Johnson's Mill, New Tazewell, Tennessee

Johnson's Mill

 This mill is located on Tennessee Highway 33, just South of New Tazewell.  I love a mill and when I saw this, we had to go back for a closer look.  If you know when it is open, let me know because I would love to see the inside!

Big Barren Creek behind the mill

The man that I met at the mill said that the old mill was still operational and that it was open occasionally

.

This is the new facility next door to the old mill.  It is owned by the man who owns Johnson Mill and was open the day we were there.

Memorial Day Tribute to James R Bailes's parents and their families

This Memorial Day, I want to share a little about some of my family members. First is the story about Thomas Beals and Martha Emeline White (Greene and Hawkins Counties) who had three sons who served in the Civil War. Allison Woodville Bailes (1841-1911) served in the Confederate Army Co K 59th TN Mtd Infantry, Carter Milburn Bailes (1845-1903) served in the Union Army,1st Tenn Cav. Co. K and John Francis M Bails (1846-1914) served in the Union Army John Francis M Bails served in the Union Army 8th Cavalry Regiment Company I. I can only imagine that having three sons fighting in a war and knowing that they are fighting against each other is a parent's worst nightmare. All three sons survived the war and came back home to Hawkins County. Allison Woodville was paroled at Vicksburg and married Dolly Stacy in 1867. They remained in Hawkins County and he is buried in her family's cemetery. Carter Milburn saw a lot of action with the 1^st Tennessee Cavalry, was mustered out in Nashville on 14 June 1865. A year later he married married Sarah M Myers. The lived in Missouri and Alabama before settling in Memphis. Cater died on 13 November 1903 and is buried in the National Cemetery in Memphis. John Bails suffered from permanent kidney damage after being improperly treated for an illness. He mustered out in Knoxville on 11 September 1865. In 1866, he married Delphia Coldwell. John and Delphia lived in Green and Hawkins County. John Bails died at Mountain Home Veterans Hospital and is buried in their cemetery. They are the parents of James R Bailes who married Martha Elizabeth White.

Thomas K Coldwell and Mariah Bussell (Hawkins County)

Thomas K Coldwell was murdered near his home in November of 1861. Family stories say that he was murdered by Confederate sympathizers, and although there is no documentation for this his sons James and Benoni joined the Union Army in March of the next year. In the same month, James L Coldwell (nephew) appointed administrator of Thomas K Coldwell's estate. The Civil War forced many many court case to be put on hold until it was safe to hear pending cases again. Also, the fate of James and Benoni was not known. This left his wife at home with the younger daughters and no means of support. It must have been a struggle, but Mariah and her daughters all survived the war. In 1869, Mariah files a lawsuit to request a court ordered division of land. The estate was not settled until 1877.

Benoni and James made a journey to Boston, Kentucky to join the Union Army.

Benoni served in PVT 1ST Cavalry Regiment CO F. He died on 22 February 186 3 and is buried in the National Cemetery in Nashville, Tennessee.

James died a few months later, near Triune, Tennessee. His burial place is unknown.

Greeneville Post Offices 1876

Agriculture in the surrounding county is of late receiving the attention its importance merits and the farmers are being rewarded in better crops and improved grades of stock. The principal products and exports are pig iron, wheat, corn, hay, flax, wool, maple sugar, bacon, eggs and poultry.

Greeneville Intelligeneer _ Weekly: Andrew Johnson Editor and Propr Main See adv

Godfrey W A: propr Godfrey house

Greeneville Union and American Weekly: Sevier & Baker Proprs Main See adv

Harmon VA: lawyer

Harrell Isaac O jeweler

Hughes John V ump mnfr 

Main Jones & Marsh general store

Kidwell & Sons: tanners near by

Lane, JC: harnessmaker

Lane, Thos J & Sons: general store

McCoy, Samuel: blacksmith

McKee, Robert: lawyer

Maloney, RM: physician

Maloney, Thomas: lawyer

Maloney & Self druggists

Ditlsoll,  A : Propr Mason's Hotel

Mitchell, JJ & Son: furniture

Murphy Bros: general store

Noland, NW: grocer

O Brien, James grocer

Park, GB & Co: general store

Pettibone, AH :lawyer

Reeve, MP: Propr Reeve House

Reeve & Williams: general store ES stoves and tinware

Robinson, J H lawyer 

 Smith, EB: physician 

Snapp, SE Co: agricultural implements 

Spencer, JB: Druggist Main 

 Vilhoit, E: general store 

Wilson, AB: lawyer

Greene County Post Offices 1876

Beulah (1876 Post Office)

 
Western part of Greene County. Russelville is the nearest shipping station. There is a Baptist Church and a country store, Hale & Huggins. Corn, butter & eggs are exported. Weekly mail, RA Lyle, postmaster

CAMP CREEK (1876 Post Office)

A country post office in Greene county, 7 miles south of Greeneville, the county seat and shipping point, and about 340 from Nashville. Wheat is the chief agricultural product and export. Mail once a week. S. S. M. Doak, postmaster. Business Directory. Doak. S. S- M., Physician. Seaton, Rev. M., (Methodist). Warsham & Rollins, iron manufacturers. Willis & Lyon, general store.

Caney Branch (1876 Post Office)

 
A small village and post office in the southwestern part of Greene county 13 from Greenoville the county seat and shipping point A steam mill tannery distillery and a few mechanics shops the industries of the place It has a Lutheran church and graded school. Wheat, corn, feathers, butter and eggs are marketed. First settled about 40 years ago. Population 100. Mail daily. WJ Liniz, postmaster



Carter's Station (1876 Post Office) Eight miles from Greeneville, 7 miles from Midway, the closest station on the ET, VA and GA RR, weekly mail, JH Maloney, postmaster

Cedar Creek (1876 Post Office)

 
Located in the SW corner of Greene County, 12 miles from Greeneville. A small hamlet of 65 people, settled in 1810. It has 2 stores, 2 hotels, Baptist and Lutheran churches and two common schools, with three grist mills and a tannery near by. Wheat, corn, feathers and fruits are marketed. Greeneville being the shipping station. Mail daily, Robert Allen, postmaster

Cedar Lane (1876 Post Office) (36.35694,-82.66222) no additional information

Clear Creek (1876 Post Office)

 

 

The post office is located at Jerd's Town, a village of 100, in the NE corner of Greene County, 18 miles from Greeneville. Fullen's Station is closest shipping point (13 miles) on the ET, VA & GA RR. Clear Creek furnishes excellent water power to a number of grist and saw mills in the neighborhood and there are Baptist, Presbyterian and Methodist churches and a public school in the place. Grain, butter, eggs and bacon are exported. Mail semi-weekly, Jacob Hawkins, postmaster.

Bailey, Rev N (Baptist)

Beals, Ellis, carpenter's

Bishop, Noah, blacksmith

Hawkins, Jacob, saw mill

Jerd, MF, physician

Jerd & Allen, tanners

Jerd & Bowman, millers

Jones, E general store and physician

Miller, JA, miller

Rhea, Eh, carpenter

Russell, Lewis, Boot and shoemaker

Scott, LD, blacksmith

Swaney Brothers, millers

Tally, JA, cabinetmaker

Taylor, Alfred, wagonmaker

Taylor, blacksmith

Cross Anchor (1876 Post Office)

A post station in Greene county, 8 miles from Greeneville. Exports grain, eggs, butter, feathers, etc. Mail once a week. E Kidwell, postmaster

Fullens (1876 Post Office) no additional information


Graysburgh (1876 Post Office)

Located in the NE part of Greene County, 14 miles from Greeneville and 9 miles from Fullen's Depot, its shipping point. It has several business stands and a brisk trade in country produce. Grain, live stock, chicken, eggs and fruit are exported. Mail weekly, RCG Fry, postmaster.

Bailey, Rev. N (Freewill Baptist)

Ball, Rev. L (Baptist)

Fraker, Rev. George W (Methodist)

Fraker, Rev. JT (Methodist South)

Hawkins, Jacob (General store

Henson, Wm (physician)

Horner, Rev. Wm (United Brethern)

Jeralds, MF physician

Milburn, Rev. JP (methodist)

Milburnm Rev. Wm (Methodist)

Rogers, Samuel Physican

Greeneville (1876 Post Office)
see Greeneville post



Home (1876 Post Office)

The post office at Henderson is an incorporated village of 500 inhabitants and station on the ET Va & Ga RR in Greene county 5 miles from Greeneville. Sinking Creek supplies ample water power utilized by a grist and saw mill and a woolen factory. It has 2 churches a college 5 stores and a number of artisans and professional men and is a lively progressive place. Wheat, corn, flour, bacon and lumber are exported. The WU Telegraph and Southern Express Co's have offices. Mail daily, Eli Marsh postmaster
Business Directory

Broyles, J F physician

Busher, Joseph Miller

Doak, MS physician

Doak, Rev S pres't G & T college

Duncan, Joseph blacksmith

Ellis, John physician

Flamster, Rev PS

French, Rev JLM

Galbraith, MA carding and saw mills

Hayworth, HR Saw Mills

Home Woolen Co

Jefferies, Wm & Co General Store

Jones, GA general store

McAmis, SL lawyer

McCollum S & Co general store

Marsh, Eli Station and Express Ag t

Marsh, Geo B shoe mnfr

Marsh, EJ Sons Commission

Marsh, GB & JL tannery and shoe factory

Patterson, A J lawyer

Patterson, Hon DT propr Home flouring and saw mills

Rader, Granville

Rankin, CG lawyer

Rankin, John G carpenter

Rankin, CG & Co general store General Store

Horse Creek (1876 Post Office) no additional information



Laurel Gap (1876 Post Office)
Northern part of Greeneville
Business Directory
Bailey, GN physician
Bailey & Bro general store
Cardwell, AA general store
Jeffers Wm postmaster
McCurry, WM school teacher
Richardson, MC school teacher
Tucker, ED physician
White, JB physician

Limestone Springs (1876 Post Office) (36.02, -82.85694) no additional information



Little Chuckey (1876 Post Office) (36.11167 -82.99139)
A beautiful rustic location and post office in the central part of Greene county 10 miles from Greeneville 5 from Midway on the ET Va & Ga RR the nearest railroad point and 65 from Knoxville Mail is received here once a week Wm VV Easterly postmaster
Locust Spring (1876 Post Office) no additional information (36.30528,-82.79833)



Midway (1876 Post Office)

A post village and station on the ET Va & Ga RR in the western part of Greene county 11 miles from Greeneville 65 iron Knoxville and 328 by rail from Nashville. Hay, corn, cattle, butter, eggs, bacon, tobacco etc are exported from here. Population 200 here is an office of the Southern Express Company and a daily mail Joseph Lane postmaster.

Business Directory

Davis, J S general store

Fry, Thomas General Store

Haws, WW physician

Keebler, John hotel

Lane, Joseph Harnessmaker

Maloney, JS general store

Self, DK express and station agent

Felt & Rust general store

Travis, S boots and shoes

Milburnton (1876 Post Office)

 
A village of about 300 souls in the western part of Greene county 9 miles from Greeneville 65 east of Knoxville and 328 by rail from Nashville Ship to Midway on the ET Va &Ga RR It contains a flouring mill Presbyterian Methodist and Lutheran churches and a male and female institute. Exports wheat flour, pork and beef. Express Southern Mail daily DR Gass postmaster
Business Directory

Bart, J C teacher

Cloyd, J W physician

Girstle, A general store

Kidwell, WA General Store

Lane, J harnessmaker

Rader, John Flouring Mill

Russell & Gass general store

Self, DK express and station agent

Travis, Sylvanus shoemaker

Wagner Rev JM principal college

Moshiem



Peach Grove (1876 Post Office)

 

 

Is a small village located in the eastern part of Greene county 8 miles from Greeneville 80 from Knoxville and 345 by rail from Nashville Ship to Greeneville by the ET Va & Ga RR There are 3 saw and 2 gristmills along the course of Little Lick creek in the vicinity and churches of various denominations and a public school in the place. Wheat, corn, bacon and lumber are shipped away. Population 100. Mail daily, AJ Harman postmaster.

Business Directory

Blaze, Rev Wm Free Will Baptist

Chapman H L general store

DeWitt, JF physician

Harmon, AJ physician

Harrison, Prof AN teacher

Price, Rev SH Miss Baptist

Ruble, Prof HH teacher

Ruble, Prof J W teacher

Stephens miller and wool carder

Taylor MD physician

Wagner grist and saw mill

Wright, EM teacher

Woolsey, Rev VB Free Will Baptist

Pilot Knob

 
Also known as Gap Creek is a post station in Greene county 15 miles northwest of Greeneville 65 from Knoxville and 6 from Bull's Gap station on the ET Va &Ga RR. It has a semi-weekly mail, John Ingle postmaster.
Rheatown

 

A village of 300 inhabitants settled in 1825 incorporated in 1856 and located in the southeastern part of Greene county, 10 miles from Greeneville and 84 east of Knoxville. Fullen's on the ET Va & Ga RR , 3 miles distant is its shipping point. It contains 1 Presbyterian and 2 Methodist churches and an Academy. Bacon, butter, flour and eggs are exported Mail daily. RHM Donnelly, postmaster.

Business Directory

Bird, Dr SW druggist

Byers, Rev DO

Conn, JKP boot and shoemaker

Crawford, John General Store

Donnelly, RHM general store

Earnest & Burkhart general store

McKeehan, WA wagonmaker

Moseley (Moreley), JR physician

Scott, John Furniture

Shoun, GH tanner

Squibb, JM tanner and boots and shoes

 
Romeo

 
A small village in the northwestern part of Greene county 12 miles from Greeneville 11 from Rogersville junction its nearest railroad point and 65 from Knoxville. Corn, wheat and bacon with poultry, eggs and dairy products are marketed Population 50 Mail once a week J M Wilson postmaster Directory

Britton, Wm wagonmaker

Brubaker, Rev John

Brubaker, Rev Jonathan

Campbell & Pate general store

Gurber, Rev A

Hedges, TC physician

Seay, DV druggist

Small, Wm blacksmith

Wilson, J general store

Timber Ridge (1876 Post Office)

 
A village of 300 inhabitants in Greene county 7 miles south of Greeneville 40 east of Morristown and 350 by rail east of Nashville Three stores and a hotel comprise the business interests of the village farming lands in the vicinity naturally of good quality are being improved by a more judicious system of cultivation and of excellent quality hay, flax, wool, and maple sugar form some of the more important exports The place has a Presbyterian church and an academy. Mail tri-weekly, AD Susong postmaster.

Business Directory

Bowers,R & Co General Store

Easterly, JP physician

Evans, James general store and hotel

Feemster, Rev PS Presbyterian

Gosnell, J E physician

Stockbridge, E school teacher

Susong, AD 65 SL General Store

Unaka (1876 Post Office) no additional information (Unaka School: 36.04139, -82.79833)

 
Warrensburg (1876 Post Office)

 
A village of 75 inhabitants on the Nolichucky river in the western part of Greene county 17 miles from Greeneville and 73 east of Knoxville Midway on the ET Va & Ga RB is its railroad point distant 8 miles It has 2 grist mills a Baptist church and common school. Corn, wheat, bacon, butter and eggs are exported Mail once a week William Fulton postmaster.
Business Directory
Adams, Ezekiel blacksmith
Bacon, GJ flooring mill
Coulter, JH physician
Kidwell, Fulton General Store

Brakebill Indian Mound

Brakebill Indian Mound at Forks of the River

View Larger Map

Some of the stone implements and shell gorgets in the collection at Harvard were taken out of the mound in September 1869 The following December the mound was opened by its owner Adam Brakebill. At about this time and subsequently Dunning conducted his excavations at the mound the dimensions of which he gave as 20 feet high by 102 feet in diameter. Records giving details of his excavation here and the association of the various objects found are far from complete. Aside from a rusty sword blade of steel found by the side of a human skeleton there is nothing in the Yale collection from the Brakebill mound that would point to European contact.

Bone and Antler Bone and antler were not used extensively for either practical or ornamental purposes. An exceptionally fine spatulate implement of bone fig 14 is in the Harvard collection. It is cut from the central portion of the shaft and is not only well preserved but also is complete. The decoration consisting of series of parallel transverse incised lines is simple and effective. A hole through one wall near the base serves as a means of suspension. In the Yale collection is another of the same type but with fewer incised lines half the blade is missing There are several bone bodkins pointed at both ends. One such was wrapped by a cord that left permanent markings some of which have eaten into the bone fig 15. A pointed implement of deer antler is reproduced in figure 16.

 

Shell: The most notable objects of shell are the gorgets of which Dunning in one of his letters says six were discovered in various parts of the Brakebill mound at a depth of eight feet and under layers of charcoal and burnt clay several yards square. Some of them were deposited under the head of a human skeleton which was doubled up in the usual manner ie sharply flexed arms and legs. The smallest of the engraved shells was under the skull of a youth another near a male skeleton of mature age and with it a large polished ax of greenstone, some delicately shaped flint arrow points and a carved representation in shell of a human face.

Stone: Stone was employed in ways ornamental as well as practical. The boat amulet seen in figure 17 might have been employed as a sort of button In shape it is not unlike the head of a bird facing two ways. A boat amulet similar in shape was found forty years ago at Silver Lane near Hartford Connecticut.

Pottery: The paste contains so much pulverized shell as to give a pronounced reaction when treated to hydrochloric acid. Moreover the shell component is distinctly visible by contrast with the darker clay Very few of the vessels are whole. A plain vase without handles and one with a pair of handles and shoulder ornament in relief are reproduced in figure 21 Judging from the thickness and curvature of some of the sherds vessels of large size were in use at the Brakebill mound. Among the many sherds one is selected for illustration because of the rim decoration and the curious stamped design on the body of the vessel fig 22 A small potsherd disc is reproduced in figure 23.

Excerpts from Proceedings, edited by Frederick Webb Hodge. Read the whole book here: Link

See the 630 this Weekend

Bristol Station  
Photo credit: John Livingston

Sunday, April 6: Bristol, VA to Bulls Gap, TN


 The Lonesome Pine Limited, this trip will operate over Norfolk Southern’s Central Division main line (former Southern Railway) on a 156-mile round trip.  Departure time from Bristol is 9:00am.  This trip is sold out, but there are lots of opportunities to see and photograph this train.

Johnson City Station

Jonesborough (photo: Google Maps)

Limestone Station
Photo credit: Tom Shumard

Sadly, the old Chuckey Station is no longer there.

Greeneville    Photo credit: Tom Shumard

Bulls Gap

arriving in Bulls Gap at 12:00 noon for a 2-hour layover, departing Bulls Gap at 2:00pm and she should arrive back in Bristol around 5:00.



Pictures of the 630 at the Southern Railroad Station in Knoxville from her trip to Chattanooga a few years ago.

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