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 38
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 38
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 38
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 38
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 38
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 38
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Shelbyville has seven white and four colored churches, as follows: Presbyterian, or- ganized in 1815, and brick church erected in 1817. In 1856 the building was sold to the Catholic congregation and the present brick building erected at a cost of $10.000. In do- nating to the county the land upon which to locate a county seat Clement Cannon set apart a tract of ground upon which any denomination could have the privilege of erect- ing a house of worship. The Methodists took advantage of the free ground, and in 1820 erected a frame church. The building was destroyed by a severe storm in 1830. The congregation then abandoned the Canuon ground and erected a briek church in 1833, at a cost of $3,000. This building they sold, in 1881, to the Christian congregation and began at once the erection of the handsome brick edifice which is as yet incomplete, but in which services have been held for many years. This building has already cost about $12,000. The Baptist Church was organized in 1845, when a brick building was erected on the Cannon ground, the site of the old Methodist Church, at a cost of about $3,000. This church was destroyed by a wind-storm in 1870, and was rebuilt, at a cost of about $5,000. The Catholic Church was organized in 1855, and in 1856 the congregation purchased the old Presbyterian Church building, and the same is in use at present: the Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized and a church erected in 1856. The building was de- stroyed in 1880. The congregation then purchased their present brick building from the Northern Methodists, which church was organized after the civil war, but disbanded The Episcopal Church was organized in 1853, and until 1861 held services in the Odd Fel- lows' hall. In 1860 the erection of the present brick church was begun. The ground was donated by William Gasling and the church was built by Hon. Edmund Cooper, as a memorial church to his first wife. The building cost $2,500. The Christian Church was organized in 1881, at which time the congregation purchased their present church from the Methodist Episcopal congregation. The colored churches are the First and Second Missionary Baptists, the African Methodist Episcopal South and the Union African Meth- odist Episcopal.
The first newspaper published in Bedford County was the Shelbyville Herald, Theo F. Bradford, editor and proprietor. In 1821 the Herald was sold to - Iredell, and with that gentleman was afterward associated J. Newton, and together they conducted the paper until about 1830. The Western Freeman was next established in 1832, with H. M. Watterson.as editor, and John HI. Laird, publisher. In 1836 the Peoples' Advocate was es- tablished by William H. Wisener, who was both editor and proprietor. About the same time the Western Star was published by Granville Cook. In 1840 the Peoples' Advocate was succeeded by the Western Advocate, with John W. White as editor and publisher. In 1844 the Free Press was published by I. C. Brassfield, and contemporaneous with the Free
BEDFORD COUNTY.
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Press was the Whig Advocate, published by John H. Laird. In 1848 the Star was pub- lished by R. C. Russ. From 1848 to 1862 the Expositor was published by James Russ, Jr .. and Ralph S. Saunders. R. C. Russ published the Bedford Yeoman from 1850 to 1555, and during 1857 and 1858 the Constitutionalist was published by J. H. Baskette. About the same time the Herald of Truth, a Baptist paper, was published by Dr. R. W. Fain. From 1862 to 1863 J. H. Thompson and T. B. Laird published the Tri-weekly News, and from 1863 to 1866 T. B. Laird published the American Union. In 1865 the Republican was pub- lished by James Russ, with Lewis Tillman as editor. In 1871 the Bulletin was established by J. L. and J. B. Russ, and previously these gentlemen established the Commercial, which paper was published in 1870 by T. S. Steele and S. A. Cunningham. Two years thereafter the Rescue, which paper had been started a short time before, was merged into the Commercial, and R. C. Russ became editor and proprietor, and occupies that position at the present time.
Besides the Commercial, the other papers of Shelbyville are the Gazette and Times. The Gazette was established in 1874 by. J. B. and J. L. Russ. In 1880 A. L. Landis pur- chased the paper and conducted it for two years, and sold it to William A. Frost and William Russell. In 1884 Mr. Frost became sole editor and proprietor, and continues as such at the present. The Gazette is one of the most successful newspaper plants in the State. The office is supplied with an abundance of good material, and is equipped with a Campbell power news press and Gordon jobber. The Times was established by William Russell and D. M. Alford in the latter part of February, 1886, making its first issue on the 26th of that month, with Mr. Russell as editor and Mr. Alford as publisher. Although young in years, the Times is on a sound footing, and has evidently come with the deter- mination of staying. All three of the papers are Democratic.
The first agricultural society of Bedford County was organized in 1857, and the fair grounds were located near Shelbyville. The first officers were as follows: President, Hugh L. Davidson; vice-presidents, R. H. Sims, G. G. Osborn, Thomas Lipscomb, W. W. Gill and Henry Dean; treasurer, Lewis Tillman; recording secretary, J. F. Cummings: corresponding secretary, Jolin R. Eakin. At the close of the civil war the society was reorganized as a stock company, and handsome and commodious buildings were erected on grounds just outside the incorporated limits of Shelbyville. Annual exhibitions are held, and the society has been deservedly successful. The present officers are as follows: President, J. J. Gill; vice-presidents, Oliver Cowan, Martin Euliss and T. C. Ryall; cor- responding secretary, Ernst Caldwell; secretary and treasurer, John D. Hutton; general superintendent; C. N. Rice.
In May, 1830, Shelbyville was swept by a terrible tornado, which destroyed the court house, the Methodist Church, and quite a number of other brick buildings, and killed and wounded a number of people. Those who were killed were James Newton, David Whitson, - Arnold, -Reideout and -Caldwell. The town has also been visited at three different times with Asiatic cholera, which caused a large number of deaths each time. The first visit was in June and July, 1833, the second in September, 1866, and the third in July, 1873.
Wartrace, the second town of the county, is situated at the junction of the main line of the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad and the Shelbyville branch of that road, eight miles east from the latter place and fifty-five southwest from Nashville, and has a popula- tion of 800. The town dates its establishment from the time of the completion of the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad in 1852. The land on which the town stands was orig- inally owned by Rice Coffee, and Henry B. Coffee was the first citizen of the village. Among other early citizens were Robert Buchanan, John Stephens, N. C. Harris, W. H. Clark. W. B. Norville, G. W. Martin, R. P. Ganaway, John R. Coffee, W. T. Griui, Will- is Pruitt, S. A. Prince, S. C. Mills, J. D. Payne, Robert Ervin, M. Payne, A. G. Garrett. A. M. Keller and J. W. Tillford. The town was incorporated in October, 1853, under the name of Wartrace Depot, and Daniel Stephens was the first mayor elected. With the ex- ception of the years of the late war the corporation has remained in full force and effect,
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
and the officers at the present are as follows: Mayor, Sidd Houston; board of aldermen, R. P. Maupin, B. I. Hall, J. W. Haynes, R. V. Davidson and T. B. Davis; recorder, W. G. Wood; marshal, W. F. Hailey. Daniel Stephens and William Norville were the first merchants, they opening general stores in 1852. During the next eight years W. P. Green, Thomas Hart, W. K. Raibourn & Co. and Murphey & Stephens were the business men. From 1860 to 1870 the business men were Thomas Hart. L. P. Fields. Fields. Mackey & Co., D. Morris & Co., M. N. Mckinney & Co., O. P. Arnold, J. A. Cortner & Co., Arnold Bros., B. W. Blanton, B. F. Davis & Co. and A. Murphey & Co.
From 1870 to 1886 the merchants have been and are as follows: J. D. Houston. drugs: B. I. Hall, Davis & Co., Arnold Bros .. B. W. Blanton and Cunningham, Davidson & Co., dry goods; Smith Bros., family groceries; C. B. Murphey, books and stationery: J. W. Haines, furniture and undertaker; W. E. Russell, tinware and stoves: A. Ogle, saddles and harness; Mrs. M. E. Clayton, milliner. The hotels are the Healan House, Mrs. S. D. Healan & Son, proprietors, and the Chockley House, J. C. Chockley, proprietor. The town has two good livery stables, owned by J. W. Tillford and W. G. Petty. The bank- ing house of B. F. Cleveland was established in 1882. of which B. F. Cleveland is presi- dent, and R. M. Cleveland is cashier. This establishment does a general banking busi- ness, and is of much benefit to Wartrace. The manufacturers of Wartrace are as follows: J. A. Cunningham & Co., flouring-mill, erected in 1880 at a cost of $12,000, and the War- trace Mill Company, established in 1882, the building of which cost $18,000; these mills are supplied with modern machinery, and do a large custom and shipping business; El- lington Bros., saw and planing-inill, erected in 1885, with $3,000 capital invested: John Butner, wagon-maker and blacksmith, and Harry Erwin. John Price and W A Schwarts. general blacksmiths. Near Wartrace is situated the distillery of Zach Thompson. which has been in active operation since 1883, though it has been in existence for about fifty years. This distillery has a capacity of between seventy-five and eighty gallons of whisky per day. The physicians who have practiced their profession in Wartrace from its establishment to the present have been as follows, in the order given: Drs. Walter H. Sims, W. T. Griswold, John M. Murry, T. H. Manier, A. S. Brown, R. F. Fletcher, H. K. Whitson and D. W. Duke.
The secret societies are as follows: I. O. O. F., established in 1850, and reorganized in 1885; K. of H., established in 1878; K. of L .. established in 1878; R. A., established in 1861. A Masonic lodge was organized in 1874, but was abandoned after a period of about six years. Wartrace has splendid educational advantages. The Wartrace Academy was established in 1860, and has been continued every year since. In 1885 the present school building was erected. It is a large brick, two stories in height, and cost $5,000. There are five grades in the school, and the school term amounts to an average of ten months each year. The houses of worship of Wartrace are the Missionary Baptist, the congregation of which was organized in 1860, and the building was erected in 1870. It is a substantial frame, and cost about $1,500. The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized and house erected in 1876, at a cost of $1,500. The colored denominations are Baptists and African Methodist Episcopals. both of which have meeting-houses.
The business houses of Wartrace are all of brick, and present a handsome and sub- stantial appearance. The railroad has a large brick depot, for both passengers and freight.
Bellbuckle, the third town of the county, was founded in 1852 by A. D. Fugitt, the original owner of the land on which the town now stands. Bellbuckle takes its name from a small creek by that name, which runs near the town, and the creek derived its name from the fact of a representation of a bell and buckle, which are carved ou a large beech tree, which stands near the head of the stream. The carving was discovered on the beech by the earliest settlers, and as to the carver; when the work was done, or the rea- son thereof, is one of the mysteries, though many traditions concerning the same have been handed down. Bellbuckle is situated on the Nashville & Chattanooga Railway, fifty-one miles southwest from Nashville, and ten miles northeast from Shelbyville, and has a population of about 800. The town was laid off into lots in 1854 and incorporated in
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BEDFORD COUNTY.
1856. During the war the corporation lapsed, but immediately thereafter a new charter was obtained, since when it has been in force and effect. The present town board is as follows: Mayor, S. P. Jones; aldermen: G. H. Miller, W. R. Muse, T. J. Oglevie, B. E. Thomas, Z. T. Beachboard and J. M. Freeman; George Moon, recorder; A. Melton, marshal.
A. D. Fugitt opened a general store in Bellbuckle in 1852, being the first merchant. Clark & Miller, W. B. Norville, R. D. Rankin. W. R. Pearson and R. D. Blair, all of whom kept general stores, were the other business men of the fifties. The merchants of the sixties were Lamb & Weirback, W. C. Cooper, Norville & Beachboard. R. D. Blait & Son, Thomas & Claxton and R. D. Rankin, all general stores, while R. D. Wallace ran a flouring-mill. Between 1870 and 1880 the merchants were McFarrin Bros .. Jamison & Miller, Haggard Bros., W. L. Garner, R. A. Hoover, T. J. Peacock, W. C. Cooper, J. F. Johnson, Johnson & Hite, W. P. Crawford, Oglevie & Crawford and B. E. Thomas, all of whom kept general stores, with the single exception of Thomas, who kept a stock of drugs in connection with the postoffice. The business men from 1880 and of the present are W. P. Crawford, T. J. Peacock, A. H. Newman, R. A. Hoover. J. W. Pattey and E. F. Gomer, general stores; D. W. Shiver & Co., A. L. Haggard and Howland Bros. family groceries; R. L. Justice, drugs and family groceries; B. E. Thomas, drugs and postoffice; and H. Hall, undertaker and cabinet-maker. The manufactories are represented as fol- lows: R. F. Wallace & Co., plows and wheelwrights: George Bailey and Meldon Bros., blacksmiths and wagon-makers; W. S. Putnam, blacksmith and carriage-maker; R. F. Wallace, steam saw-mill and manufacturer of Wallace's patent double shovel. Bell- buckie has a large creamery, which was established in 1885 by a stock company with $5,000 capital. The creamery is supplied with milk from the numerous herds of fine milch cows in the neighborhood. It is fitted up with the latest improved machinery, and has a capacity of handling 6,000 pounds of milk per day.
The one hotel of the town is conducted by Mrs. Winnett. The railroad company erected a good brick depot in 1862, which is in use at the present time.
The streets run north and south and east and west, being continuations of the follow- ing pikes: Bellbuckle & Beach Grove Pike, leading east; Bellbuckle & Liberty Pike, leading north; Bellbuckle & Flatwood Pike, leading west, and a short pike leading into the Shelbyville & Fairfield Pike.
The practicing physicians of the town have been in the order named: Drs. Smith Bowlin, T. C. McCrory, W. F. Long, T. C. Henson, W. F. Clairy, J. W. Acuff, W. R. Freeman, T. F. Frazill, and H. E. Finney, dentist.
The secret societies of the town consist of Good Templar, Masonic and Odd Fellow, lodges of those fraternities being organized in 1860.
The first school established in Bellbuckle, and one of the first in the county, was Salem Academy, which was founded in about 1820. Numerous changes were made in the old school, and in 1880, when a handsome brick building was erected and the name of the school was changed to that of Bedford College (see chapter on schools of county). Be- sides this school the public common schools are conducted for a term of five months each year. An addition of importance to the schools of Bellbuckle, and also of the county, is the Webb School, which was recently removed to that place from Maury County, where it was known as the Kuleoka Institute (see school chapter). The colored school. which is taught five months in the year, is held in the colored church building.
Bellbuckle is supplied with a number of good churches. The Methodist Episcopal Church, a handsome brick, was erected in 1878, at a cost of about $4,000; the Missionary Bap- tist Church (frame) was erected in 1873, at a cost of $1,500; the Cumberland Presbyterian Church was ereeted in 1883, is of brick, and cost $4,000; the Christian Church was erected in 1883, is of frame, and cost $2,000. The colored churches are the Baptists and African Methodist Episcopal, both of which are frame buildings which cost each about $400.
Flat Creek is situated seven miles southeast from Shelbyville in the Twenty-fourth District, and has a population of about 150 people. The town was founded in about 1810
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
upon a tract of school land known as the Sixteenth Section. The first merchant was Thomas Newson, who kept a general store as early as 1841 or 1842. Other early business men were Blanton & Co., Hall & Warnock, Crunk & Friend, Keith & Baker, Long & Morgan, Long & Watson, Evans & Keith. Dean & Keith. Brennon & Dean and Hudson & Co., and during the time of the above business men a Grange store was in operation for several years. The business men of the present are as follows: John E. Wood. Hudson & Co. and Hale Bros., general stores; J. H. Farran, groceries: and John Bryant, saddles and harness. The Flat Creek Saw and Planing-mill was established in 1870, by John D. Floyd, and is now owned by Phineas Hix. The blacksmiths are John Bryant, Nance Green and Matt Thomas. The early physicians of Flat Creek were Drs. J. Blakemore, Russ, Gordon, James Crunk, Shepard, Samuel Rager and Grizard and those of the present are Drs. Frost, Anderson Rager and Williams. Flat Creek has a chartered academy and also good common white and colored schools. The churches are as follows: Cumber- land Presbyterian, built during the fifties at a cost of $1,000, frame: Methodist Episcopal South, built in 1885, and cost $1,000, frame; and Christian, built in 1870, and cost $1,500, frame. In 1850 the Primitive Baptists erected a large frame church, which was the first church in the town. This church passed into the hands of the Missionary Baptists, and afterward to the Separate Baptists, and that organization disbanding the church was abandoned, and while still standing and in a comparative state of preservation, is unused The Missionary Baptist (colored) congregation meets in the colored schoolhouse. Both the Masons and Odd Fellows have organizations in Flat Creek, both of which were es- tablished in 1850.
Fairfield, fourteen miles northeast from Shelbyville, in the First and Second Districts. is one of the oldest towns in Bedford County. The town lies on both sides of Garrison Fork of Duck River, which stream is spanned by a large bridge at the town, and is distant from Wartrace four and a half miles and from Bellbuckle five miles. The land upon which the town was founded was owned by Dr. J. L. Armstrong and Henry Davis; that on the west side of the creek belonged to Dr. Arinstrong and was called Petersburg; that on the east side by Mr. Davis and was called Fairfield. The two towns were laid off into lots, and the lots were sold some time in 1830. From 1835 to about 1850 Fairfield (the name of Petersburg was soon dropped) was one of the most flourishing towns in the county, and a large amount of business was annually transacted. The building of the Nashville & Chattanooga Railway destroyed the business to a great extent, and since that time the town has gradually but steadily declined, and at present there are not over fifty in- habitants. The early business men of Fairfield were Josephus Erwin, William Crutcher' Wilham Hickman, Henry Davis, Isaac Miller, William Clark, Henry Davis, Jr .. James Word, John West, Marshall, David Brown, James Martin, - - Miller and James Simms. Osborn & Bro. arc the business men of the present. The blacksmiths are Osborn Bros. & Justice, James Martin and Buck Butner. H. A. Justice & Son have the one corn mill, which is on Garrison's Fork and is of water-power. The physicians of Fairfield and vicinity have been as follows: Drs. James L. Armstrong, Thomas B. Mosley, Needham King, Robert Singleton, George B. Sumner, David King, Allen Hall, J. B. Muse, Jack Morgan and Robert Morgan. Those of the present are Drs. Joshua Ganaway, Smith Bowlin, R. W. Kirch and S. K. Whitson. Fairfield has four churches-two white and two colored. The former are Missionary and "Hard Shell" Baptists, and the latter are Missionary Baptists and African Methodist Episcopal. The schools of the town are the Fairfield Academy (chartered), which enjoys an excellent reputation, and the colored free school.
Unionville, situated in the Eleventh District, twelve miles northwest from Shelbyville, has a population of about 200, and is one of the most prosperous towns in Bedford County. Unionville was founded in about 1827 upon the lands of Meredith Blanton and James Roy, and derived its name from the uniting of two postoffices and establishing the same at that point. In 1928 Meredith Blanton erected a blacksmith shop, which shop has been operated continually from that time to the present by the Blanton family, and is now owned by
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two grandsons of M. Blanton. The first business in the town: was transacted by the firm of McGaffin, Rushing & Covington, who had a general store. Other early business men, who were in the merchandise trade from that time until 1860, were William Collins, Blanton & Keller, Duggan, Moon & Barnes, Little, Brown & Deason and F. S. Smith. From 1860 to 1870 the merchants were Ganaway, Clary & Co., McCord & Ogilvie, Atkin- son & McCord, Peter Barnes, Williams & Landis, Williams & Moon, Landis & Bro., Gan- away & Henden, Duggan & Henden, B. F. Duggan, J. M. Moon, McLane & Bro , Winsett & McLane, Winsett & Elkton and Winsett & Covington. From 1870 to 1880: Duggan & Clark, Duggan & Sons, T. N. McCord, J. A. Ganaway, Landis & Winsett, Covington & Landis, W. A. Ott, J. Covington, J. M. Moon, B. F. Duggan and H. R. Frierson. From 1880, including the present merchants: T. N. McCord, Blanton & Blanton, J. Covington, Covington & Blanton, H. R. Frierson and H. R. Freeman. The churches of Unionville are as follows: Methodist Protestant Church, erected in 18-10 of logs, and rebuilt of frame on the same site in 1868, at a cost of about $1,500; Methodist Episcopal Church South, frame building, erected in 1856, and cost about $900; Cumberland Presbyterian Church, frame, erected in 1876, and cost $1,600; Christian Church. erected in 1878 at a cost of $1,000. The schools of the town consist of a chartered academy, at which school is taught ten months in the year, and the colored free school. The secret societies are the Masonic and Good Templars lodges, the former of which was organized in 1867, and the latter in 1885. The practicing physicians of the town are Drs. B. F. Duggan, S. S. Dug- gan and G. L. Landis.
Normandy, at the mouth of Norman Creek, twelve miles east from Shelbyville, in the Twenty-fifth District; Richmond, in the Nineteenth District, ten miles southwest from Shelbyville; Palmetto, in the Eighteenth District, twelve miles west of Shelbyville; Rover, in the Tenth District. sixteen miles northwest from Shelbyville; Haley's Station, three miles south of Wartrace, on the Nashville & Chattanooga Railway, and Cortner's Station, six miles south of Wartrace, on the Nashville & Chattanooga Railway, are all flourishing villages of from twenty-five to fifty inhabitants each.
Bedford County justly prides herself upon her splendid educational advantages, which, indeed, are surpassed by those of but few counties in Tennessee. Of the schools during the first ten years of the county's existence as such, there remains no record whatever, and from this fact one is led to believe that, while it is more than probable that schools were taught in the county as early as 1805 or 1806, they were of an inferior order, and contributed but little to the education of the county. The first school taught in the coun- ty, or at least the first one of any consequence aud of which there is a record, was Mount Reserve Academy, which was established in about 1815 or 1816 by the Rev. George New- ton, who came from North Carolina a few years previous to that time. The school was located three miles east of the present site of Wartrace in a log house at the place now known as Bethsalem Presbyterian Church. Rev. Newton was a classic scholar, and taught with great success the English as well as the higher branches of a liberal educa- tion. This school continued at different periods until the civil war, when it was aban- doned.
The next school was Dixon Academy, which was established in Shelbyville in 1820, and which in its day, and even at the present, was a noted school. A thorough classical course was taught at the school by such teachers as Rev. Alexander Newton, Prof. James Jett, Prof. Blake and Prof. Gonigal, and many of the afterward prominent men of the county and State were educated there. The building was of log. and stood in the center of an eight-acre plot of ground, which ground was donated to the school by Clement Cannon. Esq., one of the wealthy citizens of that day. The log building was subsequently weatherboarded, and in that shape the building rendered service until 1855, when the present commodious brick building was erected. The school has been in con- tinuous operation (excepting vacations) from its establishment to the present, having been conducted all along as a subscription school. The present principal is Prof. T. P. Bren- non, who, in 1885, added a military department to the school, and the pupils are required to wear a neat uniform similar to those in use in the United States Regular Army.
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