled to dower out of the same and that it is necessary that all of said lands subject to said dower should be sold first that so much of the proceeds thereof as may be necessary to pay the outstanding debts against said estate and for the payment of which said James M RAMSEY has in his hands no personal assets and secondly for petition of the interest of any remainder among said heirs It is therefore ordered adjudged and decreed by the Court that Jesse S ROSS Surveyor of Wayne County Joseph EAST & John R HELLAN
[HELTON ?} free holders and unconnected with the parties by affinity or consanguinity be appointed to allot and set apart to said Mary H. SHIELDS the one third in value of the whole of said lands the intere[sic] dowry interest to be laid off in one tract at such place as she may select so as to injure” the sale of said lands as little as may be and report the same with a plot thereof to the next term of this Court Isued Febr 5, 1851

[page 161]

no heading
It is further ordered and decreed by the court that William JONES the Clerk & Master of this Court be appointed commissioner who having executed his bond in the sum of one thousand dollars payable to David J JONES Chairman of this Court and his successor in office [ the State of Tennessee – crossed out] in conditioned for the faithful discharge of his duty as such commissioner and the payment of the proceeds of said lands as he may be hereafter directed by this Court with Wm POLLARD and C ACKLIN his securities shall proceed at the Court House in Waynesboro after having given thirty days notice of the time and place of sale by advertisement at the Court House in Waynesboro and three other public places in said County to sell said lands in such tracts a s he may think most to the interest of all those concerned to the highest bidder upon twelve months credit taking bonds with good and sufficient security for the purchase money thereof and retaining a lien upon said land respectively until said purchase money is paid and report to the next term of this Court after he shall have made such sale all other matters being reserved

Ordered by the Court that C.B. McLEAN Henry MORRIS John McDOUGAL A MONTAGUE & David J JONES or a majority of them be appointed Commissioners to examine in to the condition of the Jail in the Town of Waynesboro and the expediency of selling said lot and purchase elsewhere and the plan and that they report the same to the April term of this Court.

Came Robert C. MACK and tendered to the Court his resignation to the office of Constable for the 4th Civil District Wayne County which was received by the Court and ordered to be recorded.

Ordered that Court adjourn till Court in Course. // s // D J JONES Chair C.W. BARKER, A. MONTAGUE

[page 162]

Monday March 3d 1851
State of Tennessee Wayne
Be it remembered that a Quorum County court was began and held for the County of Wayne at the Court House in the town of Waynesboro on the 3d day it being the first Monday in March in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and fifty one the Following Justices present and presiding To wit) David J JONES Chairman LAFFERTY and BARKER his associates

Came James ARNETT Guardian of Elihu B KEATON and returned the amount that has come into his hands as such Guardian which was approved of by the Court and ordered to be recorded.

Ordered by the Court that Marcus COOK be appointed overseer of the road of 2d Class in the place of William GOFORTH and that he have the hands in the same bounds to work under his direction..Isued March 5th 1851

A settlement between S L BURNS Admr. of the estate of Lemuel POPE dec’d and William JONES Clerk of this Court was this day submitted to the Court which was confirmed by the Court and ordered to be recorded

A settlement between William JONES Clerk of this Court and W. W. GRIMES Guardian of the minor heirs of James GRIMES Dec’d was this day submitted to the Court which was confirmed by the Court and ordered to be recorded

Settlements between William JONES Clerk of this Court and George W BROWN Guardian to the minor heirs of George JEAN dec’d was this day submitted to the Court which was confirmed by the Court and Ordered to be recorded

Settlements between William JONES Clerk of this Court and David C McADOO Guardian of the minor heirs of Thomas CROSSNO dec’d was this day submitted to the Court which was confirmed by the Court and ordered to be recorded

A settlement between William JONES Clerk of this Court and Elizabeth CARTER Guardian to the minor heirs of David CARTER, dec’d was this day submitted to the Court which was confirmed and ordered to be recorded.


[page 163]

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 //
[page 2]
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 //
[page3]
______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 //
[page 4]
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.

[page 5]

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.

[page 6]

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 //
[page 7]
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.

{page 8]

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.

[page 9]

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.

[page 10]
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 –