Posts by MaryCarol

Austin Springs, Northern Weakley, a little East of Dukedom

Old Story about White Lightnin’ in Weakley County

Old POSTCARD – See beautiful postcard Austin Springs early 1900’s

3 articles on the history of Austin Springs.

Bunis Westbrook lived in Austin Springs and was my grandfather.  Chap Johnson was Bunis’s brother-in-law.  Clyde Johnson was Chap’s brother.  I visited my grandparents during the 50’s and remember the store and the barber shop.  One thing I remember about the store was they overstocked on shoes from the 30’s and they sat on the shelves and never sold.  The gas pump was always a gravity fed type pump and was still in operation in the 50’s.  The cream station went out of business in the 30’s when Pet Milk began buying milk directly from the farmers.  Bunis went to Fulton once a week to replenish the store with bread and feed.  I made that trip with him many times. Submitted by David Wilkins

From the Fulton Daily Leader, Fulton, KY Tuesday, February 1, 1983.
Austin Springs Rivaled Other Health Spas
by Ouida Jewell

Mineral waters of Austin Spring, Tenn, resulted in a boom town health spa in the 1800s and early 1900s.

The town was named for Chris Austin, who purchased the land and soon discovered the springs on it.  He shored up the sides of it and began telling his neighbors about his fortune.  About this time it was thought healthful to drink the reddish-like water, when one felt the twinges of illness, whether real or imaginary.  It was rivaled by springs resorts like Dawson Springs and Hot Springs, Ark.  In a very short time, ‘Boom’, and a new town!  Hotel, stores, campgrounds, lock-up jail, sawmill, grist-mill, barber shop, church, post office, lodge, saloon, blacksmith shop, etc.

People came for miles from Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Kentucky, many by train to Fulton (first known as Pontotoc).  They came by buggy, stage and horseback, staying for the weekend, or extended visits in the hotel, to drink the waters.

A town some 100 years ago, now gone, but the old curbing of one of the springs can be seen on the west side of Powell Creek.  Also, remains of the barber shop, an old house, and a deserted gravity gas pump.

Many Sundays, large crowds covered the campgrounds and it was quite an affair.  E.M. Coffman remembers as a boy attending and looking forward to seeing Ben Winston come driving up in his new shiny buggy, pulled by a fine bay horse.  Riding in the buggy would be his good-looking girlfriend, Ruby Henderson.  Ben was a sharp dresser and on of the most eligible bachelors of Dukedom, who wore his derby hat and spats and vest well.  But the whole point was that Ben, the merchant, brought sacks of peppermint candy which he would give to the boys and girls.  The campground and hotel was on the east side of the creek.  Not to be daunted by dust, nor high water when Powell Creek was out, boardwalks connected the hotel and the businesses.

On Sundays there were as many as 500 visitors.  And, for those that wanted drinks other than the red mineral waters, there was always plenty of “white lightning”.

The hotel was a two-story affair with balconies, rooms and a post office,  The last in the hotel was Dewey Ainley.  This magnificent structure burned in the 1930s.  The early town had a small jail house, and when brawls would break out, they had their own deputy sheriff or constable.  Tom Johnson, who owned one of the earlier stores, solved his own problems, chasing the brawler out with a plow point.  Tales have it there were shootings.  Seems that a young man’s mother heard shots one time and ran over where he lay dying.  She put his head in her lap and asked who did it.  He kept repeating in whispers his friend’s name, “Noah”, before he died.  Noah was never tried.

There was not only the hotel in the campground with the beautiful grove of trees, there were three stores, owned by Tom Johnson, (later Chap and Clyde’s), Fount Gibson and George Harris.  George sold ladies’ hats, caskets and groceries.  He was a kidder too.  Seems that when kids would come to buy sugar, he might send home clean white sand for the joke.  Fount Gibson also ran a general store.  Tom Johnson Store was a general merchandising store, handling groceries, dry goods, fencing, farm tools, shoes, overalls and later gasoline.  King Rose moved there in early 1900s for health reasons for his first wife, Kittie Mae, operating a store for a time.

K.M. Winston remembers this store vividly as he and H.H. Nelson hauled ice (300 pounds) there weekly on their ice route in 1934.  They also sold to the other stores.

Usually, a checker game was going.  He also remembers Tom Johnson, Clyde, Chap and their families coming to Knob Creek Church of Christ in their early model Buick touring car.  He also remembers their weekly trip through Dukedom in their 1928 Chevrolet truck to get their freight in Fulton.  Before then, he thinks they hauled freight by wagon, George Cherry being one of the early teamsters.  Austin Springs had a Baptist Church in town early known as Unity.  Later the church moved, changing its name to Salem which still exists.

More about Austin Springs on Wednesday’s society page.

The Fulton Daily Leader, Fulton, Kentucky, Wednesday, February 2, 1983

Railroad Coming Ended Austin Springs Dream
By Ouida Jewell

The following is an article about Austin Springs continued from Tuesday’s society page.

Now what about the name Unity?  When local folks first applied for a post office they were told another post office in Tennessee had already been given the name Austin Springs.  Sept. 25, 1889, was the date that the first postmaster, A.M. McGuire applied and was granted the name “Unity”, however, the town remained Austin Springs.  Postmasters were: A.M. McGuire, 1889-1893; Aaron W. Duke, 1893-1902; David A. Frields, 1902-1905.  They never had any local routes, and on discontinuance, it was served by a Dukedom route.

Clyde Johnson remembered a John Stone bringing mail by mule back.  Later by buggy and auto.  On the old application, which Horard Harris, the postmaster of Dukedom now has, Austin Springs was located nine miles south of Cuba, eight miles southeast of Pilot Oak, slightly southeast, five miles of Dukedom, seven miles north of Palmersville, Tenn., seven miles northwest of Elms Tree, Tenn. (Bumpus Store), eight miles southwest of Boydsville, Tenn., and two miles southeast of Foy.

Seems Foy was located near Knob Creek on the Kentucky-Tennessee state line.  This is where the first Knob Creek Church of Christ was established in 1832.

Not only Austins resided there, but other early names nearby were: Benjamin Farmer, Gibson, Murrel, Harris, True, Johnson, Frields, McGuire, Duke, Ainley, John Cavitt, Isaac and William Willingham, John Rogers, J.B. Davis, Peter Williams,.  Marcus Austin, John Stephenson, Bethel, John and Jane Sims, McClain, Bynum, Rickman and many others which are not omitted intentionally.

Early arrivals in the northeast corner of Weakly County, 1820, were Henry Stunston and wife, Elizabeth Hancock Stunston.  This was still part of Stewart County.  They came from the Palmeto State (S.C.).  The first white child born in Weakley County was born to Lewis Stunston and wife, Annie Simms.  This is according to Goodspeed History (1887).  Their location was about five miles northeast of Austin Springs.

The town had a barber shop, Bunis Westbrook cream station, Woodman of the World lodge, three groceries, blacksmith shop, Warren’s sawmill, and Frields grist mill in the 1930s.

The beautiful grove was lost due to flooding when it rained.  The springs rose, flooding the flat land, hence the board walks.  Only one store remained following World War II.  Last to run the store were the Rickmans, but it soon closed and they moved to Murray.  A family named Hall bought the town.

Nearby are the cemeteries: Acree, McGuire, Murrell, Harris, McClain, and Pinegar.

The dreams of making Austin Springs “the garden spot of the state” was lost with the coming of the railroads, highways, airlines and interstates.  The town continued to die, until now all is gone except the weeds.  The springs continue to flow.  No one going to the place now can imagine that once it was a booming spa.  Even the “medical” properties of this red water couldn’t save the spa, but the water
continues to bubble!

Much information for this article was given by Howard Harris, Clyde Johnson, Buddy Johnson, and K.M. Winston.

Article in the Dresden Enterprise, Dresden TN, Wednesday, July 27, 1983
much of this article appears to have been taken from the Fulton Newspaper

Although Northwest Tennessee has never been hailed as a tourist center in days gone by, right here in Weakley County, a small community by the name of Austin Springs was acclaimed far and wide as being the place to go to “get the cure for what ails ye.”

This was due to the fact that, at the time, (the late 1800’s through the early 1900’s) it was thought to be quite healthful to drink the water that flowed from a mineral spring there.

People came from, not only surrounding communities such as Dukedom and Fulton, but from as far away as Illinois and Missouri to receive the medicinal treatment that the iron-laden reddish water could provide.

According to a lifetime resident of the Austin Springs Community, Mrs. Ethel McClure, “for the first two or three days you drank the water, it had a funny taste, but after you got use to it, no other water tasted right.”

Mrs. McClure can also remember people bringing jars and bottles to the springs to get water to take home and drink.  The one person that Mrs. McClure recalls more vividly was Jim Cy Cavender of Dukedom, “He would come in to the springs in a horse-drawn wagon and fill up several jugs to take home.  It was the only spring water he drank.

Austin Springs was named after Chris Austin who purchased land in the early 1880’s and soon thereafter discovered the springs.  He bricked up the sides and then began telling friends and neighbors of the elixir-like effect of the water that flowed freely from the springs.  Today part of the curbing of the springs can still be seen on the west side of Powell Creek.  The water has found a new outlet.  It now flows openly into Powell Creek.

Shortly after Austin discovered the springs, a town began to emerge.  The people who had first come to visit the springs liked the area so well that many of them settled there.

The businesses in Austin Springs were Tom Johnson’s General Store, later operated by sons, Chap and Clyde; Fount Gibsons’ General Store; George Harris’ General Store, a barber shop operated by Charlie Vincent; a blacksmith shop and Gristmill operated by Clarence Berryman; a cream station operated by Bunis Westbrook.  There were also two hotels and a Woodman of the World lodge.  (The businesses listed above were not all in existence at the same time, however, it is agreed that the Johnson Store was in business longer than its competitors).

There was also a saloon, a “lock-up” jail, a post office, and a sawmill.

There was a Baptist church near Austin Springs that was named Unity.  That same church exists today under the name of New Salem, located about two miles southeast of Austin Springs.

As is the case of many “boom-towns,” Austin Springs began to fade.  With the coming of new highways and railroads, which bypassed Austin Springs, the town just couldn’t offer much to the outside world.

Although the springs continue to flow, one passing through cannot imagine that the space where the traces of decaying buildings and the tangle of brush and weeds now occupy was once a town.

Only one building intact is in the “city limits” now.  That building is the store that was operated by, first Ray Robertson and then Russell Hall, the present owner, who ran the store until going out of business in 1978.

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My grandmother had a large collection of postcards that were sent to her between 1910 and 1916.  Two of them identify towns in Weakley county.  One is Martin and the other is Austin Springs, although the writing says Austing Springs.  My grandparents lived in Austin Springs.

Submitted by David G. Wilkins

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Palmersville, Tennessee

Here are 2 links put up by Lee Bennett who works at UTM.  He has a web site called “Welcome to Lee’s Emporium” that has a lot of info on Palmersvile  – click on the items in left hand side http://www.utm.edu/staff/leeb/default.htm and here he has a map of the Villiage of Palmerville 1912 – 1924 http://www.utm.edu/staff/leeb/map.pdf

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Chestnut Glade Community – Northern Weakley County, TN

also see Chestnut Glade School under SCHOOLS section – more History & photos

TELEPHONES…IN CHESTNUT GLADE COMMUNITY Just when the Telephone came to our community is not certain but it is thought to have been right after 1900. The telephones wer first out of Fulton and each peron had to “keep up” his onw lines.  For some reason the Fulton lines failed in the eastern part of our community, perhaps due to decreased subscribers.  A line from Dukedom was brought in to service the affected areas.  But people wer still controlled by the roads, the roads by nature.  Through the years an early auto could be seen here and there but the horse and buggy or wagon was the mode of transportation.  The sutos could possibly manuver the dirt roads in the dry summertime.  After 1900 the major trade center was Fulton.  If a person was going to Martin, he said that he was going to Martin.  If he said that he was “going to town”, he was going to Fulton! This was an important market for area farmers for getting supplies and selling their products.  It was also where the housewives sold their eggs, butter, and cream.  As the depression continued, this became critical in some cases.  In a time when mothers sewed buttons on young sons jeans knees to discourage kneeling sports, thus saving garment wear, every penny was indeed important!Eggs and butter could be kept for a once a week trip, but cream had to be taken twice a week in order to get thecream bucket tagged.  This tag meant a higher price.  Without the tag, the once-a-week cream brought less because it was not as fresh.  Because of the road conditions, these weekly or twice-a-week trips to town took some planning.  Those with telephones stayed in contact.  Calls to check the roads were regular. Which was the best way to town right now?  By John KINDREDS? By Barnhart School?  The SMITH place?  After being advised they charted their course.  Simular situations continured in the latter 1930’s. This was progress! During the 1920’s truck peddling hacks traveled the area roads, usually coming by twice a week, weather permitting, to sell supplies.  Phil Parker, from Dukedom, had a hack as well as the blind Hillman Ivy out of Latham.  In later years many remember “Cheap John” who walked the roadways with his wares on his back. ELECTRICITY Due to the steadfaste, progressive drive and determination of the residents, our community was the first rual area in Weakley county to recieve electricity.  In 1938 the Harrises, Burkes, Brundiges, Milams, Lees, Rays and Taylors signed up fo rthe first line brought in around Ruthville.  Weakley County Electric Municipal System, which was formed in 1938, took over tis line, which had come out of Gibson County.In August of 1939, J. B. Nanney and Raymond McNatt worked to sigh enough subscribers to bring in another line.  This one came from Martin, through Campground, down Sandy Branch then to Palmersville.  This line basically opened up the entire Northern section of the county for electricity, as criss-crossing lines were connected over the years.  In July of 1940, J. B. Nanney signed up Chestnut Glade School, acting as the head of the building committee.In order to get a line, the company had to be guaranteed $8.20 per month per mile.  Most people signed up for from $1.50 to $2.00 per month.  Money was pretty scarce but the county made funds available to wire houses and buy electric equipment.  Individuals would borrow from this fund and repay in installments. Electricity brought about a better standard of living for many, as the wonder of a light bulb and an electric motor were put to use.  Methods of farming were also changing due to the increased farming equipment available, improved tilling practices, and advancement in transportation and access to market. Life rolled on in the community with each passing decade bringing a change in the way of life.  But one thing never changed, the cycle of life.  Older generations, and their life cycle, passed on; new ones, with new ideas, took their place. No grand claims are made about this ” Little corner of the World”.  It really is not necessary.  Our forefathers were simple, hard working people, the “grass roots” folks who helped build a nation.  Many may not have thought about our having a colorful history, but those who passed this way, were proud, indedpendent, stubborn, and perservering species.Many can reach back in memory and recall faces of older generations, and the special thoughts that accompany them.  Perhaps quaint habits, mannerisms, dress, or speech that were thought to be old fashioned, can be recalled.  One phrase remembered is using the word hope instead of help.   “I hope him milk”.  Many years would pass before it was realized that that phrase, along with many others, was the fast dying speech of pure Elizabethian English, which had passed from generation to generation, from England to Virginia and North Carolinia, and then to Tennessee.  It can be heard today only in isolated areas of the eastern states, from whence our ancestors came.These ancestors struggled to attimpt feats which would not evern be considered today.  Many left their former homes with oxen and loaded wagon, knowing full well they would walk most of the 500 or 600 miles to their destination.  Some had large families to care for, and in some cased, women gave birth on the trail.  Their course was charted for a land they had never seen, with knowledge that they would not, in their lifetime, enjoy the comforts of the life left behind.  It would take many generatons to soften the primitive land, to polish the crudeness, and attain a standard of living considered civilized.Some faltered and fell by the wayside, beaten by their dreams.  Others failed in their hope of land ownership, but their sons and grandsons succeeded.  Each passing generation faced the challenges placed before them as they strived to make life better for those who would follow. With pride and respect, we pay tribute to all those who passed this way!   Submitted by Pansy Nanny Baker

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Ore Springs, Weakley County, Tennessee

ABOUT ORE SPRINGS Prepared for Mr. Larry TODD  by Judge Finis J. GARRETT,  March 19, 1953Shared by John R. Oliver  The name of the locality was derived from William C. ORE who was my great grandfather; that is, he was the father of my Mother’s mother.He was born in East Tennessee, one of several sons of Joseph ORE who lived in Grainger County, Tennessee -somewhere near Rutledge.  I have a copy of the will of Joseph ORE from which it would appear that he owned considerable property.  Thinking you might find the will of some interest, I enclose a carbon copy of it.  I have the impression that he owned and operated a ferry on the Holston River near the point where the village of Strawberry Plains now stands.  I am sure that Joseph ORE, to whom I refer, was never in West Tennessee, but he did obtain from the State of Tennessee a grant of land on which Ore Springs is located – possibly, although I am not sure, for serviced in the war of 1812 – and by a deed executed January 29, 1827, he conveyed the land to his son William C. ORE  “for the sum of One Dollar……and also for and in consideration of the natural love and affection that the said Joseph ORE hath for his son, William C. ORE”.Should you be interested in seeing the deed you will find it recorded in the Register’s Office in Dresden, Deed Book A and B, page 126. The deed recites the conveyance of 640 acres but there were other claims to part of the land which resulted in some friendly litigation in Chancery Court.  In Deed book C, page 243, of the Register’s Office at Dresden, there is recorded a decree of the Chancery Court in a case styled David GILLESPIE vs Elizabeth ORE, widow of William C. ORE, which I suggest you read. From it you can obtain the names of several children of William C. and Elizabeth ORE and, perhaps, can better understand this paper.I am not certain as to the exact time when William C. ORE moved to West Tennessee and settled upon the land.  The deed was recorded July 25, 1827, which was the year in which the Weakley County “Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions” began to function.  When he did settle there he erected a house at about the place where the house in which the Telephone Office is located, or probably a few hundred feet northwest of that point.  I do not know how the road between Dresden and Paris – I suppose there must have been one – ran at that time, but west of the house which he erected there was a large spring which became somewhat noted for its abundance of fine water and, naturally, it was referred to as ORE’S SPRING.  As settlers came into the locality the location with its spring gradually became a community center.  When stage lines were established it became something of a “stopping place” for rest, feeding and watering the teams, etc, although I do not think any public hotel or “Tavern” as hotels were then called was ever established there.  It was centrally located in the civil district as the boundaries of District No. 6 then ran and so naturally became the voting place for the district.William C ORE had several children – four daughters and one son – as you may see from the court decree above referred to.  The son’s name was Joseph A. ORE.  I never knew him – he died several years before I was born – nor did I know the two older daughters.  The third daughter was named Mary Jane ORE. She was my Mother’s Mother and married a man by the name of Riley BAUGHMAN who migrated into Tennessee from Pennsylvania.  The youngest daughter was named Elizabeth for her Mother.  She married a man by the name of George LUCKEY who lived in Paris, Henry Co, Tennessee. One of her sons – Early LUCKEY – now past 80 years of age – lives in Paris and two of her Grandsons operate the hardware store which stands at the southwest corner of the public square in Paris [remember, this was written in 1953…MaryCarol]I think all of William C. ORE’S children were born in East Tennessee except Elizabeth.  She probably was born at Ore Springs.  If, when you happen to be in Paris, you will see Early LUCKEY, he can tell you how this was.I know that my grandmother, Mary Jane ORE was born near Tate Springs, (which a few years ago was a famous resort because of its mineral water) in Grainger County, Tennessee. Grainger is the only county in the state named for a woman – Mary GRAINGER – who became the wife of william BLOUNT, the territorial Governor of Tennessee.My grandmother was born, I believe, in 1826, and lived to become 82 or 83 years old.  I often heard her talk of her really life at Ore Springs.  Wild animals were numerous and she said that occasionally bears were seen about the spring.  One story which she had heard from her Mother that I often heard her relate was that her father began to “clear” land very shortly after he had settled on the place and at the end of his first day of clearing he said to the family, “Well, I have enough cleared for a burial place”.He died within a very few years – I think grandmother could barely remember him – and he was buried on the spot he had cleared that day.  His burial was the beginning of the graveyard which is just back of the store the Ed and Mrs ERVIN are operating [remember..this was written in 1953].  Many of his descendants are buried there and it was used by a number of other families in the community.  The graves of William C. ORE and others of the Ore family are in the northwest corner of the plot.Incidentally, I may say that a few years after the death of William C. ORE, his widow, my great grandmother, married a man by the name of TOMLINSON and became the mother of Lafayette TOMLINSON who was the father of many children, including Claud TOMLINSON, wife of Esquire Cosby NEWBERRY.In the course of time Joseph A. ORE, the only son of William C. ORE, purchased from the latter’s other heirs their interest in the land which William C. ORE left, and became its sole owner.  You will find the deed to him recorded in the Register’s Office at Dresden in Deed book N, page 208.  The deed bears the date of June 3, 1856.I may say that I find in my notes reference to a deed made by Joseph A. ORE to Hiram ALEXANDER, dated March 13, 1845 – recorded in Deed Book G, page 160 – in which ORE conveyed his interest in the land to ALEXANDER, Who married Joseph A. ORE’S oldest sister. Joseph A. ORE married a lady by the name of Virginia FUZZELL.  Her parents were buried near the home which PARHAM recently bought from HAWLEY, and the FUZZELL’S may have lived on that place.  I think of it as the George SIMMONS place because I so knew it when I was a young boy.  It adjoins the Old Garrett place on the south which I now own.No children were born to Joseph A. ORE and wife Virginia.  She survived him many years and I remember her very well.  My Mother was named for her and was her favorite niece.I have understood that Joseph A. ORE had a fair education and was a reasonably good business man who did considerable writing of simple business papers.  I think he was a Notary and that he served for a time as Justice of the Peace.He built a nice home on the site of the original settlement but it burned shortly after it was completed and he died before he had the opportunity to rebuild.  What had been the “smoke-house” was remodeled and occupied as the dwelling house for long years thereafter.He also built a log home on the part of the land which lies east of the residence where Herman HEARN – who now owns the land – now lives and it was occupied at the time of the Civil War by my grandmother and here husband, Riley BAUGHMAN.  I was born in that log house, my grandmother having continued to live there for many years after my grandfather’s death.  He was a Union Soldier and died of pneumonia at Paducah, Kentucky in 1864, while in military service. He is buried in the family plat there at Ore Springs.Five Children were born to my maternal grandparents – three daughters and two sons.  The oldest daughter, Ann BAUGHMAN, married Dr. J. F. ALLMAN, who was the grandfather of “Shon” CAMPBELL and Carey FOSTER.  The second daughter, Louise BAUGHMAN, married a man by the name of RINEHART who eventually moved to Union City. She is buried in Union City.  The Third daughter, Virginia BAUGHMAN, was my Mother. She married my Father, Noah GARRETT, in September 1874.  She was born in October, 1853 and died April 1937. She is buried at Dresden.  The oldest son was named Eustace Porter BAUGHMAN. He is buried in the family plat at Ore Springs.  He was next to Mother in age.  The youngest son was Edward BAUGHMAN.  He lost his life in 1880 in a fire which destroyed the store building in Paris where he was employed as a clerk.  He was about 21 years old.  Only a portion of his body was recovered.  Burial was in the family plat at Ore Springs. Sometime after the death of Joseph A. ORE’S widow, who, of course, had a life estate in the land, my uncle E. P. BAUGHMAN, acquired the interest of all the heirs of Joseph A. ORE – I think mainly in separate deeds.  They are all recorded in the Register’s Office at Dresden. After the death of my uncle, who left two minor children – both girls – his widow, acting for herself and as guardian for the children, negotiated a sale of the entire farm to the late Mr. Bob HEARN and the trade was ratified by decree of the Chancery Court.  I was clerk and Master of the Chancery Court at the time and it is my recollection that in my official capacity I executed a deed to Mr. HEARN for registration.I think Mr. HEARN, before his death, had sold that part of the “ORE”  land west of the old Dresden and Paris road as it ran before the present highway was constructed, and in the division of his lands among his children after his death, all the remainder of it was allotted to Herman HEARN who now owns it [in 1953]The foregoing is the history of the title as best I can give it.  I do not know who owns the land were the Spring was.  The Spring disappeared many years ago.  As best I can remember it was located about 100 yards from the creek bank near the center of a lot,  beautifully shaded with large trees – many of them oaks.  The last time I noticed the plat it had become almost a swamp.  The Spring, of course, emptied into the creek through a ditch the banks of which were always kept cleared of bushes and weeds.  It was really a lovely spot and I never think of it with regretting its deterioration. STORES  I am not sure whether Joseph A ORE had a store on the place.  It seems to me that I was told that he did.  If he did, one might find some record of it on the old tax books or County Court records during the period from 1845 to his death.  I never heard of any store being there prior to his ownership of the land.I can dimly recall the building of the first store I actually knew about.  It was erected by my Uncle, E. P. BAUGHMAN, sometime in the early 1880�s.  It was built on the spring lot adjacent a house in which he lived at the time.  That was before the death of Aunt Virginia, the widow of Joseph A. ORE.   He did business in that store for several years and it was in it that the Post Office of Ore Springs was established.  Its patrons were drawn from the Post Offices of Como, Gleason and Dresden.  It continued for many years but finally was abolished when Rual Delivery took care of the patrons.I have forgotten just when my uncle quit doing business in the first store he erected.  We moved away from the farm in 1889 and, while I was often back there, details have escaped my recollection.  I know that Mr. Dave TERRELL had a business in the building and lived in the residence for some time, but dates have escaped me.  He was in business there when my uncle died.  I imagine there are many neighbors about there who can give you more definite information about that.  I rather think that Mr. TERRELL sold out to Will BRAGG, a brother of Mrs. Maggie ALLMAN whose husband was the son of Dr. J. P. ALLMAN mentioned previously.  Sometime after I began to come to Washington as a Member of Congress, BRAGG’S place of business and the residence were completely destroyed by a storm, and his wife, who was a Miss GLASGOW – sister of Mrs. Walter SMITH and Miss Willie GLASGOW – was killed outright.  I was in Washington when that cyclone occurred and read of it in the Washington papers.Sometime before Mr. TERRELL sold his business, my uncle erected a building on the east side of the old Dresden and Paris road and was doing business in it at the time of his death.  As Administrator of his estate, I sold his stock of goods to Mr. TERRELL. I think that building was not seriously hurt by the storm which destroyed those just across the road from it, and it is my understanding that it was moved up to the new highway and that it is the building in which the ERVINS are now doing business [in 1953] MILLS  Jane’s Mill had been erected on the Middle Fork of the Obion River between Ore Springs and Gleason before I was born, or at least it was there as far back as I can remember, and the JANES family was living nearby the mill site.  The mill pond was a large one and was enjoyed by many fishermen.However, Janes had a mill on Thompson Creek which I think was about a mile up the Creek from Ore Spring.  It is my understanding that the Jane’s home, when the mill was there, was located on the north side of the old Paris-Dresden road (it being also the new highway) just beyond the graveled road which runs north to and beyond the place where Avis TODD lives.  Mrs. George NEWBERRY Sr., is, I think, the last survivor of her generation of the JANES family.  I have no doubt she could have given you much more interesting information about the two mills that I am able to give. CHURCHES  I think Thompson Creek Church is the oldest church in the locality of Ore Springs.  My maternal Grandmother, Mary Jane BAUGHMAN, was, I think, a charter member of it having joined in organizing it.  I think it was organized at the home of a man by the name of Jesse ALEXANDER [Angus Alexander]who lived at the place that Layfayette TOMLINSON subsequently acquired and which the late Wade LOVELACE, of Como, owned ast the time of his death.  I know that the church itself had it centennial many years ago.I do not know just how old the Olivet organization is, but feel reasonably certain that it was in existence before I was born in August, 1875.  There was a schoolhouse there for many years and I used to go to it when visiting my ALLMAN cousins.  I do not think the Eagle Hill Church and School was ever very closely identified with the Ore Springs locality.  It was more closely identified with Cottage Grove and Como.  The only school I ever attended at Eagle Hill was a ten-day writing school.Jolly Springs Church was made up largely of persons who had been members of Thompson Creek Church.  It was organized about the time we moved from the farm.  Courtney POWERS can tell you much more about it than I can.A church of the Christian denomination was built a mile or two west of Ore Springs on the old Dresden and Paris road during the time the late Dr. Ira TATUM was living – I think, were Don WEBB now lives.  If I remember aright, the Church building was destroyed by a cyclone (I may have it mixed with some other episode), and was never rebuilt.The New Hope (Cumberland Presbyterian) Church is also a very old organization.  It was there at its present site when I can first remember.The ones I have named are, I believe, the principle ones that my be regarded as being particularly identified with the Ore Springs locality. SWITCHBOARD  I note that you inquire about the switchboard.  I do not recall the time at which it was installed, but it was many years ago.  I am not now sure that I had ever actually heard of telephones at the time we moved from the farm to Gleason in 1889.  Certainly, I had never talked on one, and that makes me think of one episode which occurred just a few years ago.  When I am away from Washington on vacation, I keep the clerk of our court advised of my whereabouts so that he can reach me by letter, or telegram, or telephone at any time it is made necessary by the business of the Court.  A few years ago, I had some men working on the farm up near the house – refer to it as the cabin – located on the southwest corner of the old Garrett farm in which cabin I was raised, and I was out with them.  I had left word at Dresden that I could be reached through the Ore Springs exchange.  The Marshall of the Court called me and I answered from the phone in the cabin.  I believe Arnice SUMMERS was living there at the time.  We had the conversation, and at the moment I thought nothing of it, but as I went back to the field I began to think what a near miracle science had wrought in the space of a few years and what changes had come into my life.  If any one had told me, when I was a knee-britches boy playing around that cabin, that someday I would stand inside it and talk to an organization in Washington, D.C., of which I would be a member, I imagine I would have regarded such a person as being (if you will excuse a slang expression) �out of his head� and a fit subject for a mental examination. OLD CITIZENS  You also suggest that something be said about some of the oldest people.  Of course, I, as a boy, knew a great many who were older than I am now, and if my age and the age of one of those were added together, end to end, so to speak, the two would cover a space of much more than a century.  I realize now, however, that many of those whom I then thought of as being old were, in fact, not more than middle-aged.  I can think of many whose descendants still live in the community – such as Rev Loss SUMMERS, �Uncle� Jeff ALEXANDER, and the sainted “aunt Becky” Mr. “Billy” TAYLOR (father of John, Lon and George), Mr. Abner POWERS (father of Henry and Rev John and others) Esquire George NEWBERRY, Mr. Pinkney BUNTIN, Mr. George SIMMONS (some of the BRUMMITTS at Gleason descended from him), Mr. Tom OLIVER, Mr. Rance OLIVER, Mr. Ben OLIVER, Mr. Ed JANES, Mr. Jim JOLLEY (for whom Jolly Springs Church was named), Mr. Milton WEBB (Don’s father), Mr. COX (the father of Mrs Bob HEARN), Mr. George HEARN (Bob’s father), Esquire Tom FOSTER (Carey’s great grandfather).I remember all of those named, and doubtless will think of others later.  I know some of the characteristics of each of them but it would unduly lengthen this already too lengthy paper to review them.Washington D. C.  March 19, 1953Finis J. Garrett

More about ORE SPRINGS…..By Joyce (Martin) Case. Herbert and Mary Thomas (Summers) Martin bought the Ore Springs general store and land it was on on the Dresden/Paris highway from Bob and Julia Hearn in (I believe l933/34 and sold it in l94l/42 to Wiley and Lillie Owen. When we (parents and children James, Charles and Joyce) lived there Herman Lee and Mable Hearn lived across the road and Mr Bob and Mrs Julia Hearn lived across and down the road that the spring was on .  We carried water from that spring to drink, cook, wash etc.   B.T. and  Maggie Curtis and familly (black family that worked for the Hearns) lived across from the spring.  Coat and Maggie Powers and family lived behind the store and cemetery(which was almost grown over with honeysuckle at that time) and operated the switchboard there in their house.  Central school was about l mile east and l/4 mile south of the highway.  When I started there in l933 it was a two year high school.  It had only 8 grades when I finished there in l94l. About l/4 mile west on the highway Curtis and Mamie Peery family lived and just east of them Don Webb family lived.  Some time during the time we lived in the store Elmer Miller built and operated a general store just about l/8 of a mile west and on the north side of the road from us.  Jolly Springs Missionary Baptist, New Hope Presbyterian, Olivet Methodist were the Churches in that area. When we left the store we bought land and moved about l/8 mile west of the store between Millers store and Curt Perry on the north side of the road.  We lived there until l946 when my mother died and we moved to Michigan that summer.

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Map – Catfight Area along Hwy 54 Greenfield – Dresden, Weakley Co., TN

Map shows Route 54 which runs between Greenfield and Dresden, to the NNE. In reality, it isn’t quite as straight a line as shown here. This highway was built is the 30’s by the CCC, I believe. Prior to that the road from Greenfield to Dresden meandered all over the place. The Hern road, which is shown, is part of the original road before the new highway went through. Among many of the places shown on the map are Mt. Hermon Church (by the corner of Route 54 and the Hern Road) and the Oak Grove School which is on the Hern Road. Mt. Hermon is maybe 5 miles outside Greenfield.

Submitted by Jim Gossum

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Written by John Holt

Long past and almost forgotten is the town and legend of Mulberry, Tennessee. A small settlement that once existed until shortly after the Civil War. It was located in Weakley County, Tennessee directly where the Meridian Line crosses the old Jackson-Paris road. A road that was once used by the Union Army to move soldiers and supplies to the deep south during the Civil War. 

Mulberry consisted of several public establishments and may have been populated with over one hundred residents during it’s prime years. There was never a Post Office and there’s no record or evidence where it was an official stage stop. However, the Jackson to Paris stage line ran right through the heart of it. 

The settlement was named Mulberry because of a large mulberry tree that stood in the center of the settlement. A Negro man was once hanged on one of the branches and afterwards large curly knots resembling a Negro’s head grew on the sides of the old tree (Dr. Elinor once had one of these knots cut from the tree and he used it as a doorstop in his office). The mulberry stood in the front lawn and north of old Mulberry Schoolhouse.  This was one of the first, one-room log school building built in Weakley County. It was a community school and existed before any state or county education systems was established. The old building sat directly on the Meridian Line and faced north. The well was a dug well and was located a few yards south and was used for watering large quantities of animals occasionally, and also furnished water for the school. 

North of the big mulberry tree was Smithson’s Cotton Gin, powered by a “tromp wheel” using cattle rounded up from open range. This operation was run by Samuel P. Smithson, his wife Elizabeth (Earls) and their family.  Sam was born here in 1833 and raised here and had nine children, all received a good education at Mulberry School. 

 William M. “Billy” was the oldest (born about 1853/54) and a graduate dentist, he married Ella Ford (daughter of Jonathan Fletcher Ford and Martha Jane McAlister). John “Jackie” never married and died about 1936; Martha; Gus “Bud” was the best veterinarian in the entire area and a practicing attorney,; Nancy, first married “Coon” Ketcham and later married a Mr. Williams; M. Ella married D. Scott Robertson, Thomas probably never married; Alecia “Leecy” married H.S. “San” Hubble,; and Maggie. 

The family owned a considerable amount of land and their acreage in one tract was estimated to have been four miles long. Some of the land was inherited from Sam’s father W.M. Smithson and the family added to his original acreage. 

This old settlement then known as Mulberry was most likely established on William M. Smithson’s land. He was born in 1796 in the state of Virginia, married his wife Elvira and was a veteran of the War of 1812. Some of the Smithson acreage came as payment for the services he rendered during that war. However, he was already a resident of this settlement in 1833. 

When “Bud was a young man he worked at the Smithson Gin, hauling cotton seed to a field fenced off with chestnut rails. Wearing only a long shirt (or dress) he rounded up bull calves from the open range, hitched them to a cart and hauled cotton seed from the Gin and scattered them on Smithson land for fifteen cents a day. 

West of the old mulberry tree was located a brick kiln. Not much information is available about this operation, although it was thought to have been operated by Nancy Smithson’s family. It was on the farm later purchased by Logan Argo. 

Just east of Mulberry Schoolhouse stood Sheepskin Shelter. A community church where big meetings and occasional services were held by all religious denominations. Traveling ministers then called “Circuit Riders” would fill the air with peaceful bliss as well as hellfire and damnation.  Sheepskin Shelter had a bungalow roof and it was supported by long posts, pickets aligned the outer walls to keep open range cattle out, the two doorways segregated the gentlemen from the ladies and a crude pulpit stood on the earthen floor covered with tanned sheepskins. 

The heart of the Mulberry Settlement was the old Camptown Racetrack, where the rich race horse owners gathered with their trainers and special riders to bet their money and participate in this gentlemen’s sport. Large crowds assembled here as they followed the racing circuit of Camptown Racetracks across the south. This track was acclaimed “the finest in seven states”.  It was the only one of the Camptown tracks of crescent design and the start/finish line was directly south of Mulberry Schoolhouse. It Made a semi-circle that ended about half a mile southwest of the starting point,  following the crest of a ridge all the way allowing good water drainage.  Several Camptown tracks existed in the southern states and always large crowds 
gathered to watch good horse racing between the wealthy. 

A very interesting story about the old track was often told by “Bud” Smithson. This story or legend relates to events that took place just prior to one of the big races, and was told as follows:   “One day just before a big race, a Gypsy wagon pulled by a number of good horses arrived with a cart in tow. The cart contained a big Arabian racehorse belonging to a Gypsy and he was one of the famous Cooper Brothers. There was thought to have been three of these brothers that followed the racing circuits always betting large sums of money and almost sure to win. 

After this race Cooper would return to the Gypsy colony and the long drawn out marriage ceremony would take place between him and his bride, followed by festivities for several days. But there was a big race that had to be run (if not won) before the wedding festivities began. 

Cooper bet his gold on winning the race, then buried all $50,000.00 in a brass chest along with a fine diamond engagement wedding ring he had already purchased for his bride and a gold pocket watch set with diamonds. 

The next day it began to rain, but there was a lot of getting ready that had to be done before the race. The stables were located west of Mulberry Schoolhouse on the south side of the old Jackson-Paris Road. The big Arabian had been shod with extra heavy shoes to condition him before the race. After the rain stopped, Cooper asked his trainer to give the horse a run or two on the track, but the trainer refused stating it was too dangerous to run this animal at full speed on the wet, slick track and muddy racetrack. So Cooper saddled up and was off at full speed on the slick track when the horse slipped and fell. Cooper was hit in the head by one of the heavy horse shoes, his skull was crushed and he died without ever regaining consciousness.

None except Cooper knew where the gold had been hidden. Cooper was buried a short ways northeast of the big mulberry tree (and his grave site was still visible in the early 1940’s).” 

For years to come the Cooper Gypsy Caravan came, camped and searched for the buried gold, but never found it. It was on a night during one of the Gypsy Caravan’s visits that “Bud” Smithson doctored a sick animal for them when he learned in full detail about the Cooper tragedy. Although, he had already heard about the incident from his father. 

In the early 1940’s “Bud” Smithson sold his timber to “As” Michael, a timber buyer from Trimble, Tennessee. While they were walking the woods discussing the terms of sale, they came upon Cooper’s grave and “Bud” told “As” Michael the story. For years during World War II, when gas was rationed and tools hard to buy, Mr. Michael, Mr. Bailey and Mr. DeLaneycame once or twice every week to dig for the buried treasure. Several Sunday 
 afternoons they brought expensive money needles and psychics to find the exact location of the gold. One night they came and dug awhile, then left in a hurry, leaving behind everything. Tools were scattered at the digging site and several were left in Ulus Holt’s barn. They never returned after that night, whether they found the treasure or were frightened away was never known. 

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Jonesboro Community, Weakley County, Tennessee.

Davy Crockett Story ….

Much of the following information about Jonesboro is from articles written by Roy Whicker in 1912, and many years later in the 1940’s.

The little town of Jonesboro was located about 1/4 mile east of Meridian Church.  In about 1840, a man by the name of Billy Jones moved to the hill that is now called Jonesboro and established a store there, (this man was probably William N. Jones). It soon began to be called Jonesboro.  Shortly thereafter other businesses were added and Jonesboro became a thriving little town. There were general merchandise, groceries, saloon, hatters shop, blacksmith shop, and a copper smith. There were also several houses on the hill.

Jonesboro was the district voting place. According to legend David Crockett, James K. Polk, and other great statesmen have made political speeches there. It seems that all went well for the town of Jonesboro until about the time of the Civil War. After that, it started to go down.  Maybe it was the war or maybe it was the first railroad in Weakley County that started it’s downfall. 

The Nashville and North Western Railroad was built through what later became Gleason and Dresden in about 1860. Later this road became the L &N. Roy Whicker said that he was told by the old timers that the soil on Jonesboro was once rich and fertile; Now some of it is very badly eroded with deep gullies. Mr. Whicker also said that many years ago Logan White had a fur hat made out of opossum fur on display at the Dresden fair and this hat was made in Jonesboro by the great hat maker, a Mr. Thomas. 

There is a copy of an estate settlement by the heirs of John Drewry made in 1863. Several tracts of land are mentioned and one of these is a lot located in the 15th Civil District of Weakley County in the suburbs of the city of Jonesboro and contains 2 acres and 145 poles (or approximately 2 3/4 acres). About all that is left of the town of Jonesboro is a few pieces of broken brick from the chimneys of long ago. 

Looking northward from Mulberry, one could see the land begin a gradual rise, and another old settlement was established at the crest of this rolling hill. It was known as Jonesboro, Tennessee. The little Settlement of Jonesboro was established before the Civil War by Bill Jones. It had a Post Office and the Postmaster was John E. Halford. The location was perfect, being about mid-way between Winston (a town on the Obion River’s Middle Fork) and Christmasville on the old Christmasville-Dresden Road. It was due east of present Meridian Church and Cemetery. 

This small settlement thrived for a time, the first saloon in Weakley County was built here and Rasmus Emerson Holt was the last proprietor and bar keep. His wife Mattie Lollice Holt died in late December of 1960 (91 years old) and had kept an old brown stone crock and mug once used to serve drinks at the Jonesboro Saloon. This beautiful community had an abundance of large chestnut, beech, oaks, poplar and hickory trees occupying it’s majestic slopes and cattle running on free and open range would congregate here during Indian Summer to eat the mesh and lick the salty earth. When the owners of the stock wanted to round up their cattle they always knew to come to Jonesboro. 

 There was a small cotton gin in the area operated by Andy and Roland Galey. The machinery consisted of three ginstands, powered by a mule similar to early sorghum mills. Roland H. Galey was Postmaster of Shieldsburg in 1848. It was located due north of Jonesboro. 

It must have been beautiful in late autumn when all the trees burst into full color, bordered with gray chestnut rail fences. Mr. Preston Knott said he could remember his grandfather telling him that old people once thought the haze of Indian Summer was caused by the Indians burning off the woods to find chestnuts. 

More on Jonesboro and Davy Crockett  
From the book “A History of Skullbone Tennessee” By Earnest Ray Pounds  
The one legged lawyer was Adam Huntsman.

Crockett came to Jonesboro, and he was running against this one legged lawyer from Jackson for congress. The one legged opponent was quite an orator, and David could not speak a “lick.” One of the Stouts – it might have been old man Levi – ran a saloon. The bar was built up with slats with cracks between them. In those days a coon skin or any sort of a fur went like a silver dollar. 

Old Davy sensed that this crowd would rather have a drink than hear his speech, and he borrowed a rifle and went out into the woods. In those days there were thousands of acres of woods infested with all kinds of game, and it was not long until he killed a coon and skinned it and called everybody up to the bar and they all had a drink, and the bar tender took the hide and threw it behind the bar, and the tail of the skin stuck out through a crack. 

After a while, he sensed that the crowd needed another drink. He did not have another cook skin, and he saw this ones tail sticking out, and he takes it and throws it upon the bar and treated everybody again paying for same with the same coon skin. The store-keeper never did know that he had been gypped. So his opponent got about two votes in the whole county and David got all the rest. After he went to Congress, he sent the store-keeper the money and told him what he had done.

Submitted by Joe Stout

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Flytown Community, Southern Weakley County, TN

Written by John Holt

Flytown was located on the northern most section of Gibson County, Tennessee, a small area lying north of the Obion River’s South Fork that will later be swapped to Weakley County for a portion of Weakley County situated south of the Obion River at China Grove. Well known by local historians as the Flytown-China Grove Exchange. However, the small community of Flytown got it’s name from the Elisha Fly, Jr. family, being one of the pioneer families of the entire area. 

Elisha,  Jr. married Elizabeth Reed, a full-blooded Cherokee Indian in North Carolina. He and Elizabeth had lived in Northampton County, North Carolina on Kirby’s Creek. They sold this property consisting of 85 acres of land to James Barnes of Southampton County, Virginia and it was proved in summer court of 1796. Then Elisha, Jr. purchased 180 acres of land in March of 1796 in Davidson County, Tennessee and sold parts of this tract to his brothers John and Jermiah and others. Then Williamson County, Tennessee was removed from Davidson County leaving his acreage on Mill Creek now in Williamson county. In the year 1807 John and Jeremiah sold out and moved from Mill Creed to the Duck River in Maury County, Tennessee.Elisha, Jr. sold 74 acres on Mill Creek to John Winstead prior to September 1803 and remained on Mill Creek in 1810, then he was listed as serving in the Militia Company of Captain Barnes in 1812. He remained in Williamson County, Tennessee until after 1820. He came to Gibson County (Now Weakley County), Tennessee (Flytown) between 1820 and 1830. 

Elisha sold to his son-in-law, Henry Capps, 200 acres of the Flytown homeplace and sale was proved by Solomon Sedwick on January 22, 1827. In October of 1838 Elisha gave his son, John Richard Fly 84 acres and 11 poles on the north side of the Obion River’s South Fork in the 12th Surveyor District. John Richard Fly later sold this tract of land to his brother-in-law, William Capps in 1840. Parcels of this land lay in Weakley County and Carroll County, and the bottom land consisted greatly of heavy virgin timber. 

 Jeremiah N. Fly, son of John Richard Fly resigned as Constable of Carroll County, Tennessee on April 1, 1839 and on April 5, 1839 he was released from overseer on road and William Capps was appointed to replace him.  Jeremiah was preparing to move west to Barry County, Missouri where he later became Sheriff of said county. 

Solomon Sedwick was deceased in August of 1839 when Elisha geve 185 acres in Weakley County, Tennessee to his daughter Fannie Pentelope Fly Sedwick and her children.  Elisha Fly, Jr. made his last will and testament, signing it the 28th day of September 1840 and died before the end of that year. He was buried on the old Fly homeplace in a family cemetery later called the “Snellgrove Graveyard” for some unknown reason. (This land at a later date was owned by a man named Snellgrove.) 

William Capps died in July of 1851 at the age of 55, his wife Lucy Fly Capps had preceeded him in death in January of 1849. Their oldest son Henry Washington Capps died August 7, 1861 as a result of wounds sustained in the “Battle at Wilson’s Creek” during the Civil War. He was also 55 years old, the same age his father when he died. He was survived by his wife Nancy Grooms Capps. 

Before Elisha Fly, Jr. settled here the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee had already declared the South Fork of the Obion River navagable for river boats. This act of 1824 made it possible for Ray & Stafford to establish a profitable boat manufacturing enterprise. It soon became the leading (and only) industry in Flytown. John Ray and William Stafford built flat-boats where Bear Creek then flowed into the Obion River, this was an ideal place to locate their dry dock. 

There was a Port-of-Call in this same area. Argument can and has been made as to whether it was called “Bear Port”, “Fly Port” or “Capps Port”. It seems to have been called “Capps Port” since Bear Creek emptied its waters at a place on William Capps property known then as the “Capps Slough”.

It is said that Davy Crockett gave Bear Creek it’s name. (About one mile north of Staffords store there was a beech tree that had the following carved on the trunk “D. Boone killed a Bar” followed by a year date. This tree stood until abt. 1950’s. Davy lived downstream from where Bear Creek intersected the Obion River, constantly hunting in the Obion River bottom. During one of his hunts he killed a bear on the bank of a little crooked branch, and always called this stream his little Bear Creek. 

Down river a short ways was “Mitchell’s shanty” where river boats docked and unloaded cargo. “Mitchell’s Shanty” was most likely the port in which Flytown received most of its wares. It was more accessable than the other port and a little nearer to the Flytown settlement it was located almost exactly where the new Bear Creek channel now intersects with the Obion River’s New Channel. 

Flytown was beginning to thrive now since there were more and better roads, not to mention the river traffic. It reached such proportions as a blacksmith shop, a millinery shop, a cooper, Goodlow School where children were taught the “Three-R’s” in a one-room log schoolhouse. The building was also used for the Missionary Baptist congregation to worship before they built their new church building. Goodlow School was located on Capps land that once was part of the Elisha Fly land, just southwest of the Flytown Settlement. 

At one time Flytown was referred to by some as “Mt. Airy” and “Little North Carolina” because most all of it’s inhabitants had relocated here from North Carolina. When the first one-room log school house was constructed it was located on land later known as the Oscar Galloway place and named Mt. Airy school. Eventually there was three different locations for Mt. Airy school. Each time a new school building was located in the heart of the Mt. Airy gullies on the north side of the Flytown-Christmasville road.   It was a two-room wooden frame building with a bungalow roof. Fund raising events for the school included big name entertainers (radio personalities) Eddie Arnold, Angelena and other top local entertainers with good country and western musical shows. Local citizens performed “Negro Minstrels” and comedy plays. The third and final location was less than a mile from the second site, still in the gulley area. Sometimes there were local country musicians getting together as a band and played for square dances and cake walks at this location. Mt. Airy School closed in the late 1940’s and the children were bussed to city schools. Luther Stafford bought the last school house, removed it from the premises and reconstructed it into a dwelling house at a place near the old site of Goodlow School. 

The general store at Flytown was now the heart of the settlement, located on the south-west lot at the cross-roads. Mr. Peck was the proprietor of the store and the community then became known as “Peck’s Store”. Mr. Peck added a grist mill at the back of the store making the settlement a life-line for the entire Flytown Settlement. 

Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church was officially established on August 17th, 1893 in it’s new one-room church building. The land was donated by Calvin T. Capps and J. M. Cochran. At one time it was more commonly known as “Goodlow Church” since it’s early congregation met at the old Goodlow schoolhouse. It has constantly grown in size and membership reaching almost 300 members. 

Church records provide us with a deacons list: Elbert W. (Ebb) Stafford; Oscar Galloway, 10/33; Herman Johnson, 10/33; Johnny Galey, 10/33; Arbie Taylor, 11/49; R.J. Stafford 4/52; Bradley Gilliam, 4/52; Eenest Neal, 4/52; Charles Burke, 11/67; Joe Stafford, 11/57; Billy Dunning, 11/67; Harold Mitchell, 3/78; Paul Archie, 3/78; Bart Campbell, 2/85; and Danny Ervin, 2/85. 

Past pastors are C.C. Bullington, 1923, who resigned in September of that year and Jum Dunning was elected November 18th 1923. L.R. Riley, 1924; Ed Crocker, 1925; R.H. Hampton, 1928; O.H. Joyner, 1930; Raymond Hampton, 1932; O.H. Joyner, 1941; W.H. Hopper, 1941; T.L. Glisson, 1944; Raymond Hampton, 1948; J.T. Powers, 1950; Arthur Greener, 1951; Dennis Beal, 1952; Vance Rushing, 1960; Jack McClain, 1966; Jerry Gallimore, 1967, Alton Prather, 1968; Dennis Beal, 1970; Charles Rushing, 1989; and Claud Prince, 1992. 

It was when the Post Office was established theat a petition was submitted to the U.S. Government Postal Department ot officially name the settlement”Peck’s Station”, in honor of Mr. Peck the proprietor of the general store.  The Postal Department declined to accept “Peck’s Station”, replying that a Post Office by that name already existed in Tennessee. Then Callie Pearl Capps wrote the Postal Department saying she thought the Post Office shold be named “Logan”. Miss Capps was engaged to Mr. Logan Argo at the time and later married him. Peck’s Station or Flytown was now known officially as Logan, Tennessee. The Post Office was located in the rear section of Peck’s General Store and existed for only two years. Miss Frances Cochran was the Postmaster, she was a crippled lady who later married Matt Austin.  Ike Mitchell carried the mail by mule to and from Greenfield. 

After the Post Office closed, Henry Cochran was the rural carrier that serviced Flytown. Eventually Henry bought an automobile, but couldn’t drive, so he hired his son Gerald Cochran to do the driving. Other mail carriers out of Greenfield at that time were Calvin Perry and Carl Shelton.

Peck’s Store later was purchased by Mack Capps, who ran it awhile then sold a partnership to Walter M. Curllee and they sold to Robert “Bob” Stafford in 1920. Stafford sold to Johnny Galey, who ran it in 1925. Thomas Moses “Tom” Dinwiddie bought the store from Johnny Galey in 1929.  Dinwiddie had sold his store in Idlewild, Tennessee before moving to Flytown, but hard times had caused the Idlewild merchant to default in payment and Mr. Dinwiddie had to reclaim it. Tom Dinwiddie sold to Edgar L. Galey and his wife Evie Cochran Galey. They sold half-interest to Evie’s  brother, Paul Cochran and later Paul sold his interest back to the Galey’s. Galey’s Store at Flytown had fun-raising events for the local baseball team, and to buy athletic equipment for Mt. Airy School. Galey bought a 1937 Chevrolet truck and made it into a “Doodle Wagon”. Harris Drewry and his  brother Joe drove it through the community peddling groceries and buying certain kinds of produce. Later, the Galey’s health began to decline and they hired Sonny Capps to run the store for awhile. But Galey couldn’t continue to operate and closed it’s doors for good. After the Galey’s decease their only child, Laverne Galey Drewry sold all their property to J.W. Stafford.  Stafford moved the store building and used the house for his residence.

Less than a mile from Moore’s Crossing on Bear Creek another country store was built and operated by the Guffie Brothers. They had located in a large beech grove of trees that lay west of the Flytown road. Will and Ode Guffie were operating this store in 1914. A Jewish “drummer” called on them, his name was Felson Thall, and the Guffie brothers bought most of their wares from him. He not only was a trusted salesman but a good friend. Then Will’s son was born, he was named Felson Guffie. 

Grover Stafford then built a new store building on the north-east corner of the Flytown Crossroads after 1914. He called his business “Stafford’s Store“. The name became popular and the community of Flytown was now known largely as “Stafford’s Store” and appeared on most local maps as “Stafford’s Station”. There was a voting precinct there where elections were held, and events of entertainment. There was at one time traveling medicine shows, tent movies, good baseball games, square and round dances, cake walks, ice cream suppers, a host of games and other entertainment.   Grover and his wife, Algie operated a successful business at Stafford’s Store until his death in 1940. Not too long after Grover died Sherman Perry purchased it and later sold to Ray McCartney and Clinton “Dcik”Baker.   They added an extra feature by selling ice. It was about the end of World War II and the ice trucks had not begun to run through the rural community, so they purchased ice from Bear Ice & Coal Company in Milan, Tennessee and hauled it to the store building with a big orange Dodge trailer truck.  Later Howard Drewry bought the store and ran it for awhile before selling to L.A. “Jack” Stafford. Some years later his son, J.W. Stafford and his wife Bunice Smithson Stafford bought his dad’s old store and ran it until shortly before his death. 

Dr. William More was the last of the country doctors to practice in the area. He located on a farm near Bear Creek, built a new two-story house and that creek crossing was known as “Moore’s Crossing”. 

There was some huge Indian mounds near the Flytown Road on Dr. Moore’s farm. He hired Billy Johnson about 1915 to excavate the mounds with a spade and scatter the dirt across the field. Johnson was instructed by Dr. Moore to never reveal the Indian artifacts found inside the mounds and he kept his word. It was never known what was hidden in those mounds, if anything. 

Dr. Moore bought a new 1911 Ford, Model “T” automobile. He made arrangements with Green Maness to teach him how to drive it. Maness had already purchased a new car and was considered skilled in its operation.  Driving lessons began in a big pasture field belonging to Mr. Maness.  During one of Dr. Moore’s driving lessons he ran into one of the Maness mules, crippling it somewhat. Zeb Stout later purchased the mule and named it “Ole Auto”. 

Bear Creek was staightened in 1924 and 1925 by a locomotive type dredgeboat owned by James E. Prior of Sharon, Tennessee. It was operated by Mr. Wade and John McCurly. One of the “craners” was Dave Buddy. The boat was steam powered, burning both wood and coal. Fireman were Ulus S. Holt and Spurgeon Hubble. New bridges were built across the new channel and they were known as Langley’s Crossing, Moore’s Crossing, Prospect Crossing, Scates Crossing, Capps Crossing and Jules Smith Crossing. There were five bridges and one ford. During the flood of 1930 high waters washed away all five bridges on Bear Creek and also Shades Bridge on the Obion River. 

Cemeteries in the Flytown Community are Snellgrove (now owned by Joe Stout) originally located on the Elisha Fly homeplace later becoming the property of William Capps. Another Capps graveyard located about ? mile west (the Hulon Capps farm) where many of the Henry Capps family are buried. Brock (land donated by Thomas C. Brock and his wife Mary Jane Smithson Brock. This land was once part of the large Samuel Smithson farm.), Wright (established by Captain Wright, probably after the Civil War), Cochran and 1967 Pleasant Grove Cemetery (located in the churchyard). 

Grist mills were very important to the community in those days. There was the one behind Peck’s Store, but much earlier the nearest one was most likely Forster’s Mill on Spring Creek, mentioned in the court minutes of 1935. Another mill on Spring Creek near Pillowville was Brawner’s Mill and it thought to be the same mill as Forster’s Mill. Hart’s Mill on the Obion River was one of the better mills in the area. 

West of Flytown, two country stores were built and operated briefly. Tom Dinwiddie resold his store in Idlewild and bought the Thomas Cobb farm where he built a new store building, operating it until his death in 1935. “Dinwiddie’s Store” was built about 1930-31. Howard Featherstone boughtthe Dinwiddie place afterwards, moved the store building to his farm and made a milk barn out of it. �Mitchell’s Store” was built and operated by

Talma and Brooksie Mitchell and was in business during the early 1950’s. It was located on the north side of the Flytown-Shades Bridge Road. From 1900 to 1940 this community could look forward to a visit by “Peddler George”. He was a small, thin man with a dark complexion walking from house to house selling his merchandise. His name was George Nofle, some called him a Jew, but he denied being one and argued to be from the “Old Country” of Syria. He lived in Fulton, Kentucky and had a brother “Peddler John” or John Nofle that worked other areas. George later acquired a horse and hack to travel by. He took his meals and lodging with friendly families along his routes, sometimes paying for his keep in merchandise, or he would say a “Syrian Prayer” or sing a song from the “Old Country”. He never paid with money. His son Alec Nofle ran a store on “Soup Street” in Greenfield. 

 The main switchboard for Flytown’s telephone service was Perry’s Switchboard. However there were others scattered throughout other communities.There was the Meridian Switchboard operated by the Gar Harrington family. The Seminary Switchboard and others that interchanged with each other.The Perry Switchboard was owned and operated by Lawrence Perry and his two sons, Doyce and Warren. After Lawrence died Doyce and Warren were drafted in the army during World War II so that ended the telephone service in the area. 

Flytown had some good neighbor communities and they depended on the Flytown Settlement for many services. The old settlement of Christmasville (first known as Survey Station No. 2), with “Blacktown” located between Flytown and Christmasville. Then there was the “Hart’s Mill” community and old “Mulberry” (later known as Holt’s Community). 

In the early years of the settlement of what is now Weakley County, bordering the western line of Carroll County and lying just north of the South Fork of the Obion River the family of Elisha Fly, Jr. settled. His daughters Anna married Henry Capps, Lucy married William Rogers Capps, and Rebecca married John Whitsett Cochran. These families owned several hundred acres of land and much of this was originally owned by Elisha Fly, Jr. Elisha’s wife Elizabeth Reed was either full blooded or ? Cherokee Indian. This area came to be called Flytown 

The graves of many of these early settlers are located on the Hulon Capps farm and others on a farm owned by Joe W. Stout. When Gibson and Weakley Counties were established in 1823, the line between the two counties was over a mile north of Shade’s Bridge running due east and west. 

This has caused many people to misunderstand the exact location of many parcels of land in the past few years.  On November 4, 1837 the old South Fork of the Obion River was made the line between the two counties. The northeast part of Gibson County that lay north of the Obion river then became part of Weakley County (this included the Fly Town area, now called Stafford’s Store area), and the southwest 
part of Weakley County that was south of the river became a part of Gibson County, (This included the Walnut Grove area east of Rutherford). Until the line was changed in 1837, Gibson County maintained the road across the river and Weakley County maintained the road on the Skullbone side of the river. 

Submitted by Joe Stout 

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The Gatewood Farm of the Hyndsver Community

This is from Weakley County Press, not sure of the date, although Pappy died in 1964, so it must be before then. My grandmother cut it out years ago. (The phone number may give a clue! and it mentions the Varsity Theater) The farm is James Broy GATEWOOD’s on Hyndsver Rd, in Hyndsver. I gather they had a running contest on Identifying farms from aerial views.

Under the photo it reads:

This is an aerial view of a Weakley County farm. Can you identify it? If so, call the Press, 314, and tell us. If you are the first to identify it correctly, you,ll receive a FREE ticket to the Varsity Theater. The owner will be given a FREE ticket and a 5×7 print of his farm if he will come by the Press office for interview.

I do not know if Pappy ever came in for the interview. The farm is still on Hyndsver Rd., but has changed considerably. It has been faced with brick and the overall appearance has undergone many changes. Pappy grew different crops over the years, including tobacco, cotton, sweet potatoes and watermelons. My dad went to Martin and Dresden markets with him to sell the watermelons at 5 cents a piece. Mammy (Gorder Gatewood) had a beautiful flower garden.  
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1903, March 3, the Dresden Enterprise, Cedar Hill Column:

While smoking meats last Wednesday, J. B. GATEWOOD got 2 side meats burned up and flames were reaching the top of the house. J.B. GATEWOOD has been planting fruit trees.

My dad remembers drying fruit on the tin roofs of the house.

Submitted by Cris Gatewood Bean 

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The Bower’s Grocery Store of Hyndsver Community

Hyndsver Landmark Ranks Alongside Weakley County’s Oldest Country Stores By John Baxter The Bowers’ Grocery of the Hyndsver Community is probably one of the oldest country stores of this county. It was built a few years before 1900 by Mr. Tom HIGHFIELD. It was first called Hynds Store; but after a post office was moved in, the name was changed to Hyndsver.When this store first opened for business, it received its supplies from Martin by wagon. These supplies included such articles as horse collars and harness, brogan shoes, cracker box crackers, calico (at 5 cents per yard), pots and pans of all sorts, lanterns, lamp chimneys, plows and buggy whips. The buggy whips were displayed on the wall of the store. The store still has some of the large cans that were used to ship coffee which was sold in whole beans and had to be ground at home. Brown sugar, syrup and vinegar were bought in barrels, and the auger used to open these barrels is still in the store. Candy came in 20 and 30 gallon jars, and one could get a haircut for 15 cents.A wagon left the store on daily routes to peddle merchandise throughout the surrounding country. The wagon was equipped with springs to prevent the breaking of eggs and glassware.In 1900 the Hyndsver store was sold to W.W. HOUSE and R.H. DAVIS, who built a larger building by the side of the original store. This building looked something like a large square box covered with advertising signs. In 1910 Mr. HOUSE was elected Circuit Court Clerk and sold his share of the store to Jack DAVIS.  In 1914 this building burned, and the owners built the store that is standing now.The store was a center of many of the community activities, such as elections. Mr. Jack DAVIS was at that time a Magistrate and transacted his official business there. Most of his business was writing up deeds and performing marriage ceremonies, one of which took place on the front porch.After operating the store for several years, Mr. DAVIS sold it to Mr. John TUCK, who operated it for a short time and then sold to Mr. and Mrs. Curtis BOWERS. Mr. BOWERS added to the operation a cream station and a hammer mill which stayed in operation until Mr. Mrs. Carlos BOWERS, who are the present owners, bought it. At the present time the store is primarily a grocery store with a complete line of goods. Gasoline and oil have replaced the harness and buggy whips. The store still has the friendly atmosphere of the old country store. Although it has been modernized with a good line of groceries, a window fan, and two large front windows, the big potbellied stove still stands in the back surrounded by chairs and benches. There is a television set to replace the checker games which once dominated the interest of visitors. Submitted by Cris Gatewood Bean  I would be interested in knowing when the article was written. My grandpa Gatewood died in 1983 and his wife Nona cut this out before her death in 1978. She was the one who saved the articles….Cris

from Rebecca – I have a copy of that article and it was in the Weakley County Press – June 20, 1958. Weakley County Press – June 20, 1958 Hyndsver Landmark Ranks Alongside Weakley County’s Oldest Country Stores By John Baxter

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Hyndsver Community, Weakley County, Tennessee

BOWERS Grocery Store – photo

GATEWOOD FARM of Hyndsver Community – photo

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Crawley’s Store – Dunlap School – Southern Weakley County

Old Dunlap School had been built a short distance from Jonesboro, eastward on a small branch. John R. Crawley later built a general store about a mile north and called it Crawley’s Store. This new business began operation in 1904. He and his son Wyatt operated only a thriving store for a short  while then annexed a north wing to the existing building where Wyatt’s first wife Nina sold all styles of ladies hats until her death in 1923. Wyatt remarried and continued to operate until his death. 

 After Wyatt’s death, his wife, Brooksie and son, Richard Lee operated the store until Richard was drafted into World War II. Brooksie then alone, converted the old millinery shop room (which had been used for storage for years) to a dance floor, installed a “juke box” and “pin-ball machine” and the boys stationed at Camp Tyson near Paris and others returning from the war zone began to discover it’s whereabouts. Brooksie soon became known as “Ma” Crawley and the old store took on a new fancy. It was the favorite hangout for young people and those returning from the war. Mr. Jimmy Dunlap and John Harrison Lewis (another of Brooksie’s sons by a previous marriage) helped her with the business. Lewis ran his garage during the day and helped his mother at night and on week-ends. 

 After the war ended and a few years passed, business became slack, Lewis moved to Michigan and Mr. Dunlap died, the old Honky-Tonk closed never to reopen. The building was sold to Frank Todd, who tore it down and built a dwelling from the best lumber. 

 Other stores soon opened after Crawley’s Store had established itself.  Some of the other merchants here were Pat Huston, Lou Taylor, Ollie Glosson, Wilburn Martin, T.Z. Elinor,Jr.(T.Z.’s Pic-Pac), “Tootie” Boaz and Leonard Cantrell. 

The settlement had two fine doctors, Dr. Talma Z. Elinor, Sr. and Dr. Jether J. Crawley. Both had fine homes and open for business, they also made house calls with a horse and buggy. Dr. Crawley died in 1938 and Dr. Elinor lived until 1952. Ike Lowery was the only Negro that lived in this community. He had been taken in by Ben Elinor when Ike’s family perished in a fire. After Ben Elinor died, Ike lived with Dr. Talma and saw after things around the house and tended the garden while the doctor was away. He is the only Negro buried in the Meridian Cemetery. 

Soon after Crawley’s Store was built, construction on a new school building began, and it became one of the best and biggest of the country schools in Weakley County. Old Dunlap School was moved to this new building located on the new main road. Many of the residents of Crawley’s Store community received their education here until the 1940’s when the county closed the school. The land and building was sold to Alma Drewry. It later  became another store building the last business to exist at this old settlement. 

Written by John Holt
Submitted by Joe Stout

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The old Brummitt house, Gleason, Tennessee 1960

Photo of my old home place taken a few years after we moved to Michigan and the cudzoo vines had taken over. There are two fine homes there now. It’s hard to tell if it’s even the same Old Place!  Bud takes a trip down memory lane……

The name MOORE, brings to mind the childhood days spent 3 miles east of Gleason before coming to Michigan with my parents in 1954. Thomas and Maggie Moore lived the next house down and their land was across the road, and it was a large parcel of land. Maggie was a school teacher, and Thomas raised Chickens, Hogs and etc. and always had a good garden, as my Grandfather Henry Brummitt did.

Thomas let me use his old Mule once to plow the garden after “Pappy” Died. As far as I know he never let anyone else borrow that old Mule. The old Mule laid down with all the harness on, and I had one Heck of a time getting him up! I must have been 12 years old at the time, but I got the job done, and took the mule and plow home and Thanked Thomas. I never wanted to do that again! 

A few years later, after I married, I came to Gleason and Found Thomas in a nursing home. Maggie had been dead for some time. I took my Daughter and wife to see him, and he held my daughter on his lap, and seemed pleased that I had thought of him. He let me fish in his pond and hunt on his land, and we were good friends. I will always be a Tennesseean, and have lots more memories of Weakley County. On the land where I was born and raised, stand two fine homes today, and it does not look anything like the place I use to call home. I have a picture of the old home place on my computer, and I look at it on occasion, when I want to drift back in time. Submitted by Bud Ray

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