JACKSON COUNTY, TN - DIARY - William Bedford Buck Diary http://files.usgwarchives.net/tn/jackson/bible/buck.txt ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Debbie Buck Wheeler ==================================================================== William Bedford Buck 1889-1967 This is the journal written by my grandfather and re-produced by Mattie Lou Norris and Julie Williams Neaves and made into this web page by Debbie Buck Wheeler This is January 23, 1963. I am William Bedford Buck. I am 74 years old today. I was born today in 1889 on Roses Branch as known then. Now know as The Penitentiary Branch in the 8th district of Jackson County, Tennessee. My father, William Jasper Buck was born April 14, 1868 in Overton County, TN on Popular Springs Ridge. He was the son of Anderson Buck and Elizabeth Goolsby Buck. This is as far back as I know about the Buck Family. My Grandmother, my father's mother, Elizabeth Goolsby Buck was born on July 4, 1826 in Overton County Tennessee. My Grandmother's father, Wade Goolsby and her mother were Richardson's. I don't know her given name. Their remains were laid to rest on the old home place on Popular Ridge in Overton Co. TN. My great-great grandfather Goolsby was from Ireland. Now coming back to my grandmother Buck. She had 2 children, my father and one girl Louverna. She married Cal Marl and went from here to Eagle Mills, Ark. They had two children Bert and Charles. Their mother passed away in 1897 at Eagle Mills. My grandfather Buck passed away in 1883 and my grandmother bought a tract of land on what is now known as the Penitentiary Branch and lived there until 1893, Then my father bought the Old Buck farm at Pleasant Hill. My grandmother lived there with my father until she passed away at the age of 81. She died Dec. 7, 1907 and was laid to rest at Pleasant Hill Cemetery. My grandmother Buck had four brothers, Bill, Mart, Kirby and Jasper who was killed in the Civil War in the Battle of Horseshoe Bend near Nashville, TN. She had two sisters, Virginia and Patsy. This is as far back as I know about my father's ancestry. My mother, Martha A. His, was born Dec. 25, 1867. Daughter of Calvin His and Katherine Flemming Hix. My father and mother were married in 1888. My grandfather Hix had one sister, Polly Ann. She married Will Marl. I don't know my great-grandfather and great-grandmother Hix's name. My grandmother Hix was Katherine Fleming. Daughter of Bill Flemming. She was born and raised in Overton co. Tenn. My mother had four brothers, Bill, Arkley, Marion, and Mack. Mack never married and passed away in Texas. She had three sisters, Polly Ann, Bell and Emma. Polly Ann was married to Traves Pendergrass. They also went to Texas to live. Emma married Daniel Sheppard. She passed away in 1889 and was laid to rest in Pleasant Hill Cemetery. My grandmother Hix passed away in 1887 and was also laid to rest in Pleasant Hill Cemetery. My grandfather Hix went to Texas in 1899 and lived with Aunt Bell until he passed away. My father, William Jasper Buck and my Mother, Martha A. Hix Buck had ten children. I am the oldest, being born born Jan. 23, 1889. Lener Bell born March 9. 1891 James Wade born April 18, 1893 Louverna born Feb. 14, 1895 Byrd C. born April 17, 1897 Charlie Calvin born June 1899 Perla Mae and Perry Clay (twins) born April 5, 1901 Julie born Aug. 5, 1903 Luther Fred born Feb. 25, 1906 Lener married Luther Taylor. They had 7 boys and one girl. She passed away at Cookeville, TN. and was laid to rest in Pleasant Hill Cemetery. Wade married Zula Scantland. They had no children. He killed Zula and took his own life June 4, 1930. They are laid to rest in Pleasant Hill Cemetery. Louverna married Marshall Richardson in Illinois. they were murder June 4, 1930. The same day that Wade and Zula died. Byrd first married Fannie Mae Brakefield at Nashville, Tn. She became ill while riding a bus to Nashville and died. This was in June 1930, she was only 17 years old. She was laid to rest in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery. He later married Ozina Phillips. They had one son, Bayless. Perry first married Ruth Boles. She passed away and he later married Virgie Ayres. They have 3 children, Wilma Jean, Billy, and Martha Bell. Perla married Gluer Hix. They have 2 children, Elmer Lee and Ima Jean. Julie married Escue Wright. they have 3 children, Vestel, Estel and Ima Jean. Fred married Etter Harris. They have 6 children, Hershel, Thelma, Ray, Kathryn, Mary and Ralph. I married Mattie Bell Odum Sept. 15, 1912. We had 9 children. Cleo, born July 5, 1913 Golden, born June 22, 1915 Elmer, born Feb. 2, 1917 Grace, born 27 Dec 1927 Lester, born April 21, 1923 Charlie Fred, born October 2, 1925 Zula, born Dec. 27, 1927 Christine, Irene, born 28 Apr 1933 Cleo died May 13, 1922 at the age of 8. Golden married George Smith on Jan 15, 1933. They had two girls, Gladys and Mattie Lou. Golden died May 17, 1942 at the age of 27. Elmer married Eudene Ledbetter Feb. 16. 1941 They had one daughter, Mary Francis. Grace married Ray Balsbaugh March 24, 1947 in Dayton Ohio. They have one son Ray Jr. and later adopted two children, James Michael and Cynthia Kay. Lester married Murrel Reed Sept. 15, 1944. They had 3 children. Bobby, Jerry & Debbie. Charlie Fred died April 12, 1941 at the age of 15. Zula married Jimmy Adkins of Huntsville, Ala. on March 3, 1951, They have 2 children, Judy and Jerry. Christine married David Williams of Scranton, PA. April 3, 1954, they have 2 children, Jeffrey and Julie. Irene married Ray DeBarge of Springfield, MA. Feb. 13, 1954. They had 5 children, Larry, Bobby, Kathy, Patty, and Tina. Cleo, Golden and Charlie Fred were all laid to rest in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Jackson County, Tennessee. Mattie passed away in Nashville, TN on June 6, 1940 at the age of 49, She was laid to rest in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery. A vacant lot is left for me. Mattie had two brothers, Perry and Berry. Two sisters, Zula and Perla. Perry and Perla were twins born in 1898. Perla passed away Dec. 1909 at age 11. Mattie's father Ambros Odum was born Aug. 1868. His father and mother were John Odum and Margaret Smith Odum. Ambros had two brothers, Hyrum and Jim. Four sisters, Sarah, Roxey, Lora, and Tinny L. This is as far back as I know on the Odum Family. Mattie's mother was Settie Scantland Odum. Her father was Green Scantland. Her mother was Martha Vanoy Scantland. Green Scantland was the son of William Scantland and Bettie Hall Scantland. His father was Tommy Scantland. Tommy Scantland entered a large territory of land in the 8th district of Jackson County from the State of TN and settled on the head of Sugar Creek. At that time the creek bottoms were woods and cane brakes. This was before the Civil War. This is the record of the Scantland family. Martha Vanoy Scantland was the daughter of David Vanoy and Hassie Vanoy. She was a sister to Nathan and Noah Vanoy. This is a brief history of the generations of me and my children. We were all farmers and members of the Church of Christ. On March 15, 1944, I married Vada Moss. She was born Feb. 17, 1895 in Clay County, TN. Daughter of Andy and Bettie Gully Moss. He was the son of Jane Moss. He passed away at the age of 93 and was laid to rest in the Rob Draper Cemetery. He had one brother Sherman Moss who went to New Mexico about 1907 and entered a large tract of land from the government. I think about 2,000 acres. Vada's grandmother went with Sherman in a covered wagon and she rode horseback. She died at the age of 99. Vada had five brothers, Sant, Herman, Albert, Rymon, and Comer. She had four sisters, Sylvia, Lissie, Dora and Nettie. As I have given the genealogy of all our folks as far back as I know, I am going to give a brief history of their lives and occupations that have been handed down. As I said my great-grandfather Goolsby's parents were from Ireland and if I remember correctly they came to Virginia and settled and then on to Overton County, TN. He was an old man when the Civil War began. He was so sure the South would win that he got what money he had in Confederate bills and lost all the money he had. I have heard my grandmother Goolsby Buck tell about the farming then. This was the way back before the Civil War. She said the land was new and the kind of plows they had were cut from forked saplins, cut off and sharpened at one prong. This was to plow the ground and the other one was for the beam, to let it season. They would prefer a dogwood if they could find one. As I have said before, there were four of the Goolsby boys, Bill, Jasper, Mart, and Kirby. They divided when the Civil War began and some went with the North and some went with the South. Jasper was killed in the Battle of Horseshoe Bend near Nashville, Tenn., when a cannon ball hit his head and cut it off. At this time transportation was slow. When they would float flat boats down the river from here to New Orleans, LA. Something similar to what we call a barge but was guided by oars like a raft. Mart was on one of these flat boats and going to New Orleans when he came down with Typhoid fever somewhere on the Mississippi River. Elizabeth Goolsby was born July 4, 1826. She was 35 when the Civil War began and knew something of the hardships the South had to go through with during the four years of the war. Especially the last year. She said the Union soldiers would come through some 50 to 100 a bunch on horseback and stop and feed their horses wherever they found corn. Would just turn them loose in the lot and pile out the corn to them. If there was a better horse then than they had, they would just take it and leave their horse in its place. then they would go to the house and make them cook whatever they saw that they wanted. Would kill chickens and have them cooked. All the abled bodied men were gone, only the boys and old men and women were left. All the Negro slaves were afraid of the Union soldiers when they came through. They made them wait on them. My grandmother aid she knew a family up on the head of Roaring River that had slaves and the Union soldiers went there and a Negro boy started to run up a hill and they shot him and he came rolling down the hill. They took him to the house, laid him on the table and left. Now lets turn to the brighter side of people of that time. Most of the people liked to hunt and fish. I have heard my grandmother tell how plentiful game was when she was young. Said deer went in droves all through the part of the country. Her father and brothers would kill them, cure and hand them up to dry. They would have venison the year round. Also the woods were full of wild hogs. They could go out anytime and kill a hog and all kinds of smaller wild animals for meat. The guns they had then were all muzzle loading shot guns and what we call hog rifles. The powder was poured down the muzzle and pushed the bullet down with a stick. Most of them were flintlock. Put a piece of flint rock in the hammer to strike fire when it hit the tube. I have killed squirrels with that kind. after they got to using caps instead of flint rock. This was about 1910. Now I will go back to my mother's side of the ancestry. Don't know much about them. My mother's grandfather, Bill Flemming was a Church of Christ preacher. I have heard my mother say that her great-grandfather came from some other country. I'm not sure but I think it was England. Said that his relatives stood on the shore and waived handkerchiefs as long as they could see and I suppose never saw anymore. This is Jan. 23, 1964. I am 75 years old today. Ready to start on the fourth quarter of a hundred years. I may not get far on this fourth quarter. I will give a little history of my 75 years. As I said I was born Jan. 23, 1889 on the Penitentiary Branch. the oldest of 10 children, 6 boys and four girls. In 1893 my father bought his old home place at Pleasant Hill, where he was partly raised, and moved there in the fall of 1893, when I was 4 years old. I remember several things before we moved. My father had a one-horse wagon and an old mare named Loose. She had twin colts. My father hauled the chickens in this little wagon and I rode in it out there and I guess I enjoyed it. I started to school when I was 7 years old. My first teacher was Jula Harris, second was Henry Hall, third was Bill Hall, fourth was Herb Alac Smith, fifth was Gaw, sixth was Verda McGlasson, seventh was Hence Dodson, eighth was Shelby Dudney, ninth was Herb Haile, and tenth as Cleo McGlasson, I went then one winter to Gainesboro and finished the 8th grade. Wasn't any high school then at Gainesboro. Schools then only lasted 3 months and I wouldn't get to go more than half of that. I would get to pull fodder, then pick peas and make molasses and cut wood for winter, fence and get ready to make another crop. There was very little money in circulation then. and it was hard to make a dollar. It was work and make what we had or do without. you could hire a man to help make a crop for $10.00 a month and pay him in corn at gathering time. You hear people talk about the good old days, I remember them, if you want to call them good old days. There were no roads, no cars, no electricity, or modern conveniences of any kind. No kind of modern farm equipment. It was root hog or die. Children all walked to school, some walked as far as three miles. I was lucky because the school was on the farm I was raised on. Teachers only got $20.00 a month then. I went to school in a log house, sat on split benches, sugar holes in them with the legs driven through them. We got a new school house in 1906 which still stands today. I married Mattie Bell Odum Sept. 15, 1912. We started housekeeping March 26, 1913 on the Penitentiary Branch. we had $61.95 worth of furniture and groceries. What would that buy now? (in 1964) I made a table and 6 chairs, which has been used 51 years now and will still hold up a bear. we had 3 sows and pigs, a cow, a mule and coon-dog. So we were al set to go to scratching for a living. I made a crop and in June got my hip dislocated which laid me up for some time Then I started hauling cross ties for Am Hamilton for 10 cents a tie. Worked all fall for that. I had hauled lots of ties before that and lots of them since. Still have my old broad axe for a souvenir. In the fall of 1914, I worked on the highway when they were building it from Gainesboro to Celina up the river. I walked from 4-6 miles a day and worked for 10 hours a day for $1.00 a day. I made a crop every year and worked at whatever I could get to do through the fall and winter. When World War 1 started in 1917, I registered on June 6. 1917, but was deferred and never did have to go. They were ready for my class, which was class 4, when the war was over. In 1919, I went to Dry Mill Creek, below Add Stafford's and cut handle timber ten hours a day for $1.00 a day, walking ten miles a day carrying a lantern. Got there by daylight and came back after dark by lantern light. It might have been that I had a strong back and a weak mind and didn't know any better than to tie onto anything that had a dollar to it, or like the fellow that was digging after a ground hog and a fellow came along and said, "Do you reckon you will get him?" and he said "Yes Sir, for I'm out of meat and have to have him!" I also bought my first tract of land Aug. 1919 and went in debt for it $1,000.00, I worked up the timber on it in cross ties and had it paid for in three years. I bought another tract in June 1927, and another in 1929. Then the depression hit in 1930. We really had hard times, especially for the ones that hadn't tried to work and save anything, The government began to hand out relief to the needy, such as food and clothing and in places hand out daily supplies. They would line up to get their daily food. I reckon I was lucky, by hard work and by the help of the Lord, I managed to squeeze by without the government hand- out. I had a bunch of fat hogs that were only worth 2 cents a pound, and corn only 20 cents a bushel. Tobacco was so cheap some carried their burley to market and it didn't bring enough to pay the haul and floor bill and they got a bill for the balance. I grew my first burley tabacco crop in 1933. It had picked up a little in price and my tobacco averaged 11 cents a pound. I thought that was a good price. I have been growing tobacco ever since. I bought a radio with my first tobacco crop. Ordered it from Montgomery Ward in Dec. 1933. It was the second one in the 8th district of Jackson County. and people would come from miles around on Saturday nights to see and hear it. I bought my first car July 1935. Gave $150.00 for it. It was a 1933 Chevrolet. A real good used car. A little money would still buy a lot of things. I bought another tract of land in 1932, and another in 1938. All of those tracts were a total of 250 acres, all adjoining in the 8th district of Jackson County, TN. On Jan. 23, 1950, I bought another tract of land in No-Man's Land. This is in the 1st district of Jackson County. We moved out there in March 1950. Our house from where we moved was destroyed by fire in July 1950. Now I will go back to 1913 when I went to housekeeping As I said, I hauled cross ties for Am Hamilton that fall. I bought a new #12 Nitro Hunter shot gun in Sept. 1913, gave $6.25 for it. It is now over 50 years old and will still knock a squirrel out of the top of any tree. Now come on to 1919 when I bought my first tract of land. In the winter of 1921 and 1922, I built a house on our new land and moved in it Sunday, April 16, 1922. In 1924 I built a barn which is still standing. On Sunday evening Sept. 3, 1922, I was baptized into the Church of Christ on Sugar Creek by Bro. Marion Harris and went to church at Pleasant Hill until we moved away in 1950. A few other events of history along the way as I go. On Jan. 1, 1926 the Cumberland River was biggest that I have ever seen and old timers then said it was the biggest that they had ever seen. Then on July 1, 1928, the river was the biggest that has ever been known at that time of year. it was from hill to hill. All the river bottoms were covered. It got all the crops on the river and also on most all the creeks. March 24, 1940 was Easter Sunday and we had 5 inches of snow that day. Feb. 20, 1929 we had the biggest snow that I have ever seen. It was 22 inches. In 1924 we built the road up the Penitentiary Branch. Until then the road was in the branch bed. I was elected Road Commissioner for the 8th district in 1924 and got a petition to put the road out of the branch bed. We built it in 1924 and 1925. In 1928 was the wettest crop I ever saw. That was the year the river got all the crops in June. 1936 and 1940 were the dryest crop year that I ever saw. The tops of corn dried up and fell out down to where the ear should have been. I went to work to the J.R. Watkins Co. on Aug. 12, 1946. I worked twelve years for them. I canvassed Jackson County over one hundred times, Learned a lot of people and made lots of friends and i guess come enemies as there is a number of my customers still owing me $1500.00 which I will never collect. Some of them can't even see me when we meet. We moved to No-Man's-Land on March 8, 1950, where we still live. There wasn't any church building in the community then. The church was meeting in the old school house for worship. in 1954, I gave the church enough land to build a church on. In July, 1954, we got busy and donated money to start a building and before winter we had a very nice brick building of which we are all very proud. It is called the "McCoinsville Church of Christ". I was appointed one of the Elders at Pleasant Hill and served until we moved, then I was appointed Elder at McCoinsville where I still serve. I was elected County Commissioner for the 8th district of Jackson County in 1940, I measured tobacco bases and all other crops all over the 8th district and took the agriculture census of the 8th district. Now coming back to 1964, I made a statue of myself from cement. It took two and half months to make it. I now have 16 grand-children, and 7 great- grandchildren. I made another statue this year of a soldier boy. I have also made a garden. Another birthday Jan 23, A Sunday, we had with us for dinner Winton & Zula Hix, Alvin Hix & family, Ray Hix & family, my son Lester Buck & family, Albert Moss & family, Comer Moss & family, Sylvia Moss and my daughter Irene DeBarge. We had 5 inch snow which kept others from coming. We had a family reunion May 8, 1966. All six of my children and all the 16 and 2 adopted grandchildren, all in-laws except 1, 3 of 6 great grandchildren were here. First time we had all been together since 1951. All my brothers and sisters and their families were here. We had about 80 here in all and all had a good time. It was a real homecoming for all of us. I will skip over to something more unusual. On Nov. 3rd it snowed all day, by night we had 10-12 inches of snow on the ground and it got 9 below zero. i never saw that much snow and temperature so low that early in the year before . Going to Dec. 25 we had 5 inch snow & that being a Sunday we went to Church in the Jeep. Here it is another birthday Jan. 23, 1967, & I am 78 years old today. Another milestone. I feel better this winter than i have in the past 2 winters. I'm still going to Nashville to a specialist for treatments every 4 weeks. This is March 15, 1967, Monday. It was 23 years ago that Vada and I went to Rossville, GA. to get married. It was a Wednesday, a nice sunny day. Comer & Wilma, Benny & Jack Moss went with us. I was 55 years old then and Vada was 49 yrs. old. We have been together 23 years. & I don't think I could have picked a better wife if I had searched the world over. She has been a real helper and & good companion. The last 2 years she has gotten of hard of hearing, that we can't carry on a conversation, but the longer we stay together the closer the ties. She has been a real step mother to my children. I am 78 and she is 72 years old. neither of us is very well. I have thought & hoped that we would reach our 25th Silver Wedding Anniversary which will be March 15, 1969. This is April 1, 1967 & I have been trying to put a little garden, planted a few potatoes, corn, onions and peas. Don't have any help as Vada is sick and can't do anything. This is April 30, 1967 I had to go to Nashville to the hospital. Sylvia is staying with Vada while I'm gone. Hope it will not be long, only 4 days. August 28, 1967: The children were here for another homecoming. There was 63. Mr. & Mrs. Elmer Buck, Mr & Mrs. Lester Buck, Jerry & Debbie, Mr. & Mrs. Ray Balsbaugh, Ray Jr., Jimmy & Cindy, Mr. & Mrs. Jimmy Adkins and Judy & Jerry, Mr. & Mrs. David Williams, Jeff & Julie, Mr. & Mrs. Ray DeBarge, Larry, Bobby, Kathy, Patti and Tina. 16 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren, 5 was unable to be here. Sept. 15, 1967; Sunday: On Sept 3, 1922 I was baptized into the church of Christ by Bro. Marion Harris. Sept. 15, 1967 It was Sept. 15, 1912 that Mattie Odum and I was married. I was 23 and she was 21 years old. It has been 55 years today. We were married by Bro. Oliver Scantland, Justice of the Peace. Sept. 22, 1967: I am going back to July of this year. I went to Dayton, Ohio for a three week visit. Only stayed one week. I sent on to Detroit the 19th, flew on a plane, & stayed until Saturday. We went to Canada. I didn't enjoy my trip. I was trying to get away from my worry and troubles but they were there so I came home and they are here. October 13, 1967: It was 4 months ago that Vada left on Tuesday June 13, 1967. We left home that morning at 9:00 am, went to Crossville, TN, then to Cumberland Mt. State Park. We took lunch and ate in the car about 11:00am. Then we drove around the park about an hour then started home. We took highway 42 toward Cookeville coming up Highway 42 just ready to leave White County into Putnam County. By some cause I lost control of the car & hit the end of the bridge across Falling Water River, turned around and went backwards over a 40 foot embankment down to the edge of the river, when the car came to a stop. I was lying on my back under the steering wheel. I got out as quickly as I could because Vada wasn't in the car. I went around the front of the car. She was under the car and was killed instantly. No one will ever know how I felt that 1:20pm. Life is no satisfaction anymore. I have written this with tears in my eyes. She was brought to Sutton-Anderson Funeral Home at Gainesboro, Tn. She was laid to rest at the Rob Draper Memorial Cemetery at Stone where her Father and Mother are laid to rest. I am staying at home by myself, I am better satisfied at home than anywhere. William Bedford Buck passed away on February 7, 1968 at the age of 79.