Sketches of prominent Tennesseans. Containing biographies and records of many of the families who have attained prominence in Tennessee, Part 115

Author: Speer, William S
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Nashville, A. B. Tavel
Number of Pages: 1278

USA > Tennessee > Sketches of prominent Tennesseans. Containing biographies and records of many of the families who have attained prominence in Tennessee > Part 115

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Mr. Christopher L. Hardwick's grandfather, Garland Hardwick, came from England with two brothers, James and William, and settled in Georgia. . Garland Hard- wiek went to Benton county, Arkansas, where he died, in 1817, about seventy five years of age. He left six children, George, Garland, John W. (father of the sub- ject of this sketch), Charles, Thomas and Joseph.

Mr. Hardwick's mother was Jane Montgomery, daughter of Hugh L. Montgomery, Indian agent of the general government for the Ocoee purchase. He was a native of Chattooga county, Georgia, settled in Bradley county, Tennessee, about 1834, but went back to Chat- tooga county, Georgia, in 1840, and there died, about seventy-five years old, a pions Presbyterian, Mrs. Hardwick was educated in Georgia; was a leading Methodist, and never known to be away from the meet- ings of her church. She died at Dalton, Georgia, March 28, 1879, at the age of seventy-eight, having borne

thirteen children, namely : (1). Caroline, born October 16, 1819; died October 5, 1838. (2). Emily, died the wife of Andrew B. Foster, of Decatur, Texas. (3). C'elina, now the wife of William HI. Tibbs, a planter, of Dalton, Georgia. (4). Susan, now wife of Milton Holmes, a stock raiser at Decatur, Texas, (5). Huldah, died the wife of Robert Wallace, also of Decatur, Texas, (6). Christopher L., subject of this sketch. (7). Martha, died the wife of William E. Key, in Benton county, Arkansas. (8). Frank E., married, first, Sallie Barks- dale, and after her death, Minnie Kelley, and is now living in Benton county, Arkansas. (9). Hugh, now a farmer in Decatur, Texas. (10). Charles, now a farmer in Rush county, Texas. (11). William Henry, died in infancy. (12). Cynthia, died the wife of L. R. Chap- man, a farmer in Bradley county, Tennessee. (13). Mary, now the wife of Andrew M. Rogers, at Cleve- land, Tennessee.

Christopher L. Hardwick was raised principally at his father's hotel in Cleveland, and was permitted to do pretty much as he pleased, and he pleased to take work wherever he could get it. He worked up to the age of fifteen at twenty-five cents a day in the first brickyard in that place, and helped to build the first brick house in the town. In 1843, he went with his father to Ben- ton county, Arkansas, and remained there farming three years, when he returned, in 1846, to Cleveland, went into a store clerking for his victuals and clothes. He continued in the store till his wages got to be three hundred dollars a year, when he was offered a salary of one thousand five hundred dollars to go to Charleston, South Carolina, as a salesman, but, rather than give him up, his employer, William H. Tibbs, his brother-in-law, offered him one-third interest in the profits of the store if he would continue with him in the management of the business. This proposition he accepted. In 1851,

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he married, before he had any property. He continued with Mr. Tibbs till 1856, when the firm met with the misfortune of losing fifteen thousand dollars in wheat, which took all the property he had made up to that time, which was some five thousand dollars. He had now left only a wife and three children. From that time, 1857, he commenced merchandising for himself, without any capital except a good credit. He made money fast up to and during the war. From 1862 to 1864, he engaged in farming, in addition to his mer -. chandising. He continued merchandising till 1880, when he quit that business and went into the manufac- ture of woolen goods at Cleveland.

He was elected superintendent of the Cleveland woolen mills when they were first started. In 1883, he purchased a half interest in the mills; was elected president and superintendent, and in these positions he has continued to the present time. The mills are oper- ated on a capital of one hundred thousand dollars, em- ploying sixty-two hands, at an average weekly salary of five dollars, running nine hundred and twelve spindles, and fifty-four looms. It is what is called a " three set mill," making exclusively jeans. Mr. Hardwick is the principal owner of the mills, his four sons, Frank, John, Oscar and George, being the other owners, and also of the banking institution of C. L. Hardwick & Co., at Dalton, Georgia, a discount and deposit bank, with a capital of fifty thousand dollars, handling annu- ally one hundred and ten thousand dollars, the deposits being about sixty thousand dollars. Mr. Hardwick and his two sons, Frank and Oscar, are owners of the bank- ing institution at Cedartown, Georgia, known as Hard- wick & Co., bankers, a new institution, operating on a. capital of twenty thousand dollars. Mr. Hardwick is also interested with his son, George, in a spoke and hub factory at Dalton, Georgia, run on a capital of ten thou- sand dollars, and employing fifteen hands. C. L. Hard- wick & Sons are also running the Cleveland stove works on a capital of ten thousand dollars, turning out about twelve stoves a day, and working about fifteen hands. Mr. Ilardwick owns also several dwellings and business houses in Cleveland, and is reckoned, among the most substantial citizens of East Tennessee.

The secret of his success may be traced back to the fhet that when his father let him do as he pleased, he took to work-to hard work-late and carly, and this he has kept up to this day, taking care of what he has made, being liberal, giving away large sums to charities, church buildings and schools, to preachers and other worthy purposes. His liberality in these directions has become so well known that the editor makes a record of it here, believing that liberality is an element of success. Another fact in this man's history, that throws light on his success, is that he was always moral, never spent money for whisky, nor gambled, nor dissipated in any way. In business he was always attentive, very polite o customers, and a good manager, loyal to the interests

of his employers when he was a clerk. When he left Mr. Tibbs aud put up for himself, in 1856, people flocked to his store and traded with him out of friend- ship. His manners, solid character, generous spirit, and outflow of sympathy, made him popular with the people, and they liked to trade with him. In these re- spects he is presented here as a representative Tennes- see merchant.

Mr. Hardwick is a Royal Arch and Council Mason, and served a number of years as Master of the lodge. and High Priest of the chapter. He is also a Knight of Honor. In politics he is a Democrat, though in Whig days a Whig. He has served as mayor of Cleve- land, and is the oldest citizen of the place. He has frequently been delegate to the State conventions of his party, but was never an office seeker. In religion, he followed his mother, and is a Methodist, and has been steward twenty-five years, and Sunday-school superin- tendent ten years.

Mr. Hardwick married, in Cleveland, March 20, 1850, Miss Isabella M. Tucker, born, February 24, 1835, in Wilkes county, North Carolina, daughter of Joseph Tucker, who moved to Bradley county, Tennessee, in 1838. Iler uncles, John and William, were farmers, and her unele, Joshua, a blacksmith in Bradley county. Her mother was Mary Isbell, of a North Carolina family. Mrs. Hardwick was educated at Cleveland, married at sixteen, and is one of those kind of women who, when their husbands are poor, make money by their needle. A good cook, and skilled in all manner of needle work, she seldom hires help except on extraor- dinary occasions, and has trained her daughters to lay hold with their hands and let their works praise them. Only a few years ago Mr. Hardwick sold a farm she had made with her needle, but the money she made herself she claims as her own, and has it and its use. They have been married thirty-three years, and have never, up to this time, had a cross word or quarrel with each other. When she wants to buy, she buys without con- sulting him, and when Mr. Hardwick enters his yard gate, he considers himself within her domain, over which it is her sole prerogative to preside and manage. She never goes in debt. They are both healthy people, of strong make, and have a lively appreciation of get- ting on in the world by their own energies. Both are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, south.

To his marriage with Miss Tucker were born twelve children : (1). Frank Tucker, born March 23, 1852; educated at Emory and Henry College, Virginia; now a banker at Dalton, Georgia. He married Carrie Belle Mccutchen, daughter of Judge C. D. Mccutchen, of Dalton, Georgia, and has one child, a son, Mccutchen. (2). Joseph Henry, born February 23, 1854; educated at Emory and Henry College, Virginia ; married Miss Cooky Harris, of Augusta, Georgia, and has two chil- dren, Harrie Belle and George Gray. Joseph Henry is a foundryman, connected with the Cleveland stove

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works. (3). John Millard, born August 14, 1856; edu- cated at Emory and Henry College, Virginia; now a partner in the Cleveland stove works. (4). James Oscar, born May 3, 1859; graduated at Vanderbilt University, in the literary and law departments ; is now banking at Cedartown, Georgia. (5). George Lee, born October 13, 1861 ; graduated in the literary department of Van- derbilt University, in 1879; now running a spoke factory at Dalton, Georgia. (6). Nora Isbell, born October 23, 1863; graduated at Martha Washington College, Vir- ginia, in 1881 ; married, March 20, 1883, Mr. John W. Ramsey, a lawyer at Cleveland. (7). Maggie Julia, born May 20, 1866; educated at Martha Washington College, also. (8). French Montgomery, born Septem- ber 26, 1868, and died, seven months and seven days old. (9). Houston Lafayette, born March 29, 1870. (10). Julius Holmes, born December 1, 1872. (11)." Fannie Lucretia, born September 30, 1875, died Janu- ary 23, 1878, three years, three months and twenty- three days old. (12). Anna Belle, born July 16, 1878.

Mr. Hardwick was director in the East Tennessee and

Georgia railroad from 1862 to 1868, and for many years was school director of his town. He appears in these pages as a self-made man, a representative Tennessee business man, and a representative head of a family, his sons being all sober, industrious young men, of good, moral and business habits, and not a stain on the char- acter of any one of the family. They all pay what they promise to pay, all are well educated, and all stout and healthy. Mr. Hardwick has been frequently compli- mented with the remark that he ought to be proud of his sons, as they are all good business men, making a living for themselves, none of them afraid to work, and all respected. There are none of them hanging round waiting for their parents to die, that they may get the property. Frank T. Hardwick, their oldest son, is said to be the best bank officer in the State of Georgia.

Hardwick is a Norman name and runs through Eng- lish history, and has for centuries been worn by a noble family in England, but the editor has no reliable data with which to connect the Cleveland family with that of the mother country.

COL. GEORGE GANTT.

MEMPHIS.

H E is philosopher, poet, orator and lawyer. His power of analysis is good, his fund of humor infinite, and his ability to clinch an argument, point a moral, or veil a sarcasm by an illustration or a jest is not surpassed. Thoroughly esthetic in his nature, he shrinks from all that is gross, His food is simple. He shuns stimulants and narcotics, and keeps his blood pure and his body sound. It is thus that he is enabled to perform his enormous professional labor. He is genial but not social, and prefers the seclusion of home or office to any mingling with men. A keen but quiet observer, he knows well the springs of human action, and his judgment of character is ahnost unerring. No man knows better the current history, and no man has exerted greater influence upon public affairs in his com munity. His hand is seldom seen, however, except in professional engagements, for he seeks neither place nor notice. On the surface he is ever cheerful, smiling and mirth-making, but there is an undercurrent in his nature of meditative thoughtfulness, not free from mel- ancholy. He ponders much the realities of life, recog- nizes its sorrows and sympathizes with its sufferers. Against oppression and injustice he is ever in arms, and his instincts always attract him to " the under dog in the fight."

It is, of course, as a lawyer that he is known best,

and he is about equally retained and equally at home in all branches of the profession. It is as an advocate be- fore juries that he is unrivalled, and has won his popular triumphs, but he has no superior in close, clear legal argument before the chancery and Supreme courts.

The one subject he never discusses, and the one per- son of whom he never speaks, is George Gantt.

His information is large and varied, and he talks well because he thinks much. The 100-3 State debt settle- ment measure was pushed through by Gantt. He wields a larger influence than any man in Memphis, but works through others in public matters,

Col. Gantt's apprehension of facts, things and men, with common sense to see what they are, is his charac- teristic. He can paint a man in a sentence better than any other can. His wit and humor give no offense, yet it always conceals a great deal of truth, and carries a moral. He manufactures tales on men that sound characteristic of them. He has a fine fancy and true poetic feeling : loves nature, but is shy of men, and only mingles with them because he has to make a living. The sterling strength of his character is weakened in the public mind by his jokes and lightness in speeches.

As a lawyer he ranks with the best at Memphis. He is decidedly the best advocate (i. e., before a jury), in that city. He speaks well anwyhere.

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HION. JAMES T. SHIELDS.

BEAN'S STATION.

TUDGE JAMES T. SHIELDS, the eminent East Tennessee lawyer, is a native of Grainger county, Tennessee, was born September 1, 1824, and is of Irish descent. His great-great-grandfather was buried in the Atlantic ocean on his passage from Ireland to America. His great-grandfather, William Shields, was one of the first settlers of the old historie town, Frederick City, Maryland, left a large family and, for that day, a very valuable estate, estimated to have been worth five hun- dred thousand dollars, which, however, went into liti- gation, and the fund was not distributed until his descendants were so numerous the shares had very greatly dwindled. The old family mansion still stands at Frederick City, but has long since passed out of the family's possession, though many of the Shieldses yet remain in that State.

The Judge's grandfather, James Shields, went from Maryland to South Carolina, and from there to Greene county, Tennessee, at a very early date, where he raised a large family of children and died August 23, 1840, at the age of eighty-three years. He had been a captain in the Revolutionary war, but firmly refused to receive a pension, saying, "I fought for my country and not for money." His widow also refused to receive the pension because her husband would not. He was a farmer, and left a good estate.

The Judge's father, John Shields, was a soldier in the war of 1812, moved to Missouri when quite a young man, returned to Greene county, Tennessee, on a visit, and while there was elected to congress from his dis- triet in Missouri, but lost his health, never returned, and never served. He was a merchant, and settled in busi- ness at Bean's Station, Grainger county. He married the daughter of Thomas Gill, a wealthy farmer, residing in that neighborhood, and died October 2, 1829, at the age of thirty-seven, leaving two children, viz. : (1) James T. Shields, subject of this sketch. (2). Eliza- beth Shields, still unmarried ; was educated at the Mo- ravian school at Salem, North Carolina, and is now living with her brother.

Judge Shields' uncles, David, Milton and Samuel Shields, were all successful merchants and manufact- urers in Tennessee. They established at Marshall's ferry, in Grainger county, the first paper manufactory in Tennessee, called the " Holston Paper Mills," sup- plied paper to Cineimati, Knoxville and Nashville, and did an extensive business of that sort in Tennessee, Alabama and other States. Another uncle, William Shields, became a very wealthy farmer at Springfield, Missouri, and one of his sons, James T. Shields, is now a prominent lawyer in that city. Judge Shields' cousin, Hon. Ebenezer J. Shields, was for a number of years a member of congress from Middle Tennessee, The

whole family, indeed, have been, more or less, promi- Dent in business, legal and political circles.

The mother of Judge Shields, nee Mary Gill, was the daughter of Thomas Gill, a native of Yorkshire, Eng- land, whose father was a prominent land owner in Yorkshire. Thomas Gill was a man of considerable wealth for his day. He emigrated to East Tennessee as early as 1809, coming from North Carolina. The land the Judge now lives upon was purchased by his grandfather, together with other lands, and has been in possession of the family ever since. Thomas Gill mar- ried Miss Elizabeth Harrell, daughter of the celebrated Baptist preacher, Harrell, of Bertie county, North Carolina.

After his father's death, Judge Shields' mother went with her two children to her father's, although her husband left a competent fortune. She was a woman" of much culture and education, and sent her son to the best schools the country afforded in those days, From early boyhood, he was a great reader, of a studi- ous mind and fond of every branch of English litera- ture. At twenty-two he commenced studying law under the direction of Judge Robert M. Barton and Hon. William HI. Sneed; was admitted to the bar in 1852, by Judge Robert J. Mckinney, of the Supreme bench, and Judge Robert M. Anderson, and his success at the bar was remarkable from the beginning. Hle estab- lished an office on his farm, near Bean's Station, pro- vided it with a good library, which has been increased from time to time, until now it is the best law library in the State, east of the mountains. From that day to this, here he has lived and practiced; never residing elsewhere, and while engrossed in the cares of a heavy practice, has had the rare felicity of being surrounded by and enjoying with zest the charms of rural delights. He has always commanded a leading practice in East Tennessee from. Knoxville cast ; has always been em- ployed in heavy litigation, many of his fees amounting to thousands of dollars. Among other celebrated cases in which he appeared as counsel may be mentioned the case of C. Amory Stevens and others against the Ten- nessee railroads. It is a most remarkable history, with- out a parallel in Tennessee, so far as the writer knows, that a lawyer of Judge Shields' ability should settle down to practice in the country ; yet there he has ac- quired celebrity and gathered around him a clientage of which any lawyer in the State might be proud.

From 1865 to 1873, he was associated in partnership with Hon. John Netherland, himself one of the most eminent and successful advocates that ever practiced in Tennessee, From 1873 to the present time, Judge Shields has been practicing with his son, John K. Shields.

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In 1861, Judge Shields was elected to the provisional congress of the Confederate States. He was nominated for the regular congress, but declined serving. He was not in the army on either side. The only part he ever took in polities was while canvassing in connection with those offices. He was a Whig before the war, a rebel during the war, and a Democrat ever since. His grand- father Gill (one of the five men in Grainger county who voted for Adams against Jackson) raised him a Fed- eralist.

In 1870, he was appointed special judge of the Su- preme court, by Gov. Senter, and sat through the entire session at Knoxville. For his opinions, see I. Ileiskell. Upon the resignation of Hon. T. A. R. Nelson, as one of the Supreme court judges, he was appointed by Gov. John C. Brown to fill the vacancy, accepted, but upon further consideration, declined, and recommended Hon. Robert MeFarland, who was appointed. In 1879, when the arbitration court was organized, he was appointed by Gov. A. S. Marks one of the judges of that court, but declined to accept. He was, in 18 -- , a director in the Cincinnati. Cumberland Gap and Charleston rail- road company, and he and his son are now attorneys for the East Tennessee, Virginia aud Georgia railroad com- pany.

Since 1869, in connection with his oldest son, William S. Shields, he has been largely engaged in farming, giv- ing that pursuit, however, but little personal attention now, the farm being almost exclusively under the man- agement of the son. The main business on the farm is the growing of grasses, and breeding and selling thor- oughbred stock, chiefly short-horn and Jersey cattle and Southdown sheep. The herd of Jerseys on this farm is one of the finest and largest in the South, and from it have been sold stock from Pennsylvania all round the belt of southern States to Texas. In the herd are Jersey cows that have national reputations for their great butter records and individual merits. The name of the farm is Clinchdale. It is a magnificent estate, containing four thousand acres, and is almost as celebrated as Belle Meade, which it much resembles. Although JJudge Shields gives but little personal atten- tion to the farm, he takes more pleasure and interest in it than in his law practice, the burden of which now falls upon his son, John K. Shields, who has already won a fine reputation as a chancery and Supreme court lawyer.

Judge Shields married, first, in Tazewell, Tennessee, May 11, 1818, Miss Aurelia Glenn, daughter of Rev. Robert Glenn, pastor of the Presbyterian church at that place at that time. She died in 1819, having borne him one child, a daughter, Mary Aurelia Shields, born April 23, 1849; died March 29, 1876, wife of William D. Gammon, a prominent lawyer at Morristown, leaving three children, Elizabeth, Mary and James Shields.

Judge Shields' next marriage, which transpired De- cember 8, 1852, at Rogersville, Tennessee, was with Miss

Elizabeth Simpson, daughter of William Simpson, a native of county Antrim, Ireland, and a prosperous merchant at Rogersville. Her mother, ace Elizabeth Kane, was also of Irish blood. Mrs. Shields was edu- cated at Salem, North Carolina, is a Presbyterian, and a woman of extraordinary good common sense, excel- lent disposition, fine executive ability, a good and affec- tionate wife and mother. Her husband, who has always been of feeble health and afflicted with nervous excita- bility, attributes such success in life as he has attained, in a large degree, to her considerate and affectionate care and support.

By his marriage with Miss Simpson, Judge Shields has been the father of ten children, all sons, three of `whom died in infancy, unnamed; one, Robert Gill Shields, died in 1877, at the age of twenty years. The surviving sons are : (1). William S. Shields, born Oc- tober 13, 1853; educated in Grainger county; now in charge of the Clinchdale home farm, which he has managed with signal ability and pronounced success, and has added much to the reputation of Tennessee as a thoroughbred cattle raising State. In 1879, he was president of the Tennessee Stock Breeders' Associa- tion. In 1884, he was elected president of the East Tennessee Jersey Breeders' Association. (2). John K. Shields, born August 13, 1855; educated at home, un - der private tutors; has been the law partner of his father since the age of twenty-one, and is now doing the larger part of the practice of the firm. Ile married, in 1881, Miss Mary Fulkerson, daughter of F. M. Fulker- son, of Rogersville. She died in a few months after the marriage. (3). James T. Shields, jr., born May 6, 1852; educated at the University of Tennessee, Knox- ville; now a member of the wholesale grocery firm of Coffin, Shields & Co., Knoxville. (1). Samuel G. Shields, born June 19, 1861 ; educated at the University of Ten- nessee, Knoxville; now a lawyer at Greeneville, Ten- nessce. (5). Joseph S. Shields, born May 24, 1863; educated at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville ; now engaged in business with Coffin, Shields & Co., Knoxville. (6). Milton L. Shields, born May 10, 1866; now a student in the university at Knoxville.

Judge Shields has many reasons to be proud-of his reputation, rank and success as a lawyer, of his here- ditary estate and name, and of his success as a lawyer and stock raiser, but most of all, of his sons, who are all duly impressed with a lively sense of getting along in the world, keeping up the prestige of the family name and adding to its dignity. The family is a remarkable example of "sticking quality," both father and sons remaining, like Macgregor, on their native heath, It is a favorite theory, perhaps a hobby, of the editor, that morality, virtue, intellectual greatness and material prosperity are best fostered in settled families, who thus cultivate a family pride which makes them above doing mean or small things for temporary advantage. This may also be applied to Judge Shields' personal life. He

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Sketches of prominent Tennesseans. Containing biographies and records of many of the families who have attained prominence in Tennessee, Part 115

Author: Speer, William S Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Nashville, A. B. Tavel Number of Pages: 1278

Author: Speer, William S
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Nashville, A. B. Tavel
Number of Pages: 1278