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Volume 37, Issue 4 Sandra J Stacey, Editor April 2014
THE CORNSHELLERNewsletter of the Montgomery County Historical
Society
LOCATION
L&N Train Station
10th & Commerce Streets
Clarksville, TN 37040
931.553.2486
***MAILING ADDRESS ON BACK***
Officers:
President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Angie Rodesky
Vice President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kurt Bryant
Recording Secretary . . . . . . . . . . Molly Cook
Correspondence Secretary . . . . . .Opal Kennedy
Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Al Irby
Historical:
County Historian . . . . . . . . . . . . .Eleanor Williams
County Archivist . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jill Hastings Johnson
County Genealogist . . . . . . . . . . .Gail Longton
Members at Large:
Tracy Jackson, unexpired term of Marjorie Wade
Jim Marshall
Jim Moore
Immediate Past President: . . . .Sandra J. Stacey
All programs meet on the 3rd Monday of each monthat 7:00 p.m. Unless otherwise stated.
***All regular meetings will be held at theCivic Center located in the Veterans’ Plaza ***
April 21Transplanted German War Brides (Panel):BE SURE TO MARK your calendar to hear riveting stories from our“GERMAN WAR BRIDES” as they relate harrowing experiences ofgrowing up in war-torn Germany
May 19 Billy Frank Morrison“High Profile Murders In Montgomery County”
June 14 Saturday Outing 1:00 P.M.Linda Long: Moderator “Mr. John Patterson, Director” Outlaw Field
July 21Ted Young “Basketball Greats from Montgomery County”
August 18Jim Long “Pioneer Horse Racing in Montgomery County”
September 15Inga Filippo “Documentary on Dorothy Dix”
October 4 Saturday Outing Joe Filippo: Moderator
South Guthrie Community Center/Old Warfield Rosenwald School.
Jesse Wilcox and panel of former students of Warfield
November 17 Cleo Hogan “Montgomery County’s Governor Willie
Blount & his part in the War of 1812.
“OUR EASTERN IMMIGRANTS”, the H.S. March Program
Mr. Robert Brooks, a Korean Clarksville businessman and March panelmember, hinted to the society that the sistership between Gunpo, Korea andClarksville is what essentially influenced Hankook of Seoul, Korea, one ofthe fastest growing tire companies in the world, to choose our town inwhich to settle. Since 1999, Gunpo and Clarksville have visited back andforth with Mr. Brooks serving as a frequent flyer with the Clarksville Jun-ket. Thank you, Mr. Brooks for your influence with your native country-men.Dr. Leong Lee, APSU Computer Science professor from crowded Singa-pore chose our town, state and campus for our open spaces, as Singapore,no bigger than Montgomery County claims 5 million inhabitants.
Kathy Lee Heuston, APSU Asst. Professor of Communications, selected theU.S. for her higher education and Austin Peay for its attractive work envi-ronment.
We are grateful to our Easter Immigrants for choosing us and for sharingwith the historical society their enlightening stories.
Rubye Patch
The Historical Society March meeting was held on St. Patrick’s Day. Icouldn't resist the urge to snap a picture of Leilo Rogish who camedressed for the occasion. As usual she was sporting her beautiful smile.
On a sad note, our President AngieRodesky announced she will be step-ping down. Her husband is being trans-ferred to Virginia. Our talented Vice-president Kurt Bryant will be assumingher duties. At the present time I do notknow who will assume the vice-presidental duties.
You will notice there has been a changein this month’s program. Due to ascheduling conflict March and Aprilprograms were flip- flopped.
Thanks go out to Jim Long for this month’s family history!
Sandra Stacey Editor
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MEET AL IRBYTREASURER OFTHE MONTGOMERY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Al Irby is a native Clarksvillian. He grew up onMaplemere Drive and attended Greenwood School,Howell School (briefly) and old Clarksville High. His6th grade classroom was on the 2nd floor of the oldestwing of Howell School that collapsed into the base-ment. Fortunately, it collapsed on a Saturday. Other-wise, he (and others) would not be here today.
After graduating from CHS in 1957, Al went to theUniversity of Tennessee in Knoxville. He received aBS and an MS. While in Knoxville, he met his wife
Nancy and they have been married 50 years. They have two children, Mikeand Cathy. Mike has taught at Germantown Houston High School for thepast 20 years. Mike and his wife Sharlie have two boys, Brian (12) andChris (6). Cathy lives in Signal Mountain and is married to Scott Pierce, anexecutive at Blue Cross. They have one daughter, Tally (6).
Al first worked for Bethlehem Steel Company in Pennsylvania and Mary-land. He got interested in the brand new field of computers and went to theMedical College of Georgia in Augusta as manager of computer program-ming. After three years in Augusta, Al spent seven years at West GeorgiaCollege in Carrollton as Director of Computer Services. In 1976, he movedto Nashville to work for National Life and Accident Insurance Company.
Shortly after moving to Nashville, National Life was purchased by AmericanGeneral and started moving its operation to Texas. Al began looking aroundand saw an opening at Austin Peay. In 1977 he came home to Clarksville towork in the Computer Services Department at APSU.
While at APSU, AL completed the requirements for the CPA and passed theexam. In 1988, he moved to the Business Office as Director of Budgets. In1991, he became Business Manager and in 1996, he became Assistant VicePresident for Finance. After 30 years at APSU, AL retired in 2007.
After retirement, Al and Nancy have done a lot of traveling and spent a lot oftime with the grandchildren. He is active in the Sunrise Rotary Club and theAPSU Retirees Association. Al attends several UT football games each yearand still attempts to play a little golf.
Henry Johnson died in 1836, when his son John was only 10 years old. Bythe time of the 1850 Montgomery CO TN census, John Johnson, age 23, wasstill living at home and had learned the miller’s trade.
Listed next door to the Johnsons in the 1850 Montgomery CO TN census wasJohn G. Johnson’s sister, Julia Ann Johnson Bridgewater (1823/1854), whohad married Chesley Bridgewater (born 1820 near Clarksville, TN). Includ-ed in the family were their young sons, Richard Bridgewater and ThomasBridgewater:
The following is an ambrotype of ChesleyBridgewater, dating to the 1850’s.
The ambrotype belongs to Irene (Morrison)Griffey, a Bridgewater descendant throughChesley’s sister, Mary (Bridgewater) Wil-liams. [Irene was an early genealogy mentorof mine and was a great help in learning aboutmy Bridgewater ancestors.]
On 15 Jan.1853, John G. Johnson married inChristian CO KY to Jane Elizabeth Brewer(1836/1899), a daughter of James A. Brewerof the Pee Dee community, a successful miller himself. (That’s right, a millermarried a Brewer!).
John G. and Jane (Brewer) Johnson lived in Christian CO for the next 12years, where John continued a successful career as a miller, working for hisfather-in-law James A. Brewer at Brewer’s Mill near Pee Dee on Little River.As shown in the real estate and personal estate columns of the 1860 ChristianCO KY census, John had done well for himself in just a few years.
John G. and Jane (Brewer) Johnson were the parents of:
1. James Henry Johnson (1854/1869)2. Cornelia Jane Johnson Bridgewater (1855/1939)3. William Montgomery Johnson (1857/1898) – married Harriet Lowe andlived in Robertson CO TN4. John Wesley Johnson (1860/1917) – never married and lived with hissister Cornelia5. Nannie D. Johnson Waltman (1861/bef. 1899) – married Joseph M.Waltman and lived at Paducah, KY6. Gideon George Johnson (1863/1931) – never married and moved toCreede, CO7. Virginia C. Johnson Weems (1865/1949) – married William L. Weemsand lived near Southside, Montgomery CO TN
After the Civil War, John G. and Jane Johnson moved their family back toMontgomery CO TN. On 11 Jan. 1866, John purchased the Montgomery(flouring) Mills from Hambaugh, Pettus & Co. for $16,000.00, on 403 acreson Little West Fork Creek. He paid $4,000 cash up front and executed 3notes for $4,000 each.
(Continued on page 3)
Montgomery Mills, aka Bridgewater MillDescendants of John G. Johnson and Chesley Bridgewater
by Jim Long
G. Johnson was born Aug.1826 in Montgomery CO, TN the eldest son ofHenry and Margaret (Williams) Johnson. John’s father Henry Johnson,born 1798 in England, was a boot and shoemaker in Clarksville, TN by trade,as shown by this notice in the 2 Nov. 1822 issue of the Tennessee Watchman:
“Dissolution of Partnership: Thisday dissolved by mutual consentthe partnership heretofore existingbetween Henry Johnson and JohnGowans, Boot and Shoe Makers.Those indebted will please makeimmediate payment to John Gow-ens, & those that have accountsagainst them will present them forpayment.”
John GowansHenry Johnson
Clarksville, Aug 30
This Johnson family lived along Little West Fork Creek in Montgomery COTN on the farm of Henry Williams, father-in-law of Henry Johnson, on whatis now McClardy Road.
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APRIL 2014VOLUME 37, ISSUE 4
(Bridgewater Mill continued from page 2)
The following advertisement from the Clarksville Chronicle of 26 Jan.1866 advertises the sale, as well as the sale of Gallego Mills (later calledDavie’s Mill, then Ringgold Mill):
“Gallego and Montgomery Mills!Having sold Gallego Mills toMr. K. B. Davie Esq., andMontgomery Mills to John G.Johnson, Esq., we take muchpleasure in recommendingthese gentlemen to our numer-ous friends and customers, asworthy of their confidence andpatronage, and we solicit forthem a continuance of that pat-ronage, which has been so lib-erally and so long extended tous, and for which our gratefulthanks are hereby acknowl-edged…”
John G. Johnson received notoriety for the flour he produced. In the 10July 1869 issue of the Clarksville Chronicle we find:
“NEW FLOUR – J. G. Johnson,the gentlemanly and energeticproprietor of the MontgomeryMills, has placed some verysuperior flour made from choicenew wheat, upon our market,which is the first of the season.Montgomery ranks alongside ofthe first mills in the country, andconsumers of its make of flourspeak invariably in its praise.Mr. Johnson presented theChronicle corps with a liberalsample of this flour, for whichhe will please accept our thanks.May he never lack for wellshortened biscuit, nor any of thenecessaries of life. Call at Crusman and Chesnuts’ and sample his newcrop.”
And in the 6 July 1872issue:“EXTRA FLOUR – Weacknowledged the receipt ofsome fine flour from Mr. J.G. Johnson, of MontgomeryMills, last week Since then,our better half has tried itin various ways and itmakes the best of bread. Itrises better than any newflour we ever used. Thosewishing to procure thismake of flour can do so by applying to J. J. Crusman.”
By the time of the 1870 Montgomery CO TN census, John’s fortunesseemed to have changed: while he still owned the mill and acreage, hisprimary occupation was listed as a farmer, and his cash situation was not ashealthy:
Living a few doors down from John and Jane Johnson in 1870 were John’snephews, Thomas and Richard Bridgewater, who had followed in the familybusiness as mill hands, working presumably at either their uncle’s Montgom-ery Mills or at nearby Davie’s (Ringgold) Mill:
John’s career as a miller ended in 1874, whenhe defaulted on his mortgage payments toHambaugh, Pettus & Co. and was sued bythem in Montgomery Chancery Court[photocopy courtesy of the MontgomeryCounty Archives, Clarksville, TN]:
To settle the debt still owed to Hambaugh,Pettus and Co., the mill was sold in Jan. 1875to P. C. Hambaugh, a partner in Hambaugh,Pettus & Co., for $10,000.
After he lost the mill, life was not completely uneventful for John – note thisclipping from the 13 Nov. 1875 issue of the Clarksville Weekly Chronicle:
“On Tuesday last,Mr. John G. John-son, of Montgom-ery Mills, shot andkilled a horned owlwhich measuredfive feet from tip totip.”
John G. Johnson died 7 Feb. 1877 of unknown causes, aged 50. The follow-ing notice appeared in the 10 Feb. issue of the Clarksville Weekly Chronicle:
"We regret to learn that Mr. John G. Johnson, ofwhom we spoke last week as being seriously ill, diedlast Wednesday morning. He was a Mason and be-longed to the Clarksville Commandery of KnightsTemplar, by which order he was buried with its hon-ors."
John was buried at the Johnson family cemetery onwhat is now Bunker Hill Road in north Clarksville,TN. The cemetery is in poor condition but the fol-lowing portion of his tombstone was found in 1997:
The 1877 map of Montgomery CO, District 3, shows the location of Mont-gomery Mills, and even refers to it as Johnson’s Mills even though it had goneout of the Johnson family a couple of years earlier
(Continued on page 5)
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WINDOW INTO THE PAST
Sandra J Stacey
What would you find if you looked in the “window into the past” inApril.
US Army Corps of Engineers—Nashville DistrictApril 12, 1780Settlers ascending the Cumberland River arrive at the mouth of theRed River and find a settlement that becomes Clarksville, Tenn.
Clarksville ChronicleApril 6, 1860On tomorrow, a new arrangement will be adopted on our railroad.Hereafter two trains will leave here daily, for Nashville, instead of one,as heretofore. The first leaves at 6 in the morning, and the second at2:45 in the afternoon, Trains will leave N a s h v i l l e , f o r t h i sp l a c e , a t 6 : 3 0 a . m . a n d a t 2 : 4 5 p . m . This will add verygreatly to the convenience of the traveling public, and will, also, wehope, result in a large increase of business upon the two roads.
Clarksville ChronicleApril 12, 1860Piscatory (fishing) recreation has of late become intensely popularhere. Groups of industrious anglers, may be anglers may be seennearly every day, at the pond, on the Russellville Pike. On EasterMonday, we counted about forty – men, women, boys and girls – outthere all intent upon the sport. There seem to be countless multitudesof small perch in that pool and they “bite” in a way that indicates a veryaccommodating disposition. That good old custom of “spitting on yourhook” that we used to practice so confidently, we are glad to see, stillobtains among many of the boys.
Clarksville ChronicleApril 13, 1860Jordan Spring is the name of a new Post office established in thiscounty, and Mr. A.J. Wooten appointed Postmaster. A Post Office hasalso been established at the junction of the M.C.& L. Railroad to becalled “Ciements,” and Mr. Roach appointed Postmaster.
Clarksville ChronicleApril 19, 1861We understand that they have formed, or are forming a military com-pany in the neighborhood of Woodlawn, in this county. This is a goodmove, and we hope that it will be followed up through out the countyand the state. Organize at once for self-defense.
Dr. Aristotle Eldridge’s LedgerApril 24, 1864Claims to the U.S. Federal Government for damages suffered due tothe shelling of Dr. Eldridge’ home, office and store.
List of Property Burned by Federal Officers belonging to Eldridge &Son. Page 382,383 Witness: J. Lyle – Tom Laird. Filed at ClarksvilleAssessor: P.B, Williamson, I.B. Williamson
Lot. No.1, 1 dwelling, house, stables. cribs, Smoke house, kitchen &grocery Store - - - - $2,000.00. All furniture --- (burned Apr. 4 1863).
Long, long list of furnishings here. Store house -- $1,000. Goods onhand here, $800.00, Two houses, 2 dwelling house – Dr. Office, lot ofmedicine, dwellings: $2,5000.00, Medicine . . . $300.00, Library ofMedical Books $150.
Clarksville ChronicleApril 27, 1866Barbers --- We have in our city three Barber Shops --- One on theSquare carried on by Seals & Banks; one at Moore’s Hotel conductedby Tom Beaumont, and last, but not least, one on Strawberry Alley, byPorter and Son, from Nashville. The last mentioned, have a full stringband, and are ready to make music at balls, parties and picnics. All ofthe above keep well regulated shops, and when you want anythingdone in their line give them a call.
Nashville Daily AmericanApril 25, 1876Robert W. Thomas, editor of the Clarksville, Tennessee Chronicle, anative of Virginia, died in the residence of his son-in-law, Gen. J. M.Quarles, Edgefield, Tenn., April 23, 1876, aged about 68 years; mov-ed to Hopkinsville, Ky. in 1835 where he edited a newspaper for twoyears, then he went to Clarksville and "took charge" of the Chronicle;His body was buried temporarily in the graveyard on the ColonelJames S. Cummings' place, three miles from town, but the Clarksvilleofficials had set apart a plot for his final resting place in the municipali-ty.
Nashville Daily AmericanApril 30, 1876John G. Black, on a spree, was run over and killed by a train on theMemphis, Clarksville and Louisville Railroad bridge in Clarksville, April27, 1876.
Clarksville ChronicleApril 13, 1886The Hon. Cave Johnson appeared in his seat on yesterday as a Sen-ator from the Montgomery district. We see no great change in his ap-pearance since he retired from the Bank of Tennessee, the Presiden-cy of which once noble institution was, we believe, and his last publictrust. As an earnest, upright man, regardless of partisan considera-tions, he has always stood high in popular esteem, and his reappear-ance in the halls of legislation reminds us of ancient times when it wassomething to be a representative of the people. We do hope thatthose who surround him will partake of his calm, wise council that theywill respect the purity of his intentions and have heed to the experi-ence of his age; that they will look upon him as faithful exposition ofthe people and not the party, and learn from his example the diff-erence between statesmanship and mere dumb noise and showman-ship. There are several Senators of intelligence and virtue, evenamong the radicals, and there ought to be sufficient to leave the lumpand give us a wholesome and palatable food. We confess that we areafraid of the House and its Harlequins, but the purposes of the Senateshould be above stage play, and its business should be to save usfrom impending ruin.—Nash. Banner 10th.
Information from the Leaf Chronicle Fact Book 2007-2008Eric Snyder & Owen Schroeder Jr.
April 15, 1950Camp Campbell changed to a permanent installation and was re-named Fort Campbell.
April 27, 1970An F4 Tornado ripped through Montgomery County in the afternoonkilling three people and injuring 85.
For th i s mon th , th e "window into the past” is closed.
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MEMBERSHIP
New Members:
Lois Bartee2208 Fairfax Dr.Clarksville, [email protected]
Darwin & Patti Stewart110 Rocky FordClarksville, TN [email protected]
Jerry Weatherspoon469 Rivermont Dr.Clarksville, TN 37043
Mark Davis Stepp1203 Highway 48Clarksville, TN 37040
Sheila Runyon308 Peartree DriveClarksville, TN [email protected]
Garfield & Bobbie Davidson325 Partridge Ct.Clarksville, TN [email protected]
John R Sneed330 Peartree DriveClarksville, TN [email protected]
Don & Tilly Shrader318 Peartree DriveClarksville, TN [email protected]
Welcome Back:
Frank Hodgson191 Maplemere DriveClarksville, TN 37040
Calvin & Shirley Stokes1100 McClardyClarksville, TN [email protected]
(Bridgewater Mill continued from page 3)
In late 1873 while John G.Johnson was a strugglingmiller, and perhaps to tryand keep the mill in thefamily, John’s daughterCornelia Jane Johnson(12-2-1855/1-24-1939)married her first cousin,Thomas Edwin Bridge-water (7-21-1850/10-7-1923), son of John’s sisterJulia (Johnson) Bridge-water.
Thomas Bridgewater, and his brother Richard Bridgewater, were millers liketheir uncle John G. Johnson. Here are Thomas and Cornelia in the 1880Montgomery CO TN census:
Thomas and Cornelia (Johnson) Bridgewater were the parents of:1. Hettie Bridgewater (1876/1877)2. Rubie Bridgewater Darnell (1878/1952) – married Cap Darnell and livedin Montgomery CO TN.3. Mattie Julia Bridgewater Skelton (1881/1945) – married B. C. Skeltonand lived in Montgomery CO TN.4. Nannie Lou Bridgewater Long (1885/1973) – married John T. Long andlived in Montgomery CO TN.5. Thomas Edwin Bridgewater Jr. (1887/1969) – married Nannie Williamsand lived in New Providence, TN6. Ethel V. Bridgewater Anderson (1890/1969) – married Garland Ander-son and lived in Montgomery CO TN7. Bruce B. Bridgewater (1893/1901) – died young while the family wasliving in Houston CO TN
Thomas and Richard Bridgewater were successful enough in the milling busi-ness that in 1893 they were able to buy Montgomery Mills back into the fam-ily, paying $4000 for the mill and 102 acres of land around it. (ref. DeedBook 30, page 401). The following photo, of what became known as Bridge-water Mill, dates to about 1895:
The following photo of the Bridgewater family dates to about the same timeas the photo of the mill. Included in the photo are Cornelia’s brother JohnWesley Johnson (1860/1917) and mother Jane (Brewer) Johnson(1836/1899).
(back row): John W. Johnson, Rubie Bridgewater, Mattie Bridgewater, Nan-nie Bridgewater, Thomas E. Bridgewater Jr.(middle row): Thomas E. Bridgewater Sr., Cornelia (Johnson) Bridgewater,Bruce B. Bridgewater, Jane (Brewer) Johnson(front, seated): Ethel V. Bridgewater
Thomas and Richard Bridgewater continued to operate the Bridgewater Millon Little West Fork until Richard’s death in 1906, at age 57. Richard’s wid-ow and children sold their half of the mill to Thomas, who operated it untilhis death in 1923 at age 73.
The road that went past the mill was called Bridgewater Mill Road as late as1942, when the land was taken for Camp Campbell. The 403-acre farm sur-rounding the mill included land that would later become part of ClarksvilleBase (“The Birdcage”).
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Montgomery County Historical Society
P.O. Box 262
Clarksville, TN 37041-0262
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION/RENEWAL FORM
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PHONE: ___________ EMAIL: ___________________________________ DATE: ___________________
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***(Membership period is January to December)***
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