McNAIRY COUNTY, TN - BIOGRAPHIES - Joe Milstead ============================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping, with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic Pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. 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: Douglas H. Prather douglas-memphis@worldnet.att.net =============================================================== McNairy County Independent February 8, 1924 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF OLD McNAIRIANS We presendt in this article short biographical sketches of some of the old people who settled and lived in McNairy county more than a half century ago. Some of this information we get from the hiistory of the county, written by Gen. Wrigtht many year ago, and some we obtain from the descendants of these old people. The Milsteads Away back in the early history of the county there settled in the southwest part of McNairy county a sturdy citizen, one whose descendants made valuable contributions to the upbuilding of the communities in which they lived. Before the Civil war, Uncle Jo Milstead, originally from Virginia, but more recently from Middle Tennessee, come to McNairy, and settled the place that we know now as the Al Fortune place, in the first district of this county, it being on the road leading then from old Purdy to Pocahontas. He married Peggie Witt, born in Ireland, and to this union there were born the following children: Tom, Hugh, George and Zeal, Twins, and Jo Milstead, and Eliza, who married an Evans, and another daughter, Katherine. His son, George Milsteadd, settled the place now occupied by Dug Fortune, until a short time ago, the home of J. C. Milstead. George Milstead married Emiline Russell, and they had the following children: W. T. Milstead, J. C. Milstead, Mary Eliza, G. F. and S. A. Milstead. In the community or settlement as it was known before the war, the neighbors of Uncle Jo Milstead, and of his son George Milstead, were John G. Gooch, Frank Fortune, Carr, Brown, Jimmie Russell, Father of S. H. Russell, Uncle Jimmie Nethery, father of Sam Nethery, Jerry King, Nathan Moore, Bob Locke, Jo Thornton, the Knights, Wiley B. T. Gooch, J. L. W. Boatman, Rafe Steadman, H. A. Hunter, Cab Coleman, Billie Wallace, and Ben and Jo Wallace . The old church was a Primitive Baptist one, near the old John G. Gooch place. The early preachers were John Teague, G. Benthall, John Moore, and Frankie Beard. The old millers were Nathan Moore, John G. Gooch, Jack Strickland, and Sammie Jones. A school was taught at different times at the same place. Pocahontas was the nearest town, and the place where the community trading was done. Its merchants were John M. Nelson, an uncle of Moss Nelson, the old Falcon merchant, Elisha Reagan, Ed Duke, and others. AT that time there was a store and saloon operated on the north side of the Southern railroad, and west of the Big Hill crossing. Jim Northcross was one of the merchants there, and so was Capt. Crocker. Nath Moore operated a distillery about where the old G. W. Bartley mill was later located. Uncle Jo Milstead lived to the ripe old age of ninety-seven years and was buried in the old Mt. Pleasant graveyard. George Milstead, his son died and was buried in the old Nethery grave yard. When this settlement was made in that part of the first district, there were no towns. There was not a railroad then, and not for a long time afterwards. The people who came, were of a determined kind; and the dangers and hardships that attended the life of each of them, only served to strengthen their courage and faith. They felled the forests, and began the primitive cultivation of the soil. There made a place for worship, and provided a rude habitation for the children, that they might get the benefits of some sort of education. They employed the old field teacher, and in a plain, simple way, but in a thorough and effective way, the boys and girls were trained in the fundamentals of live.