USA > Tennessee > DeKalb County > History of DeKalb county, Tennessee > Part 9
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DeKalb County has been noted for its large and strong men. Commercial travelers and others have remarked upon the fact. It is safe to say that no county of the same population can show a larger num- ber.
"Big" Bill Evans, once county trustee, weighed in his prime about two hundred and seventy-five pounds. Mrs. Matilda Huggins, his sister, weighed probably more. William B. Preston was about the size of Evans, and his mother weighed about three hundred pounds. Fox Frazier (hog trader ), his brother Henry, John Parker (of Dismal Creek), Col. James Tubb, James Fuston (tavern keeper), Presley Adamson, Henry L. Turner, Francis Turner. James Stark, Lan- don Richardson, Bill Garrison, Aaron Frazier. Sr., William Estes, Moses and John Spencer, Jim Willis Thomas Roe, George and Thomas E. Bratten, Bar! Pack, George Givan, Sr., William G. Bratten, Jack Tubb, Rev. Natty Hayes, Gips West-such men. weighing from two hundred and twenty-five pounds up, could be named in scores.
There were other men noted more for their strength
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than for their size, though all were probably above the average in weight. Ben Cantrell, of the Smithville neighborhood, once lifted with apparent ease twelve hundred pounds of brass while in Nashville. Ben Denny was another noted strong man of Smithville. A pioneer shoemaker of Liberty, John Woodside, placed his shoulders under an average-sized horse and lifted him clear of the ground. John Spencer, also of Liberty, carried a bag containing five bushels of wheat (300 pounds) five miles to mill. There were three or four of these Spencers, all large and power- ful. It is possible, even probable, that they were re- lated to John Sharpe Spencer, the giant who lived in Sumner County in a hollow tree before James Robert- son made his settlement at Nashville. A number of the pioneers went farther into the wilderness as the Cumberland country was settled.
As to men of great height, Dr. J. G. Squires was probably the tallest. He stood six feet seven and a half inches in his stockings, but would not weigh more than one hundred and forty pounds. "Curl" Jennings, who resided for some years at Dowelltown, was not less than six feet six inches and weighed close to three hundred pounds. A Mr. Brashear, over the average in size, had an attack of typhoid while board- ing with Jennings. Each had a pair of trousers made from the same bolt. When recovering, Brashear de- cided to sit up a few moments. As it happened, Jen- nings's trousers were hanging on a near-by chair. Believing them his, he slipped them on. When he saw
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how they hung in great folds and bags on him, he fell back weakly on the bed, exclaiming: "Great heavens ! If I've fallen off so much, there's no use trying to go about !" John Gann, of Liberty, was about as tall as Jennings and rather thin. One day in front of a saloon John Vandigriff, short and stocky, sidled up to him and said: "Mr. Gann, please hand me down one o' them buzzards flyin' over." Milton Ward, a well- known old field teacher, was about six feet six inches tall and required a special bedstead made for his use. Jim Willis, fist fighter, of Smithville, was six feet four inches tall, weighing about two hundred and twenty- five pounds. He was somewhat stooped, his arms were extremely long, while his eyes were deep-blue and deep-set. While he did not appear to delight in bloodshed, it is believed that he had a natural inclina- tion to fight. During the war he lived in Missouri and belonged to Quantrell's guerrillas. One who knew him says that his scalp was as rough as a turtle's back, due to scars made by rocks, knife thrusts, and club blows. Landon Richardson, of Liberty, weighing two hundred and twenty-five pounds, was usually depu- tized in ante-bellum times to arrest dangerous charac- ters who came to the village. He was not a "bully," but powerful and fearless. It is tradition that on one occasion he put to flight seven "bad men" from Hel- ton Creek who had attacked him. Firearms were not used in brawls then.
The two men who had the distinction of being the smallest in the county were Frank Foster, of Liberty, and Thornton Christy, of Alexandria.
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Mention has been made in the sketch of Temperance Hall of the disappearance of William G. Stokes. Other mysteries have puzzled the people and tried the souls of the parents of the missing men. Dr. Foster, who was given the story by an aged relative, says that Frank Givan, son of the second Circuit Court Clerk, started horseback to visit relatives in Maryland early in the nineteenth century. He was never heard from again, and he nor his horse could be traced out of the Liberty community. Was he murdered for his money ? Did he sink in quicksand, then supposed to exist in the county ? The wildest rumors were afloat. Years afterwards a skeleton was found in a hollow tree on Dry Creek, and some thought this the solution of the problem. Isaac Evans, son of Reuben Evans, went with W. B. Preston and others to California during the excitement over the finding of gold. He was heard from once, his letter stating that he had joined William Walker's filibusters. No other tidings have ever reached his friends or relatives, though sixty- five years have gone by.
Clay lamps, burning grease, were used in kitchens some years after the war. Candles, often made of tal- low, were used by the grandfathers for illumination. As there were no matches in general use until about 1830, we know that the tinder box, flint, and steel were kept for starting fires by the early DeKalb Countians.
Dr. G. C. Flowers, an ante-bellum resident of Liberty, was regarded as the most extensively read
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man in the county in his day, as far as general litera- ture is concerned. Dr. John S. Fletcher, who died in Smithville in 1877 (graduated from three universities, among them the University of Pennsylvania) and was surgeon in Gen. John C. Brown's brigade at the close of the war of 1861-65, had a distinction in after years similar to that of Dr. Flowers.
The county has produced some men of more than local reputation, but the writer recalls but one instance in which the people contributed of their means to erect a memorial to any DeKalb Countian. It is worth thinking about. The one thus honored was neither jurist, minister, statesman, editor, captain of industry, author, scholar, nor military chieftain. He was a very plain, unassuming man, who out of sympathy for the bereaved and their dead made it convenient to help dig the graves of his neighbors for nearly or quite threescore years. The marble shaft over W. H. (Hamp) Woodside's grave at Liberty is proof that a noble heart is still regarded as more than mere worldly success.
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Mention might be made of many DeKalb Countians with rare or bizarre qualities, such as the one who could never be made to answer yes or no directly and another who spoke as if always quoting, as, "I'm not feeling well to-day, as the old saying is"; but to give the story complete much more space would be required than can be offered in this history.
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Hundreds of names of citizens once familiar in the county are recorded in these pages, it will be noticed. Of their owners little more can be said now than that their graves are green. It is pathetic. But, to para- phrase Burns,
Should auld cognomens be forgot, And never brought to min'?
A striking thing about the names is the absence of foreign ones. The foreparents were of Anglo-Saxon stock. Some names were queer: Esau Pack, Giles Driver, Sim Hathaway, Bob Prydy, Pack Florida, Enoch George, Gil Etheridge, Cantrell Bethel, Cicero Duncan, Caleb Davis, Seaborn Harts, Brown Harri- man, Crofford Rankhorn, John Shehane, Daniel Rat- lige, Poindexter Joins, Nehemiah Garrison, Con- gelius Burrip, Jonas Nokes, Iradel March, Conrad Lamberson, James R. Gapway, Brice Parsley, Zene Crips, John Canler, Seth Whaley, Archamac Bass, Crag Parsons, Acenith Fite, Brackett Estes, Thomas Durham, Edwin Shumway, Randall Pafford, King Herod, William Mooneyham, Cain Adams, Lito Hul- lett, June Driver, Leven Gray, Friday Martin, Samuel Casey, Tucker Woodson, Festus Moses (the great walnut buyer), Goodman Mallon, Telford Steele, Park Amonett, Vincent Manor, Bart Nonnelly, Emory Cubbins, Mikel Etheridge, Irwin Page, Fuller Sanlin, and North Reynolds. Others were musically allitera- tive: Edmondson Elkins, Nelson New, Mat Martin. Lee Lafever, Leonard Lamberson, Benjamin Blades, Sylvanus Stokes, Kern Clark, Rich Richardson, Elam Edge, Pleasant Pistole, Dempsey Driver, Fox Frazier,
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Hardin Hardcastle, Henry Helmantaller, Hawkins Heflin, Rison Roland, Tolliver Turner, William Wellaby, Wylie Wilder, George Givan, Moses Mathews, Henry Horn, Alex Armstrong, Henry Hart, German Gossett, Philip Palmer, Henry Hass, Martin Murphy, Ben Brownin, Thomas Terry, James Jones, Thomas Tyree, Willis Wade, William Wright, Archi- bald Allen, Elial Elston, William Wilson, Shines Scrib- ner, Abe Adams, Frank Foster, Hiram Hildreth, Travers Tarpley, David Dirting, Mickeral Manning, Morris Marcum, Hart Hinesly, Ephraim Evans, Arch Allen, and Samson Sellars.
As observed elsewhere, the names of a number of families figure no longer in the county's activities. Some of the settlers died; others moved to different sections. Now and then one hears of a few of their descendants : John C. Floyd, of Arkansas, and Fred- eric Barry, of Mississippi, who became members of Congress from their adopted States ; M. M. Brien and Robert Cantrell, noted lawyers and jurists ; Bird S. Rhea, Ed Reece, R. B. Wright, Cicero Duncan, Church Anderson, James Yeargin, and Len F. Davis, all promi .. nent in the business world, Mr. Davis in 1914 having the distinction of being the senior of Nashville's whole- sale merchants in point of service.
There were (and are still) in the county many racy local characters of a type one rarely ever meets in large towns, where personalities lose their distinctness of outline like coins which pass innumerable times across shop counters. Such were Jonas Nokes, Ross
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Keith, "Sporting Ike" Hays, and others. Some were natural wits and humorists, whose drolleries have been kept alive by the joke-loving DeKalb Countians. The writer thinks none excelled four or five Liberty wits- Hamp Woodside, Blue Givan, Pole Woodside, Jr., Thomas Vick, James Burton, and M. C. Vick. Dr. Foster avers that Thomas Askew was the wittiest man he ever knew. ยท Such little sallies as these, handed down from father to son, approach the character of folk tales :
Shed Lawson, who resided in Alexandria many years ago, was noted for his cheerful disposition, de- spite the fact that his treasury of worldly goods was small, and for his ready wit on any occasion requiring quick repartee. When the circus comes to town, the parade is sure to gather the crowd. One day Shed and his little son, who always accompanied him like his shadow, were following the clown. The latter, on his pony and diked out in conventional cap and bells, was shouting his badinage to the sight-seers. Seeing Shed, he said: "Here, mister, I want to hire that boy." Sensing a chance maybe to get his admis- sion fee easily, the Alexandrian asked what he wanted the lad to do. "I want him to blow my nose," the clown said. "O, well, now," retorted Shed loudly and without hesitation, "ef you will jest wait a little while, jedgin' from appearances, the flies will blow it fer you."
Speaking of noses, Littleberry Vick, of Liberty, as well as the Duke of Wellington, possessed a prominent nose. One day he and William Burton were arguing
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over some political issue. Directly Mr. Vick, some- what irritated, said: "Billy Burton, you never could see an inch beyond your nose." "And, Berry Vick," replied Mr. Burton, "if you could see an inch beyond your nose, you could see into another county."
Matthew Sellars, a pioneer of Dry Creek and a first-class citizen, had no blasphemy in his heart when, after a storm one night, he went out and looked on the wreck the wind had made of the timber and young corn in the new ground. Returning to the house, he said to his wife in a low tone: "Charlotte, don't whis- per it above your breath ; but, taking the Almighty up one side and down the other, it seems he does about as much harm as good."
There is no spot of earth where the people apply the title of uncle and aunt more industriously than in the DeKalb County Basin. When it is applied to a neigh- bor, it is an indication that he is getting old. It also signifies reverence. Some wag thereaway once ob- served: "There are four periods in the life of a man. As a child he is Bobby, as a young man he is Bob, in his prime he is Uncle Bob, and after threescore and ten he is Old Uncle Bobby." Some there were who objected to having the title of age thus thrust upon them, and one was William Vick, the Liberty mer- chant. One day he was sitting in front of his store. Dempsy Driver rode by and, bowing, said: "Good morning, Uncle Bill." Turning to a companion, Vick said dryly and somewhat resentfully: "Another nephew."
Thomas Askew was a soldier in the Mexican War.
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Becoming ill, he died, to all appearances; doctors and nurses pronounced him dead. His coffin was brought in and placed near the cot where he was "laid" out. He revived when left alone for a few minutes and sav the coffin. Having been a DeKalb official, he reached for a pencil and wrote on top of the casket: "No property found. T. B. Askew, constable."
Reuben Evans, farmer, magistrate, and rock mason, was sincere and matter-of-fact. He was also cat- tious, extremely so, and one cannot imagine him guilty of exaggeration in praise or blame. While he was doing some stonework for C. W. L. Hale, the latter's child said something the father regarded as bright and cute. "Now, Uncle Reuben," said he, "wasn't that just too much?" "Really," Mr. Evans replied deliberately and carefully, "I can't say it was too much, but it was a good deal."
Dr. J. W. Campbell had a farm in a very deep hol- low a mile west of Liberty. One afternoon his tenant hauled about two hundred and fifty pounds of hay to the village. As he passed Blue Givan's store some one remarked that it was a very small load for two horses to haul all the way to town. "But you must recollect that when you come out of a jug you have to come out with a small load," said Givan.
Jacob Adcock, south of Smithville and formerly a representative from Cannon County, bought a broken-down stallion for $15, fed him on roasting ears, groomed him all times of day, and kicked and punched him to make him gay. Then he got out on the fence to watch for a victim. Rev. William Daw-
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son, riding by on a fine black mare, was bantered for a trade. "The horse is a top-notcher," said Adcock, "but too young and spry for an old man like me." As they approached the stable the horse saw his master, then, walling his eyes and snorting, tried to climb out of the stall. His coat glistened, so that he looked as well as he acted. The trade was made, the parson giving the black mare, a watch, and a note for $50 for the stallion. At the Short Mountain camp meeting some weeks later, after the stallion had retrograded to the $15 class again, Adcock professed religion. As he was going home Dawson overtook him, said he was glad God had pardoned his sins, then suggested that he ought to return some of the money he swindled out of Dawson through the horse trade. "I don't see it that way, Brother Dawson," replied Adcock. "When the Lord pardoned my sins he included the horse swap."
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CHAPTER XIII.
SMALLER VILLAGES OF THE COUNTY.
HON. J. M. ALLEN once averred that his father. Jesse Allen, a Virginian, entered the land on Smith Fork Creek from John Corley's farm to Lancaster, one mile on each side of the creek, but sold his rights for $400, after which he entered a tract in another part of the county that became DeKalb. Lower Smith Fork Valley is one of the most fertile sections in Mid- dle Tennessee, and the wonder is that the pioneers could see no farther ahead.
Dr. R. M. Mason says Samuel Caplinger, a large landholder, built the mill and house which were later owned by Nicholas Smith and which formed the nucleus of Temperance Hall. The late A. P. Smith, son of Nicholas, has stated that the village received its name from the fact that the Sons of Temperance used to hold their meetings on the second floor of his father's residence. It was named then, after 1848, for the elder Smith in that year removed from Wilson County to Temperance Hall, the site being in Smith County. By act of February 1, 1850, the line was changed so as to include in DeKalb County the farms and homes of Smith, Andrew Vantrease, John Robin- son, and others. By the same act John F. Goodner's farm, near Alexandria, was taken into DeKalb, as has been seen.
The men who located at and around Temperance Hall in the first years of the nineteenth century were,
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many of them, of unusual force of character and a number in affluent circumstances: Samuel Caplinger, Alex Robinson, Stephen Robinson, Nicholas Smith, Daniel Ford, John Mason, John Corley, James Simp. son, Matthew Simpson, John Lamberson, George Kel- ley, Jack Reynolds, Peter Reynolds, the Drivers, Bates, Lawrences, Lancasters, Oakleys, Hayeses, Tubbs, Stephens, Kelleys, Fishers, Stokeses, and others.
Owing to the distinction to which two members of the Stokes family reached in the State (William B. and Jordan), it is pertinent to record that their father, Sylvanus, had started from North Carolina to locate on his land, near the present Temperance Hall, when his team ran away, and he was killed. Mrs. Stokes, with her three children, Thomas, William B., and Jor- dan, and a Mr. Kelly, continued the journey, reaching this country in 1818. Some years later the widow married Mr. Kelly and settled near or in Temperance Hall. To them were born Harry and Rufus Kelly and two daughters, one becoming Mrs. Mike Lan- caster and the other Mrs. Thomas Lancaster. Thomas Stokes became a farmer. Of him a reliable citizen, a former neighbor, writes: "He was at one time the richest man in DeKalb County, having at the close of the war of 1861-65 about fifty negroes and large land interests. He was a fire-eating secessionist, as was his brother William at the beginning of the war, though the latter became a Federal. Everything Thomas had that was loose at both ends was taken from him by Federal soldiers. For intelligence and fine mother wit he was the superior of either Colonel Bill or Jor-
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dan, but his fault was a fondness for alcoholic drink. He gave way to this habit after the war and died poor and almost an imbecile. A son of Thomas was William G. I can just remember him. A year or more prior to the war he started south with a drove of hogs and was never heard of more. Sylvanus, another son, the youngest, fought through the war for the Confederacy and died a few years ago. He was one man in the county who, in a threatened diffi- culty, made Capt. W. L. Hathaway 'take water.'"
Early merchants of Temperance Hall were John Mason, Dr. Arch Robinson, and Mr. Rodgers. The two first were in business about 1851-52; the last- named, who was there about 1855 to 1860, was North- ern-born and returned to that section. Present busi -. ness men : L. Driver (who also twice represented the county in the legislature), Williams & Terry, J. H. Close & Son, Turner & McBride, J. R. Kelley, and L. B. Midgett. The flour mill is operated by the Ten- perance Hall Milling Company.
Dr. Arch Robinson, father of the late Dr. W. H. Robinson, of Liberty, was one of the early physicians. Following his death, his brother, Dr. William B. Robinson, located in the village. After the war Dr. Thomas Gold entered that field. Other physicians have been Drs. R. M. Mason, G. W. Martin, and S. C. Robinson. Dr. Samuel Walker was for some years practicing in that region.
One of the earlier teachers was Mrs. Stephens. Others were Mr. Bush, Mr. Hatcher, A. L. Reynolds. A. L. Malone, E. W. Brown, J. W. Thomison (now a
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
lawyer of Nashville), Joseph Ford, Dr. Thomas Ford, and Frank Foster. The present teachers are Leroy Smith and Miss Stella Young. Miss Lizzie Simpson taught in the vicinity some years following the war.
The Southern Methodists have a good church in the hamlet. A Baptist church and Pisgah, the latter belonging to the Northern wing of the Methodists. are located a short distance out. The Disciples also have a congregation at this place.
Dowelltown, on the Lebanon and Sparta Turnpike and two miles north of Liberty, is on land settled some years after 1800. Thomas Dale, of Maryland, seems to have bought up some of the claims of Revolutionary soldiers of North Carolina. At any rate, he held war- rants for much of the land around the village.
Levi Gray became possessed of a tract on the south side of the creek, living in the house east of the cov- ered bridge, which was later occupied by Frank Dowell. It belonged to the Grays for years, and their family graveyard was across the turnpike west of the residence. The estate was inherited by Isaac Gray, who married a Miss Dowell. He died and left two children, Harriet and Melvina.
Frank Dowell married the widow Gray, his cousin, and lived on the farm until the close of the War be- tween the States, when he removed to Arkansas. At one time he represented his county in the Arkansas Legislature. Dowelltown was named for him.
Frank Dowell sold the Dowelltown property to Rev. John Hunt, a Baptist minister from East Tennessee. Hunt exchanged it for land belonging to Sanford
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
Mann, who came from the North after the war and was the first ferrotype artist of Liberty after peace. Mann sold to Thomas Chapman. The present owner is John Robinson, a son of the pioneer, Edward Robin- son.
The country adjacent to Dowelltown was settled by as high-class men as any mentioned in other sections of the county. Among them were Robin Forrester, William and Samson Williams, Matthew Sellars, Ben- jamin Avant, David Fite, Alex Robinson, George Barnes, Edward Robinson, the Yeargins, the Harts, the Fraziers, the Bankses, the Snows, the Turners, and others.
The first storehouse was erected about 1869 where the Barger Hollow Lane intersects with the Lebanon and Sparta Turnpike, and probably the first merchant was James Ashworth. In the same building the fol- lowing successively had stocks of merchandise : James Fuson, William Wall, Bratten & Turney, Riley Tay- lor, Barney Taylor & Co., Thomas Curtis, Less Fuson, and John F. Turner. Other early merchants were Charles Pullen, Thomas Bright, Pat Geraty, and Robert F. Jones.
There are now six stores in the village, the present merchants being John F. Turner, N. R. Robinson, W. T. Robinson, A. R. Meares & Son, G. S. and W. T. Blackburn, and Less Bass.
In 1866 Col. J. H. Blackburn began the erection of a flour mill, which was finished in 1872 by Lieut. Win- gate T. Robinson. The Big Spring northwest of town furnishes the power.
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In 1866 Allan Wright (born in Baltimore County, Md., in 1831) came to DeKalb County and erected the first flour mill in Liberty after the War between the States on the site of that burned by Gen. John T. Wilder during the war. In 1868 he erected and has since controlled the Dowelltown Woolen Factory.
As to physicians of the town, Dr. C. C. Robinson was the first to locate, remaining in the village until his death. Previous to this time Dr. John A. Fuson, of Dry Creek, did the practice. Dr. W. F. Fuson came next, then Dr. S. C. Robinson, a son of C. C. and now of Temperance Hall. Dr. C. B. White resides there at present. Dr. Howard Curtis, son of Rev. Mack Curtis, was graduated at Chattanooga University, but located at Allgood and is a leading physician of Putnam County. Dr. W. T. Robinson, a son of B. W. Robinson, was graduated at Vanderbilt and is meeting with success at Shelbyville.
The local dentist is Dr. J. T. Duggan. Dr. Hoyt Robinson, son of B. W. Robinson and graduated in dentistry at Vanderbilt University, located in Union City.
W. B. Corley and Hon. N. R. Robinson are resident attorneys.
Edward Gothard was probably the earliest black- smith, then came Gothard & Self, then Self & Grand- staff. Isaac Burkett had a shop just north.
One of the carly teachers of the neighborhood was Alex Robinson, a capable man. Other teachers : R. B. Harris, J. B. Green, T. A. Kilman, R. A. Underwood, Mr. Sykes, Mr. Myatt, O. B. Close, Rev. W. P. Banks,
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N. R. Robinson, J. F. Caplinger, O. B. Starnes, and M. Malone.
The postmasters have been William Wall, Robert Yeargin, Alf Standford, R. F. Jones, M. A. Stark, Lucian Avant, B. W. Robinson, N. R. Robinson, and Fannie M. Robinson.
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