USA > Tennessee > Davidson County > Nashville > History of Nashville, Tenn. > Part 65
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Dr. Green was greatly attached to Nashville-" fell in love with it at first sight," as he said, and adopted it as his home. He was a stockholder in its first railroad (the Nashville and Chattanooga ), and also in the Lou -. isville, Nashville, and Great Southern; also a stockholder in the Nash -- ville Gas Company, and a member of the first Board of Directors. With the assistance of Joseph T. Elliston and John M. Bass, he opened up Union Street from Market Street to College Street, no financial aid being asked or given by the corporation of Nashville. In his many building contracts he used home mechanics and home material, even when to do so required change of plans and great delays. He took great pride in Nashville, and predicted great things for its future. He was a deep and earnest sympathizer with the South in 1861, and for his devotion went into voluntary exile during the occupation of Nashville by the Federal army. He was deeply interested in all educational enterprises of his Church, and also of the city of Nashville. He was not college bred, but highly appreciated liberal education, and worked and studied faithfully-
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when opportunity offered to remedy this defect. He was a trustee of the University of Nashville, from which institution he received his degree of Doctor of Divinity; was a stockholder and trustee of the old Nashville Female Academy, and an original trustee of the Tennessee School for the Blind. He was especially interested in the permanent establishment in Nashville of the Vanderbilt University, and was a member of the Board of Trust and Treasurer at the time of his death. He was deeply impressed with the importance of a theological school, in which young men wishing to enter the Christian ministry could be properly trained for the work. He labored with tongue and pen for such an establishment, and cre- ated the public sentiment which resulted in the movement in several Conferences of the Southern Methodist Church to found a Southern university with a Theological Department as one of its prominent feat- ures.
In none of the positions of honor and trust, which required much of his time, did he demand or expect any pecuniary reward. In his calling as a minister of the gospel he was always ready for any extra service, with- out understanding as to pay.
ยท He had a large, well-selected library; was an industrious reader, and a fluent writer. "The Papers of Dr. Green," edited by his son, Rev. William M. Green, are full of interest to the general reader. His fine judgment made him a good business man, and his liberality and genial manner made him a universal favorite. He was a most entertaining con- versationalist, and was excelled by no one in relating an anecdote. He was fond of working with his own hands in his garden and fields at " Greenland," five miles north of Nashville. He loved the woods and the streams, and was an ardent follower of Gentle Sir Isaak Walton. He was a skillful and successful angler. He knew the habits of the game fish of the Tennessee streams, and had a lecture-the subject, "Fish and Fishing"-which was very entertaining and instructive.
Although a member of many Boards, a man of affairs, and fond of fishing, he allowed nothing to interfere with preaching the gospel, which was his one great business. He never neglected an appointment or cur- tailed its services for any other call. He was married in 1831, to Miss May Ann Elliston, an accomplished Christian lady, a direct descendant on the maternal side of the Ridley Buchanan pioneers of Tennessee, and remotely of the noted Bishop Ridley, the martyr. She appreciated her hus- band's talents, and helped him in every way in his chosen life-work. She was a good wife and a good mother. Five children were born to them in Nashville, where they always lived. The eldest died in infancy; the others are to-day citizens of the city of their nativity-viz., Mrs. Thomas
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D. Fite, Captain Frank W. Green, Rev. William M. Green, D.D., and Mrs. Robert A. Young.
For a more complete biography of Dr. Green the reader is referred to the "Life and Papers of Dr. Green," by his son, Rev. William M. Green, D.D.
GENERAL WILLIAM G. HARDING was born September 15, 1808, in a. log cabin still standing at "Belle Meade," near Nashville, which at the time of his birth was the home of his parents, John and Susannah (Shute ) Harding. The Harding family trace their lineage to Martin Harding, the Huguenot. The Shute family emigrated from Pennsylvania to Tennes- see previous to 1798, and thus were among the early settlers of the State.
The characteristics of General Harding's youth were energy, courage, and unswerving devotion to the truth. His education in the primary branches of reading, writing, and arithmetic was acquired in such schools as the neighborhood afforded at the time, and even at that it was inter- rupted by work upon the farm, his father believing, as many farmers do still, that a valuable part of a boy's education was to learn how to work. At the age of fourteen years he entered the University of Nashville, where the influence upon his character was, he thought, not of the best, because a good many of the students were not of a studious turn of mind, and with a decision of character uncommon to his years he communi- cated to his father his conviction that his only course was to seek an- other school. His father advised him to return to his class and resist the influences by which he was surrounded; but he replied to his father: "These boys are my friends; I will not offend them; my only way is to leave the school and seek another." Receiving permission to make his own selection, he set out from home at the age of sixteen, and examined for himself how discipline was maintained at Princeton, N. J., and at Harvard College, at Cambridge, Mass. He also visited Middletown, Conn., where "The American Literary and Scientific Academy," taught by that highly accomplished military man and ripe scholar, Captain Allen Partridge, formerly Superintendent of West Point Military Academy, was located. Carefully examining here the routine and curriculum, and being highly pleased with its management, he entered the school, a total stranger to professors and students; and keeping himself aloof from the other students, he formed no intimate relations before he had ample op- portunity to become acquainted with their characters.
He graduated in 1829, his course having been marked by studious and high military habits and bearing, holding every office in his company from corporal to captain. He was also inspector of the corps of cadets, the highest military office of the institution. While young Harding was
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in attendance the school numbered among its students such distinguished gentleman as Horatio Seymour, of New York; Harry Seymour, of Con- necticut; Iturbide, of Mexico; Colonel H. M. Sanford, of New York; Ex-governor Hoge, of North Carolina, and many others of equal dis- tinction in civil life. The only certificate of graduation ever given in Captain Partridge's own handwriting was given to young Harding, and was in these words:
"I hereby recommend William G. Harding, a graduate of this institu- tion, as a scholar, a gentleman, and a soldier, to all whom it may- con- cern."
A strong and lasting friendship sprung up between Captain Partridge and young Harding, and on leaving his Alma Mater he persuaded his instructor to accompany him to Tennessee. While here they both vis- ited General Andrew Jackson, in whom they found a congenial spirit, both of them being possessed of many of the characteristics that distin- guished the old hero.
On the 17th of November, 1829, General Harding was married to Miss Mary Selene McNairy, daughter of Nathaniel McNairy and Catha- rine (Hobson) McNairy, of Nashville. By this marriage he has one son living-John Harding. After his marriage he settled in a log cabin on the "Stone's River Farm," where he lived a plain, economical life, en- gaged in raising cotton. He was the first in this section to ship cotton to New Orleans, and corn to Charleston, S. C., by rail. His wife died in 1837, and in 1839 his father turned over to him the " Belle Meade Es- tate," then comprising about fourteen hundred acres of land and one hundred and twenty-five slaves of all ages. Here he resided until his death, constantly giving his personal attention to his plantation, and add- ing adjoining acres to the estate to make room for the increase of his negroes. He was opposed, as his father had been before him, to pur- chasing slaves. He was also opposed to trusting his slaves to the charge of an overseer; consequently he would never invest in a cotton or sugar plantation, but kept his slaves around him. In this course he was de- clining what was considered the most profitable method of employing slave labor, but he preferred it as the more humane. Rather than mor- tify his negroes by separating their families, he enlarged his plantation and kept them under his own supervision. During the civil war his slaves remained faithful to him, and after the war a large number remained with him for years as freed persons.
General Harding was a leading agriculturist and stock breeder in the State. He also took great interest in affairs of the State and the general government. Politically he was a Democrat of the Jackson type. He
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was the first to suggest to Dr. Overton the necessity of building the Nashville and Chattanooga railroad, and labored with the Doctor several days before he would consent to agitate the subject, considering it a wild and visionary project.
General Harding was a close reader all his life, and an advanced thinker on agricultural subjects. He kept fully abreast of the times in the use of improved farm implements and machinery, and especially in the improvement of the blooded horse. He was also a writer of great ability on farm subjects. He was always regarded as a man of the high- est integrity and honor, and looked with regret upon the decline which he witnessed in the simplicity, honor, and kindliness of manner which transpired in his day. In his early days a man's word was as good as his bond; written contracts were seldom resorted to, mutual help and confidence being the rule. General Harding regarded the character of the past as far superior and preferable to that of the present day.
General Harding did not regard the race-track as necessarily immoral or irreligious. He was at the same time a stanch friend of religion, and believed that every man should identify himself with the Church; and he also thought that if religious people would recognize the usefulness of the race-track, as is the case in England, they would do much to eliminate all of the objectionable features therefrom.
General Harding was married the second time to Miss Elizabeth Mc- Gavock, daughter of Randall and Sarah (Rogers) McGavock, January 2, 1840. By this marriage he had two daughters-Selene, the eldest, wife of General W. H. Jackson, the present proprietor of " Belle Meade;" and Mary Elizabeth, wife of Judge Howell E. Jackson, of the Sixth Ju- dicial Circuit. Mrs. Harding died August 3, 1867. General Harding derived his title from having been elected Brigadier-general of Militia.
One of the rarest and most excellent traits of human character is that of magnanimity. This was a striking feature in the character of General Harding. His aim was always the truth, pure and unadulterated, and whoever convinced him that any view he entertained was erroneous he immediately admitted his error, no matter how warmly and earnestly he might have defended his own view of the matter in controversy. He never postponed doing the "amende honorable," even to a servant whom he had unintentionally wronged, but was swift to confess the wrong and ask pardon. He was a lover of truth for the truth's sake, and he scorned falsehood and deceit as the meanest and most degrading vice, destructive alike of mutual confidence and self-respect.
For the Christian religion he entertained a profound respect, and his standard of Christian character was for a long time so high as to keep
John M. Hill
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him from joining the Church, fearing, in his own self-depreciating way, that he was unworthy to be classed among Christians. Yet if a life-long observance of the golden rule be a criterion of Christianity, there was no period of his youth or later manhood in which he might not have aspired to that noblest of human characters, "a Christian gentleman."
JOHN MELCHOIR HILL was born April 6, 1797, in Lancaster, Pa. He was of Dutch descent, and his ancestors were among the colonists who settled in that part of Pennsylvania early in the eighteenth century. His parents, Gottleib and Sarah Hill, were in comfortable circumstances, and gave their children, four sons and a daughter, a good education in both English and German. They were members of the Lutheran Church, and threw around their children a religious influence which was manifest through their entire lives.
The subject of this sketch was the oldest of the family. He was ap- prenticed at an early age to a German merchant in Lancaster, and was thus introduced to an active business life. At the expiration of his ap- prenticeship he went to Pittsburg with the view of making that his future home; but, catching the spirit of adventure which about that time in- duced many young men to seek their fortunes in the West and South, he, with a number of others, came to Tennessee, settling at Pulaski, in Giles County, in 1819. However, he came to Nashville, being then at the age of twenty-two.
On the 21st of July, 1824, he was married to Miss Phoebe Thompson, a native of Cincinnati, O., and descended from one of the pioneer fami- lies of that part of the State. Miss Thompson, while a woman of great personal beauty, was yet more noted for her lovely disposition and ex- emplary character, and for the determined energy and sound judgment with which she aided her husband in his efforts to make his way in the world. Thus encouraged by her, he determined to accumulate a fortune, and applied himself with a resolution and vigor which nothing could daunt. He commenced business in Nashville in a small store on the east side of Market Street, about midway between the old Union Hall and the Public Square. Being exact and conscientious in all his dealings, he gained the confidence of the community, and his little store was soon filled with customers. At the end of a few years his business so in- creased that a larger room became a necessity, and he moved to a build- ing formerly occupied by Porter & Rawlins, using the upper part for a family residence. His business continuing to increase, he soon opened two branch houses, one in charge of Vernon K. Stevenson, and the oth- er in the care of Ralph Martin, both of them young men of good habits and excellent business training. Mr. Hill then formed a partnership with
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Major Joseph Vaulx and James J. Gill, and went into an extensive auc- tion and commission business, in a building standing on the ground now occupied by Gray & Kirkman's hardware store. There being at that time but two or three small jobbing houses in Nashville, large amounts of merchandise sent out from the East found their way into the hands of country merchants through this house of Mr. Hill's.
Having accumulated a handsome fortune, Mr. Hill retired from active business in 1845, and was succeeded by his brothers-in-law, George and Charles Thompson. This step was, however, ever afterward a matter of regret to him, often saying that "it was far better to wear out than to rust out." But after retiring from business he devoted a great deal of time to religious work. In 1833, during a great revival in Nashville, he joined the Presbyterian Church, then in charge of Dr. J. T. Edgar. Under the instruction of this celebrated divine Mr. Hill soon became fully as active in the Church as he had been in his store. He was earnest and indefat- igable in every thing, and was foremost or among the foremost in every scheme devised to promote the prosperity of the Church. He was soon elected a deacon, and a few years afterward was made a ruling elder. He was most generous in all his donations to benevolent enterprises and a liberal, though unostentatious, private giver. In his will he bequeathed in trust to the elders of the First Presbyterian Church twenty thousand dollars, to be used for various benevolent purposes.
In all respects Mr. Hill was a good citizen. He never shunned a pub- lic duty. As a fireman in the early days he was always one of the first at the brakes of the old hand-engine when the alarm of fire was given. As a public officer he always labored for the public good. In the days before the war he was a share-holder and a director in all the banks and insurance companies in the city, and was also among the foremost in all manufacturing enterprises. He loved his adopted city, and always had a warm place in his heart for her young men. He was a genial host, and liked to have his friends about him. He was a lover of nature and her beauties, and took especial delight in the cultivation of flowers. In his old age he was very fond of a quiet day's fishing, and when he went out on an excursion of this kind he always took with him Isaak Walton's "Complete Angler." Mr. Hill was a stern lover of the truth, a man with an inflexible will, and yet with the broadest and kindliest views of men and things. He had a fine intellect, and with proper culture he could have become eminent in any of the learned professions of life. He died January 26, 1870, heartily mourned by the whole city.
GENERAL W. H. JACKSON is a worthy representative of that Scotch- Irish race which has given to this country so many excellent soldiers,
We Jackson
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statesmen, and men of letters, and which has supplied so many sturdy heroes in all walks of life. He was born in Paris, Henry County, Tenn., October 1, 1835. His father, Dr. A. Jackson, and his mother, Mary W. Hurt, were both natives of Virginia ; were married in 1829, and removed to West Tennessee in 1830. The only surviving children of this marriage are William H. Jackson and Howell E. Jackson, the latter an ex-United States Senator from Tennessee, and now United States Circuit Judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit, consisting of Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee.
William H. Jackson was reared amid good and wholesome precepts in the home circle, and received sound instruction in the school and Church. Possessed of a sanguine spirit, his fearless bravery and warm espousal of the weaker side in boyhood's strifes secured him strong friends and ardent admirers. His impetuosity of spirit and love of ad- venture made field sports more attractive than the monotonous duties of the school-room, and clearly foreshadowed his future manhood. While a member of the senior class of West Tennessee College, he received the appointment of cadet at West Point, and entered that institution in 1852.
The discipline of that military school was of the greatest benefit in its influence on the restless and ambitious spirit, and at the same time the prospects of a military life opened up broader fields and presented strong stimulus to exertion. He graduated with credit in the large class of 1856, and, after the usual furlough at home, he reported in the fall of the same year to the Cavalry School of Instruction at Carlisle, Pa., to Colonel Charles May, of Mexican War fame. One year later he joined his reg- iment of Mounted Rifles, U. S. A., then stationed in various parts of Texas and New Mexico. He remained in this frontier service as second lieutenant, under Colonel W. W. Loring, from 1857 to the spring of 1861. In this connection full scope was given to his love of adventure in following Indian trails and the exciting incidents peculiar to this branch of military service. Individuality was developed, self-reliance constantly exercised, perils encountered, and bravery stimulated.
For persistence in duty and gallantry in action he was frequently com- plimented not only from regimental head-quarters, but from head-quarters at Washington. At the commencement of the Civil War he was operat- ing against the Apaches in the vicinity of Fort Staunton, N. M.
Viewed from the stand-point of that day, it was to be expected that our young cavalry officer should take sides with the South. There re- sided his family, his dearest friends, his childhood associates. While separating with regret from his companions in arms who had with him
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stood the brunt of many an Indian conflict, or participated with him in the fierce attack on savage hordes, yet without hesitancy he decided to go with his native State in the conflict. In pursuance of his resolve to aid his native State, Lieutenant Jackson tendered his resignation, turned over to the proper officers of the United States army every cent of govern- ment funds and every description of public property in his possession ; and, in company with Colonel Crittenden, of Kentucky, Major Long- street, and others, made his way to Texas, ran the blockade at Galves- ton, reached New Orleans, sent in the tender of his services through Major Longstreet to the Confederate Government, and was at once com- missioned captain of artillery by the Governor of Tennessee. .
After performing various duties, he was assigned, at New Madrid, in 1861, to the command of a battery of light artillery. At the battle of Bel- mont, being unable to land his battery, Captain Jackson (by order of General Pillow) led an infantry charge against a portion of the United States troops, and was wounded in the side with a minie-ball, which he still carries-a striking reminiscence of the horrors of war. After recov- ering from what was supposed at the time to be a mortal wound, he was promoted to a colonelcy and assigned to the command of the Sixth Ten- nessee and First Mississippi Cavalry, then operating in West Tennessee and Mississippi. At the taking of Holly Springs, Colonel Jackson, for gallant conduct, was promoted Brigadier-general, and in command of cavalry took part in all the various movements of Generals Hardee, Polk, and Joe Johnston, commanding the cavalry on the left wing in the memo- rable Georgia campaign.
Among other military services was his engagement with the dashing Kil- patrick at Lovejoy's Station, leading with Forrest the Confederate ad- vance into Tennessee, and covering the retreat of Hood. For this he was recommended for promotion to a division, and was assigned to the command of Forrest's old division, with the Texas brigade added. With this fine command he operated till the close of the war, when he was as- signed by General Dick Taylor, on the part of the Confederates, and General Dennis, on the part of the United States army, as commissioner for the parole of troops at Gainesville, Ala., and Columbus, Miss. To delineate fully the part General Jackson played in the Civil War is not our purpose ; it is not necessary to place before the reader so voluminous a history as would be requisite to do the subject justice. His character- istics are what we seek; these stamp him as a man of high type. He en- gaged in the service of the South from a sense of imperative duty. He gave to the cause unquestioned ability. His courage was spontaneous and impetuous. His training and experience gave him coolness and
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sound judgment. He was chivalrous to his foes and disposed always to conduct war upon the principles of civilized usage, with as little of sever- ity and harshness as its barbarous nature permitted.
The war having closed, General Jackson engaged in agriculture with the same resolute purpose which had actuated his military life. Taking charge of his father's planting interests, he managed two farms, organ- ized a mixed force of white and colored labor, superintended their work with judgment, and secured profitable results. In this new field of labor he gained a distinction not inferior to that he gained in the profession of arms. His pre-eminent qualifications in the field of agriculture have al- ways been widely appreciated. He organized the National Agricultural Congress, and called the first meeting of that organization in the city of Nashville, out of which movement grew all the other organizations of farmers in the United States. He was President of the National Agri- cultural Congress, of the Farmers' Association of Tennessee, of the Bu- reau of Agriculture for the State, and of the Executive Board of the Ru- ral Sun Publishing Company, publishers of a weekly journal devoted to the interests of Southern agriculture. From the Bureau of Agricult- ure was issued that comprehensive work entitled "Resources of Ten- nessee."
In politics General Jackson has been one of the foremost men in the South since the war. He has always been a Democrat, but has wisely kept aloof from the political arena, regarding it as equally disturbing and unsettling as the military life. In the wide and useful field of agriculture he has done what lay in his power to unite tillers of the soil, in all sec- tions, North and South, in one great fraternity, in order that they might realize their full power in the scale of national importance. General Jackson was the first President of the Safe Deposit, Trust and Banking Company, of Nashville.
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