Old times in Tennessee, with historical, personal, and political scraps and sketches, Part 43

Author: Guild, Jo. C. (Josephus Conn), 1802-1883
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Nashville, Tavel, Eastman & Howell
Number of Pages: 1012


USA > Tennessee > Old times in Tennessee, with historical, personal, and political scraps and sketches > Part 43


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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President Monroe arrived in Nashville June 6, 1819, and was the guest of Gen. Jackson, at the Hermitage, as was also Maj. Gen. Edmund P. Gaines at that time. The President came to town on the 9th, in company with Jackson and Gaines, and a large company of citizens and military met them on College Hill, where addresses of welcome were delivered by Wilkins Tannehill, E-q., on the part of the Masonic fraternity, and by Col. Williamson on the part of the military. He was then es- corted to the residence of Col. Ephraim H. Foster, Mayor of the city, where Hon. John H. Eaton welcomed the distinguished guest to the city of Nashville. Mr. Monroe made appropriate replies to these addresses. A public dinner was given him, and a ball at night. Mr. Monroe took his departure on the 11th, through Kentucky, and was accompanied by Gen. Jackson as far as Col. Richard M. Johnson's, in that State.


The financial panic of 1819-20 caused the Farmers' and Me- chanies' Bank of Nashville to suspend specie payment on the 18th of June, 1819, which example was followed by the Nash- ville Bank ou the 220, and the Bank of the State of Tennessee on the 20th. These financial troubles continued, and to such an extent that Gov. McMinn convened the Legislature in extraor- dinary session at Murfreesboro, then the seat of government, in


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1820, and one of the acts of that body was to charter the Bank of the State of Tennessee, with a capital of one million dollars, and to have a branch at Knoxville. The bank went into opera- tion Oct. 14, 1820, but it met with considerable opposition, its opponents declaring that it was a swindling concern. A twenty- dollar note of the bank was put up at auction in the town of Carthage, to be sold for silver, and was knocked down at five per cent premium-some ardent friend of the bank probably be- ing the purchaser. The bank outlived all this opposition.


The store of Thomas Deaderick (for whom Deaderick street was named) was robbed of several thousand dollars' worth of goods in May, 1820. The steamboat " Rifleman " arrived at this port May 15, having made the trip from New Orleans in thirty days, which was then considered fast time.


A substantial bridge was built across the river from the north- east corner of the Public Square to the Gallatin turnpike in 1822, at a cost of $85,000. It was taken down in 1855 because it ob- structed navigation. It is said to have been the best bridge that ever spanned the Cumberland. The same year the City Ceme- tery, on South Cherry street, was opened for interments. The sulphur spring bottom had been previously used as a burying ground. The population of Nashville in 1823 was 3,460.


In 1825 there were from fifteen to twenty steamboats running from Nashville to New Orleans, and points on the Ohio river as far up as Pittsburgh. During this year over one million dollars' worth of cotton was exported from this place.


Gen. LaFayette, son and suite, arrived here on the 4th of May, 1825, and were received with the greatest demonstrations of joy. An immense procession was formed, the streets were decorated with arches of evergreens, and patriotic mottoes were inscribed upon them. The General landed on the grounds of Maj. Wm. B. Lewis, above the water works, where Gen. Jackson and a number of citizens received him, and Gov. Carroll addressed him in behalf of the State, tendering him a welcome to Tennes- see. The procession, with the military, escorted him into the city, where Robert B. Currey, Esq., the Mayor, addressed him in behalf of the city, and tendered him its freedom and hospitality. The joy of the people knew no bounds, and Gen. LaFayette ever after spoke of his reception at Nashville as one of the most pleas-


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ant events of his life. He was taken to the residence of Dr. Boyd MeNairy, who threw open his doors to the distinguished visitor and his suite. The next day the General went to the Masonic Hall, where he received the ladies of Nashville in that polite and cordial manner for which he was remarkable. A. public dinner was given him at the Nashville Inn, at which Gen. Jackson acted as President, assisted by George W. Campbell, Henry M. Rutledge, John Somerville, and Felix Grundy, as Vice Presidents. Our old friend Timothy DeMonbreun was at this dinner, and was toasted by Col. Andrew Hynes, as the pa- triarch of Tennessee, and the first white man that settled in the country. Gen. LaFayette visited the Grand Lodge of' Tennes- see, the Royal Arch Chapter, and the Masonic fraternity gener- ally, and was welcomed by Wilkins Tannehill, Esq., as a friend and a brother. A collation was furnished on the occasion, and all hands had a "good time" generally. Before his departure, the General called on Mrs. Jackson, Mrs. Littlefield (the daughter of his old companion and friend, Gen. Green, of Revolutionary memory), Gov. Carroll, Rev. Dr. Philip Lindsley, and others.


The city was divided into six wards in 1826.


The Branch Bank of the United States was established here in 1827, and did business in a little brick building on the North- west corner of the Public Square, where the Hicks Block now stands.


In 1829-30 our physicians commenced using quinine in fevers, and Dr. Felix Robertson is credited with introducing it here.


The population of Nashville in 1830 was 5,566, of which 1,108 were slaves, and 204 free negroes.


The city developed wonderfully in business and progress gen- erally in 1830-31-32, and part of 1833-checked then by the first visit of cholera to Nashville.


Christ Church, corner of Church and High streets, was built in 1831-2, at a cost of only $16,000. The old McKendree Church was built in 1832-3, and was dedicated the last Sunday in 1833, by the venerable Bishop MeKendree, assisted by the Rev. Messrs. Douglass. McMahon, and Maddin. This building was taken down in 1877, and the present magnificent structure erected upon the old site. The Presbyterian Church had no regular pastor till 1821, although Dr. Blackburn organized a


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Church in 1813. Dr. Campbell was pastor from 1821 to 1826, when Rev. Dr. O. Jennings took charge. He died in 1831, and the Church was without a pastor until Dec. 25, 1833, when Rev. Dr. John T. Edgar was installed, and served the congregation for nearly twenty-eight years. A Baptist Association was formed here in 1820, but a division took place in 1825, those holding to the regular Baptist faith giving up their house and worshipping in the Masonic Hall, until Rev. Dr. R. B. C. Howell became the pastor, by whose efforts the present handsome edifice on Summer street was erected in 1837. Dr. Howell occupied the position of pastor over a quarter of a century. The Cumberland Presbyte- rian Church was dedicated in May, 1832, and was ready for the reception of the General Assembly, which convened here that year. The first Catholic Church, on the North side of Capitol Square, was built in 1830-31.


The penitentiary was built by the State in 1830-31.


The establishment of the water-works was decided upon by the Board of Aldermen in 1831, and the work was soon com- menced. It was completed in 1833, and began to furnish a sup- ply of water on the first day of October of that year. The in- troduction of water into the city was made the occasion of a grand demonstration ; a cannon was fired and a procession of cit- izens marched through the streets. The cost of the water-works, pipes, fire-plugs, etc., to the city, exceeds one million dollars. There are two hundred and eighty fire-plugs in the city, and nearly fifty miles of pipe laid in the streets. The average con- sumption of water in the city amounts to two million gallons for every day in the year.


The steamboat " Lady Jackson," of two hundred tons burthen, was built at our lower wharf, and launched August 4, 1832.


The highest state of political excitement existed here in 1832, on the subject of nullification. Mr. Calhoun's position, backed by the State of South Carolina, where secession was openly avowed, created an excitement in Tennessee, as well as throughout the Union, seldom equaled. A great union meeting was held here on the 29th of December, 1832. Hon. Ephraim HI. Foster called the meeting to order and nominated Gov. William Carroll as chairman, which met the unanimous consent of the meeting. John P. Erwin and Allen A. Hall were appointed secretaries.


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Dr. Samuel Hogg offered the preamble and resolutions, strong and to the point, which were enthusiastically adopted, after speeches by William G. Hunt, O. B. Hayes, and others.


The Union Bank of Tennessee was chartered in 1832, and went into operation in 1833. The Planter's Bank was chartered in 1833, and went into operation in 1834. The Tennessee Marine and Fire Insurance Company was chartered by the Legislature in 1833, and its capital stock subscribed in twenty minutes-no person being allowed to subscribe over $5,000 of stock in his own name.


Duncan Robertson, who came to Nashville in 1806, died May 1, 1833, aged sixty-three years. He was, perhaps, the most gen- erous, philanthropic, and benevolent man that ever lived here. The citizens erected a monument over his grave, from which we copy this sentence from a lengthy inscription : " In the dungeon of the forsaken prisoner, at the bedside of the wretched and friend- less, and in the abode of poverty and distress, was be almost con- stantly found. In imitation of his Divine Master, he literally ' went about doing good.'" The Robertson Association, which has done so much for the relief of the poor and afflicted, was so named in honor of this good man.


The old Lunatic Asylum was built in 1833-4 on the Granny White turnpike, South of Vauxhall Garden. those days Vauxhall Garden was a place of fashionable resort, wherein were held political meetings, social gatherings, public . dinners, etc.


The people of Tennessee having, by vote, decided to call a con- vention to revise the constitution of the State, the delegates elected to that body met in this city May 19, 1834-Francis B. Fogg and Robert Weakley being the delegates from Davidson county. While the convention was in session, Gen. Jackson visited the city, and accepted a public dinner which was tendered him. A good deal of partisan feeling was exhibited at this meeting, the exciting question being " Bank or no Bank."


Our townsman, William B. Cooper, the artist, painted the portrait of Hon. John McLean, one of the Judges of the Su- preme Court of the United States, who was holding court here at the time.


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The steamer " John Randolph " was burnt at our wharf on the 16th of March, 1836. by which three lives were lost, all slaves, one of whom was a pilot, and he remained at his post until the rope was burut and the boat became unmanageable. The " Ran- dolph" took fire before landing, the flames spread rapidly, but the boat touched the wharf, and afterwards swung out into the stream, and burnt to the water's edge, in sight of nearly the entire population of the city. The amount of freight lost was valued at over $200,000.


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Gen. Armstrong's brigade of Tennessee volunteers met an en- thusiastie welcome on its return from the Florida campaign, Feb- ruary 4, 1837.


The House of Industry, for girls and women, was established in 1837. About this time (date unknown), the Sisters of Charity founded their hospital.


The financial revulsion of 1837, caused a suspension of specie payments by our banks, and a considerable depreciation in the prices of real estate. A number of citizens left the city and State, a few for the Northwestern States, but the larger number for Texas, which was then the " grand attraction " for everybody in the country who was dissatisfied with his home. Nashville suf- fered considerably this year in wealth and population. A ma- jority of those who moved were in debt, some of them hopelessly insolvent, while a few desired to better their condition.


Hon. John Catron received his appointment from President Jackson as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States in 1837.


The Hon. Hugh Lawson White died at Knoxville, April 10, 1840, and a public meeting was held here on the 15th of that month-to testify the respect of the people of Nashville for his memory. He had been Judge of the Supreme Court of the State, Senator in Congress, and had received the electoral vote of the State for President in 1836.


Soon after the terribly destructive tornado at Natchez in May 1840, the citizens made contributions to the sufferers to the amount of $1,500.


The Independent Order of Odd Fellows made their first public parade in Nashville, June 1, 1840.


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The great Whig Convention was held here on the 17th of Au- gust, 1840. Henry Clay, John J. Crittenden, and other distin- guished gentlemen were present. During the summer and fall the " Harrison Guards," the "Nashville Blues," and the "Straight- outs," politico-military companies, took an active part in the campaign of that year.


Hon. Felix Grundy died at his residence in this city, December 19, 1840. He had occupied various positions of honor and trust -was United States Senator from this State, and Attorney Gen- eral of the United States during Mr. Van Buren's administration. He was noted as the best criminal lawyer in the South. Out of one hundred and sixty-five persons whom he defended, charged with capital offenses, only one was finally condemned and exe- cuted. His practice extended to several States. He was buried with Masonic honors, and an immense concourse of citizens fol- lowed his remains to the tomb.


In 1840 the Mayor's Court, which had been established in 1836, was abolished by act of the Legislature.


A series of popular lectures was delivered in Masonic Hall in the winter of 1840-41, under the auspices of a library society then in existence. The Rev. Dr. Philip Lindsley, Rev. Dr. R. B. C. Howell, Prof. Gerard Troost, Dr. Thomas R. Jennings, Prof. Nathaniel Cross, Prof. J. Hamilton, Rev. Dr. John T. Ed- gar, Hon. Abram P. Maury, and others, were the lecturers, and the course was remarkably successful.


A large public meeting was held in April, 1841, in relation to the death of President Harrison. C. C. Trabues was chairman and Andrew Ewing was secretary. Thomas Washington reported the resolutions. Funeral honors were performed by the "Harrison Guards," Capt. R. C. McNairy, and the citizens generally.


Ex-Gov. Newton Cannon died in 1841, and his death was an- nounced in appropriate terms in the United States Court by R. J. Meigs, Esq., and in the Circuit Court for Davidson county by Thomas Washington, E-q., and a meeting of citizens was held and appropriate resolutions adopted. The Legislature adjourned to attend the funeral, which was conducted with Masonic honors at the McKendree Church. The remains were taken to Wil- liamson county for interment.


A public dinner was given to James K. Polk, then Governor


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of the State, at the Nashville Inn, in 1841, at which a number of speeches were made. The Mechanics' Library Association was organized this year. Mr. Clayton made a successful balloon as- cension, Nov. 13, 1841.


The first daguerreotype likenesses taken in this city were by an artist named Moore, who stopped at the Union Hall, on Mar- ket street, nearly opposite Union, in 1841, and he had quite a run of custom for a short time.


The Morus Multicaulis excitement raged in this section in 1840, '41, and '42 ; and a silk manufacturing company was organ- ized here, but subsequently failed.


The bankrupt law went into operation in the spring of 1842, and the first day of the spring term of the United States District Court thirty cases were disposed of, and as many persons adjudged bankrupts.


The Criminal Court of Davidson county went into operation in 1842, with Wm. K. Turner as Judge, who had been elected in February of that year.


Ex-President Van Buren arrived here April 25, 1842, on the steamer " Nashville," and the next day, in company with his traveling companion, James K. Paulding, went out to the Her- mitage to visit Gen. Jackson. They all came into the city two days afterward-, and were escorted to the Nashville Inn by the Nashville Blues and a procession of citizens. A public dinner was tendered to the ex-President, which he declined. Mr. Van Buren went from here to Columbia to visit Gov. Polk, after which he returned and set out for Lexington, Ky., to pay a visit to Henry Clay.


The banks, which had suspended specie payments in 1837, re- sumed in August, 1843.


A shock of an earthquake was felt here Wednesday night, Jan- nary 4, 1843, and another on the night of the 16th.


Three men, Payne, Carroll, and Kirby, were hanged on the commons South of the city (now in the eighth ward), February 10, 1843, for the crime of murder. Payne was convicted in Franklin county, Carroll in Sumner, and Kirby in White.


Several gentlemen of distinction were here in the spring of 1843; among them Maj. Gen. Edmund P. Gaines, who stopped at the City Hotel; Gen. Robert Patterson, of Philadelphia, who


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accepted the hospitalities of his old friend, Col. R. H. McEwen ; Hon. Alex. Porter, United States Senator from Louisiana, who stopped with his friend, Maj. Alex. Allison. F. P. Blair was on a visit to Gen. Jackson at the Hermitage at the same time. Gen- erals Gaines and Patterson reviewed the military (the "Guards" and "Blues"), and then went out to Belle Meade as the guest of Gen. W. G. Harding.


The steamer " Nashville " made the trip from New Orleans to Nashville in May, 1843, in six days and thirteen hours. The " Talleyrand " made the trip a short time afterwards in five days and twenty-three hours. Then in June the "Nashville " put forth all her energies and made the upward trip in five days and nineteen hours. In 1820, thirty days was considered quick time for a steamboat from New Orleans to Nashville.


The fourth of July of this year (1843), was celebrated with unusual animation ; and among other modes, the military had an encampment from the first to the fifth, and invited the military of neighboring towns to participate. The Clarksville and Frank- lin companies accepted the invitation. The encampment, which was at Walnut Grove, Northwest of the city, was named Camp Gaines.


Marshal Bertrand, of France, arrived here September 29, 1843. He was accompanied by his son, Napoleon Bertrand, and his aid, M. Mansoe. After visiting the Hermitage, the party partook of the hospitalities of Judge Catron. They returned the visits of Gov. Jones, Gen. Carroll, Gen. Armstrong, and C. C. Norvell, editor of the Nashville Whig.


The constitution of 1834 provided that the seat of government should be permanently fixed during the first week of the session of the Legislature of 1843. That body convened Monday, Oct. 1, and on Thursday following the Senate voted to locate the seat of government at Kingston, Roane county, and the House of Representatives voted to fix it at Murfreesboro. But finally, on Saturday, Oct. 7, the city of Nashville was agreed upon by both houses, and became the seat of government. The corporation of Nashville bought Campbell's Hill, at a cost of $30,000, which was donated to the State upon which to erect a capitol building, and constitutes the present magnificent capitol grounds. An in- teresting anecdote is told in connection with this property. Many


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years previous Judge Campbell had sold a cow and calf to a neighbor, who subsequently, determining to remove from the country, notified his creditor that a rifle gun and that cedar hill was all he had to give for the debt he owed. The Judge accepted the property, thinking that the sum he might be able to sell the gun for would be all he would realize for his cow and calf. Be- sides the $30,000 received from the city, he sold portions of the hill and retained the lot upon which his residence was built, op- posite the South front of the capitol.


Maj. Henry M. Rutledge, only son of Hon. Edward Rutledge, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, died at the residence of his son-in-law, Hon. Francis B. Fogg, January 20, 1844. The Legislature, and all the courts of law then in session, adjourned and participated in the funeral obsequies. Thomas Crutcher, who had been a citizen here for half a cen- tury, died on the 8th of March, 1844, and had the largest funeral procession that had ever been seen in Nashville. He was a benevolent, good man, the best friend the Nashville Female Academy ever had, and in life had occupied several positions of trust and honor. Wm. McNeill, who had been a resident here for more than half a century, died on the 21st of the same month ; and on the next day Gen. Wm. Carroll expired. He had lived here thirty-four years, twelve of which he was Gov- ernor of the State. His military services are well known to the country. The death of these old and esteemed citizens, follow- ing so closely one upon another, caused a profound sensation among our people, and the writer well remembers that the morn- ing after the death of Gov. Carroll, he went to Capital Hill at daylight, for purposes of meditation, where he was soon joined by the venerable Robert Farquharson (himself an old resident), who spoke feelingly of the rapidity of death's doings, and la- mented the departure of friends who had been so long familiar to himself and the people of the city. He mentioned many, many changes on these streets since he first came here, and re- marked that " you young men will see greater changes than these in half the time, but whether for the better or not is doubtful." The conversation, though brief, made a strong impression. On the 6th of April, the mortal remains of Senator Porter, of Lou- isiana, arrived here for interment among his relatives.


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The Institution for the Instruction of the Blind went into operation early in 1844, the Rev. Dr. Edgar, the Rev. Dr. How- ell, and the Rev. John T. Wheat acting as trustees under an ap- pointment from the Governor.


The corner-stone of the Second Presbyterian Church was laid April 25, 1844.


The Presidential campaign of 1844 was characterized by an excitement little less than that prevailing in 1840. Large meet- ings, by both political parties, were held, and most of the dis- tinguished political speakers in the United States were here at one time or another during the campaign.


The steamer "Belle of Clarksville," a Nashville boat, was · sunk in December, 1844, by which thirty-three lives were lost, principally deck hands. The accident occurred near Old Town landing, on the Mississippi river. For several years the mer- chants and business men of Nashville owned the largest and finest boats that floated on the bosom of the Mississippi.


Hon. Thomas H. Fletcher, who had lived here from 1809, died of appoplexy, alone in his office, on Sunday, January 12, 1845. He was a successful lawyer and an able writer.


Col. Robert Weakley, who had occupied many posts of favor in military and civil life, and who had arrived here before a single house had been built, died at his residence in this county February 3, 1845.


In April, 1845, our citizens contributed nearly $1,200 for the relief of the sufferers by the great fire at Pittsburgh.


Louis Philippe, King of France, sent the artist Healy to paint the portrait of Gen. Andrew Jackson. The portrait was com- pleted in May, 1845.


Gen. Andrew Jackson died on Sunday evening, the 8th of June, 1845, and various meetings were held on the subject. Gen. Sam. Houston, of Texas, arrived here the same day, but reached the Hermitage after the death of his distinguished and life-long friend. His funeral was attended by an immense num- ber of people.


The corner-stone of the capitol was laid. with imposing Ma- sonic ceremonies, on the 4th of July, 1845. Hon. Edwin H. Ewing was the orator on the interesting occasion. Wm. Strick- land was the architect. The Board of Commissioners, of which


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our fellow-citizen, Samuel D. Morgan, was chairman, and who devoted a great deal of time personally to the work and the pur- chase of material for its execution, received the appropriations made by the State, from time to time, and faithfully accounted for every cent expended. The State required no security or bond from her commissioners, and no thought of dishonesty, mismanagement, or negligent waste was entertained on either side. Col. Morgan yet has possession of the books containing an account of the expenditures. for the entire work. The build- ing is a parallelogram, 138 by 238 feet, with an elevation of 74 feet 8 inches above the ground. It has four fronts, each side graced with noble porticoes, supported by twenty-eight Ionic columns in all, four feet in diameter, thirty-three feet high. The house contains a large chamber for the use of the House of Rep- resentatives, another chamber for the Senate, rooms for the val- uable State library (iu one of which are the curiosities, relics, and papers of the Historical Society of Tennessee), rooms for all the State officials, committee rooms, and in the basement the State arsenal. The entire height of the building, from the ground to the top of the tower, is two hundred and six feet five inches. Cost, something over one million of dollars. The ar- chitect, Mr. Strickland, died on the 7th of April, 1854, and his funeral services were held in the hall of the House of Represent- atives. He was entombed in a recess in the north- east corner of the building, left by himself for that purpose. He lived to see his work nearly completed. The last stone of the tower was laid on the 21st of July, 1855, and the last stone of the lower terrace on March 19, 1859. The Legislature met in the capitol the first Monday in October, 1855. Previous to that time the sessions of that body had been held in the court-house. Work has been going on either on the building or the grounds, to a greater or less extent, nearly ever since. The entire work, with the adornment and arrangement of grounds, fencing, walls, gate- ways, etc., is now about completed, and presents a beautiful and tasteful appearance, with one of the most commanding views, from the tower as well as the rooms, that can be found in the United States. Want of space prevents a more detailed notice of this great work of art-the pride of every Tennesseean.




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