Thursday, December 4, 2014

Rembering Family: Martha Elizabeth White

 

 

When Martha Elizabeth White was born on April 10, 1882, in Rheatown, Tennessee, her father, James, was 30 and her mother, Mary Ann Emily Good, was 23. She married James Ruble Bailes on August 16, 1903, in Greene, Tennessee. They had 13 children in 20 years. She died on December 4, 1957, in Knoxville, Tennessee, at the age of 75, and was buried there.

When she died, she left a valuable legacy to her family.  Was she famous? No  Was she rich? No  Then what was her legacy to her children.


Martha Elizabeth Bailes left her children:

A deep appreciation of the importance of family.

Our family gathered at their home in times of joy and times of sorrow.  We celebrated Christmas at their house every year, even when we were literally packed wall to wall.  I do not remember any complaints.  It was a joyous time of seeing all of your Aunts, Uncles and of playing with you cousins.

Even though our family has become too large to get together every year, we are still close.  I would like to think that as we gather with own families, that we still remember those wonderful times.


A shared belief in the importance of Church and Community

 Many of worshipped together at Lincoln Park Methodist Church.  Many of our parents and grandparents were married there.  Next to their home, this church was our most popular place to see family. Lincoln Park Methodist Church was the center of our community.

Some her family came to America to escape religious persecution in England.  They were Quakers, who settled in West Jersey in the late 1600's.

After the Revolutionary War, the family became part of the Methodist Church.  The Milburn family had the first Methodist ministers in our family and many of their descendants became ministers.

A long history of service to our country.

 She had four sons; Walter, Carl, H. L. Frank and Robert, who served during WW II.  She had two brothers; William Isaac and Jmes Henry who served in World War I.

Her Grandfather, Hartsell Good served in the Civil War, her G Grandfather, David Good served in the War of 1812 and her GGG Grandfather, John Milburn, was a Revolutionary War Patriot.


About Martha Elizabeth White:

In 1900, Lizzie White was 17 years old and lived in Greene, Tennessee with her father, mother, 3 brothers: Isaac, James Henry and Elbert and 2 sisters, Lula and Frankie.

Elizabeth White married J.R. Bales on August 16, 1903, in Greene, Tennessee.  They were married by Thomas D. Rowe, M.G.

In 1910, Martha E. Bailes was 28 years old and lived in Rheatown, Tennessee with her husband, James,  2 sons, Walter and William Howard and daughter Minnie Eva.

This was a difficult time in her life.  Two of her children died, Mary Ellen in 1911 and Lynn in 1912. Her brother, Elbert Carl died in 1915 and her brother, James Henry White was killed at Chateau-Thierry, France, while serving with the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I.

In 1920, Martha E. Bales was 36 years old and lived in Knoxville, Tennessee with her husband, James, 4 sons: Walter, Howard, Kenneth and Carl, and 2 daughters: Eva and Geraldine.

Her Mother, Mary Ann Emily Good, who was called Mollie, died in 1926.  The inscription on her monument is one of my favorites, " She was a Kind and Affectionate Wife, a FOnd Mother, and a Friend to All." Mollie's father, Hartsell Good died during the Civil War.  Her Grandfather, William Elbert Milburn served in the Civil War too. 

In 1930, Martha E. Bailes was 47 years old and lived in Knoxville, Tennessee with her husband, James, 7 sons: Walter, Howard, Kenneth, Carl, Hartsell (H. L.),Frank and Robert, and 3 daughters: Eva, Geraldine and Eleanor.

Her father, James Randolph White, died on September 4, 1935 in Reatown, Greene County, Tennessee.

On April 1, 1940, Martha Bailes was 58 years old and lived in Knoxville, Tennessee with her husband, James, 4 sons: Carl, Hartsell, Frank and Robert, and 3 daughters: Eva, Geraldine and Eleanor.

Her sons: Walter, Carl, Frank and Robert served during World War II.  Her son Howard died in 1942.  H.L. was killed on May 30, 1945 in Luzon, Phillipines.

 

Family Marker in Lynnhurst Cemetery

Martha Elizabeth White Bailes' marker

 

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Veterans' Day: Letters from Home




Civil War Letters


Civil War Letters from William E Milburn (1797-1877) to his son William E F Milburn. In September William EF Milburn enlisted in the 12 TN CAV, CO B, Union Army and on September 14, 1864 William E Milburn was mustered into Service by Capt. Paxton as a chaplin in the 8th Regt Tennessee Cavalry.

Knoxville Oct 8th 1864 
William E. F. Milburn
My Dear Son I got here on the 6th in Common helth. But with a Sad heart, from the fact I did not find you when I went to Nashville nor could not hear one word from you, I wrote 3 letters to you from Nahsville which I hop you have got I would not have taken $1000, not to have seen you But I could not for there was no train runing to Pulaskia and thought would not for some weeks--I could not wait. I will make all the ---tion I can to get you and Kelly with me in the eight Te. Cav. I think the Signs Pretty good if you Should live, I hope you will, I fear you will not--our troops think they will move up to Jonesboro without delay--I heard from home the first of this Old John Frake deid, our folks all well, I want you to write to me as soon as you can and let me know how you are and the boys I saw S. C. Shanks ajadent right from Charleton, S. C. he was well, But in a bad condition out doars in the sun but little to eat, My great fear is that you may be killed and not ready do not think my Dear boy that I think you are worse than other, no, I do not But my Hearts desire is that you may be Saved, as that is all at last.May God bless you and take care of you and all our boys--may he help you by his Spirit and grace to look to Christ and beleive that he is mor willing to bless you and save than I could be well you know that I would not let you Die if I could Save you--write to Evaline and the rest My Dear Boy do not fail to Read your Bible Say your Prayers and the Very God of peace Bless you 0, that we may meet on Earth and above all in Heaven, So, farewell, farewell, my Son--
I am yours in Parentel love
untill Death
William Milburn

World War I letters

World War I letters from James Henry White was born on October 9, 1892 in Greene County to James Randolph White and Mary Ann Emily Good. His enlistment was on March 14, 1918, when he was ordered to report to Camp Gordon, also see Camp Gordon. These are letters to his brother Isaac William, "Will," White. James Henry White was wouned by shrapnel and died on the battlefield on October 10,1918 in Chateau-Thierry, France. He served in Company G, 327th Infantry of the 82nd Division of the American Exponditionary Forces (AEF) 82nd Divsion at Chateau-Thierry, France in WW I, 82nd Division History

Bringing home WW I dead causes strong feelings in the US and in Europe: Link Bodies of War



 
Henry was brought home on September 4, 1921 and was buried with military honors in the family plot at Rheatown Cemetery.

WW II Letters

WW II Letters From Hartsell Luther, "HL," Bailes, Staff Sargent, 149th Infantry, 38th Infantry Division
HL was born on November 27, 1921 to James Ruble Bailes and Martha Elizabeth White. He enlisted at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia on August 10, 1942. Several of his brothers served in WW II: Walter, Carl, Frank and Bob served as well as future brother-in-law, Carl Everett and nephew Buddy Bailes.

I could not choose which one of these letters to add to this blog.  There are worried letters from parents, love letters from wives and girlfriends and cheerful letters for Aunts and Uncles, but the best letters are the ones that they wrote to each other.  These letters ask about the football scores and news from home and if they had seen or had had news from other Lincoln Park boys. Since Daddy was the youngest, he took over jobs left by the older brothers when the joined the Army.  Uncle Red asks Daddy to check on Virginia, who would later become my Aunt Virginia. Later the letters give information about who has returned home.

V mail envelope  









Pictures H L sent from the Pacific








Letter addressed to The Boys at Rose Drugstore


Sunday, November 2, 2014

Turkey and Hog Drives

 
The French Broad River: Photo credit: zen Southerland Some rights reserved Photo Link



At the end of suumer, farmers would round up their turkeys or hogs to get them ready for market. Usually hogs and turkeys were allowed to run run loose and forage for themselves in the warm summer months.

When the animals were sufficiently fattened for the long journey to market, the drovers would begin their long trip to the markets in the East. Some of the drovers came from as far away as Kentucky. In East Tennessee, these drives started from Greeneville, Rogersville, Dandridge and Knoxville. At these starting points, farmers with just a few animals would take them to town to sell to the drovers. The caravans of turkies and hogs shared the road with other travelers. Turkeys from Rogerville had to be ferried across the river and at other places as well.

These caravans of turkeys and hogs were an inconvience for other traveler, but they were like a circus coming to town for the little boys who watched the turkeys and hogs being marched down the main street of town with the men, with their whips cracking and their distinctive call urging them all. Many a young boy had daydreams about joining this circus-like caravan one day.

Photo credit: George Thomas Some rights reserved


Neither turkeys or hogs could travel very far in a day, so there was a need for places to stay and to buy food along the way. Little hog stands sprung up along the way that provided pens for the hogs and sold local corn for the hogs to eat. As traffic increased, some of these hogstands became taverns and inns, providing a stopping place for bothe drivers and other travelers. The drivers could also get a hot meal and a place to stay. Turkey driver had to find a suitable place for the turkeys to roost at night and be there to round them up again in the morning.

The paths generally followed old Indian trains along the French Broad River from Warm Springs to Marshall, Woodfin and on to Asheville. In Ashville the road crosses Pack Square in downtown Asheville, where drover had the opportunity to sell the turkeys or hogs, or continue along the the road that eventually led to the markets in Charleston, South Carolina.


Charleston Market Photo credit, adapted from the work of (L) Harvey Craft Some rights reserved and (R) J. P. Shannon Some rights reserved


More details and history:


The turkey and hog drives from East Tennessee to the markets in North carolina started before Tennessee became a state. On July 8, 1795 Governor Blount, of the Territory south of the River Ohio now called Tennessee, submitted to the Council of that territory several papers respecting the opening of a wagon road from Buncombe Courthouse in North Carolina to this Territory. (Source: Asheville and Buncombe County, Forster Alexander Sondley, Theodore Fulton Davidson, p. 104 ) The govenor of South Carolina proposed improvements to the Buncob Rd as early as 1796. The route followed old Indian Pathes along the French Broad River. As the popluation grew, there was a need for better roads.

"However, the best way to market their corn was by feeding it to hogs, cattle, and turkeys. ... forming an almost continuous string of hogs from Tennessee to Asheville."  Source: The Buncombe Turnpike - North Carolina Digital History

"The hogs were started to market only after they had consumed the growers supply of corn and had been fattened sufficiently to be butchered. (Burnett, p. 88) The fattening began as soon as the corn was sufficiently mature to feed, which was about the middle of August and reached the finishing stage in late October. Driving was concentrated in November. Between 1832-33, it is estimated that 5,oo head of hogs were driven each year (Cocke County) Tennessee Gazateer 1834



"From an early period, cattle and hogs driven to the markets of the Carolinas and Georgia were a principal form of export. Moreover, East Tennessee was a half-way point for Kentucky drivers passing through Cumberland Gap on their way to southern markets, ... Chattanooga, Knoxville, Greeneville, and Morristown were some of the concentration points for shipping of the different classes of livestock." Source: Bulletin of the Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Tennessee, State Agricultural and Mechanical College 1959


Hog stands ferry at Del Rio (see the railroad comes to Big Creek Del Rio the ferry was next to the schoolhouse. old Huff fort

Want to be a driver?
Requirements; be in good shape, have sturdy shoes and two pair of socks (Burnett, p. 91)

As traffic along these paths incresed, there as a need to improve these roads, in 1807, there was a petition to the state government to improve the the Saluda Gap Road. These roads were used by early travelers, as well as drovers.

North Carolina


* 1838 US Mail contract: Leave Knoxville every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 6 am arrive at Warm Springs next days by 6 pm. Leave Warm Springs every Monday Wednesday and Saturday at 4 am arrive at Knoxville next days by 6 pm. (Source: index to documents printed by order of the senate of the United States, 1939, p. 243)
Warm Springs (Hot Springs now), was the gateway into North Carolina on the old drover's path and part of the old Buncomb Turnpike that ran along the French Broad River connecting Greeneville, Tennessee with Greenville, South Carolina.

In 1828, completion of the Buncombe Turnpike through Warm Springs connecting Tennessee and Kentucky to the East Coarst, with the best roads in the South, definitely put Warm Springs on the map. Farmer drove their stock through Warm Springs on their way to market and returned with goods and cash.


 In 1824, the North Carolina legislature to improve Buncomb Turnpike to Saluda Gap.  David L. Swain, Buncombe County legislator, in 1824 sponsored a bill “for the purpose of laying out and making a turnpike road from the Saluda Gap . . . by the way of . . . Warm Springs to the Tennessee line.” (Source: North Carolina Highway Historical Marker Program, Link). 

Along the Saluda River  Photo credit: Brenda Wiley Some rights reserved



It is estimated that as many as 160,000 hogs came through this path. Progress was tediously slow along this route and drivers would only be able to go six or eight miles a day before having to camp for the night. They depended on camps or inns along the way for a place to feed and pen their livestock and hopefully a hot meal and a warm place place for them to sleep as well. One of the most famous of these was the Alexander Inn in Alexandria, North Carolina.
Another popular place to stay was Sherrill's Inn

An outline geological map of Tennessee, including portions of Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia

 

South Carolina


Poinsett Bridge Photo Credit: (L) Stephen Duckworth, (M) cmh12315fl, (R) markemark4,


 
"Greenville was then not only a place of resort during the summer months but a thoroughfare of travel from the west during the winter Droves of horses mules and hogs from Tennessee and Kentucky poured through the Saluda gap down the Buncombe road to Greenville and from this point were distributed through the State Every five or six miles along the Buncombe road and also below Greenville were taverns or houses of entertainment where many fortunes have been made from this year round travel The old houses are still standing many of them but their customers and their prestige have departed. (Source: The Greenville Century Book: S. S. Crittenden, p. 45 Link)
"Then too even as early as 1800 stock raisers of Kentucky and Tennessee had begun to drive their hogs and horses and cattle in large droves through Buncombe County to the markets of South Carolina and Georgia This species of travel greatly increased when the Buncombe Turnpike was opened To such an extent was this increase that at the proper season of the year one passing along that road in daytime was scarcely ever out of sight and hearing of one or more of these droves Even turkeys were driven to market in the same way the drivers using whips with pieces of red flannel tied to the end of the lash At one period there passed through Asheville in these droves every year from 140,000 to 160,000 hogs in the months of November and December For the entertainment of these drivers and their droves taverns sprung up along the road at about every five miles and their capacities were often taxed to the utmost The country raised the corn which in enormous quantities was required to meet the demands of this extensive business This brought considerable profits to the farmers the merchants and the innkeepers and prosperity to the entire community The business of driving stock continued though in decreasing quantities until about 1870 when it ceased Railroads had increased everywhere and furnished the stock raisers of Kentucky and Tennessee cheaper and quicker methods of reaching the markets with their products." (Source: The Greenville Century Book: S. S. Crittenden Link p. 168)

A rememberance of hog drovers:
All of us had ambitions in those
days and life has not turned cut precisely as we expected.
My earliest and fondest ambition was to be a hog
driver. Henry Young will remember
with what excitement the whole com-
munity was thrilled when the news
came that a drove of Tennessee or
Kentucky hogs were on the way from
Donaldsville, and with what enthu-
siasm the grand men were hailed as
with their "ho-ho-ho" they cracked
their lougo whips in the air and drove
their squealing, grunting victims down
to Hawthorne's lot for sale and sacri-
fice. But the hog drover has passed
out, and the cookings of the melts on
red hot stones, and the blowing up of
the bladders, and the souse and the
sausage, and the cracklings are only
a memory in those advanced times
of the stockyard and the combination
yard.
(Source: The Anderson intelligencer. (Anderson Court House, S.C.), 11 Jan. 1905. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.


Monday, October 27, 2014

Loudon



Shopping 


This was my favorite place.

Walking around town




Courthouse

More history!
Loudon is a city with a lot of potential.  A nice layout for the town and it is very easy to take a walking tour.  It could certainly benefit by having additional places to shop.

The Carmichael Inn is a very nice building, but it is very close to the bridge and surrounded by concrete, so the site is not very appealing.  I looks at a very large fire station across the street.  The station is very nice and modern, but I would think that Loudon could have found another location for it and used this property for a riverfront development project.  The Carmichael Inn seems to closed and there do not seems to be any other businesses in this area.  It was sad to see such an obvious missed opportunity.

Carmichael Inn from Google maps




Lakefront area from Google maps

Map Link

Monday, October 20, 2014

Tennessee Schools in 1915

East Tennessee Schools, my thanks to Pam Mulinix for the use of her photos


Lots of improvements were underway in Tennessee schools:  

 

Standardizing  textbooks:


Haliburtion's Primer and Haliburton's First reader were recommended for the first grade.

Cover of Haliburton's First Reader, digitized by Google
Read Haliburton's First Reader Here
 

Improving school buildings:

More school buildings were being built and some of these schools were consolidated schools (combining two or more smaller schools). Consolidated schools were made possible by the use of school wagons. Local farmers were hired to drive the children to school. More of the school systems were starting to build brick schools too.
Boys' Corn Clubs were very popular. Read more about Corn Clubs

Moses School, Knoxville (photo shows later addition)


Modern desks
One room school circa 1910, showing wooden plank desks
Photo Credit: Derek Bruff, Some rights reserved

Increasing school year:

Carter was able to run some consolidated schools for 8 months.
Hamblen County 6 months
Henry County 6 months
Roane County 8 or 9 months
Hancock County 5 months
Hardin 4 months
Grainger 5 months and one week
Greene increased from 4 ½ to 6 months
Maury 8 months
Meigs County needs better resources to be able to run their schools for 6 months


Adding district school libraries:







Claiborne County had the most ambitious plan:


The Items of Standardization as printed below have helped our schools more than anything. The teachers unanimously adopted the following items of standardization for every school in Claiborne County at the County Institute:
1 School graded
2 Library and bookcase
3 House painted repair roof doors windows and locks
4 A flag for every school
5 Cooler and individual drinking cups
6 Time piece clock preferred
7 Globe maps blackboard erasers and waste baskets
8 Broom cluster sprinkler or oil floors
9 Cloak room or racks for hats and wraps
10 Daily schedule posted including study and recitation periods
11 Two pictures well framed and an additional picture each year
12 Call bell for class use
13 Proper seating
14 Proper ventilation
15 Proper heating stove jacketed 16 School improvement club
17 School pig – Who doesn't love a school pig?
18 Activity in Church and Sunday School
19 Attendance at Teachers Meetings
20 Taking and reading at least one educational journal
21 Minimum of three public gatherings
22 Visiting every home or reason for failure
23 No tobacco or alcoholics used by teachers or pupils
24 Personal supervision at play time
25 Neat personal appearance of teacher
26 Flowers on yard table or in window
27 Neat school grounds
28 Sanitary out houses
29 Orderly assembling and dismissing of pupils
30 Reading of the Bible at opening exercises
31 Teachers report to member of Board and Superintendent when absence is necessary
32 Neatly kept register with daily roll call
33 Domestic arts at home or school two exhibits of work from at least one half of the girls
34 Manual training at home or school an exhibit at close of school from at least one half of the boys
35 Inventory showing everything received or added during the year
36 An exhibit to the County Fair

The opening day of the County Fair was given over entirely to the school children of the county. Public school pupils took part in the following contests: Reciter's Declaimer's, Bird House Contest for the boys manual training, Apron Contest for the girls domestic arts. , Prizes were also given for the best General School Exhibit of the first three grades, also for the best General School Exhibit of the grades beyond the third.

 Our slogan for this year has been, “ A Library and School Improvement Association for Every School.”

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

A Buckeye for Good luck

 To be completely accurate, he was my Great Uncle.  I called him Uncle, but he was like a Grandfather to me.  He married my Grandmother's Aunt and they adopted my Grandmother.  They helped raise my father and my parents lived in an apartment at their house when I was born.

 

 

 

James Luther Lee was born on March 8, 1885, in Tennessee, his father, William, was 29 and his mother, Lydia Tennessee Marsh (Tennie), was 17.  In 1900, they lived in Wallous Ward, Hawkins co. Children: Samuel( 1882), James Luther (1885), George (1885),Roxy (1889),Molly (1892), Edgar (1894), Myrtle (1896) and May (1898). The family moved to Knoxville sometime between 1900 and 1910. He married Alice Ann Vance, daughter of John M Vance and Sarah Arnwine, on December 3, 1905, in Knoxville, Tennessee.

 

Uncle would take me out for walk, sometimes to the store and sometimes to his garden.  He always walked very slow, I don't know if he always walked slow or if he walked more slowly because he was holding my hand.  Every Fall, he gave me a buckeye and a silver dollar for good luck.

 

Buckeyes 
Photo credit: Hannah M. Gillenwater

 

 
Silver Dollar
"Peace dollar" by PAR at en.wikipedia Later version(s) were uploaded by Bobby131313 at en.wikipedia. - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by User:RoyFocker 12 using CommonsHelper.. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons - Link



Uncle died in 1958, more than 50 years ago, but neither my memories or my love for him have dimmed at all.




Friday, September 26, 2014

Louisville Part II Holston College


Holston College, Photo credit: The Prater Family



Holston College was developed on land belonging to the historically prominent Gillespie family who had come from Scotland by way of Ireland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and finally the Louisville area in what would be Blount County.  The migration began around 1740.  John Gillespie (1774-1842) helped build a school and businesses on William Gillespie’s property.  The school which would later be called Holston College had a Presbyterian-based education.  The Gillespie’s for generations were staunch Presbyterians. Grady Winegar

 
It was also known as Ewing Academy, Ewing and Jefferson College and Holston Academy. In 1901, it is listed as Ewing and Jefferson College and G. L. Miser is listed as the president or principal.
(Source: Annual Report of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction for Tennessee, Tennessee. Dept. of Public Instruction, 1901, Table XI)

Google map showing the location

Google map aerial view












Ewing and Jefferson College marker showing its location to the cemetery







Thursday, September 11, 2014

Louisville


The Louisville area was settled in the early 1800s, and its situation on the Tennessee River* helped it grow into a key flatboat and steamboat port. It was incorporated in 1851. In 1974 Louisville's downtown was declared a national historic district by the National Register of Historic Places.

*The Holston River is now defined as ending at the French Broad River, where the confluence forms the Tennessee River just above Knoxville. Before 1933, the terminus of the Holston River was defined as where the Little Tennessee River enters the river. That point, the confluence of the Holston and Little Tennessee rivers, was considered to be the beginning of the Tennessee River.

According to Tennessee Valley Authority historians, when the TVA was created in 1933, Congress mandated that the TVA headquarters be located on the banks of the Tennessee River. Since the TVA headquarters were already designated to be located in downtown Knoxville, as part of area development on what was then the Holston River, to fulfill the Congressional mandate, the official start of the Tennessee River was moved upstream from Lenoir City to the confluence of the Holston and French Broad rivers.


Two hundred and forty-nine families in Blount, Loudon, and Knox Counties were relocated for the Fort Loudon Dam project between 1939 and 1942. (Source: All We Knew Was to Farm: Rural Women in the Upcountry South, 1919-1941, Melissa Walker, p. 154)