Interviews with older folks

          Transcribed by Vicki Shaffer
 

As per your request, I have jotted down a few of my memories of Skullbone and its people for a period of 75 years, beginning when I was a lad of 5 - I will be 84 on Feb. 27 - with the exception of 11 years, I have been active in the making of 73 crops, and still feel fit and fine.

If you can use any of this stuff in your next letters on Skullbone you have my consent.

Respectfully, Allen Sharp  (84 years old - in field pulling corn!!)

My first knowledge, or recollection of Skullbone dates back to about the Summers of 1866 when I, with my mother, sister and Uncle Houston SHARP made a visit from Weakley to Gibson county, in an open buggy.  When we came to the South Fork of the Obion River in a few feet east of where the highway now crosses the old channel - we found a ferry boat tied to the bank on the Skullbone side - My uncle called a few times and soon a man came, loosed the boat from it's moorings and by means of a strong rope, attached to a tree on either bank the boat was brought firmly against our bank - then uncle drove "Old Jude", our horse with buggy and occupants into the boat and by means of the skillful managing of the rope by hand soon landed us safely into Gibson County.  I have no recollection of the fee.

Shades Bridge was built, at or near, the site of the ferry, soon after our crossing by an old negro man (Tom SHADE) who had formally belonged to one of the C.R. DOWLAND'S great grandfathers. [this would be after the original bridge was burned by Gilbert PATTERSON and friends during the Civil War and long after the original ferry owner, Shadrach "Shades" MADISON, whom Shades Crossing was named, had moved to Illinois]

"North Gibson" was the hub - and "Skullbone" was applied to territory including and surrounding it.

The south fork of the Obion river running one mile north of "North Gibson" was navigable for small boats up to what was known Bib Bend or Deep Hole, later known as the "DREWRY swimming hole".  Small flat boats were built there and at another place a mile or two west where a branch or creek emptied into the river, this site was named "Boat Creek" - Many small flat boats big enough to take a shanti - were loaded with corn, bacon, or pipe staves, and when the Spring rise came floated down into the Obion river thence on into the Mississippi and on to New Orleans where tug boats drove them to the ports of market.  Those who were fortunate enough to get one of those boat trips had a wonderful time on the waters.

Skulbone's citizenship has always consisted of a hardy enterprising, adventurous people.  They have in the main been home loving and self sustaining.  Skullbone has had its saw mills, its grist mills, its cotton gins, black smith shops, and molasses mills - we might say a "liver at home" community where at all times stores and grocers could furnish supplies for the table and homes.  Many, many prominent families came from Virginia and the Carolinas, entered government land, made settlements and reared strong upright families thereon, whose descendants have filled prominent positions in our state and nation and yet it is strange no one left a concise record of when or why Skullbone.

It has been nigh onto 80 yrs. since my first recollections of this section, among names prominent in the make up of Skullbone have been  - the Reeds, Smiths, Bakers, Dowlands, Perrys, the Cateses, the Wingos, the Thedfords, the Mounts, the McCalebs, the Holts, the Butlers, the McCartneys, the Carrols, Dr. Moore, the Belews, Old father McGinnis, the Taylors, the Blankenships, the Ogleses, the Foxes, the Alexanders, the Bruffs, the Swindells, McGraws and a host of others the memories of whose names fails me now.  Suffice it to say Skullbone is on the map for keeps.