USA > Tennessee > DeKalb County > History of De Kalb county, Tennessee > Part 7
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During the illness of Turner, who resided near the present Brush Creek, Miers visited him, saying his
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SOUTHERN HOTEL, ALEXANDRIA
HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
condition was serious, but did not hint that the malady was probably smallpox. As a consequence of the visits of friends and relatives the disease soon spread. The doctor was suspected and forced to leave the neighborhood. It is said he went to Virginia, then removed to Illinois, and in the latter State engaged in a similar scheme to boost business, when he was indicted and punished.
There are two well-kept cemeteries at Alexandria- South View, the pioneer graveyard, and East View, much larger. In the latter many soldiers of the Civil War, as well as a few veterans of earlier contests, are sleeping. Among the Confederates: Col. John F. Goodner, J. P. Doss, J. A. Donnell, Joshua M. Floyd, G. M. Bowers, Wiley'Jones, Nelson D. Eason, Dr. C. L. Barton, R. A. Lawrence, J. W. Batts, Capt. J. D. Wheeler, L. H. Fite, Billy Foust, J. D. Martin, Mon- roe Doss, O. B. Wright, W. H. Lincoln, R. B. Floyd, J. B. Palmer, John Bomar, William Talley, Thomas Dunn, William Mooneyham, W. E. Foust. Among the Federals: J. H. Kitching, Monroe ("Pud") Brad- ley, W. F. Batts, J. E. ("Rome") Goodner, J. B. Year- gin, Dr. O. D. Williams, John Garrison, Sr., John C. Garrison, W. A. Palmer, Monroe Hall, Len Robinson, James Pass, J. M. Walker, P. L. Wood, Robert Alvis, T. W. Eason, John Lawrence, and Gen. W. B. Stokes.
The writer has had access to an old ledger which belonged to Dr. John W. Overall, who resided in Alexandria. It covers a period from 1830 to October, 1834, and no doubt the names listed therein include a number of the pioneers of Alexandria as well as a
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
number in other counties but in the town's "sphere of influence." The names follow :
Caleb Davis, Nehemiah Dowell, Sterling Davis, Daniel Coggin, James P. Dale, Elisha Dowell, Smith- son C. Doss, Stewart Doss, Prestley Dowell, Levi A. Durham, Col. E. Durham, John Dyournet, Joshua M. Coffee, Beverley Callicoat, Thomas Crutchfield, Lineas Cock, David Crowder, Samuel Casey, Robert Caskey, Winslow Carter, John S. Brien, Thomas Beckwith, Peter Barton, Roland Burks, Manson M. Brien, Aaron Botts, David Blue, Thomas Bomar, James Brien, Thomas Bradford, William Bennett, Willis Dowell. William Edwards, Cornelius Ellison, Jacob Fite, Amos Foutch, Floyd Davis, William Floyd, Joseph Fite, Shadrack Figgin, John Floyd, G. W. Grayson, J. M. Goodner, Benjamin Garrison, Stephen Griffin, Valentine Gates, William Grandstaff, Henry Helman- taller, Philip Hass, Henry Haley, Benjamin D. Hynds, Henton A. Hill, Joab Haflin, Josiah Hicks, Sterling Hale, John Hathaway, Hawkins Heflin, Grogan Har- per, Levi Herod, Pendleton Hobson, Washington Hicks, Hardin Hardcastle, Benjamin Jones, Josiah Inge, Wyatt Jenkins, Nelson Kyle, James Kitching, Spencer Kelley, Edward Lawrence, W. F. Luck, James Lancaster, John Lucky, William Linn, Gregory Moore, William Marler, John Moore (hatter), David Malone, Joseph McCrabb, Maj. William Moore, James Askew, Don Allison, Robert Nixon, Levi Purnell, Over- street Pritchard, Caleb Preston, Philip Palmer, Brit- tain Reynolds, Rison Roland, Augustin Robinson, North Reynolds, Henry Rollings, Daniel Ratlidge,
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
Peyton Randolph, George Reasonover, William Wright, Thomas Simpson, Randolph Sanlin, Fuller Sanlin, William Stokes, Jordan Stokes, George Simp- son, Anderson Tibbs, T. J. Tyree, Edward Turner, Littleberry Turner, Wilson Tubb, Benjamin Tubb, Tolliver Turner, John Vantrease, Joshua Vick, Samuel Vanatta, William Vantrease, Jeremiah Whitlock, Anthony Ward, John Warford, Benton Wood, Abel Wood, James Winfrey, William Wellaby, Tucker Woodson, Jesse Wood, Pleasant Watson, David War- ford, Duke C. Wright, and Dobson Yeargin.
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CHAPTER IX.
CONCERNING SLAVES AND FREE NEGROES.
THERE was only one attempt of the slaves to start an insurrection in this State, as far as the writer can learn; that was in Stewart County. In 1854 and 1855 it became evident that the negroes meditated mischief, as they were known to be holding secret meetings on nights and Sundays. They were instigated by white preachers, it is thought, from the North. In Decem- ber, 1856, a vigilance committee was organized, slaves from all parts of Stewart County were examined, and the suspicion of a plot was seen to be well founded. The slaves were on a specified day to overpower their masters and, after arming themselves, cross the coun- try to Hopkinsville, Ky., then enter Ohio, where they hoped to be free. Six of the leaders were hanged at Dover before Christmas and a large number whipped. To make the punishment more impressive a citizen of Dover cut off the heads of the six blacks executed and had them paraded through the streets, Goodspeed tells us.
The negroes were considered by the forefathers the most docile of all races of savages. Whether this was correct or not, those of DeKalb County were not hard to control. Now and then one heard of "runaway" slaves, but they had no desire, it appears, to injure their masters.
The old type of darky has almost become extinct. It seems but justice to refer at some length to a num- ber who became well known locally from one cause or
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
another. There were a few who had the instincts of a gentleman, some whose individuality made them favorites with the whites, and many with striking traits that created more or less notice. Not only did the negroes prove the most amiable of savage races, but the writer dares say that he recalls no instances among the whites of anything finer than the humble dignity of Wolsey Givan, the gentle urbanity of Wells Allen, the Chesterfieldian politeness of Dave Sellars, the se- rene patience of Mary Fuston, or the tireless devo- tion of Violet Overall to the little babe left to her care by the death of Mrs. Horace L. Hale.
Slaves were numerous in the county. Scores of citizens owned from two to a dozen, while a few held a much larger number. The original stock in most instances was brought from the older States by the pioneers. There was not very much trafficking in this species of property in DeKalb County. Of the slave owners adjacent to Liberty, these are recalled with little effort : James Allen, John Stark, W. G. Bratten, Reuben Evans, Francis Turner, Isaac Turney, Abra- ham Overall, Ezekiel Bass, Edward Robinson, Henry Frazier, Dr. G. C. Flowers, Daniel Smith, Nicholas Smith, Horace Overall, W. B. Stokes, James Tubb, Isaac Turney, Thomas Stokes, John Bethel, Eli Vick, James Fuston, Joseph Clarke, William Vick, William Sellars, Jasper Ruyle, William Avant, Sampson Wil- liams, Thomas Givan, Peter and Jacob Adams, Leon- ard Lamberson, the Brazwells, Hayses, Groomses, Roys, and Bates.
The Foutches, Sneeds, Wrights, Lawrences, Good-
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
ners, Rutlands, Grandstaffs, Turners, Floyds, Pres- tons, Davises, and others possessed "human chattels" at Alexandria ; while well-known slaveholders around Smithville were W. H. Magness, Giles Driver, Nicho- las Chambers, Thomas Bradford, and Bernard Rich- ardson.
Free negroes were few in number. Lige Whitely, of Smithville, was one of a family of free men of color. He was a vendor of ginger cakes, holding forth at the courthouse well on days of occasion. From the letter of a correspondent out of the State this is quoted :
Often, thinking of Liberty, I see everything as plainly as sixty-five years ago-even Nat and Banks Evans, 'Lizabeth Flowers, Jim Bethel, Luke Turney, Wells Allen, Gib Clarke, Nye Givans, Wolsey Givan, Cato Bate, Strawd Overall, Jeff Overall (the old colonel's fiddler), Albert Smith (who as- sumed the name of Porter), Allen Fuston, Virg and Rans Robinson, Sut Bass, Pomp and Tom Ruyle, Burrell Stokes, Caleb Tubb, and Ike Lamberson. By the way, Ike passed as an infidel, the only one I ever saw among the colored folks. Any negro there who could claim descent from Wolsey Givan considered it a great honor. Strawd and Jeff Overall were noted characters.
Is the negro's religion mere emotion, signifying nothing? The writer testifies to a permanent change in the conduct of "Aunt" Violet, who was cook in his father's home for twenty-five years. Though she and her mistress grew up together, for a few years Aunt Vil would have "tantrums" two or three times a week, swearing like the army in Flanders and otherwise working off her temper. One day news came that
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
her son Bill had been stabbed to death by Doc Allen, another negro. She made no hysterical outcry, but fell writhing on the floor in mental torture. Some months later she was converted, and from the day of her conversion to her death she was never guilty of profanity nor of giving way unrestrainedly to her tem- per. And when her mistress was dying she came shuffling from the kitchen, and the two, who had known each other for fifty-nine years, embraced.
There were three or four outlying negroes prior to the war. The most noted were "Arrington," "Jim," and "Old Yaller." According to the scant information obtainable, it appears that sometime in the first half of the nineteenth century Henry Hart, who owned large tracts of land on Dry Creek, decided to sell his realty holdings and move from the country. Several thousand acres were purchased by Henry Frazier, then a young man, who, after the War between the States, was slain on Snow's Hill by Capt. W. L. Hathaway. Hart disposed of his negroes in the South, including Tom, who was sold to a planter named Ar- rington.
Tom ran away from his new master, returning to DeKalb County, and hid in caves and cane thickets for quite a while. He was fed by such negroes as Ike Lamberson, Jeff Overall, the Allen slaves, and others. While not appearing vicious, he became a terror to the women and children, because, like the wild things, he prowled at night. It is possible that he did not hesitate to appropriate a lamb, fowl, or hog, or to raid a kitchen when moved by hunger. There were many
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
large caves in the country and immense canebrakes, and it was not difficult to avoid detection by day. Arrington evaded capture four or five years, then dis- appeared. He may have sought new fields or died un- attended in one of the caves that exist only in lime- stone sections.
The case of Jim is of interest from the fact that his trial for murder is given in the reports of the Supreme Court of Tennessee (4th and 5th Humphreys) and is the precedent for conviction in a capital offense on circumstantial evidence. Belonging to a farmer named Williams, he was tried for murder in 1843, was con- victed, and appealed. The case was remanded and resulted in a second verdict of guilty in 1844. Appeal- ing to the Supreme Court again, the case was affirmed. His lawyers were Sam Turney, Brien, and Haynes. Jim was hanged at Smithville, making a sensational statement on the gallows.
Isaac, the property of William Avant, was murdered in the kitchen of William Williams on Dry Creek on Saturday night, January II, 1843. Proof showed that a slave named George (against whose owner execu- tions were in the hands of an officer) and Jim (against whose owner an attachment had issued) were both in the neighborhood, concealing themselves in the woods, and were harbored by persons living near the place where Isaac was murdered. Isaac had been hired to catch George. The latter and Jim, both well armed, heard of Isaac's purpose and made frequent threats against his life. One night while Isaac was sleeping
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
on the floor with his head to the fire he was shot twice by some one outside and died in about an hour. Dr. Fuson examined the body, and William Avant found tracks fifteen or twenty steps from the kitchen, where Isaac was killed. The night had been cold. The tracks were visible only at a mudhole near the kitchen and at the spring branch. They seemed to have been made recently by some one running, and showed a de- ficiency in one of the soles. When Jim was caught in a cave by Francis L. Boyd, it was found that a piece was wanting in the sole of the right shoe. The meas -. ure of the track with Jim's shoes corresponded with the width, but was about half an inch shorter than the shoes. David Coger, a witness in the case, testified from tests that tracks made while one was running would be half an inch to an inch and a half shorter than the shoe that made it, and the tracks would be shortest in soft ground. One of the negro women swore that Jim had admitted the deed, while others gave damaging testimony.
Some young physicians secured Jim's body and, to avoid detection, conveyed it from hiding place to hiding place, finally cutting it up, tradition says, and throw- ing the pieces and bones in Smith Fork Creek just below the Gin Bluff cave. The violation of graves was made a felony by the act of 1831, which explains the doctors' fears.
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"Old Yaller" was Jim Stokes, a slave owned by General Stokes. From some cause he was always absconding, hiding in the neighboring hills. One
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
morning he discovered from his hiding place that Col. James Tubb's residence was on fire and succeeded in putting out the flames before much damage was done. In gratitude Colonel Tubb purchased him from Stokes, a delight to "Yaller Jim," since his wife was one of Colonel Tubb's slaves. Jim was the father of ten or twelve children by this woman.
This is of pathetic interest: Caleb was Colonel Tubb's body servant-a very large black man pos- sessed of much humor, who had a deep affection for every member of his master's family. He had super- intended the digging of graves for all the burials that had taken place, and the Colonel had enjoined upon the survivors of the family the duty of burying Caleb next to himself at the head of the family section.
After the war freed him, and after Colonel Tubb's death, Caleb remained faithful, caring for Miss Addie Tubb, the youngest girl, and Mrs. Caroline Fite, a widow. When they died he went to Dowelltown, but suddenly left there and went to parts unknown. Years passed, when one day an old colored man asked the stage driver from McMinnville to Smithville for a ride. He was wanting to get back home to die and be buried beside his master and "the chilluns," as he pathetically explained. Though he was black and his language broken, in his old heart was a yearning as loyal as that expressed by Jacob: "Bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt : but I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying place." Before the stage reached Smithville the
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
negro's life had gone out. James Tubb, Jr., was noti- fied, and he carried out the promise exacted by his father as to the burial of old black Caleb.
According to the report of the Adjutant General of Tennessee in 1866, Col. J. P. Brownlow, the enlist- ment of negro troops in the Union army from this State numbered 17,770. A number may have been from DeKalb County, though the writer has heard of but one, Banks, belonging to Reuben Evans.
Some of the early laws relative to negroes were these: They were not permitted to practice medicine. When found off their master's premises without a pass, they were arrested by patrols. Before 1831, for cer- tain offenses slaves (also free negroes) could be nailed to the pillory by the ears and have their ears cut off. By the act of 1831 free negroes were not allowed to remove to this from any other State and remain more than twenty days; while by that of 1833 no stage driver or boat captain was allowed to carry free negroes from one place to another without a certifi- cate from the county court clerk ; but if the black were a slave, verbal or written authority from the owner was sufficient. Free negroes were allowed to vote until 1834, when they were disfranchised by the new State constitution. A bill was introduced in the legis- lature of Tennessee in 1859-60 providing that all free negroes except certain minors should be sold into slavery if they remained in the State after May I, 1861. It failed to become a law.
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CHAPTER X.
STAGECOACH AND TAVERN DAYS.
QUITE a bulky debt was saddled on the State when the mania for internal improvements in Tennessee was on. But it brought us good roads, and no State can properly develop without these. It also brought an era of romance which made the people in isolated places better and happier and mentally broader.
It was a great event, as great as the construction of a railroad to-day, when the turnpike was extended from Lebanon in the direction of Sparta. On Decem- ber 2, 1837, a company was incorporated with the fol- lowing commissioners: John Hearn, John Muirhead, W. L. Martin, Joseph Johnson, O. G. Finley, J. P. Wharton, Solomon Caplinger, Wilson T. Waters, James Young, George Smith, J. M. Armstrong, Jona- than Bailey, and William Lawrence, of Wilson County ; Abraham Caruthers, John Gordon, Francis Gordon, William McCain, and Nathaniel Ward, of Smith County; T. W. Duncan, Leonard Lamberson, E. Wright, Jacob Fite, James Goodner, James Tubb, and Joseph Clarke, of Cannon County (afterwards De- Kalb) ; William Glenn, William Simpson, Jesse Lin- coln, and S. V. Carrick, of White County.
The commissioners were to open books for receiv ... ing subscriptions to the amount of $120,000, to be used in building the pike, "commencing at Lebanon," the charter not specifying at what point it should termi- nate. The $120,000 was to be divided into shares of
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
$50 each. The chief surveyor of the State marked the route, and that part going over Snow's Hill, a mountain in DeKalb County, the gorges and peaks of which suggest Alpine scenery, is said to be an ex- traordinarily fine example of surveying, with the ex- ception of a few hundred feet. This variance was due, explains Mr. John L. Lamberson, grandson of one of the commissioners, to the fact that it was left to an assistant, the chief surveyor, becoming ill, having been carried to Lamberson's, where he died. For some reason, probably because of a lack of funds, the road for some years was completed only to the top of Snow's Hill ; but the grading was completed to Smith- ville after the War between the States.
As soon as possible after securing the charter and making the survey work was begun. The route must have presented a bustling appearance, with the camps and the great ox teams (shod with triangular pieces of iron on each toe, we are told) drawing stone, sand, and gravel, and the toiling slaves and their overseers. The work was given out to various contractors-Nich- olas Smith, James White, Daniel Ford, Leonard Lam- berson, James Tubb, Abraham Overall, and others. It is said that the part running under the Allen bluff and beside the creek west of Liberty was constructed by Colonel Overall.
But one tragedy resulted during the building of this highway, so far as the writer can learn, though in some instances those upon whose premises the survey was made became very indignant. One farmer in the Alexandria neighborhood went gunning; but as the
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
route was changed for the better in his neighborhood, no blood was shed. The tragedy was the drowning of a youth named Blades. "There under the roots of that big tree," said the widow White to the writer one day when he was visiting the old Gray cemetery in Dowelltown, "is buried Charlie, the only son of Benja- min Blades. He fell through the Liberty bridge be- fore it was finished and was drowned. Near by is the grave of James White, who contracted to build a portion of the turnpike."
That women had an eye to business even so early as 1837 is indicated by the fact that Mrs. Sinia Foster superintended the building of the road some way up Snow's Hill. With her sons and employees, she boss- ing the job, a section of road was built that was prob- ably unexcelled.
Mr. Caplinger, possibly one of the commissioners, constructed the old bridge north of Liberty, a covered wooden structure with two driveways ; probably also that over Dry Creek, as both were alike.
The stagecoach was a familiar sight prior to the building of the turnpike; while the pike did not al- ways follow the first highway. To illustrate, the old road passed along the western and northern brow of the Daniel Smith hill a quarter of a mile north of Liberty, and after a large half circle eastward came out near Dowelltown. The trace is clearly visible to- day. With the coming of the big, red, rocking coach there had to be stage stands and wayside inns provid- ing "entertainment for man and beast." As far back as the oldest inhabitants can remember, Col. M. A.
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
Price was the mail contracter, an old one-eyed gentle- man, who smacked his lips enjoyably over a glass of gin and was strictly business. Horace McGuire, an early stager, says the mail was carried from Nashville to Knoxville. Isaiah White, son of one of the road builders and now a citizen of Nashville, avers that the Colonel had mail contracts covering twelve thou- sand miles, and this particular route extended from Nashville via Knoxville to Richmond, Va. The coach was drawn by four horses a large part of the time, says James Dearman, another stager, and horses were changed every fourteen miles. "Colonel Price grew wealthy," says Mr. White. "My father had the con- tract to make the road from the foot of Snow's Hill to the top, taking the contract off the hands of Mr. Duncan and Dr. Wright; but they became bankrupt, and he received very little compensation. It was fin- ished to the top of the hill, I think, about 1845."
After Price's time the route was gradually short- ened, finally becoming insignificant. Sam Black fol- lowed Price. Other contractors have been: Jesse Walling, Colvert & Lewis, Hale & Lewis, Overall Bros., and Taylor & Robinson. From Watertown to Smithville a number of automobiles now run.
There were taverns at Liberty nearly a century ago -the Duncan at the north end of the village, and one somewhat south of the first-named, probably erected by a Mr. Fite. The latter was at various times occu- pied as a residence by W. G. Foster, John F. Moore (a Vermont immigrant), Frank Foster, and William Blackburn, father of Col. Joe Blackburn. It was at
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HISTORY OF DEKALB
COUNTY
last torn down to give place for Will A. Vick's resi- dence.
The pioneer, Josiah Duncan, had the Duncan Tavern built, and it was conducted by his son, T. W. Duncan. Some of the Duncans removed to Nashville. It is believed that the Duncan Hotel, in the capital, was named for one of these Duncans. They came orig- inally from Maryland. Isaac Whaley, postmaster at Liberty for about forty-four years, once stated to the writer that within his memory Gen. Andrew Jackson was a guest at the Duncan. He added : "The General used to pass here in his carriage on the way to Wash- ington and other points. One time he purchased some negroes and was bringing them to Tennessee. While here a young slave died. It was between 1834 and 1839. I made the negro's coffin. Of the Duncans who left Liberty, I believe the one to become best known was Cicero."
T. M. Givan, a relative of the Duncan family, has heard his father tell of a large delegation going as far as Snow's Hill to welcome Old Hickory on one occa- sion. Some genius had improvised a sort of cannon, and when it was "touched off" it escaped from its fastenings, disappeared somewhere down one of the gorges near the road, "and has never been seen since." On Jackson's arrival the county broke all records by the size of its crowd. Jackson was social and pleased his hearers by expressing admiration for the great hills and predicting a wonderful future for that sec- tion.
Mrs. Rachel Payne, daughter of Frederick Jones,
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OLD DUNCAN TAVERN, LIBERTY DRAWN FROM MEMORY BY WILL T. HALE
HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
who bought the Duncan Tavern too late to entertain the hero of New Orleans, says she heard Mrs. Duncan tell how she once prepared a great feast for Jackson, but he would partake of nothing but milk and mush. Mrs. Payne states further: "When I was a child fif- teen young men and the same number of girls passed through the village from Alexandria to Smithville to attend a ball. Coming back to the village with the purpose of having a dance at the Overall home, they found the creek past fording and stayed overnight with us, and that dance was the first I had ever seen. I recall two of the young ladies, Colonel Stokes's daughters, Miss Melissa (afterwards Mrs. Haskins) and Miss Leath (called 'Bug,' who became Mrs. James R. Calhoun). The fifteen couples were horseback, which would be a wonderful sight now."
Latter-day hotels at Liberty were conducted by Joshua Hollandsworth and Mrs. Cannie Whaley.
About the middle of the nineteenth century there was an excellent and popular tavern at Alexandria kept by Capt. J. S. Reece. "I remember a few balls at the tavern," writes Mrs. S. W. McClelland, for- merly of Alexandria, "and among other attendants were Misses Ellen Johnston, Tump Sneed, Mary, Fannie, and Lorena Davis, Matt and Harriet Batts, and Messrs. Pope Rutland, John Sneed, William Bone, Joshua Floyd, and Capt. John F. Goodner, the gayest of the gay and a soldier of two wars. Next day we stood on tiptoe listening to a recital of the joyous events. When the circus came the old tavern was quickened into new life, and nothing was more de-
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