Notes by MaryCarol:
**Henry Oscar “Oscar” ELAM b. May 1, 1859 in Weakley County, d. Spet 4, 1957 age of 98, son of John Robert ELAM and Martha MOSELEY, grandson of Robert ELAM and Nancy Murry DREWRY.
**Oscar ELAM married Jan 20, 1880 to Sarah Ella “Ella” RAY b. Oct 2, 1861 Weakley County d. Oct 24, 1940.
**Oscar and Ella had 11 childrren but 3 died as infants - John B., Genevieve M., and Warren Otis
Their other 8 children: Vera, Robney Ray, Velma, Ruth Lee, Mabel Bonnell, Cyrena Martha, Roy Oscar, and Robert Ethelbert.
**Oscar's Greenfield home was built on land once owned by Gilbert & Mildred CAMPBELL PATTERSON, early pioneers of Greenfield, Patterson Cem est by 1852 is next door to Oscar's home.
**Uncle Oscar was close to his 2nd cousin, my great-grandfather, James Harvey “Harve” DREWRY b. Dec 3, 1863 d. Jan 7, 1965 age of 101
LIFE IN GREENFIELD
by Nina Jean McDuffie
Life is a blend of the good and the bad,
A bit of the glad and a bit of the sad,
A pinch of contentment, a time of unrest,
A dash of the worst and a lot of the best,
A little of failure, a little of luck,
A bit of disaster and plenty of pluck,
And who whould live long must be willing to know
Winter and summer and sunshine and snow.
Words in [brackets] are mine.....MaryCarol
Who would know more about life than a man who has lived 97 years of it! Yes, Mr. Oscar [Henry Oscar] ELAM, son of the late Mr. and Mrs John ELAM [John Robert ELAM & Martha MOSELEY], born May 1, 1859 could tell us all something about life. On my first meeting with Mr. ELAM, I found him to be one of the most interesting persons I have ever talked with. He is very friendly, kind and courteous and has a great deal of fun about him, which makes you immediately like him. He has an amazing ability to remember things that happened many years ago. Mr. ELAM is the oldest resident of Greenfield and as I talked with him, it was as if I were opening a great history book about Greenfield and learning from it.
He began by telling me how Greenfield got its name. In 1873 the Illinois Central Railroad began laying tracks through what is now the town of Greenfield. Mr. ELAM, who was 14 at the time, said on each side of the tracks there were huge fields of green wheat [winter] swaying back and forth in the wind. The engineer on the first train commented on how beautiful these fields of wheat were and the railroad official remarked, “Let’s call this town Greenfield” [ as was the custom, it would have been the depot named Greenfield - the town came later].
East of the railroad, there was a small community called “Old Hall” but in 1874 these people decided to move closer to the tracks. The first building to be erected on what is now Front Street, the main thoroughfare, was Ward Brothers General Store. As he population grew, more stores were built. Some of the pioneer families in Greenfield were the ELAMS, the BAKERS, MOSELEYS, BARTONS, McADAMS, EZZELLS and HILLIS. [others were PATTERSON, CAMPBELL, WARD, FISHER, ALLEN, KIMERY, KEMP].
One of the oldest organizations to be formed here was the Masonic Lodge which moved from “Old Hall” [ it was the old Masonic Lodge - having moved to Greenfield - that gave the area the name “OLD Hall” - cousin Mary Price remembers playing in one of the left buildings, it was like an old feed store - the area called Old Hall today is at corner of Shades Bridge Road and Meridian Church Road, just outside of Greenfield]. The meetings were held over what is now the Greenfield Drug Store just as they are at present time. The Woodsmen of the World also formed a lodge here.
Mr. Elam said the Presbyterian Church was the oldest church in town because it was organized about 88 years ago in an old log house. At the time, there was only one Presbyterian Church but in 1906 the church divided into the Cumberland Presbyterian and the USA Presbyterian Church. The Cumberlands worshiped in what is now DUDLEY’S Tin Shop until their brick building could be completed.
In 1875 the Primitive Baptist Church was moved from Spring Creek to Greenfield and Samuel BAKER, who owned much of Greenfield, donated the lot for a frame building. In 1820 this was replaced by the present stucco building. Also in 1875, the Church of Christ was organized in Greenfield. The Missionary Baptist Church was erected in 1885 and the Methodist Church was erected in 1887 but was destroyed by fire in 1908 and rebuilt in 1909. So by 1887, Greenfield had a total of six churches.
In 1897 the first light and water plant was built here. This year also brought telephone to our town. A few years later, in 1902, the first automobiles which were steam propelled, were introduced by Rudolph ILLINGBURG and R. T. GOOLSBY. Mr. ELAM said in 1913 the Home Telephone Company was organized and wa not entirely discontinued until 1950.
Greenfield has had two private schools. The first school which was built where Bro and Mrs S. O PAYNE’S home is now, burned in 1915 [this would have been the Greenfield Training School - it burned in 1915]. A public school, “Happy Hill” was erected where Mr. and Mrs. Jack McADAMS live now. The basement of the old school forms part of the basement of their house. The second school better known as the “Training School” is now one of the buildings of the Greenfield Junior high School.
Greenfield did not have a four year high school until 1925. Due to much hard work by Mr. J. B. REED and Mr. T. B. CLARK, Principals of the schools; Greenfield had one of the best school systems in the state.
The first big step in Greenfield’s industry was the Ward-Kent Box Factory that operated for 30 years. In 1888 this factory was erected where the Greenfield Manufacturing Company now stands. Many of the old buildings that stand along the railroad were factory warehouses.
During this time, Greenfield was noted for its Strawberries and truck crops. The railroad was surely an advantage because in 1926, farmers were shipping on the average of 10 carloads of wax beans per day.
According to Mr. ELAM, the present water tank was built in 1921 and in 1925 the city discontinued the electric generator and electricity was bought from Kentucky and Tennessee Power Company. In 1929 the streets were paved. Yes, Greenfield was progressing.
Mr. ELAM said for a period of time Greenfield had two banks, but in 1909 the Fruit Grower’s Bank went broke leaving what is now the Greenfield Banking Company.
In 1939 Greenfield began getting its power from the Tennessee Valley Authority. From that time on Greenfield has grown and developed into a very active and thriving community with a population of nearly 2,000. In 1947 the Greenfield Manufacturing Company was built which gave many of our citizens employment, as well as people from the neighboring towns.
As I sat there with Mr. Oscar ELAM looking back over his 97 years, I felt very grateful indeed to have had the opportunity to relive the past with him. I have always heard the old saying “To get the most from life you must give something of yourself”. I truly think Mr. Oscar ELAM has given a great deal of his life to Greenfield and I feel he has been richly rewarded.
In 1880, Mr. ELAM married Martha MOSELEY [Martha was his Mother, he married Sarah Ella RAY Jan 20, 1880] and they were blessed with 8 children; four are still living. One of Greenfield’s most prominent citizens, Robert ELAM, is one of his sons. Mr. ELAM said he now has 15 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren.
He is still very active for his age and seems to enjoy working in the garden. This year he planted four rows of corn and four rows of beans and is picking a few strawberries. He told me that little exercise each day wouldn’t hurt anyone.
truly, this man, Mr. Oscar ELAM, the oldest living resident of Greenfield has had a long and most successful life and I feel that a great deal has been added to my life because I know him.