4 o^ \ ^ \^-^ <^ ^ ,0 -^Aq-S Vtv ^* o V ' .0 ^rf> * ' ^ ^v -^ ^V- V * „ ><^-'*. <1 > x% o '"" ■>(y- ELLEN OLIVIA MITCHELL HIA TT PART YET STANDING OF HOME OF JOHN MITCHELL, ABOUT 1820. NEAR INMAN Sequatcl^ie 'Valley A HISTORICAL SKETCH BV ELLEN OLIV lA ^MITCHELL HL^TT Photographs bu MARGUERITE HI ATT Though neath JistanI skies we -jcander. Sti/I our thoughts u-ilh ihee must dwell. " Author Printed for the Author. Publishing House of the M. E. Chun-h South. Nashville, Teiin. K IX LOVING MEMORY OF MOTH- ER, FATHER. SISTERS, AND BROTHER, TO WHOSE TENDER CARE I OWE SO MUCH It was my good fortune to be born and partly brought up in Sequatchie V^alley. Here the happiest days of my Hfe have been spent. A year or two ago I began a search for written history of the Valley, but found none in any connected form. In publishing this little volume it is with the hope that those who read it will find some pleasure and benefit, as I have in the writing. The Author. 7 SEQUATCHIE VALLEY. SEQUATCHIE VALLEY lies be- tween Walden's Ridge on the east for most of its length and the Cum- berland' Mountains on the west. For its entire length it is watered by the river of the same name, which empties into the Tennessee a few miles south of Jasper. According to an early historian,' the "riv- er rises near Crab Orchard,' runs into Grassy Cove, and is soon lost for eight or ten miles, then bursts out in a clear, cold fountain. This is the head of the Valley, which is three miles wide for eight miles." This \^alley is seventy miles long and four wide. The scenery is most pictur- 'Named for the Duke of Cumberland. Former- ly sometimes called Great Laurel Ridge. "Imla}'. ^"Settlers established villages near these or- chards because of the fragrant blossoms," says Mr. Roosevelt in "Winning of the West." * SEQUATCHIE VALLEY esque and beautiful. The mountains rise abruptly on either side to a height of a thousand or twelve hundred feet. Some- times, particularly in winter, when the weather is clearing, they stand out in ma- jestic relief from the background of the sky, at other times blend gentlv with the landscape, and vet again the clouds almost obscure them. The pleasing name '*Sec[uatchie"' is of Cherokee origin. It is derived from Si Gicctsi, a traditional Cherokee settlement on the French Broad River. The first inhabitants of Tennessee of whom there is any trace were the Natchez Indians, now extinct, having been annihi- lated by the French after they were ex- pelled from Tennessee bv the Cherokees. The Natchez were considered descendants of the mound builders. Traces of what are supposed to be mounds exist to-day in ^The unlovely meaning is supposed to be "hog" TO COURTHOUSE, PIKEVILLE. SEQUATCHIE VALLEY Sequatchie Valley. The Cherokees came to Tennessee in 1623. More than one hundred and twenty years ago a battle was fought between whites and Indians near the mouth of Sequatchie River. The Indian villages of Nickajack and Running Water were to- tally destroyed, the inhabitants taken prisoners, and their power forever broken in that part of Tennessee. Joseph Brown guided the raiders. Years before, when Joseph was a child, his family, some young men, and a few servants were floating down the Tennessee in a flatboat on the way to Cumberland when all wxre captured by the Indians. One historian says that the men were slain and the women and children and held as captives. Another account states that only the small children were saved. Joseph was one of the latter. After a time he was ex- changed and grew up to take this fearful revenge on his captors. Sequatchie Valley was probably ex- 12 SEQUATCHIE VALLEY plored first about 1795 by Gilbert Imlay and Daniel Smith. An old map dated that year and made by the latter is fairly accurate as to location. On it Sequatchie River seems to be called Crow Creek. In 1805 three men, who were to be the first white settlers, came here on a pros- pecting trip. These men were Amos Griffith and Isaac and William Standifer. The following year they returned with their families, accompanied by other fam- ilies, and made permanent settlements. These men were originally from Virginia. Amos Griffith located near where the town of Whitwell now stands. A spring near there still bears the name of Griffith. There was no "going back home" for these brave men and women. They had come to stay. They or their fathers had fought in the Revolution. Some of them perhaps had helped in settling the new State of Frankland,' ''Land of the Free," ^Afterwards changed to Franklin. 13 SEQUATCHIE VALLEY and maybe had a voice in framing its con- stitution, the first written one west of the Alleghanies. This lovely Valley, with its never-failing springs and streams, rich farming lands, mountains that furnished game for the ready rifle and which in years to come were to bring forth such an abundance of coal and iron, seemed to these newcomers a place to rest and make homes for themselves and their children. Most of these settlers were of Ameri- can birth. They are supposed to have come from Mrginia and the Carolinas. Many probably brought their slaves. The first white children born here were William Standi fer Grifiith, in 1807, and Louise Anderson, who afterwards be- came a Mrs. Kirkman. Other settlers soon came, and by No- vember 30, 1807, the population was suf- ficient to erect a county, which was named for Col. Anthony Bledsoe.^ ^One writer sa3\s it was named for Jessie Bled- soe. '4 SEQUATCHIE VALLEY The first village established in this new county was Pikeville, so named in honor of Gen. Zebulon Pike, an American sol- dier and explorer. It became the county seat in 1813. "The first county seat was Old Madison, six miles from where Dun- lap now is. The first court met at the cabin of a Mr. Thomas.'" Outsiders were well informed of this locality. John Owen's Journal of his removal from Vir- o-inia to Alabama in 1818 states that his o brother "took the Sequatchie road from near Kingston." In 1820 the \"alley contained four thousand and five people. Ten years later the increase was a little more than six hundred. In 1833 Pikeville's population num- bered one hundred and fifty. Among this number were one lawyer, James A. Whiteside, and two doctors. The princi- pal public and business places were: Five 'J. G. Cisco. 1 ^ COURTHOUSE, JASPER. SEQUATCHIE VALLEY stores, some saddlers (everybody rode horseback in those days), two taverns, two cotton gins,^ and an academy. Thus early did these pioneers provide for the education of their children. In i860 the population was two hun- dred. There were a library association, an academy (called Lafayette), a union church, and various business buildings, including two hotels — "taverns" no lon- ger. Pikeville to-day has about five hundred people. It is situated on the west bank of the river and is surrounded by a beautiful farming and stock-raising country. The Sequatchie Valley Branch of the Nash- ville, Chattanooga, and St. Louis Railway terminates here. Marion County, named for Gen. Fran- cis Marion, of South Carolina, an Ameri- ican patriot, was formed in 181 7. Eight ^Cotton-raising was not followed to any great extent. 17 SEQUATCHIE VALLEY years later Jasper, so called for William Jasper, also of South Carolina, was incor- porated and made the ''seat of justice." It had been a post office for several years. Like all other towns in the Valley, Jasper is west of the river. Perhaps this is be- cause of more level land on that side. A ''Gazetteer of Tennessee," by Eastin Morris, compiled in 1834, states that the year previous Jasper contained "thirty dwellings, about one hundred and eighty inhabitants, twenty mechanics, six profes- sional men, five stores, one tavern, and a good courthouse and jail." The first court held in Marion County is said to have been at a log house called the old Cheek house. The lawyers were : William Standi fer, D. W. Campbell, George W. Wood, and James H. Wilkinson. In i860 there was a population of three hundred. A business directory of that year gives Alexander & Griffith, general merchants ; David Chandim, postmaster ; and W. S. Griffith, planter. Jasper w^as 18 SEQUATCHIE \^ ALLEY on the main road from Knoxville to Ath- ens, Ga. The stage road from Knoxville to Huntsville, Ala., crossed the Georgia road here. According to land agents, a great fu- ture was before Jasper. Present-day real estate agents have nothing ''on" their predecessors of seventy or eightv vears ago. Here is an advertisement of prop- erty for sale in 1842 by the East Tennes- see Land Proprietors, London: One-third mile from Jasper. Upper Kelley farm. 300 a. Comfortable log house ; stables ; also cabin. Town creek runs through farm. A never- failing spring near house. Jasper County town, which is handsomely laid out. Lower Kelley farm, 2 miles from town at junction of Sequatchie and Tennessee Rivers. 40 a. first river bottom land, 20 do. deadened (timber), do. 250 woodland first river bottom. 100 a. 2d bot. Fine timber. Price. £11,632. Nothing cheap about that — nearly sixty thousand dollars. This company was also offering for sale thirty-nine lots in Chattanooga. 19 FAIR GROUNDS, SOUTH PITTSBURG. SEQUATCHIE VALLEY 'Trice, £6,336. This place contains be- tween 1,200 and 1,500 inhabitants. The rapid increase of trade and population al- most without parallel, . . . and it will no doubt . . . become a large city." Which prediction is coming true. Residents of Jasper and vicinity were also expecting much of their Valley. The following extract is from a letter written in 1849: "This section of country is des- tined to be (and that in a short time) one of the most desirable portions of the State, from the fact of its possessing more communicational facilities than any other part of the Southwestern States." The writer says that two railroads were being built to Chattanooga — one from Nashville, the other from Charleston. But it was not until after the Civil War that a branch line was built from Bridge- port, Ala., to Jasper. In the middle sev- enties this was extended to Victoria. ''Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad building line to Victoria. Everything 21 SEQUATCHIE VALLEY done in the very best style.'" Some years later the extension was made to Pikeville. Politics abounded then as now. The letter quoted above continues: "I got beat for the legislature, as I expected. There were three Whigs of us and one Demo- crat. The Whigs of this county [Marion] held a convention to settle the matter. . . . I got the nomination. The other two candidates and their friends turned against me and went for the Democrat, . . . which has laid them on the shelf for all time. I w^as a son of temperance. There is no chance to run against the jug in this country." Perhaps politicians had degenerated, as in the earlier settling of the State ''no person who denies the ex- istence of God or future state can hold civil office," but ''ministers are not eligible to a seat in the legislature." Salaries of State officials were sarcastically said by Daniel Webster to have been paid in skins. 'Killebrew, 1876. 22 SEQUATCHIE VALLEY ''To the Governor, one thousand deer skins ; to the Secretary, five hundred rac- coon skins." Perhaps this is apocryphal; but skins passed current in trade, taxes being paid with them. Sequatchie County, the youngest of the three comprising the \^alley, was formed in 1857. Dunlap, the county seat, was so called in honor of William Dunlap, of Knox Count V. This village is near the mountains. Fires from the coke ovens may be seen at night. These are worth a visit. Dunlap can claim no great beauty; but it is a quiet, peaceful-looking village. A pretty little creek meanders by, over which is a picturesque footbridge. The towns of Whit well and South Pittsburg, in Marion County, have sprung up within the last thirty or forty years. Both are products, so to speak, of the iron and coal industries. The site of Whitwell was once called Liberty. The last census gives a population of twenty- five hundred. 23 SEQUATCHIE VALLEY South Pittsburg boasts a fine fair ground, with a good half-mile race track. The inhabitants numbered two thousand in 19 10. This spot used to be called Bat- tle Creek, after the creek of that name near by. Forty years ago there was only one bridge, and that a poor one, over the Lower Sequatchie River. A few miles below was a ferry and also a ford for low- water use. A big rock midway of the river was the danger sign. The roads were often almost impassable in winter. But to-day the Federal government, the State, and the automobile are changing all that. There are miles of turnpike. Be- sides this, the Dixie Highway will soon be built across the mountains, bringing Chattanooga much nearer than by rail. Although no mention was made of churches in those early days, there must have been a place of worship. The set- tlers w^ere mostly a religious folk. Per- haps, like the wandering Israelites, they 25 SEQUATCHIE VALLEY took their ark with them. Maybe the lonely mountains and dark forests served awhile as a great solemn church. These were "r civil, orderly people, moral and religious, kind, generous, hospitable, giv- en to establishing churches, institutions of learning, schools of divinity ; . . . and, to crown it all, there are Sabbath schools all over the land.'" One stanch Method- ist layman was for fifty years superin- tendent of the Sunday school at Shiloh Church, near Inman. Methodism was early brought to Ten- nessee. Jeremiah Lambert traveled the Holston Circuit in 1783. The circuit rid- er went to his appointment through all kinds of weather, regardless of himself. "Providence permitting," he was there. ''Without aid beyond that of his spiritual exultation, he stepped into a mental at- mosphere of cold and solitary elevation."" ^Thomas A. Anderson, "Southeast Tennessee." London, 1842. "Phelan, "History of Tennessee." 26 SEQUATCHIE VALLEY There was recently celebrated in Wash- ington City the centennial of the death of Bishop Francis Asbury/ one of the founders of Methodism. It is proposed to erect in that city an equestrian statue to honor his memory and to commemo- rate the circuit rider. Baptists and Presbyterians were also early arrivals in the wilderness. Cum- berland Presbyterians seem to have had a strong membership. School-teaching was not a profitable occupation a hundred years ago, salaries being sixty dollars an- nually. The best teachers, Presbyterian ministers, had nearly all graduated at Princeton. Possibly these were better paid. The schools at Pikeville and Jasper doubtless compared favorably with those of other Tennessee towns. Country schools also kept for some months each year as the population increased. Then there were the singing schools. Itinerant 'Died March 31; 1816. 27 VIEW OF MOUNTAINS FROM VALLEY. SEQUATCHIE V ALLEY teachers went from place to place and lield a two or three weeks' session. Ev- erybody sang then. That was one of the pleasures of going to church. Instead of listening to the singing, everybody joined in. Some customs of seventy or eighty years ago would seem strange now. Eve- ning church services were announced to begin at ''early candlelight." Bridal re- ceptions, called "infairs," took place at the home of the groom's family on the second day after the wedding. The bride wore her "second-dav" gown. The fol- lowing is part of an advertisement of men's clothing which appeared in a Jas- per paper in the late sixties: And after the wedding and in fair were over. He found that his daughter had married John Dover. Homespun was worn by men, women, and children. Dresses made of linsey and cotton were often quite pretty. A calico 29 MOUNTAIN ABOVE JASPER. SEQUATCHIE VALLEY dress was thought fine. Sheeting, pillow- case linen, and beautiful bedspreads were all made at home. If the lady of the house did not herself spin and weave, she could direct her servants. Mattresses consisted of big feather beds as soft as down. The substitute for summer use was ticks filled with sweet-smelling straw. It was almost a disgrace for a bride not to own a feather bed. It used to be said that where geese were on the farm it in- dicated woman's domination. However that may have been, many families raised these noisy fowls. Feathers had to come from somewhere. But, w^hatever changes have come, whateA^er has altered and improved the landscape, nothing can add to or take from the indescribable glories of the sun- rises or the sunsets, whose reflected rays make golden the clouds which hang above the mountain tops, reminding one of St. John's description of the streets of the New Jerusalem. No hand of man can 31 SEQUATCHIE VALLEY lift the mists as they slowly rise, dispelled by the warmth of the morning sun, re- vealing the varying hues of the silent mountains. These remain unchanged. From the bluffs above Jasper is a pic- ture of wonderful beauty. At one's feet is the village, with its shady streets and pretty houses; toward north and east, valley and mountain ; looking south, more fields and shallow streams and, beyond that, Tennessee River, a silvery gleam in the sunlight. When the Dixie Highway is finished, the tourists who come will want to come again. The fame of this Valley will be spread far and wide. The vision of our forefathers may be realized for others in a way that they never even dreamed of. Who knows ? 32 H156 74 578 c^y o N c ^ %p ■? *;!! yi^< fA'S?a' /Vi ^ ^<<^r. r<^ /^^^/k-