USA > Tennessee > Hickman County > A history of Hickman County, Tennessee > Part 24
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Pleasant Walker was again elected a member of the House of Representatives and represented Hick- . man County in the Twenty-fourth General Assembly. Thomas J. Matthews represented the senatorial dis- trict of which Hickman County was a part. The
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OUR LEGISLATORS.
appointments of Nicholson and Anderson as United States Senators having expired upon the day the Leg- islature convened-October 4, 1841-it devolved upon this Assembly to name their successors. It was found that in a joint ballot the Whigs would have a majority and elect the Senators. In the Senate, however, the Democrats had a majority, and this majority refused to allow the Senate to meet the House for the purpose of electing a United States Senator. These Demo- crats were called the " Immortal Thirteen." Andrew Johnson was the leader of the Democrats, and one of the thirteen was Thomas J. Matthews. Governor Jones did not make any appointments, and Tennessee was without a United States Senator until 1843. An Act was passed fixing the time for holding Circuit Court at Centerville as follows: "The third Mon- day in August, December, and April." Pleasant M. Hornbeak was allowed $508 for services as assistant doorkeeper of the House. The Penitentiary Turn- pike Company was again incorporated for the purpose of making a turnpike from Nashville in the direction of Centerville. The length of this turnpike was to be fifteen miles, and John Davis was appointed one of the commissioners to locate it.
In the Twenty-fifth General Assembly, which con- vened on October 2, 1843, the senatorial district com- posed of the counties of Hickman, Lawrence, Wayne, and Hardin was represented by Bolling Gordon, of Hickman County. The veteran Legislator, Pleasant Walker, again represented Hickman County in the
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HISTORY OF HICKMAN COUNTY, TENN.
House of Representatives. A. O. P. Nicholson, the ex-United States Senator, represented Maury and Giles Counties in the Senate. Powhattan Gordon, a brother of Bolling Gordon, was one of the Representa- tives from Maury County ; and Dr. Joel Walker, a brother of Pleasant Walker, was one of the Repre- sentatives from Williamson County, he having re- moved from Hickman County to Williamson County. Spencer Jarnagin and Ephraim H. Foster (whose res- ignation has been previously referred to) were elected United States Senators. Foster served two years, when he again resigned, this time to make the race for Governor against Aaron V. Brown. Lewis County, named in honor of Meriwether Lewis, was estab- lished, taking a portion of the territory of Hickman County. Samuel B. Moore, Robert Sheegog, and Bolling Gordon were appointed commissioners to open books at Centerville to receive subscriptions to stock of Duck River Steam Navigation Company. The cor- porate limits of Centerville were so changed as to in- clude the residence of Samuel H. Williams and the Centerville Academy. P. M. Hornbeak was allowed $488 for services as assistant doorkeeper of the House of Representatives.
In the Twenty-sixth General Assembly, which met on October 6, 1845, Pleasant Walker represented Hickman County in the House of Representatives for the fifth and last time. Archibald G. McDougal represented the senatorial district of which Hick- man County formed a part. Harvey M. Watterson
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(father of Henry Watterson, of the Louisville Cou- rier-Journal) was speaker of the Senate. Landon C. Haynes, Joseph C. Guild, and Emerson Etheridge were members of this Assembly. The Democrats now had a majority and hoped to elect a Democratic successor to Foster. A. O. P. Nicholson was nomi- nated by a Democratic caucus. Hopkins L. Turney, father of ex-Gov. Peter Turney, secured the support of the Whigs, who, with the assistance of six Democrats, elected him. The fourth Mondays of March, July, and November were fixed as the times for holding the Circuit Courts of Hickman County. Dr. Samuel B. Moore, William G. Clagett, A. M. Williams, William H. Foster, and John B. Gray were appointed trustees of the Centerville Female Academy. Friday and Saturday after the first Monday in October were designated as the time for holding the regimental musters of Hickman County. The Duck River Slack- water Navigation Company was incorporated and was granted the exclusive right to navigate Duck River, from Columbia to the mouth, with steamboats, barges, and keels for a period of fifty years. This company was to erect a series of locks and dams, and was given the right to fix the tolls. Rafts and flat- boats were, however, to be allowed to descend free when the water was such that they could have de- scended without the aid of the locks and dams. The incorporators were: Robert Campbell, Jr., Christo- pher Todd, R. B. Mayes, James Smizer, Gideon J. Pillow, George W. Gordon, Robert T, Webster, Will-
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HISTORY OF HICKMAN COUNTY, TENN.
iam F. Rankin, Meredith Helm, Abraham Church, Edwin Baird, M. C. Napier, John Montgomery, Den- nis G. Jones, John B. Gray, Joseph Blackwell, and Henry G. Cummins. This scheme for the naviga- tion of Duck River failed to materialize. The settle- ments on Brush Creek and Raccoon Creek were an- nexed to Perry County.
In the Twenty-seventh General Assembly, which met on October 4, 1847, the Senator from Wavne, Hardin, Hickman, and Lawrence Counties was Will- iam P. Rowles. Hickman County's member of the House of Representatives was Dr. Samuel Bowen Moore. Landon C. Haynes, Return J. Meigs, Isham G. Harris, and John Bell were members of this As- sembly. Bell was elected United States Senator to succeed Jarnagin. An Act was passed providing for the appointment of three Commissioners of the Poor by the County Court of Hickman County, the appoint- ment to be made at the term next preceding January 1. These commissioners were to serve for three years. They were to appoint a superintendent, to serve until his successor was appointed. The Tennessee Central Railroad Company was incorporated, and the subscription books for Hickman County were placed in the hands of the following commissioners : William Bird, A. M. Williams, Horatio Clagett, James D. Easley, and David B. Warren. The time for hold- ing Circuit Courts in Hickman County was fixed as follows : The third Mondays in April, August, and December. The Third Civil District of Hickman
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County was divided, with Duck River the line, there- by forming the Thirteenth District. The house of John Bibb was made " the election ground." Pro- vision was made for the appointment of a Hickman County director of the Bank of Tennessee. P. M. Hornbeak was appointed as an additional commis- sioner to solicit subscriptions to stock of Duck River Slack-water Navigation Company.
In the Twenty-eighth General Assembly, John W. Whitfield, of Hickman County, was in the Senate, he being elected as a reward for his services in the Mexi- can War, which had just closed. Samuel B. Moore was again in the House of Representatives, of which Landon C. Haynes was speaker. In this Assembly, which convened on October 1, 1849, Sumner County was represented by William B. Bate. Although a half century has intervened, Senator Bate yet remem- bers Dr. Moore, of Hickman County, as a genial, in- telligent gentleman, who was much more than the ordinary Representative. Other members were: Fe lix K. Zollicoffer, George H. Nixon, and J. D. C. Atkins, a brother-in-law of Dennis G. Jones, and afterwards Congressman from the Eighth District. The time for holding the Circuit Courts of Hickman County was fixed as follows: Third Mondays in March, July, and November. Hickman County was attached to the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit, and Eli- jah Walker was elected judge by the Legislature. It was provided that the attorney-general for the Eighth Circuit should continue to attend the court at Center-
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ville. The Centerville Male Academy was divided into two branches-one for the education of boys, the other for the education of girls. A. M. Williams, Samuel B. Moore, C. Johnson, R. E. Griner, and P. Walker were appointed additional trustees for this academy. Bolling Gordon was made one of the trus- tees of Lawrence College.
The Twenty-ninth General Assembly met on Octo- ber 6, 1851, with Whitfield again in the Senate. He was this year appointed major general of the Third Division of the State militia. In the House of Repre- sentatives was William Phillips, of Hickman County. The following were members of this Assembly : Fran- cis B. Fogg, Joseph C. Stark, J. D. C. Atkins, David Campbell, Gustavus A. Henry, Stephen C. Pavatt, and John Netherland. Since 1843 Hickman County had been in the Sixth Congressional District, with Hardin, Maury, Giles, Lawrence, and Wayne Coun- ties. These counties, with the exception of Maury County, were now, with McNairy, Perry, Decatur, Benton, Humphreys, and Lewis Counties, formed into the Seventh Congressional District. James C. Jones was elected United States Senator to succeed Hopkins L. Turney. Hickman County was made exempt from the general law imposing the duties of entry taker upon the registers of the several counties. An Act was passed establishing Taylor County, which was to be composed of portions of Hardin and Wayne Coun- ties. The county seat was to be Whitfield, named in honor of Gen, John W. Whitfield. This county was
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never organized. The line between Hickman and Perry Counties was again changed. The time for holding Chancery Court at Centerville was fixed as · follows: First Mondays in March and September. The Duck River Slack-water Navigation Company was empowered to transfer or donate its stock to any company that would run a railroad through William- son and Maury Counties, or from Columbia to the Ala- bama line or the Tennessee River. Hickman County stockholders were made exempt and not liable for any stock subscribed.
The Thirtieth General Assembly-the first held in the present State Capitol-met on October 3, 1853. The Senator from the counties of Maury, Lewis, Hick- man, and Dickson was Dr. Samuel B. Moore. The Representative from Hickman County was William Phillips. In this General Assembly were George H. Nixon and John F. House. An Act incorporating Centerville was passed. The Sixth Chancery Di- vision was established. It was composed of the coun- ties of Carroll, Benton, Humphreys, Dickson, Hick- inan, Perry, Decatur, Henderson, McNairy, Hardin, Wayne, and Lawrence. Previous to this time judges and attorneys-general had been elected by the Legis- lature. In this year an amendment to the Constitu- tion was adopted providing for the election of these officials by the people. The first chancellor of the Sixth Division was Stephen C. Pavatt, of Humphreys County, a brother-in-law of Henry Nixon. The farm and residence of Philip Hoover, of Maury County,
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HISTORY OF HICKMAN COUNTY, TENN.
were annexed to Hickman County, and the line be- tween Hickman and Perry Counties was so changed that William Watson, Abisha Curl, Owen Morgan, John Sutherland, and David Carrys became citizens of the latter county. James D. Easley, Troy S. Broome, S. H. Williams, Charles Johnston, and W. G. Clagett were appointed trustees of the Centerville Male and Female Academy. The Western Central Turnpike Company was authorized to extend its turn- pike to Centerville and a branch to Vernon. William Clagett, Levin Goodrich, and S. H. Williams were appointed commissioners of this company.
The Thirty-first General Assembly met on Octo- ber 1, 1855. Edward S. Cheatham, of Robertson County, was speaker of the Senate, and Neil S. Brown was speaker of the House. The senatorial district composed of the counties of Maury, Lewis, Hickman, and Dickson was represented by W. C. Whitthorne. Hickman County was represented in the House of Representatives by Robertson Whiteside. J. D. C. Atkins, F. C. Dunnington, George H. Nixon, and Robert Hatton were members of this Assembly. The lands of Jesse G. Thompson, of Hickman County, were annexed to Lewis County. The time for hold- ing the Chancery Court of Hickman County was fixed as follows: Second Mondays in March and September. The Hickman County Iron Company was incorporated, the incorporators being: Aaron V. Brown, Anthony W. Vanleer, Samuel B. Moore, B. L. Goodrich, and Bellfield S. Carter. They were
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authorized to engage in the mining of ore, the manu- facture of iron, and to build a turnpike from Center- ville to the Tennessee River. The office of entry taker for Hickman County was abolished and the du- ties of this office made a part of the duties of the county surveyor. The Comptroller of the State was authorized to issue a warrant to John W. Lane, jailer of Hickman County, for the board of a prisoner sent from Perry County to the jail at Centerville. The town of Centerville was constituted the forty-fifth school district of Hickman County.
The Thirty-second General Assembly met on Octo- ber 5, 1857, with W. C. Whitthorne again in the Sen- ate. John J. Williams represented Hickman County in the House of Representatives, and C. W. Beale rep- resented Williamson County. The lands of Philip Hoover lying in Maury County were annexed to Hick- man County. The Fourteenth District of Hickman County was created. The filing of bills for or against citizens of Lewis County in the Chancery Court at Centerville was made lawful.
The first session of the Thirty-third General Assem- bly met on October 3, 1859. The senatorial district of which Hickman County formed a part was repre- sented by Thomas McNeilly, of Dickson County. John J. ("Jack") Williams was again in the House of Representatives. W. C. Whitthorne, who now rep- resented Maury, Lewis, and Williamson Counties in the House, was made speaker of that branch. The citizens of Russell's Creek were annexed to Perry
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County, and a slight change was made in the line between Lewis and Hickman Counties. Pleasant Walker, Horatio Clagett, P. M. Hornbeak, George W. Stanfill, T. P. Bateman, William Grigsby, H. A. Shouse, J. P. Baird, S. J. George, James D. Easley, Stephen Worley, George Kennedy, together with such other parties as they in their own judgment might select, were authorized to solicit subscriptions to the stock of the Centerville and Columbia turn- pike. It was provided that this turnpike should run from Centerville to some convenient point on the Columbia and Hampshire turnpike, The Fifteenth District of Hickman County was established. Pro- visions were made for selling any unnecessary streets in the town of Centerville and using the proceeds in the erection of a bridge across Duck River at Center- ville. The Columbia, Centerville, and Pine River Railroad Company was incorporated. The proposed route of this railroad was from Columbia, Mount Pleasant, or some point between these places, by the way of Centerville, to the Northwestern Railroad. The incorporators were: Geo. Lipscomb, Geo. Web- ster, Ben. Harlan, Jas. H. Webster, Henry C. Sowell, A. M. Williams, William Biffle, L. D. Myers, B. Gor- don, Theodric Erwin, William Walker, G. W. Stan- fill, S. B. Moore, W. G. Clagett, P. Walker, W. H. Carothers, L. H. Nunnelly, P. N. Meroney, W. B. Easley, J. Graham, Robt. McNeilly, J. W. Huddle- ston, J. D. Easley, and John W. Walker. The Nash- ville and Centerville Turnpike Company was incorpo-
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rated, the incorporators being: W. G. Clagett, S. J. George, G. W. Stanfill, J. R. Eason, L. P. Totty, J. M. Baird, Z. Hassell, G. W. Bratton, N. C. Weems, Wm. Walker, B. Gordon, V. F. Bibb, J. G. Tarking- ton, John Reeves, and G. Mayberry. The proposed route of this turnpike was as follows: To cross Duck River along the most suitable route so as to strike Lick Creek at or below E. Killough's, thence up to William Hicks', thence the most suitable route to in- tersect the Nashville and Hillsboro turnpike. The completion of this and other enterprises of this and preceding years was retarded by the presidential elec- tion of 1860, full, as it was, of alarming possibilities, and was entirely prevented by the stirring events of 1861 and by the Civil War which followed. This General Assembly was called upon to deal with ques- tions of more importance than the granting of char- ters. The election of Lincoln was the culmination of the series of events, extending over a period of years, which caused the Civil War. The attempt upon the part of the Southern States to take advantage of their constitutional right to withdraw peacefully from the Union was not successful. Coercion was the unfortu- nate plan of procedure adopted by the general gov- ernment. Tennessee, loyal as long as the honor of her citizens permitted it, was forced out of the Union. An invasion of this, a sovereign State, was made necessary by the secession of other Southern States, and Tennessee preferred that, when this invasion came, she should be a part of the Confederacy, and
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HISTORY OF HICKMAN COUNTY, TENN.
not a part of the United States. And Tennessee be-
came a "wreck in the warpath of might." Gov.
Isham G. Harris called a special session of the Legis- lature, which met on January 7, 1861. A resolution providing for the holding of a convention which should determine Tennessee's attitude toward the Union was overwhelmingly defeated. A bill was passed submitting this question to a vote of the peo- ple at an election to be held on February 9, 1861. At this election the people decided by a large majority against the holding of a convention for this purpose. A bill providing for the reorganization of the militia, which for four years had been out of existence, became a law. After the adjournment of this session came the attack on Fort Sumter, and the Tennessee troops were soon after mobilized at Nashville and Memphis.
Another session of the Legislature was called, and met at Nashville on April 25. The action of the Gov- ernor in refusing to furnish troops to the Union was approved, commissioners were appointed to meet a representative of the Confederate Government, and numerous other significant and necessary steps were taken. One of these was the incorporation of the Hickman County Saltpeter Company. On May 7 an ordinance of secession was passed, subject to the ap- proval of the people. Senator McNeilly voted for this ; and although Representative Williams was ab- sent when the vote was taken, he showed his approval
by raising, a few months later, a company for the Twenty-fourth Infantry, of which he later became a
OUR LEGISLATORS. 417
major. The action of the Legislature was approved by the people in an election held on June 8. The vote of Hickman County was : For, 1,400 ; against, 3. One of those voting against secession was Andrew Peery, the hermit of Ugly Creek; another was Caleb Mc- Graw; the third was his son-in-law, John Baker, who, after the Civil War, was sheriff of Hickman County.
At this critical time the people of Hickman County called upon that oft-tried and faithful public servant, James D. Easley, who represented Hickman County in the House of Representatives of the Thirty-fourth General Assembly, which met on October 7, 1861. In the Senate was Thomas McNeilly, representing the counties of Maury, Lewis, Hickman, and Dickson. John M. Fleming and Thomas H. Paine, each of whom afterwards became State Superintendent of Public Instruction, were members of this Assembly. Hickman County was placed in the Eighth Congres- sional District, which, during the life of the Confed- eracy, was represented in the Confederate Congress by Dr. Thomas Menees, of Robertson County. A bill providing for the holding of Circuit Courts but twice a year became a law, and the time for holding this court in Hickman County was fixed as follows : Sec- ond Mondays of April and October. The second ses- sion of this Assembly met at Memphis on February 20, 1862, and on March 20 it adjourned sine die. Eight days before this Andrew Johnson, military Governor, had assumed charge of State affairs, and from that time until 1869 a majority of the white citi-
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HISTORY OF HICKMAN COUNTY, TENN.
zens of Hickman County had but little to do with the management of State affairs through their duly elected representatives.
The " Brownlow Legislature," which has no num- ber in the series of the State's Assemblies, met at Nashville on April 3, 1865. Joshua B. Frierson, of Maury County, and J. N. Puckett represented Hickman County in the Senate and House of Rep- resentatives, respectively. They were appointed by Governor Brownlow, or else elected in elections held outside of the counties which they were supposed to represent. Frierson was made speaker of the Senate. One of the Representatives appointed by Brownlow was Elder Absalom D. Nicks, of Dickson County. Elder Nicks did not approve of the bitterly partisan acts of his Radical Republican associates, and re- signed before the expiration of his term. One of the Acts passed by this Legislature was "to limit the elec- toral franchise to unconditional Union men and sol- diers of the Union Army."
Therefore, Hickman County was again represented by Frierson and Puckett, who were members of the Thirty-fifth General Assembly, which met on Octo- ber 7, 1867. By the preceding Legislature the ÆEtna Iron, Manufacturing, and Oil Company had been in- corporated, with Daniel Hillman, Levin S. Goodrich, and George W. Goodrich as directors. The Act in- corporating this company was now so amended as to make the name of the company " The Ætna Branch of the Northwestern Railroad Company." The names
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OUR LEGISLATORS.
of Hillman and Goodrich were stricken out and the names of S. L. Graham, W. G. Clagett, Wm. Max- well, L. S. Goodrich, and A. Hicks inserted therefor. This was a step toward the erection of a railroad from Atna to the Northwestern Railroad.
The Thirty-sixth General Assembly met on Octo- ber 4, 1869. De Witt C. Senter, Conservative Re- publican, had become Governor by virtue of his being speaker of the Senate at the time of the election of Governor Brownlow to the United States Senate. He became a candidate for Governor, and, by virtue of the position to which he had succeeded, he had, under the Brownlow laws, complete control of the election machinery. A large number of Hickman County's citizens, who preferred Senter to his opponent, Stokes, Radical Republican, were permitted to vote by Sen- ter's election officers. The result was that for the first time since the Civil War they sent to the Legis- lature representatives of their own choosing. These representatives were Jesse R. Eason in the Senate, and W. B. Russell in the House of Representa- tives. Dorsey B. Thomas, of Humphreys County, was speaker of the Senate. Balie Peyton, Emerson Ethridge, B. A. Enloe, and John M. Fleming were members of this Assembly. The citizens of Dickson County were also allowed to send a Representative of their own choosing, and they, remembering the fidelity of A. D. Nicks in 1865, sent him to the Legis- ·lature. An Act was passed providing for the assem- bling of the constitutional convention of the following
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year. Lewis County was reestablished by the repeal- ing of a bill which had been passed by the preceding Legislature. The line between Perry and Hickman Counties was changed for perhaps the one thousand and first time, this being a matter which has often engaged the minds of Tennessee Legislators. The Centerville Female Academy was incorporated, the incorporators being S. H. Williams, O. A. Nixon, W. M. Johnson, H. Clagett, and Leonidas Walker. The second session of this Assembly met after the ratifica- tion of the new Constitution and enacted numerous necessary laws. Hickman County was placed in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, with Hardin, Wayne, De- catur, Lewis, Perry, Henderson, and McNairy Coun- ties. It was placed in the Ninth Chancery Division.
In the House of Representatives of the Thirty- seventh General Assembly, which met on October 1, 1871, was Col. Levi McCollum, of Hickman County. The Senator for the district of which Hickman County formed a part was Albert G. Cooper, of Maury County. James D. Richardson was speaker of the House. B. A. Enloe, Jacob Leech, Thomas H. Paine, and J. A. Trousdale were members of this Assembly. The State was redistricted. Hickman, Perry, and Lewis Counties were constituted a Repre- sentative District; and Hickman, Perry, Humphreys, Dickson, Cheatham, and Houston Counties were con- stituted the Sixteenth Senatorial District. Mrs. Para- lee Haskell, who was born in Hickman County, was made State Librarian.
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In the Thirty-eighth General Assembly, which met in January, 1873, the senatorial district of which Hickman County formed a part was represented by W. A. Moody, of Humphreys County. Colonel Mc- Collum was again in the House. James D. Rich- ardson, J. A. Trousdale, L. C. Houk, Jacob Leech, H. M. McAdoo, and John R. Bond were members of this Assembly. The present public school system was established. The counties of Wayne, Lawrence, Giles, Lewis, Maury, Hickman, and Williamson were constituted the Seventh Congressional District.
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