USA > Tennessee > Sullivan County > Historic Sullivan; a history of Sullivan County, Tennessee, with brief biographies of the makers of history > Part 13
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In the meantime the news of the discovery spread rapidly and half the town gathered there, and in the wild scramble the money got scattered and mixed up in the rubbish. Few went there who were not repaid for their trouble some got several hundred dollars. The silver coins had been melted by the heat, but the gold coins were not affected.
The trash was thoroughly sifted-both that in the cellar and the portion that had been removed. The news soon reached the country folk and many gathered there, and now and then a gold coin was picked up that served to renew interest and the search. Long after all the money had been found and the dirt gone over many times, some one on mischief bent would slyly bury a coin, begin dig- ging, unearth it excitedly and the hunt would begin again. The box contained about two thousand dollars, but no explanation has ever been given as to when or by whom the money was put there.11
11In arranging the chapters on Sullivan County and Blountville I had ac- cess to the county records at Blountville and the abstracts in the office of W. R. Page, Bristol.
JAMES KING
JAMES KING.
A BIOGRAPHY.
The senior James King was born in London, England, in 1752 and came to America when a young man. He was a civil engineer. He settled first in Montgomery county, Virginia, but afterwards removed to Sullivan County, making it his permanent home. Here he became associated with Thomas Goodson in land transactions, in 1778, and married his daughter Sarah.
His military service began in 1778 when he joined Gen. Andrew Lewis in the Dunmore War. It was but a step from this to the Revolution. Among the episodes of his military career was an experience with Gen. Daniel Morgan. With others he was hotly pursued by a body of cavalry and so closely were they followed that they were forced to take refuge in Dismal Swamp. All were cap- tured except King. One man was left to guard the swamp, but after waiting for some time and despairing of finding his man the guard mounted and left. King at once went in pursuit, overtook him and captured his horse, a fine riding animal, which he proudly conducted back to camp.
A superior officer coveted the animal and would have it despite protests, but King, rather than give it up, re- signed and went home. He relented, however, for having been so rash as to permit a horse to stand between him and his desire for liberty, returned to the army and was present at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown.
While a man of many peculiarities he was always humane. In consequence of his fair dealings with the Indians he exerted a great influence over them and Gov. Blount sought his services in treaties where diplomacy played an important part. He took part in the famous treaty of the Holston.
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He was commander of the fort at Knoxville from 1792 to 1795, and was associated with its founder, Gen. James White, in laying off the town.
A military life of seven years made King a rover. He owned four homes and whenever the notion struck him, would move his family without giving any notice. He gave orders one time to move to Knoxville with the weeks washing in the tub, at the boiling point.
He died August 17th, 1825, at the age of seventy- three. The only inscription on his tomb, which is a coffin shaped slab of iron, is-"A patriot of 1776." This is to distinguish him from those who became patriots after the war was over, when the cause was more popular.
James King, Jr., the son, was born near Bristol, about 1790, and inherited a vast estate. He founded King College in 1866, and gave it to the Presbyterian church, one stipulation being that ministers and Confederate soldiers were to receive free tuition. He had sent a number of young men North to be educated, but their return with abolition views caused him to erect the college. He also founded and was the first pastor of the first Presbyterian church erected in Bristol.
There was a time in his life when he took great interest in hunting, but on one of his rambles in the "chestnut flats," southwest of Bristol, he killed a deer and was so moved by its pitiful human-like death moans that he never hunted animals again,1 and always made it convenient to be away from home at hog killing time.
The name King is so closely associated with the educa- tional and industrial developments that it has been pre- served more indelibly in connection with public institu- tions and localities than any other name in the county.
James King, Jr., died July 13, 1867, and is buried in Bristol.
1Balzac graphically describes the human-like death moans of a panther in his "A Passion in the Desert."
CHAPTER XX.
EARLY INDUSTRIES.
The frontier people became mechanics out of necessity. The skilled artisan rarely accompanied the emigrants to a new territory. His service always in demand in a settled and safe community, he did not feel that the pros- pects were promising enough to justify his going into a new field where his labor was not sought at a price his skill could command. Hence our forefathers became their own shoemakers, tailors, carpenters, tanners, weav- ers and the most needful of all, millers. The mills of early days were of clumsy, yet ingenious design, and like the mills of the Gods, ground slowly, but unlike them ground exceedingly course.
One way of obtaining meal was with "the sweep." This was made of a tough, springy sapling about twenty- five feet long. One end was placed under a house or log or stump and about midway a forked stick was used as a fulcrum, raising the small end about fifteen feet from the ground. A wooden pestle about eight feet long and six inches in diameter was attached-a wooden pin was put through this so that two people could handle it, and thus they pounded the corn in the receptacle made for it, and, when the corn was not too hard, did very good work.
Another design was called the hominy mill or "slow john," which had the advantage of lessening manual labor, as it did its own work. A beam is supported at each end with forked uprights, made smooth or hollowed out to allow the beam to move like an axle. Across the first beam is placed another, at one end of which is at- tached a hammer-at the other end a trough. Still another trough carries water to the first trough, which, when filled, is weighted down, bringing the hammer up-
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then the water runs out of the trough and the hammer comes down again with sufficient force to beat the corn into meal.
The grater was often brought into use when the corn was too new and soft to be shelled easily or beaten- a whole ear of corn was rubbed across the grater.
The hand mill and the tub mill were improvements upon these, stones being used, much after the manner of modern, improved milling. Sifters were then used instead of a bolting cloth. The sifters were made of perforated skins, in a parchment state, stretched across a hoop.
The method of tanning was also primitive. A large trough was made, after the manner of a pirouge or canoe, hewn out of a large tree. This trough was sunk into the ground. After the oak bark became dry, instead of being ground, as now, it was placed upon a block and pounded with an axe or hammer or shaved with a drawing knife. Instead of lime, ashes were used to remove the hair from the hides. A drawing knife with the edge properly turned was used as a currying knife and, as a substitute for fish oil, bears'1 oil, tallow or lard was applied, while chimney soot mixed with lard made the blacking. When shoes or boots were worn they were polished with grease, this being especially done for social gatherings and on Sundays, a copious application of peppermint, hair oil or other preparation of an aromatic nature offsetting the odor of the grease.
The clothing worn was home-made and there was a weaver in every family. Linsey was the cloth usually worn. The flax patch was as necessary as the corn patch. Linsey-wolsey, the most comfortable and serviceable material for garments, was worn by both sexes and was made of flax and wool. The flax furnished the chain while the wool supplied the filling.
1Indian maidens anointed their hair and bodies with bear's oil for antiseptic purposes. It certainly did not add to their charms of person .- William Byrd's Journal.
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INDUSTRIES.
Shoe packs, made of leather and fashioned after mocca- sins, were worn where the owner was not skillful enough to make shoes. These shoe packs were made out of one piece of leather with the seam in the back-the tongue being fastened on the outside of the shoe. Hunters and trappers supplied their own wear, which was the simple moccasin.
There were two articles in the manufacture of which the backwoodsman became craftsmaster-that of wooden- ware, such as buckets and tubs, and wicker work, in chairs and baskets, the latter being quite ornamental as well as serviceable. No modern, machine-made tubs and firkins equal the old cedar ones with their alternating white and red staves. In like manner the chairs and baskets were at times artistically finished, and some of these home- made wares are still to be seen and still retain their element of strength-they represent the type of people who used them-enduring.
As the population increased and the frontier with its accompainment of Indian hostilities was pushed further back, skilled labor came, bringing faster if not better methods of manufacture. The forge and bloomery, at which were made iron-ware and implements, were erected. With the opening of the ore banks came the opening of industrial life, which has given this section a substantial commercial strength to this day.
FIRST IRON WORKS.
One of the first, if not the first iron-works in Tennessee was erected at the mouth of Steele's creek, in Sullivan County, and was operated by Col. James King, about 1784, who later associated with him Gov. William Blount.
John Sevier also became interested in the development of the iron industry in Sullivan.2
2John Sevier junior and senior formed a partnership with Walter King for the purpose of manufacturing iron .- County records.
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When the King iron-works was dedicated, after Gov. Blount became a partner in 1790, a two day's jolli- fication took place and some of the old fashioned games were indulged in. There were running races, sack races and feats of strength and agility. Baxter Bean excelled in distance running; Jacob Akard in wrest- ling; William Smith in foot racing and a negro, "Cuff," in lifting the heaviest weight. John Blair was the forge- man. John Smith, the foundryman, was brought from England. James Brooks became chief collier.
When the furnace was charged with charcoal and ore Mrs. Blount, the wife of the governor, in the presence of a large gathering of people, walked up on a platform and, breaking a bottle of rum, christened it "Barbara," the name of Gov. Blount's mother.3
This, too, became the first nail factory in the state, if not in the South.
A more extensive nail factory, however, was erected many years later at Pactolus, which supplied nails for a wide sweep of territory, reaching as far as Huntsville, Alabama. It was operated by Elijah Embree, who after- ward became connected with the noted abolition journal at Jonesboro. In 1846 Gen. Alfred E. Jackson contracted for the entire output of the Embree rolling mill.
As the demand increased for leather the old tanning trough was replaced by vats, built in the ground-the first of the kind we have any record of was erected by Jacob Sturm, at Blountville, on the St. John lot, at the creek. Kingsport, Gunning's and Carmack's were among the largest tanneries in the county. W. G. Taylor operated an extensive plant at Blountville. It was managed by George Pile, Sr., who in 1872 discovered and patented a process of tanning which lessened the time from three and twelve months to thirty and ninety days, and by the same method sheep skins were made strong
3Deery MSS.
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INDUSTRIES.
enough for shoes and thong leather. This process came into general use.
Another factory which received national attention was the Cain pottery, located at Emanuel church, and owned by two brothers, William M. and Abe Cain. This pottery was one of the first in America to make glazed earthen- ware.4 It was operated about 1840 and, among other wares, souvenir jugs were made, many of which are still in existence.
The most prosperous industry in Sullivan and East Tennessee was the manufacture of iron. There were twenty-nine furnaces scattered throughout this section. Sullivan and Carter counties had thirteen. The Tilt- hammer iron works, operated by water power at the shoals in Kingsport, thrived for a number of years. The best known was the Bushong furnace, which was the sur- vival of the old King iron-works and was operated, first by George Bushong and then by his son, William Bushong, who managed it for more than twenty-five years. Industries like this and the salt works of Virginia became the center of commercial activity, and lasted as such until combined wealth throttled local business and carried the iron trade of the South to Birmingham, Alabama. The inconvenience of the ore banks in Holston Valley, Blountville and Shady and the cost of transpor- tation by wagon, over rough roads, made poor competi- tion for carriage by rail and improved mining and manu- facturing machinery.
So important was iron that it became with us a medium of exchange. Money was scarce. "I'll give you so many horseshoes or so many bull tongues or so many hoes for so much ," whatever commodity was needed. This did not mean that the barterer carried the clumsy currency around with him, in his pockets, and, stepping up to the counter, laid down a horseshoe or a bull tongue in exchange for its equivalent in coffee or other articles
4See works on American Pottery.
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HISTORIC SULLIVAN.
of merchandise. The customer was extended credit if he had proven himself worthy of it and delivery of iron was made afterward.5
Among other industries that have disappeared, unable to compete with those favored by location and capital, is the cotton mill. Frederick A. Ross had a cotton mill on Long Island as late as 1849. He hauled his cotton by wagon from Knoxville. The Sparger and Byrd mills, at Bristol and the Prather mills, at Bluff City, erected 1874-5, suffered inconveniences in the way of freights and survived but a few years. The Jordan and Hoard woolen mills, in South Bristol, sprang up and disappeared the same way.
The tobacco factories operated by Reynolds, at Bristol and Prather, at Bluff City. finally became the victims of the trust methods.
There was a hat factory located near Thomas' bridge and operated by Edward Anderson. A good, servicable wool hat was made here and the old house where they were made still stands.
Glazed tiling and brick made by C. N. Jordon, David and William Roller, at Kingsport, 1885 to 1899, furnished Hawkins county with this material. But the central- izing of wealth and the advantage and opportunities it gave crushed the smaller industries of every kind.
5With the advent of new methods of business the old time credit system, where man trusted man, has almost disappeared. An example of the old way may be found in a transaction that took place in Holston Valley, between Daniel Odell and John Thomas. They were friends and cattle traders. Nothing was thought of either borrowing from the other large sums of money without even giving a receipt. But as times changed this manner of doing business was con- sidered careless and they agreed to give notes. Thomas borrowed five hundred dollars from Odell and made out his note. The question then arose as to which should keep the note. Finally Odell said to Thomas: "You got the money; you just keep the note so you'll know when to pay it back."
W. C. C. CLAIBORNE
W. C. C. CLAIBORNE.
A BIOGRAPHY.
W. C. C. Claiborne was one of the most brilliant states- men of the South. When about sixteen years of age, after finishing a course at William and Mary College, he went to New York and entered the office of - Beckley, secretary to Congress. When Congress was removed to Philadelphia, Claiborne went also. It was here he met Thomas Jefferson, whose friendship he obtained and for which he afterwards proved his gratitude. Here also he met Gen. John Sevier, by whom he was pursuaded to go to Tennessee and practice law. After spending a short time in the study of law in Richmond he obtained license in Virginia, thus avoiding delay that would result from probationary residence required in the state of his adop- tion. He then came to Sullivan County and entered upon the practice of his profession. He was more fortunate than most young lawyers, his first case bringing him a fee of five hundred dollars. He was employed, thereafter, on every cause of importance, being frequently called to neighboring courts in Virginia. At one time he was called two hundred miles away to argue a case involv- ing an immense amount of property, and the fee promised was so large Claiborne refused to take it, although he won the suit, and accepted a fine saddle horse instead of the money.
He continued the practice of law for two years, when he was tendered, by Gov. Sevier, a seat on the supreme bench of Tennessee. He was at this time in his twenty-first year. Claiborne was one of the principal authors of the first constitution of Tennessee, which called from Jefferson such high praise.
Gov. Blount said of him, that making the necessary allowance for his youth he was the most extroardinary
1
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HISTORIC SULLIVAN.
man he had met with, and that if he lived to attain the age of fifty nothing but prejudice could prevent his becom- ing one of the most distinguished political characters in America.
When he was appointed to the supreme bench his friends urged him not to accept as he could make more in the practice of law. "My motto," said he, "is honor and not money; Gov. Sevier is my friend and if I can, I am bound to aid his administration."
A vancancy shortly afterward occurred in the House of Representatives of the United States and he was urged to become a candidate. He entered the race and, although opposed by a man of talent and great wealth, was elected by a big majority.
He was elected to Congress in his twenty-second year, not yet being of eligible age, and was the youngest man ever elected to a seat in that body.
It was during his term of office that the famous Jeffer- son-Burr contest took place, which wrought the country up to such a feverish state of excitement. Presidents were not then elected by the people, but by their repre- sentatives. Jefferson and Burr tied. They had been voted for at the same time and Jefferson's name appeared first, leaving the impression that the result would be, Jefferson for President and Burr for Vice-President. But party lines were severely drawn. The Federal party supported Burr and saw clearly that the election depended upon the vote of Claiborne. He became so conspicuous that he went armed.1 The agitation lasted several days; finally on the thirty-seventh ballot Vermont voted blank and Jefferson was elected.
It was not very long after this that Claiborne was appointed by Jefferson, Governor of the Mississippi terri- tory, and he arrived at Natchez to take charge of his new office, November 23, 1801. Many of the most prom- inent citizens of that territory had petitioned for him.
1The National Portrait Gallery .- Longacre and Herring.
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W. C. C. CLAIBORNE.
Previous to this he had married Eliza Lewis of Nashville.
He governed Mississippi for two years-was then transferred to the Louisiana territory, as governor, a hazardous undertaking then, as in this capacity he had to dispose of many kinds of intrigues and to deal with a variety of people.
In the pursuance of his duties he had a controversy with Daniel Clark, one of the supposed conspirators with Aaron Burr, which resulted in a duel and Claiborne was badly wounded.2&3
In this trying climate he suffered an attack of yellow fever, his wife and child were similarly stricken and died from it, while his brother-in-law, Lewis, was killed in a duel. All three died the same day and were buried in the same grave.
Claiborne was married three times. As Governor of Louisiana he had the perplexing questions to solve which later brought on the war of 1812. He personally participated in the maneuvers in his state, but was pre- vented from engaging in the battle of New Orleans by being placed in command of Chef Menteur pass, when on his way to join Jackson.
In 1817, at the expiration of his term as governor, he was elected to represent Louisiana in the United States Senate, but he died in New Orleans the twenty- third of November, before taking his seat. He was forty- two years of age.
No man in the history of the government had received higher honors at such an early age.
2Out of the episodes which connected the names of Burr, Wilkinson, Clark and others, comes this piece of romantic history. Pendleton, a second of Alexander Hamilton in his duel with Burr, was closely related to Gaines for whom Claiborne secured a military position. Gaines afterwards married the daughter of Clark who fought the duel with Claiborne, the latter having been the patron of Gaines.
3The South is inclined to take a charitable view of the shortcomings of Aaron Burr. This is probably due to the high esteem in which his daughter Theodosia is held-that while aiding her father with sympathy, her Cordelia-like loyalty has endeared her to the people as one of the most tender and pathetic characters in the annals of exalted American womanhood.
CHAPTER XXI.
OFFICIAL LIFE.
The official life of Sullivan County, either by residence or birth, will rank with the best records. It includes one President, six United States Senators, seven Gov- ernors, eight Congressmen, one Secretary of the Treas- ury, one Minister to Russia, one Supreme Judge, one Federal Judge, two Chancery Judges, four Circuit Judges and two Attorneys-General.
Those serving in the United States Senate were Wil- liam Blount and William Cocke, who were the first sen- ators from Tennessee elected by a vote of the legislature, assembled in Knoxville, in 1796, when the state was first organized. William Blount was expelled in 1797. An- drew Jackson was appointed in 1797, but resigned a year later; Daniel Smith was senator 1798-1799 and again from 1805 to 1809; George W. Campbell, 1811 -, resigned to accept a cabinet position-Secretary of the Treasury, 1814, and afterwards became minister to Russia, 1818-1821; W. C. C. Claiborne was elected to the United States Senate from Louisiana, but died be- fore taking his seat; Andrew Jackson became senator again, 1823-1825, but again resigned.
Congressmen: Andrew Jackson became a member of the fourth congress; W. C. C. Claiborne served in the fifth and sixth congresses; George W. Campbell in the eighth, ninth and tenth; John Rhea from the eighth to the thirteenth inclusive and again in the fifteenth and sixteenth; John Sevier in the twelfth and thirteenth; William G. Blount in the fourteenth and fifteenth; Abra- ham Mcclellan in the twenty-fifth, twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh; Austin King served in congress from Missouri.
The list of Governors begins with William Blount,
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first governor of the Territory south of the Ohio, 1790 to 1796; W. C. C. Claiborne became second governor of Mississippi and first governor of Louisiana; John Sevier, first governor of Tennessee, 1796-1801, and again, 1803- 09; Willie Blount, 1809-15; Isaac Shelby became first governor of Kentucky; Austin King, born in Sullivan County, 1801, moved to Missouri in 1830, elected governor, 1848-53; John Isaac Cox, serving as speaker of the senate, suceeded Gov. Frazier, 1905-7, who succeeded Senator William B. Bate, the latter having died in office.
On the judicial list: W. C. C. Claiborne was appointed to the supreme bench, 1796; George W. Campbell also became judge of the Supreme Court of Errors and Appeals, 1809-11. Circuit judges: William Cocke, 1809-12, impeached-circuit judges were at first elected by the legislature, but after 1853 were elected by the people; H. Tyler Campbell, 1894-1902; Alonzo J. Tyler, 1902 -; C. St. John, Jr., was appointed judge during the contested election between Tyler and Harmon, serving from Sept- ember, 1902, until January, 1904.
Chancellors: C. J. St. John, Sr. (appointed to fill out the unexpired term of H. C. Smith, deceased), 1885- 86; Hal H. Haynes, 1902 ---.
Attorneys-General: John Fain, 1878-86; H. Tyler Campbell, 1886-94.
Federal Judge: C. F. Trigg, 1862.
Thomas Curtin was appointed special judge of the supreme court, 1902, to sit in a case on account of the in- competency of Judge Shields. W. V. Deaderick was ap- pointed referee judge, an intermediate court to relieve the congested condition of the supreme court.
The members of the constitutional convention, representing Sullivan County, were: 1796-George Rut- ledge, William C. C. Claiborne, John Shelby, Jr., John Rhea and Richard Gammon. Convention of 1834- Abraham McClellan. Convention of 1870-W. V. Dead- erick.
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