History of Davidson County, Tennessee, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 63

Author: Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia, J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1013

USA > Tennessee > Davidson County > History of Davidson County, Tennessee, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 63

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Under the new regime Dr. Clark became editor-in-chief, Mr. Bell managing editor, Mr. Carothers telegraph edi- tor, Maj. J. D. Hill associate editor, and Mr. Purvis busi- ness manager. Mr. Carter resigned April 6th. During the month the company purchased the entire stock and material of the Baptist Publishing Company, and removed

to their present commodious building, No. 22 North Cherry Street.

Maj. Hill retired in the fall of 1879. Mr. Purvis sold his stock to the remaining members of the company in February, 1880, and retired from the business. Douglas H. Rains was then installed as business manager. Dr. Clark and Mr. Bell are still chief and managing editors ; Mr. Miller is city editor, and John C. Cook his associate ; James S. Burch, advertising solicitor ; W. H. McDonald, superintendent of mails.

The capital stock of the Banner is now twenty-five thou- sand dollars. The paper has an increasing local and mail circulation and advertising patronage. It occupies a front rank in journalism, and is everywhere conceded to be one of the brightest, newsiest, and most enterprising news- papers published in the South.

The Evening Record, published in 1878 by the Record Publishing Company, was issued one month as an evening paper and one day as a morning journal.

The Southern Practitioner, a monthly journal of forty- eight pages, octavo, first appeared in January, 1878, under the present management, Duncan Eve, M.D., managing edi- tor, George S. Blakie, M.D. (Edinburgh), Ph.S., and Deer- ing J. Roberts, M.D., associate editors. It is an independent journal devoted to medicine and surgery, and is an adver- tising medium for the wholesale drug and manufacturing trade. It reviews medical works. Subscription one dollar a year. A circulation is claimed larger than any other medical journal in the South.

The National Flug, a Greenback seven-column weekly, published by Dr. B. F. C. Brooks, editor and publisher, at No. 22 College Street, was first issued in January, 1879, to succeed The Workingman, moved from Memphis to Nash- ville by Dr. Brooks in 1869, and published the first year here under the name of the Labor Union, after which it resumed its old name and retained it until January, 1879. Dr. Brooks was formerly a United States army surgeon.

The Daily Herald, a six-column, four-page evening paper, was started Feb. 23, 1880, by James Brown, editor and publisher, at the corner of College and Church Streets. Subscription price ten cents a week or five dollars a year. Mr. Brown is a vigorous journalist, and has been a pub- lisher in Nashville since 1871. The Herald is independent in politics, and largely devoted to commercial news. Cir- culation about three thousand.

The Y. M. C. A. Bulletin is a four-page, two-column bi-weekly, devoted to the interests of the Young Men's Christian Association and the moral development of young men and youth. It is published by the association, and is a complete bulletin of religious service throughout the city and of the international Bible studies. The general secre- tary of the association, Mr. John II. Elliott, is the editor. It is printed on fine tinted paper, and is a model of neatness.

The Southern Monthly Magazine is an illustrated literary and family magazine, which first appeared in May, 1880. It contains all the variety of instructive reading matter de- manded by the advanced age and refined tastes for which it is intended,-art, science, fact, fiction, reviews, etc.,-and comprises two volumes of six hundred pages cach, at three dollars per annum. It is published at the Southwestern

* See special biography.

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HISTORY OF DAVIDSON COUNTY, TENNESSEE.

Publishing House by William W. Brecse, author and pub- lisher. Corps of editors: Andrew A. Lipscomb, D.D., LL.D., Thomas A. Hoyt, D.D., George S. Blackie, A.M., M.D., Ph.D., H. M. Doak, Esq., James Waters, A.M., LL.B., F. W. E. Peschau, A.M., Mrs. C. G. Dunscomb, Miss Emma Maynicke, Miss Jennie Fish.

The art department is under the supervision of an ac- complished amateur artist, lately of Augusta, Ga., and the leading amateur and professional talent of this city has been enlisted. Mr. F. G. Baltishwiler, late of one of the leading publishing houses of New York, has been retained as traveling artist. He is now visiting various parts of the South, making sketches of noted places.

The following are among the leading literary contributors in Tennessee, etc. : J. M. Keating, editor Memphis Appeal, G. B. Thornton, M.D., J. Berrien Lindsley, M.D., D.D., .J. B. Killebrew, LL.D., E. L. Drake, M.D., Mrs. Elizabeth A. Meriwether, T. C. Blake, D.D., and Edward S. Joynes, LL.D.

COLORED MEN'S PUBLICATIONS .- The Weekly Pilot, a six-column weekly, was started in February, 1878, by the Pilot Publishing Company, which was composed of two ministers, a school-teacher, and six laborers and mechanics, all colored. C. S. Smith was editor until July, 1878, when he was succeeded by Rev. Daniel Wadkins. The Pilot ceased in July, 1879, and Mr. Wadkins started the Educa- tor and Reformer, a six-column paper, at two dollars a year.

The Herald and Pilot, devoted to emigration, agricul- ture, religion, and general news, was started by Alfred Jenkins & Co. in August, 1879, and edited by W. H. Young; size twenty-four by thirty-six ; price one dollar and sixty-five cents per annum. The Emigration Herald pre- ceded this paper, and was started in July, 1879. These are all colored people's papers, and none other are concerned in their management, though they are read largely by both races.

The Fisk Expositor, an eight-page four-column annual, is published at the Fisk University in the interests of colored students, and is ably edited.

NASHVILLE ALMANACS .- " Bradford's Tennessee Al- manac" first appeared in 1807, for the year 1808, from the old Clarion office, whence it was issued by Thomas G. Bradford, or in his name until 1824. In 1826 the " Cum- berland Almanac" for 1827 first appeared. It was pub- lished by W. Hassell Hunt & Co. until 1838, by S. Nye until 1841. In 1844 it was edited by William L. Wille- ford and published by Berry & Tannehill. Mr. Willeford was its editor until 1855, then Alexander P. Stewart was editor, and Walker & Co. publishers until the war. It has since been published by the " American Publishing Com- pany."

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Under the acts to establish the Planters' Bank of Tennes- sce, and Farmers' and Merchants' Bank of Memphis, passed in 1833, the one-half of one per cent. on the capital stok payable annually to the State was appropriated to the sup- port of common schools, to be divided among the counties

according to the free white population. Five per cent. of the net profits of the Tennessee Fire and Marine Insurance Company were also appropriated for that purpose.

In 1837 the school fund was ordered placed in the hands of the directors of the State Bank of Tennessee, as capital in the bank, upon which they were to issue certificates of stock to the superintendent of public instruction. Pre- viously school funds had been invested in other bank stocks, and these, by the terms of the act, were to be sold at par.

It was also provided that if a system of common schools should be adopted and put into operation by the present Assembly, the funds which should accrue to the benefit of common schools after 1837 from the bonuses of the present banks, dividends from incorporate companies, privileges, fines, penalties, and taxes should constitute part of the annual fund for distribution by the superintendent. If not adopted, the funds were to be invested in the State Bank stocks. Of the bank dividends the faith of the State stood pledged to the annual appropriation of one hundred thou- sand dollars to school purposes.

In 1841 one-half of the fund arising from the sale of public lands to which the State was entitled by act of Con- gress of that year was appropriated for the benefit of com- mon schools. Besides revenues from banking and insurance corporations, the funds were increased eleven thousand seven hundred dollars by the proceeds of lands appropriated in 1849, which were invested in State bonds.

In 1853 a tax of twenty-five cents on polls and two and one-half cents on one hundred dollars was fixed by the Legislature for annual distribution to counties through their county trustees, if two-thirds of the justices of the peace did not object, in which case the people were permitted to adopt or reject the law by a general election.

In 1837-39 the apportionment was fixed upon the ratio of white children between the ages of six and sixteen years.

The fund arising from that portion of stock in the Nash- ville, Murfreesboro' and Shelbyville Turnpike Company, in which was invested the internal improvement fund of David- son, Rutherford, and Bedford Counties, was excluded, as not to constitute any portion of the common school fund for distribution under any act of Assembly, but was ordered to be distributed among the three counties named.

Davidsou County at once organized and opened schools for such length of time in most of the districts as the funds provided by the law were sufficient to meet the expense of employing teachers.

In 1840, to better provide superior teachers, two districts were authorized to unite their funds and agree upon holding alternate schools, or, if necessary, to change the place of holding schools from time to time. If the public funds were insufficient, the commissioners of districts were author- ized to collect from the parents or guardians of those bene- fited. Persons who felt their rights invaded were allowed the privilege of sending their children or wards to any public school suiting their convenience, after agreeing with the commissioners upon the rates to be paid by them. Fuel was provided by guardians according to their number of pupils. The civil districts were adopted as school dis- tricts in most cases in this county. As soon as organized and ready for a school the districts were entitled to their

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CITY OF NASHVILLE.

annual share of the public money. Three school commis- sioners were elected in 1840, and for each two years there- after, under a call from an officer appointed by the sheriff. All children between the ages of six and twenty-one years residing within the district were entitled to school privileges, and others upon the payment of tuition.

The district commissioners were to receive and pay out public money, hold school property, employ teachers, visit and examine the schools once in three months, advise the teacher as to studies pursued and government, dismiss teachers, exempt indigent persons from payment, make rate- bills, choose a district clerk, and report annually in October to the clerk of the County Court the condition of their districts, under a penalty of ten dollars each. No school commissioner was eligible to the office of teacher or to take any school contract.

Any twenty scholars might on application, if remotely located, be formed into a separate district, and school com- missioners were empowered to make alterations. All houses occupied for school purposes were protected by vigorous enactments. In 1851 the counties were first authorized to employ female teachers and to pay them the same rates as males.

The revised school law establishing free schools in the State of Tennessee was passed March 5, 1867, and went into effect with the election of school directors in each civil district on the first Saturday of the ensuing June. These directors were to hold semi-annual sessions in April and September, and report to the county superintendent. Schools were opened separately for the white and black students. Schools for five months in a year were provided for by a district tax to supplement the State tax where needed, and for building suitable school-houses.

The previous code made no provision for the education of the colored people. The new law opened separate schools for both races between the ages of six and twenty years.

The war found but few good school-houses, and many of these suffered in the general devastation. School furniture was rude and primitive in its form, and but little adapted to the constant and energetic use called forth by the new system. The county, to more thoroughly inform the school directors in the requirements of the new order of instruc- tion, provided each one with an educational journal con- taining valuable suggestions.

The special change in educational ideas required by the freedom of former slaves met the remnants of a life-long prejudice. The general judgment, however, decided that the blacks must be educated for the moral and intellectual security of the white people as well as themselves. Rev. J. H. McKee and his associates had anticipated the ends required by this law in their behalf by opening colored schools in Nashville in 1864 and 1865.

The scholastic population of Davidson County, then in- cluding only those between six and twenty years of age, was : whites, 9589; colored, 5806 ; total, 15,395.

In his report to the State superintendent of public in- struction, in 1869, J. P. McKee, Esq., county superin- tendent, says of the introduction of the frec-school system in Davidson County,-

" Now that we have had nearly two years of the present

school system, we should be able to say something concern- ing it, and give the public some information as to what has been accomplished under it.

" In putting it in operation, we had difficulties without end to contend against, all of which are now in a measure overcome,-the poverty, prejudice, and want of buildings occasioned by the late war.

" At first everything was to be done, and we had nothing with which to do it; for the war had left hardly the skeleton of an educational spirit. Directors were to be elected, but in only a few civil districts would the people hold the elec- tions, and in still fewer cases would the men act when elected to that office.

" The county superintendent had to ride almost day and night, for over six months, before he got the scholastic population of the county. At last this was accomplished, and a few schools started in the civil districts immediately around the city. All over the country the people began to get interested in school matters, and were talking of build- ing or repairing houses and starting schools, when the news went forth, 'The school fund is lost, and there is not a cent with which to pay the teachers.' The ill-fated breeze which brought the unwelcome news bore down with it what little faith the people had in the school system, and cast us back to the foot of the hill, up a part of which we had climbed with such difficulty.

" When we recovered from the shock and gazed at the ground passed over in vain, we must confess that we were discouraged, but not cast down. We collected our energies and went to work on a second ascent, which we found more difficult than the first, on account of new obstacles in the way, which our inglorious descent threw up. This time we had to meet and overcome both difficulty and insult in almost every place we went on public school business, up to the 1st of August, 1868, when there was an apportionment announced for the payment of teachers, which in a measure stemmed the tide of wrath flowing against the free-school officers.

" This, although not one-fourth of what we should have had, enabled us to persuade the people into doing their children justice by starting schools for them. It also ena- bled us to get teachers to accept positions in the free schools, who before would not touch them, because the one or two who had taught on faith had not yet been rewarded.

" Among the great difficulties to be overcome, one of the greatest was the getting colored schools started. There were no houses for that purpose, and there was a general prejudice against negro education, so that there were only a few white people who would, and dared, assist the colored people in building school-houses. In most cases they were too poor to build them for themselves. The Freedmen's Bureau assisted in some cases to build school-houses, but it did not do half that it could or might have done.

"The agent, we think, lost sight of ' the greatest good to the greatest number,' or, in other words, the public good, by keeping his eyes too closely fixed upon what might be called private enterprises, as they are more denomina- tional than national. But this with all other difficulties was overcome, so that before the end of the year 1868, with the exception of one civil district, the schools of Davidson

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HISTORY OF DAVIDSON COUNTY, TENNESSEE.

County were fully organized, and even in that one two free white schools were taught.

" During the progress of the schools the first year, five school-houses were burnt-four colored and one white-by some malignant parties who prefer ignorance to knowledge, and vice to virtue. But as evidence that there is more sat- isfaction than dissatisfaction among the people as such with the present system, for the five school-houses that were burnt twenty new ones have been built in the county. Where we could scarcely get a director to serve, they are now competing for the position, and serving well; where we could hardly get a teacher to accept of a situation in the free schools, we have three applicants for every position that opens.

" These things go to show that the system is gaining the confidence of the people; and indeed there would be no lack of confidence if the State would only do its duty, and make the apportionment of each year's school fund within the year. It has been the uncertainty of how much, and when the school fund would come, that has caused the want of faith and the dissatisfaction among the people. We have never so much as heard of the money for 1868, although the year 1869 is almost gone.

" The school law may require improvement, and does, as nothing human is perfect. But, in spite of its imperfections, and the almost insurmountable difficulties with which the school officers had to contend, much has been done to es- tablish a permanent frec-school system in Tennessee. I might venture to say that more has been done here to that end than in any other State in the Union in the same time, under similar circumstances. Take Davidson County for an instance. During the year ending Sept. 30, 1869, nearly one hundred schools, of five months, have been taught outside the city of Nashville, about thirty of these colored. Ten thousand or over have been reported enrolled in school, out of a scholastic population of over sixteen thousand. It is our opinion that the above is a good show- ing for the first year of a school system, as it really was the first year of operations, the time previous being as good as lost by the failure to get the school fund."

In 1870 the school-law was so modified as to leave to separate county action the subject of public schools. This county took the lead under that law, levied a tax on prop- erty, polls, and privileges, and through the school directors of cach district formed a " County Board of Education." This board adopted a code of regulations for the government of schools and a uniform series of text-books. These regu- lations, slightly changed to adapt them to the present school- law, passed in March, 1873, are still in force, and the text- books have been gradually changed, so as to incur the least expense when found to be unsuited to the capacity of the pu- pils. The school districts are twenty-six in number, and con- form, with but one exception, to the civil districts. Schools for white and for colored children, located at points selected by the directors, are continued for periods averaging about seven months in the year, some continuing for a period of ten months. In the more populous districts near the city of Nashville, graded schools were carly established and elegant school-houses erected, which were models in architecture, and finished with desks and other modern school appliances.

Among these were Watkins Seminary, in the Thirteenth District ; Thompson's Seminary, in the Tenth District, and the graded schools at Goodlettsville, in the Twentieth Dis- trict. Superior teachers for the colored schools are fur- nished by their own race, from among the graduates of Fisk University and Central Tennessee College.

The county superintendent, who is elected by the district directors, visits the school of each district twice a year, re- maining several hours at each school, and giving a most critical examination to everything connected with their management. Visiting among schools for mutual observa- tion and improvement in teaching has been practiced for several years.

The following gentlemen have filled the position of county superintendent of schools under the present law : Andrew J. Roper, 1869-70; Alexander C. Cartwright, 1870-71 ; Samuel Donelson, 1871-72; Richard W. Weak - ley, 1872-80.

By recent acts of legislation by the Forty-first Assem- bly, the school age is extended to twenty-one years, and the clerks are required to enumerate the scholastic population annually, in the month of July, and to make a return of the same to the county trustee and to the county superin- tendent, on or before the 15th day of September next ensu- ing. They are entitled to receive two cents for each person so enumerated, and for making " other reports" to the county superintendent, and the superintendent cannot draw his war- rant for the same unless they perform the duties within the time designated by law.

The trustee is positively prohibited from paying out the school money to the clerks to which their districts are en- titled, but must disburse it to the teachers or others entitled under the law to receive it, upon the warrant of the dis- trict directors, approved by the county superintendent. The county superintendent is thus made the auditor of all school accounts, and is bound not only to take care that the school money is lawfully expended, but also that no improvident waste or gross abuse is allowed, and that no indebtedness is incurred beyond the power of the directors to meet, from the current incoming taxes.

On or before the 15th of September of cach year the county trustee is required to report to the county superin- tendent the amount of school money received and disbursed by him for the scholastic year ending August 31st of that year, with sources from which the money was received and the purposes for which it was expended.

The studies pursued are orthography, reading, writing, arithmetic, English grammar, geography, elementary geology of Tennessee, and history of the United States, which are the branches prescribed by law. By the county regulations these are divided into seven classes or grades, two primary, two intermediate, and three grammar. Higher branches are taught in many of the schools by the pupils paying a moderate tuition fee. Declamation, compositions, and select readings are also prescribed at weekly and monthly reviews. Many of the districts have neat school-houses, well furnished, while some others hold their schools in churches and rented buildings.

There are within the county twenty-eight school districts, two of which are consolidated districts,-the Twenty-sixth,

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ELISHA WILLIAMS and Sarah Josey were born in Halifax Co., N. C., and were left orphans without brother or sister. They were married in 1778. Four of their children lived to mature age,-Elizabeth, William, Josiah F., and Elisha.

William Williams was born in Halifax Co., N. C., April 15, 1776. He graduated at Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., in 1799. Judge Joseph Story was a member of the same class, and as warm personal friends they corresponded through life. Returning home, he read law with Judge Haywood. In 1804 he came to Nashville with the view of settling, and pur- chased the Evans grant of six hundred and forty acres, four miles from Nashville, on the Gallatin road. The following year he moved to the farm, bringing with him his father and mother and brothers. His father, then in bad health, died soon after.

William Williams and Sally Philips, a daughter of Joseph Philips and Milbrey Horn, were married in Davidson County, February, 1807, by the Rev. Thomas B. Craighead. She was a woman of firmness, of kindness, and of practical sense. The children born of this marriage were Eliza, Martha, Charlotte, Henry, Mary, William, John, Joseph, Maria, and Evander. The girls were educated at the Nashville Female Academy. All of them died soon after reaching womanhood except Charlotte, who married Col. W. B. A. Ramsey, of Edgefield. Henry, Joseph, and Evander died in early man- hood.

William Williams practiced his profession in Nashville and the counties adjoining Davidson for twenty-five years. He was not a fluent speaker, but what he said or wrote was always a strong argument, and his conclusions very apt to be correct. He was noted for punctuality in all his business. As a legis- lator he studied the interest of Tennessee. After discontinu- ing the practice of law he was elected a magistrate without solicitation, which office he filled for several terms. A great part of this time he was chairman of the County Court, the duties of which he performed with marked ability and fidel- ity. He was a trustee of the Robertson Academy, the Craig- head Academy, and the Nashville University for many years, and took a deep interest in their success. In religion he was

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History of Davidson County, Tennessee, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 63

Author: Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford) Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Philadelphia, J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1013

Author: Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia, J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1013