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MIDDLE  TN  STATE  UNIV. 


$5.00 


3  3082  01501327  8 

RUTHERFORD  COUNTY 
HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 

Publication  No.  34 


Mattie  Ready  and  John  Hunt  Morgan 


976 
.857 
R931p 
V.  34 


1994 


Murf  reesboro,  Tennessee  37130 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2010  with  funding  from 

Lyrasis  IVIembers  and  Sloan  Foundation 


http://www.archive.org/details/publication34ruth 


RUTHERFORD  COUNTY  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 
PUBLICATION  NO.  34 

Published 
by 
the 

Rutherford  County  Historical  Society 

OFFICERS 

President   Shirley  F.  Jones 

Vice  President   Charles  Nored 

Recording  Secretary   Kirk  McCrary 

Publication  Secretary   Walter  King  Hoover 

Treasurer   Mary  Cox 

Directors   Robert  Walden 

Mabel  Pittard 
William  Hall 

Publication  No.  34   (Limited  Edition  -  600  copies)  is 
distributed  to  members  of  the  Society.   The  annual  membership 
dues  are  $15.00  per  family,  which  includes  the  two  regular 
publications  and  the  monthly  Newsletter  to  all  members. 
Additional  copies  of  this  and  other  publications  may  be 
obtained  by  writing  to  the  Society.   A  list  of  publications 
available  is  included  in  this  publication. 

All  correspondence  concerning  additional  copies, 
contributions  to  future  issues,  and  membership  should  be 
addressed  to:  MlSu  Library 

„^,  r      ,^   ^   „.^     T^  .    ^    Middle  Tennessee  State  UnlversJt 
Rutherford  County  Historical  Society  Murfreesboro,  Tennessee  37132 
P.O.  Box  906 
Murf reesboro,  TN  37133-0906 

i.0-*03eS4 


IN 
MEMORY 

of 

ZADIE  BOWLING  KEY 
(Octoljer  20,  1921  -  August  30,  1992) 


Publication  34  is  dedicated  to  Zadie  B.  Key,  a  longtime 
member  of  our  Society,  whose  contributions  were  many  and 
varied.   She  served  four  terms  as  Treasurer,  from  1988  to 
1992.   Prior  to  that,  she  was  editor  of  the  newsletter  and 
served  on  several  committees,  such  as  Historic  Preservation, 
Sales,  and  Membership.   She  was  also  a  member  of  our 
Executive  Board.   Zadie  was  a  people-oriented, 
community-conscious,  caring  individual  who  strived  to  make  a 
difference.   The  Rutherford  County  Historical  Society  is  very 
appreciative  of  her  efforts  and  dedication  to  our 
organization  and  consider  it  our  privilege  to  honor  her  in 
this  small  way. 


The  following  Publications  are  for  Sale  by: 

THE  RUTHERFORD  COUNTY  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 
P.O.  Box  906 
Murfreesboro,  TN  37133-0906 

(All  publications  are  $5.00  +  $2.00  postage  and  handling) 

Publication  1:   Rutherford  County  Marriage  Records, 

(1851-1853),  Bride  Index,  Rutherford  County 
Militia  Commissions  1807-1811,  Rutherford 
County  Offices  and  Officers  (1804-1973),  and 
Union:  Murf reesboro' s  Other  University. 

Rutherford  County  Marriage  Records, 
(1854-1856),  Bride  Index  (continued), 
Rutherford  County  Militia  Commissions 
1812-1820,  Mayors  of  Murf reesboro,  and  a 
History  of  the  Kittrell  Community. 

Rutherford  County  Marriage  Records 
(1857-1860),  Bride  Index,  Griffith 
Rutherford,  1803  Census  of  Rutherford  County, 
and  Rutherford  County  Militia  Records. 

History  of  Readyville,  Artists  Depict  Battle 
of  Stones  River,  and  Census  of  1810  and  List 
of  Taxpayers  not  in  Census. 

The  Nashville  and  Chattanooga  Railroad 
(1845-1872),  Rutherford  County  Post  Offices 
and  Postmasters,  and  the  Rutherford  Rifles. 

Publication  6:   A  History  of  the  Link  Community,  History  of 
Lavergne,  Fellowship  Church  and  Community, 
and  The  Sanders  Family. 

Publication  7:   Hopewell  Church,  Petition  by  Cornelius 
Sanders  for  Revolutionary  War  Pension. 


Publication  2; 


Publication  3 


Publication  4: 


Publication  5: 


Publication  8; 


History  of  Bethel-Leanna  Community,  the 
Crowders  of  Readyville,  A  view  of  the 
Battlefield  of  Stones  River  from  New  York 
Times  (Sept.  2,  1865),  Record  of  Jordan 
Williford,  Revolutionary  War  Soldier  from 
Records  in  U.S.  Pension  Office,  Company  Roll 
of  Major  Hardy  Murfree  (Sept.  9,  1778  from 
the  National  Archives). 


Publication  9:   History  of  Dilton  Community. 

Publication  10:  1864  Diary,  Peter  Jennings,  Henderson  Yoakum, 
Early  Methodist  Church,  and  Overall. 


Publication  11:  State  Capitol,  Ben  McCullough,  Petition  of 
Michael  Lorance,  Country  Store,  and  Soule 
College. 

Publication  12:  History  of  Smyrna,  Sewart  Air  Force  Base, 
Goochland,  Index  of  Some  Actual  Wills  of 
Rutherford  County,  1802-1882. 

Publication  13:  Tennessee  College,  Coleman  Scouts,  New 

Monuments  in  Old  city  Cemetery,  and  James 
Bole's  Revolutinary  War  Pension. 

Publication  14:  Murfreesboro  Presbyterian  Church,  Kirks  and 
Montgomerys,  Russell  Home,  John  Lytle's  and 
John  M.  Leak's  Revolutinary  War  Pension. 

Publication  15:  John  W.  Childress  Home  (1847),  Whigs 
in  Rutherford  County  (1835-1845). 

Publication  16:  Hart,  Childress,  Miles,  Fosterville,  Cherry 
Shade,  William  Cocke. 

Publication  17:  Jefferson  1803-1813,  Will  Abstracts 
(1803-1814),  Old  City  Cemetery. 

Publication  18:  Railroad  Stations  in  Rutherford  County,  Rion 
Family,  Stones  River. 

Publication  19:  Footprints  ...  at  Smyrna,  V.A.  Medical 

Center,  Manson  Family,  Jenkin's  Homes,  Will 
Abstracts  (Record  Books  3  &  4),  Rutherford 
County  Historical  Society,  Early  News,  Sketch 
from  Macon  County,  Illinois,  1981  in 
Rutherford  County. 

Publication  20:  Roads  and  Turnpikes  of  Rutherford  County, 
includes  many  Rutherford  County  names. 

Publication  21:  Jefferson  Springs  Resort,  Lascassas  Baptist 
Church,  John  Price  Buchanan,  Will  Abstracts, 
1836  Tax  Records  of  the  25th  District. 

Publication  22:  Ft.  Rosecrans,  Big  Springs,  East  Main  Church 
of  Christ,  Tax  Records  District  23  &  24  for 
1836,  1837,  and  1849,  Mathias  Hoover. 

Publication  23:  Harding  House,  Milton,  Country  Stores  in  the 

Jefferson  Area,  Will  Abstracts  Book  7,  Tax 

Records  of  Districts  15  and  16  (1836,  1837, 
:.^  and  1849)  . 

Publication  24:  History  of  Medicine  in  Rutherford  County. 


Publication  25:  Legends  and  Stories  of  the  Civil  War  in 
Rutherford  County. 

Publication  26:  A  Yankee  in  Rutherford  County,  Literary 

Interest  Expressed  by  VJomen  in  Rutherford 
County,  Mt.  Olivet  and  Hoovers  Gap 
Methodists,  My  Years  at  Linebaugh  Library. 

Publication  27:  History  of  Central  Christian  Church,  Alfred 
Blackman . 

Publication  28:  Coleman  Scouts  (Henry  B.  Shaw,  Leader;  Sam 
Davis,  Dee  Jobe ,  Williams  Roberts,  William 
Manford  Street,  and  others.) 

Publication  29:  The  Churches  of  Christ  in  Rutherford  County, 
History  of  the  Salem  Methodist  Church,  and 
Municipal  Officers  of  the  Town  of 
Murfreesboro  1818-1891). 

Publication  30:  History  of  Rutherford  County  Farm  (including 
insane  asylum  and  the  pest  control  center). 
Architecture  of  Rutherford  County  Farm. 

Publication  31:  The  Rutherford  County  Rifles  (a  group  of  150 
young  men  from  Rutherford  County  who 
volunteered  for  service  in  the  Confederacy). 
Includes  a  list  of  these  men  and  what 
happened  to  them.   Article  on  Violence  in 
Rutherford  County. 

Publication  32:  A  Researcher's  Guide  to  Rutherford  County 

Records  by  David  Rowe ;  Jerry  Sneak  by  Homer 
Pittard  (discovered  after  his  death). 

Publication  33:  Census  and  Tax  Records  for  First  District. 

Publication  3^-    Mattie  Ready-John  Hunt  Morgan  l-.'edding;  Dement 
family;  Two  Gallant  Leaders  at  the  Battle  of 
Murfreesboro . 


The  following  publications  are  also  available  through  the 
Society: 

History  of  Medicine  in  Rutherford  County,  Part  II  (A 
collection  of  Biographies  of  Physicians  Who  Practiced  in  the 
area  during  the  Nineteenth  Century.)   Robert  G.  Ransom,  M.D. 

$16.00  +  $2.00  postage 

Westbrooks ,  WilliamSf  and  Related  Smothermans  of  Rutherford 
County. $14.50  +  $2.00  postage 

Brothers  and  Others  and  Fosterville   $21.00  +  $2.00  postage 
(OUT-OF-PRINT) 

History  of  Versailles  -  OUT  OF  PRINT 

History  of  Rutherford  County  by  C.  C.  Sims  (pub.  1947) 
"  $12.00  +  $2.00  postage 

History  of  Rutherford  County  by  Mabel  Pittard  (pub.  1983) 
$12.50  +  $2.00  postage 

A  History  of  Rutherford  County  Schools,  Vol.  1  (Northern 

section  of  the  County)  $12.00  +  $2.00  postage 

A  History  of  Rutherford  County  Schools,  Vol.  II  (Southern 
section  of  County,  including  Murf reesboro) 

$12.00  +  $2.00  postage 

1840  Rutherford  County  Census  with  Index 
$5.00  +  $2.00  postage 

Deed  Abstracts  of  Rutherford  County,  1803-1810 

$5.00  +  $2.00  postage 

Cemetary  Records  of  Rutherford  County; 

Vol.  I  (Northwestern  third  of  County  and  part  of  Wilson 
and  Davidson  Counties,  256  cemeteries  with  index  and 
maps)  $10.00  +  $2.00  postage 

Vol  ■  II  (Eastern  third  of  County,  cemeteries  with  index 
and  maps.)  $10.00  +  $2.00  postage 

Vol.  Ill  (Southwestern  third  of  Rutherford  County  and 
the  western  part  of  Cannon  County,  241  cemeteries  with 
index  and  maps.)  $10.00  +  $2.00  postage 


The  History  of  Rutherford  County,  Vol.  I,  1799-1828  by 

John  C.  Spence  $25.00  +  $2.00  postage 

The  History  of  Rutherford  County  /  Vol.  II,  1829-1870  by 

John  C.  Spence  $25.00  +  $2.00  postage 

A  Civil  War  Diary  by  John  C.  Spence  $25.00  +  $2.00  postage 

The  Pictorial  History  of  Rutherford  County  by  Mabel  Pittard 
OUT  OF  PRINT 


Map  of  1878  Rutherford  County  (shows  land  owners) 

$3.50  +  $2.00  postage 

Available  from  Mrs.  R.A.Ragland,  P.O.  Box  544,  Murf reesboro, 
TN  37133-0544 

Marriage  Records  of  Rutherford  County 

$10.00  +  $2.00  postage 


Table  of  Contents 


Morgan's  Wedding  Page  1 


Two  Gallant  Leaders  at  the  Battle 

of  Murfreesboro  Page  23 


Pillar  of  Fire  or  Angelic  Agency        Page  49 
Charles  Dement, Tennessee  Pioneer        Page  S'^ 


History  of  Property  at  214'  East 

Main  Street  Page  62 


A  Fifty-Year  History  of  Murfreesboro 

Schools  Page  ?? 


Index  Page  96 


MORGAN'S  WEDDING 

by  Shirley  Farris  Jones 

The  Civil  War  was  a  time  of  uncertainty,  especially 
for  those  living  in  the  recently  established  Confederate 
States  of  America.   Happiness  was  a  brief  interlude  from 
the  reality  of  the  horrors  and  deprivations  inflicted 
upon  a  people  trying  to  protect  their  homeland.   For 
some  it  was  a  bittersweet  time  of  both  joy  and  sorrow. 
Such  is  the  story  of  Martha  Ready  of  Murf reesboro, 
Tennessee  and  John  Hunt  Morgan  of  Lexington,  Kentucky. 


John  Hunt  Morgan  was  born  in  Huntsville,  Alabama  on 
June  1,  1825.   The  first  of  ten  children  of  Henrietta 
Hunt  and  Calvin  Morgan,  John  was  named  for  his 
millionaire  maternal  grandfather,  John  Wesley  Hunt  of 
Lexington,  Kentucky.   Although  Calvin  Morgan  tried 
various  ways  to  become  a  successful  businessman  and 
provide  adequately  for  his  family,  failing  business 
ventures  finally  forced  him  to  relocate  to  Lexington 
when  John  was  six,  thus  becoming  dependent  upon  the 
Hunt's  for  their  livelihood  and  affluent  lifestyle. 

John  Morgan  had  inherited  by  birth  the  status  of 
aristocracy.   Very  handsome,  he  was  tall  (6  feet)  with  a 


strong  and  attractive  athletic  body  and  exhibited 
excellent  horsemanship.   As  a  young  man,  he  was  very 
bashful  and  did  not  feel  comfortable  speaking  before  a 
group.   His  college  career  at  Translyvania  University 
proved  quite  disappointing  and  he  was  suspended  for 
dueling  in  1844.   John  entered  the  military  in  1846, 
after  two  frustrating  years  of  trying  to  "find  himself", 
and  was  elected  second  lieutenant  of  Company  K  of  the 
Kentucky  Volunteers  in  the  war  against  Mexico.    He  was 
then  promptly  promoted  to  first  lieutenant  of  Kentucky's 
Mounted  Volunteers  1st  Regiment.   He  distinguished 
himself  as  a  hero  in  the  battle  at  Buena  Vista,  and 
although  his  enlistment  was  up,  the  war  over,  he  wanted 
desperately  to  continue  his  military  career.   He  had 
gained  self  confidence  through  his  experiences  of  war, 
and  enjoyed  being  welcomed  home  as  the  conquering  hero. 
More  importantly,  he  had  distinguished  himself  as  a 
Morgan  of  Honor  1   He  had  acquired  one  year  of  military 
experience,  although  discipline  was  lax  and  contempt  for 
authority  prevalent.   This  would  shape  his  future 
military  actions. 

Morgan  settled  down  in  Lexington  and  entered  into 
business  with  his  friend,  Sanders  Bruce.   The  Bruce 
family  lived  across  the  street  from  Hopemont,  Morgan's 
ancestoral  home,  and  were  considered  an  established 
manufacturing  family,  wealthy,  successful,  and 


respected.   Perhaps  it  was  only  natural  that  John  Morgan 
should  then  marry  Sanders'  sister,  Rebecca  Bruce.   He 
was  23  and  she  was  18  years  old,  on  their  wedding  day, 
November  21,  1848.   In  1853,  after  five  years  of 
marriage,  she  gave  birth  to  their  first  and  only  child, 
a  son,  who  was  stillborn.   From  that  point  on,  for  the 
duration  of  her  life,  Becky  would  remain  a  victim  of 
poor  health,  despite  trips  to  various  doctors  and  places 
in  a  fruitless  attempt  to  find  a  cure  for  her 
afflictions.   Becky,  suffering  from  both  the  pain  and 
humiliation  of  not  fulfilling  her  role  as  wife  and 
mother,  turned  to  her  mother  for  emotional  support  and 
to  religion  for  comfort.   After  existing  several  years 
as  an  invalid,  confined  to  bed  for  many  months,  she 
finally  died  on  July  21,  1861.   During  this  time, 
Morgan's  behavior  was  typical  of  so  many  Southern 
gentlemen  of  his  time  —  with  Becky  and  his  relatives, 
he  was  always  respectful,  yet  Morgan  never  denied 
himself  any  of  the  wordly  pleasures.   He  was  known  as  a 
favorite  among  women,  as  well  as  a  gambler  and 
libertine.   Morgan's  brother-in-law  and  best  friend, 
Basil  Duke,  expounded  the  Southern  code  of  ethics  when 
he  pointed  out  that  Morgan  never  attempted  to  be 
secretive  or  hypocritical  about  his  diversions,  and  he 
never  did  anything  "which  touched  his  integrity  as  a  man 
and  his  honor  as  a  gentleman."   Duke  later  wrote:   "Like 
the  great  majority  of  the  men  of  his  class  —  the 


gentlemen  of  the  South  —  he  lived  freely,  and  the 
amusements  he  permitted  himself  would,  doubtless,  have 
shocked  a  New  Englander  almost  as  much  as  the  money  he 
spent  in  obtaining  them.  ...  General  Morgan,  with  the 
virtues,  had  some  of  the  faults  of  his  Southern  blood 
and  country." 

Meanwhile,  John's  busines  ventures,  many  of  which 
were  dependent  upon  the  institution  of  slavery, 
flourished.   By  the  late  1850' s,  the  Southern  system  of 
honor  was  wholly  identifiable  in  the  character  of  John 
Morgan,  and  he  had  established  his  identity  and 
respectability  as  Captain  of  the  Lexington  Rifles,  and 
entered  into  the  romantic  social  life  of  antebellum 
Lexington.   VThen  all  of  this  was  threatened,  John  was 
more  than  ready  to  go  to  warl 

Kentucky  found  herself  a  state  divided,  unable  to 
choose  between  North  and  South,  and  therefore  took  the 
position  of  peace  and  neutrality.   Morgan,  however, 
aligned  himself  with  other  Southern  sympathizers  in  the 
state  and  the  Lexington  Rifles  were  among  the  first 
volunteer  companies  to  join  the  State  Guard,  a  newly 
created  pro-Southern  state  militia  organization,  in 
1860.   In  September  of  1861,  the  Lexington  Rifles  left 
to  join  Confederate  forces  and  shorthy  thereafter  Morgan 
began  his  own  type  of  warfare  against  the  enemy  that  had 


driven  him  from  his  home.  He  entered  into  it  with  both 
intensity  and  enjoyment,  which  is  apparent  from  his 
raids  along  the  Green  River.   After  General  Albert 
Sidney  Johnston's  defensive  line  in  Kentucky  collapsed 
early  in  1862,  Morgan's  command  became  part  of  the  thin 
screen  thrown  out  to  protect  Johnston's  army  from  Union 
divisions  under  General  Buell  in  Nashville,  Tennessee. 
On  February  27,  1862  Morgan  moved  his  headquarters  to 
near  Murf reesboro. 

Martha  Ready  Morgan  was  born  near  Murf reesboro, 
Tennessee  on  June  21,  1840.   She  was  the  sixth  of  eight 
children,  and  the  second  of  four  girls,  born  to  Colonel 
Charles  Ready,  Jr.  and  Martha  Strong  Ready.   Mattie  was 
known  to  be  a  "very  attractive  young  woman  of  medium 
height,  with  a  shapely  figure,  a  fair,  creamy 
complexion,  large  blue  eyes,  and  dark  hair."   She 
attended  Soule  College  in  Murf reesboro  and  the  Nashville 
Female  Academy  during  the  1850 's.   Col.  Ready  was  a 
Murfreesboro  attorney,  who  served  Tennessee  as  a  United 
States  representative  before  the  Civil  War  and  a  judge 
afterwards.   While  in  Washington  with  her  family,  Mattie 
was  known  to  be  a  favorite  among  society.   She  was  "the 
first  girl  in  Washington  to  wear  a  curl  on  her  forehead, 
which  was  soon  imitated  by  a  hundred  others." 

The  Ready  family  was  among  the  earliest  and  most 


prominent  Rutherford  County  families.   They  were  known 
to  be  strong  supporters  of  the  Confederacy,  and  offered 
hospitality  to  the  officers  encamped  in  the  area, 
including  the  dashing  cavalryman  from  Kentucky,  General 
John  Hunt  Morgan,  who  arrived  in  Murfreesboro  in  late 
February  of  1862.   One  day  when  Colonel  Ready  was 
visiting  the  army  camp,  he  met  General  Morgan  and 
invited  him  to  dinner.   He  sent  a  slave  home  with  word 
that  "the  famous  Captain  Morgan  was  coming.   Tell  Mattie 
that  Captain  Morgan  is  a  widower  and  a  little  sad.   I 
want  her  to  sing  for  him."   In  a  diary  entry  of  March  3, 
1862,  sister  Alice  describes  a  visit  by  General  Morgan 
to  the  Ready  home  the  previous  evening:   "...  Morgan  is 
an  extremely  modest  man,  but  very  pleasant  and 
agreeable,  though  one  to  see  him  would  scarcely  imagine 
him  to  be  the  daring  reckless  man  he  is.   An  immense 
crowd  collected  at  the  front  door  to  see  him,  two  or 
three  actually  came  in  and  stood  before  the  parlor  door 
...  ."   Although  his  stay  in  Murfreesboro  was  brief. 
Captain  Morgan  made  quite  an  impression  on  the  21  year 
old  beauty.   Following  an  expedition  to  Gallatin,  Morgan 
returned  to  Murfreesboro  to  find  a  Union  cavalry 
regiment  conducting  a  reconnaissance  outside  the  town. 
He  sent  Mattie  a  note  asking  whether  the  town  was  clear 
of  Federals.   She  hurriedly  penned  a  reply:   "They  are 
eight  miles  from  here.   Come  in  haste,"  and  handed  it  to 
a  courier  who  returned  to  Morgan,  ten  miles  to  the 


north.   A  few  hours  later,  in  the  early  morning,  Morgan 
appeared.   He  and  Mattie  talked  until  daylight  and 
family  tradition  holds  that  they  became  engaged  on  that 
March  nineteenth.   At  dawn  John  bade  good-bye  to  Mattie 
by  forming  the  soldiers  on  the  square  and  leading  in  the 
singing  of  "Cheer,  Boys,  Cheer." 

Mattie   was  known  for  her  spirit.   One  day,  in  the 
late  spring  of  1862  while  Murfreesboro  was  under  Federal 
occupation,  she  overheard  some  Union  soldiers  making 
unkind  remarks  about  Morgan.   She  stepped  in  and  gave 
the  Yankees  a  royal  scolding.   When  one  of  the  soldiers 
asked  her  name  she  replied,  "It's  Mattie  Ready  nowl   But 
by  the  grace  of  God,  one  day  I  hope  to  call  myself  the 
wife  of  John  Morgan  I" 

After  a  brief  courtship,  John  Morgan  presented 
Mattie  with  one  of  the  most  unusual  wedding  presents  in 
history.   Following  a  battle  with  Union  forces  in 
Hartsville,  Tennessee  more  than  1,800  Federal  soldiers 
were  captured.  General  Morgan  then  had  them  marched  to 
the  Ready  home  in  Murfreesboro  where  they  were  presented 
to  Mattie  on  her  front  porch.    That  army  of  discomfited 
"boys  in  blue"  came  to  be  known  as  "Gen.  Morgan's 
wedding  present  to  his  bride." 

The  wedding  of  Mattie  Ready  and  John  Hunt  Morgan 


was  held  a.t    the  Ready  home  near  the  Court  House  in 
Murfreesboro  on  Sunday  evening,  December  14,  1862.   The 
Ready  House  was  described  as  having  been  built  in  the 
1350 's,  and  being  a  two-storied  wooden  structure  facing 
East  Main  Street  along  the  whole  block  where  Nations 
Bank  is  currently  located.   The  house  actually  occupied 
the  second  lot  along  East  Main  Street;  the  first  lot  was 
an  ornamental  garden  with  twin  magnolia  trees  right 
across  from  the  Court  House.   Inside  the  house  was  a 
large  hall  with  flanking  parlors.   One  of  these  parlors 
served  as  the  scene  of  the  wedding.   According  to  family 
records  Mattie  wrote  in  later  years,  "Mama  and  Papa's 
room  was  downstairs  and  the  children's  upstairs." 
Windows  from  the  upstairs  rooms  opened  onto  Main  Street. 
Colonel  Ready's  law  office  was  in  the  east  room  on  the 
ground  floor.   This  grand  home  was  the  scene  of  much 
gaiety  and  hospitality  —  and  headquarters  for  both 
armies  during  the  war. 

The  wedding  was  one  of  the  great  social  occasions 
of  the  Confederacy.   Groomsmen  were  Mattie' s  brother, 
Horace  Ready,  an  officer  on  General  William  J.  Hardee's 
staff,  and  Col.  George  St.  Leger  Grenfell,  an  English 
soldier  of  fortune.   General  Leonidis  Polk  performed  the 
ceremony,  while  Generals  Bragg,  Hardee,  Cheatham,  and 
Breckinridge  looked  on  with  the  headquarters  staff. 
President  Jefferson  Davis,  in  Murfreesboro  the  day 


before  the  wedding,  had  promoted  Morgan  to  brigadier 
general . 

In  an  Augus^  31,  1912  issue.  General  Basil  Duke  of 
Louisville  recalled  to  a  News-Banner  reporter  his 
memories  of  that  great  celebration.   "...All  the 
officers  of  high  rank  who  could  reach  Murfreesboro  had 
assembled  for  the  wedding  —  General  Bragg  among  them. 
Distinguished  civilians  were  present  in  great  numbers. 
The  house  was  packed  with  people  to  its  full  capacity 
. . .and  decorated  with  holly  and  winter  berries — the 
lights  from  lamps  and  candles  flashed  on  the  uniforms 
and  the  trappings  of  the  officers,  and  were  reflected  in 
the  bright  eyes  of  the  pretty  Tennessee  girls  who  had 
gathered.   ...The  raven-haired,  black-mustached  Morgan, 
in  his  general's  uniform,  looking  like  a  hero  of 
chivalry,  the  bride,  a  girl  of  rare  beauty,  tall, 
dark-haired,  and  blue  eyes,  with  a  creamy  complexion  and 
perfect  features,  and  standing  before  them,  to  perform 
the  ceremony,  in  his  full  military  uniform.  Bishop  Polk, 
himself  a  general  of  the  Confederate  Army,  and  Bishop  of 
the  Episcopal  Church.  ...Miss  Ready's  bridal  dress  was 
one  of  her  best  ante-bellum  frocks,  for  it  was  not 
possible  at  that  time  to  purchase  material  for  a 
trousseau.   . . .  General  Duke  was  certain  that  the  bride 
could  not  have  worn  anything  more  becoming.   He 
remembers  that  she  wore  a  bridal  veil.  ...  General 


10 


Morgan'  s  att-endants  were  as  dashing  a  set  of  young 
soldiers  as  any  bride  could  wish  ah  her  wedding.  ...Two 
or  three  regimental  bands  had  been  provided  for  the 
occasion.   They  were  stationed  in  the  house  and  on  the 
porch,  and  there  was  plenty  of  music.   Outside  in  the 
streets  thousands  of  soldiers  were  assembled,  who  by  the 
lighted  bonfires,  celebrated  the  wedding  proper  style, 
cheering  Morgan  and  his  bride." 

After  the  wedding  there  was  a  great  supper  served 
in  the  Ready  mansion  where  the  wedding  party  and  invited 
guests  feasted  ...  turkeys,  hams,  chickens,  ducks,  game, 
and  all  the  delicacies  and  good  dishes  a  Southern 
kitchen  could  produce  were  on  the  board,  while  Colonel 
Ready's  cellar  still  had  a  sufficient  stock  of  wine  to 
provide  for  the  many  toasts  proposed  to  the  happy 
couple.   After  the  wedding  supper,  the  bands  were  called 
in  and  the  gallant  soldiers  and  Tennessee  belles  danced 
to  their  heart's  content. 

Eight  days  after  the  wedding,  on  December  22,  1862, 
the  newlyweds  were  separated  when  General  Morgan  and  his 
command  left  for  a  raid  into  Kentucky.   The  second  day 
of  the  raid, on  December  23,  1862,  he  wrote  Mattie  that 
he  hoped  it  would  be  finished  within  six  days. 


"and  then  my  precious  one  I  shall  try  and  get  back 
to  you  as  fast  as  possible  and  then  my  pretty  one 


11 


nothing  shall  induce  me  to  again  leave  you  this 
winter.   How  anxiously  I  am  looking  forward  to  the 
moment  when  I  shall  again  clasp  you  to  a  heart  that 
beats  for  you  alone.   Do  not  forget  me  my  own 
Darling  and  you  may  rest  assured  that  my  whole 
thoughts  are  of  you.   Farewell  my  pretty  wife,  my 
command  is  leaving  I  must  be  off." 


The  raid  was  a  great  success,  and  John  and  Mattie 
hoped  that  it  would  help  to  dispel  speculations  that 
marriage  came  first,  career  second.   Colonel  Grenfell 
had  participated  in  the  wedding  but  said  later  that  he 
had  attempted  to  prevent  it,  as  he  felt  that  marriage 
would  cause  John  to  become  cautious  and  less 
enterprising.   And  Mattie' s  family  had  instructed  her, 
"You  must  remember  your  promises,  not  to  restrain  the 
General  in  his  career  of  glory,  but  encourage  him  to  go 
forward."   She  promised,  but  she  did  not  know  what  a 
profound  influence  she  would  have  on  his  life  and 
career.   He  was  her  hero;  her  knight  in  shinning  armor. 
Following  the  raid  he  wrote,  "The  greatest  pleasure  my 
expedition  has  afforded  is  the  knowledge  that  our  great 
success  will  gratify  and  delight  you."   After  the  war 
Basil  Duke  stated  that  Mattie  "certainly  deserved  to 
exercise  over  him  the  great  influence  she  was  thought  to 
have  possessed."   There  were  hints  that  Mattie  slowed 
Morgan  down,  took  away  his  strength  and  courage,  and 
sent  his  career  on  a  downward  spiral.   The  wedding  came 
at  the  peak  of  his  career,  one  day  after  his  promotion 
to  brigadier  general.   But  instead  of  encouraging  him  to 


12 


set'ile  down  to  regular  cavalry  service,  the  relationship 
with  Mattie  seems  to  have  added  to  the  psychological 
pressure  to  continue  independent  raids,  even  to  the 
point  of  recklessness  and  insubordination. 

Mattie  loved  her  husband  deeply,  and  despite  the 
hardships  of  the  war,  tried  to  be  with  him  whenever  and 
wherever  she  could.   Three  weeks  after  the  wedding, 
following  the  Battle  of  Stones  River  and  Bragg' s  retreat 
from  Middle  Tennessee,  Mattie,  accompanied  by  her  lovely 
sister  Alice,  was  forced  to  take  flight  from  home.  (They 
did  not  see  their  parents  again  until  after  the  war. 
The  Ready  house  was  used  by  Union  General  Rosecrans  for 
his  headquarters  in  Murf reesboro. )    Under  escort  by 
members  of  General  Hardee's  staff,  they  reached  the  army 
at  Winchester,  Tennessee.   Three  weeks  after  the 
wedding,  on  January  6,  1863,  Mattie  wrote: 


"...  Come  to  me  my  own  Darling  quickly.   I  was 
wretched  but  now  I  am  almost  happy  and  will  be 
quite  when  my  precious  husband  is  again  with  me.   I 
can  bear  anything  Darling  when  you  are  with  me,  and 
so  long  as  I  have  your  love — but  when  separated 
from  you  and  I  know  that  you  are  surrounded  by  so 
many  dangers  and  hardships  as  you  have  been  on  your 
last  expedition  I  become  a  weak  nervous  child. 
Have  I  not  lived  a  great  deal,  love,  in  the  last 
three  weeks?   When  I  look  back  now  at  the  time,  it 
seems  three  years.   But  in  each  hour  I  have  passed 
through,  there  has  always  been  one  dear  face  ever 
before  me.  ...  I  have  so  much  to  tell  you,  and  so 
very  much  to  hear  from  you.   Although  I  have  heard 
nothing  from  you  since  you  left  Glasgow,  I  knew  you 
had  accomplished  what  you  had  in  view — but  oh  I  was 
so  anxious  for  your  safety.   I  had  some  dark  days, 
dearest,  and  when  the  battle  was  raging  around  me 


13 


in  such  fury,  and  everybody  from  the 
commander-in-chief  to  the  privates  were  praying  for 
Morgan  to  come,  I  thanked  God  in  the  anguish  of  my 
heart  that  it  was  not  for  me  to  say  where  you 
should  be.  ...  I  love  to  write  to  you.  Dearest,  and 
your  sweet  letters  always  make  me  happy.   It 
grieved  me  that  I  could  send  you  no  word  of  love 
from  my  pen  while  in  Kty.  Both-because  it  would 
have  been  a  relief  to  pour  out  my  heart  to  you,  and 
then.  Darling,  I  feared  you  would  forget  me.   You 
left  me  so  soon.   ...  Good  night,  my  Hero.   My 
dreams  are  of  you." 


One  of  General  Morgan's  first  priorities  was  to 
bring  Mattie  to  his  new  headquarters  in  McMinnville.   He 
wrote,  "Am  determined  to  have  you  near  me.   Cannot  bear 
the  thought  of  your  being  away  from  home  and  ray  not 
being  with  you."   Once  she  came,  Mattie  declared:   "My 
life  is  all  a  joyous  dream  now,  from  which  I  fear  to 
awaken,  and  awake  I  must  when  my  Hero  is  called  to  leave 
me  again.   My  husband  wants  me  to  remain  with  him,  and 
of  course  I  much  prefer  it.   They  say  we  are  a  love  sick 
couple."   This  devotion  to  each  other  was  reflected  in 
John  Morgan's  military  leadership.   After  long  and 
strenuous  marches,  when  even  the  strongest  men  were 
exhausted,  he  would  ride  another  fifty  miles  to  be  with 
her.   Mattie  diverted  his  attention,  and  he  lost  his 
single-minded  devotion  to  the  Cause.   One  night, 
anticipating  attack  from  the  enemy,  he  wrote,  "Altho  I 
fully  expected  to  be  attacked  today,  still  my  thoughts 
were  of  you  and  not  of  war."   Twenty-five  miles  from  the 
hardships  at  the  front  of  battle,  John  and  Mattie 


1^ 


ext:ended  their  honeymoon  into  the  spring.   Nearly  every 
afternoon  they  made  an  elegant  appearance,  riding 
horseback  into  the  country — she  in  a  beautiful  black 
riding  habit,  hat,  and  veil,  he  in  a  blue  roundabout 
jacket  with  brass  buttons,  blue  pants  tucked  into  shiny 
cavalry  boots  with  spurs,  and  black  felt  hat  fastened  up 
at  the  side.   A  correspondent  for  the  Richmond  Enquirer 
observed  that  Mattie's  "full-blown  figure  was  certainly 
"apropos  to  the  sterling  manhood  of  Morgan.   She  loves 
him  very  ardently,  and  I  doubt  not  that  the  affair  was 
entirely  one  of  the  affections.   They  take  long  strolls 
every  afternoon,  and  the  evidences  of  attachment  . . .  are 
delicate  and  dignified  upon  both  sides." 

With  Middle  Tennessee  under  Federal  occupation,  and 
Mattie  choosing  to  remain  with  John  behind  Confederate 
lines,  arrangements  for  Mattie's  escape  in  case  of  enemy 
attack  were  always  first  and  foremost  in  his  mind.   John 
provided  an  ambulance  and  wagon  and  kept  her  informed  on 
the  most  feasible  escape  route.   She  kept  her  bags 
packed  for  immediate  evacuation.   On  April  19,  1863, 
Colonel  Robert  Minty's  Michigan  cavalry  burst  through 
picket  lines  and  into  Morgan's  headquarters  at 
McMinnville.   Two  officers  were  seriously  wounded  while 
creating  a  diversion  to  give  Morgan  time  to  put  Mattie 
in  the  ambulance  and  send  her  racing  out  of  town.   John 
and  his  headquarters  escort  escaped  on  horseback  across 


15 


the  fields.   Mattie  was  captured  but  immediately 
released. 

This  was  a  foretaste  of  what  was  to  become  habitual 
for  Mattie  —  flights  before  the  enemy,  lonely  vigils, 
brief  intervals  with  her  husband.   In  the  summer  of 
1863,  during  the  Confederacy's  "farthest  north"  raid. 
General  Morgan  was  captured  and  imprisoned  in  Columbus, 
Ohio.   He  wrote  to  her  two  or  three  times  a  week  in 
terms  of  cheer  and  confidence,  but  his  concern  for  her 
steadily  increased.   During  this  time  the  "happy"  days 
were  over  for  Mattie.   She  and  Alice  became  war-time 
refugees  —  in  Knoxville,  in  Augusta,  Georgia,  in 
Knoxville  again,  and  finally  in  Danville,  Virginia. 
Mattie  wanted  to  be  as  near  Richmond  as  possible  in 
order  to  do  everything  she  could  to  speed  up  the  parole 
of  her  beloved  husband.   When  they  heard  that  their 
brother  Horace  was  wounded  at  Chickamauga,  Alice  hurried 
off  to  take  care  of  him.   Alone  and  desperately  anxious, 
Mattie  grew  seriously  ill.   Her  baby  daughter  was  born 
prematurely  and  lived  only  a  short  time. 

General  Morgan  made  his  miraculous  escape  from  the 
Ohio  prison  on  November  27,  1863  (the  day  his  daughter 
was  born)  and  managed  to  reach  Mattie  in  time  for 
Christmas.   It  was  later  felt  that  John's  overwhelming 
desire  to  be  with  her  inspired  this  reckless  plan.  After 
the  couple  was  reunited,  they  were  more  devoted  than 


16 


ever.   And  more  determined  than  ever  to  be  together. 
They  even  made  a  covenant  to  this  effect.   Mattie 
accompanied  him  to  Richmond  in  early  January  of  1864  for 
a  nearly  three  month  ovation  in  the  capitol.   They  were 
wined,  dined,  and  extensively  made  over.   He  was 
celebrated  as  the  South' s  great  hero;  Mattie  enjoyed  it 
all  and  continued  to  gain  strength. 

At  the  end  of  March  1864,  General  Morgan  was  given 
command  of  the  Confederacy's  Southwestern  Virginia 
Department  (which  included  part  of  east  Tennessee)  and 
they  moved  to  the  headquarters  in  Abingdon,  Virginia. 
This  was  Morgan's  first  and  only  departmental  command 
and  one  of  the  most  undesirable  in  the  entire  army.   The 
next  few  months  brought  a  different  picture  into  focus. 
At  this  time  in  his  career,  Morgan  was  a  very 
disenchanted  man.  There  were  clouds  of  suspicion  and 
disgrace  from  previous  unauthorized  military  actions 
hovering  around  him  and  a  court  of  inquiry  threatening 
to  ruin  his  career.   His  intense  love  for  Mattie  was  the 
only  bright  spot  in  his  life  during  this  dark  time.   On 
his  way  back  to  Abingdon  from  the  Last  Kentucky  Raid,  he 
wrote:   "How  very  anxious  I  am  to  see  you  &  to  hold  you 
in  my  arms.   Do  not  think  I  shall  permit  myself  to  be 
separated  from  you  again."   His  appearance  indicated 
that  he  was  a  tired,  sick  man  who  had  aged  considerably, 
and  Basil  Duke,  who  had  just  been  released  from  the  Ohio 


17 


prison,  was  appalled  at  the  change  in  Morgan.   The  new 
command  was  a  mixed  group,  with  many  untrustworthy 
elements  among  them,  while  most  of  his  former  command 
was  still  in  prison  in  Ohio.  During  the  summer  while 
operating  in  Greenville,  Tennessee  he  revoked  the  parole 
of  a  Union  officer  whom  a  townswoman  by  the  name  of  Lucy 
Williams  had  "befriended"  and  it  was  always  believed  by 
Morgan's  family  and  friends  that  it  was  she  who  sought 
revenge. 

On  August  28/29,  1864,  General  Morgan  and  his  men 
once  again  rode  off  from  Abingdon,  Virginia  to 
Greenville,  Tennessee.   Even  though  Tennessee  was  a 
Confederate  state,  it  was  widely  divided,  and  this  part 
of  east  Tennessee  was  very  pro-Union.   Though  strongly 
advised  to  the  contrary  on  separating  himself  from  his 
men,  Morgan  selected  the  largest  and  most  comfortable 
house  in  the  area  for  his  headquarters,  that  of  Mrs. 
Catherine  Williams,  a  friend  of  Mattie's  family.   Mrs. 
Williams  had  three  sons,  two  of  whom  fought  for  the 
Confederacy  and  one  for  the  Union.   The  Union 
soldier-son  was  married  to  Lucy,  a  woman  of  questionable 
character.  Although  there  was  no  evidence  to  actually 
prove  Lucy's  betrayal  as  to  informing  the  Federals  of 
Morgan's  whereabouts,  it  was  generally  accepted  that 
this  was  indeed  the  case.   She  herself  never  denied  the 
accusations  and  Joe  Williams  began  divorce  proceedings 


18 

almost  immediately.   He  later  visited  the  Ready  family 
in  Murfreesboro. 

Four  days  after  leaving  Mattie  in  Abingdon,  a  Union 
cavalry  force,  commanded  by  Military  Governor  of 
Tennessee  Andrew  Johnson's  adjutant  general,  Alvan  C. 
Gillera,  surprised  the  Confederates  and  John  Hunt  Morgan 
was  shot  and  killed  by  Union  private,  Andrew  J. 
Campbell.   (it  was  believed  that  Johnson,  himself  a 
native  of  Greenville,  felt  it  his  duty  to  promote  the 
Union  cause  in  the  area  and  was  particularly  offended  by 
Morgan  being  recognized  as  a  hero  by  Southern 
sympathizers.)   Morgan  was  the  only  headquarters 
officer  killed,  and  many  believe  that  he  was  murdered 
after  surrender  and  his  body  desecrated.   Others  feel 
that  he  chose  death  over  surrender  and  indefinite 
separation  from  Mattie.   Perhaps  the  covenant  he  and 
Mattie  had  agreed  upon  previously  entered  into  his 
decision  to  gamble  on  life,  rather  than  death.   This  was 
on  September  4,  1864  —  the  same  day  that  Atlanta  fell. 

Mattie  learned  of  her  husband's  death  and  claimed 
his  body  under  a  flag  of  truce.   Grief  stricken  and 
pregnant,  she  returned  to  Augusta,  Georgia  to  stay  with 
relatives.    Seven  months  after  the  death  of  General 
John  Hunt  Morgan,  Mattie  gave  birth  to  their  daughter, 
and  named  her  Johnnie.  (Johnnie  Hunt  Morgan  was  born  on 


19 


April  7,  1865,  just  two  days  before  General  Lee's 
surrender.)   The  child  was  a  great  comfort  to  Mattie  in 
her  grief.    During  the  summer  of  1865,  Mattie  and 
little  Johnnie  returned  to  her  parents'  home  in 
Murf reesboro,  where  she  devoted  most  of  her  time  and 
energy  to  raising  her  young  child  and  representing  her 
late  husband  as  the  widow  of  a  Lost  Cause  hero.   Her 
home,  her  family,  and  the  Southern  way  of  life  she  had 
previously  known  were  gone  forever.   The  period 
following  the  war  years  was  a  difficult  time  for 
everyone,  and  the  Ready  family  was  no  exception.   In 
1870,  in  order  to  help  alleviate  the  shortage  of  family 
funds,  the  "New  Ready  House"  opened  as  a  boarding  house, 
with  Mattie' s  brother,  Ex-Colonel  Horace  Ready,  as  its 
proprietor,  "keeping  a  ledger  of  those  who  came  to 
dinner  and  to  spend  the  night."   This  was  after  the 
"Great  Fire"  in  Murf reesboro  in  1868,  when  perhaps  the 
old  house  was  either  burned  or  badly  damaged. 

Mattie  remarried  on  January  30,  1873  after  about 
eight  years  of  widowhood.   Her  second  husband  was  Judge 
William  H.  Williamson  of  Lebanon  and  they  were  the 
parents  of  five  children.   In  the  early  1880 's,  Mattie 
was  described  in  Prominent  Tennesseans  as  "noted  for  her 
fine  address,  intellectual  vigor  and  cultivation,  her 
strength  of  character  and  devotion  to  her  children. 
Handsome  in  person,  and  clothed  with  the  graces  of  the 


20 


highest  order  of  womanhood,  she  is  naturally  of  great 
influence  in  the  community."   Martha  Ready  Morgan 
Williamson  died  on  November  16,  1887  at  the  age  of  47. 
Her  love  for  Morgan  was  apparent  even  after  death.   On 
her  tombstone  is  the  following  inscription,  "Our  Mother 
-  First  the  wife  of  Gen'l  John  H.  Morgan  -  And  then  of 
Judge  Wm.  H.  Williamson." 

Six  months  after  her  mother's  death,  Johnnie 
married  the  Rev.  Joseph  W.  Caldwell.   On  June  28,  1888, 
shortly  after  her  honeymoon,  Johnnie  died  of  typhoid 
fever,  thereby  leaving  no  direct  descendants  of  John 
Hunt  and  Martha  Ready  Morgan. 


21 


SOURCES: 

Article  from  the  FREE  PRESS,  Murf reesboro,  Tennessee, 
Sunday,  February  28,  1988. 

Arnette,  C.B.   From  Mink  Slide  to  Main  Street.  Williams 
Printing  Company,  Nashville,  TN,  1991. 

Jones,  Katharine  M.,  Ed.   Heroines  of  Dixie;   Spring  of 
High  Hopes,  Bobbs-Merrill ,  1955.      ~ 

Memoirs  of  General  Basil  W.  Duke,  interview  with 

"NEWS -BANNER"  reporter,  Louisville,  Kentucky,  August  31, 

1912. 

Neff,  Robert  0.   Unpublished  manuscript  based  on 
interview  and  information  obtained  from  Mrs.  Samuel  B. 
Gilreath  of  Lebanon, Tennessee  in  1985.   Mrs.  Gilreath  is 
the  granddaughter  of  Mattie  and  Judge  Williamson. 

Pittard,  Mabel.   History  of  Rutherford  County,  Memphis 
State  University  Press,  1984. 

Ramage,  James  A.  Rebel  Raider;  The  Life  of  General 
John  Hunt  Morgan,  The  University  Press  of  Kentucky — 
Lexington,  KY,  1986. 

"Tennessee  Historical  Quarterly",  Spring,  1991,  vol.  L. 
No .  1 .  ' 


22 


Shirley  Farris  Jones  is  a  staff  member  at  Middle 
Tennessee  State  University,  Mur f reesboro,  Tennessee.  She 
is  currently  serving  her  fourth  term  as  President  of  the 
Rutherford  County  Historical  Society.   she  also  serves 
as  Vice  President  of  Friends  of  Stones  River  National 
Battlefield  and  1st  Vice  President  of  the  Martha  Ready 
Morgan  Chapter  of  the  United  Daughters  of  the 
Confederacy.   A  direct  descentant  of  three  Confederate 
grandfathers,  she  is  a  member  of  the  Real 
Great-grandaughter' s  Club  of  the  UDC.  "Civil  War  history 
is  more  than  just  a  hobby,  it  has  been  a  "passion"  since 
childhood,"  according  to  Ms.  Jones,  who  has  had  several 
articles  published  previously  in  "Civil  War  Regiments," 
"The  Journal  of  Confederate  History,"  and  the  United 
Daughters  of  the  Confederacy  monthly  magazine.   This 
research  was  done  in  conjunction  with  Newmark  Publishing 
U.S.A.,  Louisville,  KY,  for  the  "Orphan  Brigade: 
Journey  Through  the  Civil  War"  limited  edition  prints 
series  by  artist  John  Paul  Strain.   "Morgan's  Wedding" 
was  the  sixth  of  this  series  to  be  released. 


TWO  GALLANT  LEADERS  AT  THE  BATTLE  OF  MURFREESBORO* 
Harris  D.  Riley,  Jr.,  M.D. 


*From  the  Children's  Hospital  of  Oklahoma,  University  of  Oklahoma 
Health  Sciences  Center,  Oklahoma  City,  Oklahoma 


"In  the  cedar-brakes  that  border  the  stream  of 
Stone  River,  in  Tennessee,  was  fought  on  the 
last  day  of  1862  an  action  that  must  always  be 
memorable  in  the  history  of  war.  When  first 
its  story  was  flashed  over  the  land,  men  only 
saw  that  a  battle,  fierce  and  terrible  beyond 
all  previous  example  in  the  West,  had  been 
delivered.  . . .  But  when  the  true  relations  of 
this  contest  came  to  be  apprehended,  it  was 
perceived  to  have  a  weight  and  meaning  beyond 
that  which  attaches  to  any  mere  passage  of 
arms--it  was  seen  that  it  bore  upon  the  whole 
life  of  the  rebellion.  . . .We  readily  discern 
that  it  is  one  of  those  few  pivotal  actions 
upon  which,  in  very  truth,  turned  the  whole 
issue  of  the  war  (1)." 


This  is  how  William  Swinton  in  his  The  Twelve  Decisive  Battles 
of  the  War  characterized  the  Civil  War  battle  of  Murfreesboro  (or 
Stones  River)  in  Middle  Tennessee  which  took  place  on  December  31, 
1862- January  2,  1863.  As  battles  go,  the  fierce  and  far-reaching 
encounter  at  Murfreesboro  between  Braxton  Bragg 's  Confederate  Army 
of  Tennessee  and  William  Rosecrans ' s  Federal  Army  of  the 
Cumberland  ranks  as  one  of  the  bloodiest  ever  (2). 

Heroes  were  numerous  on  each  side  at  Murfreesboro.  Of  the 
many,  I  have  selected  two  —  one  from  each  side  —  to  tell  about 
because  of  the  key  role  each  played  in  the  battle.  They  were 
Brigadier  General  James  E.  Rains,  Confederate  States  Army, 
commander  of  the  2nd  brigade,  McCown's  division  of  General 
Hardee's  corps  (Fig.  1)  and  Colonel  George  Washington  Roberts, 
United  States  Army,  commander  of  the  3rd  brigade,  Sheridan's 
division  of  McCook's  right  wing  (Fig.  2).  Although  they  were 
opponents  in  the  battle,  there  were  certain  pertinent  similarities 
between  them.  Both  were  graduates  of  Yale  University.  Both 
belonged  to  the  same  social  fraternity  —  Delta  Kappa  Epsilon.  In 
civilian  life  both  were  attorneys.   Both  were  killed  leading 


23 


24 


charges  in  the  battle.  However,  before  looking  at  their  individual 
roles,  let  us  consider  the  general  military  situation,  and 
particularly  that  in  the  Western  theater,  in  late  1862. 

December,  1862--the  last  month  of  the  first  full  year  of  the 
Civil  War — showed  a  military  picture  quite  different  from  that  of 
the  summer  and  early  fall.  Confederate  arms  had  been  victorious 
on  the  Peninsula  in  Virginia,  at  Second  Manassas  and  for  a  time  in 
Kentucky  and  at  Sharpsburg  in  Maryland  had  held  its  position  in  the 
face  of  an  army  twice  as  large.  Despite  this  there  were  foreboding 
signs  for  the  Confederacy.  In  Virginia,  Burnside's  Army  of  the 
Potomac  was  obviously  preparing  for  direct  action  against  Lee  at 
Fredericksburg;  in  Middle  Tennessee,  Bragg  at  Murf reesboro, 
southeast  of  Nashville,  was  confronted  by  a  readying  Rosecrans  at 
Nashville,  and  on  the  Mississippi  Grant  was  building  up  for  a  drive 
by  land  or  by  river  against  Vicksburg.  In  Arkansas,  from  New 
Orleans  and  along  the  Carolina,  Georgia,  and  Texas  coasts  smaller 
forces  were  preparing  to  attack  the  Confederacy.  Offshore  there 
was  always  the  naval  blockade,  although  penetrated  by  the 
spectacular  roaming  of  CSS  Alabama.  President  Davis  of  the 
Confederacy,  well  aware  of  the  threat  of  the  poised  Northern 
armies,  was  attempting  to  gather  his  widely  spread  forces  together 
despite  lack  of  men  and  materiel  (3). 


On  December  26,  1882,  Major  General  William  S.  Rosecrans,  and  2^ 
his  Federal  Army  of  the  Cumberland  numbering  some  47,000  officers 
and  men,  launched  an  offensive  southeast  from  Nashville,  Tennessee. 
His  immediate  target  was  the  Confederate  Army  of  Tennessee  which 
was  at  Murfreesboro  blocking  the  main  road  and  railway  routes  to 
Chattanooga.  It  was  under  the  command  of  General  Braxton  Bragg 
and  numbered  slightly  less  than  38,000  troops  (4). 

Rosecrans'  army  consisted  of  three  corps  commanded,  from  right 
to  left,  by  Generals  Alexander  McD.  McCook,  George  H.  Thomas  and 
Thomas  L.  Crittenden.  Rosecrans'  plan  was  to  turn  the  Confederate 
left  while  refusing  Crittenden's  corps  (5). 

The  Union  army  required  four  days  to  march  the  25  to  30  miles, 
being  retarded  by  rain,  fog,  and  the  highly  effective  delaying 
tactics  of  "Fighting  Joe"  Wheeler's  Confederate  cavalry.  In  fact, 
the  advance  was  virtually  one  continuous  skirmish,  in  which  the 
Federal  infantry  was  forced  to  deploy  at  every  hillcrest.  The 
Union  cavalry  was  not  so  well  handled  and  as  a  consequence 
Rosecrans  was  ignorant  of  his  opponent's  moves  while  Bragg  was  well 
informed  by  Wheeler  (6). 

By  the  evening  of  December  30,  it  was  obvious  to  both 
commanders  that  preparatory  maneuvering  was  over  and  the  next  day 
would  see  the  onset  of  battle  along  the  banks  of  Stones  River. 
Interestingly,  each  was  planning  to  attack  the  other's  right. 
Early  in  the  evening  of  the  30th  Rosecrans  sent  orders  to  Major 
General  McCook  to  have  large  camp  fires  built  on  his  right  to 
deceive  the  enemy,  making  him  think  that  troops  were  being  massed 
there.  Murfreesboro  has  been  criticized  as  a  place  to  do  battle 
because  it  was  vulnerable  to  attack  from  several  different 
directions  ( 7 ) . 


The  Confederate  division  of  Breckinridge  was  left  east  across 
Stones  River,  northwest  of  Murf reesboro,  while  Hardee's  other  two 
divisions--McCown  (4,500)  and  Cleburne  (7,000) — moved  into  position 
opposite  the  Federal  right.  The  Confederate  center  was  held  by 
Polk's  two  divisions:  Withers  (8,500)  in  front,  and  Cheatham 
(5,500)  to  his  rear.  McCown's  division  was  to  attack  at  dawn  (8). 
The  alignment  of  the  opposing  forces  early  on  the  morning  of  the 
Dec.  31,  the  first  day  of  the  battle,  is  shown  in  Fig.  3. 

Brigadier  General  James  E.  Rains  commanded  the  2nd  brigade, 
one  of  three  brigades  of  McCown's  division  directed  by  Major 
General  J.  P.  McCown.  Rains'  brigade  contained  the  3rd  and  9th 
Georgia  battalions,  the  29th  North  Carolina  and  the  11th  Tennessee 
Infantry  regiments,  and  the  Eufaula  (Alabama)  light  artillery. 
It  was  on  the  far  left  of  the  Confederate  line  (9)  (Fig.  3). 


BATTLE-FIELDS  OF 

Stones  River  Tenn. 

Dec.  31- Jan.  3  1862-3 


The  Federal  right,  where  the  initial  Confederate  blew  was  ^ 
about  to  fall,  was  held  by  McCook's  corps;  Johnson's  division 
(6,300)  was  on  the  extreme  right  flank,  on  the  Franklin  road,  with 
the  divisions  of  J.  C.  Davis  (4,600)  and  Sheridan  (5,000)  extending 
left  to  the  Wilkinson  Pike.  Negley's  division  (4,700),  of  Thomas's 
corps  was  in  the  center  of  the  line.  Crittenden's  division  of 
Palmer  (4,400)  and  Wood  (5,100)  extended  the  line  to  the  river. 
In  conformity  to  the  Union  plan  of  attacking  with  their  own  left, 
two  divisions  were  in  assembly  areas  behind  this  f lank--Rousseau' s 
(6,200)  of  Thomas's  corps,  and  Van  Clave ' s  (3,800)  of  Crittenden' s. 
Two  of  Thomas's  divisions  were  absent:  Mitchell's  was  garrisoning 
Nashville;  Reynolds  was  pursuing  General  John  Hunt  Morgan's 
Confederate  raiders.  Only  one  brigade  of  Fry's  division  took  part 
in  the  battle;  one  arrived  on  January  2  and  the  other  was  pursuing 
Morgan.  Rosecrans  had  ordered  his  attack  to  start  at  7:00  a.m., 
after  his  troops  had  eaten  breakfast  (10). 

Colonel  George  W.  Roberts,  U.S.A.,  commanded  the  3rd  brigade, 
one  of  three  brigades  of  the  3rd  division  under  the  direction  of 
Brigadier  General  Phillip  H.  Sheridan  of  McCook's  right  wing.  It 
was  made  up  of  the  22nd,  27th,  42nd,  and  51st  Illinois  Infantry 
regiments  (11).  It  was  located  on  the  left  of  McCook's  right  wing 
(Fig.  3). 

Bragg  gained  the  ascendancy  in  the  battle  by  moving  first. 
He  ordered  General  Hardee  commanding  the  far  left  of  the 
Confederate  line  to  attack  the  enemy  at  daylight  on  Wednesday, 
December  31,  the  attack  to  be  taken  up  by  Lieutenant  General 
Polk's  command  in  succession  to  the  right  flank  (Fig.  3). 

As  the  11,000  Confederate  infantrymen  of  McCown  and  Cleburne's 
divisions  moved  in  the  half-light  of  early  morning  against  McCook's 


extreme  right,  about  at  the  juncture  of  Grisham  Lane  with  the  dirt  28 
road  to  Franklin,  the  full  force  of  their  attack  fell  on  the 
brigades  of  Kirk  and  Willich  of  Brigadier  General  Richard  W. 
Johnson's  division  of  that  corps.  Kirk's  men  were  up  and  under 
arms,  with  a  strong  picket  line  in  their  front;  but  just  about 
dawn  some  of  the  horses  of  their  artillery  were  unhitched  and 
taken  to  water.  It  was  at  this  moment  that  the  yelling 
Confederates  came  swarming  into  them.  The  resulting  confusion  was 
compounded  when  General  Kirk  was  mortally  wounded  in  the  first  few 
minutes  of  the  engagement.  General  Willich  was  not  with  his 
brigade,  having  gone  to  see  General  Johnson.  His  men  were  cooking 
and  eating  breakfast,  their  arms  stacked.  Willich,  returning,  was 
captured  before  giving  an  order.  The  surprised  Federals  fought 
gallantly,  but  over-matched  and  confused,  were  forced  to  retreat 
(12). 

McCown's  2nd  brigade,  under  Brigadier  General  James  E.  Rains, 
had  marched  directly  west,  staying  south  of  the  Franklin  road,  then 
turned  sharply  north,  sweeping  across  the  road  and  around  the  right 
flank  of  the  Union  position.  It  led  the  Confederate  attack.  Also 
swinging  around  the  Federal  right  wing  and  vigorously  slashing  at 
their  right  and  rear  was  Brigadier  General  John  A.  Wharton's 
cavalry  brigade,  which  succeeded  in  capturing  about  1,500 
prisoners,  a  four  gun  battery,  several  hundred  wagons,  and 
generally  spreading  terror  behind  the  front  line.  One  of  the 
Federal  commanders  said  he  saw  cavalry  on  his  right,  infantry 
assailing  his  left,  and  heavy  masses  rushing  to  assault  his  front. 
The  only  alternative  to  annihilation  or  capture  was  to  be  at  a 
rapid  retreat  (13). 

Two  of  the  three  Yankee  brigades  were  overwhelmed.   Leaving 


their  artillery  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  the  brigades  broke  up   29 
and  streamed  back  to  the  northwest  (14). 

The  Confederates  were  pressing  with  fury  and  driving  the 
Federals  on  McCook's  right,  but  they  were  paying  a  heavy  price  in 
lives.  As  his  brigade  slashed  into  the  Union  lines.  General  Rains 
himself  was  shot  through  the  chest,  falling  from  his  horse 
mortally  wounded.  Rains'  last  words  were,  "Forward,  my  brave 
boys.  Forward!"  His  men  pushed  on  (15).  A  Captain  McCauley,  who 
was  with  Rains  watched  spellbound,  then  attempted  to  tell  one  of 
his  men  that  Rains  had  been  hit,  only  to  have  a  bullet  rip  through 
his  rib  cage,  knock  him  to  the  ground,  and  paralyze  his  right  leg. 
McCauley  states  that  the  site  at  which  Rains  was  killed  was  reached 
after  driving  the  enemy  approximately  one  and  one-half  miles  (16). 
General  McCown  reported  that  Rains  was  shot  through  the  heart  at 
the  moment  the  enemy  was  routed  (17).  Rains'  brigade  suffered  199 
casualties  ( 18) . 


jf"-**--. 


James  Edwards  Rains  was  born  in  Wilson  County,  Tennessee, 
April  10,  1833  (19).  He  was  the  son  of  Rev.  John  and  Lucinda 
Rains.  His  father's  means  being  limited,  young  Rains  was  obliged 
to  work  to  assist  in  the  support  of  the  family;  up  to  his 
seventeenth  year  he  had  attended  school  but  five  months.  At  this 
time  he  entered  Washington  Institute,  a  seminary  near  Nashville 
and  attended  for  one  five-month  session.  He  was  then  sent  to 
Connecticut  where  he  was  under  a  private  tutor  for  a  few  weeks. 
Rains  then  entered  the  sophomore  class  at  Yale  University  (20). 
He  joined  Delta  Kappa  Epsilon.  James  Rains  was  greatly  beloved 
by  his  classmates.  After  graduating  from  Yale  in  the  class  of  1854 
at  the  age  of  21,  he  returned  to  Tennessee  and  assumed  charge  of 
Millwood  Academy  in  Cheatham  Co.  (21).  Rains  held  this  position 
for  two  years  and  in  his  spare  time  prepared  himself  for  the 
profession  of  law.  He  then  entered  the  law  office  of  John  Trimble 
of  Nashville  and  devoted  himself  to  legal  studies  until  admitted 
to  the  bar.  Taking  an  interest  in  politics,  he  stumped  Tennessee 
during  the  gubernatorial  canvass  of  1857,  and  made  frequent 
speeches  in  behalf  of  the  candidates  opposed  to  the  Democratic 
ticket.  After  the  election,  Rains  became  associate  editor  of  the 
the  Nashville  Banner,  the  oldest  political  journal  in  Tennessee, 
and  a  long  recognized  exponent  of  Whig  doctrines.  He  performed 
most  effectively  in  this  capacity  during  the  one  year  period  with 
the  newspaper.  In  1858,  he  resumed  the  practice  of  law  and  was 
elected  city  attorney  of  Nashville.  During  his  term  of  office,  he 
compiled  and  published  in  book  form  the  corporation  statues  (22). 
On  June  22,  1858  Rains  was  married  to  Miss  Ida  Yeatman,  a 
step-daughter  of  U.S.  Senator  and  Presidential  Candidate  John  Bell 
of  Tennessee.   They  had  one  child,  a   daughter  born  in  1859.   In 


1860,  he  served  as  district  attorney  general  for  the  counties  of   31 
Davidson,  Williamson,  and  Sumner  (23).   Rains  was  said  to  oppose 
secession  and  had  voted  for  the  Bell  and  Everett   ticket  in  the 
presidential  campaign  of  1860  (24).   However,  he  went  with  his 
native  state  of  Tennessee  when  it  seceded. 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War  Rains  enlisted  in  April,  1861 
as  a  private  in  the  11th  Tennessee  Infantry.  He  was  elected  and 
commissioned  colonel  of  the  regiment  on  May  10,  1861,  which  was 
ordered  to  East  Tennessee.  During  the  winter  of  1861-62,  Rains 
occupied  Cumberland  Gap  in  East  Tennessee,  but  was  finally  flanked 
out  of  his  position  by  superior  manpower  in  June,  1862.  Rains' 
bravery  at  Cumberland  Gap  became  well-known  (25).  When  Kirby  Smith 
advanced  into  Kentucky,  he  left  Stevenson's  division,  including  a 
brigade  under  Rains,  to  operate  against  Federal  General  Morgan  in 
the  Gap.  For  his  services  in  forcing  Morgan  northward.  Rains  was 
promoted  to  brigadier  general  on  November  4,  1862.  He  was  made 
brigade  commander  and  was  assigned  to  Major  General  John  T. 
McCowan's  division  of  Lieutenant  General  Hardee's  corps  positioning 
near  Murfreesboro  (26). 

Brigadier  General  St.  John  R.  Liddell,  a  brigade  commander  in 
Cleburne's  division  at  Murfreesboro,  states  that  on  the  night 
before  the  battle  opened,  he  encountered  "young  General  Rains  of 
Nashville,"  now  commanding  a  brigade  under  Major  General  McCown, 
in  conversation  with  General  Cleburne  in  a  deserted  house  near  the 
battlefield.  Liddell  goes  on  to  state,  "I  soon  found  Rain  (sic) 
to  be  an  able  and  prompt  officer.  By  reference  to  my  locality  the 
day  before,  he  quickly  made  known  to  me  my  new  position  which  had 
been  taken  in  the  dark.  This  brave  young  man  was  killed  the  next 
day  at  the  head  of  his  men.   His  death  was  greatly  regretted." 


Professor  N.C.  Hughes,  the  editor  of  Liddell's  Record,  commented: 
"Not  yet  thirty.  Rains  had  made  his  mark  politically  in  middle 
Tennessee.  As  a  lawyer  turned  soldier,  he  proved  to  be  a  leader 
and  promised  to  become  an  effective  general"  (27). 

General  John  P.  McCown,  division  commander,  terming  Rains  "a 
gallant  officer  and  accomplished  gentlemen,"  praised  his 
performance  in  the  battle  and  his  great  value  to  the  army  (28). 


When  McCown's  men  had  exhausted  their  momentum,  Cleburne  moved 
up  and  continued  the  assault.  Meanwhile  the  front  brigades  of 
Polk's  left  were  driving  in  on  the  right  of  Cleburne  and  McCown, 
and  Wharton's  cavalry  had  swung  around  the  Federal  right  and 
smashed  at  their  right  and  rear  (29)  (Fig.  3). 

Following  the  rout  of  Johnson's  division,  the  Confederates 
fell  on  Brigadier  General  Jefferson  C.  Davis'  division  driving  it 
back  towards  the  Nashville  Pike.  Davis'  troops  were  able  to  delay 
the  Confederates  only  long  enough  for  Brigadier  General  Phillip 
H.  Sheridan  to  prepare  his  men  to  receive  the  first  shock  of  the 
Southern  attack.  Sheridan's  command,  the  left  division  of  McCook's 
corps,  received  the  first  attack  on  terrain  that  was  largely 
cultivated  and  thus  had  little  cover.  Nevertheless,  they  threw  off 
three  successive  attacks  made  by  the  brigades  of  Cheatham  and 
Withers  from  Polk's  left  (30).  Robert's  brigade  was  in  the  center 
of  this  ferocious  fight  (Fig.  3). 

About  9:30  a.m.  Sheridan  counterattacked  with  Robert's  brigade 
and  gained  sufficient  time  to  withdraw  to  a  new  position  behind 
the  Nashville  Pike  and  at  a  right  angle  to  Negley's  division  (31). 

Finally,  however,  as  Cleburne  pressed  in  on  Wither ' s  left, 
Sheridan  was  overpowered  by  the  envelopment  and  the  enfilading 
artillery  fire  and  was  forced  to  give  way  towards  the  Nashville 
Pike.  Rousseau's  division  had  been  sent  to  Sheridan's  support,  but 
there  was  no  stopping  the  fury  of  the  Confederate  drive.  Rousseau 
was  swept  back,  and  even  Sheridan  was  forced  to  withdraw.  As 
Sheridan  commenced  to  fall  back,  Patton  Anderson's  brigade  of 
Wither 's  division  moved  against  the  division  of  Major  General 
Negley  posted  in  a  dense  cedar  glade  on  Thomas'  right,  near  the 
Wilkinson  Pike.   Federal  artillery  raked  the  cotton  field  across 


33 


which  Anderson's  men  had  to  advance,  repulsing  Anderson's  first 
charge.  But  A.  P.  Stewart's  brigade  was  brought  up  in  support, 
and  the  Confederates  charged  again.  The  Federals  fell  back, 
abandoning  eleven  cannons,  most  of  which  had  belonged  to 
Sheridan's  division,   and  which  had  caused  such  havoc  (32). 

So  determined  and  irresistible  was  the  Confederate  attack  and 
follow-through  that  by  10:00  a.m.  they  had  put  Johnson's  and  Davis' 
division  of  McCook's  corps  to  flight  in  a  wide  sweep  of  four  or 
five  miles  to  the  Nashville  Pike  (Fig.  4).  Sheridan's  division  was 
still  fighting  hard  during  this  period.  Indeed  Sheridan's  troops 
were  never  put  to  flight.  Sheridan's  left  brigade  under  Colonel 
George  W.  Roberts  bore  the  brunt  of  the  attack  by  Anderson  and 
Stewart.  The  first  Rebel  assault  on  Roberts  was  beaten  back,  and 
Roberts  made  a  counterattack  before  he  also  retreated  to  join  the 
remainder  of  Sheridan's  command.  Alexander  F.  Stevenson,  whose 
42nd  Illinois  regiment  belonged  to  Robert's  brigade,  recalled  the 
scene:  "Suddenly  the  grand  form  of  Colonel  Roberts  could  be  seen 
riding  in  rear  of  the  regiment,  telling  the  officers  not  to  let  a 
shot  be  fired;  Then,  wheeling  around  the  left  wing,  he  rode  in 
front  of  the  regiment  along  the  whole  line,  with  his  cap  in  his 
hand,  cheering  the  men  to  endless  enthusiasm  and  shouting  to  them, 
'Don't  fire  a  shot!  Drive  them  with  the  bayonet!'"  Following  the 
order  to  advance,  the  42nd  Illinois  raced  forward,  causing  the 
southerners  of  Manigault  to  retreat.  However,  the  Illinoisans  soon 
found  themself  surrounded  by  a  host  of  southerners  from  the  units 
of  Polk  and  Wood.  Sheridan  attempted  to  establish  a  new  line 
stretching  east  from  the  Gresham  house  and  bending  back  to  the 
north,  where  Roberts'  brigade  maintained  its  position  immediately 
south  of  the  Wilkinson  Pike.   Roberts  led  his  brigade  in  a 


3^ 


desperate  bayonet  charge  against  the  command  of  Manigault  (33).  35 
But  the  strength  of  the  Confederate  attack  was  too  great.  Roberts' 
brigade  threw  back  three  infantry  attacks  while  an  artillery  duel 
raged  at  a  range  of  no  more  than  two  hundred  yards.  It  was  in  the 
midst  of  this  fighting  that  Roberts  was  killed  (34).  Stevenson, 
wrote  that,  after  being  hit  by  three  bullets,  Roberts  gave  the 
order  that  he  be  strapped  on  his  horse.  He  was  preparing  to  lead 
still  another  charge  against  the  enemy  when  he  died  (35).  Roberts 
fell  about  10:45  a.m.  (36).  Robert's  determined  resistance  delayed 
the  attack  on  the  Union  right  wing  for  a  time,  thus  allowing  the 
reforming  of  broken  columns  (37).  His  brigade  suffered  566 
casualties  (38).  Although  he  lost  three  brigade  commanders, 
Sheridan  conducted  a  fighting  withdrawal.  By  noon,  however, 
Bragg' s  first  objective  had  been  attained;  the  Federal  line  was 
doubled  back  like  a  jackknife  blade  until  its  right  wing  was  at 
right  angles  to  the  original  line  of  battle.  But  the  Confederates 
were  not  able  to  deliver  the  knock-out  punch  (39). 


George  Washington  Roberts  was  of  Welsh  descent  and  was  the  son  ^ 
of  Pratt  and  Ann  Wilson  Roberts.  His  father  had  migrated  from  New 
England  to  Pennsylvania.  George,  the  eldest  son,  was  born  in 
Chester  County,  Pennsylvania,  October  2,  1833.  He  spent  his 
boyhood  days  on  the  family  farm  and  attended  the  schools  of  West 
Chester,  Pa.  He  entered  Yale  University  where  he  was  a  member  of 
Delta  Kappa  Epsilon.  He  graduated  in  the  class  of  1857  with 
honors.  On  his  graduation  he  first  studied  and  then  practiced  law 
in  West  Chester,  until  March  1,  1859,  when  he  removed  to  Chicago. 
Although  successful  in  his  profession  there,  he  was  determined  to 
enter  the  army  and  began  recruiting  for  the  42nd  Regiment  Illinois 
Volunteers.  On  July  22,  1861  he  received  his  commission  as  major 
of  the  regiment,  and  on  September  17  was  elected  lieutenant 
colonel.  Upon  the  death  of  Colonel  Webb  on  December  24,  1861,  he 
was  chosen  colonel.  With  his  regiment  Colonel  Roberts  took  part 
in  the  well-known  march  of  General  Fremont  to  Springfield,  after 
which  the  42nd  went  into  quarters  at  Smithtown,  Missouri.  After 
the  fall  of  Fort  Donelson,  the  colonel  proceeded  with  his  regiment 
to  Fort  Holt,  near  Cairo,  where  he  held  command  of  the  post,  at 
that  time  garrisoned  by  the  42nd  Illinois,  8th  Ohio,  and  a  battery 
of  the  2nd  Illinois  Artillery.  From  there  he  was  ordered  to 
Columbus,  Kentucky,  after  the  evacuation  by  the  enemy,  and  next 
proceeded  to  Island  No.  10  on  the  Mississippi  River  (40). 

At  Island  No.  10,  Colonel  Roberts  first  made  his  mark  as  one 
of  the  heroes  of  the  army.  On  April  1,  1862,  in  the  midst  of  a 
fierce  storm,  he  led  a  small  expedition  of  40  men  in  five  small 
boats  which  successfully  spiked  the  guns  of  the  upper  battery 
which  allowed  passage  of  Union  gunboats.  He  gained  further  praise 
in  the  engagement  at  Farmington,  Mississippi  where  he  covered  the 


retreat.  He  received  praise  from  General  Rosecrans  for  his 
performance  in  the  seige  of  Corinth  following  the  battle  of  Shiloh 
(41).  In  command  of  a  brigade  he  distinguished  himself  in  several 
skirmishes  during  1862  in  route  to  Nashville  (42). 

Of  powerful  physique,  he  was  as  fearless  as  he  was  strong. 
It  is  said  that,  on  one  occasion  in  the  early  part  of  the  war,  he 
relieved  a  temporary  blockade  on  a  railroad  by  replacing  a  flat 
truck  on  the  track  single-handed  (43). 

When  Nashville  was  captured  by  Federal  troops,  Robert's 
regiment  was  assigned  to  garrison  duty  in  that  city.  With  the 
certainty  that  active  operations  in  the  field  were  impending,  he 
was  transferred  at  his  own  request  to  the  army  near  Murfreesboro. 
In  the  ensuing  battle,  as  previously  related,  he  was  killed. 

Among  the  most  remarkable  incidents  of  the  battle  was  the 
tribute  paid  to  Roberts  by  the  Confederates  who  had  witnessed  his 
bravery  while  directing  Sheridan's  3rd  brigade.  The  Confederates 
dug  a  grave  among  the  rocks  and  cedars.  Major  Luke  W.  Finlay,  a 
Yale  graduate,  wrapped  the  body  in  his  own  military  cloak  and  read 
the  service  of  the  dead  over  the  remains;  a  military  salute  was 
fired  and  a  bugler  played  taps.  Last  of  all,  a  group  of  privates 
brought  a  large  smooth  stone  and  placed  it  on  Colonel  Roberts' 
grave,  having  chopped  an  inscription  on  the  stone  (44). 

General  Phillip  Sheridan,  in  his  Memoirs,  writes:  "Colonel  G. 
W.  Roberts  came  to  me  in  the  re-organization.  He  was  an  ideal 
soldier  both  in  mind  and  body.  He  was  young,  tall,  handsome, 
brave,  and  dashing  and  possessed  a  balanced  wheel  of  such  good 
judgment  that,  in  his  sphere  of  action,  no  occasion  could  arise, 
from  which  he  would  not  reap  the  best  results." 


37 


Rosecrans,  forced  by  advance  to  change  his  original  plans  for 
a  flank  attack  on  the  Confederate  right,  gradually  formed  a 
formidable  line  along  the  Nashville  Pike,  making  a  desperate 
attempt  to  maintain  communication  with  the  rear.  When  the 
Confederates  had  bent  back  the  Union  flank  to  the  Nashville  Pike, 
Rosecrans  brought  Wood's  and  Van  Cleve's  division  back  from  the 
east  side  of  Stones  River  to  bolster  the  retreating  Federal 
defense  (Fig.  5).  As  the  Confederate  drive  against  the  Federal 
right  began  to  slow  down  about  10:00  in  the  morning,  Bragg  called 
on  Breckinridge  to  send  from  east  side  of  the  river,  first  one 
brigade  and  then  two  brigades,  to  Polk's  support.  Through  a 
failure  in  communications,  Breckinridge  did  not  supply  these 
troops  to  help  Hardee's  men  who  had  encountered  the  fresh  Federal 
line  along  the  Nashville  Pike.  The  new  position  of  the  Federal 
line  created  a  sharp  salient  at  the  center  and  in  this  salient  was 
a  thick  clump  of  trees  covering  about  four  acres.  In  and  around 
this  forest  Rosecran  assembled  every  available  brigade  not  already 
in  action,  and  backed  them  up  with  artillery  on  high  ground  in 
rear  of  the  infantry  division.  The  general  area  of  this 
stronghold,  referred  to  in  the  reports  as  the  Round  Forest,  was 
defended  against  successive  waves  of  furiously  attacking 
Confederates  throughout  the  rest  of  the  day.  Finally 
Breckinridge's  brigades  began  to  come  on  the  field  from  across  the 
river  in  accordance  with  the  original  orders  and  Bragg  threw  them 
into  action  as  they  arrived.  One  by  one  the  Confederate  brigades 
were  hurled  against  the  Round  Forest  position,  with  the  courage 
and  abandon  that  won  the  admiration  of  the  defenders,  but  the  wall 
of  fire  drove  them  back  with  terrific  losses.  At  length,  the 
short  winter  twilight  deepended  to  darkness,  putting  an  end  to  the 


38 


fighting,  to  the  great  relief  of  both  exhausted  and  decimated 
armies  ( 46 ) . 

Thus  closed  the  first  day  of  a  battle  which  was  really  two 
separate  battles,  two  distinct  engagements  separated  by  a  day  of 
relative  inactivity.  In  this  first  day's  fighting  the  Federals 
were  driven  from  their  positions  on  their  right  for  a  distance  of 
four  or  five  miles,  and  the  Confederates  held  the  field  at  the 
close  of  the  day.  Both  armies  had  suffered  shocking  losses,  but 
the  Confederates  were  justified  in  feeling  that  the  day  was  theirs. 
On  December  31  the  Confederates  were  so  close  to  victory  that  it 
can  be  speculated  how  the  Union  army  could  have  escaped  disaster 
if  Carter  Stevenson's  7,500-man  division  had  been  present  rather 
than  detached  to  Mississippi  (47). 

At  the  close  of  the  first  day  of  the  battle  on  December  31, 
the  body  of  General  Rains  and  many  other  dead  and  wounded  were 
taken  to  Murfreesboro.  The  stately  little  town  had  been  converted 
into  a  hospital.  A  wounded  Confederate  wrote,  "We  saw.... the  long 
black  casket  containing  the  body  of  our  beloved  General  Rains, 
which  cast  a  deep  gloom  over  our  spirits.  His  presence  in  battle 
had  been  equal  to  a  regiment  of  men"  (48). 

Rosecrans  seriously  considered  retreating  during  the  night  but 
finally  decided  against  it.  New  Years  day  was  a  day  of  relative 
inactivity.  Bragg  returned  Breckinridge  to  his  original  position 
on  the  east  side  of  the  river.  This  move  was  countered  by 
Rosecrans'  ordering  a  division  across  the  river  where  they  formed 
a  line  of  battle  confronting  Breckinridge. 

For  a  time  on  the  morning  of  January  2nd,  it  seemed  that  the 
inaction  might  continue  through  another  day.  However,  in  the 
afternoon  Breckinridge  was  ordered  to  cross  the  river  and  drive  the 


jy 


Federals  from  the  high  ground  west  of  the  river.  The  Federals, 
however,  had  assembled  all  available  artillery  on  the  west  bank  of 
the  Stones  River  which  totalled  58  guns  at  McFadden's  Ford. 
Breckinridge's  advancing  lines  were  met  by  murderous  fire  from  the 
artillery  and  small  arms  delivered  by  the  Union  infantry.  The 
over-all  result  was  devastating  and  Breckinridge  was  forced  back 
Sj^to  his  original  position.  He  left  1,700  of  his  men  dead  and 
wounded  on  the  field  (49). 

On  the  night  of  January  3-4,  1863,  Bragg  withdrew  his 
exhausted  army  towards  Shelbyville.  Rosecrans  did  not  pursue.  It 
was  not  until  June  that  Rosecrans  renewed  operation  in  this  area. 

The  Federals  lost  12,906  men  and  the  Confederates  11,739.  The 
historian  Rope  said,  "Few  battles  have  been  fought  which  have 
better  exhibited  the  soldierly  virtues  than  the  battle  of 
Murf reesboro  or  Stone's  River,  the  Confederate  assaults  were 
conducted  with  the  utmost  gallantry  and  with  untiring  energy. 
They  were  met  with  great  coolness  and  resolution...."  (50). 

Murf reesboro  was  a  tactical  victory  for  the  Confederates,  but 
Bragg  lacked  the  strength  to  destroy  Rosecrans'  larger  army  or 
drive  it  from  the  field.  From  a  strategic  standpoint  the  campaign 
was  a  Union  victory  (51). 

"'Stones  River!'  What  a  host  of  memories  comes  back  with  the 
name!"  wrote  the  author,  Mrs.  L.  D.  Whitson  as  she  recalled  the 
battle.  "It  seems  but  yesterday  since  we  laid  our  hands  on  the 
cold,  dead  face  of  General  [James]  Rains,  who  was  shot  through  the 
heart,  killed  instantly. ...  It  seems  but  yesterday  since  the  screams 
of  his  sister,  who  refused  to  be  comforted. .. .What  must  have  been 
the  feelings  of  the. . .young  wife. .. .environed  by  Yankees 
in. . .Nashville,  unable  to  come  to  him?"  (52). 


40 


Because  General  Rains  was  a  prominent  citizen  of  Tennessee 
as  well  as  a  distinguished  military  figure,  a  minister  requested 
permission  from  General  Rosecrans  to  remove  Rains'  body  to 
Nashville,  his  home,  for  burial.  Rosecrans  acceded  to  the  request 
but  responded:  "You  may  have  the  corpse,  sir;  but  remember 
distinctly  that  you  can't  have  an  infernal  secession  'pow  wow'  over 
it  in  Nashville!"  (53).  For  whatever  reasons  the  disinterment  was 
delayed.  It  was  not  until  1888  that  General  Rains'  remains  were 
transferred  from  the  grave  in  Murfreesboro  to  the  Mt.  Olivet 
Cemetery  in  Nashville  (54). 


^1 


CAPTIONS 


Fig.  1.  Brigadier  General  Jcunes  E.  Rains,  Confederate  States  Army. 
(Reprinted  with  permission  from  Yale  in  the  Civil  War,  p. 
126). 

Fig.  2.  Colonel  George  W.  Roberts,  United  States  Army.  (Reprinted 
with  permission  from  Yale  in  the  Civil  War,  p.  138). 

Fig.  3.   The  alignment  of  the  opposing  forces  on  December  31, 

1862--January  3,  1863.  The  first  day  of  the  battle  (Dec.  31) 
took  place  chiefly  west  of  Stones  River.  The  first  position 
of  Hardee's  corp  and  two  of  his  division  (McCown  and  Cleburne) 
early  on  the  morning  of  Dec.  31  can  be  seen  in  the  lower  left 
portion  of  the  map.  McCown 's  division  was  first  in  the  line 
against  the  Federal  right.  Rains'  brigade  is  shown  on  the 
far  left  of  McCown 's  line.  In  the  center  of  the  map 
immediately  south  of  the  Wilkinson  Turnpike  the  position  of 
Roberts  brigade  of  P.  H.  Sheridan's  division  early  on  the 
morning  of  Dec.  31  can  be  seen. 

Bragg  and  Rosecrans  each  planned  to  attack  the  others 
right  flank,  but  Bragg  seized  the  iniative  by  attacking  first. 
By  8:00  a.m.,  Hardee's  troops  had  advanced  a  mile  crushing 
Willich's  and  Kirk's  brigade.  Bragg  attained  his  first 
objective  by  10:00  a.m.,  having  driven  the  Federal  right  back 
to  the  line  of  the  Nashville  Pike,  and  put  to  flight  Johnson's 
and  Davis'  divisions.  Sheridan's  division,  including  the 
brigade  of  Roberts,  conducted  a  fighting  withdrawal. 
Rosecrans  assembled  several  brigades  along  with  artillery  at 
the  Round  Forrest,  a  salient  in  the  area  between  the  railroad 


and  the  river.   The  Confederates  launched  several  charges  on 
this  strongly  defended  site  but  were  unable  to  deliver  a 
knockout  punch. 

Most  of  the  fighting  on  Jan.  2,  1863  took  place  on  the 
east  side  of  Stones  River.  The  position  of  the  58  Federal 
guns  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  is  shown.  (Reprinted  with 
permission  of  Battles  and  Leaders ,  III,  p.  612). 

Fig.  4.  The  Nashville  Pike  out  of  Murfreesboro.  By  10:00  a.m.  on 
the  first  day  of  the  battle  Bragg  had  forced  Rosecrans  all  the 
way  back  to  the  Pike.  (Reprinted  with  permission  from  Battles 
and  Leaders,  III,  p.  606). 

Fig.  5.   Federal  General  Samuel  Beatty's  brigade  (Van  Cleve's 

division)  advanced  to  aid  the  Union  right.   (Reprinted  with 
permission  from  Battles  and  Leaders,  III,  p.  622). 


43 


ACKNOWLEDGMENT  ^^ 


Appreciation  is  expressed  to  DeEtta  Covey  and  Kristi  Sue  Stone 
for  typing  the  manuscript. 


REFERENCES  ^5 

1.  William  Swinton,  The  Twelve  Decisive  Battles  of  the  War. 
New  York:   Vick  and  Fitzgerald,  Publishers,  1873,  178. 

2.  Frank  E.  Vandiver,  Their  Tattered  Flags.  New  York:  Harpers, 
1970,  170-1. 

3.  E.B.  Long,  Civil  War  Dav-bv-Day;   An  Almanac ,  1861-1865. 
Garden  City,  New  York:   Doubleday  &  Co.,  1971,  291. 

4.  Stanley  F.  Horn,  "The  Seesaw  Battle  of  Stones  River,"  Civil 
War  Times  Illustrated  (Feb.  1964),  6-11,  34-39. 

5.  Mark  M.  Boatner,  III,  The  Civil  War  Dictionary.   New  York: 
David  McKay  Co.,  1959,  803-811. 

6.  Horn,  "The  Seesaw  Battle...,"  6-7. 

7.  Ibid;  Thomas  L.  Connelly,  Autumn  of  Glory:  The  Army  of 
Tennessee,  1862-1865.    Baton  Rouge:  Louisiana  State 
University  Press,  1971,  47. 

8.  Boatner,  The  Civil  War  Dictionary,  805. 

9.  James  L.  McDonough,  Stones  River  —  Bloody  winter  in  Tenn- 
essee.  Knoxville:  University  of  Tennessee  Press,  1980,  253. 

10.  Boatner,  The  Civil  War  Dictionary,  805. 

11.  McDonough,  Stones  River. . . ,  235-36. 

12.  Horn,  "The  Seesaw  Battle...,"  8. 

13.  McDonough,  Stones  River. . . ,  90-91. 

14.  Ibid,  91. 

15.  Time-Life  Books,  "The  Struggle  for  Tennessee,"  The  Civil  War. 

(By  James  Street,  Jr.  and  editors  of  Time-Life  Books). 
Alexandria,  Va.  :  Time-Life  Books,  1985;  Peter  Cozzens,  No 
Better  Place  to  Die:  The  Battle  of  Stones  River.   Urbana  and 
Chicago:  University  of  Illinois  Press,  1990,  141. 


16.  McDonough,  Stones  River. . . ,  92.  ^^ 

17.  U.S.  War  Department,  War  of  the  Rebellion;  A  Compilation  of 
the  Official  Records  of  the  Union  and  Confederate  Armies. 
Volumes  128.  Washington,  DC:  Government  Printing  Office,  1880- 
1901,  Series  I,  Vol.  XX,  Part  1,  913;  hereinafter  cited  as  ^. 

18.  Ibid,  681. 

19.  Ezra  J.  Warner,  Generals  in  Gray.   Baton  Rouge:  Louisiana 
State  University  Press,  1959,  250-51. 

20.  Letter  of  July  30,  1985  from  Wesley  H.  Poling,  Director  of 
Alumni  Records  Office,  Yale  University,  New  Haven,  CT  to 
author . 

21.  Eliot  Ellsworth,  Jr.,  Yale  in  the  Civil  War.  New  Haven,  CT: 
Yale  University  Press,  1932,  38-39. 

22.  Letter  of  July  30,  1985  from  Wesley  H.  Poling,  Director  of 
Alumni  Records  Office,  Yale  University,  New  Haven,  CT  to 
author. 

23.  Warner,  Generals  in  Gray,  250-51. 

24.  Ellsworth,  Yale  in  the  Civil  War,  38-39. 

25.  Confederate  Veteran,  XVI,  390-91. 

26.  Warner,  Generals  in  Gray,  250-51. 

27.  Nathaniel  C.  Hughes,  Jr.,  Liddell's  Record.  St.  John 
Richardson  Liddell,  Brigadier  General,  CSA.  Dayton: 
Morningside  Books,  1981,  107. 

28.  James  D.  Porter,  "Tennessee,"  Confederate  Military  History. 
Volumes  13.  Atlanta:  Confederate  Publishing  Co.,  1888,  VIII, 
60. 

29.  Horn,  "The  Seesaw  Battle...,"  9. 

30.  Ibid,  10-11. 

31.  Boatner,  The  Civil  War  Dictionary,  805. 


32.  Horn,  "The  Seesaw  Battle...,"  9.  ^ 

33.  Alexander  F.  Stevenson,  The  Battle  of  Stones'  River  Near 
Murfreesboro,  Tennessee,  December  30,  1862  to  January  3_l  1863 . 
Boston:  Jas .  R.  Osgood  &  Co.,  1884,  54-57;  Cozzens,  No  Better 
Place  to  Die,  117-118;  Stanley  F.  Horn,  The  Army  of  Tennessee; 
A  Military  History.   Indianapolis:  Bobbs-Merrill  Co.,  1941, 

201. 

34.  McDonough,  Stones  River...,  107;  Report  of  Brigadier  General 
Phillip  H.  Sheridan,  OR,  Series  I,  Vol.  XX,  Pt.  1,  347-54. 

35.  Stevenson,  The  Battle  of  Stones '  River. . . ,  68. 

36.  Report  of  Colonel  L.P.  Bradley,  OR,  Series  I,  Vol.  XX,  Pt.  1, 
370. 

37.  Ellsworth,  Yale  in  the  Civil  War,  39. 

38.  Hughes,  Liddell's  Record,  109;  OR,  XX,  Pt.  1,  209. 

39.  Horn,  "The  Seesaw  Battle...,"  9. 

40.  John  Fitch,  Annals  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  Phil- 
adelphia: J.  B.Lippincott,  1864,  250-2;  McDonough,  Stones 
River..  .  ,  110;  J.  Smith  Frithey,  and  Gilbert  Cope,  History  of 
Chester  County  Pennsylvania,  with  Genealogical  and  B  i  o  - 
graphical  Sketches.  Philadelphia: Louis  H.  Everts,  1881,  713. 

41.  Fitch,  Annals  of  .^.^  Cumberland,  251;  Maurice  Melton,  The 
struggle  for  Rebel  Island,  No.  10.   Civil  War  Times 
Illustrated,  18(April,  1979):4-15. 

42.  Ellsworth,  Yale  in  the  Civil  War,  40-41. 

43.  Ibid. 

44.  McDonough,  Stones  River. . . ,  157. 

45.  Phillip  H.  Sheridan,  Personal  Memoirs  of  P.H.  Sheridan, 
General  United  States  Army.   2  volumes.  New  York:  Charles  L. 
Webster  Co.,  1888,  II,  210. 


46.  Horn,  "The  Seesaw  Battle...,"  9-11.  ^8 

47.  Ibid,  11;  McDonough,  Stones  River. . . .  219-220. 

48.  McDonough,  Stones  River. . . ,  164. 

49.  Horn,  "The  Seesaw  Battle...,"  34. 

50.  Boatner,  The  Civil  War  Dictionary.  807. 

51.  Ibid;  Robert  G.  Albion,  Introduction  to  Military  History.  New 
York  and  London:   Appleton,  Century  Crofts,  1929,  246-7. 

52.  McDonough,  Stones  River. . . ,  211. 

53.  Ibid. 

54.  Warner,  Generals  in  Gray,  251. 


Sarah  F.  E.  Coopec's  Essay. 

Soule  Female  College. 

Mupf  treesbopo,    Tennessee. 

A.D.         June    26th    1855. 

In    the    year   of    the   Ametrican   Republic    L.XXIX 


k9 


Pillar  of  fipe 
or  angelic  agency. 


How  often  are  the  protecting  arms  of  angels  thrown 
around  us  in  the  pathway  of  life.   As  a  pillar  of  cloud  by 
day  and  a  pillar  of  fire  by  night. 

They  mark  our  way,  choose  our  steps,  keeping  us  from  a 
course  which  might  plunge  us  into  inevitable  darkness, 
sorrow,  or  the  tomb. 

Angels  are  with  us  wherever  we  roam  on  earth.   Though 
distant  from  our  native  home,  on  lowland,  sea,  or  mountains 
vast,  they  can  wave  their  pinions  over  our  youthful  heads 
allowing  us  to  heaven. 

They  hover  around  us  whispering  words  of  love,  beguiling 
us  with  delightful  thoughts  and  often  reminding  us  of  those 
who  have  gone  before  us  in  triumph,  and  thus  inspire  us  to 
follow  them  to  heaven. 

"Angels  our  noonday  walks  attend, 
And  all  our  midnight  hours  defend." 

It  was  an  angel  that  appeared  to  the  Israelites  in  a 
pillar  of  cloud  by  day  and  a  pillar  of  fire  by  night, 
throwing  the  mantle  of  protection  around  them,  shielding  them 
from  the  enemy  as  they  journeyed  to  the  land  of  Promise.   At 
one  time  they  had  been  overcome,  had  not  Divine  Providence 
changed  the  pillar  of  fire  to  Egyptian  darkness,  enveloped 
their  foes  in  cinnerian  night,  and  shed  on  Israel  a  luster 
brighter  than  the  sun. 

Have  you  not  read  of  the  angel  that  "heralded  the  birth 
of  Christ?"  when 

"Heaven  bursted  her  azure  gates  and  posessed  Her  spirits 
to  the  midnight  hour." 

"There  was  suddenly  with  the  angel,  a  great  assembly  of 
the  heavenly  host  praising  God  in  the  highest,  shouting  peace 
and  good  will  towards  all  men."   The  morning  stars  who  sang 
together  and  the  sons  of  God  who  proclaimed  the  eternal  works 
of  creation  were  angels. 

Was  it  not  an  angel  that  appeared  to  the  wise  men  "as  a 
star  going  before  them"  until  they  arrived  at  Bethlehem.   It 
was  supposed  by  some  that  this  was  a  luninous  sector  prepared 
for  the  occasion. 

We  cannot  tell  whether  this  is  true  or  not,  but  as  the 
problem  is  solved  entirely  by  the  rule  of  supposition  we  may 


suppose  it  a  glorious  angel  that  descended  to  Earth  from  his 
heavenly  abode,  to  proclaim  the  advent  of  Christ  to  the  lord, 
shepherds,  as  they  were  watching  their  flocks  by  night. 

Heavenly  angels  are  spiritual  beings,  peculiarly  holy, 
happy,  innocent  and  virtuous;  and  the  first  in  rank  among 
created  beings,  they  are  also  the  most  intelligent.   The  word 
angel  profanely  signifies  a  messenger.   Angels  are  spiritual 
beings  of  great  power  and  of  understanding  vastly  superior  to 
that  of  man. 

It  is  supposed  that  they  can  assume  human  forms  at  any 
time  they  choose.   Besides  this  they  are  possessed  of  such 
great  velocity  that  they  can  descend  from  the  third  heaven  to 
minister  to  mortal  woes.   Meditations  upon  the  nature  of 
angelic  beings  are  ever  pleasing  to  the  humble  of  Earth  and 
often  our  dreams  are  peopled  by  legions  of  celestial 
visitants.  Tn  my  own  slumbers  I  have  often  seen  their 
glorious  forms. 

Their  faces  were  fair,  very  fair,  with  flowing  curls 
clustering  thickly  around  their  heads  and  shoulders.   Their 
wings  were  white  as  snow  and  the  tips  of  their  feathers  were 
lightly  fringed  with  azure;  such  a  contrast  made  them  appear 
of  matchless  elegance. 

They  were  beautiful,  exquisitely  beautiful;  and  as  I 
gazed  T  felt  a  longing  to  join  their  company.   Glowing  and 
Utopian  as  this  may  seem,  angelic  grace  far  surpasses  our 
dreams  and  our  highest  conceptions  of  their  beauty  fall  far 
below  the  reality. 

One  evening  lately  I  was  thinking  of  angels  at  twilight, 
just  as  the  glorious  sun  dipped  and  disappeared  behind  the 
western  hills;  leaving  a  golden  hue  of  his  gorgeous  robe  upon 
the  closing  gates  of  day. 

My  spirit  became  so  perfectly  transformed  in  beholding 
the  luminous  bodies  of  the  skies,  as  one  by  one  they  appeared 
from  beneath  a  purple  veil  until  the  celestial  globe  was 
illuminated  with  millions  of  sparkling  gems  unrivaled  by  the 
diamond  and  marking  the  footprints  of  a  God.   In  the 
enthusiasm  of  my  heart  I  exclaimed  I  wish  I  was  an  angel. 
Then  my  enraptured  spirit  would  take  its  flight  to  happier 
scenes  beyond,  where  the  sun  is  never  concealed  by  a  cloud, 
and  where  the  flowers  ever  remain  of  a  dazzling  beauty.   It 
seemed  to  me  I  heard  angels  whisper,  saying  arise  and  come 
with  us  and  we  will  lead  you  to  the  sublime  regions  of 
eternity . 

You  shall  outstrip  the  wings  of  death,  and  the  sorrors 
of  time  and  change.   I  seemed  to  rise,  to  float  upon  the  thin 
air,  heaven  spread  out  before  me,  and  I  was  almost  within  its 
gates,  but  atlas!  just  then  a  mortal  finger  touched  me  and 


51 


broke  my  slumber,  and  the  dneam  dissolved. 

I  traised  my  drooping  head  ftrom  its  hard  pillow  and  lo! 
all  was  fancy.   Yet  angels  were  doubtless  watching  around  me 
and  weaving  the  fabric  of  my  vision. 

Have  you  ever  wondered  what  angel  intercedes  for  you? 
Often  when  my  brow  has  been  parched  with  feverish  heat  and 
gentle  winds  fanned  my  burning  cheek  I  have  thought  maybe 
that  the  motion  was  caused  by  the  flitting  of  an  angels  wings 
above  my  pillow.   If  human  feeling  can  tempt  a  spirit  from 
heaven  to  minister  to  mortal  woes  surely  a  mother's  love 
would  bring  her  down  to  the  sick  bed  of  her  child  to  fan  the 
aching  head  with  the  wings  of  holy  tenderness. 

Friends  and  associates  may  angels  surround  you  as  a 
pillow  of  cloud  by  day  and  a  pillow  of  fire  by  night  in  all 
your  daily  walks  through  life; 

"Making  earth  an  eden  land 
And  guiding  time's  departing  hours." 

And  finally  when  the  angel  of  death  knocks  at  your  door,  may 
the  angel  of  the  covenant  who's  flaming  fire  has  directed 
your  wandering  footsteps  through  all  the  meandering  of  life 
gently  bear  you  over  the  gloomy  stream  of  death. 


Finis. 


Transcribed  by  Shirley  F.  Jones    (1-25-94). 

Note:   According  to  the  1850  Census  of  Rutherford  County, 
Sarah  F.E.  Cooper,  age  12,  William  H.  Cooper,  age  13,  and 
Wise  A.  Cooper,  age  10,  were  shown  as  living  in  the  household 
of  Joseph  and  Temperance  Lindsey.    Joseph  is  shown  as  being 
a  46  year  old  male  who  was  born  in  North  Carolina.   He  listed 
his  occupation  as  a  Clergyman  of  the  Methodist  faith. 
Temperance,  female,  age  70,  was  also  born  in  North  Carolina. 
The  Cooper  children  were  all  listed  as  having  been  born  in 
Tennessee.  Based  upon  this  information,  Sarah  would  have  been 
17  years  old  when  the  above  was  written. 


-i-;.;\H 


Figure   1 

Abner   Demerit's   Homeplace 

circa    1817 


53 


CHARLES  DEMENT 
"Our  Tennessee  Pioneer" 

by  Samuel  H.  DeMent,  M.D. 

Charles  Dement  appears  to  be  the  first  man  of  the 
aforementioned  surname  to  enter  the  frontier  lands  of  North 
Carolina  beyond  the  mountains.  The  first  record  of  his  presence 
in  these  parts  was  in  January  1792  in  Sumner  County,  when  he 
acquired  320  acres  from  James  Wilson.  ^ 

History  records  that  Charles  Dement  left  Bertie  County,  North 
Carolina  in  November  1790  at  which  time  he  sold  his  acreage  to 
Henry  Clay  Milburn.  ^  The  land  was  located  on  Wanton  Swamp  on  the 
Cashie  River  and  numbered  2  00  acres.  He  was  living  on  the  land  at 
the  time  of  sale.  ^ 

Charles  Dement  was  an  active  juror  in  Bertie  County,  North 
Carolina  from  the  period  of  November  1774  until  1779.  He  was  not 
mentioned  again  in  Bertie  County  until  spring  of  1783.  Charles 
was  probably  the  son  of  John  Dement  who  first  acquired  a  British 
Land  Grant  in  November  1744.   The  Council  at  New  Bern  records  his 


^North  Carolina  Land  Grants  I,  p  379.   Sumner  County  Archives 

^Bertie  County  North  Carolina  Court  Minutes,  Book  P,  p  114, 
Bertie  Co.,  North  Carolina. 

^Bertie  County  North  Carolina  Court  Minutes,  Book  P,  p  239, 
Bertie  Co.,  North  Carolina. 


54 


petition  for  250  acres  in  Edgecombe  County,  North  Carolina.  *  He 
is  recorded  in  the  Edgecombe  County,  North  Carolina  court  minutes 
(Halifax  County)  and  sold  the  acreage  in  1751  to  John  Hardy.  ^  The 
actual  deed  recorded  the  original  land  patent  date  as  March  18, 
1744.  A  witness  to  the  land  exchange  was  William  Dement.  In  1751 
(September  6,  1;'51)  John  Dement  acquired  400  acres  from  Daniel 
Highsmith  on  Cashie  Swamp  (Wanton  Swamp)  in  the  area  now  in  the 
vicinity  of  Lewiston.  ^  Two  hundred  acres  of  this  land  lying  on 
the  Northeast  side  of  Cashie  Swamp  was  sold  to  William  Edwards  on 
July  26,  1756.^ 

The  William  Dement  mentioned  previously  also  relocated  to 
Bertie  County,  North  Carolina  where  his  name  is  recorded  in  1769 
and  1778  (August  28,  1778)  at  which  time  he  purchased  land  from  the 
estate  of  the  late  Benjamin  Rogers.  ®  A  William  Dement  served  in 
the  American  Revolution  and  his  North  Carolina  pension  land  grant 


^Colonial  Records  of  North  Carolina,  Vol.  IV  B,  pp  708,  9,  11, 

1744. 

Halifax  Co.,  North  Carolina  Real  Estate  Conveyences,  Vol.  IV, 
p  165,  Halifax  Co.,  North  Carolina. 

^Bertie  County,  North  Carolina  Court  Minutes,  Book  G,  p  415. 
Bertie  County,  North  Carolina. 

^Bertie  County,  North  Carolina  Court  Minutes,  Book  H. ,  p  417. 
Bertie  County,  North  Carolina. 

°Gamon  D.  Records  of  Estates  of  Bertie  County,  North  Carolina. 
Raleigh:  D  Gamon  Publis.  Vol.  I  1728-1744,  1762-1790,  p  79,  1986. 


55 


was  assigned  to  Archibald  Lytle.  ^ 

Charles  Dement  and  his  brother  John  Dement,  Jr.  acquired  a  200 
acre  land  grant  in  Brunswick  County,  North  Carolina  (Oxpen  branch 
of  the  Little  Shallote  River)  in  1771.  '°  Both  were  listed  in  1772 
Brunswick  County  tax  records.  In  1773  the  200  acres  were  sold  in 
two  100  acre  tracts  to  William  Cause.  ^^  On  November  14,  1774, 
Charles  Dement  was  deeded  the  remaining  250  acres  that  his  father 
John  Dement  owned  on  Wanton  Swamp.  '^  Charles  Dement  signed  an 
Oath  of  Allegiance  to  the  independent  government  in  either  1774  or 
1777.  ^^  He  apprenticed  Mary  Barfield  in  spinning  and  weaving  in 
1777.  ^*  In  1779  Charles  Dement  registered  his  cattle  mark  (crop 
and  nick  under  right  ear;  half  moon  over  left) .  '^  He  was  a  member 


^orth  Carolina  Land  Grant  in  Tennessee  1778-1791,  p  184, 
Grant  #1377. 

%orth  Carolina  Land  Grant  #139,  Nov.  1771.  NC  St  Archives. 

^^ Brunswick  County,  North  Carolina  Court  Records,  Book  B,  pps. 
94-96,  1773. 

^^Bertie  County,  North  Carolina  Court  Minutes,  Book  M,  p  242. 
Bertie  County,  North  Carolina. 

^^Bertie  County,  North  Carolina,  Revolutionary  War  Papers, 
1774,  1777.   North  Carolina  State  Archives. 

^*Haun  WP.  Bertie  County  Court  Minutes  1772-1780.  Durham: 
WP  Haun,  Publis.  Book  IV,  p  259,  1976. 

"ibid  p  302. 


56 


of  the  North  Carolina  Militia  from  Bertie  County.  ^®  In  1780,  18 
Militiamen  and  112  draftees  from  Bertie  County  refused  to  march  to 
Hillsborough,  North  Carolina  until  they  had  received  bounty,  since 
they  were  not  supplied  weapons.  ^^  The  Militia  rendevoused  with 
General  Jethro  Sumner's  North  Carolina  Continentals  in  1780.  These 
patriots  fought  on  the  front  line  in  several  skirmishes  and  battles 
in  the  Southern  campaign  in  1781.  '°  Charles  Dement  was  noted  in 
Bertie  County  Court  Minutes  again  in  February  1783  as  a  juror  and 
again  in  1785  as  guardian  of  Sarah  Thomas.  ^^  He  was  mentioned  in 
1780  as  the  husband  of  Selah  Thomas  in  her  father's  last  Will  and 
Testament.  ^  Charles  Dement  is  not  mentioned  in  Bertie  County 
after  October  18,  1790.  He  may  have  inherited  land  from  John 
Dement  (father  or  brother)  in  Burke  County,  North  Carolina.  ^' 


^^Gandrud  PJ,  McLane  BJ.  Alabama  Soldiers  (Rev,  War  of  1812, 
&  Indian  Wars)   Hot  Springs:  Arkansas  Ances.  Vol  VI  pp  66-67,  1979. 

^^Rankin  H.  The  North  Carolina  Continentals.  Chapel  Hill:  North 
Carolina  Press,  p  239,  1971. 

^°ibid,  pp  247-51. 

^^aun  WP.  Bertie  County,  North  Carolina  County  Court  Minutes 
1781-1787.  Durham:  WP  Haun,  Publis.  Book  V,  p  136,  1982. 

^Bertie  County,  North  Carolina  Court  Minutes  1780,  p  158, 
Bertie  County,  North  Carolina. 

^^Huggins  EW.  Burke  County,  North  Carolina  Land  Records  1779- 
1780  and  Miscellaneous  Records  1777-1780,  Vol.  II.  Estate  papers 
1777-1795.  Easley:  So  Hist  Press,  p  164,  1987. 


51 


Charles  was  mentioned  in  tax  records  as  owning  326  acres  in  Captain 
Adam's  Company  in  1790.  ^  He  sold  several  parcels  over  the  ensuing 
years  (presumably  as  an  absentee  landowner).  On  June  18,  1793,  120 
acres  was  deeded  from  Charles  Dement  to  a  son  David  Dement.  ^ 
David  Dement  deeded  the  120  acres  to  Mary  Dement  (widow  of  John) 
in  1797.  ^*  Mary  later  sold  the  land  in  1800. 

On  January  11,  1792,  Charles  Dement  acquired  320  acres  from 
James  Wilson  in  Sumner  County,  North  Carolina.  He  sold  this  land 
in  1815  to  James  Douglass.  ^  On  May  27,  1795,  Charles  Dement  and 
William  Standley  of  Sumner  County  acquired  1000  acres  along  the 
East  Side  of  the  Main  Fork  of  the  Stones  River  in  Davidson  County, 
North  Carolina.  The  land  was  acquired  from  Noah  (Aquilla)  Sugg, 
a  planter  and  minister.  ^,^,  Charles  Dement  later  received  the 
entire  1000  acres  through  the  court  from  William  Standley.  Charles 
Dement  was  active  in  the  Sumner  County  Court  records  from  1792 


^ibid.  Tax  Records  1782-1793,  p  128. 

Muggins  EW.  Burke  County,  North  Carolina  Records  1775-1821, 
Easley:  So  Hist  Press.  #191,  1987. 

^'*ibid,  #534. 

^Sumner  County  Deed  Book,  Vol.  VII,  p  396   Sumner  County 
Archives. 

^orth  Carolina  Land  Grants  1,  p.  13  5,  Tennessee  State  Arch. 

^^Carr  J.  Early  Times  in  Middle  Tennessee.  Nashville:  Stevenson 
and  Owen,  p  103,  1857. 


until  July  1803.  He  was  recorded  as  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  in 
1800.  ^  Sumner  County  court  records  are  missing  from  1804  until 
1810.  Charles  Dement  received  a  Rutherford  County  Land  Grant 
(#4550)  in  the  1st  District  for  680  acres  on  November  5,  1812  from 
assignee  William  Lytle.  ^  The  land  was  situated  on  the  East  Side 
of  the  Stones  River  near  Jefferson.  In  1809  and  1814  he  received 
2  quarter  sections  of  section  #26  in  the  Mississippi  Territory, 
Madison  County  (NW  1/4  and  SW  1/4)  and  was  a  taxpayer  in  Madison 
County  Alabama  in  1815.  He  resided  on  the  Madison  County  property 
at  the  time  of  his  death  in  1820.  His  son  John  Dement  confirmed 
his  burial  site  at  Beaver  Dam  in  his  1848  will.  ^' 

Charles  Dement 's  impact  on  Middle  Tennessee  is  best  reflected 
by  his  descendants.  Two  of  his  sons,  Abner  and  Cader,  were  among 
the  first  residents  in  Rutherford  County.  In  fact,  they  signed  a 
historic  petition  which  established  Rutherford  County  from  its 
parent  counties,  Davidson  and  Williamson.  ^  The  petition  was  dated 


^Charles  Dement,  Secretary  of  State  Revolutionary  War  Papers, 
North  Carolina  State  Archives. 

^Rutherford  County  TN  Deed  Book,  Book  L,  p  54. 

"Madison  County,  Alabama  Public  Library,  Surname:  Charles 
Dement  -Government  Entries,  Madison  County,  Alabama. 

^^Madison  County,  Alabama  Probate  Records,  Book  14,  pps.  181- 
2.  Huntsville,  Alabama. 

^McBride  R.  "An  1803  Census  of  Rutherford  County."  Ruth.  Co. 
Hist.  Soc.  No  3,  pp  52-56,  1974. 


59 


August  10,  1803  and  Rutherford  County  was  organized  on  January  3, 
1804.  They  probably  lived  on  the  1000  acre  plantation  on  the  Main 
Fork  of  the  Stones  River,  in  the  Smyrna/Old  Jefferson  area  today. 
Cader  Dement  was  a  large  landowner  and  plantar  who  was  given  power 
of  attorney  by  his  father  Charles  on  December  26,  1816.  The  land 
involved  was  the  aforementioned  1000  acres  plus  the  680  acres  on 
the  East  Fork  of  the  Stones  River.  ^  Cader  left  many  descendants 
in  Middle  Tennessee  and  served  in  the  War  of  1812.  ^  Abner  Dement 
acquired  3  land  tracts  totaling  816  acres  from  John  Donaldson  in 
1817  in  the  Lascassas  area  of  Rutherford  County.  ^  The  original 
private  residence  stands  on  the  Cainsville  Pike  and  is  registered 
as  a  National  Historic  Site  (Figure  1) .  ^  Abner  was  killed  by  a 
slave,  intestate,  in  1825.  ^^  His  minor  heirs  were  William,  John 
&  David,  who  were  reared  by  Elizabeth  Dement,  Abner 's  widow.  ^ 


Rutherford  County  Court  Minutes,  Vol.  K,  p  4  62. 

■^oore  JT  (Ms) .  Records  of  Commisioned  Officers  in  the 
Tennessee  Militia.  1796-1815.  Baltimore:  Geneal  Publ.  Co.  p  235, 

1977. 

^Jernigan  MP.  "Rutherford  County,  A  Long  Look  Back."  The  Daily 
News  Journal,  July  2,  1972. 

■'^est  M.  "Dement  House  to  Enter  National  Historic  List".   The 
Daily  News  Journal.  August  2,  1986. 

■'^Minutes  of  the  County  Court  of  Rutherford  County,  Book  T, 
1824-5,  p  189. 

^ibid,  p  358. 


60 


John,  when  of  age,  remained  on  the  residence.   His  brother  David 
DeMent  settled  nearby  along  Bradley's  Creek.   David  died  in  1907 
having  fathered  12  children  by  2  wives.  ^  He  is  buried  behind  his 
home,  which  still  stands  on  Bradley's  Creek  Road.    His  great 
grandson,  David  Barton  DeMent,  Jr.,  was  a  prominent  attorney  in 
Murfreesboro.  He  also  served  in  the  State  House  of  Representatives 
and  Senate  for  10  years  with  distinction.   A  World  War  II  veteran 
he  died  at  the  age  of  52.   On  January  26,  1965,  a  Senate  Joint 
Resolution  was  adopted  and  later  approved  which  recognized  his 
numerous  contributions  (Figure  2)  .  ^ 

Yes,  Charles  Dement  was  a  true  Middle  Tennessee  pioneer  and 
patriot,  who  immigrated  to  this  area  by  covered  wagon  and  flat  boat 
from  North  Carolina  several  years  before  Tennessee  statehood.  Two 
of  his  seven  sons  were  directly  involved  in  the  establishment  of 
Rutherford  County  in  1804.  Many  of  Charles'  descendants  remain 
in  Rutherford  County,  and  along  with  others  who  did  relocate, 
continue  to  shape  Middle  Tennessee  and  the  nation  as  educators, 
homemakers,  law  enforcers,  physicians,  ministers,  agrarians,  public 
servants,  and  etc. 


39 

DeMent  SH.  "Dement  Family  Bible  Records."  Bits  of  Dements 
Vol.  10  (1)  pp  18-20,  1992. 

Joint  Senate  Resolution  #6,  Acts  of  Tennessee,  1965. 


Bmutt  3fnmt  BJfsnluttnn  No.  fi 


-By- 


Atkini 

OutfhfieM 

Holbrook 

Pittea 

Ttylor 

Biird 

DuggCT 

KeUey 

Pipkin 

Teny 

Berry 

Flippiu 

Maddux 

Rty 

Todd 

Cuter 

Carlud 

Mithii 

Soodgrass 

Tuner 

OuBolm 

ConeU 

Motlow 

Siegill 

WiUcer 

Oiwford 

Guffey 

Nave 

Stewiit 

Ooucb 

HarviU 

03riea 

TalitfoTO 

61 


A  Senate  Resolution  to  the  Memory  of 

THE  HONORABLE  BARTON  DEMENT 


of  Muxfrecsboro 


Whereas,  On  June  17,  1963,  there  passed  away  lud- 
denly  a  veteran  of  many  legislative  battles,  a  man  loved 
■sd  respected  by  all  legislators  who  knew  him  and  worked 
with  him  during  his  six  legislative  terms,  the  Honorable 
Barton  Dement  of  Murfreesboio;  and 

Whereas,  Senator  Dement  was  often  addressed  in  a 
■piiit  of  triendliness  and  fun  as  "The  Great  Man".  This 
fond  appellation,  however,  was  more  6lting  than  not 
because  of  his  outstanding  service  to  his  community,  his 
Mate,  and  his  nation;  to  his  fellow  citizens,  he  was  truly 
a  great  man,  a  jealous  guardian  of  the  rights  of  individuals, 
of  our  constitutional  system  of  checks  and  balances,  the 
aanctity  of  the  ballot  box  and  our  jury  tystem;  and 

Whereas,  On  the  floor  of  the  House  or  Senate,  Senator 
Dement  was  a  formidable  opponent  and  an  effective  ally, 
sensitive  to  the  merits  of  an  issue,  quick  to  spot  phony 
arguments  or  false  premises,  with  an  unerring  ability  to 
go  straight  to  the  heart  of  a  matter,  cementing  his  posidon 
or  demolishing  an  opponent's  view  with  a  few  deft,  probing 
questions;  and 

Whereas,  Senator  Dement  served  the  people  of  Ten- 
nessee with  enthusiasm  and  ability  in  six  consecutive 
lepslatures,  beginning  in  I9S3  and  ending  in  1963,  fint  as 
•  direct  Representadve  from  Rutherford  County  in  1953, 
195S  and  19S7,  and  then  as  a  Senator  representing  the 
13th  Senatorial  District  in  19S9,  1961  and  1963,  and  was 
an  outstanding  member  of  the  legislative  Council  Com- 
mittee in  1957  and  1959;  and 

Whereas,  He  also  served  well  the  people  of  his  home 
town  of  MurfrcciboTO,  not  only  u  a  member  of  the  Qty 
Council  from  1952  until  the  time  of  his  death,  but  also  u 
■  charitable  citizen,  who  made  no  public  display  of  his 


ADOPTED 


•     y^V»*<-*Ay  '^^^    /7^S' 


APPROVED: 


Vic««««>«/i^- 


J^J/JCS- 


good  works,  preferring  instead  to  perform  his  charity 
quietly,  privately,  without  fanfare  or  recognition;  and 

Whereas,  Senator  Dement  served  his  country  in 
World  War  U;  and,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  was  a  member 
of  the  American  Legion;  Disabled  American  Veterans;  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce;  the  American,  Tennessee,  and 
Murlreesboro  Bar  Associations;  Stones  River  Country 
Gub;  the  Church  of  Christ;  and  was  a  Shriner,  a  Moose, 
a  York  Rile  and  Scottish  Rite  Mason,  and  a  trustee  of 
the  Sam  Davis  Home  in  Smyrna,  Tennessee;  and 

Whereas,  Senator  Dement't  passing  will  take  away  a 
little  something  from  all  of  us,  for  from  him  by  his  example, 
we  gained  some  of  his  strength,  his  vigor,  his  enthusiasm 
for  taking  on  the  many  vexing  problems  confronting  the 
legislative  branch  of  government  and  through  the  legislative 
process,  coming  to  workable  solutions; 

Haw,  Thereiore,  Be  it  retolved  by  the  Seruae  oj  the 
Eighzy-FourUx  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Tennessee, 
The  House  of  Representatives  Concurring,  That  we  by  this 
Resolution  express  the  sorrow  that  is  ours  at  the  loss  of 
our  dear  friend  and  colleague.  Senator  Barton  Dement,  an 
outstanding  public  servant,  a  fine  lawyer,  a  loyal  Ten- 
oessean,  and  a  patriotic  American — truly  The  Great  . 
Man".  We  will  miu  him. 

Be  It  further  resolved.  That  a  copy  of  this  Resolution 
be  sent  to  Senator  Dement's  wife,  Mrs.  Marie  Dement, 
1603  Jones  Boulevard,  Murfreesboro,  along  with  the 
prayers  and  best  wishes  of  the  members  of  the  Eighty- 
fourth  General  Assembly  for  Mrs.  Dement  and  her  (our 
fine  children — Andrew  Jackson  Dement,  Sam  Houston 
Dement,  Debra  Diane  Dement,  and  Patrida  Aiuette 
Dement 


Fiqure  2 


History  of  Property 

214  East  Main  Street 

Murfreesboro,  Tennessee 


BY 

Henry  B.  Forrest 


62 


Rutherford  County  and  Murfreesboro,  Tennessee  are  rich  because  of  its  people, 
past  and  present,  and  because  of  their  role  in  history.  More  historic  homes  and  sites 
have  disappeared  than  are  left.  Some  homes  and  families  have  already  gone  without 
recognition.  One  of  the  remaining  old  homes  is  located  at  214  East  Main  Street.  In 
tracing  the  history  of  this  property,  it  was  impossible  to  separate  it  from  the  lives  of 
those  who  owned  it.  Therefore  this  paper  will  focus  on  its  owners  and  their  lives;  how 
the  owners  used  the  property  throughout  the  years  and  how  they  use  it  today. 

The  history  of  the  property  goes  back  into  the  earliest  days  of  Murfreesboro. 
William  Franklin  Ly tie's  parents  were  Scotch-Irish  immigrants  who  came  to  America 
in  the  great  immigration  of  the  1700's.  From  all  records  the  Lytles  came  before  1724. 
They  landed  at  New  Castle,  Delaware  and  from  there  went  south  to  Pennsylvania. 
William  Lytle  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1755.  His  family  moved  to  North  Carolina 
shortly  after  his  birth.  During  the  Revolutionary  War,  Lytle  served  as  lieutenant  and  as 
captain.  He  was  with  Gen.  George  Washington  when  Maj.  Gen.  Charles  Cornwallis 
surrendered  at  Yorktown,  Virginia  in  1781.^  He  was  transferred  to  the  Fourth  regiment 
where  he  served  under  his  brother,  Lt.  Col.  Archibald  Lytle,  until  the  close  of  the  war.2 

Archibald  Lytle  received  large  grants  of  land  in  what  is  now  Tennessee  for  his 
distinguished  service.  One  of  the  grants  included  4640  acres  of  land  on  the  west  fork  of 
Stones  River.  Another  grant  of  2560  acres  was  located  near  the  Harpeth  River.3 
Archibald  Lytle,  however,  did  not  live  long  enough  to  occupy  his  grant.  He  never 
married  and  willed  his  grants  to  his  brother,  William  F.  Lytle.  Lytle's  own  land  grant, 
for  his  services  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  included  acreage  in  west  Tennessee. 

William  Lytle  came  to  Rutherford  County  sometime  before  1800.  He  built  a  log 
cabin,  gristmill,  and  sawmill.  He  later  added  a  cotton  gin  and  warehouses.  In  1810  he 
began  building  a  mansion  near  Lytle  Creek.  The  mansion  was  razed  in  1927.  Haynes 
Brothers  Supply  Company  now  occupies  the  site.^ 


63 


Murfreesboro  was  originally  called  Cannonsburg  in  honor  of  Newton  Cannon, 
governor  to  be  of  Tennessee,  but  it  changed  names  in  honor  of  Col.  Hardy  Murfree,  a 
Revolutionary  soldier.  He  held  land  granted  by  North  Carolina  as  early  as  1786.5  He 
had  succeeded  Lt.  Col.  William  L.  Davidson  after  Davidson  was  promoted  to  Brig.  Gen. 
Griffith  Rutherford's  position.  Davidson  and  Rutherford  Counties  were  named  in 
honor  of  these  two  men,  respectively.^ 

Little  is  recorded  about  the  recreation  in  the  early  life  of  the  county,  but  there  is 
reason  to  believe  that  in  addition  to  hunting  and  target  practicing,  the  men  attended 
cock  fights  and  horse  races.  There  was  a  Bradley's  race  track  near  Murfreesboro  before 
1820.  Andrew  Jackson  is  said  to  have  won  and  lost  small  fortunes  betting  on  races.  A 
wager  aggravated  the  enmity  between  Jackson  and  Newton  Cannon.  According  to 
rumor,  this  wager  cost  Cannon  all  of  his  slaves. ^ 

The  establishment  of  the  Rutherford  county  court  took  place  in  1804.  The  court 
first  met  at  the  home  of  Thomas  Rucker,  about  4.5  miles  from  the  present 
Murfreesboro.  The  court  continued  to  meet  at  various  homes  until  a  permanent  seat 
of  government  was  established. ^  In  1811  the  legislature  appointed  seven 
commissioners  to  select  a  permanent  seat  of  justice  for  the  county.  The  legislature 
directed  them  to  consider  central  locations  with  an  adequate  supply  of  good  water. 
They  were  to  secure  sixty  acres  of  land  either  by  purchase  or  by  donation. 

Several  localities  competed  to  become  the  seat  of  justice,  since  it  would  be  a 
benefit  to  a  successful  community.  Charles  Ready  offered  Readyville.  Also,  Thomas 
Rucker  and  William  Lytle  offered  their  places.  The  commissioners  visited  and 
inspected  the  various  places  offered. 

The  donators  made  determined  efforts  to  influence  the  commissioners.  They 
served  sumptuous  dinners  during  which  the  guests  made  many  toasts  and 
"excitement  reached  the  boiling  point."^  Then  William  Lytle  invited  the 
commissioners  to  his  site.  It  is  said  that  the  lavish  entertainment  given  and  the 


64 


inducements  offered  accomplished  the  desired  effect.  The  members  voted  in  favor  of 
the  Lytle  place.  The  commission  suggested  naming  the  new  town  after  Lytle,  but  Lytle 
requested  that  they  name  it  in  honor  of  his  close  friend.  Colonel  Murfree,  who  had 
recently  died  in  Williamson  County.  On  29  November  1811,  the  county  seat  was 
renamed  Murfreesborough,  later  Murfreesboro.^O 

Lytle  made  only  one  stipulation,  and  this  was  that  one  lot  be  redeeded  to  him. 
The  commissioners  agreed,  and  he  received  the  lot  on  the  southeast  corner  of  the 
square.  ^^  At  that  time  the  lot  was  what  is  now  a  full  city  block.  It  is  bordered  on  the 
north  by  East  Main  Street,  on  the  south  by  Vine  Street,  on  the  west  by  Spring  Street, 
and  on  the  east  by  Academy  Street.  ^2  William  Lytle  apparently  used  this  as  an 
investment  since  he  had  already  chosen  his  own  homeplace.  Throughout  the  years 
this  lot  was  divided  and  sold  in  separate  parcels.  Lytle's  surveyor,  Hugh  Robison,  laid 
out  additional  lots  from  Lytle's  property,  and  no  doubt  the  financial  returns  on  these 
lots  were  considerable.  ^3 

According  to  the  Central  Observer  14  January  1979,  the  earliest  Christian  Church 
in  Rutherford  County  began  meeting  in  a  log  house  on  Vine  Street  near  Lytle  Creek.  14 
In  1860  the  congregation  bought  the  lot  on  the  corner  of  East  Main  Street  and  Academy 
Street  from  Robert  McLane  and  W.W.  Ross  for  eighteen  hundred  dollars. ^  5  jhis  lot 
was  part  of  the  original  lot  redeeded  to  William  Lytle  by  the  agreement  of  1811.  In  the 
early  1900s  the  congregation  of  the  Christian  Church  disagreed  about  several  doctrines. 
This  is  when  the  congregation  at  East  Main  and  Academy  Streets  assumed  the  name  of 
East  Main  Church  of  Christ.^^ 

William  Lytle  owned  the  lot  to  the  west  of  the  present  church  building  until  4 
May  1840  when  he  sold  it  to  Wilson  Thomas  for  SISO.^''  Little  is  known  about  Wilson 
Thomas  except  that  he  served  as  mayor  of  Murfreesboro  in  1844.^8  On  24  March  1841, 
four  days  after  Thomas's  deed  was  recorded,  he  sold  the  lot  to  William  C.  Fletcher  for 
$250.19 


o5 


Allen  Tait  Gooch  gave  three  hundred  dollars  for  the  lot  13  January  1843.20  in 
1814,  when  Gooch  was  eight  years  old,  his  family  moved  from  North  Carolina  to 
Williamson  County,  and  later  they  moved  to  Rutherford  County.  He  and  his  wife 
made  their  home  in  Murfreesboro  where  he  went  into  the  mercantile  business, 
probably  in  1829.  He  later  took  a  partner,  William  McKnight,  and  the  business  became 
known  as  "Gooch  and  McKnight  Mercantile  Business."  In  addition  to  his  normal  stock 
of  goods,  Gooch  purchased  a  great  deal  of  furniture  for  his  brother's  home, 
Goochland. 21  Goochland  was  part  of  the  property  bought  by  the  State  of  Tennessee  in 
1942  for  the  construction  of  Sewart  Air  Force  Base  in  Smyrna,  Tennessee. 22 

Allen  Gooch  sold  three  lots  to  his  son-in-law,  Jean  Joseph  Giers  for  five 
thousand  dollars  17  September  1850.  Fifteen  hundred  dollars  was  "in  hand  paid,"23 
and  the  balance  to  be  paid  in  three  notes  for  $1166.66,  each  note  dated  the  deed  date; 
two  of  them  payable  at  twelve  months  intervals  and  the  third  at  two  years.  One  of  the 
three  lots  adjoined  lot  eighty-two  and  was  where  Gooch's  home  was  situated. 24 

Jean  Joseph  Giers  was  born  in  Bonn,  Germany.  His  history  is  unknown  until  he 
resided  in  Murfreesboro.  He  wrote  music  and  poetry  and  gave  music  lessons.  He  and 
Mary  Lucinda  Gooch  were  married  2  May  1849.25  in  1855  Giers  purchased  a  resort  hotel 
and  twelve  hundred  acres  of  land  fifteen  miles  south  of  Huntsville,  Alabama.  He 
named  his  holdings  Valhermoso  Springs  which  meant  "beautiful  valley"  in 
Spanish. 26  Giers  and  his  wife,  and  her  parents,  Allen  and  Elizabeth  Gooch,  all  moved 
to  Valhermoso  Springs  in  1855.  Evidentally,  Giers  and  Gooch  became  partners  and 
made  a  successful  resort  hotel,  where  many  dignitaries  visited. 27  Giers  became  a 
member  of  the  staff  of  the  Washington  Gazette  in  Washington,  D.C.;  he  spent  the 
winters  in  Washington  and  the  summers  in  Valhermoso  Springs.  All  of  Allen 
Gooch's  sons  enlisted  in  the  Civil  War  from  that  area  of  Alabama.  They  all  fought  for 
the  Confederacy,  but  their  brother-  in-law,  Jean  Joseph  Giers,  was  a  northern 
sympathizer.  Gooch  affectionately  referred  to  his  son-in-law  as  "that  damn  yankee."28 


66 


Giers,  most  likely,  had  sold  the  three  lots  in  preparation  for  his  move  to 
Alabama.  He  sold  them  to  Madison  R.  Alexander  17  July  1852  for  the  same  amount  he 
had  paid  for  them;  five  thousand  dollars.  Mr.  Alexander  was  a  native  of  Tennessee  and 
one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Rutherford  County.  He  married  Catherine  Suttle  of  Virginia, 
who  was  raised  in  a  neighborhood  near  the  one  of  Thomas  Jefferson.  She  often  spoke 
of  Jefferson  in  glowing  words  of  praise.  Alexander  was  a  well-known  and  prosperous 
farmer. 29 

In  the  decade  before  the  Civil  War,  Rutherford  County  experienced  a  high  point 
in  agriculture.  The  agricultural  expansion  was  the  greatest  ever  known;  nothing 
comparable  ever  occurring  in  any  other  years. 30  There  was  an  increase  in  the 
establishment  of  business  firms  in  Murfreesboro,  and  also  a  rapid  expansion  of 
turnpike  companies. 31  This  economic  boom  explains  the  enormous  jump  in  land 
value  as  evidenced  by  the  selling  prices  of  lot  eighty-two. 

Madison  Alexander  sold  the  three  lots  to  James  Bivins  6  November  1855  for  the 
sum  of  $5050.32  After  that  sale  the  lots  were  again  sold  separately;  lot  eighty-two 
changed  hands  several  times  until  John  W.  Burton  bought  it.  Mr.  Burton  was  an 
attorney  and  was  mayor  of  Murfreesboro  in  1860  and  1861.33  After  the  Civil  War,  he 
served  as  special  judge  of  chancery,  and  as  special  judge  on  the  State  Supreme  Court  of 
Tennessee  from  1878  to  1883.34  He  sold  the  house  and  lot  10  December  1860  to 
Elizabeth  Ledbetter  Sublett  for  thirty-five  hundred  dollars.35  In  this  deed  is  the  first 
reference  to  a  house  being  situated  on  the  lot.  Therefore,  a  house  must  have  been  built 
there  between  1855  and  1860. 

Mrs.  Sublett  was  a  descendant  of  William  Lytle.36  After  almost  twenty  years,  lot 
eighty-two  was  once  again  owned  by  a  member  of  the  Lytle  family.  Elizabeth  and 
George  A.  Sublett  had  married  29  May  1821.  Sublett  and  his  brother  edited  and 
published  the  first  newspaper  in  Murfreesboro.  It  was  the  policy  of  the  Courier  to  give 
the  news  rather  than  to  mold  public  opinion.37  Nevertheless,  according  to  Carlton 


6? 


Sims,  the  Subletts  were  not  averse  to  molding  public  opinion.  In  1828  they  founded  the 
short-lived  National  Vidette,  vv^hose  aim  was  to  help  elect  Andrew  Jackson  president  of 
the  United  States.  The  paper  was  anti-administration  and  very  opposed  to  the 
reelection  of  John  Quincy  Adams.38  The  Sublett  brothers  evidently  did  their  share  in 
introducing  "opinions  of  the  west  into  Jeffersonian  Democracy."39  George  Sublett  was 
a  charter  member  of  the  First  Methodist  Church  of  Murfreesboro.40  Elizabeth  Sublett 
must  have  been  a  determined  woman,  because  she  joined  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  9  March  1834.  The  Subletts'  four  children  were  baptized  there  1  October  1836. 
There  is  no  record  of  George  Sublett  being  a  member.^! 

Elizabeth  Sublett  sold  the  house  and  lot  to  her  daughter,  Sarah  A.  Sublett 
Stewart  17  December  1866  for  four  thousand  dollars.'^^  Sarah  Stewart  was  the  second 
wife  of  James  W.  Stewart  who  had  been  married  to  her  sister,  Mary  M.  Sublett,  30 
November  1847.43  Sarah  and  James  Stewart  were  married  28  November  1850.44  Mr. 
Stewart  had  evidently  died  sometime  before  1868  because  Sarah  Sublett  Stewart  was 
married  to  James  Turner  when  the  house  and  lot  was  sold  21  September  1868.45  s.  H. 
Miller  paid  them  thirty-five  hundred  dollars  and  sold  it  7  September  1871  to  J.F. 
Vaughan  for  twelve  hundred  dollars.46  The  economy  had  reached  a  peak  in  1860,  but 
it  was  curtailed  by  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War  and  the  period  of  reconstruction  that 
was  to  follow.  The  recession  is  evidenced  by  the  decline  of  the  land  value  in  the  1871 
sale. 

Sarah  J.  Richardson  Fowler  paid  J.F.  Vaughan  $1550  for  the  house  and  lot  17 
June  1873.47  Capt.  Thomas  B.  Fowler  and  Sarah  had  married  6  February  1868.  Captain 
Fowler  was  born  in  1838  in  Cannon  County,  Tennessee.  He  left  home  when  he  was 
twelve  years  old  and  came  to  Murfreesboro.  He  became  a  clerk  in  a  bookstore  and  later 
became  a  bookkeeper  in  a  dry  goods  store.  He  served  in  the  Civil  War  until  after  the 
Battle  of  Franklin,  where  he  lost  a  leg.  He  was  revenue  collector  for  Rutherford  County 
in  1866  and  1867.  As  soon  as  he  was  well  enough,  he  became  a  bookkeeper  at  the 


Savings  Bank;  later  he  became  teller  at  the  First  National  Bank.  From  1870  to  1882,  he 
was  circuit  court  clerk.  His  last  known  position  was  cashier  of  Stones  River  National 
Bank.48 

In  1901  the  congregation  of  the  Christian  Church  needed  a  larger  building.  The 
elders  were  able  to  buy  a  section  of  land  from  Sarah  J.  Fowler.  The  parcel  was  ten  feet 
wide  to  the  west  side  of  the  church  and  ran  to  the  south  along  the  west  boundary 
ninety-nine  feet.  The  church  paid  five  hundred  dollars;  one  hundred  dollars  was  the 
down  payment  and  $133.33  was  to  paid  each  year  thereafter  for  three  years.49  The  old 
building  was  razed,  and  a  new  building  was  erected. ^0 

Kate  Bell  Fowler  Cranor,  the  adopted  daughter  of  Captain  and  Mrs.  Fowler,51 
inherited  the  Fowler  house  and  lot  upon  the  death  of  her  mother;  the  exact  date  is 
unknown.  Kate  Bell  Fowler  was  married  to  George  F.  Cranor. 

The  Church  of  Christ  began  renovation  plans  in  1920.  George  and  Kate  Bell 
Fowler  Cranor  sold  the  elders  of  the  church  their  house  and  lot  for  ten  thousand 
dollars  20  October  1920.^2  a  wing  was  built  on  the  newly  acquired  property,  measuring 
approximately  fifteen  feet  in  width  and  the  same  length  of  the  original  building. 

The  Fowler  house,  as  it  was  known,  was  used  as  a  home  for  the  ministers  and 
their  families.  Minor  changes  were  made  in  the  matter  of  electricity,  bathrooms,  and 
window  air-conditioning. 53 

At  the  present  time,  the  Fowler  house  stands  vacant.  It  proved  unsatisfactory  for 
the  ministers  to  live  in  the  house,  because  the  families  were  disturbed  at  all  hours  of 
the  night  by  troubled  people  who  needed  help.  For  a  while,  the  house  was  leased,  but 
this  was  not  practical.  The  church  was  required  to  pay  taxes  on  it  if  it  was  rented.  After 
paying  taxes  and  repairing  the  damages  made  by  the  tenants,  the  church  discovered 
that  using  it  as  rental  property  was  a  losing  proposition. 54 

It  is  believed  that  Captain  Thomas  Fowler  and  his  wife,  Sarah  J.  Fowler,  had  the 
present  house  built  sometime  between  1875  and  the  early  1880s.  Speculation  is  that  the 


69 


original  house  was  severely  damaged  during  the  Civil  War  and  was  in  an  irreparable 
condition. 

The  Fowler  house  is  a  two-story,  red  brick  building.  The  walls  are  four  bricks 
thick  and  stand  on  a  rock  foundation.  These  stones  are  twenty-five  to  thirty  inches 
long  and  twelve  inches  thick. 55  The  outside  of  the  house  is  designed  in  the 
asymmetrical  form  of  the  Victorian  style.  It  has  a  small  front  porch  with  a  double-door 
entrance.  On  the  left  side  of  the  porch,  there  is  a  two-story  turret  with  three  bay 
windows  at  both  levels.  The  turret  has  a  pyramidal  cap.56  The  roof  and  cap  were 
originally  made  of  pressed  tin  which  had  a  design  etched  in  it,  but  this  has  been 
replaced  by  a  modern  tin  roof. 

The  entrance  hall  leading  to  the  stairway  has  an  archway  with  the  wood  carved 
in  various  designs.  The  front  parlor  on  the  left  of  the  hall  is  separated  from  the  back 
parlor  by  two  sliding  doors,  which  reach  almost  to  the  fourteen  feet  high  ceilings.  The 
library  is  on  the  right  of  the  hall  with  a  small  office  directly  behind  it.  The  kitchen  was 
originally  a  separate  building,  but  now  it  joins  the  house  in  the  rear. 

There  is  a  massive  stairway  leading  to  the  second  floor  which  has  three 
bedrooms;  the  master  bedroom  now  adjoins  a  bathroom,  which  was  probably  once 
used  as  a  dressing  room  or  storage  area. 

The  floors  are  made  of  "fat"  pine,  and  the  wood  molding  is  probably  poplar.  This 
is  an  easy  wood  to  work  with  and  was  used  abundantly  in  the  1880s.  The  fireplaces  are 
srhall  and  shallow  with  low  mantles  made  of  cast-iron.  The  burning  of  coal  and  the 
use  of  cast-iron  was  popular  during  this  period.57  There  is  ornamental  plasterwork  on 
the  ceilings  around  the  electrical  openings.  In  the  nineteenth  century,  coal  oil  lanterns 
were  suspended  from  the  ceilings  and  lowered  for  use.  There  is  elaborate  wood  detail 
on  the  stairway  newel  posts.  Other  than  this  and  the  archway,  there  is  little  fancy  detail 
which  is  prevalent  in  most  Victorian  houses. 58 


70 


This  research  project  has  been  a  most  enlightening  experience.  The  writer's 
respect  for  historians  has  increased  tenfold.  While  tracing  the  history  of  lot  eighty-tv/o, 
the  novice  researcher  repeated  many  times,  "If  only  land  could  talk!"  Regrettably,  the 
writer  has  left  some  missing  links  in  the  line  of  ownership  of  the  property.  Also,  there 
is  an  abundance  of  unknown  information  about  the  owners  and  their  families.  The 
research  has  found,  until  now,  all  the  owners  to  be  prominent  and  honorable  citizens. 
Nevertheless,  it  is  always  possible  in  tracing  a  family  tree  to  find  a  horse  thief  hanging 
from  one  of  the  branches  or  to  roll  some  skeletons  out  of  the  closets.  In  any  case,  lot 
eighty-two  is  well-worth  investigating. 


71 


ENDNOTES 


1  William  F.  Lytle,  Biographical  Sketch,  1755-1829.  Daughters  of  the  American 
Revolution,  Jackson-Madison  Chapter  Collection,  William  F.  Lytle  Collection,  State  of 
Tennessee  Archives,  Nashville. 

2  Mabel  Pittard,  Rutherford  County.  Tennessee  County  History  Series,  ed.  Robert  E. 
Corlew  III  (Memphis:  Memphis  State  University  Press,  1984),  29. 

3  Archibald  Lytle,  North  Carolina  land  grant,  12  March  1784,  original  in 
Archibald  Lytle  Collection,  State  of  Tennessee  Archives,  Nashville. 

4  William  F.  Lytle,  Memoirs  of  the  Lytle  family,  Lytle  family  genealogy  1703- 
1829,  Lytle  family  events  and  photographs,  William  C.  Ledbetter  Jr.  Collection,  115 
University,  Murfreesboro,  TN. 

5  Carlton  C.  Sims,  ed.  ,  A  History  of  Rutherford  County  (Murfreesboro:  Privately 
printed,  1947),  12. 

6  Sims,  26. 

7  Ibid.,  31. 

8  C.  C.  Henderson,  The  Story  of  Murfreesboro  (Murfreesboro:  The  News-Banner 
Publishing  Co.  ,  1929),  4-5. 

9  Ibid.,  28. 

^0  William  C.  Ledbetter  Jr.  of  Murfreesboro,  interview  by  author,  21  November 
1988,  Murfreesboro,  115  University,  Murfreesboro,  TN, 

11  Ibid. 

12  Sanborn  Map  Co.,  July  1891,  Murfreesboro,  TN.  Map  3,  1888-1897. 

13  Pittard,  26-27. 

14  Murfreesboro  East  Main,  Central  Observer,  14  January  1979,  1. 

15  Rutherford  County  Deeds,  Transfer  of  title,  Robert  McLane  and  W.W.  Ross  to 
Christian  Church,  5  November  1860,  Book  11,  476. 

1^  East  Main  Church  of  Christ.  Historical  papers  and  photograph.  East  Main 
Church  of  Christ  Collection,  Murfreesboro,  TN. 

17  Deeds,  Transfer  of  title,  William  B.  Lytle  to  Wilson  Thomas,  20  March  1841, 
Book  Y,  366. 


12. 


18  Henderson,  142, 

19  Deeds,  Transfer  of  title,  Wilson  Thomas  to  William  C.  Fletcher,  24  March 
1841,  Book  Y,  372. 

20  Ibid.  ,  Transfer  of  title,  William  C.  Fletcher  to  Allen  T.  Gooch,  13  January 
1843,  Book  13  January  1843,  Book  1, 102. 

21  Virginia  Gooch  Watson,  'The  Gooch  Family  in  Williamson  County, 
Tennessee,"  Williamson  County  Historical  Society,  Publication  10,  Spring  1979.  28. 

22  Virginia  Gooch  Watson  of  Franklin,  interview  by  author,  22  November  1988, 
Franklin,  Executive  House,  Franklin,  TN. 

23  Deeds,  Transfer  of  title,  Jean  Joseph  Giers  to  Madison  H.  Alexander,  17  July 
1852,  Book  5,  562. 

24  Ibid. 

25  Edythe  Rucker  Whitley,  comp.  ,  Marriages  of  Rutherford  County,  Tennessee: 
1804-1872  (Baltimore:  Genealogical  Publishing  Co.,  Inc.,  1981  ),  119. 

26  Watson,  29. 

27  Watson,  interview. 

28  Watson,  29. 

29  The  Goodspeed  Histories  of  Maury,  Williamson,  Rutherford,  Wilson,  Bedford,  and 
Marshall  Counties  of  Tennessee  (Nashville:  The  Goodspeed  Publishing  Co.,  1887;  repr., 
Columbia,  TN.  :  Woodward  and  Stinson  Printing  Co.,  1971),  1020. 

30  PhiHp  M.  Hamer,  ed. ,  Tennessee- A  History:  1673-1932  (New  York:  The 
American  Historical  Society,  Inc. ,  1933),  vol.  2,  832. 

31  Pittard,  63. 

32  Deeds,  Transfer  of  title,  Madison  H.  Alexander  to  James  Bivens,  6  November 
1855,  Book  19,  279. 

33  Henderson,  142. 

34  Sims,  83. 

35  Deeds,  Transfer  of  title,  John  W.  Burton  to  Elizabeth  M.  Sublett,  10  December 
1860,  Book  11,  549. 


73 


36  Ledbetter  Collection. 

37  Henderson,  75. 

38  Sims,  108. 

39  Ibid. 

40  Ibid.,  196 

^^  Edythe  Rucker  Whitley,  comp..  First  Presbyterian  Church:  Roster  of  Members 
1812-1846.  Rutherford  County  Collection,  Williamson  County  Library,  Franklin,  TN. 

^^  Deeds,  Transfer  of  title,  Elizabeth  M.  Sublett  to  Sarah  A.  Stewart  Turner,  17 
December  1866,  Book  14,  403. 

43  V\!hit\ey,  Marriages,  114. 

44  Ibid.,  124 

45  Deeds,  Transfer  of  title,  James  Turner  and  Sarah  A.  Stewart  Turner  to  S.  H. 
Miller,  21  September  1868,  Book  16,  61. 

46  Ibid.,  Transfer  of  title,  S.  H.  Miller  to  J.  F.  Vaughan,  7  September  1871,  Book 
18,  88-89. 

47  Ibid.,  Transfer  of  title,  J.  F.  Vaughan  to  Sarah  J.  Fowler,  17  June  1873,  Book  19, 
279-80. 

48  Goodspeed,  1035. 

49  Deeds,  Transfer  of  title,  Sarah  J.  Fowler  to  Christian  Church,  4  May  1901, 
Book  41,  471. 

50  East  Main  Church  of  Christ  Collection. 

51  Goodspeed,  1035. 

52  Deeds,  Transfer  of  title,  George  A.  Cranor  and  Kate  Bell  Fowler  Cranor  to 
elders  of  East  Main  Church  of  Christ,  20  October  1920,  Book  64,  255. 

53  James  Bailey  of  Murfreesboro,  interview  by  author,  29  November  1988, 
Murfreesboro,  214  East  Main  Street,  Murfreesboro,  TN. 


74 

54  Judith  Minnick  of  Murfreesboro,  interview  by  author,  18  November  1988, 
Murfreesboro,  East  Main  Church  of  Christ,  Murfreesboro,  TN. 


55 


Bailey. 


56  Lawrence  Grow,  ed..  Old  House  Catalogue  (New  York:  MacMillan  Publishing 
Co.,  Inc.,  Collier  Books,  1982),  20. 

57  Ernest  K.  Johns  of  Smyrna,  interview  by  author,  29  November  1988, 
Murfreesboro,  Ernest  K.  Johns  Construction  Co.,  Murfreesboro,  TN. 

58  Marcus  Whiffin,  American  Architecture  Since  1780:  A  Guide  to  the  Styles 
(Cambridge,  MA.  and  London:  Massachusetts  Institute  of  Technology  Press,  1969),  1  IS- 
IS. 


75 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Bailey,  James.  Interview  by  author,  29  November  1988,  Murfreesboro.  214  East  Main 
Street,  Murfreesboro,  TN. 

The  Goodspeed  Histories  of  Maury,  Williamson,  Rutherford,  Wilson,  Bedford,  and  Marshal 
Counties  of  Tennessee.  Nashville:  The  Goodspeed  Publishing  Co.,  1887;  reprint, 
Columbia,  TN:  Woodward  and  Stinson  Printing  Co.,  1971. 

Grow,  Lawrence,  ed.  Old  House  Catalogue.  New  York:  MacMillan  Publishing  Co    Inc 
ColUer  Books,  1982. 

Hamer,  Phillip  M.,  ed.  Tennessee-A  History:  1673-1932.  Vol.  2.  New  York:  The  American 
Historical  Society,  Inc.,  1933. 

Henderson,  C.  C.  The  Story  of  Murfreesboro.  Murfreesboro:  The  News-Banner  Publishing 
Co.,  1929.  ^ 

Johns,  Ernest,  K.,  Interview  by  author,  29  November  1988,  Murfreesboro.  Ernest  K. 
Johns  Construction  Co.,  Murfreesboro,  TN. 

Ledbetter,  William  C.  Jr.  Interview  by  author,  21  November  1988,  Murfreesboro.  115 

University,  Murfreesboro,  TN. 

Lytle,  Archibald.  North  Carolina  land  grant,  12  March  1784.  Original  in  Archibald  Lytle 
Collection,  State  of  Tennessee  Archives,  Nashville,  TN. 

Lytle,  William  F.  Biographical  Sketch,  1755-1829.  Daughters  of  the  American 

Revolution,  Jackson-Madison  Chapter  Collection,  William  F.  Lytle  Collection, 
State  of  Tennessee  Archives,  Nashville,  TN. 

Memoirs  of  the  Lytle  family,  Lytle  family  genealogy  1703-1829,  Lytle 


family  events  and  photographs.  William  C.  Ledbetter  Jr.  Collection,  115 
University,  Murfreesboro,  TN. 

Minnick,  Judith.  Interview  by  author,  18  November  1988,  Murfreesboro.  East  Main 
Church  of  Christ,  Murfreesboro,  TN. 

Pittard,  Mabel.  Rutherford  County.  Tennessee  County  History  Series,  ed.  Robert  E. 
Corlew  III.  Memphis:  Memphis  State  University  Press,  1984. 

Rutherford  County  Deeds.  Transfer  of  title,  Robert  McLane  and  W.  W.  Ross  to 
Christian  Church,  5  November  1860.  Book  11,  476. 

..  Transfer  of  title,  William  F.  Lytle  to  Wilson  Thomas,  20  March  1841.  Book 


Y,  366. 

•  Transfer  of  title,  Wilson  Thomas  to  William  C.  Fletcher,  24  March  1841. 

Book  Y,  372. 


1(^ 


.  Transfer  of  title,  William  C.  Fletcher  to  Allen  T.  Gooch,  13  January  1843. 


Book  1,  102. 


Transfer  of  title,  Jean  Joseph  Giers  to  Madison  H.  Alexander,  17  July  1852. 


Book  5,  562. 

.  Transfer  of  title,  Madison  H.  Alexander  to  James  Bivins,  6  November 

1855.  Book  19,  279. 

_.  Transfer  of  title,  John  W.  Burton  to  Elizabeth  M.  Sublett, ,  10  December 


1860.  Book  11,  549. 


Transfer  of  title,  Elizabeth  M.  Sublett  to  Sarah  A.  Stewart,  17  December 


1866.  Book  14,  403. 


Transfer  of  title,  James  Turner  and  Sarah  A.  Stewart  Turner  to  S.  H. 


Miller,  21  September  1868.  Book  16,  61. 

Transfer  of  title,  S.  H.  Miller  to  J.  F.  Vaughan,  7  September  1871.  Book  18, 


89-90. 

Transfer  of  title,  J.  F.  Vaughan  to  Sarah  J.  Fowler,  17  June  1873.  Book  19, 


279-80. 

Transfer  of  title,  Sarah  J.  Fowler  to  Christian  Church,  4  May  1901.  Book  41, 


471. 


Transfer  of  title,  George  F.  Cranor  and  Kate  Bell  Fowler  Cranor  to  elders  of 


East  Main  Church  of  Christ,  20  October  1920,  Book  64,  255. 

Sanborn  Map  Co.,  July  1891.  Murfreesboro,  TN.  Map  3,  1888-1897. 

Sims,  Carlton  C.  ed.  A  History  of  Rutherford  County.  Murfreesboro:  Privately  printed, 
1947. 

Watson,  Virginia  Gooch.  'The  Gooch  Family  in  Williamson  County,  Tennessee." 
Williamson  County  Historical  Society.  Publication  10,  (Spring  1979):  4-50. 

..  Interview  by  author,  22  November  1988,  Franklin.  Executive  House, 


Franklin,  TN. 

Whiffin,  Marcus.  American  Architecture  Since  1780:  A  Guide  to  the  Styles.  Cambridge,  MA 
and  London:  Massachusetts  Institute  of  Technology  Press,  1969. 

Whitley,  Edythe  Rucker,  comp.  First  Presbyterian  Church:  Roster  of  Members  1812-1846. 
Rutherford  County  Library,  Franklin,  TN. 

.,  comp.  Marriages  of  Rutherford  County,  Tennessee:  1804-1872.  Baltimore: 


Genealogical  Publishing  Co.,  Inc.,  1981. 


11 


TO:  Murfreesboro  City  Board  of  Education 

FROM:  John  HdpgeJones 

DATE:  March  5,  1990 

RE:  A  Review  of  School  and  School  System  Organization— A  Personal  Statement 

Reflecting  Upon  the  Past,  Present,  and  Future 

INTRODUCTION 

Changes  are  rapidly  taking  place  in  Rutherford  County  and  Murfreesboro's  education  institutions. 
The  history  of  where  we  are  is  relatively  young  and  the  opportunity  window  for  change 
has  again  been  opened-   Because  that  window  is  now  open,  it  is  my  responsibility  to  give 
you  my  perception  of  yesterday,  today,  and  tomorrow.   Because  of  my  own  limited  time 
to  do  research,  many  of  the  dates  which  I  will  use  will  not  be  documented;  it  will  be  based 
upon  my  memory.   Conclusions  which  I  will  draw  will  be  my  own,  and  I  will  attempt  to 
refrain  from  making  recommendations  until  the  subjects  are  more  fully  researched  and 
discussed. 


CHAPTER  I 

A  FIFTY-YEAR  HISTORY 

Recently  a  young  local  businessman  visited  my  office  to  discuss  school  system  unification. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Leadership  Rutherford  class  which  is  addressing  this  subject.  After 
talking  to  him  for  approximately  one  hour,  I  realized  that  I  had  given  him  a  lesson  in  local 
school/school  system  history  dating  back  approximately  fifty  years.   When  reflecting  upon 
this,  it  occurred  to  me  that  many  of  our  local  officials  now  in  decision-making  roles  are 
either  younger  than  I  or  may  not  be  natives  of  this  community.  I  have  often  thought  that 
Mr.   Hobgood  should  write  down  his  thoughts  and  his  knowledge  of  education  history  dating 
back  to  the  early  1900s.  This  would  indeed  be  valuable,  but  I  also  realized  that  I  possess 
knowledge  and  experience  which  provide  information  on  where  and  why  we  are  at  this 
junction  in  today's  local  school  organization  and  control. 

My  father  served  on  the  Rutherford  County  Court  from  1936  until  1972.  I  started  to  school 
at  Rockvale  in  1943.  Dad  always  felt  a  need  and  expressed  an  interest  in  consolidating 


78 

the  small  schools  throughout  Rutherford  County.  I  never  heard  hinn  discuss  school  system 
unification.  Because  of  this,  I  developed  an  early  interest  in  the  organization  and  control 
of  local  schools. 

When  I  started  to  school  in  1943,  Rutherford  County  had  more  than  50  schools  scattered 
throughout  the  county.    Many  of  these  schools  were  one  or  two-teacher  schools.   Grades 
1-12  schools  were  located  at  Eagleville,  Rockvale,  Christiana,  Kittrell,  Lascassas,  Walter 
Hill,  and  Smyrna. 

There  was  a  dual  system  for  the  races  with  small  schools  for  black  children  being  scattered 
throughout  the  various  portions  of  the  county.   Most  all  of  these  schools  were  one-  or 
two-teacher  schools.    Holloway  was  the  one  central  high  school  for  black  high  school  age 
children.   Not  only  was  there  a  dual  school  system,  but  there  was  also  a  dual  pupil  transportation 
program.   An  extensive  separate  pupil  transportation  program  served  the  entire  county 
with  overlapping  routes  for  black  and  white  children. 

In  those  days  elementary  children  went  to  school  for  eight  months  and  high  school  children 
attended  nine  months.   Schools  were  closed  for  approximately  one  month  in  the  fall  in 
order  for  children  to  stay  home  and  pick  cotton.   Many  children  from  rural  share-cropping 
families  dropped  out  of  school  early  because  of  excessive  absenteeism  caused  by  staying 
at  home  to  assist  their  families  with  picking  cotton  and  other  farm  work. 

In  Murfreesboro  there  were  four  elementary  schools  attended  by  Murfreesboro's  elementary 
children.   Several  children  from  the  county  also  attended  these  schools.   It  has  been  reported 
to  me  that  children  from  upper  income  or  so  called  "elite  families"  attended  the  Homer 
Pittard  Campus  School,  at  that  time  called  the  Training  School.   Children  from  middle 
income  families  enrolled  at  Crichlow  Elementary,  and  children  from  low  income  families 
attended  McFadden  Elementary.   The  old  Bradley  Academy,  which  now  houses  our  maintenance 
shop,  was  the  elementary  school  for  black  children. 

Central  High  School,  according  to  Mr.  Hobgood,  became  a  county  high  school  sometime 
soon  after  World  War  I.   Interestingly,  Mr.    Hobgood  stated  that  the  school  originally  started 
because  many  citizens  across  the  county  wanted  to  develop  a  football  power  house.    Prior 
to  that  time,  many  Murfreesboro  children  had  received  their  high  school  education  primarily 
in  private  schools.   At  some  point  during  the  twenties  and  thirties,  the  principal  of  Central 
High  School  also  served  as  the  superintendent  of  the  Murfreesboro  City  Schools.   This 
is  probably  one  of  the  reasons  why  Murfreesboro  never  developed  a  high  school  program- 
Murfreesboro's  elementary  schools  encompassed  grades  1-8. 


79 

Until  the  early  1950s,  there  was  little  change  in  the  structure  of  the  public  school  program 
as  discussed  above.   Murfreesboro  began  to  grow  in  the  fifties  in  the  Mitchell-Neilson, 
Reeves-Rogers,  and  Hobgood  areas.   Under  Mr.  Hobgood's  superintendency,  Mitchell-Neilson, 
Hobgood,  Bradley,  and  Reeves-Rogers  were  all  built  during  the  1950s;  I  believe  in  this 
order.    Bellwood  and  Mitchell-Neilson  Primary  were  not  built  until  approximately  1964 
and  1965.   During  the  period  of  the  fifties  there  was  little  change  taking  place  in  Rutherford 
County  in  terms  of  school  construction-   Additions,  of  course,  were  being  built  to  all  schools. 
Portables  on  campuses  became  popular.  The  Smyrna  area  had  grown  and  the  1-12  grade 
school  in  that  area  had  split  up  into  more  than  one  school.  The  Smyrna  High  School  was 
built  sometime  during  the  mid  fifties.   Basketball  was  the  center  of  activity  for  all  of 
the  rural  high  schools.   Central  High  School,  under  the  coaching  of  Mr.  Lee  Pate,  became 
a  power  house  both  in  basketball  and  Football.  They  nearly  always  competed  in  state 
competition. 


DESEGREGATION 

In  1954,  in  Brown  vs  Topeka,  Kansas,  the  dual  system  of  public  education  which  had  historically 
separated  the  races  was  declared  unconstitutional.  Integration,  however,  developed  slowly. 
School  systems  across  the  nation  first  met  the  requirements  of  the  Brown  Decision  by 
establishing  freedom  of  choice  for  all  children.   Obviously,  there  were  few  black  children 
to  enter  all-white  schools,  and  in  this  area,  no  white  children  entered  all-black  schools. 
By  1966  there  were  a  few  black  children  who  had  enrolled  at  Crichlow  and  only  a  handful 
at  the  other  city  schools.   Not  many  black  children  attended  Central  High  School  and 
no  white  children  enrolled  at  HoUoway  High  or  Bradley  Elementary.   Practically  no  integration 
had  taken  place  at  the  schools  scattered  throughout  Rutherford  County. 

Other  suits  to  force  desegregation  began  going  through  the  court  system  of  our  country 
and  forced  desegregation  became  a  way  of  life.   Many  school  systems  came  under  court 
order.   Many  boards  and  superintendents  lost  much  of  their  control  and  school  systems 
were  placed  under  the  control  of  the  judicial  system.   During  the  latter  part  of  the  1960s, 
both  the  black  and  white  leadership  of  Rutherford  County  and  Murfreesboro  did  an  excellent 
job  developing  desegregation  plans  and  rapidly  integrated  our  school  systems.   Holloway 
High  School  was  closed  and  became  an  annex  to  Central  with  most  of  the  vocational  courses 
being  housed  at  old  Holloway.   In  1968  Bradley  was  closed  as  an  all-black  school  and  Crichlow 
was  closed  as  a  1-8  grade  school.   Central,  of  course,  became  a  fully  integrated  high  school, 
and  Crichlow  and  Bradley  became  seventh  and  eighth  grade  schools  for  the  City  of  Murfreesboro. 
For  the  first  time,  Murfreesboro  entered  the  pupil  transportation  business  by  establishing 


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simple  shuttle  routes  from  the  Bradley  and  Crichlow  schools  to  the  perimeter  schools 
and  brought  seventh  and  eighth  graders  from  the  perimeter  schools  back  to  Crichlow  and 
Bradley.   Crichlow  and  Bradley  remained  seventh  and  eighth  grade  schools  until  the  fall 
of  1972  when  Oakland  and  Riverdale  were  opened  as  high  schools  leaving  Central  available 
for  a  large  seventh  and  eighth  grade  school. 

REAPPORTIONMENT 

Another  important  event  was  taking  place  in  the  nation  up  to  and  during  the  late  1960s 
which  had  an  impact  upon  the  history  of  our  school  systems.  These  circumstances  had 
to  do  with  the  one-man,  one-vote  court  decisions  that  were  being  made  in  the  nation. 
In  an  earlier  decade,   courts  had  ruled  that  congressional  districts  must  be  reapportioned 
on  a  one-man,  one-vote  basis.  They  later  ruled  that  state  legislative  districts  must  reapportion. 
Not  until  1968  was  there  a  ruling  on  local  governing  bodies  related  to  the  principle  of 
one-man,  one-vote.  This  ruling  came  from  the  United  States  Supreme  Court  and  was 
applicable  to  the  local  governing  body  in  Midland,  Texas. 

A  similar  suit  had  been  filed  in  Rutherford  County  against  the  Rutherford  County  Quarterly 
Court  and  against  the  Rutherford  County  School  Board.  Since  the  Midland,  Texas  suit 
was  already  pending  before  the  United  States  Supreme  Court,  the  local  suits  were  held 
in  local  courts  waiting  for  the  Supreme  Court  ruling.  The  Rutherford  County  Quarterly 
Court,  now  called  the  Rutherford  County  Commission,  was  composed  of  fifty-four  members; 
only  four  being  from  Murfreesboro,  which  at  that  time  had  approximately  forty-five  percent 
of  the  county's  population. 

Likewise,  the  Rutherford  County  School  Board  was  extremely  malapportioned.  There 
were  eleven  members  of  the  Rutherford  County  School  Board;  only  one  representing  the 
City  of  Murfreesboro.   Obviously,  this  kind  of  representation  contributed  to  very  high 
provincialism  for  every  community  throughout  the  county  making  school  consolidation 
almost  impossible.   Every  magistrate  and  every  school  board  member  were  elected  by  people 
who  wanted  to  maintain  the  status  quo,  maintain  their  one-  and  two-teacher  schools,  and 
particularly  maintain  the  six  rural  high  schools  which  were  the  focal  point  for  high  spirited 
basketball  games  and  other  community  activities.   Practically  no  candidate  had  a  Chinaman's 
chance  for  winning  an  election  who  became  associated  in  anyway  with  the  subject  of  school 
consolidation.   Mr.  Hollis  Westbrooks  defeated  Mr.  Wilkes  Coffee  in  a  bitterly  fought 
campaign  for  the  Tennessee  Legislature  in  the  early  1960s.  The  issue  was  reapportionment 


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and  to  everyone,  reapportionment  meant  school  consolidation.    Mr.  Westbrooks  obviously 

represented  the  status  quo  on  that  issue.   In  1966,  I  came  much  closer  to  winning  a  county-wide 

election.    1  was  identified  as  a  consolidation  candidate  for  county  school  superintendent, 

but  failed  to  win  that  election  by  400  votes. 

RUTHERFORD  COUNTY  SCHOOL  CONSOLIDATION 

As  soon  as  the  Midland,  Texas  decision  was  made  regarding  one-man,  one  vote  at  the  local 
level,  the  Rutherford  County  Quarterly  Court  and  Rutherford  County  School  Board  immediately 
set  up  a  reapportionment  plan.   In  fact,  our  local  governing  bodies  reapportioned  prior  to 
Midland,  Texas,  making  them  the  first  local  reapportioned  county  government  entities 
in  the  nation.   Some  very  progressive  local  citizens  had  been  behind  the  local  suit.   Some 
of  these  citizens  were  elected  to  the  newly  formed  Rutherford  County  Commission  and 
Rutherford  County  School  Board.   The  Commission  was  lowered  to  forty-two  members, 
and  the  new  School  Board  was  composed  of  seven  members. 

Many  of  the  forty-two  members  on  the  new  County  Commission  and  seven  board  members 
did  not  represent  areas  of  the  County  composed  of  the  six  rural  high  schools.   Therefore, 
the  stage  was  set  for  consolidation  of  many  of  Rutherford  County  Schools.   The  highly 
credentialed,  qualified,  and  progressive  county  board  that  was  elected  around  1970  invited 
Mr,  Hobgood,  me,  and  other  City  officials  to  sit  in  with  the  county  superintendent  and 
board  in  the  development  of  a  consolidation  plan  for  Rutherford  County.   Mr.  Hobgood 
and  I  were  quite  actively  involved  in  the  proposal  to  build  two  new  high  schools  at  their 
current  sites.   The  county  commission  agreed  to  the  Board's  proposal  and  the  city  agreed 
to  waive  certain  rights  to  tax  collections.   A  half  cent  sales  tax  was  approved;  a  wheel 
tax  was  imposed;  and  some  increase  occurred  in  local  property  taxes.   The  county  built 
Oakland  and  Riverdale  High  Schools  which  opened  in  the  fall  of  1972. 

SYSTEMS  UNIFICATION  DISCUSSIONS 

With  a  very  progressive  and  highly  credentialed  county  school  board  and  recognizing  a 
new  county  commission  that  was  able  to  support  school  consolidatation  for  the  first  time, 
local  city  officials  began  to  discuss  with  county  officials  the  possibility  of  school  system 
unification.   Mr.  Hobgood  and  Joe  Sloan,  Chairman  of  the  Rutherford  County  School  Board, 
using  the  Clarksville-Montgomery  consolidation  instrument  as  a  guide,  developed  a  school 
system  consolidation  proposal  for  Rutherford  County-Murfreesboro.   It  had  already  been 
agreed  that  the  available  space  at  Central  would  become  available  for  seventh  and  eighth 


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graders  in  the  City  of  Murfreesboro.    It  was  felt  that  the  systems  would  unify  and  the 
logical  use  of  the  old  Central  High  School  building  would  be  for  seventh  and  eighth  graders. 
It  was  perceived  that  the  Crichlow  facility  needed  to  be  closed  for  school  use;  therefore, 
the  city  school  board  agreed  to  turn  over  the  seventh  and  eighth  grades  to  the  County 
school  system. 

The  unification  proposal  called  for  a  superintendent  appointed  by  the  county  school  Board. 
This,  along  with  rural  suspicions,  caused  the  1972  vote  on  school  system  unification  to 
fail.   Once  prior  to  this  time,  I  believe  it  was  in  1969,  a  referendum  failed  on  the  subject 
of  changing  the  method  of  selecting  the  county  superintendent  to  an  appointed  position. 
Another  referendum  was  attempted  on  this  subject  in  the  late  1970s  and  it  was  also  soundly 
defeated. 

In  summary,  because  of  the  highly  credentialed  progressive  school  board,  the  newly  created 
progressive  county  commission,  the  effort  to  consolidate  the  school  systems,  and  the  available 
space  at  Central,  Murfreesboro  lost  its  seventh  and  eighth  grade  program  to  Rutherford 
County, 

Most  of  us  are  aware  of  the  changes  and  developments  taking  place  in  local  school  systems 
for  the  last  two  decades.     Since  1970,  there  has  been  a  change  in  the  Rutherford  County 
School  superintendency  every  four  years.   Mr.  Hobgood  retired  in  1975s,  Dr.  Swick  left 
our  school  system  in  1981,  Roger  Landers  was  superintendent  for  only  seven  months  in 
1982,  and  I  became  your  school  superintendent  in  August,  1982.   Since  the  opening  of  Bellwood 
and  Mitchell-Neilson  Primary  School,  there  was  no  new  school  building  opened  in  Murfreesboro 
City  until  1987  with  the  opening  of  Northfield.   During  that  period  of  time,  several  additions 
were  made  to  Murfreesboro  city  school  buildings.   Classroom  additions  were  added  because 
of  increases  in  federal  and  state  requirements  for  special  education  and  our  own  efforts 
to  improve  these  programs.   Additions  were  also  made  because  of  the  new  requirements 
for  library  space  in  elementary  buildings  and  with  the  advent  of  the  kindergarten  programs 
in  the  early  1970s.     Our  schools  were  retrofitted  for  energy  conservation  in  the  late  1970s. 

There  were  few  changes  in  schools  during  the  seventies  and  early  eighties  because  our 
pupil  population  stabilized  during  these  years.   In  fact  our  pupil  population  had  decreased 
by  approximately  500  students  during  this  period  while  the  city's  population  was  increasing 
by  approximately  10,000.   North  Rutherford  County  experienced  growth,  and  some  school 
construction  took  place  in  the  Smyrna  and  LaVergne  areas.   The  county's  $40  million  plus 
building  program  got  under  way  in  about  1984. 


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SUMMARY 

From  the  foregoing  history,  I  call  your  attention  to  the  following: 

1.  One  prime  reason  for  the  existence  of  the  city  school  system  was  the  gross  malapportionment 
of  representation  on  the  county  court  and  county  school  board. 

2.  The  city  never  developed  a  high  school  program,  among  other  reasons,  because  in  the 
early  years,  the  city  school  superintendent  and  the  principal  of  Central  High  School 
were  one  position- 

3.  The  city  lost  its  seventh  and  eighth  program  because  of  the  anticipated  approval  of 
a  unification  plan  and  the  available  space  at  Central  when  the  two  new  high  schools 
were  built. 

4.  Desegregation  played  a  major  role  in  the  forming  of  our  school  systems  as  we  see  them 
today. 

There  is  one  other  important  reason  for  the  justification  of  the  city  school  system  and 
that  relates  to  the  city's  willingness  to  spend  more  for  a  quality  education  program.  I 
will  refer  to  this  later  in  this  presentation. 


CHAPTER  n 

EVENTS  SHAPING  TODAY'S  HISTORY 

There  are  several  items  under  consideration  at  the  state  and  local  level  which  may  have 
an  impact  on  the  Murfreesboro  City  School  System. 

STATE  OF  TENNESSEE 

Several  related  discussions  are  taking  place  at  the  state  level.  First,  is  the  suit  which 
has  been  filed  by  66  small  rural  counties  against  the  State  of  Tennessee  which  relate  to 
equity  funding-  Second,  is  the  discussion  regarding  the  Tennessee  Foundation  Program 
(TEP)  which  proposes  to  distribute  state  funds  to  local  school  districts  by  a  basic  education 
program  (BEP);  and,  third,  is  the  subject  of  state  tax  reform  which  is  needed  in  order 
to  adequately  fund  the  state's  public  school  program.   Unification  and  capital  outlay  notes 
are  also  on  the  state  agenda. 


84 


Rural  Counties  Vs.  State 

The  subjects  interrelate,  but  let's  look  first  at  the  suit  filed  by  66  small  rural  counties. 
Whether  these  counties  win  this  suit  does  not  seem  to  be  of  great  importance  at  this 
time.   Nearly  all  public  officials,  school  administrators,  and  the  public  as  a  whole, 
acknowledge  that  a  more  equitable  distribution  of  state  funds  should  be  implemented. 
Similar  suits  have  occurred  throughout  the  nation.  The  plaintiffs  in  Texas  won  their 
suit  and  the  courts  have  called  for  reform  in  the  Texas  Foundation  Program.   Also, 
the  most  drastic  example  is  in  the  State  of  Kentucky  where  the  plaintiffs  have  won 
and  the  courts  have  called  for  a  complete  restructuring  of  the  Kentucky  Foundation 
Program  for  distributing  its  state  funds.   Our  State  constitution  is  written  somewhat 
different  from  that  of  Kentucky  causing  many  to  speculate  that  Tennessee's  rural 
counties  will  not  win  their  suit  but  as  indicated,  this  seems  to  be  a  moot  issue.  It  appears 
that  the  Tennessee  Legislature  is  sympathetic  with  the  suit  and  are  moving  toward 
a  system  of  redistributing  state  monies. 

The  Foundation  Program 

Our  current  foundation  program  dates  back  to  1956.  The  distribution  formula  was 
revised  in  1978.   Prior  to  1978,  state  funds  were  distributed  to  local  school  districts 
on  the  basis  of  required  positions  needed  to  operate  a  school  program  and  a  few  other 
categories  which  included  maiirtenance  and  operation,  pupil  transportation,  and  provision 
of  free  textbooks.   In  1978,  the  formula  was  changed  to  support  school  systems  across 
the  state  on  the  basis  of  weighted  average  daily  attendance  with  various  weights  being 
given  to  pupils  according  to  their  assigned  grade  level. 

I  am  on  the  state  committee  working  on  the  new  foundation  program  and  we  refer 
to  it  as  the  basic  education  program  or  the  BEP.   While  I  am  not  in  total  agreement 
with  my  colleagues  on  this  subject,  it  appears  they  will  go  back  to  position  funding 
if  and  when  such  a  proposal  is  ever  approved.  The  assumption  is  that  every  school 
and  school  system  should  have  a  certain  number  of  positions  in  order  to  have  an  adequate 
education  program.   The  number  of  teaching  positions  and  most  support  positions  will 
depend  on  teacher/pupil  ratio  requirements.  For  example,  one  guidance  counselor 
for  each  500  elementary  children,  one  librarian  for  each  500;  one  assistant  principal 
after  you  reach  a  certain  point,  a  resource  teacher,  a  supervisor,  and  a  principals, 
etc.,  according  to  pupil  enrollment.  The  proposed  BEP  calls  for  the  state  to  furnish 
70  percent  of  the  cost  to  meet  the  requirements  for  a  basic  education  program,  and 


85 
the  local  school  districts  across  the  state  will  supply  30  percent  of  the  cost.   The  70 

and  30  percents  are  averages,  and  the  degree  to  which  a  school  system  varies  from 

the  average  will  depend  upon  the  established  relative  wealth  in  that  school  district 

as  compared  with  the  rest  of  the  state.  The  basic  difference  between  the  BEP  and 

the  current  foundation  program  is  that  the  current  program  is  totally  inadequate  to 

meet  the  needs  of  education  across  the  state.   Since  the  state  is  doing  such  a  poor 

job  in  meeting  the  education  requirements,  those  school  districts  across  the  state  who 

do  not  have  the  local  wealth  to  provide  an  adequate  program  are  not  doing  so.   Those 

school  districts  across  the  state  like  Murfreesboro,  Oak  Ridge,  Kingsport,  and  even 

counties  of  relative  wealth  which  includes  Rutherford  are  generally  considered  to 

be  providing  an  adequate  education  program.   Thus,  when  an  adequate  program  depends 

heavily  on  local  ability,  a  wide  disparity  develops  from  school  district  to  school  district 

across  the  state, 

Tax  Reform 

The  third  subject  is  tax  reform.    In  order  to  implement  the  proposed  BEP,  it  is  estimated 
that  $400  million  new  state  dollars  will  be  needed.    Most  lawmakers  believe  that  the 
sales  tax  is  fully  utilized.    Our  own  Representative  John  Bragg  presents  an  excellent 
case  for  this  point-   The  elimination  of  all  sales  tax  exemptions  would  bring  in  a  significant 
amount  of  new  funds  to  the  state,  but  from  my  observation,  lawmakers  are  not  close 
to  eliminating  these  exemptions. 

A  state  income  tax  is  most  frequently  mentioned  in  reference  to  tax  reform.   Many 
believe  Governor  McWherter  will  most  likely  serve  in  the  State  House  for  another 
four  years  and  that  he  is  ready  to  advance  such  tax  reform.    But  lawmakers  are  now 
saying  that  an  income  tax  in  Tennessee,  if  it  is  ever  approved,  will  be  approved  under 
the  provisions  of  a  constitutional  amendment.   Assuming  that  all  of  the  proper  steps 
are  taken  and  that  in  each  step  there  is  a  green  light  given,  lawmakers  indicate  this 
process  would  take  at  least  six  years.   Therefore,  many  of  us  who  had  hopes  of  achieving 
tax  reform  because  of  earlier  impressions  are  beginning  to  become  pessimistic  regarding 
its  chance. 

State  Discussions  on  Systems  Unification 

Because  of  the  foregoing  discussions  at  the  state  level,  other  subjects  are  being  generated 
which  have  a  direct  bearing  upon  the  Murfreesboro  City  Schools.   The  average  citizen, 


86 
and   I'm  afraid,  the  average  lawmaker  in  the  State  of  Tennessee,  feel  that  141  school 

districts  in  the  95  counties  in  the  state  is  a  factor  contributing  to  inefficiency,  waste, 

and  the  lack  of  equity  in  expenditures  per  pupil  and  thus  a  lack  of  equal  education 

opportunity.   Such  positions  are  being  promoted  by  William  Snodgrass,  Comptroller 

of  the  Treasury  for  the  state. 

I  admit  that  the  above  positions  are  debatable.   But  those  of  us  who  are  students  of 
school  finance  are  aware  that  those  assumptions  are  not  really  all  that  obvious.   The 
Tennessee  Municipal  League  has  taken  a  stance  in  opposition  to  those  points  and  does 
a  good  job  in  defending  the  role,  nature,  and  need  for  city  school  districts.   But  in 
addition  to  Comptroller  Snodgrass'  role,  it  appears  that  city  school  districts  do  not 
have  a  great  deal  of  support  from  the  current  commissioner  of  education  as  well  as 
the  state  board  of  education.    City  school  superintendents  have  been  very  sensitive 
to  the  statements  made  from  the  commissioner  and  from  the  state  board  regarding 
this  subject.    While  the  attack  is  generally  levied  at  counties  such  as  Gibson  and  Carrol 
where  there  are  numerous  small  school  districts,  nevertheless,  I  suspect  that  in  the 
long  run,  an  effort  will  be  made  at  the  state  level  to  consolidate  districts  into  95  county 
units.   Unfortunately,  the  basis  for  this  movement  is  a  financial  one  and  does  not  consider 
all  of  the  other  reasons  why  school  districts  should  be  allowed  to  operate  as  independent 
units  separate  and  apart  from  county  governments.   Quality  education  is  seldom  mentioned 
nor  is  the  right  for  certain  geographical  areas  to  tax  themselves  at  a  higher  rate  in 
order  to  produce  a  superior  school  system. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  the  governor  has  just  employed  Dr.  Don  Thomas,  a  well-known 
consultant  from  the  State  of  Utah,  to  spend  a  year  in  Tennessee  and  take  a  look  at 
Tennessee's  education  program  and  the  means  by  which  it  is  financed.   Early  indications 
from  Dr.  Thomas  indicate  that  he  will  encourage  school  system  consolidation.    He 
already  is  speaking  in  terms  of  state  incentives  for  promoting  consolidation  of  school 
districts.    Prior  to  this  time,  the  discussion  has  been  centered  around  disincentives 
for  multiple  systems.   Basically  they  seem  to  be  one  and  the  same  with  just  a  different 
emphasis  on  the  positive!   I  recently  heard  Dr.  Thomas  speak  and  he  stated  that  he 
would  be  studying  the  issues  of  "adequacy,  equity,  accountability,  and  school  governance" 
in  the  state. 

Capital  Outlay  Notes 

As  a  sequel  to  the  above,  the  courts  and  Attorney  General  opinions  are  also  playing 

a  role  in  the  current  affairs  of  city  and  special  school  districts  across  the  state.   School 


87 
law  requires  that  counties  share  bond  proceeds  with  special  and/or  city  school  districts. 

Rutherford  County  has  traditionally  shared  such  bonds  with  us  when  those  bonds  were 

issued  for  elementary  purposes.   In  the  past,  the  city  has  received  funds  on  the  basis 

of  our  elementary  children  to  the  county/city  total  pupil  population.    Bonds  for  high 

school  purposes,  of  course,  have  been  waived.   It  is  easy  to  see  there  is  a  mathematical 

discrimination  against  an  elementary  school  system  in  regard  to  such  distribution. 

In  other  words,  we  waive  high  school  bonds  but  are  paid  a  percent  on  elementary  bonds 

equal  to  our  elementary  pupil  count  as  a  percent  of  the  total  K-12  enrollment.   But 

counties  have  been  able  to  go  one  step  further.   High  schools  have  been  built  and  former 

high  schools  have  been  converted  to  elementary  use  without  sharing  in  bond  proceeds. 

In  recent  years,  the  capital  outlay  note,  or  as  some  label  it,  the  bond  anticipation  note, 
has  become  another  instrument  used  by  counties  to  circumvent  city  payments  .   The 
attorney  general  ruled  last  fall  that  it  was  not  necessary  for  counties  to  share  the 
proceeds  of  capital  outlay  notes,  and  capital  outlay  notes  may  be  issued  up  to  a  fifteen-year 
period  of  time.   Thus,  if  a  county  wishes  to  build  an  elementary  school,  it  now  has 
either  the  option  to  issue  bonds  or  capital  outlay  notes.   If  it  issues  the  latter  for  a 
fifteen-year  period  of  time,  it  is  in  essence  the  same  as  a  bond,  except  according  to 
the  current  interpretation  of  law,  the  county  no  longer  has  to  raise  an  amount  to  distribute 
to  the  city  school  system. 

The  Tennessee  Municipal  League  has  recently  introduced  legislation  which  would  place 
the  same  requirement  on  capital  outlay  notes  as  upon  bonds.   In  my  opinion  this  legislation 
has  no  chance  of  making  it  through  the  legislature.   In  fact,  I  am  told  that  Representative 
John  Bragg  does  not  support  this  move  and  I  personally  talked  to  Senator  Womack 
and  he  has  indicated  that  he  does  not  support  this  legislation.   His  statement  was  "that 
if  cities  are  going  to  have  school  districts,  they  should  be  willing  to  support  their  districts" 
even  at  the  cost  of  double  taxation  for  this  specific  purpose.   Needless  to  say,  I  was 
disappointed  in  Senator  Womack's  position. 

Local  Events 

As  you  are  aware,  Rutherford  County  is  discussing  an  extensive  elementary  school 
program.   They  are  proposing  schools  for  Lascassas,  Rockvale,  Kittrell,  and  Smyrna. 
These  schools  will  be  built  with  core  facilities  for  1600  pupils.   It  is  proposed  that 
the  schools  be  completed  in  three  stages:   The  first  stage  taking  care  of  800  pupils, 


op 

the  second  1200,  and  the  third  stage  1600.   The  schools  would  incorporate  grades  K-8. 

The  county  has  already  ftpproved    a  million  dollar  capital  outlay  note  for  the  purpose 

of  purchasing  four  new  school  sites  and  taking  care  of  maintenance  needs.   From  what 

I  can  understand  by  reading  the  Daily  News  Journal,  apparently  the  delay  of  purchasing 

school  sites  hinges  on  the  location  of  the  site  at  Rockvale.   In  a  recent  conversation 

with  Superintendent  Jerry  Gaither,  he  indicated  that  he  believes  the  county  school 

board  and  county  commission  are  almost  reaoy  to  move  on  their  plans  for  these  elementary 

schools.    He  points  out  that  crowding  in  the  elementary  schools  is  becoming  a  major 

problem  with  numerous  portables  being  used  throughout  the  county  to  alleviate  overcrowing. 

Superintendent  Gaither  also  went  on  to  indicate  the  next  high  school  for  Rutherford 

County  will  most  likely  be  somewhere  in  the  area  between  Murfreesboro  and  Smyrna. 


CHAPTER  III 


FUTURE  IMPLICATIONS  FOR  THE  CITY  SCHOOL  BOARD 


What  implications  does  the  foregoing  have  for  the  Murfreesboro  City  School  Board 
and  the  Murfreesboro  City  Council.   Obviously  most  of  what  I  referred  to  in  Chapter 
II  is  outside  of  the  control  of  the  school  board  or  the  council.   It  appears  to  me,  however, 
that  the  window  is  now  open  for  some  major  decision  making  which  will  have  long- 
range  impact  upon  the  Murfreesboro  City  Schools  and  education  in  our  area.   I  believe 
there  are  three  basic  areas  that  we  must  study  at  this  point:   (1)   the  subject  of 
unification  of  school  systems  and/or  metropolitan  government  or  some  other  organizational 
alternative  for  operating  public  schools  in  the  area,   (2)   the  scope  of  our  present  school 
program  and  consider  broadening  that  scope  to  at  least  incorporate  grades  K-8  and 
maybe  eventually  locking  toward  a  K-12  program  for  the  city,   (3)   stay  charted  on 
our  present  course  and  develop  additional  K-6  schools  when  needed,   (4)   and  study 
our  financial  resources.    A  more  lengthy  and  intensive  study  of  each  of  these  four 
areas  may  be  in  order,  but  for  the  present  time,  I  will  provide  you  the  benefit  of  my 
thinking  on  these  subjects. 

UNIFICATION  OF  SCHOOLS  AND/OR  METROPOLITAn  GOVERNMENT 

As  you  have  read  above,  unification  of  school  systems  is  a  popular  subject  at  the  state 
level,  and  I  find  it  is  being  discussed  more  and  more  locally.   As  indicated,  the  Leadership 


Rutherford  group  is  currently  studying  the  issue.   Almost  every-day  someone  brings 
this  subject  to  my  attention  for  comments. 

Up  front  1  neither  support  consolidation  of  school  systems  nor  do  I  oppose  consolidation 
of  school  systems.   I  want  it  made  clear  that  my  vested  interest  should  never  be  a 
factor  in  determining  what  is  best  for  children's  education  in  this  area  for  decades 
to  come.   There  are  two  major  problems  in  having  separate  school  systems  in  the  same 
general  locality.   One  is  the  ability  to  do  long-range  planning  and  the  second  problem 
is  the  misunderstanding  which  local  citizens  have  regarding  the  nature  of  two  separate 
school  systems.    Animosity  and  adversarial  attitudes  develop  among  the  citizens  of 
the  county  and  city  which  generally  should  be  seen  as  one  community. 

When  thoroughly  investiaged  the  argument  that  separate  school  systems  such  as  ours 
produce  waste  and  inefficiency  and  that  inequity  in  education  opportunity  are  inherent 
does  not  hold  water.   It  is  my  opinion  that  if  school  system  unification  takes  place 
locally,  there  will  be  an  immediate  need  created  for  additional  tax  payers'  funds. 
The  funds  will  be  turned  over  to  the  present  county  organizational  structure  where 
it  would  be  obliged  to  continue  doing  everything  in  a  traditional  and  status  quo  manner. 
This  would  result  in  having  to  generate  millions  of  new  dollars  for  school  purposes 
which  may  very  well  be  wasted  and  not  produce  a  better  product. 

A  large  bureaucracy  unwilling  to  meet  the  challenges  of  change,  efficiency,  and  good 

management  will  not  save  money  and  most  likely  will  not  provide  a  better  education 

program.   Unification  would  require  that  top  dollar  cost  in  any  given  area  between 

the  two  school  systems  would  need  to  be  achieved  in  all  of  those  areas  in  the  unified 

school  system.   For  example,  Murfreesboro  operates  a  most  efficient  and  very  low-cost 

transportation  program.    Murfreesboro  does  not  claim  to  give  the  same  services  that 

the  county  gives  to  most  children  in  the  county  who  use  transportation  services.   Immediately 

tax  payers  inside  Murfreesboro  would  have  the  right  to  claim  the  same  quality  service. 

The  county  does  not  operate  a  Classroom  on  Wheels  program;  rural  citizens  would 

have  the  right  to  demand  one.   Salaries  for  personnel  would  have  to  equal  those  paid 

by  the  higher  paying  school  system-   In  the  case  of  teachers,  four  county  teachers 

for  every  one  in  the  city  system  would  need  to  be  raised  to  the  salary  schedule  level 

of  the  city  school  system.   While  this  may  be  a  very  desirable  objective,  there  is  no 

guarantee  that  it  would  produce  a  better  educated  child. 

Given  the  fact  that  there  is  difficulty  in  long-range  planning  and  that  a  perennial  misunderstanding 
exists  regarding  the  nature  of  two  school  systems,  what  are  some  of  the  alternatives 


90 
to  unification  of  school  systems?    Traditional  unification  from  what  I  have  observed 

involved  cities  going  out  of  business  .   In  spite  of  the  documents  that  might  be  drafted 

and  agreements  promulgated,  in  the  long  run,  my  observations  indicate  what  happens 

is  that  the  city  quits  and  the  county  takes  over. 

This  is  not  an  acceptable  alternative  to  me.   I  do  not  support  our  school  program  being 
turned  over  to  the  county  school  board  and  to  the  county  commission  with  only  the 
hope  that  the  total  school  program  for  county  and  city  will  be  raised  to  the  quality 
and  quantity  level  we  now  possess.   I  do  not  see  the  current  political  organization  and 
local  governing  structure  capable  of  producing  the  high  expectations,  standards,  and 
reputation  claimed  by  Murfreesboro  City  Schools.   I  do  not  see  the  unified  school  system 
bringing  to  Murfreesboro  the  marketing  value  that  we  have  brought  to  our  citv. 

We  should  not  shut  the  door  completely  to  discussions  on  this  topic.   It  appears  that 
the  state  is  not  going  to  allow  us  to  shut  the  doer,  and  we  must  be  open  minded  citizens 
recognizing  there  are  problems  associated  with  two  separate  school  districts. 

ALTERNATE  NUMBER  ONE— METROPOLITAN  GOVERNMENTS 

A  county  and/or  unified  school  system  is  the  largest  cost  to  local  government.     When 
administered  only  by  the  county  government,  it  is  excluded  from  certain  taxing  powers 
which  are  possessed  exclusively  by  Tennessee  municipal  governments.    Metropolitan 
government  would  prevent  this.    Also  I  am  convinced  that  little  would  be  accomplished 
in  addressing  long-range  planning  and  especially  the  misunderstanding  that  occurs 
among  local  citizens  if  other  branches  of  local  governments  were  allowed  to  be  separate. 

The  Nashville  media  has  not  helped  promote  metro-government.   It  makes  us  keenly 
aware  of  all  of  the  problems  associated  with  Metro-Nashville.   Recently  Cecil  Branstetter, 
the  man  who  drafted  that  charter,  acknowledged  that  a  lot  of  revision  is  needed  in 
the  Metro-Nashville  Charter.   If  we  take  the  route  of  a  metro-government,  I  would 
insist  that  we  identify  and  circumvent  those  problems  in  the  Metro-Nashville  Charter. 

Also,  we  should  be  assured  that  the  control  of  the  school  system  would  be  placed  into 
the  hands  of  a  board  of  education  that  was  not  provincial  in  its  vested  interest.   The 
head  of  the  school  system  should  be  an  appointed  chief  education  of  fficerwhc  is  accountable 
to  the  board  of  education.   Also  I  would  like  to  make  sure  that  the  charter  contdned 
provisions  related  to  the  organization  and  administration  of  the  school  system  so  that 


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elementary  education  would  not  become  a  step  child  to  secondary  programs,  athletic 
activities,  discipline  problems,  and  secondary  administration  in  general. 

OTHER  ALTERNATIVES 

Another  alternative  could  be  a  fiscally  independent  school  district  for  the  total  county. 
This  alternative  would  be  similar  to  the  one  called  for  under  the  Metro-Nashville  Charter. 
The  guarantees  listed  above  would  need  to  be  incorporated  into  such  a  school  district. 
This  alternative  would  make  a  board  of  education  and  the  school  district  a  complete 
governing  entity  capable  of  raising  its  own  taxes,  fully  governing  and  implementing 
its  own  program.   The  school  district  would  strictly  be  a  creation  of  the  state  legislature 
and  would  be  completely  separate  from  any  other  local  government  entities. 

Another  alternate  could  be  similar  to  the  above  in  which  more  than  one  school  district 
would  be  created.   There  would  be  two  districts,  both  county  wide  including  the  cities. 
One  would  be  an  elementary  district  and  the  other  a  secondary.   Because  of  the  large 
size  of  Ruterford  County,  it  is  conceivable  that  such  an  alternative  would  be  good 
for  the  future  of  our  community.   Each  of  the  districts  would  operate  very  similar 
to  that  as  described  above.   The  advantage  of  this  alternative  would  be  the  guarantee 
that  high  emphasis  would  be  placed  on  elementary  education. 

EXPANDING  THE  SCHOOL  GRADES  IN  THE  MURFREESBORO  CITY  SCHOOLS 

The  most  urgent  consideration  is  the  possibility  of  incorporating  grades  seven  and 
eight  in  the  Murfreesboro  City  Schools.   The  window  is  open  on  this  subject  because 
we  are  adding  classroom  space  for  1000  children  beginning  in  August  of  this  year. 
Being  crowded  is  everybody's  definition.   But  from  a  management  standpoint,  especially 
if  we  see  the  need  to  reorganize  our  school  system  and  expand  its  scope,  we  would 
have  space  for  the  next  two  years  to  add  the  seventh  grade. 

Another  building  or  two  would  need  to  be  started  by  next  February  and  completed 
by  August,  1992.   The  eighth  grade  would  be  added  on  this  date;  I  believe  there  is  much 
support  for  this  proposal.   The  reason  for  the  support  lies  in  the  fact  that  the  county 
is  proposing  the  construction  of  modern  K-8  facilities  throughout  the  countryside. 
These  schools  will  handle  up  to  1600  pupils  which  will  be  financed  in  large  part  by 
monies  paid  by  taxpayers  who  live  inside  the  City  of  Murfreesboro.   After  our  city 
children  finish  the  sixth  grade,  they  must  attend  school  in  an  old  facility  in  the  middle 
of  downtown  which  has  not  been  well  maintained.     Also  the  large  middle  school  is 


92 
a  less  desirable  organizational  structure  for  educating  the  adolescent  and  young  teenao-er 

than  the  K-8  organizational  structure  which  will  be  available  for  rural  children. 

We  have  no  guarantee  that  the  county  will  issue  school  bonds  for  their  elementary 
building  program.   1  have  received  word  through  city  sources  that  the  county  does 
intend  to  issue  bonds  instead  of  capital  outlay  notes.   This  certainly  is  the  fair  approach 
since  Murfreesboro  citizens  will  be  major  contributors  to  paying  bonded  indebtness. 
Immediate  study  and  attention  should  be  brought  to  this  issue. 

While  undocumented,  because  of  the  social  changes  that  have  occurred  in  recent  years, 
adolescent  peer  pressures,  desire  to  immediately  gain  their  license  for  teenage  behavior 
and  to  exercise  independence;  the  middle  school  as  it  exists  in  Murfreesboro  is  not 
the  optimum  environment  for  our  thirteen  through  fifteen  year  old  children.   I  believe 
if  we  keep  the  adolescent  in  elementary  school  in  a  nurturing  environment  for  two 
additional  years  and  continue  to  provide  an  elementary  program  rather  than  a  pre-high 
school  program  or  a  pre-teen  environment  for  them,  we  would  see  a  significant  improvement 
in  the  quality  of  their  education. 

Is  such  a  move  possible?    Dr.    Klaus,  other  staff  members,   and  1  have  not  yet  been 
able  to  intensively  research  this  proposal.   1  believe  that  we  can  add  the  seventh  grade, 
approximately  500  students,  for  the  next  two  years  at  a  reasonable  cost  to  city  government. 
In  1992-93  when  we  open  one  or  two  new  schools  for  grades  7  and  8,  the  cost  would 
increase  significantly.   It  does  not  necessarily  mean  that  the  cost  will  increase  significantly 
to  the  city  taxpayers      If  we  can  operate  our  schools  at  a  more  efficient  rate  than 
the  county,  then  it  is  conceivable  that  the  cost  to  the  city  tax-payers  would  increase 
very  little.   They  would  be  paying  more  taxes  through  the  city  government  and  less 
through  the  county  government. 

We  currently  are  receiving  approximately  19  percent  of  each  education  dollar  collected 
by  the  county.   Obviously  if  we  increase  our  enrollment,  this  percentage  will  increase 
and  the  state  contributions  will  increase  proportionally.   After  the  state  adopts  and 
implements  the  new  basic  education  program,  the  City  of  Murfreesboro  may  be  able 
to  lower  its  financial  support;  thus,  the  city  may  gain  greater  control  over  the  destiny 
of  its  students  at  little  to  no  cost. 

There  may  be  major  problems  associated  with  such  a  move.    Would  this  move  produce 
more  or  less  efficiency  in  the  county  program?   The  first  big  question  for  the  county 
would  be  the  dispostion  of  the  large  school  facility  at  Central,  its  staff,  and  program. 


93 

They  might  continue  to  operate  it  as  a  middle  school  for  certain  children  whom  they 
would  bus  into  the  city.   They  might  close  McFadden.   Wishful  thinking  and  the  most 
immediate  ideal  option  would  be  for  MTSU  to  lease  or  purchase  the  building  for  its 
additional  classroom  space.    Frankly,  1  have  no  idea  how  we  could  use  it.    For  years 
we  have  labored  over  how  to  keep  students  in  Bradley  and  Hobgood.     Even  if  the  building 
was  restored  to  optimum  conditions  1  think  we  would  have  problems  in  converting  it 
into  an  elementary  school  that  would  be  adeqrstely  utilized.   We  might,  of  course, 
take  the  position  that  it  would  be  the  county's  problem  and  none  of  our  business.   I 
doubt  if  we  would  want  to  do  this  because,  after  all,  we  are  all  tax-payers  in  our  local 
community  and  it  would  have  an  impact  upon  each  of  us. 

At  this  point  1  have  not  given  thought  to  the  subject  of  expanding  our  school  program 

on  through  the  high  school  years.   Jerry  Gaither  mentioned  to  me  the  possibility  of 

the  city  taking  over  Oakland  and  allowing  the  county  to  build  another  high  school  between 

Murfreesboro  and  Smyrna.   I  do  not  believe  that  addressing  this  subject  is  necessary 

in  order  for  us  to  look  at  the  other  subject  of  expanding  our  school  system  to  incorporate 

grades  seven  and  eight. 

In  addition  to  the  nurturing  atmosphere  of  a  K-8  grade  school  and  the  continuance 
of  a  more  elementary  approach  to  this  child's  curriculum,  there  are  some  advantages 
which  1  will  mention.   These  include  providing  almost  every  child  an  opportunity  to 
experience  the  various  arts,  music,  languages,  athletic  programs,  etc.  These  often 
become  electives  to  the  child  who  is  enrolled  in    a  large  middle  school.   Conceptually, 
I  can  see  Murfreesboro  Recreation  Department  playing  a  big  role  in  coordinating  the 
various  youth  league  programs  so  that  every  seventh  and  eighth  grade  boy  and  girl 
who  wanted  to  take  part,  especially  in  basketball,  baseball,  and  soccer,  would  have 
an  opportunity  to  do  so.   Even  in  football,  there  could  be  a  touch  league.   Through 
the  Extended  School  Program,  1  could  see  many  more  children  having  the  opportunity 
to  be  involved  in  instrumental  music  which  would  include  not  only  band  but  piano, 
have  exposure  to  several  different  foreign  languages,  and  the  visual  arts.  The  opportunity 
for  expanded  school  day  will  be  enhanced.   Flexible  scheduling  to  provide  services 
for  more  and  more  children  will  make  for  a  more  efficient  program.   Best  of  all,  by 
keeping  the  children  in  a  K-8  environment  they  would  not  be  exposed  so  quickly  to 
those  societal  elements  which  are  creating  problems  for  our  youth.   1  think  there  would 
be  a  decline  in  drug  abuse  and  in  teenage  pregnancy.   I  believe  an  increase  in  parental 
involvement  would  occur,  particularly  if  extended  school  is  offered. 


94 

III.    STAY  CHARTED  ON  SAME  COURSE 

We  can,  of  course,  remain  a  K-6  school  system.   Should  we  decide  to  take  this  course, 
we  will  be  placing  ourselves  in  a  position  of  accepting  our  lot  as  measured  out  by  state 
and  county  governments.    My  foregoing  discussion  regarding  seventh  and  eighth  grade 
expansion  indicates  that  severe  dissatisfaction  might  occur  because  our  children  would 
be  moved  from  our  K-6  program  to  a  middle  school  program  perceived  less  desirable  than 
the  school  organization  provided  for  most  children  in  Rutherford  County. 

Growth  trends  in  Murfreesboro  indicate  that  we  will  be  building  another  elementary  school 
every  three  to  five  years.   The  rate  of  our  growth  will  depend  somewhat  upon  where  the 
county  places  its  new  large  elementary  schools  and  the  degree  to  which  the  county  provides 
pupil  transportation  to  these  schools.   Our  own  policy  toward  accepting  county  students 
and  whether  the  county  implements  an  ESP  program  will  also  be  factors  which  will  impact 
upon  our  future  enrollment. 

Should  we  add  to  our  scope  of  grades,  we  must  be  very  protective  of  the  quality  and  quantity 
of  instruction  that  we  are  currently  providing  in  K-6.    We  would  not  want  the  added  responsibility 
detracting  or  detering  our  efforts  to  provide  the  K-6  child  with  the  best  education  foundation 
possible.   It  would  be  unfortunate  if  we  eroded  our  good  reputation  by  assuming  a  larger 
responsibility. 

IV.    FINANCIAL  RESOURCES 

Resources  to  expand  the  scope  of  our  school  program  may  be  within  our  reach.   Continuing 
rate  increases  or  instituting  new  tax  sources  obviously  are  not  desired  by  anyone,  but 
we  all  have  a  tendency  to  be  willing  to  pay  for  what  we  want.   Many  rural  citizens  are 
going  to  be  very  excited  over  having  a  brand  new  school  building  in  or  close  to  their  communities. 
I  believe  most  city  school  parents  would  welcome  an  expansion  of  our  schools  through 
the  eighth  grade- 
It  appears  that  sometime  within  the  next  few  years  the  state  legislature  will  address  and 
bring  about  significant  tax  reform  in  Tennessee.   Should  this  tax  reform  include  anything 
that  relates  to  an  income  tax,  we  can  expect  the  state  to  take  over  some  of  the  services 
currently  being  rendered  by  local  governments.   I  would  expect  the  state  to  take  over 
a  much  larger  cost  for  public  education  than  it  is  currently  assuming- 


Therefore,  in  the  interim,  Rutherford  County  and  Murfreesboro  have  available  a  one-half 
cent  sales  tax  option  which  could  be  assessed  if  approved  in  a  public  referendum.   There 
have  been  no  open  discussions  as  to  how  the  county  intends  to  pay  for  its  new  buildino- 
program.   My  guess  is  they  will  look  at  the  half-cent  sales  tax  as  a  source.   Should  the 
county  initiate  a  referendum  on  this  option,  any  chances  of  approval  will  probably  depend 
upon  the  vote  coming  out  of  the  City  of  Murfreesboro.   If  we,  at  the  same  time,  were 
proposing  the  construction  of  two  more  elementary  schools  and  converting  our  program 
to  a  K-8  program,  the  sales  tax  option  might  be  approved.   Hopefully,  this  tax  as  well 
as  other  sales  taxes  would  be  rolled  back  when  state  tax  reform  is  implemented.   At  the 
present  time,  1  do  not  have  the  revenue  figures  such  a  tax  would  yield,  but  1  am  convinced 
that  it  would  go  a  long  way  in  financing  both  the  county  and  city  school  building  programs. 

CONCLUSION 

I  have  provided  you  with  the  foregoing  in  order  for  you  to  understand  from  my  perspective 
why  schools  are  organized  in  Rutherford  County  and  Murfreesboro  the  way  they  are. 
I  have  also  attempted  to  inform  you  of  certain  events  taking  place  at  the  state  and  local 
level  which  indicate  that  changes  are  coming  which  have  an  impact  upon  us  and;  finally,! 
have  attempted  to  show  that  we  do  not  necessarily  need  to  sit  and  wait  and  react  in  regard 
to  those  changes.    We  now  have  the  opportunity  to  be  pro-active,  not  reactive.   I  trust 
that  you  will  study  this  document  at  length. 

I  am  sure  that  you  have  concluded  that  time  is  urgent  on  this  subject.   If  we  are  going 
to  make  any  move  or  consider  making  any  move,  the  foregoing  topics  need  to  be  opened 
up  very  soon.   I  am  pondering  my  responsibility  to  open  those  topics  before  the  public. 
Your  suggestions  or  advice  will  be  sincerely  appreciated.   Thank  you  very  much. 


95 


INDEX 


96 


Abner,  DeInen^.  Home  Place   52 
Angels   49-52 
Adams,  Capt .   57 
Adams,  John  Quincy   67 
Alexander,  Madison  R.   66 


B 


Barfield,  Mary   55 

Battle  of  Stones  River  23,25,40 

Bell,  John   30 

Bellwood  School   79 

Bivens,  James   66 

Bond  Anticipation  Notes   87 

Bradley  Academy   75 

Bragg,  Gen.  Braxton 

25,27,38,40 
Bragg,  John   85,87 
Brainsetter,  Cecil 
Breckinridge,  Gen. 
Bruce,  Rebecca   3 
Bruce,  Sanders   2 
Buell,  Gen.   5 
Burton,  John  W.   66 


i, 9, 23, 24, 


90 
8,26,38 


86,87, 


Caldwell,  Rev.  Joseph   20 
Campbell,  Andrew  Jr.   18 
Cannon,  Newton   63 
Cannonsburg,   63 
Capital  Outlay  Notes 

92 
Central  High  School 
Cheatham,  Gen.   8 
Christian  Church   68 
Classroom  on  Wheels 
Cleburne,  Gen. 
Coffee,  Wilkes 
Consolidation 
Cooper,  Sarah 
Cranor,  George 
Cranor,  Kate  Bell  Fowler   68 
Crichlow  School   78 
Crittenden,  Gen.   25,  27 


76 


89 

26,27,31,33 

80 
81 
49-52 

68 


Davidson,  Col.  William   63 
Davis,  Pres.  Jefferson   8, 

24 
Dement,  Abner   58,59 
Dement,  Cader   58,59 
Dement,  Charles   53,55-60 
Dement,  David   57,  59,  60 
Dement,  David  Barton   60 
Dement,  Elizabeth   59 
Dement,  John  J.   59 
Dement,  John   53,54,56,58, 

59,60 
Dement,  Mary   57 
Dement,  William  57,59 
Desegration   79 
Donaldson,  John   59 
Douglas,  James   57 
Duke,  Basil   3,9,11,16 


East  Main  Church  of 

Christ   64,68 
Edwards,  William   54 
Equity  funding  of  schools 

83-85 
Extended  school  program 

93-94 


Finley,  Major  Luke   37 
Fletcher,  William  C.  64 
Foundation  program  for 

schools   84,85 
Fowler,  Capt.  Thomas 

67,68 
Fowler  House   69 
Fowler,  Sarah  R.   67,68 


97 


Gaither,  Jerry   88,93 
Cause,  William   35 
Giers,  Jean  Joseph   65,66 
Gillen,  Alvan  C.   18 
Gooch,  Mary  L.   65 
Grant,  Gen.   24 
Grenfell,  Col.  George  St. 
Leger   8,11 


Landers,  Roger   82 
Leadership  Rutherford   89 
Lexington  Rifles   4,9 
Liddell,  Gen.  St.  John  31 
Lytle,  Archibald   55,62 
Lytle,  Capt.  William   58, 
63,64,66 


H 


Hardee,  Gen.   8,26,27 
Highsmith,  Daniel   54 
Hobgood,  Baxter   77,78,81,82 
Hobgood  School   79 
Holloway  High  School   78 
Homer  Pittard  Campus  School   78 
Hopemont   2 
Hughes,  N.C.   32 
Hunt,  Henrietta   1 


Incorporating  K-8  program  in 
schools  of  Murfreesboro   88, 
91,93,94 


Jackson,  Andrew   63,67 
Johnson,  Gen.  Richard   28 
Johnston,  Gen.  Albert  Sidney 
Jones,  John  Hodge   77,81,82 
Jones,  Shirley  Farris   22 


Kindergarten  program 
Kirk,  Gen.   28 
Klaus,  Dr.   92 


82 


M 


McCook,  Gen.   25-34 
McCowan,  Gen.   26-33 
McFadden  Ford   40 
McFadden  School   78 
McKnight,  William   65 
McLane,  Robert   64 
McWherter,  Gov.   85 
Metro-Nashville   90 
Metropolitan  government 

90 
Middle  School  Program  80, 

82,92,93 
Milburn,  Henry  C.  53 
Miller,  s.  H.   67 
Millwood  Academy   30 
Mitchell-Neilson  Elera. 

School   79 
Mitchell-Neilson  Primary 

School   79 
Morgan,  Calvin   1 
Morgan,  John  Hunt  1-27 
Morgan,  Johnnie   18-20 
Murfree,  Col.  Hardy   63 


N 


Nashville  Female  Academy 

5 
Negley,  Gen.   33 
Northfield  Elementary 

School   82 


Oakland  High  School   81 


98 


Pate,  Coach  Lee   79 

Polk,  Gen.  Leonidis   8,26, 

27,33,38 
Portable  schools   79 


Rains,  Gen.  James   23-32,41 

Rains,  Rev.  John   30 

Ready,  Alice   12,  15 

Ready,  Col.  Charles  5,6,10,63 

Ready,  Horace   8,15,19 

Ready  Home   8 

Ready,  Martha   1,5-19 

Ready-Morgan  Wedding   8-10 

Reapportionment   80 

Reeves-Rogers  School   79 

Review  of  School  Systems   77 

Riverdale  High  School   81 

Roberts,  Gen.  George  Washington 

23-37 
Roberts,  Pratt   36 
Robinson,  Hugh   64 
Rosecrans,  Gen.   23-25,37-41 
Ross,  W.W.   64 
Round  Forest   38 
Rousseau,  Gen.   37 
Rucker,  Thomas   53 
Rutherford  County  Quarterly 

Court   80,81 
Rutherford,  Gen.  Griffith   64 


School  Consolidation   80 
Senate  Joint  Resolution   61 
Sims,  C.C.   67 
Sheridan,  Gen.  Phillip   27, 

33-35,37 
Sloan,  Joe   81 
Smith,  Gen.  Kirby   31 
Smyrna  High  School   79 
Snodgrass,  William   86 
Soule  College   5,49 
Standley,  William   57 
Stewart,  James   67 
Stewart,  Sarah  Sublett   67 
Stevenson,  Alexander   7,34 
Sublett,  Elizabeth  Ledbetter   66 
Sublett,  George   67 
Sugg,  Noah   57 
Sumner,  Gen.  Jethro   56 
Suttle,  Catherine   66 
Swinton,  William   23 


Tax  Reform  and  its  impact 
on  schools   85,94,95 

Tennessee  Municipal 
League   86,87 

Thomas,  Dr.  Don   86 

Thomas,  Gen.  George   27 

Thomas,  Sarah   50 

Thomas,  William   64 

Trimble,  John   36 

Turner,  James   67 


Unification  of  Schools 
88,90 


Van  Cleave,  Gen.  27,38 
Vaughan,  J.F    67 


Washington,  Gen. 

George   62 
Westbrooks,  Hollis   80 
Wharton,  Gen.  John   28 
Wheeler,  Gen.  Joe   25 
Whitson,  Mr.  L.D.   40 
Williams,  Catherine  17 
Williams,  Joe  17 
Williams,  Lucy   17 
Williamson,  Judge   19 
Wilson,  James   53,57 
Womack ,  Andy   87 


Yeatman,  Ida   30