USA > Tennessee > Old times in Tennessee, with historical, personal, and political scraps and sketches > Part 42
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Judge Catron remained on the Supreme Bench of Tennessee until 1835, when he was appointed by Gen. Jackson one of the Judges of the Supreme Court of the United States, and he held this position until his death, which occurred at Nashville in 1866. As a jurist, Judge Catron ranked with Taney, Story, and others of his contemporaries. His decisions, to be found in the reported cases of the Supreme Court of either Tennessee or of the United States, are lasting monuments of his worth and ability as an up- right and able jurist.
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XXVII.
BRIEF ANNALS OF NASHVILLE FROM ITS FOUNDATION TO 1875.
[Prepared by ANSON NELSON, Recording Secretary of the Tennessee Historical Society.]
VERY large tribes of Indians must have occupied the country around Nashville for many miles, and possibly for several hun- dred years previous to the seventeenth century. This is attested by the numerous places of interment for the dead, covering sev- eral acres in each place. An immense "burying ground" was on Harpeth river, another at the mouth of Stone's river (not many miles from the city), another in what is now North Edge- field, and still another in and around the sulphur spring bottoms, in the city. In fact, at almost every lasting spring, graves can be found all over this section of country.
So far as we know, the Suwanee, or Shawnee, tribe were the original possessors of the soil, but they were driven out by the Chickasaws and Cherokees, who made it a hunting ground for all the tribes, until the whites came and took possession.
A Frenchman, whose name has not been handed down to us by history or tradition, was here as a trader in 1710, who had a cabin or trading post near the river, a little North of Lick Branch, and about midway between the river and the sulphur springs. Living with this Frenchman was a lad about fifteen years of age, named Charles Carleville, who eventually succeeded him in business, and who died at the age of eighty-four years. When the first American hunters came here, about 1770, they found Mons. Timothy DeMonbreun, also a Frenchman, occupy- ing the place left by Mons. Carleville. The successive occupation of the post by Frenchmen for so long a period gave to the salt lick hard by the name of the French Lick. Mons. DeMonbreun lived here for many years, and died in 1826, at a good old age. His descendants, the Demonbreuns, are still with us, and Demon- breun street was so named in honor of the venerable Timothy.
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The first permanent settlement made on the Bluff, now known as Nashville, was in the winter of 1779-80. In the early spring of 1779, a number of adventurers from the Watauga Settlement, in what is now East Tennessee, crossed the Cumberland moun- tains and pitched their tents near the French Lick, and planted a field of corn where the city of Nashville now stands. These pioneers were Gen. James Robertson, George Freeland, William Neely, Edward Swanson, James Hanly, Mark Robertson, Zach- ariah White, and William Overhall. A negro man also accom- panied them. After the crop was made, Overhall, White, and Swanson were left to keep the buffaloes out of the unenclosed fields of corn, while the rest of the party returned for their fam- ilies. A large party of immigrants, under the lead of Gen. Rob- ertson, came here in the winter of 1779-80. They left the settle- ment in the Eastern portion of the State in October, but the in- clemency of the weather, and the delay inseparable from travel- ing through a wilderness without roads, prevented the arrival of these colonists at their point of destination until the beginning of the year 1780. The winter had been intensely cold, and was for many years afterwards remembered and referred to as "the cold winter."* The Cumberland was frozen over, and it continued to freeze for many weeks after the party reached this point. They crossed the river near the mouth of Lick Branch, with their bag- gage and cattle, on the ice. The immigrants were from North Carolina and Virginia. A small party from South Carolina soon followed. In the spring of 1780, Capt. John Donelson arrived with the families of those who came with Gen. Robertson. Donel- son's party came in a flat-boat, from the Watauga Settlement in
* The winters of the close of the last and the beginning of the present century were much more severe than of late years. Ramsey, on the authority of the Knoxville Gazette of Jan. 9, 1797, says: "The winter of 1796-7 is chronicled as the coldest winter ever experienced by the oldest inhabitants. On the evening of the 22d of December, the river was entirely free from ice. On the morning of the 2341, the ice was moving down the river in great quantities; on the 24th, the river was frozen over, and was crossed by horsemen upon the ice. On the 25th, a Christmas dinner was given upon the ice, by the Federal officers at Tel- lico Blockhouse to a large company of gentlemen and ladies, 'Contiguous to the place of entertainment, two quarters of a bear were barbecued, where the ice was found to be, in thickness, sufficient to bear fire enough to have roasted an ox, without being materially weakened by the heat .? "
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what is now upper East Tennessee, by way of the Tennessee, Ohio, and Cumberland rivers. A few rude cabins were built where the city now stands, whilst others were erected in the vi- cinity. Necessity soon compelled the settlers to erect forts, and the principal one was built on the bank of the river at the foot of Church street, because a large, bold spring gushed out from the bluff at that point. This post was agreed upon as the head- quarters of the settlement, and the name of Nashborough was given to it, in honor of Gen. Francis Nash, of North Carolina, who was mortally wounded at the battle of Germantown, in Oc- tober, 1777. At this fort on the 1st of May, 1780, a compact, or form of constitutional government, was entered into by the set- tlers for their mutual protection and safety. The meetings of the settlers were styled " the meetings of the Notables," and the gov- ernment of the " Judges, General Arbiters, and Triers," was es- tablished, with power to punish crime, aid the needy, assess fines, regulate military defenses, land entries, etc. There were seven stations in the surrounding country which were represented at Nashborough, making eight in all. The nearest one of these stations was located on the ground occupied by the Horticultural Garden, in the northern part of the city, and was known as Free- land's Station.
Joseph Hay was the first white man killed by the Indians, and he was buried in the open ground East of the Sulphur spring. Soon after Dr. Larimer was killed near Freeland's Station. Solo- mon Phillips was shot near the present Hume and Fogg school buildings, and died at the fort a few days after. S. Murray and Robert Aspey were killed at the point where Phillips was wounded. Isaac Lafever was shot and killed while fishing near where the present city work-house stands. These were the first scenes of bloodshed at this place among the whites.
In the summer of 1780, Robert Gilkie siekened and died, and was the first man of the white settlements who died a natural death. Philip Conrad was killed by a tree falling on him, near the junction of Cherry and Demonbreun streets, the same summer.
Capt. Leiper was the first man married in the settlement, and his was the first wedding West of the Cumberland mountains. His marriage occurred in the summer of 1780, and the ceremony
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was performed by Gen. Robertson, who was at the head of the Government of Notables. No liquors were used on the occasion, but there was a feast and dancing. The great delicacy for the ladies was roasting ears, while the men ate dried meat, buffalo tongues, and venison.
John Rains is entitled to the credit of introducing meat cattle and horses upon the West side of the Cumberland river, and into this section of the State, and his example has not been lost upon his posterity. Rains was a "mighty hunter," and in one winter killed thirty-two bears within seven miles of Nashville, mostly in Harpeth knobs, South of the city .*
The first white male child born in Nashville was Felix Rob- erison, the sixth child of Gen. James Robertson, whose birth occurred on the 11th of January, 1781. He became a noted physician, was mayor of the city in 1817, 1827, and 1828. He lived to see the village in which he was born grow to a large and prosperous city, and he was held in the highest esteem by the descendants of those who were his playmates in boy- hood and a very large circle of acquaintances. His death oc- curred July 9, 1865.
A treaty was held here in June, 1783, between commissioners from Virginia and Gen. Robertson and the settlers on one side and the Indians on the other, which resulted in a better under- standing between the whites and Indians, from which compara- tive peace was obtained for a short time. The Revolution had closed, and general good feeling prevailed, as life and property seemed to be more secure. North Carolina sent commissioners to look into the pre-emption rights of the settlers, and also to lay off twenty-five thousand acres of land, which the Legislature of that State proposed to give to Gen. Nathaniel Greene for his great services in the war of the Revolution. These commissioners were accompanied by a guard of one hundred soldiers. Several fami- lies of immigrants came with them, and valuable additions were thus made to the infant settlement. It is proper to remark, how-
* The abundance of game these early times in what is now Middle Tennessee may be inferred from the fact that Big Jo. Copeland, of Overton county, killed as many as sixty-two grown bears in a single hunting exam, and old Jacky France, of the same county, in the intervals of labor, killed one hundred and fifty-six wolves.
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ever, that at different times from 1780 to 1790, a portion of those who came here removed to Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, and other points in the West; so that the number of permanent set- tlers was not very large at any time, and some of these were scat- tered over the surrounding country.
James Montgomery was the first sheriff under the Notables, but being suspected of belonging to " Colbert's Gang," which was engaged in piratical or filibustering operations, he left the settle- ment, and Thomas Fletcher was elected sheriff by the committee. Andrew Ewin was the first clerk. All the proceedings were dated, "North Carolina, Cumberland District." But the Gov- ernment of Notables passed away in 1783, when North Carolina spread her motherly wings over the inhabitants of this part of her territory, by issuing commissions to Isaac Bledsoe, Francis Prince, and Isaac Linsay, to organize an Inferior Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at Nashborough. "This Inferior Court," says Putnam, "was invested with extraordinary powers-not un- like or much inferior to those which the Committee Government or Notables had exercised for years previous. This newly created State tribunal was indeed clothed with legislative, military, and judicial powers, as may be seen by an examination of the acts of Assembly ; and to men so well skilled and accustomed to the ex- ercise' of such high prerogatives, the continuance of powers and functions under a new name caused no inconvenience." On the 6th of October the members of the court were qualified; and of course elected Andrew Ewin as the Clerk of the Court. He had to give a bond in the sum of £2,000 for the faithful performance of the duties of the office. It is a noteworthy fact that at this term of the Court he added a "g" to his name, which he ever af- terwards wrote Ewing. A court-house and jail were at this term of the Court ordered to be erected, to be constructed of hewn logs. The contract for these buildings was let at public outcry, October 14, to the lowest bidder.
The Court was again convened in January, 1784, and there were present four justices who had not attended the previous ses- sions, to-wit : James Robertson, Thomas Mulloy, Anthony Bledsoe, and David Smith.
By acts of the Legislature of North Carolina, in April and May, 1784, a town was established at the Bluff, called Nashville, and
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from July 1st of that year the name of Nashborough was dropped and that of Nashville substituted. The commissioners designated by the act were directed to lay off two hundred acres of land near to but not to include the French Lick, in lots of one acre each, with convenient streets, lanes, and alleys, reserving four acres for public buildings. Those who subscribed for lots were to draw for choice, and were to receive deeds, with the condition that within three years thereafter they should each build a "well- framed, log, brick, or stone house, sixteen feet square at least, and eight feet clear in the pitch." S. Barton, Thomas Mulloy, and James Shaw were the commissioners appointed by North Carolina, and the deeds executed by them are among the first titles recorded in Davidson county. The first survey of the lots was made by Thomas Mulloy (for whom Mulloy street was named) in 1784. The original copy of the survey was lost, and Mulloy made another survey in 1789 for Judge John Overton, a copy of which is now in the archives of the Tennessee Historical Society.
A ferry was established by order of the Court across the Cum- berland at a point above the mouth of Lick Branch.
Gen. Robertson secured the passage of an act by the Legisla- ture of North Carolina, December 29, 1785, "for the promotion of learning in the county of Davidson," under which Davidson Academy was established. The name was subsequently changed to Davidson College. Its name was again changed, in 1806, to Cumberland College, and was incorporated as the University of Nashville in 1826. In 1855, Montgomery Bell bequeathed to the University a fund of $20,000, which now amounts to nearly $50,000, and endows a grammar school, known as Montgomery Bell Academy. The Medical College, a department of the Uni- versity, was organized in 1850, and is still in operation in con- nection with a similar department of Vanderbilt University. In 1875, the collegiate department of the University was suspended, and its grounds, buildings, and funds appropriated to the State Normal College, which is sustained mainly by the Peabody edu- cational fund. The tuition in the Normal College is free to young women and young men alike, who wish to qualify themselves for teachers. Twenty-three acres of land and four large buildings constitute the property of the University, the value of which is estimated at $150,000.
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The first physician made his appearance in Nashville in 1785, in the person of Dr. John Sappington, who compounded pills, covering them with mystery and a coat of sugar, known as "Sap- pington's Pills," and they were regarded as a sort of cure-all and extensively used for many years.
Lardner Clark, "merchant and ordinary keeper," was the first man to open a dry goods store in Nashville, which he did in 1786. His stock of goods came from Philadelphia, and was packed on ten horses through Virginia, East Tennessee, and Kentucky. Mr. Clark's goods consisted of coarse calicoes, unbleached do- mestic, coarse woolens, etc., and he combined liquor-selling and tavern-keeping with his dry goods operations. Other licensed taverns were opened soon after.
Edward Douglas and Thomas Mulloy were announced to prac- tice law in all the courts of Davidson county. They were men of sound practical sense, and of good business talent, but had never studied law as a science. A few pamphlet copies of laws of North Carolina were all the law-books which were in this sec- tion for several years.
In 1787, there were about half a dozen framed and log houses and twenty or thirty log cabins in Nashville. In this year the twenty-six one-acre lots, which had been sold for four pounds, North Carolina currency, each, were taxed one dollar, making a revenue of twenty-six dollars for the public treasury. The first assessment of real estate for taxation occurred in this year.
Among those who subscribed for town lots in Nashville, was one James C. Montflorence, a French spy. To cover his real purpose, he subscribed for town lots, bought and sold tracts of land, gave dinners and wine parties generously, talked politics knowingly, gallanted the ladies, circulated extensively, and flour- ished grandly. His residence in Europe, and the position he oc- cupied near the American Commissioners; his connection with Gov. Davie, of South Carolina, and his extensive general infor- mation and fine conversational powers, made him a welcome guest at the houses of Robertson, Smith, Bledsoe, Menees, Prince, Montgomery, and other distinguished citizens of that day. He was a decided character, aud attracted a good deal of attention in this " lodge in the wilderness."
In 1788, the constitution of the United States was voted on by
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the citizens of this settlement, and the vote was almost unanimous against it.
Black Bob (a negro) opened a tavern, and for several years kept the most aristocratic hotel in the place.
Andrew Jackson was admitted as an attorney at law, Jan. 12, 1789, and was appointed United States District Attorney by Pres- ident Washington in 1790.
Gov. Blount appointed John Donelson a justice of the peace for Davidson county in 1790. The population of the Mero Dis- trict at this period was about 7,000, and the men able to bear arms numbered only 1,000 to 1,200.
The years 1791, '92, and '93 were noted for murders, horse- stealing, etc., by the Indians, and retaliation on the part of the whites. A good crop of corn was raised in 1792, especially by the MeGavocks at Freeland's Station, North of the town, and it sold for a handsome price. About fifty whites were killed by Indians in the settlement in 1793, among whom were some of the best citizens.
The first church was erected in Nashville in 1796, on the Pub- lic Square, near the court-house, jail, and stocks." It was known as the Methodist Church, and was torn down in 1807 or 1808. A few business houses and a small brick were put up in 1796; and the first fire occurred this year, which destroyed Williams & Black's store. The building contained many valuable papers, public and private, which were consumed.
In 1796 or '97, Thomas Bailey, an Englishman, reached Nash- ville from Natchez, on a tour of observation through these West- ern wilds. In the account he wrote home of Nashville, he men- tioned the fact that he saw more wheeled vehicles here than any one would have supposed were to be found in such a new, wild set- tlement. He said the early settlers were strong-minded as well as strong-bodied, and capable of carrying on a government of their own if need be, and that they were becoming wealthy, and
# There are now in Nashville and Edgefield forty-four churches, as follows : Methodist 13, Baptist S, Presbyterian 5, Episcopal 6, Christian 4, Cumberland Presbyterian 2, Catholic 3, Hebrew 1, Lutheran 1, Congregational 1. Eight of these are for colored people, as follows: Methodist 3, Baptist 3, Christian 1, Congregational 1.
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were making rapid improvement in education, manners, and dress.
In May, 1797, three young Frenchmen arrived in Nashville, and attracted a good deal of attention, while their presence afforded great joy to old Mons. DeMonbreun. They were broth- ers, sons of the Duke of Orleans, and the eldest was subsequently known as Louis Phillippe, King of France. They came by way of Knoxville, Tellico, Fort Grainger, etc., and left here in a canoe, proceeding down the Cumberland, Ohio, and Mississippi rivers to the French settlements in Louisiana.
The first newspaper published in Nashville* was established in 1797, by a printer from Kentucky named Henkle, and was called the Tennessee Gazette and Mero District Advertiser. The following year he sold the paper to Benjamin J. Bradford, who changed the name to The Clarion, and soon after sold it to his cousin, Thomas G. Bradford. The Clarion was afterward en- larged and called the Clarion and Tennessee Gazette. In 1805 another paper was established here, called the Impartial Review and Cumberland Repository. It is thus seen that the newspaper press kept pace with the advance of civilization in that early pe- riod just as it has in later years.
In 1801 the town was placed under the government of an In- tendent and six Commissioners, and a law was passed by the Leg- islature at Knoxville authorizing them to levy a tax to build a market-house. Water street was laid off and opened this year.
In 1804 the population of Nashville was about four hundred. The Legislature authorized the authorities to sink a well on the Public Square, and also to draw a lottery to aid in the extension of the north-eastern boundary of the lots on Water street to the Cumberland river.
Aaron Burr arrived in Nashville May 29, 1805, and was the
* November 5, 1791, is signalized in the Annals of Tennessee as the day on which the first newspaper was issued within the borders of the State. The pio- neer printer, publi-her, and editor. in Tennessee, was George Roulstone. He es- tablished his press first at Rozersville. in Hawkins county, which thus claims the credit and distinction of the nativity of the newspaper press of the State. Though at first published at Rogersville, Mr. Roulstone's paper was called the Knorville Gazette, as it was intended to be issued at Knoxville, where Gov. Blount had determined to fix the seat of government. In February of the next year Knoxville was laid off, and the Gazette removed to that place soon after.
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guest of Gen. Jackson. A public dinner was given him, and he was caressed and toasted by every one. He came again August 16, the same year, and had great honor and attention paid him, and was again the guest of Gen. Jackson. But when his scheme began to be developed, his name became odious, and he was burnt in effigy by the citizens in the fall of 1806.
In 1806 the town was incorporated, with a mayor and six al- dermen. Joseph Coleman was the first mayor.
. In 1810 the population of the town was about 1,100. The Legislature assembled here this year for the first time. It sub- sequently met in Murfreesboro, Kingston, and Knoxville, until its final location in Nashville.
In 1811 and 1812 a great many men volunteered for the war · against Great Britain. Thomas G. Bradford printed, in 1812, a book entitled "The Military Instructor," containing Baron Steu- ben's tactics, which was the first book printed in Nashville, and probably in Tennessee. Four years afterward "Clark's Miscel- lany, in Prose and Verse," was printed here.
In 1813 the celebrated fight between Gen. Jackson and Hays on one side, and Thomas and Jessee Benton on the other, took place at the City Hotel, which stood on the site of the "City Hotel Block," on the East side of the Public Square.
The volunteers from this section who served in the Creek war returned in May, 1814, and a public dinner was given them at the Bell Tavern. Felix Grundy delivered an address of welcome, which was responded to by Gen. Jackson on behalf of the vol- unteers.
Gen. James Robertson, the old pioneer and founder of Nash- ville, died at the Chickasaw Agency, Sept. 1, 1814. "This father of Tennessee; this founder of the settlements on the Watauga and Cumberland; this most successful negotiator between his countrymen and their Indian neighbors; this citizen, who so well united the character of the patriot and the patriarch, continued to the close of his usetul life an active friend of his country, and possessed, in an eminent degree. the confidence, esteem, and ven- eration of all hi- contemporaries; and his memory and services to the Western settlements, in peace and in war, are recollected with grateful regard by the present generation."
The Nashville Female Academy was incorporated in 1816, and
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had a successful career from that time until 1861, when it was closed on account of the disturbed condition of the country grow- ing out of our civil war. Thousands of the best ladies of the South were graduates of this institution.
In the spring of 1818 the people hailed the arrival of the first steamboat, which was named "General Jackson." This boat was built at Pittsburgh for Gov. Win. Carroll. He subsequently sold it to Messrs. Fletcher, Young & Marr, for $33,000. Freight from here to New Orleans was then five cents per hundred pounds. In the course of two or three years the steamboat busi- ness increased considerably, wharves were built, and commission and forwarding houses were opened. The pioneer boat was snagged and sunk in Harpeth Shoals June 20, 1821. The steam- ers "General Robertson," "Rifleman," "James Ross," "Fay- ette," and "Feliciana," were running the river in 1821. The last named boat exploded near Eddyville, May 3, 1821, by which six or seven lives were lost.
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