Early days in White
County, TN, are recalled in this spiral bound booklet compiled
from excerpts from the 1887 book: History of Tennessee, originally
published by Goodspeed Publishing Co., and other sources. The 48-page
booklet is printed one-sided on 60# paper with the print enlarged
for easier reading. A vinyl sheet has been added to protect the
front cover.
The first 15 pages
of the booklet are devoted to the history of the county. Included
are a physical description of the county, minerals, names of many
early settlers in Calf Killer Valley, early mills, merchants and
industries, creation of the county, justices, first courthouse,
first jail, agriculture, county court clerks, sheriffs, judges,
and registers, a duel for public office between Thomas K. Harris
and General John W. Simpson, the War of 1812, Civil War participation,
Schools and Churches, and Newspaper. Sparta is the county seat and
principal community. Doyle Station, Yankeetown, Onward and Pealed
Chestnut are hamlets.
Besides
the names mentioned in the first part of the booklet, there are
biographies of many county residents of yesteryear. Most are fairly
lengthy, and often include ancestors, previous residences, children,
in-laws, affiliations, war records and military encounters, and
business activities. In the course of this they often shed light
on the early businesses, professions and institutions in the county.
The biographies include:
W. M. Anderson, Pleasant Austin, J.R. Bosson,
Charles V. Bronson, J.F. Bruster, William S. Burgess, William Cooper,
J.S. Cooper, Malachi A. Cummings, L.D. Cunningham, G.G. Dibrell,
G.W. Douglas, Dr. P.H. Earls, J.A.P. Fancher, W.W. Gooch, W.H. Gracey,
E.S. Haston, Richard Hill, Dr. R.V. Hobson, J.D. Holder, Eliphalet
Jarvis, S.J. Johnson, David C. Lowrey, W.H. Magness Jr., J.F. Mitchell,
Andrew L. Potts, J.S. Roberts, Sam Scott, Col. W. G. Smith, T.W.
Stewart, W.F. Story, J.W. Taylor, J.H. Towles, William Turner, H.B.
Ward, E. Winstead, Oliver F. Young, Charles C. Young.
Brief excerpts from
Counties of Tennessee by Austin P. Foster, and Tennessee,
a Guide to the State, compiled and written by the Federal Writer's
Project of the WPA in 1939, are included.
There are a few illustrations, but the quality of these is only fair.
Wouldn't this make a unique gift? |
