Back when Tennessee history was taught in school: excerpts from an early text book

Clarendon Grant 1663

Period I extends from 1663 the date of Charles II s grant of Carolina to the Earl of Clarendon and his associates to 1769 the date of the first known settlement of English speaking people in Tennessee. The subjects treated in this period are Indians Explorers and Adventurers. This period should be thoroughly mastered in its facts and geographical details and its references clearly explained before the succeeding period is taken up.

 

Period II extends from 1769 the date of the first settlement to 1796 the date of Tennessee's admission into the American Union. The subjects treated under several minor headings are the Settlement and Organization of the State. These twenty seven years embrace the Heroic Age of Tennessee. The period is the most eventful romantic and glorious in the annals of the state with the possible exception of the era of civil war. Judiciously handled it will be of absorbing interest and incalculable benefit to those who study it.

 

 

Period III extends from 1796 the date of Tennessee's admission into the Union to 1861 the beginning of the Civil War. The subject treated is The State before the Civil War It is the period of development its constitutional legislative and judicial affairs and of growth from pioneer communities into a great and powerful commonwealth. It is notable for the number of distinguished men it produced and the prominent parts they took in the arena of both state and national politics. 

 

Period IV extends from 1861 to 1865 and embraces the blood stained years of The War between the States. It should be closely studied in order that our young people who are now so far from the din of that strife may clearly understand the motives of the men of Tennessee who took part in that memorable struggle on either the Confederate or the Federal side. This is due the memory of the heroic dead and to the spirit of true patriotism which has ever characterized Tennesseeans .

 

 

Period V extends from 1865 the close of the Civil War to the present. The subject is The State since the Civil War. The whole period is within the memory of all persons over fifty years of age. It is marked by great political turmoil the adjustment of a whole people to a new order of living and remarkable educational commercial and industrial development.

 

A History of Tennessee from 1663 to 1914: For Use in Schools

By Gentry Richard McGee, published by American Book Company, 1911. You can read the book here

Mostly White Avenue

Last Fall, I photographed almost every structure on White Avenue, plus a few more.  I am sharing part of this walk with you today.

 

The Flood of 1901

The San Francisco Call May 23, 1901

 

Millions of dollars of damage has been done and at least eight lives lost in Upper Tennessee by floods which began their work of destruction when a dam across the Doe River at elizabethton gave way yeasterday afternoon. Little mountain streams emptying into the Doe and Wautauga rivers swelled those steams beyond all proportions hitherto known, submerging Elizabethton, a town of 2,00 people, located at the junction and drowning Mrs. Gregg. Mrs Filley and a negro named Souchong.

The Wautauga pours its volumes into the Holston, spanned by many bridges which were swept away.

The San Francisco call. (San Francisco [Calif.]), 23 May 1901. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. Link

May 22 1901

The numerous streams of East Tennessee are overflowing and there has been loss of life and property in many places. Hundreds of houses on the banks have been carried away and people have been rendered homeless.

The greatest damage has been done at the headwaters of the Tennessee River where a waterspout burst without a moment's warning. A report from Greeneville says the damage done to the country is greeater than has ever been known. Every bridge in Greene County across the Chuckey River is gone.

Several of the farmers at Buckingham Ford and Allen's Bridge were rescued from second story windows. The entire family of John Hill, coloered, who lives on the Tipley farm, were caught in their home and drowned. Othere deaths were reported, but it is impossible to get full details with the communications cut off. The CHuckey River rose ten feet in thirty minutes.

The times. (Washington [D.C.]), 23 May 1901. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. Link

The Chuckey River in Greene County and the French Broad in Jefferson are also out of bounds and growing crops have been swept away all along their courses. Reports are reaching this point slowly of telegraph wire being down and great damage being down by the most terrible floods ever witnessed in the Upper portions of East Tennesseee. On the Chuckey river, six bridges were swept away doing damage of about $60,000, while along the stream in Greene County alone will amount to half a million dollars. At Leepers Mill on the Chuckey river, two Bolivar brothers fell from a boat into the river and one was drowned. The Holston river is rising rapidly. At Morristown, twelve house floated past today, along with one corpse. One hundred feet of railroad ties, bound together by rails, passed Morristown also. These are supposed to have been sent into the Holston by the Wautauga and to have come from Elizabethton. The French Broad has reached within four feet of its famous flood of 1867 and is rising twelve inches an hour. At Knoxville the Tennessee river is nearing the thirty foot mark with indications it will reach thirty-six feet tomorrow. Houses are being vacated along the river bank.