USA > Tennessee > Monroe County > Sweetwater > History of Sweetwater Valley > Part 17
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While Mr. Lenoir was a member of the Legislature in Nashville, he met Miss Mary Caroline Hogg, formerly of Nashville, then of Rutherford County. They were married in Rutherford County February 10, 1846. In the latter part of that year or early in 1847 they moved to the old log house, which is still standing, one and a half miles south of Sweetwater. In 1851 he purchased from his father, W. B. Lenior, 1,240 acres of land in Sweetwater Valley. One of these was the N. W. Quarter of Section No. 2, in Township Third, Range one, East, on which part of the town of Sweetwater is now located. When the railroad was completed to the location of Sweetwater in 1852, the only towns in this section of the country were Philadelphia, Madisonville and Athens. Madisonville was nine miles distant or about that from the nearest point on the railroad. It was the county seat of the county and by far the most important place in the county; therefore Madisonville and the country tributary thereto must have a depot, as convenient as possible.
Great efforts were made at different places from Rea- gan's to Philadelphia to secure a proper location for a depot and a town. The nearest point to the railroad from Madisonville would have been one and three-fourths miles on the railroad southwest of where Sweetwater now stands, but that was in the center of the Lenoir farm, not so convenient for the neighborhood. It would have been somewhat difficult to secure good roads there too. Nor would the Heiskells, Fines, Biggs, Mayes, John- stons, Owens, Sneads and others have so cheerfully con-
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tributed to the building up of the town; and Mr. Lenoir said : "Although a one-man town might be a financial suc- cess to the one man on whose land it was built, he much preferred for various reasons that this should not be that kind of a town."
Upon mature thought he came to the conclusion that the present location would be most fitting, and most con- venient for this neighborhood and the adjacent valleys. Therefore to make certain it would be at its present lo- cation, he promised to give and did give the plot around the depot.
I have been asked many times within the last six months in regard to the exact status of the land thus conveyed. What rights the town, the public, had in said deeds. That is a legal question about which there has not been any completed litigation or decision in the courts and the deed might be construed in different ways. As a matter of information to the public it might be well enough to give the description contained in the deed and the main proviso therein. The deed is in Book Q, Page 150, Records of Monroe County. The date of the deed is August 12th, 1858. The deed is from I. T. Lenoir to E. T. & Ga. R. R. Co. The description is as follows: Commencing at a point on the center of the line of E. T. & Ga. R. R. at the center of the creek, at the bridge where the railroad crosses Sweetwater Creek at the town of Sweetwater, thence running at a right angle to the main track of said railroad, which passes the depot, north- westardly to a line 200 ft. from said track; thence paral- lel with said last main line, northeastwardly 975 feet more or less to the corner of Morris Street and Lot No. 27, thence southeastwardly at a right angle 200 feet. To the center of the main railroad track, thence north eastwardly 145 feet to the northeast line of McClung's Alley, thence at a right angle with the railroad 100 feet to the corner of Lot No. 31 and McClung's Alley, thence south westardly and parallel with railroad 1,120 feet more or less to the center of the creek. Thence 100 feet to the beginning, containing seven and one-half acres * The railroad company shall not use any portion of said land hereby conveyed for any purpose whatever,
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nor erect any buildings thereon, except such as shall be necessary for the purposes of said company."
When this deed was made, this square had growing on it many forest trees and the farms next to the town were enclosed. A great many wagons came from long distances to haul farm products here and goods away. As there was not any other railroad in lower East Ten- nessee, the wagon trade here at that time was phenom- enal. This was the shipping point of several counties in West North Carolina. It was absolutely necessary that the trade of the town and for the purposes of the railroad that there should be a camping place and a hitching place for wagons and horses coming from long distances. It was not unusual to see within this square twenty or thirty wagons at a time.
A large depot had been built which contained during the harvest season many thousand bushels of wheat and other farm products. Many farmers who hauled these products in also owned stock in the road and had helped to build it. They felt that they had a right to use their own grounds for their own purpose. These wagons, oxen, and horse wagons, had to wait sometimes a whole day or more before unloading their products and receiv- ing the goods. In the busy seasons there was a scarcity of rolling stock on the railroad and freight trains, usual- ly one a day each way had a limit of twenty cars each with an allowance of 16,000 pounds per car. The loco- motives were small wood burners, as the coal fields had not then been tapped. When the railroad company could not furnish sufficient cars, they took care, so far as they could, of the wheat, corn, and meat brought in for ship- ment. Within any reasonable length of time the railroad company made no charge for storage and no damage was exacted for lack of cars for shipment. Perishable goods were rarely ever received except for short distances.
At that time there was a large territory contributing to the trade of this town and using this as a shipping point. It was a wonderful convenience to those coming here from a distance to be allowed to hitch their horses and rest under the shade of the trees.
The town was small then and in its beginnings. Then the town was not incorporated and conditions were far
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different from at present. It was almost a nightly scene to have the mountaineer campers get out their fiddles and have a jollification and dance in the grove. It fur- nished amusement to them and entertainment for the in- habitants. There was no grand rush in those days nor haste to be wealthy. Hundreds of people came here to camp to see a railroad train for the first time in their lives. There was little misbehavior and rarely such a thing as an arrest. It is useless to say that things are better now or worse; they are just different, and will be just as different from now twenty-five years hence. However one cannot help but regret the disappearance of the magnificent forest trees which were such an orna- ment to our town.
But the days of the picturesque and happy moun- taineer and "Hill Billies" have passed. Should one regret it? That is owing to whether you knew them in the carefree olden days. Railroads more or less change habits and customs; and especially congestion of the population makes another people. What they once were, they are no longer, except in isolated locations. Many of these wagoners, I as a boy knew, and was fond of. Before I visited the mountains so frequently and almost became as one of them I have listened to their tales of adventure, hunting, fishing and the like with as vivid an interest as I read wild western scenes about "Daniel Boone" and "Sneak and Joe." I longed for the time when I could have an Indian pony and visit these moun- tains, hunt in them, and fish for speckled trout in their limpid streams. What cared they whether the air around the earth was one mile or one hundred miles high or if the sun was ninety-five or ninety-five million miles away. They were happy as long as turkey and deer were plentiful and there were chestnuts for the wild hogs.
As I heard a candidate for Legislature in one of the mountain counties say once, "Where was the log rolling and corn shucking that Old Sam was not there? Where was ever the cow in a mud hole or the hog in the crack that Sam didn't get it out? Elect me to the Legislature and I will take the dog days out of the almanac and make sang grow plentiful in all the mountain coves."
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To know the mountaineer thoroughly you must see him when his foot is on his native heath. My heart has often been saddened to see them hunted down like wild beasts for some technical crime which was not intended to in- jure their fellowman. I have fished with them, traded and surveyed land with them and drank with them. Did one of them ever treat me otherwise than as a friend and brother? Emphatically no. Did one of them ever fail to return a loan which I had made him? Not that I recollect. Did one of them ever refuse to rise at any hour of the night and go where you wished, if you asked him? If so I do not remember it. When I went to the mountains to see them I did not think it at all necessary that I should wear my old clothes; I sometimes wore a $40.00 suit; but did I tell them that they ought to wear clothes like mine, and not butternut jeans and home- made shoes? I did not. Did I air my superior knowl- edge of college, books and cities and tell them they ought to go to college too? I did not. Did I say to them that they should pipe the water from the spring to the cabin and not carry it in buckets? By no means. Did I tell them it was necessary to their health to bathe at least once a month? I am not going around giving medical advice. Did I say to their wives and daughters that they ought to wear corsets and not dip snuff and chew tobacco? I failed to mention these things. Did I make myself obnoxious by pointing out to them that some other way of living was far better than theirs? By no means.
On the other hand, sometimes when I have told one good-bye I have said "John, come to see me, but I do not expect I can give you anything half so good as ven- ison and wild turkey and the corn bread and potatoes and the wild sour wood honey which I have eaten with you. Nor can I furnish you water out of the gourd as pure as your mountain streams; nor brandy near so good as that made from the sun kissed native mountain apple. Nor is the air of our valley quite so invigorat- ing as that of your hills. One thing I can do if you visit me, I can show you as good a fiddle as you ever drew a bow across. I have no bear dogs such as yours; but I think I have a dog or two that can interest you in a
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fox chase; I will take you driving behind a horse that you will long remember."
Yes, I have drank with the mountaineer time and again, and I cannot honestly say that I am sorry for it; the result was apparently productive of none but the kindest feelings, and I have never been present when an altercation resulted therefrom. I have always felt safer in person and property when with the mountaineer than in any town I have ever been in. When I have spent the night in their cabins I have never put my pock- etbook under my pillow, nor in my sock, nor in my shoe; I have always hung my pants on a chair by the fireplace, where they could steal my money if they wanted to. I have never lost a penny. The difficulty was to get them to charge anything for my entertain- ment. I am speaking now more of the mountaineer of the past than these of the present day; for they are be- ginning to learn the vices of the town without their cor- responding benefits.
Do not understand me as apologizing for the evil ef- fects of what is called whiskey and brandy now manu- factured in the mountains, for they have become apt scholars in the art of adulteration. They are now not better products than those passed over the bar in our cities to the confiding customer, however palatable they may make them seem; and if there is an honest or kind- ly feeling in the drinks furnished by the bootleggers or received through the express office at our railroad sta- tions, I have not felt it nor heard of it.
Exit the Mountaineer, enter the Ladies' City Beauti- ful League.
CITY BEAUTIFUL LEAGUE.
There is or should be a kinship between those things which are physically and naturally beautiful and those which are morally beautiful-vice is naturally repulsive, goodness attractive. True, crimes are committed in palaces and villas adorned with paintings and statuary, yet we do not expect it so much as in the slums of our cities, offensive with refuse and garbage; just as a man wearing a silk hat or a flowered white vest is less liable
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to get into a street brawl than a tramp who has been riding on a coal car. It is an undeniable fact that har- monious sound and beautiful surroundings have more or less influence upon our conduct.
In all religions, in all times, amongst the different nations the place of punishment in the hereafter has always been described as dark and foul; and the place of reward whatever may be its name, has been described as one of beauty, life and light. Therefore anyone or any society which can make the home, the streets, or parks of the town more beautiful is increasing the happi- ness of humanity as much as the individual who makes two blades of grass grow where one grew before, and the persons who attempt this, even if they make a mis- take in the place to be beautified will at least receive their reward from the reflex action upon themselves.
One little star, however bright it may shine, cannot make a lovely night, but the million stars that scintillate in the firmament will thrill us and elevate us by their united brilliancy. The violet may bloom in some se- cluded nook far from the sight of humanity, but can we even say then that its fragrance and beauty is lost and it existed for no purpose? Let no one, therefore, be deterred from making an effort because the whole world cannot be made beautiful at once.
The man of wealth who gives indiscriminately to every one that asks him may often make a mistake, but he cannot by any possible chance fail at some time to give relief to some form of human misery. If the work of the City Beautiful League proves evanescent and should be turned into the scrap heap the week following, some eye would be gladdened and some heart would be cheered by its influence. The loafer on the street corner may criticize, but has he ever turned over his hand to make a single object around him more beautiful? We some- times travel 10,000 miles to see a painting or a piece of statuary which we never expect to behold again. What good does that do us if we come to our own town and neglect to make our own surroundings more attrac- tive ?
The last twenty years have wrought wonderful changes in the business conditions and needs of the town
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of Sweetwater. New railroads have been built; new villages sprung up in the territory which was once in the sphere of the business influence of this town. The wagon trade is nothing like what it used to be. Rural free de- livery routes have had their influence in changing con- ditions.
In the plot of ground around the depot the forest trees which were not sufficiently protected have almost dis- appeared and conditions had been such that the sur- roundings were far from attractive to the eyes of the beholder, and produced a bad impression on those pass- ing on the railroad. Some fifteen years ago the stock- holders of the Sweetwater Hotel Association got per- mission from the railroad and from the city council of the town to enclose the plot of ground between the hotel and the railroad, sow grass in the enclosure, so as to protect the forest trees still there; when this was done it made the contrast between that part of the square and the remainder very marked. Those who preferred beauty to ugliness often commented on this difference and wondered why the other part of the plot was not made more attractive. About three or four years ago the ladies of Sweetwater and a few in the surrounding country took the matter up with the railroad authori- ties. Although the Southern Railroad Company seemed not unwilling to do their part in the matter, nothing defi- nite was determined upon, or at least done.
About eighteen months ago Mrs. J. A. Reagan, Miss Nancy Jones, Mrs. W. D. Gilman, Mrs. H. T. Boyd and' other ladies of the town, under an organization known as the City Beautiful League, after much correspon- dence and personal solicitation, induced Mr. R. E. Simp- son, then superintendent of this division of the Southern Railroad Company, to do certain work in beautifying this ground on the west side of the depot. This was done. The work was started about April 1st, according to plans and suggestions furnished by the ladies' organi- zation.
The finished work up to May 1, 1915, is as follows :
The concrete circle and basin for a fountain in front of the Scruggs' Realty Company's building, an enclosed park opposite the passenger depot, another enclosed
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park also between the freight depot and business houses, a concrete basin for fountain in the park started as spoken of some years ago in front of the Hyatt Hotel. South of this park is a hitching circle for horses, be- tween the park and Sweetwater Creek.
The railroad has also leveled, rocked and filled in around the parks and fountains. The town commis- stoners have promised in perpetuity to furnish a reason- able amount of water for the two fountains. The City Beautiful League on their part engaged to sow in grass or plant in flowers the ground within the concrete circle around the fountain first mentioned and the parks be- tween the two fountains and to do such other work as to make these places attractive as they can within their means and to fully equip the fountain's they have pur- chased, and are now in place. They are tasty but not very expensive.
Mrs. F. A. Carter is now president of the City Beau- tiful League, and in charge of the improvements. I feel pretty well satisfied that after all the trouble the ladies have taken to get this work done that both their pride and inclination will cause them to do even more than promised; and the effective work they have done and caused to be done is strong proof that sometimes in the mouth of the truly beautiful the tongue is mightier than the vote.
I have heard some complaint from the country people and those living at a distance that these improvements are a diversion from the original intention of the donor. More than half a century ago he probably did not fore- see this condition of affairs when there was a growth of forest trees upon the plot; yet since circumstances and conditions have been so changed, I doubt not, that if he were living today he would be heartily in accord with such a movement as has been instituted. I as his sole representative, am not inclined to put any obstacles in the way of them, but the opposite. It is much to my comfort, convenience, and pleasure to have things as they are or rather as will be ere long.
I am anxious to look out of my window, or sit under the shade of the trees and see the fountains play; the children laugh and sing; and the ladies promenading
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there and enjoying what they have so ardently labored for.
I. T. LENOIR, Synopsis.
Was born in Wilkes County, N. C., May 16, 1807. He came with his father to Tennessee in 1810. After he was grown he merchandised at Lenoir's and helped his father with his business until 1843, when he was elected to the Twenty-fifth General Assembly as representative from Roane County. In 1845 he was elected senator from the counties of Morgan, Campbell, Anderson and Roane to the Twenty-sixth General Assembly. He mar- ried Mary Caroline Hogg, then of Rutherford County, on February 10, 1846. They came to Sweetwater Val- ley late in 1846 or early in 1847. He was made a Mason at Madisonville. He was a charter member of Sweet- water Lodge No. 292, F. & A. M. He resided up to 1871 in the log house built by Sliger a mile and one-half south- west of Sweetwater. In 1871 he came to the town of Sweetwater and resided in the house where D. S. Brad- ley now lives. He died there of pneumonia on Decem- ber 4, 1875. Besides being the founder of the town of Sweetwater and an owner of a large farm in Sweetwater Valley, he was a considerable owner of timber and coal lands in Roane, Morgan and Cumberland counties, Tenn., and, in connection with his brothers, part owner of many tracts in several counties of North Carolina bordering on Tennessee.
THE HOGG FAMILY IN NORTH CAROLINA.
(Quoted from records furnished by J. T. McGill, Ph. D., of Vanderbilt University to W. B. Lenoir.)
In colonial records of North Carolina it is said, Vol. IV, p. 8, that McNeal, McAlister and several other Scotch gentlemen arrived at the Cape Fear country with 350 Scotch people.
In Williams' History of Virginia we find that in 1747 McNeal came to New York from the western part of Scotland and visited the western part of Virginia and Pennsylvania. He purchased lands in North Carolina near Fayetteville.
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McNeal arrived at Wilmington in 1749 with his family and 500 or 600 colonists. My opinion is that Richard Hogg was among the McNeal colonists. He died in 1768 or 1769. He left three sons: Robert, John and James.
It may be that Thomas and Richard Hogg were brothers. Thomas Hogg (1) in 1735 got a patent for 316 acres in Craven County. He petitioned for a war- rant for land in New Hanover in 1749 and in 1751 for land in Johnstone County. So I suppose that Thomas Hogg (revolutionary soldier) was born before 1751.
JOHN WEBB.
John Webb was a delegate from the town of Halifax to the Provincial Assembly, which met at Hillsboro, Au- gust 21, 1775. He married Rebecca Edwards in 1776. He died at Halifax in 1781.
Thomas Hogg (2) mar. the widow Webb (this lady I suppose) and it was she and not Mrs. Ashe (Wheeler's Hist., N. C., p. 186), according to Dr. Samuel Hogg, who replied to Colonel Tarleton when he said he would be happy to see Colonel Washington, "If you had looked behind you at the Battle of Cowpens, Colonel Tarleton, you would have had that pleasure."
THOMAS HOGG (2),
Son of Thomas H. (1), was one of four brothers. The others were: Richard of Richmond, Va., lieutenant in the navy; Captain Samuel H. of the Revolutionary army, and Robert Hogg. Thomas H. was 1st lieutenant of the first regiment raised by order of the Provincial Assembly, that met at Hillsboro August 21, 1775. This regiment was under Colonel Moore. Promoted to cap- taincy April 10, 1776. Was in South Carolina latter part of 1776 and first of 1777. Was with Washington at Trenton in July, 1777. In battle of Germantown Octo- ber 4, 1777 ; promoted to be major 5th regiment October 19, 1777; wintered at Valley Forge. Joined Lincoln in 1779 and he and his brother, Captain Sam'l H. were captured when Lincoln's army surrendered at Charles- ton, S. C., on May 12, 1780.
Thomas H. lived in Halifax (or in the county) 1783-4, etc. He was elected by the Legislature in December,
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1786, one of the commissioners to buy tobacco to pay the indebtedness of the state.
He was a member of the Society of Cincinnati. Was a member of the Royal White Hart Lodge, F. & A. M., at Halifax. The last meeting he attended was Septem- ber 14, 1787. He died either in 1789 or 1790. He left two sons Samuel and John Baptist.
He received from the state of North Carolina 4,800 acres of land for military services. This land was lo- cated on the Big Harpeth River in Williamson County, Tenn. This was left to Sam'l, John B. and Elizabeth Hogg, his wife. Before November 1, 1805, Elizabeth H. married Wm. Killingsworth. February 12, 1825, Eliz- abeth Fisher, of Gibson County, Tenn., conveyed to her stepson, Samuel Hogg, all her remaining interest in these lands.
DR. SAMUEL HOGG
Was born at Halifax, N. C., April 18, 1783. His father was Thomas Hogg; his mother was Rebecca Edwards, widow of Webb. His mother died. His father then married Elizabeth His father died be- fore 1790. Samuel was educated at high school in Cas- well County. Probably had an uncle Samuel, living in Granville County who was his guardian. This may have been Captain Samuel Hogg of 1st Va. Regt. (War of Revolution). For a short time had charge of school for boys. Studied medicine under Dr. Hare, whether of Granville, N. C., or Dr. Hare, professor in Jefferson Medical College, University of Pennsylvania, is uncer- tain. He came to Tennessee; first to Gallatin, where he remained a few months, and then settled in Lebanon. He married April 1, 1806, Polly Talbot, of Nashville, Tenn., a member of one of that city's oldest families.
He was one of the commissioners appointed by the General Assembly in 1807 for the regulation of the town of Lebanon. He was surgeon to the troops that descend- ed the Mississippi to Natchez in 1813, and was in the campaign against the Creek nation. Went with the troops to New Orleans in the winter of 1814, and was present at the battle of January 8, 1815. "It is an in-
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