USA > Tennessee > Bedford County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc, Vol.2 > Part 32
USA > Tennessee > Marshall County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc, Vol.2 > Part 32
USA > Tennessee > Wilson County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc, Vol.2 > Part 32
USA > Tennessee > Maury County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc, Vol.2 > Part 32
USA > Tennessee > Williamson County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc, Vol.2 > Part 32
USA > Tennessee > Rutherford County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc, Vol.2 > Part 32
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842
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
Samuel Elliott, Benjamin Mottley, Richard Hawkins, Gregory Johnson, William Steele, Henry Chandler, Arthur Dew, Daniel Cherry, Adam Harpole, and others.
On Cedar Creek: Hugh Roane, John Provine, Alex Aston, Samuel Calhoun, Perry Taylor, John L. Davis, Mathew Figures, David Billings, Irwin Tomlinson, Joseph Trout, Hooker Reeves, Nathan Cartwright, Lewis Chambers, Andrew Swan, William Harris, William Wilson and Joseph Weir.
On Spencer Creek: John Walker, William White, Brittain Drake, Lewis Kirby, William Gray, Joel Echols, Robert Mitchell, Philip Koonce, James McFarland, Moore Stevenson, Jere Hendricks and Richard Drake.
On Cedar Lick Creek: Theophilus Bass, Clement Jennings, John Everett, John Gleaves, Reuben Searey, Joshua Kelley, James Everett, James H. Davis, Thomas Davis, Howell Wren, William Ross, Edmund Vaughn, George Smith, Harmon Hays and Daniel Spicer.
On Cumberland River: Edward Mitchell, Elijah Moore, William Sanders, Caleb Tay- lor, Bartholomew Brett, William Johnson, Josiah Woods, W. T. Cole, Joseph Kirkpat- rick, Henry Davis, James Tipton, Thomas Ray, Reuben Slaughter, Daniel Gleun, James Hunter, Ransom King, Henry Locke, Ephraim Beasley, Sterling Tarpley and William Putway.
On Stoner Lick Creek: Blake Rutland, Zebulon Baird. John Graves, Benjamin Graves, Thomas Watson, John Wilson, John Williamson, Henry Thompson, Thomas Gleaves, Ezekial Cloyd, Anderson Tate, Jacob Woodrum, Ezekial Clampet, Andrew Wil- sou, James Cathom and James Kendall.
On Suggs Creek Benjamin [Hooker. Acquilla Snggs, William Warnick, William Rice, Benjamin Dobson, Hugh Gwynn, Jenkin Sullivan, John Roach, James Hannah, Hugh Telford, Green Barr, Peter Devault, John Curry, Thomas Drennon, Joseph Hamil- ton and Joseph Castlemen.
On Pond Lick Creek: Robin Shannon, John Ozment, Lee Harralson, John Spinks and John Rice.
On Sinking Creek: Thompson Clemmons, William Bacchus, David Fields, Lewis Merritt, Frank Ricketts, Fletcher Sullivan, James Richmond, Robert Jarmon, John Win- sett, Jesse Sullivan, William Paisley, John Billingsley, Seldon Baird, Dawson Hancock and Jonathan Ozment.
On. Hurricane Creek: William Teague, John Gibson, William Hudson, Nicholas Quesenbury, Charles Warren, Jacob Bennett, Elisha Bond, Robert Edwards, John Edwards, Bradford Howard, George Cummings, John Merritt, Joseph Stacey, Frank Young, Henry Mosier, Charles Cummings, John Woolen, Absalom Knight, Thomas Miles, Peter Leath and Gideon Harrison.
On Fall Creek: William Warren, Samuel Copeland, Joseph Williams, Jacob Jennings, William Allison, Hardy Penuel, Joseph Sharp, Sampson Smith, Frank Puckett, James Quarles, Roger Quarles,'Mathew Sims, Shadrack Smith, James Smith, Charles Smith, Aaron Edwards, Hugh Cummings, Isaac Winston, William Wortham, Burrell Patterson, Absalom Losater, John Alsup, Lard Sellars, Joseph Carson, Charles Gillem, Arthur Harris, Walter Clapton, William Smith, John Donnell, Adney Donnell and William Lester.
On Smith Fork: Dennis Kelley, David Ireland, John Adams, David Wasson, John Armstrong, Isaac Witherspoon, John Allen, Richard Braddock, Edward Pickett, Elisha Hodge, Thomas Flood, James McAdoo, Samuel MIcAdoo, Abner Bone, Thomas Bone' William Richards, George L. Smith, Samuel Stewart, William Beagle, James Johnson, John Knox, William Knox, John Ward, Solomon George, Reason Byrne, James Godfrey, Henry Payne, James Thompson, James Thomas, Thomas Word, James Ayers, William Jennings, Charles Rich, Abner Alexander, William Oakley and James Williams.
On Round Lick Creek, including Jennings Fork: John W. Peyton, Arthur Haukins, James Wrather, Samuel King, William Haines, John Bradley, William McSpaddin, Will- iam Coe, Abner Spring, William Harris, John Phillips, Benjamin Phillips, Edward G.
843
WILSON COUNTY.
Jacobs, John Green, Samuel Barton, Alexander Beard. Jordan Bass, Soloman Bass, John Lawrence, Evans Tracy, Joseph Barbee, Shelah Waters, George Clarke, James Shelton. William Neal, Joshua Taylor, Isaac Grandstaff, Daniel Smith. Jacob Vantrase, Duncan Johnson, Joseph Foust, James Hill, Joseph Carlin, George Hearn, John Patton, John Bradley, William New, Robert Branch, JJames Edwards, William Howard, Edmund Jen- nings, John White, John Swan, Thomas Byles, William Palmer, Park Goodall. Jerre Brown, Thomas B. Reece, James Scaby, James Hobbs, James Newbry and John Capling- er. The first corn-mill erected in the county was built by Samuel Caplinger some time in 1798. It was a small horse-power affair, the horse being hitched to a pole or shaft and driven around in a circle. The building was a small, unhewn-log house, and stood on the farm now owned by Roland Newby, in the Eighth Civil District. Very good corn meal is said to have been ground by this mill, and the patronage was drawn from a large scope of country. Subsequently the mill was removed to a site on Jennings Fork, and convert- ed into a water-power. The first water mill is supposed to have been built by Thomas Conger, some time in the same year, on Barton's Creek, about three miles northwest of Lebanon. A horse-power mill was also erected about that time hy one of the Donnells, near Doak's Cross Roads, eight miles south of Lebanon.
Before these mills were erected the settlers went to Davidson County for their grinding, or converted the corn into meal by means of the old-fashioned mortar and pestle. In 1799 . Mathew Figures built a water-power grist-mill on Cedar Creek, to which he afterward ad- ded a saw, In 1800 William Trigg and Joseph Hendricks built a water-power grist-mill on Spencer Creek. Other mills of the early days were those or Isham and Larkin Davis, on Cedar Creek, William Wilson's, on Spring Creek; Jesse Holt's, on Barton Creek; John Scott's on Spring Creek, and John T. Hays', on Smith Fork. Later on William Wharton built a water-mill on Spring Creek, in the Tenth District; Williams & Kirkpat- rick built one on Spencer Creek, in the Fourth District; Alex Simmons built one on Fall Creek, in the Seventeenth District; James C. Winford built one on Spring Creek, in the Ninth District, and about the same time a paper-mill was built on the Cumberland River, twelve miles from Lebanon, at which a good article of paper, both news and commercial, was manufactured. The machinery was inadequate, however, and the enterprised was short lived.
With the increase in population there was an increase in the number and facilities of the mills in this county, and at the present W. P. M. Smith, C. H. Cook, J. N. Adams and J. W. Williamson & Bros. have steam saw and grist-mills; Jacob Earhart has a water- · power grist-mill on Stone Creek, and W. C. Gillian has a water-power grist-mill on Ce- dar Creek, in the First Civil District; John Brown and William McFarland have steam saw and grist-mills, and Washington Moore has a water-power grist-mill on Spring Creek, in the Fifth District; B. D. Hager has a steam saw and grist-mill, and William Colquit and William Tomlinson have steam grist-mills, in the Seventh District; J. C. Logue has a steam grist-mill, and J. L. Hubbard a steam saw and grist-mill, in the Twenty-fourth District; Coon Lannon has a steam saw and grist-mill, and William Rice a water grist- mill on Sinking Creek, in the Twenty-third District; John D. Gains has a steam saw-mill, James Johnson a water-power grist, and W. D. S. Smith a steam and water-power saw and grist-mill on Cedar Creek, in the Sixth District; J. N. Cowen has a steam corn-mill and wool factory in the Twenty-second District; Mrs. Pendleton has a steam saw, grist and carding-mill in the Second District; Gains Leach and Hugh & David have water- power grist-mills on Sanders and Smith Forks, respectively, in the Fourteenth District: Dr. James McFarland has a steam saw and grist-mill in the Third District; J. B. Baird has a steam saw and grist-mill in the Twenty-first District; G. W. Wright has a steam saw and grist-mill in the Twenty-fifth District; --- Etherly has a steam saw and grist mill, and Bailey Hall and William Barrow water-power grist-mills on Barton Creek, in the Fourth District; John Patterson and Patton & Harvey have water-power grist-inills ou Smith Fork, in the Fifteenth District; Thomas Mitchell has a carding machine in the Ninth District; John Bryant has a steam saw mill in the Nineteenth District: Jobb W.
844
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
Bennett and John Wynn have steam saw and grist-mills, and S. T. Alsup has a water- power saw and grist-mill on Falling Creek, in the Twentieth District; P. W. & T. R. Hearn have a water-power grist-mill on Falling Creek, in the Seventeenth District; John S. Belcher has a steam grist-mill in the Eighth District: Vick & Miller have a water-power grist-mill on Town Branch, and Bailey Peyton one on Spring Creek, in the Tenth District, and W. L. Waters has a steam power flour, grist and saw-mill in the Sixteenth District.
Although still-houses were more numerous than schoolhouses in the early days of the county, yet the owner and location of the first one can not be learned. Isham Webb had a still in the Eleventh District at an early day, and later James Carrouth, John Forbs, Jerry Johnson, Bolin Wynn, Robert Thomas. Jack Cook and perhaps others, whose names could not be secured, operated stills in various parts of the county, all of which had capacities ranging from one-half to two barrels per day of mash. The old-fashioned worm was used, and the houses were small, unhewn-log buildings, and in some instances the still was located out of doors. These stills all disappeared several years before the late civil war.
Considerable cotton was grown in the county, and it is claimed that the first crop of this article grown west of the Cumberland Mountains was on the farm of John Donnel- son, afterward the father-in-law of Andrew Johnson, in Clover Bottom, this county, some time about the organization of the county. As carly as 1802 there were numerous cotton- gins in operation in the county: One by George Alexander, near Center Hill; one by John B. Walker, on Hickory Ridge; one by Moses Echols, on the waters of Spencer Creek; one by Daniel Trigg, and others by Alaman Trigg, Henry Betts, John Watson, Robert Good- loe. Seth P. Pool, Joseph Sharp, Joshua Kelley, Edward Bondward, Thomas Wilson and Thomas Green in various parts of the country, the exact location of which is unknown to the citizens of the present. These have all disappeared, as they ceased to be of use many years ago.
The first store in the county was kept by John Herrod in 1800, but the location of his store can not be learned. It was a small mercantile establishment indeed, the stock con- sisting of a few standard articles of staple groceries, ammunition, nails, tobacco and whisky, all of which were brought from the older States on pack mules or horses. Salt sold from ¿S to $10 per bushel; nails at 25 cents per pound, and everything else in proportion. Herrod also kept tavern at his store, they both being at his dwelling-house. A short time afterward George C. Hodge and Solomon George opened similar stores, or ordinaries as they were then called, in the neighborhood of Smith Fork. Other carly store-keepers were John Gibson, Samuel Tillman, Huldah Sherrill, Richard Bryan, William C. Mitch- ell, George Cummings, John Lumpkins, John Brown, Isham Davis, George Jarrett, Car- ter White, William Stewart, Elisha Disinukes, Higdon Harrington and David Martin, all of whose stores were located in various portions of the county outside of the county seat.
So far as known, the oldest house now standing in the county was built by Samuel Sherrill, on Barton Creck, about two miles southwest of Lebanon. It was built some time in 1800, of hewn cedar logs, the doors and shutters being made of split boards, smoothed with the drawing-knife, and fastened together with nails made by hand. The house is strong and still serviceable.
Josiah S. McClaim, who was county clerk for a period of over forty years, now dead, is said to have been the first male white child born in the county, he having been born in January, 1797.
Wilson County was established by an act of the Third General Assembly of Tennes- see, passed October 26, 1799, three years after the organization of the State. The act establishing the county is in substance as follows: "An act reducing the limits of Sumner County and establishing two new counties," etc., that part referring to Wilson County being in the following language: "Sec. 4, And be it enacted, that another new county be established by the name of Wilson, to be contained within the following described bounds: Beginning upon the south bank of the river Cumberland, at low water mark, at the mouth of Drake Lick Branch, the northeast corner of Davidson County; thence with the line
84
DE A. Partlow
WILSON COUNTY.
845
WILSON COUNTY.
of Davidson County to the Cherokee boundary, as run and marked agreeably to the treaty of Holston, and with the said boundary to the Caney Fork, and down the Caney Fork, according to its meanders, to the mouth thereof: thence down the meanders of the Cum- berland River, by the south bauk to the beginning."
Sections 15 and 16 provide for the holding of the courts of said county on the fourth Monday of December, March, June and September, and designate the house of John Harpole, as the place of holding the first sessions of the courts.
By an act passed by the General Assembly November 6, 1801, a portion of Wilson County was annexed to Smith County, and the present bounds of this were established by an act passed November 13, 1801, as follows: " Beginning on the south bank of Cumberland River at the mouth of the Drake Lick Creek, it being the upper corner of Davidson County, run- ning from thence up said river with the middle of the channel of the same to the Smith County line; thence south twenty-three degrees east along the said Smith County line to the Indian boundary line; thence westwardly with said Indian boundary line to the David- son County line; thence northwardly along said Davidson County line to the beginning." This act also provides for tire appointment of Christopher Cooper, Alanson Trigg, Mathew Figures, John Harpole and John Doak, as a commission to organize the new county, run the boundary lines and locate the county seat, purchasing forty acres for the latter pur- pose; the said land to be selected with due regard for good wood and water; to lay off the county seat into town lots, sell the same at public auction, reserving sufficient ground for a public square, and with the proceeds of such sales defray the expenses of erecting a court house and jail, and other necessary building for the use of the county.
In the latter part of 1799 the boundary lines were run in accordance with the provis- ions of the above act, and the county was duly organized. But it was not until in 1802 that the county seat was located, when the present site of Lebanon was selected on account of its almost central location, and of the existence on the land of a large, never- failing spring of pure water, and which spring at the present time is as pure, fresh and strong as at that early day. The land selected was owned by one James Menees, who donated the necessary land.
Wilson County is bounded on the north by Sumner County, on the northeast and east by the counties of Trousdale, Smith and DeKalb, southeast by Cannon County, south by Rutherford County, and west by Davidson County, and has an area of 518 square miles. The county was named in honor of Maj. David Wilson, a native of Pennsylvania, who - settled in Sumner County when Tennessee was a part of North Carolina. +
Wilson County has a population of 28,747, of which number about 7,200 are voters, a large majority of whom vote the Democratic ticket. Previous to the late elections the . county enjoyed the distinction of being the banner Democratic county of the State. Wil- son ranks among the best counties in the State. Out of a total of 356,396 acres of land al- most 200,000 are improved. In 1885 the cereal products of the county were 1,226 bushels of barley, 1,806,262 bushels of corn, 132,506 bushels of oats, 4,869 bushels of rye and 188,- 540 bushels of wheat. At the same time there were in the county 15,502 horses and inules, 16,285 cattle, 18,795 sheep and 49,583 hogs. The total valuation of the land in the county in 1885 was $3,500,679; of personal property, less $1,000, $295,836; of all other property, $158.220; total valuation, $4,440,370. There are 173,100 miles of railroad in the county, which has a total value of $204,360, and 620 town Jots, total value of which is $485,635. In 1885 the tax assessment was as follows: Poll tax, 3,979; State, 13,321.11; county $15,- 079.89; school, $17,069.46; railroad, $19, 750.98; court house, $2,220.18; highway, $3,503.96; total $72,943.12. The tax levy for 1886 is as follows: On each $100, county 25 cents; poll $1; school 25 cents; poll $1.50; railroad 50 cents; poll 50 cents; highway 11 cents; State 30 cents; total, $4.41.
The county court of Wilson County was organized at the house of John Harpole on Monday, December 23, 1799, the following commissioned magistrates being present: Charles Kavanaugh, Elmore Douglas, John Harpole, John Allcorn, John Lancaster, John Doak, Mathew Figures, William Gray, Andrew Donelson, Henry Ross and William
53
846
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
McClain. The exact place of holding this first session of the court, i. e., the location of Harpole's house, is a matter of much dispute at the present time; yet after diligent search and numerous inquiries from reliable persons the writer is of the opinion that the house stood on the north side of Spring Creek about five miles north of the present county seat. The court was organized by the election of Charles Kavanaugh as chairman; Robert Fos- ter, clerk; Samuel Rosborough, sheriff; John Allcorn, register; John W. Payton, trustee; William Gray, ranger; William Quesenbury, surveyor: and Benjamin Seawell, solicitor. Among the first acts of the court were to admit John C. Hamilton to practice as an attor- ney, prove a deed of conveyance of 640 acres of land from Michael Coonrad to his brother Henry, and order a road laid off from the forks of Round Lick Creek to the "25-mile tree," nearly opposite the house of Edward Mitchell. The March term, 1800, was also held at Harpole's, as were the June, September and December terins, during which sessions John Hogg and George K. Wynn exhibited their ear marks; John Herrod was granted license to keep an ordinary, permissions were given to William Trigg, Joseph Hendrick and Mathew Figures to erect water grist-mills; Lemuel Herrod, John Dickason, John B. John- son, Jesse Wharton and Nicholas Perkins were admitted to the bar; $2 was ordered paid for the scalp of each wolf killed in the county; and a tax was levied for county purposes of 61 cents on each 100 acres of land-63 cents on each white and 12} cents on each black poll.
The court continued to meet at Harpole's throughout the year 1801, during which time John Herrod took out tavern license, Charles Smith was admitted to the bar, and rates for ferrying were fixed as follows: Man and horse, 6} cents; man or horse, 3} cents: cattle and other stock, 3} cents per head; loaded wagon and team. $1; empty wagon and team, 75 cents; four-wheel carriages, $1; two-wheel, 50 cents.
From March until December. 1802, the court met at the house of Henry Turner on Barton Creek, three miles southwest from Lebanon, and from there adjourned to meet at the house of Edward Mitchell, in Lebanon, the new county seat having been laid out and the lots sold on August 16 of that year. Mitchell was allowed by the court 25 cents for each meal and lodging furnished the magistrates during the session of court. During 1803 the court fined Obediah Spradim $1.50 for profanity; James Anderson was granted ordinary license, and the rate of charges for ordinaries was regulated as follows: rum, wine, gin and French brandy, $8 per gallon; whisky or brandy 12} cents per half pint; lodg- ing 6} cents; corn or oats 4 cents per gallon; horse with hay or fodder, 25 cents; pasturage for twenty-four hours, 12} cents.
In 1804 the March term of court was held at James Anderson's in Lebanon, the June term, at Edward Mitchell's and the September and December terms at Anderson's. Throughout 1805 and until June 1806 the court met at Mitchell's house, at which time the · court adjourned to meet at the new and first court house, that building having been com- pleted and placed in readiness for the court during the year. The first court house was a small cedar-log building, with a clapboard roof, and stood on the west side of the Public Square. It was large enough only for the holding of the court, the county officers hav- ing their quarters in various houses around the Square. Beyond this meager description nothing more can now be learned, as the memory of the present oldest inhabitant runneth not back that far. The jail was completed a short time previous to the court house. It was also a small cedar-log bouse, having two apartments, and entrance to the cells was through a trap door in the upper floor, the cells resting on the ground.
The court appointed Jeremiah Brown, John Allcorn and John Wynn a committee in 1806 to award the contract for and superintend the building of a bridge across the creek, which flows through the town (now known as Town Branch), and John Doak, John Har- pole and Mathew Figures were appointed a committee to have a stray pen erected. Ben- jamin Tower was granted ordinary license and Robert Goodloe, Seth P. Pool and Joseph Sharp were appointed cotton inspectors.
In 1807 the court licensed Daniel Tillman to keep an ordinary, appointed Peter Mos- ley and Edward Bondward cotton inspectors, fined William Talbott 1 cent for inciting a
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847
WILSON COUNTY.
riot, allowed Seth P. Pool $200 for building an office for the accommodation of the county officials, and allowed David Marshall $12 for building a stray pen.
In 1808 the court granted ordinary license to William Mann, and John Cartwright was granted permission to erect and operate a cotton gin. In 1809 the court ordered the removal of the stray pen. JJames Richmond was appointed cotton inspector, and Ishan and Larkin Davis were granted permission to erect a water-power grist-mill. In 1810 Thomas Swain was admitted to the bar. Joel Mann was granted ordinary license, and William Wilson granted permission to erect a grist-mill. In 1811 the old jail was torn down, and a new one erected on the same site. The new building was of brick aud cost $1,396. William Seawell was the contractor. In 1812 Charles Swain. James Johnson. Ezekial Bass and Reuben Bullard were each fined by the court for committing assault and battery, and Thomas Bradly, the sheriff, was fined $10 for absenting himself during the sitting of the court. In 1817 the court appropriated $500 for the building of a new court house. The building was completed in 1818. It was of brick and stood in the center of the Public Square. The house was square in shape, one story in height, and had a peaked roof. on the center of which was a square belfry and bell. In 1829 the court levied a poor- house tax of 6} cents on cach 100 acres of land, 6} cents on each white and black poll, and 6} cents on each town lot. The court also appointed Etheldred P. Harris, William McSwain and Thomas B. Reise a commission to select suitable ground upon which to locate said poor-house, and erect the necessary buildings. The following year a small tract of land, three miles southwest of Lebanon, was purchased, and a cedar-log house, containing three rooms, was erected as an asylum. A few years afterward a new asylum was erected on a tract of land about six miles southwest of Lebanon, which served as a poor-farm until 1866, when 219 acres of good farm land was purchased of James Davis for $30 per acre, upon which stood a substantial weather-boarded log house. Four log cabins were erected, and such is the poor asylum of the present. A new jail was erected in 1832. which was also of brick, which stood until 18-, when the present substantial brick jail, which stands about two squares from the Public Square on West Main Street. was erected. In 1833 a new floor was laid in the court house. In 1846 the court passed an order for the building of a new court house, which building was not to cost in excess of $8,000. In 1848 the court house was completed, when the old building was torn down. The new court house was of brick, two-stories in height, and stood on Lot No. 8 on the south side of the Public Square, one entrance being on South Cumberland Street. The upstairs was devoted to a circuit court room, while on the lower floor were the quarters of the county officers and the county court room. The building stood until 1881, when it was destroyed by fire, and in January, 1882, the court passed an order for the erection of a new court house, appointing H. G. Johns, G. W. Lewis, J. F. Orgain, L. Drifoos and J. A. Brent a building committee. Subsequently W. A. Lewis, W. H. Brown and John D. Owen were added to the committee. The plans and specifications of the building were prepared by Bruce & Morgan, of Atlanta, Ga., and the contract was awarded to J. F. Bowers & Bros .. of Nashville. When complete the building cost $18,306.30. It is a handsome brick structure, two stories in height above the ground, has stone cappings, tin mansard roof, and is supplied with fire-proof vaults and all modern conveniences. The front of the building is highly ornamented, and is set off with an imposing brick portico, with a flight of stone steps leading thereto. On the second floor are two large court rooms, one each for the circuit and county courts, while on the first floor are large, light and well venti- lated offices. A handsome stairway leads from the main hall to the court rooms. There are three entrances to the building, which stands on the site of the old court house, one on the Cumberland Street side, one on the Public Square and one on the west side. During the building of the court house the courts were held in the Masonic Hall.
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