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 35
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 35
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 35
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 35
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 35
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 35
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The Baptist Church established a high school for young ladies in Lebanon in 1859. A substantial brick building was erected on East Main Street, and Rev. Mr. Powell was placed in charge. Dr. Powell conducted the school until some time in 1861, when he was succeeded by Dr. Griffin, of Nashville, and then followed Rev. J. M. Phillips and Rev. A. Hart as principals. In 1870 the school was discontinued and the property sold to the town of Lebanon, and has since been conducted as a public school, being at present in the charge of Prof. B. M. Mace, a popular educator.
Maple Hill Seminary was founded by Prof. J. B. Hancock in September, 1880, and is located on the Lebanon & Nashville Pike, three miles west from Lebanon, with delightful surroundings of forest and farm lands. The school property embraces twenty actes of land, to which is attached a farm of 250 acres, upon which are produced many of the sup- plies for the school. The school buildings are of frame, and conveniently arranged and situated. Maple Hill has been a success in every respect since its establishment, and under the judicious and efficient management of Prof. Hancock promises to continue so.
An addition of importance to the educational advantages of Lebanon and Wilson County, will be the Lebanon College for young ladies, which will be opened next fall by Profs. Foster and Weir, of which Prof. Foster will be the principal. The finishing touches are being applied to a handsome and commodious building for this school, which is an or- nament to the town in which it is located.
The following is a list of the many excellent high schools and chartered academies in the various districts: Mount Juliet and Green Hill Academies, in the First District; La. gardo High School, in the Fourth District; Cedar Grove High School, in the Fifth District; Austin Academy, in the Seventh District; Bellwood High School, in the Eighth District; Tucker's Cross Roads Academy, in the Ninth District: Linwood High School, and Shop Spring Academy, in the Eleventh District; Commerce Academy, in the Twelfth District; Round Top Academy, in the Thirteenth District; Prosperity Academy, in the Fourteenth District; Statesville Academy, in the Fifteenth District; Cherry Valley Academy, in the Sixteenth District; Cainsville Academy, in the Seventeenth District; Fall Creek Academy, in the Eighteenth District; Mace Institute, in the Twenty-first District; Mount View Acadamy, in the Twenty-second District; Oak Grove Academy, in the Twenty-third Dis- trict; Gladeville High School, in the Twenty-fourth District; Hamilton Academy, in the Twenty-fifth District, and Leerville Academy, in a school district separate from the civil districts. The academies are all chartered schools, working under the four mile temperance law.
The last report of the school superintendent of the county shows the public schools of Wilson County to be in the following condition: Number of pupils: white male, 8,cos; white female, 3,444; total white, 7,052; colored male 1,484; colored females, 1,464; total colored, 2,948; graud total, 10.030; average attendance, 5,000. Number of teachers: white male, 61; white female, 29; white total, 90; colored male, 17; colored female, 14; colored total, 31; grand total, 121. Number of schools: white, 73; colored, 30; total, 103. The county superintendents since 1873 have been as follows: Profs. A. D. Morris, S. G. Shep- ard, B. M. Mace, J. B. Powell and R. McMillin, the present incumbent.
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:860
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
The first sermon preached in Wilson County was by Rev. William McGee, a Presby- terian minister, in the fall of 1798, at the house of William McClain, in the Drake Lick settlement, near the mouth of Spencer Lick Creek. and the first church organized was Spring Creek Church, which stood on the creek by that name, which was established by Rev. Dr. Hall, a North Carolina Presbyterian minister and missionary in 1800. The church was a small log house, puncheon floor, and Rev. Samuel Donnell was the first pastor. "These pioneer Christians were very devout, but had been brought up, as a rule. upon the farm and had not enjoyed the best of educational advantages, and when the split camc in their church in 1810 they went with the Cumberland wing, and this first church was also the pioncer Cumberland Presbyterian Church. In the latter part of 1800, or first of 1801, the Methodists organized and crected a church in the Hickory Ridge settlement, which ·church was christencd Bethel Church. Afterward the church was removed to a point on the Lebanon & Nashville Pike, about four miles west from Lebanon, where a new building was erected and which is in use at the present time. Some time in 1803 or 1804 a Presby- terian Church was erected on Suggs Crcek. and another of the same denomination at Shop Springs, both of which borc the names of the waters upon which they were located. The Methodists also erected Ebenezer Church at about that time on what afterward became the Cold's Ferry Pike, five miles from Lebanon.
Koonce's Meeting-house was probably the first church erected by the Baptists in this county. The old church stood near the present village of Lceville, and was built somc timc in 1806. Cedar Grove, four miles north of Lebanon, was the next church erected by the Baptists, and then followed Spring and Cedar Creek Churches. The above were the pioneer churches of Wilson County, and among their pastors were Revs. Samuel Donnell, S. M. Aston, William Smith, Samuel King, S. J. Thomas, Robert Donnell and George Donnell, of the Cumberland Presbyterian Churches; Revs. McKindry, Asbury, Jarrett, Morris, Page and Brown, of the Methodist Churches; Revs. James, Willis, Borum, Wise- man, Maddox and Tompkins, of the Baptist Churches.
Other early churches were Good Hope Cumberland Presbyterian Church, which was -erccted in the Eightli District some timc about 1810 or 1812; Wesley Chapel, Methodist Episcopal, in the Twenty-third District, and Big Spring and Moriah Cumberland Presby- terian Churches.
The first church erected in Lebanon was in 1827 by the Methodists. The church is a brick building, and is in use at the present by the colored Methodists. In 1830 the Cum- berland Presbyterians crected a church in Lebanon. This building was a two-story brick, and was built by the church and Masonic Lodge, the Masons occupying the second floor. 'The old building remains standing at the present time. but has fallen into disuse and dilapidation, as it was abandoned in 1850, at which time the present Cumberland Presby- terian Church was crccted. In about 1840 the Baptists erected a church in Lebanon at a cost of about $7.000. Previous to the erection of these churches the different denomina-
tions held their meetings in the court housc. In 1856 the present Baptist Church in Lebanon was erected. when the old building was sold to the South African Methodists. The present Methodist Episcopal Church was erected in 1855, and the old building sold to the colored Methodists. The Christian (Campbellite) Church in Lebanon was erected in 1874. All of the Lebanon churches are handsome brick buildings, and were erected at about the following costs: Cumberland Presbyterian, $10.000; Methodist Episcopal, $5,000; Baptist, $7,000; Christian, $6,000. The colored churches of Lebanon, of which mention bas already been made, are two brick and two frame. the latter costing between $2,000 and $2,500 cach.
The churches of Wilson County of the present are as follows: Stoner's Creek. Cum - berland Presbyterian; Locust Grove, Cumberland Presbyterian; ,Prosperity, Methodist Episcopal; Scaby's Chapel, Christian; Hickory Ridge, African Methodist Episcopal; Will- iainson's Chapel, African Methodist Episcopal, and Cedar Grove, Baptist, (colored) in the First District. Mount Olivet, Baptist, and Cook's Methodist Episcopal in the Second Dis- strict. Bethlehem, Methodist Episcopal; Salem, Methodist Episcopal; Spencer's Creck.
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861
BEDFORD COUNTY.
Baptist; Seay's Chapel, African Methodist Episcopal, and Powell's Grove, African Meth- odist Episcopal in the Third District. New Hope, Cumberland Presbyterian: Melrose, Cumberland Presbyterian and Sander's Chapel, Methodist Episcopal, in the Fourth Dis- trict. Horn, Methodist Episcopal; Mount Pleasant, Cumberland Presbyterian; Bareah and Philadelphia, Christian, and African Methodist Episcopal and Baptist (colored) in the Fifth District. Athens, Missionary Baptist; Cedar Creek, Primitive Baptist; Bethel, Methodist Episcopal; Christian and Dickerson's Chapel, Colored Baptists. in the Sixth District. One Cumberland Presbyterian Church and one (colored) Missionary Baptist Church in the Seventh District. Good Hope, Methodist Episcopal: Bethlehem, Christian; Tucker's Cross Roads, Methodist Episcopal, and Bellwood, Christian, in the Eighth District. Zion, Methodist Episcopal; Poplar Hill, Baptist, and Black Zion, African Methodist Episcopal, in the Eleventh District. One Baptist Church in the Twelfth District. Round Top, Methodist Episcopal and one Baptist Church in the Thirteenth District. Prosperity, Bap- tist, and Prosperity (colored) Baptist, in the Fourteenth District. Smith Fork, Mission- ary Baptist; Mount Vernal, Old School Presbyterian; Methodist North and Colored Baptist, in the Fifteenth District. Round Lick, Baptist; Cherry Valley, Methodist Episcopal and one Christian Church in the Sixteenth District. Salem, Missionary Baptist, and Salem (col- ored) Missionary Baptist and Bradley's Creek (colored) Missionary Baptist, in the Seven- teenth District. Falling Creek, Missionary Baptist: Mount Pisgah. Methodist Episcopal: Union, Cumberland Presbyterian, and Ramah, Missionary Baptist, in the Eighteenth Dis- trict. Shapp's Spring, Missionary Baptist; Center Hill, Cumberland Presbyterian: Beth- esda, Cumberland Presbyterian, and Bethel, Christian. in the Nineteenth District. Union, Missionary Baptist, Friendship, Primitive Baptist; New Liberty, Missionary Dap- tist; Cason's Chapel, Methodist Episcopal, and Hebron, Christian, in the Twentieth Dis- trict. Rocky Valley, Missionary Baptist; Jacob's Hill, Methodist Episcopal, and Beard's Grove, Colored Baptist, and Jacob's Hill, African Methodist Episcopal, in the Twenty-first District. Mount Zion, Cumberland Presbyterian: Hebron, Methodist Episcopal; Liberty Ilill, Methodist Protestant; and Ephesis, Christian, in the Twenty-second District. Oak Grove, Methodist Episcopal, and one Christian Church, and Brown's Corners, African Methodist Episcopal, in the Twenty-third District. Rutlins, Missionary Baptist: Suggs Creek, Cumberland Presbyterian; Gain's Church, Baptist: Hall's Church, Methodist Epis- c opal; and Corinth, Christian. in the Twenty-fourth District. Pleasant Grove, Methodist Episcopal, in the Twenty-fifth District.
BEDFORD COUNTY.
B EDFORD COUNTY lies in the great Central Basin of Tennessee. The prevailing rocks are limestone, generally thinly bedded and flaggy, but with some fine building stone. The limestones belong to the Nashville and Lebanon formations, limestones low in the geological series. West of Shelbyville excellent building stone abounds. Two other varieties of limestone are found in the county, called white rock and sandstone or fire rock. The white rock, found in the northwest corner of the county, bears a good polish and makes a good appearance in buildings, standing the weather well. The sand- stone or fire rock occurs in thick beds eight miles west of Shelbyville, and is coarse, soft and easily worked, but in thin slabs is flexible. The sandstones which cover the knobs are of little valuc.
The surface of the county is undulating and is interspersed with hills and valleys. West of the road that leads from Shelbyville to Murfreesboro, and north of Duck River,
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862
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
the country is comparatively flat, and east of this road it is undulating, with lines of rounded hills. These hills rise in some instances to an elevation of 200 or 300 feet, and are usually capped with sandstones, and together with the slopes and crests, are heavily wooded. The soil is comminuted limestone and sandstone, with an intermingling of rich black humus, and is exceedingly fertile, durable and generous. South of Duck River, and running west as far as Sinking Creek, the surface continues much the same, while west of Sinking Creek the hills rise much higher than anywhere else in the county. Gentry Hill is about 350 feet above the valley lands below. Another hill, and probably the most noted elevation in this part of the country, is Horse Mountain, three miles east of Shelbyville and in plain view from the town. One side of Horse Mountain is heavily
timbered, while on the other flourishes an excellent vineyard. At the base of the mountain is a fine spring, and which years ago was the location of a camp ground. Dur- ing the late war Horse Mountain was used as a signal station by both the Northern and Southern armies. Zinc or copper was supposed to exist in the mountain, and during the war a party of Federal soldiers leased the property for a term of years, and had an Indiana geologist make a visit to the mountain for inspection. Nothing ever came of the vent- ure. There are several varieties of soils, different in color and productiveness. They
may for convenience be called the mulatto, the red and the black. The mulatto predom- inates and is the characteristic soil of the county, and the best of clover, wheat, oats, sweet potatoes and cotton grow well on it. The red soil is confined chiefly to the cedar belt, on the north side of Duck River. The black soil is found upon all streams and on the hill sides. Corn, wheat, oats, cotton, clover, potatoes and all the grasses grow well in the county, aud all kinds of fruit, such as apples, peaches, pears, plums, cherries and all the smaller fruits and berries, grow in abundance. The timber of the county is made up of ash, poplar, walnut, butternut, elm, buckeye, sugar, maple, oaks, red bud, sumac, dog- wood, hickory, beech, box elder, gum, cedar and mulberry.
The streams of the county are Duck River (which runs nearly centrally through the county from east to west. Its tributaries from the south are Norman, Shipman, Thompson, Little Flat, Big Flat, Sugar, Powell and Sinking Creeks; from the north, Noah Fork, Garrison Fork, Wartrace Fork, Butler Creek, Fall Creek. North Fork and Clem Creek. All of these streams furnish good water-power, particularly Duck River. In the east and southeast part of the county numerous springs of excellent water are to be found, while in the level part they are not so frequent.
Upon the formation of Bedford County, in 1807, the territory embraced in her bound- aries was made up of dense canebrakes and vast forests, both almost impenetrable, and was but sparsely settled. From information gleaned from such men as Nimrod Burrow and Thomas S. Word, Esqs., of Flat Creek, and J. E. Scruggs, Esq., of Fairfield, who are among, if not the oldest citizens now living, the writer is of the opinion that the first settlement of the county was made about 1805 and 1806, as follows: Clement Cannon set- tled near the present site of Shelbyville, in the Seventh District; Philip Burrow, William, Wilbourn and Freeman Burrow settled on Thompson Creek, in the Twenty-fifth District; John Blackwell settled near Three Forks of Duck River; Capt. Mat Martin and brother, Barkley, and William McMahan settled on Garrison Fork of Duck River, in the First District. The above settlements were all made at about the same time, and if any were made prior to them, no information of the same can now be found.
Among the other early settlers were Cuthbert Word, Samuel Card, Thomas Knott, Robert Snoddy, James Eddy, William Hix, Robert Hastings, Henry Hastings, Nathan Hubbard, Stephen Hastings, William Haslett, William Burrow, Banks Burrow, Joseph Hickenbotham, Thomas Gibson, Hazen Blair, John Casteel, Michael Holt, Joseph Walk- er, Joseph Erwin, William Crutcher, William Hickman, Henry Davis, Isaac Muse, Richard Muse, Anderson Davidson, Andrew Erwin, William Finch, Mrs. Mary Scruggs, William P. Finch, John Tillman, Christopher Shaw, "Salley" Sailors, Robert Furguson, Thomas Dean, Thomas Hudson, James Reagor, David Floyd, Michael Womack, Will- iam Pearson, and the Davises, Deerys, Eakins, Armstrongs, Stones, Caldwells, Burdetts,
863
BEDFORD COUNTY.
Galbraiths, Wades, Whitneys, McKissacks, Ruths, Hollands, Marshalls. Nelsons, Moores, Arnolds, Sbrivers. Bomars, Mullines, Norvilles, Shaffners, Kings, Youngs, Kim- broes, Hooziers, Ewells, Halls, Hords, Ewings, Davidsons, Smiths, Vances, Stokes, Os- borns, Finches, Scotts, Crouchs, Mosleys, Neils, Thomases, Peacocks, Woods, Fugetts. Hoovers, Suttons, Murfrees, Steeles, Harrises, Wilsons, Coopers, Tunes, Mortons, Mc- Cuistians, Clordeys, Greens, Browns, Fishers, Thompsons, Parsonses, Turrentines. Til- fords, Allisons, Lents, Blantons, Warners, Worthams. Atkinsons, Andersons, Sharons, Stallings, Sims, Brames, O'Neals, Coffeys. Gaunts, Stephensons, Drydens, Harrisons, Greers, Barretts, Whites, Gambills, Deans, Campbells, Williamses, Floyds, Pearsons, Bobos, Reids. Reeveses, Morgans, Parkers, McGills, Rays, Hastings, Dunaways. Dick- sons, Allans. Landers, Landises, Anthonys, Enlisses and Maupins.
The following persons were granted land lying in Bedford County by the State of North Carolina for military services during the Continental war, between the years 1785 and 1790: Amos Balch, 1,000 acres; George and Richard Martin, 3,000 acres; Thomas Tal- bott, 2,000 acres; George Cathey, 2,500 acres; James Brandon, 1,000 acres; Robert Smith, 5,000 acres. Between 1790 and 1800: John Sloan, 1,000 acres; Ruth Greer, 2,000 acres: James Grant, 5,000 acres; Stokely Donaldson, 1,000 acres: Samuel Patterson, 2,400 acres; Ezekial Alexander, 1,000 acres. Between 1800 and 1810: Norton Pryor, 1,360 acres; David Justice, 2,000 acres.
Below is a list of those who received grants of land from the State of Tennessee be- tween the years 1800 and 1810: George Doherty, 2,500 acres; Andrew Jackson. 320 acres; Thomas Overton and John Brahan, 610 acres; Malcom Gilchrist, 260 acres; John Bright; 122} acres: James Greenlee, 300 acres; Tilman Dixon, 274 acres; James Bright, 45 acres, James Lewis, 2,000 acres; James Patton, 274 acres; Daniel Ship, 532 acres; John Baird, 2,500 acres: George W. Campbell, 730 acres; Thomas McCrery, 1,000 acres; William Martin, 50 acres; John Smith, 1,000 acres; Ephraim Drake, 275 acres: John Coffee, 100 acres; Ed- ward Harris, 800 acres; Oliver Williams, 60 acres; Joseph Greer, 150 acres; Jesse Max- well. 320 acres; Robert White, 1,000 acres; Aaron Cunningham, 640 acres.
Probably the first mill erected in the county was the water-power corn-mill built by Mr. Goge, on the creek by that name, in about 1809 or 1810. Previous to the erection of this mill the pioneers carried their corn to Phillips' horse-power mill in Rutherford County, or reduced it to meal by means of the mortar. In about 1813 Joseph Walker erected a water-mill on Garrison Fork of Duck River, near where the town of Fairfield was after- ward located, and David Shipman erected a water-mill at the head of the creek by that name. The Wilhoit and Germany mills on Duck River, both water-power. were built about 1814 or 1815. Other early mills were the Cannon Mill, at Shelbyville. on Duck River; Ledford's mill, on same river; James Sharp's mill, on Thompson Creek: John Sim's mill, on Duck River, two miles above Shelbyville; Henry Wiggins' mill, on Flat Creek, and Conway's and Pruitt's mills, on same creek; Horseley's mill and Crowell's mill, all of which were water-power, and Joshua Holt's water-power near Flat Creek. The mills of the present, outside of those located in the different towns heretofore men- tioned, are as follows by districts: Third District, James Mullen's and N. C. Germany's corn-mills, water-power; Seventh District, Tune & Co.'s flour and corn-mill, water- power, on Duck River, and Wilhoit Mill, owned by Strick Parsons, on Duck River, water- power; Eighth District, G. W. Gregory's saw and grist-mill, water-power, on Falling Creek; Ninth District, William Taylor's steam grist-mill; "Tenth District, N. R. Taylor's horse-power grist-mill; Eleventh District, John Hall's water-power saw, corn and flour- mill, on Duck River, Fletcher Ray's water-power grist-mill on North Fork Creek, and Adams' & Simmons' steam saw-mill; Eighteenth District, J. N. Necley's water-power corn-mill on Sinking Creek, R. M. Sikes' water-power corn-mill on Rock Creek. and White- head's steam corn-inill; Twenty-first District, F. M. Johnson's water-power corn-mill on Flat Creek, and Eugene Blakemore's water-power corn-mill on Duck River; Twenty-third District, Hix Bros. water-power grist-mill on Flat Creek; Twenty-fifth District, Mrs. Smith's steam corn-mill, Joseph Wilhoit's water-power corn-mill on Duck River, and Jacob Anthony's water-power corn-mill on Thompson's Creek.
864
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
One of the first cotton-gins in Bedford County was the Cannon Gin, near Shelbyville. built by Clement Cannon about 1812. Other early gins were those of John Tillman and Tom Mosley, in the Fairfield neighborhood, and later L. P. Fields had a gin in the same neighborhood. There were, no doubt, other early cotton-gins, but a faithful effort to learn whose they may have been and their location was unrewarded. The cotton-gins of the present are Taylor & Hester's, in the Tenth District, with which is also a carding machine; William Taylor's in the Ninth District; W. J. Loyd's cotton-gin and carding machine, in the Eighth District; George Vernatti's, in the Fifth District, and Mrs. Smith's gin and carding machine in the Twenty-fifth District. While there were no doubt a large number of still-houses in the early days, yet they all disappeared years ago, and with few exceptions have passed from the memory of the present citizens. One of the first, if not the first still was owned by Philip Burrow, father of Nimrod Burrow, Esq .. and was sit- nated near the present town of Flat Creek: John Holt also had a still at about the same time and in the same neighborhood. Other early stills were those of Nathan Evans, in the Twentieth District, on Sugar Creek, and of Simpson Neice and Leslie Bobo in the Twenty-second District, on Flat Creek. Later on distilleries were established. The dis- tilleries of the present are four in number, and are as follows: The Zach Thompson Distil- lery is the most extensive one in the county, is situated near the town of Wartrace, and full particulars of the same may be found in the history of that town: Marcus L. Rabey's distillery in the Twenty-second District. and Blakemore & Co.'s distillery, in the same district, each have a capacity of sixty gallons per day; T. F. Wooton's distillery, in the Twenty-fifth District, has a capacity of forty gallons per day. So it will be seen that whisky foris quite an item in the products and exporis of Bedford County.
In the early days the militia laws were in force in Bedford. as in all other counties in Tennessee. The carly officers of the militia were Brig .- Gen. Robert Cannon: Cols. Sam- uel Mitchell, John A. Moore and S. B. Blackwell. The militia consisted of two battal- ions, which formed one regiment. Musters were held semi-annually. The battalion muster was held each spring on Sinking Creek, and the general (or regimental) muster was held in the fall at Shelbyville. The officers would bedeck themselves on muster day in close-fitting, homespun coat, half moon hat, and presented a great sight as they would drill the rank and file, armed with shot-guns and cornstalks, accompanied by music from the piercing fife and drum. After the drill would begin the "fist and skull " fights. which would continue throughout the day.
Bedford County was erected by an act of the General Assembly December 3, 180 which act is as follows:
"Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, that a new county be, and the same is, hereby established south and southwest of. and adjoining the county of Rutherford, by the name of Bedford, in memory of Thomas Bedford, deceased, which said county shall begin at the southwest corner of Rutherford and southeast corner of Will- iamson County. on the Duck River Ridge, and run thence with said Williamson County line to the line of the county of Maury; thence along the same southwardly to the south boundary of the State; thence eastwardly to the east boundary of Rutherford County; thence along the same to the ridge that divides the waters of Duck River from those of Cumberland, thence along the same westwardly to the east corner of Williamson County, leaving Rutherford County its constitutional limits, and all that tract of country included in the above described lines shall be included within the said county of Bedford."
Section 2 of the act provides for the holding of the courts of the new county at the house of Mrs. Payne, near the head of Mulberry Creek, until the next General Assembly. The county was surveyed and organized in the early part of 1808, the courts being held at the place designated by the act creating the county. Of the courts, court house, etc., but little is now remembered, and as the county was reduced in limits the following year, thereby placing Mrs. Payne's residence and farm in a new county (Lincoln), the county seat was soon removed. On the 14th of November, 1809, the General Assembly passed the following act, which reduced, materially, the limits of Bedford County, the territory being taken in the formation of Lincoln County:
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