McNAIRY COUNTY, TN - HISTORY - Early History of McNairy County, Part 1 ============================================================== 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 =============================================================== EARLY HISTORY OF McNAIRY COUNTY By Jeff Walker McNairy County Independent November 23, 1923 The first school that I remember attending, was what was known as the brick academy, on the west side of town and near the Wisdom residence. The school was taught by a preacher named McMahan. The next teacher was Israel Huddleston who taught in a school house near the old jail. The next teacher was H. ?. Dudley who taught in a house on the east side of the street leading south from the public square. The next was Russ Stribling who taught in a school house north of the college lot. The Purdy college was completed in 1858, and the first session was commenced the first Monday in January, 1859. The board of trustees was W. S. Wisdom. D. McKenzie. A. R. Hall, J. F. McKinney, F. P. Duke, W. C. Kendal, A. Moore, C. C. Lewter, M. Cross. Officers of the board were W. S. Wisdom, president, B. H. Malone Professor of languages, Professor J. P. Baldridge, of mathematics. The college had a fine telescope, with all the instruments necessary in first class institute of learning. It also had a large library presented by the Hon. John V. Wright. Among the many students who attended the Purdy college. I remember T. B. Larimore, who became famous as a preacher, author, and teacher, R. P. Meeks who attained eminence as a preacher and author, Henry Meeks who arose to distinction in his profession and is to day among the ablest lawyers of the state of Tennessee, Ansel Walter Stovall, who was a student of Purdy college, and who was the school mate and playmate of my childhood and the friend of maturer years. He studied law under Israel Huddleston after the civil war and made a success of his profession. He served with distinction in the Legislature of Tennessee from McNairy county, and also from Madison county and he also served as Judge of Madison county for several years. Into that other life which the soul of man craves as the better life, Ancel Walter Stovall has gone, and we speak our conviction and our belief that he entered it facing his fellows and his God with that conviction which comes from duty well performed. Whatever life hereafter is reserved for the true, the generous, the honorable and the good, Ancel Walter Stovall will find his fellowship and association with them. Many of the old Purdy college who drank at the fountain of knowledge, have joined in the march of fame. I remember Thos. H. Spight of Ripley, Miss, who was a student of Purdy college, and who had the honor of representing his district in the Congress of the United States. Where are the kind teachers? where are my school mates? where are the Stovalls, Wisdoms, Gullet's, McCann's, Pool's, Moore's, Lewter's Braden's , Cate's, Comb's, and Crump's, and host of others? They are all with few exceptions have crossed over the river in the land of spirits. And where are school houses that once stood in old Purdy. Echo faintly whispers where? They are all lost to the world now. Their charms and surroundings live only in the memory of a sparse few. Among the older citizens of Purdy whom I remember was W. S. Wisdom who must have been among the early settlers of Purdy; Benjamin Wright, who was one of the early surveyors of the county and was at one time register of McNairy county; Patick H. Braden, Milton H. Johnson, Alfred Moore, Ed Dodd, Sam Worthington, S. J. Chaney, George Burtwell, Wm. Ruleman, Henry Swan, Hugh Kerby, W. C. Kendal, Dan Barry, Ambers McGlothling, Peter Gullet, Maclin Cross, and I. P. Young. Among the legal talent of old Purdy were John V. Wright, Arch Houston, J. F. McKinney, D. M. Wisdom, Israel Huddleston, Fielding Hurst, Julius Jones, and Richard Cross. My father, Joseph Walker came to McNairy county in 1824, one year after the county was organized, and was in business in Purdy, as far back as 1836. In the forties he was in business with George Adams. I remember the Blackwells, and Andrews, who had a tan yard on the branch south of the Ruleman tan yard. Among the older citizens of the county whom I remember was Gen. John H. Meeks who was a delegate to the convention of 1870, which framed the constitution of Tennessee. He was a man of whom it might justly be said: "Behold, indeed. an Israelite in whom there is no guile." I remember the Warren family, the McKenzie's Becks, Irwins, Houstons, Rays, Huggins, Hurleys, Browders, Barnhills, Gooch's, Massengills, O'Neal's, Sheltons, Bishops, Smiths, Owens, Wilsons, Sipes, Surratt, Finleys, Combs, Sanders, Devault, Beards, Kerbys, Beatys, Claytons, Jones, Hodges, Andersons, Hendrix, Plunks, Lockmans, Browns, Milsteads, Maxedons, Mitchells, Burchetts, Rowseys, Deatons, Estes, Rogers, Ingrams, Barhams, Hills, Harris, Floyd, Tackers, Gage, Henry, and many others. Dr. Charles Crump was one of earliest physicians of Purdy. I remember two of his children Marcus Vines and Martha Delia Crump. Among others I remember as citizens of Purdy were Henry Gillespie, who was a clerk for Bell and Wisdom. He was also a confederate soldier. Ben McIntyre who was also a confederate soldier, was a clerk in the dry goods house of Hall Bros., as was also Billie Johnson, who was a nephew of Maclin Cross. George Churchwell, who was a clerk for D. N. Huddleston. Fayette Veal was a clerk in the dry goods store of Alfred Moore. Bob Cates was a clerk in the dry goods house of Cross & Co. John M. Harris was, I think, a clerk for Bell & Wisdom. Marcus L. Riggs I think was a partner of his father N. C. Riggs in the dry goods business and went to Memphis some time before the civil war. He was a confederate soldier and was killed at the battle of Franklin. Ben L. Walker was a partner of my father in the grocery business in 1860 and was a confederate soldier. He was killed at the battle of Brices Cross Roads on the 10th of June 1864. Leborn Street was at one time a partner of my father in the grocery business. John W. Stumph was a citizen of Purdy. He was a first class jeweler and also a first class citizen and the man with the iron nerve. Dudley Stovall, a brother of John M. Stovall, sold groceries in Purdy. Joe Pickler was also in the grocery business at Purdy. Purdy at one time had as fine a brass and string band as the State of Tennessee or any other state for that matter afforded. Adams was the band leader. Purdy also had on the west side of the public square a large Thespian hall, with seats arranged like those in a first class theater. In this Thespian hall were enacted many of the master pieces of Shakespeare. I remember E. C. Hurst as being mayor of the town of Purdy, and Marcus L. Riddle as town constable. Among those who joined their fortunes with the South in the great struggle were John V. Wright, who was Col. of the 13th Tennessee Infantry. Col. D. M. Wisdom of the 19th Tennessee Cavalry; Capt. Alfonzo Cross, Capt. John R. Adams, Lieut. Albert Covey, Lieut. H. G. Pinkston, Lieut. John P. Jonson, F. D. Moore, Sam Henry, John B. Cross, Hiram Johnson, Ben L. and T. J. Walker, Polk Gullet, Riley Holman, Cam and Chap Hurst, Joe McCann, Lam Y. Pace. John Huddleston. On the federal side, I remember Col. Fielding Hurst of the 6th Tennessee Cavalry. I remember Col. Hurst as being a man of very strong prejudice. He had his enemies inside and outside of Purdy, and my candid opinion is that if his enemies had let him alone, that his course would have been far different. He was a friend of my father, and when Purdy was burned, Col. Hurst would not allow any of my fathers's books removed as Clerk. D. N. Huddleston did manage to get a few of the books out. Jim Barnes, Green Gullet and Muddvshaw, were the drivers of the old Jno. V. Wright Stage Coach. One of the prominent citizens of McNairy county just after the civil war was Matt Abernathy, who did much to advance the cause of education in McNairy county, and who did more than an one to keep down the bitter animosities engendered by the civil war. The immortelles of memory, which fade not in a day like the flowers culled from the garden, will cluster around this kind deeds until memory itself is no more. JEFF WALKER.