USA > Tennessee > Hickman County > A history of Hickman County, Tennessee > Part 18
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In the territory annexed to Lewis County by the Tennessee Legislature in 1897, lived for many years those two worthy citizens, Johnson Downing and Walter W. Brown, who were brothers-in-law. Down- ing, who was born in 1813, came to Cane Creek from Lincoln County in 1835. He for many years ran a gristmill and sawmill on his farm, which, prior to 1897, was the last farm on Cane Creek in Hickman County. He died a few years ago.
Walter W. Brown was born in Virginia in 1807, and came to Cane Creek in 1833 and located near Brown's schoolhouse, where he lived until his death, a few years ago. He was for many years a magis- trate in the Tenth District. He was the father of John, Isham, and Walter W. Brown, Jr.
Some of the other magistrates of this district were Pleasant Whitwell, J. R. Sutton, Robert C. Murray,
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and James S. Rodgers. The present incumbents are John Edwards and R. C. Beasley. Harvey Hinson, who lived near Farmer's Exchange, was at one time a constable in this district, as was also Mr. Depriest, who lived on Depriest's Branch. J. D. Whitwell was a deputy under Sheriff Stephenson.
J. N. Pace, a son of Pleasant G. Pace, of Cane Creek, was for two terms Trustee of Hickman County ; and his brother-in-law, A. J. McClaren, was serving his second term as County Court Clerk at the time of his death, in 1897.
In the autumn of 1864 the Confederates under Col. Jacob Biffle came upon the Federals under Colo- nel Murphy near Buffalo post office, in Humphreys County, and a running fight continued, with the Fed- erals retreating, until the final engagement at Center- ville. Biffle had under his command the companies of Capts. Robert Anderson, Thomas Easley, and Green, and the detached companies of Henon. Cross and David Miller. The pursuit continued up Buf- falo River to Beardstown, and then up Cane Creek to near Farmer's Exchange. A detachment of Con- federates here attempted, by turning to the left, to intercept the Federals at the head of Depriest's Branch. In this they were unsuccessful, the Fed- erals in their wild flight passing this point before the arrival of the Confederates. The Federals continued their retreat through the Eleventh District.
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HISTORY OF HICKMAN COUNTY, TENN.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE ELEVENTH DISTRICT.
T HE Eleventh District lies on Beaverdam Creek, and includes this creek and its tributaries from the Lewis County line down to the line of the Ninth District, near Joe's Branch, below the Levi McCol- lum farm. It is bounded on the north by the Ninth and First Districts; on the east, by the First and Twelfth Districts; on the south, by Lewis County ; and on the west, by the Tenth District. Beaverdam Creek derives its name from the fact that the first settlers found, near where John Peeler now lives, the remains of a large dam which had been built by bea- vers. Portions of fallen trees were in the creek here, and the stumps standing near by showed plainly that they had been felled by the beavers. This dam was above the mouth of Milam's Branch and near the present McClaren place.
Milan's Branch was named for Jordan Milam, who settled on this branch in 1819, he having occu- pant's rights in the lands on this tributary of Beaver- dam Creek. " Milam had been a soldier in the Revo- lutionary War.
Above Milam's Branch is Wade's Branch, known originally as " Murray's Branch." James and Jo- seph Murray settled on this branch in 1819. In 1828 they sold to Robert Wade, whose name the branch has
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since borne. Wade was born in Virginia. When a young man, he went west into Kentucky, where he married Miss Bearden. From Kentucky he and his young wife came, in 1823, to Hickman County. Wade then owned a black mare, a gun, and a dog. He placed his wife on the mare, shouldered his gun, called his dog, and started on foot for Tennessee, and in this manner they made the entire journey. They settled on Murray's Branch, and in 1828 bought the lands here from the Murrays. When Wade first came here, he traded his mare for a still, his saddle for some corn, and commenced the manufacture of whisky, which he continued for thirty years. Dur- ing this time he claimed that he drank one quart of whisky each day. When at home his drinks were carefully measured, and when he was on a journey he carried with him that quantity of whisky which his frequent measurements had shown him he would need. Yet Wade was not considered a drunkard, but was an energetic and prosperous citizen, who for a number of years was one of the magistrates of this district. According to his statement, he drank during these years nearly three thousand gallons of whisky. The place where his distillery stood is about one mile below the location of Old Ætna Furnace, at the present George Milam place. Sons of Robert Wade were Robert and George Wade. Robert Wade, Jr., married Harriet, the daughter of Samuel Malu- gin, and soon after his marriage he died. George Wade married a daughter of Ross Breece. He died
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at Fort Donelson in 1862. Benjamin Harris married a daughter of George Wade, and now owns the lands originally owned by Robert Wade, Sr. At this place the Federal Colonel, Murphy, was overtaken and sur- prised, early one morning in 1864, by the Confeder- ate Colonel, Biffle, during the running fight from Buffalo to Centerville. The firing was for a time brisk, but there were no casualties, and the Federals continued their retreat.
Above Wade's Branch is Brushy Fork of Beaver- dam Creek, which was settled about 1820 by Levi Garrett, John Hinson, and - - Halbrooks, all from North Carolina. Robert and Thomas Dolison and Daniel Davidson came here from North Carolina in 1825. In 1830 John Hinson lived where Joel P. Morrison now lives, but these lands were entered in 1825 by Robert Thompson. At the mouth of Brushy. Fork, in 1830, Daniel Davidson taught school, and his patrons were the Dolisons, Hinson, Garrett, the Walkers, John Angel, and Joseph Kimmins.
Joseph Kimmins lived just below the site of Old Ætna Furnace. Here, in 1830, his son, Robert Kim- mins, died. Daughters of Joseph Kimmins were Nellie, who married Daniel McClaren ; Jennie, who married Elias Denson Morrison; Keziah, who mar- ried Elias Bradshaw; Elizabeth, who married James Chandler; Theresa, who married James Halbrooks ; Margaret, who married Zerah Shipp; Grace, who married John Cunningham; and Charity, who mar- ried James Garrett. Four of these sisters held a
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reunion in 1892 at the home of one of them, Mrs. Jennie Morrison. The youngest was seventy-seven years of age; the oldest, ninety-four. Major Mc- Claren was for many years the only slaveholder in the Eleventh District. After his death his slaves were being hired publicly, when one of them-Wyley -announced to a bidder that he need not bid for him, as he would die before he would go with him. This bidder made the highest bid, and Wyley was expected to commence work for him on the following Monday morning. On that morning, however, Wyley was found hanging to a rope tied to the " eaves bearer " of his cabin.
Williamson Poore, who married a Kimmins, was the father of John M., Joseph C., Pleasant B., Rob- ert, Benjamin, David, Samuel, and James Poore. Of these, only Samuel and Pleasant are now living.
One of the last bears killed in Hickman County was killed in 1822 by James Arnold, on the farm now owned by Joel P. Morrison. Arnold, who set- tled on Peter Branch of Sulphur Fork in 1820, was a great hunter, and, although a poor man, he paid his debts punctually with the skins and meat of the wild animals he killed. In making trades he would not promise to pay in money, but would promise so many deer skins, wolf skins, or deer horns. The last pan- ther killed in the county was killed in 1828 by Claiborne Berryman, near the place now known as " Buffalo Switch," on the railroad between Center- ville and Ætna. On the day before that on which
-'20-
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HISTORY OF HICKMAN COUNTY, TENN.
the panther was killed it had pursued the wife of Elias Denson Morrison for two miles, she escaping on account of the superior speed of her horse. Berry- man settled near the site of Old Ætna Furnace in 1820, and was for several years miller at Spencer Tinsley's mill. While out hunting he found the panther fast asleep on a log, and shot it.
James Lawrence, a pioneer " Baron Munchausen," lived at this time near the Ninth District line, and the unreasonable and humorous stories which he told about his favorite dog are yet recalled by old citizens.
Henry Breece, father of Benajah Breece, settled in 1820 on Beaverdam Creek, seven miles from Cen- terville. He died here in 1834. Benajah Breece married Mary J. Winters.
Marcus Black in 1820 settled at the Elias Bates place, and cleared some of the land now owned by Bates.
Arthur Atkinson about 1825 settled on Wade's Branch. His son, John F. Atkinson, was shot one night in 1870, the shot being fired through an open window. A young man named Shepherd, whom At- kinson had discharged a few days before this, served a term in the penitentiary for this crime. This oc- curred near where Wesley Morrison now lives.
William B., Robert, Elijah, and James Hicks, who were brothers, settled near the present site of Ætna Furnace in 1818. Benjamin and William Harris, who removed to Illinois in 1825, also settled here at this time. They moved to Illinois in ox carts, one of
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which broke down soon after they started, delaying them for several days. A son of one of them, Wooten Harris, had twelve fingers and twelve toes.
Jere Booth, a pioneer of this section, was a hunter and fortune teller, and had great faith in the di- vining rod. He spent much of his time in pursuit of game and in search of valuable minerals. He claimed to have discovered gold in what is now Lewis County, but died without ever having disclosed the location of his mine.
From North Carolina, Bunis Warren, John Pat- ton, and " Billy " Morrison came to the lower part of the district in 1818. They were brothers-in-law, they having married sisters named Peacock. Pat- ton entered one thousand acres of land, and there are now several fine farms which originally were a part of the "Patton survey." . In 1830 Morrison was miller at Arthur Atkinson's mill, and went during the entire winter without shoes. His appearance gained for him the nickname, "The Short and Dirty Miller." Major McClaren made a large entry in this portion of the district in 1820, and during this year Joseph, John, and Cleve McCann-rela- tives of Warren, Patton, and Morrison-came from North Carolina and settled here. When the wife of Patton failed to make any butter from " a churning," she concluded that " old lady Hamby," who lived near by, had bewitched her cows or had bewitched the milk. She thereupon thrust a piece of heated iron into the milk. Much butter was the result; and
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when she went to the house of " old lady Hamby " and found her suffering from a burn, her suspicions were confirmed. This occurred about 1825.
In 1825 Sylvanus Walker lived near the present site of Ætna Furnace, as did also Elijah Blackburn.
Jacob Byler lived where Alex. Prince now lives, and was Hickman County's first coroner after the Constitution of 1834 was adopted.
John Lovett in 1830 lived in the Eleventh Dis- trict, and here was born his son, Jesse Lovett, who afterwards lived in Lowe's Bend.
Ewel Warren, father of the late Jasper N. War- ren and of Hickman County's present register, David Warren, was for many years a magistrate in the Elev- enth District.
Jesse Peeler was born in Rowan County, N. C., on May 4, 1788. He married Hannah Smith on February 14, 1814, and in 1816 he came to Vernon. Here his wife died, and, returning to North Carolina, he married Miss Joyce F. Woodson on February 14, 1817. He then returned to Vernon, but later moved to Lick Creek, where his second wife died. On Feb- ruary 14, 1839, he married Margaret B. Giles. This . was his third and last marriage, and all of them were on the same date-February 14. He in 1853 moved from Lick Creek to the Eleventh District, where he died on August 30, 1883, at the advanced age of ninety-five years, three months, and twenty- six days. He was the father of David W., George, Jesse G., Jacob R., Jasper N., James M., and John C.
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Peeler. James M. Peeler was killed on Cane Creek by Perry County jayhawkers; Jasper N. Peeler, who was in 1888 tax assessor for Hickman County, now lives in Giles County ; Jacob Peeler was at one time constable of the First District; John Calvin Peeler, who has been a magistrate since 1888, is now chair- inan of the County Court. - Frances Cordelia, a daugh- ter of Jesse Peeler, married John Bates. Jesse Peeler lived where his son, John C. Peeler, now lives, and this point has been the voting place of the district for over sixty years.
Spencer Tinsley erected a mill near the site of Old Etna Furnace in 1824. In 1840 Madison Napier erected a mill one mile below the site of Tinsley's mill. This mill furnished meal for the employees of Napier, who had since 1837 been operating Ætna Furnace. About 1845 Robert Wade built a mill on Wade's Branch, and five years before this Jacob Byler had a mill near this branch. Squire Peeler, a half- brother of Jesse Peeler, at one time owned the Byler mill, and Thomas Warren had a mill at the same time on the opposite side of Beaverdam Creek. Sometimes Beaverdam Creek would not furnish enough water for both mills, and Peeler would prosper in the milling business, but his competitor would not. It is said that upon one occasion Warren, during the night, cut a ditch into Peeler's mill pond and proceeded to ap- propriate the water thereof to his own use. A law- suit followed this, but with what result is not known. Elias Bates and Jonathan Arnold now have mills in
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HISTORY OF HICKMAN COUNTY, TENN.
this district. The mill of the former has been in operation since 1867; the mill of the latter has been in operation for over fifty years.
Even before Tennessee became a State it was known that rich deposits of iron ore were in the hills surround- ing the head of Beaverdam Creek, but not until 1830 were steps taken toward the converting of this ore into iron. In this year Madison Napier, who was already interested in mineral lands in Dickson County, bought a large number of acres in this section. In 1836 Napier came with his slaves and many other laborers, built a furnace here, and commenced the mining of ore and the manufacture of iron. The pig iron from this furnace, which was named "ÆEtna Furnace," was. carried to the place on Duck River, opposite Shipp's Bend, which has since been known as the " Metal Landing." Napier continued to operate this furnace until 1848, when he became financially embarrassed. The property was then sold by Sheriff J. W. Huddle- ston, and was purchased by Dr. Napier, who sold it to W. H. and W. C. Napier, who, in turn, sold it to Dr. Bellfield Carter and Daniel Hillman. Carter and Hillman continued to operate the furnace until 1855, when operations were suspended until 1862. In 1862 they resumed operations, employing a large number of slaves, who were hired from their owners in Dickson and Davidson Counties-points exposed to the Fed- eral Army. However, in the following year the Fed- erals came here, confiscated the stock, carried away the iron, freed the slaves, and hushed forever the hum of
,
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business where Old Ætna stood. In 1884 a company of which V. K. Stevenson was manager began the building of a furnace on the railroad, four miles above the site of Old Ætna. After the death of Stevenson the ÆEtna Iron Company pushed the work to comple- tion. The furnace here afterwards passed into the hands of the Southern Iron Company, which operated it until 1893, since which time it has not been in operation.
At a muster at the Cross Roads, above Peeler's, in 1830, Meredith Hinson and Charles Warren, who had prior to this been friends, engaged in a pugilistic encounter, from the effects of which both died within two weeks. In 1886 a negro was killed at Ætna by another .„, gro, Ben. Humble. In 1892 Martin Hin- son and Dock " Hightower killed Stump Devisor at Ætna.
In 1828 a man, who later figured as principal in one of the most celebrated criminal cases of this sec- tion of the State, came to the Eleventh District. This was Joe Bearden, who came with his two brothers from' Kentucky in search of employment. After stopping here for a short time, he went to Mussel Shoals, where the government was having work done. After remaining there for some time, he and a com- panion left for their respective homes. Bearden came to the Eleventh District, but his companion, who lived elsewhere, never reached home, and was last seen alive with Bearden. The missing man's relatives instituted a search, and his dead body was
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HISTORY OF HICKMAN COUNTY, TENN.
found in the southern portion of Perry County. Suspicion naturally pointed to Bearden ; and Thomas Green, who lived in the Eleventh District, said that he recognized a coat which Bearden had as the prop- erty of the dead man. Green arrested Bearden and held him until the relatives of the murdered man could be communicated with. The coat was identi- fied by a peculiar patch there was on it, a sister of Bearden's victim writing to Green a description of this patch. Bearden was taken to Centerville and placed in jail. He was tried at Perryville, and his case was taken to the Superior Court, at Reynolds- burg, where he was finally convicted and hanged in 1832. Bearden said, while in jail, that if he was hanged, the meeting between him and the devil would be a. stormy affair. During the night following the day on which Bearden was hanged there swept over Tennessee a terrible storm, which in its course almost destroyed the town of Shelbyville. Remembering Bearden's remark, the people throughout the counties of Hickman, Perry, and Humphreys called this " the Bearden storm."
Thomas Sheppard, Robert Wade, Jacob Byler, Thomas Warren, John F. Atkinson, Ewel Warren, Joel P. Morrison, J. F. M. Fain, Fort George, and G. W. Mathis have been magistrates in this district. The present incumbents are P. R. Lovelace and John C. Pecler. John Doddy, James Devore, John F. At- kinson, Van Arnold, Will. Black, and James Norman have been constables of this district. Col. Levi Mc-
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Collum, of this district, was twice a member of the State Legislature.
In the autumn of 1861 Sheriff Levi McCollum, who had just been elected after a close race with Eli- jah Cantrell, resigned and raised a company for the Forty-second Tennessee Infantry. In this regiment he was promoted successively to the positions of major and lieutenant colonel. During the same year Joel P. Morrison raised a company for the Forty- eighth Tennessee Infantry. Captain Morrison was captured at Fort Donelson, and, after having been imprisoned at Camp Chase and Johnson's Island, he was exchanged at Vicksburg in 1862. He was in the battles of Chickamauga and Missionary Ridge, and in January, 1864, he was discharged, he being too old for the service. Captain Morrison served in the Mexican War as a private in John W. Whitfield's company, being present at the battle of Monterey and at the siege and capture of Vera Cruz.
Elias Denson Morrison was born in Mecklenburg County, N. C., on February 20, 1795, and died on Sulphur Fork of Beaverdam Creek on March 30, 1852. His wife, Jennie Kimmins, was born in North Carolina before her father, Joseph Kimmins, came to Tennessee. She was born on November 7, 1798, and died on June 30, 1893, aged ninety-five years. The daughters of Elias D. and Jennie (Kimmins) Morrison were: Jane, who married Dr. William Rus- sell, a brother of Cyrus W. Russell; Margaret, who married Andrew Russell, a brother of Dr. William
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Russell; Dorothy, who died unmarried; and Cynthia, who married John Pickard. Their sons were: John Cooper, David Bradshaw, Robert Kimmins, James Wesley, Elias Kirkpatrick, Thomas Brown, and Joel Porter. David B. and Thomas Brown Morrison died while prisoners of war at Camp Douglass. Capt. Joel Porter Morrison, the only surviving son of Elias Denson Morrison, was born near Old Ætna on July 14, 1823.
A portion of Sulphur Fork is in the Eleventh Dis- trict, and here William Chandler settled in 1825. He married Miss Bates, a sister of Robert, James, William, Jere, Jesse, Josiah, and Samuel Bates. The sons of William Chandler were John, Benja- min, James, William, Isaac, and Willis, all of whom are now dead. Benjamin Chandler had seven sons in the Confederate Army, and a majority, if not all, of them lost their lives during the Civil War.
Jesse Southern lived on Sulphur Fork in 1840, and, while cutting rye in his field, was shot from am- bush, the ball striking the index finger of his right. hand and shattering the handle of the old-fashioned sickle which he was using. Elconah A. Curry was charged with shooting him, arrested, tried, convicted, and sent to the penitentiary for a term of years. The judge was Edmund Dillahunty (de la Honte) and the attorney-general was Nathaniel Baxter, who after- wards became a judge.
At the head of Sulphur Fork are the celebrated Beaverdam Springs. In 1832 Joseph Jones com-
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inenced the erection of a hotel here, and by 1835 he had it completed, together with about forty cabins for the accommodation of guests. He also built a grist- mill and sawmill at a point one mile below the springs, where a cotton gin had stood prior to this. The sons of Joseph Jones were: Allan, George, Ab- ner, Stephen, Joel, Montague, and Dr. William Jones. Joel Jones, the only one of these now living, lives at Palestine, in Lewis County. Joseph Jones sold the
springs to Jesse Hart, who, after owning them for a time, sold them to Thomas Walker and - - Arm- strong, of Maury County. The springs are now owned by the Beaverdam Springs Company, com- posed of citizens of Maury County. A serious fight occurred here before the war between some young inen from Columbia and some young men from the neighborhood. Lewis Bates, who was using his fists in the most effective Hickman County style, was stabbed with a sword cane in the hands of a young Maury Countian. Bates was not seriously injured, and, despite the difference in the weapons used, he and his party came out of the engagement with colors flying.
James Pope taught school on Sulphur Fork in 1823; Paschal Lancaster, in 1838; and Thomas Smith, in 1840. While teaching here, Lancaster one day at " playtime " became choked on a sweet potato. He called two of his pupils, Isaac and Wil- lis Chandler, to his assistance, instructing the former to rub his neck, while the latter went for water.
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While they were doing this he gasped : "Rub, Ike, rub! Run, Willis, run !" These, however, were not the last words of Lancaster, as the rebellious potato was finally overcome.
One of the early preachers of this section was John Lancaster, the Primitive Baptist. Lancaster assisted in the building of the cabins at Beaverdam Springs, working six days and preaching on the sev- enth. Other pioneer preachers of the Baptist Church were Pleasant Whitwell and - Ragsdale. An- drew Craig and Isaac Pace were preachers of the Christian Church, who preached here from 1835 to 1840.
Carey Pope, who had settled at Vernon in 1808 and planted a peach orchard there, removed in 1820 to Sulphur Fork and settled at the Adam Coble place. James Pope lived three miles below Beaver- dam Springs in 1827. He had here a mill and dis- tillery. Mrs. David Morrison and Mrs. Jack Malu- · gin are daughters of James Pope.
In 1840 a party of hunters from Centerville and Shipp's Bend chased a deer to Beaverdam Creek. On this creek Dr. Bird Moore, Thomas Dansby, and Ho- ratio Clagett were waiting for the deer, which was being pursued through the woods by the hounds be- longing to William Shipp. When the deer came to the " stand," Dansby and Moore both fired. Moore shot the deer, and Dansby shot Moore. Moore was badly wounded, and while Clagett, Dansby, and others were trying to relieve his sufferings, William Shipp
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arrived. He was told of the serious accident and saw the wounded man, but his first words were: "But where's the deer?" He soon found the wounded deer, cut its throat, and then commenced to render assistance to the sufferer. A messenger was sent for Dr. Samuel B. Moore, who was at Beaverdam Springs, and another went to notify the wife of Dr. Bird Moore, at Centerville. Moore was placed in a coal cart obtained from Ætna Furnace. When, on their return to Centerville, the party was met by the sorrow- ful wife of the wounded man, Dr. Moore outdid Shipp by replying to his wife's question, "Are you dying, Bird ? " with the statement: " I killed the deer, Eva- line; Dansby never touched it." Dr. Moore recov- ered.
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