" STOHl' 0 1" aum ron", . TFNN!::SSICr'

t!.9 t o l d by

, Mr s. LOuiso Sh1!.nno n f'Xldman *

In 1006 the Re vere n!! J o hn Pope , his scenncl wi f e , l\nn

LUCilS a nd ninc chi l dr e n , Ci'lmc t o Tennessee fr om FoC) ocomb

~unty. ~cr th Ctlr oli na . fivo o f t ho chi l d r on wor o bor n .:lfter . " . comi nq f C') !n l\orth Ca r o linn . 110 owned l and f r Ofl'l Duck. Rivc~ I: .' .

Ri dqc on o ne sid'J tn, Ind i ·,," boundar y l ine o n t wo s i des . , \.Qno C' "'"

doad wa s si "l~ c<;l by Gone r " l J nmo s Rn t,.c rt snn i n 1808. Popo "

WilS 1!. circu i t r i de l" mi ni s t e r o ! t ho, ' Ic thodist f.:li t h c1!.c c pt he • ••

di d no t be lieve i n Bishops " nd Mi ssions . J ",' •

' [0 p r onchoc\ in

homos , i n ,grov e n <;I r a ny 9~"C:o he onul e g L1 tho r tho -. f ew r e si­

dan t s wh~ ha d v e ntu r e d i nt o this \!nso ttlc d !'lro." t ogo t he r . lIis

own I nnd ho l d i ngs mctcndc~ n~ f1' r <'I S,. t h o l ;'1w l!.llowe d s e t t l e r n

t o qo wi t hout i n f ri nq i nq. ~n I n nd t hn t hnd no t y e t be en t r e nti e d

f t o lll the I nrl i ;ml:\. !!in c l o s c s t nc i qhbot, t wn lIIi l es a wa y ,

Co l o ne l Hr. r c1 y Hur f r cc . , ~vcran(i, J o hn POIlC' S l ino c f

" J o hn Pope . !edge comb Ce . , N. C. (17211-179 9 ) ; ann wife . . Elizabeth J o f fr icn

. ...., Col. J o hn Pope (1700-1745), F:d~ccomb a nd IlIl"lif;JX Co ••

N. C. , b . Isl e o f l1 i aht . VIl .• im d wife , M~urn 1ng i!e], i 'n'n i c " .

He nry ' Pope .. nil !': ,1.tllh ' 11\ttS

t ll11i ,.(l'ri· Pope (16 3,; - 1700) c.nd h i s wifc . I.l"ri~ . 1II,, : ri'-.><I 1\\l.g . 16, 1660 . P.:'I t e nted l r.. nd Uos tII'I~rc1 l\nd (l,nc lIans cr.icnd il C" un ty , VIl . , 165 6-1662":'166 5. Di ed I .. os t­IIIOt Cl 1!.TIl\ . acmbe r . p f Frie nds (Quakor r e cot s\s )

.'

2B

" ,- . - . - "

It(!v.:l r o nd J o hn P:JiJ~ (l762-1tl2 8) im d his seve n child r <;m , by his first wife, ;~.n~ !>/hit tly,cr , who died £dc;rocomoo Co.,

'. ,. , '- . N.C., 10M, tit t .'lc birth of their l.:lst. chil r1 , t:li:Z:\!lG th.

Los"t no ' time in rCm.Jrriilqc t o ".\nno Luc.::r.s. i\hout n , yc~r

l.:itc'i he and his child r en .lnd nQl," wife l o ft. c:tl<JC!=~!3.:: c.o.A.

N.C. f o r Tc nn.:!ssce nnd t ho c hon? Illlld . ' but ·rich.- ,as the ..... J

IndiOl n s c cel.;:!cl more nnd 1:10 1;" 0 t o the 'Govcr ruTlcnt lind w;~ r(! .!tu.shcd

fi:irthcr ' -bolck . Ill! bought '1:nnc:l in 'Carr...,ll ,nnd lIe nry qountics , . . '. in 'lluditio n '·to Nilliillllson Co unty" Tennessee . which I-!~rc

gr ari'ts ·q'ivcn"· for Rcv.:)lution1r y War s e rvice • .l n ~l his~ purc~il~C

WIlS surrounded on three sides o f Indi" n tcrrito~y .~ ~c,. s1>C,nt

n sho rt. While in' C;J.rroll County I\nd on !!uffll l o

,"f: i ' f h ' , m lcs 01.11:. ro:n .. w Jorc ' H.:lynasbo ro, ')JJonnesaao now atan~~!I' , .

, 'One i) f hia 'o ldcr S('lnl! ram.-. irH:!(l ;:)n tho 1 1\"<3.; on ,nuff,11,a

River 'while Rev : , Pe!>:"! .:ln tl h i s f l'.mily e ')I!\O t o buil<\ .t heir

hom::! i n l1il l l runsc n Coun ty, ,~o was ;>1'Iy1n9 ,l .lnd t.."Ixas in IH1-

lirtm:aoti' cro,inty in laOS, !\nd ohortly i'lfter be.,,1n ,h<;l,w,i;n'1) ~5

to build his home in the wild o l'ne55 , .-.djo inin<;J " rn,U,lIh 'rc.;::ri-' -' I" .... ,,, ,,",

tory, whiah Il t ' I:.h,i t ' time W.:l3 tho 'limit of ' (\I).y" oncr::p:\~tunent , ' I

, f o r , g r owing , th~il'

supplies , inelllC!inq a d ist ille ry whiCh W.:IS ao ns id::! r 2n i'l 5<1 1-,

<lole .Cll"el' in ,th'l t <1<:1Y , ,110 ng \lith <::o:r:n , Pl) t,1troe s <"Ind ethc:r: , ~ ., , " , \ . , foods'. j ib W~lJ "h" ci:r:auit ridor prCi'lchor o f, the ;.Ie't h'"ilist

' '', , ,I ', .. ,

h itti "J ;C'coPt h :J did not believe in' bavin~ , jurh(lic tion unl'cr

!!c p r..:l'lc!1cd ," in hom::!s ,.\S the /\ro/\ be,},," to {lcqu ire _. -

" :! • , "?'1' " nC~9~~~~ , ~:~ ~:~~~~~st nc i <Jhbot \~lS co~~"no l l;ur~rce, th","

the !iw;mso n f,:un ily ~het"c ' he tt"e,!unntly hc ld ' '1Ol"ahi;> ael"vicc s.

"

peo pl.:. t o fr o lic ·:Hl{l d'10CO. I?"lrson P'.me, I\S he WII S r efnrrc!.!

to fJ;'cqu cn t!y. m.:lt .:mrl or cachctl "'Jl\inst the sins o f d<lncin<J

om1 such g;\icty, until C'(\w,1rd SWilnSOn f innllY· nceo::>tcd th!:! sin

and no longer ~llowc(l this p l ea s an t 'lc t-tnq c ther in tho· Swanson

homo . ,

In 1811, J{cv. J ohn Popo r Qccivcd word o f the dCilth o f

his bllchclor brot:\I~r, Osborn P" pe, in Hll.kc Co . , N. C., lind it

was n(.'Ccs s1'I ry f o r him t o mnl: c the l ong trip there t'l 'Ittcnd

to his brother's cst<l.t.: . i\ (U ,~ry o f expenSQs wns kopt, inclu~­

ing, ferry f:lre s, f ooel for horses, loc.lging f n r his pnrty.

Hi~ .• br" thp r Osb0:rn hlle willed illl of his (I1;lVC5 to nov .

J o hn POi><! . s o the r e turn trip W,lS .ln ublc in nUln:x::r, c<'IlI'1ing . ,

btle):: to Tennessoe. Osho rn Papa specifierl in !lis liill that '

ccrt.)in f<ltlli1ies of hi s s l " v;,:; wece t o bo kc~)t t 09cthct' ~.:J ~' ..

.) fnmily Clnc\ not t (1 b G SCp1C ·'t,~e.. It is >:"I f intnrost ' t o no t e .. . .. '

in .the cxpen.se diary , which i s in I:!Y posscSGion t ...,dny, the

.l:llount of whiskey pureh:lI.cd cnc:h (l ilY, n lnng with ('thor fiUP­

plies !oc t he p a rtl .

i\s Rcv. POil(l ' S f.:\!llily grCI<.· a nd o thers were moving in

and taking up . the ir l .... ml:,;, there ,,'n!) .1 vitnl neod f e r edu- ~

e1l;tio n ."lnd .J. house o f worship t o :1;>0 ·built . . lie noeu:::!d 1/2 .

·"lcro o f l ."lnd in 1616 (Scp.t.· 1.thl t ..., be usod by iUly c.en.,mino­

tion o r s oct s o l o ng. as th<;>y did nt:'t inh:ingc nn "nothe r's

occ:ul.l:'tion /\5 :1 p1 .... c:o t.a worshi?. •. He spccificrl f~ t by f!)Ot

and !;oo.1[<! hy b oar d o )( .... etly how th2 bu ild ing "'15 t o be C:On";

strueteu ... the mC:let dime nsions Cl nd the kin'l of mllteri,,1 i t

:, .

1

lO

was t o be buil t from.- I!rc qu':>ntly Cl\mp meetings we r e hoB

thoro whic h l ll.sted f o r rl ."y s <lml pC(')p!o c~mc from mil e s uW" y

t o Pope ' s ChilPCl, a s it h.:l(\ beon named, t n wcr !lhi ~) o:\ cc o r clin9

to' the ir .,wn !>cH e fs.

Tho church :Inn scho~l 1'1,15 nevor c\oc(lcd t ':l "'IllY nc nominn_ ,:

" ticn ns 1s r ccordc(l "t tho !'lillicu,!Grl n Cnunty C~urt ,' joas,. thut a_

f o re. it d i d no t bc ! o n'l t o "'"Y o ne d e nomina tio n any mo:> r c thiln

t o anothe r. a nd ~1 s t ilndo true t nduy. VIl.riOU5 Pro t e s t ant " .

tlcnomin;;ltion~ Qccup i .;:!d t he ,}ulpi t a t Po~ I s Chllp (')l, o n Po p '} ' B

Chapel 'Road, in the <l tll Civil .District o f !"/illil\ms 'Cln County • "

.:Ind be cause n f "" lilr99 ~ sprinlJ t he r e it

f o r bot'h /1 e hurch il ll we ll il S '\ s c hOOl.

. , :

~1l!. S en idc., l l Oci\tion .

The Cilr,:l with whi c h .

the "bui'lding \-{115 c C' ns t r uctcd" it w., ::; lJuilt t~1 Gt.:l nrl fo!"wlYr. !

But ' ab{lut 1910 a t v rnc.\!<::> hit the c. r o ll " n(\ ' (! <Imc..;"ed t he ' hui1cl inq , , '

a t tha t tiec bci nq u s ed hy the lle t hl'>.lls t c.enomi n" ti<>n. OVe r

tho yenrs " sm<l l l vill .:llJo h a t! sprun~ up a bQut two miles fr<ml

tho Rev . Pope 's home n nd hu(l he (m c ., 11 0(\ by s overal different

n,UlIes, including t-lil1iams t'!ur'l , f o r <:l no nr . !"Iilli;ull s wh ... ha d

cooo into t ho vicini ty t o wa i t o n the IJ i c k o f th 'l ."t r aa . ,

My f"thc r, Dr. J arna IJ o. Shannon , ,\ young r.lil n o f 1\go 21

ye nr.!;. ha(l 9rm \U;l.te c. from University o f N~siwnl l"J , which bc-

ci\1rle Vlm clo r bil t ~!udi c ill s choo l in thc s e co nd f)radu<t t i~n Cl:15S , ,

o f t he Unive r s i t y i n 1877 , ."18 V.J.loclic t o ria n o f hi s · c l (1.5s . He

felt tho · nc ml f o r addit i o n1\1 !:"ledie'l l t r n ining , so s :,ent a

year at Dollvuo lIo s p itu l in New Yo rk City b c f ,., r c c cmincr h ack

t o Frc nklin , (lnd lx!<J.1. n h is first !)J:o.ctico with Dr . ~' illiams

" o f prc s e nt d llY Bun tpO\! .

, }

• I

, ,

,g

,- ,

lcr~ -

h

(J iog.

'om

:cmt

m'

t!1c smnll ·,eommunity 'Inc Rev . Pnpc h"rl damlcd r",nds tt)

his children in th"t rmrnmunity wllich nilmo WIG thC; " l,"l.st "des­

cendant' Hiss Cnrrio P,,<,c, whn dic cl there in 1958 . There a r c

y.::lt Blacks, d csc cnclcd fr 0m the first \~h\l c " mc t o '!'cnnCSSC8

with him. er ,~hich h e inhe rited f r ""m his broth":l r ' OsbC'rn in

" ~!orth Carol i n;) .. 'nd hrnusht them here in 1a11. These Bl.lcks

C'lS a wh'llc "'ro a credit t o thc 'nnmc .' I I of !??~'I!; which thc y "banr ,

1l0U some arc l iving and owning 111ml \·;hieh their <3n~c'st0 rs

f",rmcd 1lS sla· .... 1!J a f R(!v. Pope. • . <,'

~hc popes were meticulous , . ,

rccoru - kccpcrs. not 'l nly wor':! n.:lmc s, births nno ' donths rc-

C:;l rdcd in the o ld Pope Uible (11hi6h" I l1:wc), " , but 'nlsa thci:

,(l,me for the ' sl~ve5. llecllUSc , .r •.

(,f records ):cpt, I WIlS ablci t o , ,

LrClCC the lineClg~ of J oe.:: Pni'O who still lives in tho vicinity,

~n<l he nnd his forcf.,thers were t '\ll'1ht tho Bible /\m1 hel'lrd the

s~me gospel tenching vhich' nev. (P",rson) Pope instilled in

his f~ily Clnd dcscenunnts.

munity~ ...

They ~ra Il credit to the " ,

com-

Du rinq the wl'lr between the Stlltcs , Rev. John Pope ' s

grandson, John Osborn Po~e, in trying t o oscape bcin~ c ~~tured

by·, the Ya nk.eos, hid in the nec. rby woods, but o nc o ;;y ·~~t "'X

chance , t d go home . He hid in the I'I ttic cnd Hhcn , . ;" , .,' .

1'1 f .uthful

, "

apples waiting t o b e ntorQd for thQ winter ,lnd sca ttcred them

thickly on the st,1ir stei'5. 1\s" Yn nkcc soldier <'Ittemp'ted t ('

g'J upstClirs in ' nearch of ·the cscl'.pcd s o ldie r. she " ., :'

spread 1'111

her Ilrms \~ith ha nds 0 n h er llips " CIt tho foot· of the stnirs nnd

J2

dared t ha, Yn nkcn co l dia r t o '.~.:Ilk o n hcr ~I int t: r s uppl y o f

a ppl es nod r uin them. She mu~ t have bee n ~st cn p hntie be­

caus e he d id not n t t(lmpt to p ush by ho r in nia sQ<!I:'eh, b tYt

we nt o n l!.W,,,':'. l onving t he Souther n solcl,i c r sl\fcly !li~1cn

uPBta irs . ~ nd gUlIrdcd by ! ,unt ~1l\ ry'l.I hu<)c physiCluc c.nd thcf

stili r s .lI trclin wi th a,mie s. . . ' . ,(~

. In the !lev . J o hn PO[le ' a home , w ~1\'s tvic",~ , cut i n the , "':1.11 o f ~f!'linscoti ng , S<:ll!lC three o r tour f eet !\i gh On you r '

right , was, n S f!C~ct pun':)l Ilh cr o i l!lIY-l r ttlnt proper s, " l d deed s

i n tlo.rt~ .C~rolinr.. (I, d i a ry o f which I ~.r.I the nioet h gcno­

rntio n. t.~ add no tfitiou G in , " Ld deeds o f 11Iml ho l dings in

lIalifax nnd Edgecombe Countiell o f Nnr th Caro Hn,." nn(" 11

deed o f l1lnc. to Rev . J ohn p()~C in t he yc~r 1311 signed by

J ames -;t')bc r t floll. ; ,1 1 of t hClIlC clocur.lont s <lm1 m;l. ny ' m· lrO n f

somo ,r cmoe.::!~ ing l>:a Ol dOl\o t o t h l;) o l el h" u!lc , t h i s p;;l.noling

W1HI do ni;! . ilW;l.Y ,·lith "'n,; 1/h. ... t w;os i ll tho;! bC<)inni llg " n c ntrr.ne c:

hall, one wa l l 111\>3 tr)r n 110W:1 am~ mtlt'lc into pl'trt n f tho living

room.' Tho M USil l iaS w'!r. t hcr-bml.nl(!<l :"lve r 1100 tho she lte r ed

'" w(l 1kwilJ' h"~;,' the d ining r ()(:m. t o t he kitchcll , w:!ich wno b uilt

s ome ~Uo t l:nc.:: frc r.1 t :t", houso au i\ fi re hazard . ".NlS ,,11 t o r n

ckll~n I'm d added ~o t h c ~1!.cJ; of the h Cl U(lC . The s ;me !)lI. ttcn "·

cloor hanqll .... t t:1C. fnot of smnil steep s t l'l. irstcps 9 " i n<:l t <j"

the .. upst oi;::. bce.r nom= . '1.':-00 s l !\vo qu . ., r tcrs <'LTd homu ' l i s ':1 r ­

l CI::Y .hevc 1'>00) ))c o n d::mc ,", way with, hut tho r ich r.1."'I t n f·

f Ml.i l y vC(lc::,tnl c 9;;l. r <lcn, is :.~ill uSocl t r;dny by its ;,J r c sent

CWl".ar ;:) n~ " CCCPill1 t , ' •. It;;-.• ,,:a Gr igsby "

JJ

JU-s't beyond the. g,:,.rdcn in the family bur fill g r ound, with

some f orty marked gr:wcs am'. .!;cvc rJ.! unm,u:k.cd. In my youth,

I can r e c.-.ll going there ilm~ Hhilc t'1c £=i1y 'Jr1l.~Cyrare · wb.s

within ; • I

a fenced pll\cc , it \/1\5 surrounncn on nne

grilvcs mnrkcd only ,>'ith f i eld strnCD , wher/;) lay th:! uodies o f

the servant!! n~'d sla'vcs wh'l h"'l l:n')wn n0 Qthcr h:Jm~ ' f hnn tha t

:1£ the Pope f.;l.mily, bo th in !'!'lrth enro Lin<\. a nd ~~nnc6's6~~'"

ncvorcml Pnpe w.;!.s ;;>ayin<:; t;:lxc !J. ilS statec1, in r_". - ,

Il'illbmson

Co unty, Te nnessee , hy 1905 and JJy 1920 he h F\d over "2, zi6iu ri1= r cs. . ' . ,

the l a nd J.ay on thQ "Hcaclh'lltcr[; of I~urphy's For).;:of !Iost nf

l'lest lIarpe'th'" ~ml 'wns dcriv'.': cl from qri'.nts t o J'l!fI()S It'Jbcrtson. ,'Iilrtin flrmstrong, acnj~in C<lrtcr a nd O<lnfol I\mlerson'/ ilnii'

:Jxt",,'leu <i s tnr as the Im~ ~1l0\1~d settlers t o 'J r. wifhnut' in-

tringc~cnt o n l a nrl that h~d nr. t yet ~een treatiea f o r f rem' the

Indians. The 'srrawling ostat~ \~as , "If necessity, self-sus-

tllining, ,

anr1 we s e~mrlote rlnwn t .') the d istillery. The house

has stood 1(;5 Y.:!<lrS, ba:;ically unchl'.ngc{1 , i:,,"<l m!lny r')f the

walnut nnt> cherry furnishin']s of the "'rigin;-tl home, mll(\e by

a sl<tvc Car(lentc r, have passed down t hrv uqh the year"s t o the

;Jrcse nt ,]cncratio n.

on ~!ovember ' 23, 1780, J o hn P''''i'e ~<lU married Ann 11'lhitakcr, ., " ,-,

the dau,]hter o f Rich<ln! ;'\~rd r;liz<lbCth Cary ':Ihit<:lker, of Gran -r ' , , ville Co unty, !l.e . ' liy her he hm~ fiv e s " ns <in'! tW6'c.i;\ughte rs.

ITis wife died ,It n<JCl 37, ' sh('rtiy nfter the birth 'o f the "

y,)ungcst chilc., Elizlloeth, in 1797. In Februa ry o f 1'198, ' John , - , ' , . "

PopC mnrried ~nn Lucas (177~ - la36l who bnre him soven mnr e ~ i ['. , ""

childre n, the last five o f \' .. hom ~~e re bn rn i)"fter thi"! Pnpc s " "': " - " ,

crono t o Hillirunso n Co unty in 1806. \lere thC'y i s pcnt' m6st o f

- -

t heir livc!! and we r o ~I!. id tr. r o s t in t ho f amUy ' burying

'Jrnun:! beyo nd t ho _'Jll r don . , " '. Til:! fir s t trl h a ~uri~ hore WAS

Rev e rend Pope in 18 29 . Since then, v i vos , .,sOn !; , di\ughto r 's .

i n-laws n ne! g r a ndchi l dr e n. The l _,st . bar ill l, thQt of <l Ij r a n:! -

!Ion , t ook p l ace i n 1910. • j ,

Rev . Fope ' s gra nrlfathc r, ~y, th:l !I~o . I Q"m ::l , ha("\. . bcen 11 l' 'j , •

the courts o f Edgec omb .lnd " " l i f 'lx cOllnti~9-. ' lie

died while ser v ing as n member o f t he P.OU!lC f r om Edg8c omb ,. :1'. , i l ,- ,; J

Co unty in 17 45. He w:ts " membe r o f t h e Co l oni a l !\6scr.lbly ', .: . a nd was o n t he cO!M\i ttoo to Clc c.1n<)e ;;'I r o nt r :)11 f c>r ' ~h i!l

~I age!l ties " .

Shc riff , Tax

~? wa s 1\ pl a nte r o f n r:J t o . j Ull ticc ' of the POllc e,'

Collector a nd Ves t ryman o f St . .1,..,hn'8 · Chu rc.~ ti · ,.' . " . ' l ,·~~ • •

P<l rish • l;1n (1 I\ n '~ huilt <l J;'-. c hurch ncar Ox for'~ , N.r: ., k n('Nn ':11. 1'(,IOO ' 1J Chape l . It i ll no t

the r e f n r e . t hat I\S soon a s his g r a ndsC'n I\n,l '. '" "

el e11r ed l~ml and hll r ;-re,s t ed a f ow crops ,"\t his naw homa ho

bu il t il m.::lc ting house ."orl s c hop l \/lm r :! hi.s f'll1li l y an~

neighbor s c o ul cl wor Shi p }m d, cduc.:Ite thei r child r en f o t: ho

pu t CJ r aat emphilS i.s n il. bo th r elig i o n "n~~ c ,luca tio n .

: ..

..

.... s montio nad . t ho communi ty t h'lt ,'cvc l o?:!<l i n .t his a r eta J'

'''''$ f i r s t kn<,)wn 110 Willi ."\mshur'J. nne'. l .:'l t c r Shaw. Irho ·'pr o-

sen ~ nnma o f Burw<Xld " ,lS su<)gCG t cd hy a Cj ranuso n ., f novcc ond .' I

Popo, J nmcs Dr;:'li:.o 1"0,[,'0 , wh,') t oo i:. the n.:>r.lo t r "", ,Mrs . !tumphry .;j'

Ila r d ' s nove l , "Hobert IUsmer e", .and r !lut:"00{1" i t i s s~irl

today. ~" . ;.t'- 1

no the l"npc ~ ,,' .

g ave e a ch " f a rm

, ., childrQn r eilohed: r.l11 t ur i t y ,', t ho ir fll the r

n.:lll r him. oxcept f o r th .... se wh .... mrwed t o hi s · , e x t e ns i ve ho i lling i n. tile , "Nester n Di str ic t ~ . His' s n its Thnmn s

, :.1·'

,

,

nn-

" ,

"

).'- .

on t·.

nd " I

.. ,

" ,'ndorse n ilno J~hn ' l'hitilkGI: Pc;:>::! "'~rc ? 1:(l<Jcn i 1;l'lrs .... f tho

f olrni lics wh'J co ntinuo t o l i v;;! in t his C"Iunty. '<'hero ,1ro none

o f tho n<:!!!lo l a ft , but amont} t he tCIII<11 c (lcsccml(l.n t s is IIrs.

LOuise Shonn;,n ~drn1\n o f Fr <l n!: lin, ",!'I" ("1\0,'1\8 m.:lny o f the Po po

..,apcr!; ."lntI tho f .:'\r.lily Bibl c . t a kc)n f. r C'tr1 t he secret e nclo sure

in o:;hc pane ling. EVe ry indic .. \ti~ n p.'l in ts t ,,) l'I trMn'1 tics o f

llffcctio n llc t wccn t he popes and their Go rv.,nt!; throu']h tho

gene r a tions . The y wor o taught t he Bibl e , warc trcntcd mcdi-

ca lly ilS r cccipt s 91'10\1, ;'1m: many n f th~ ir m<lrri;;uJcs o!'lrry the

interse c t i o n o f Evor9rccn " nd Pope ' s Chape l ~"ild . continue"

t o :)0 the homc nf Iu-s . /'\.nn Pope until hel: dc~ th in 1836 . nt

lihieh time it was t -:l h;;lve ge ne t o 1\ SOli llho died unm<lrried

prio r t (l that d;:!.tc . I t W<'lS ~wnc(l mi'my ycars hy Col rmel He lm,

.:!.nd o t his dQilth, posscc! into :lthc r hands.

' .... n " ut.(lt llndin<,] Illndr.vuk in ~H lli!\ms~n C'lu nty, J:os tvicw ,

The llevo rQncl J o hn Pope ' s h'l",c, i 3 p r c s (m tly owncd .:Ind oeeu ­

pic,~ by Lcontlrcl Gr i gsby. ,,\ f t e r thc ,1cst ructivQ t<>rnart ::>

dnm<lgcc tho Po~c's Chapel Church s~ sever ely. a nnw church

was built nearer the c o nte r ot t he e r.mmunity which is

aurwol.ld.

1

,.

" H I STO~Y or THE nURWOOD ME'!.'HOI'l JST C!W;tCI!

By: Nrs. Lilil il'.li ,'kin R~'Jsdo.l ~

, Hc t hodism. i n the c Cmr.lunity nnw callc tl 9urwond, hegan i n

lIllS. just six y ;\rs ::l ft e r Dish-:-p l l cKcm1r~c <Io ml "s~ury 1'111(\

O[<) lI.nL:.::d The Tennessee C"nforcncc .-,t 0 1<\ Fr.-unt')in ~! P.'\C' Church

nC:l r P::> r t l :l.n{\, T~nncsscc .

COurt Ho use . Franklin , Tcnncasco, o n ;,ugust 10, 18 18. J'o hn

"par son" Pope uocucd twe nc r :;os '"O f s r oun<! " f r" r i"t p l ::1cC o f wor ­

ship" t o the fnll""~i n!,! trustoes: Sl\t:Iudl ,\k in, .Jn hn :tI1c r c o. nd ,

J tl IQ;JS !>ut t o n.

On this 'Jro \,mc! g iven by ·Parson " Pnpc . .. , Pr-,tc5tnnt .. dist, e. !·Ioth<xli s t ."~isc"pal church wml cstnblis hcn.

The Chu r ch, l oc a t ed nlYlu t t,./O miles wcst ,-,f t he ,rcs: ,nt

vi11,''1::: o f Sur...',:,od . was n,v;,\0,1 P<) I.'>C ' s Chl'll"IC l .

The build in')' was 0 sub5tll.nti~1, nno-ro~m h rick s tructure

illx>ut 3.1 f eet by '!O f ee t in oi2e. In style, it was tho

typi cal """rly Mor ici\n lIIOo tin.,- huusC! with tw,", .. ~")oro on tho

front. Its a r chao-to p '..:in<i:"lWII with o l d-f(\shioncd !;l e tted­

shutter!; l ent bei'luty 1'I nd (lic;n i ty t D tho ch., pcl.

I n 191 0, Po p e '::> Ch1\jlcl 111'10 <!cstr o ycu by {\ cyclone. F~r

.. ,

1\ yaer o r rn~rc , the con9 rc?n tio n m~t in a nc~rhy sch~l ho u::ic

for its "preaching Ilervi c c s."

Fo r a tUnc the Sun<l<1Y schcol was c1isll'lmied ; hut l a t er it

r eor g" ni2eu, meet i n? in n vncan t hnuoe in Burwood on t he

wh:m t her o w;':s no "p r oi'lchin'j s o r vice s".

In 1912, The Po pe ' s Chl\['>c l Con",rc<)ll.tion c! ""cida~ t 'l build

Ch UTCh <It o r in n urwr~d inlltcll.cl nf on tha o ri~in!1 1 site .

BURI,'OOD: EARL Y SETTLERS II1lD HONES

Judith Grigsby Hayes

Although much informa tion ,,'ritt en here h ils Il lreildy been

reco rde d by Hrll . Virgin iil Bowman in llistoric Williamson County

,lnd by Mrs. Loui se Shilnnon Dedmlln Ilnd ~!rs. Lilli Mili Akin in

Publicat.ion No. 11, SprJng 1980, Wil li.lmson County Hi s torical

. Society , my i nt.en t is to try to tie these import.-ant p.-arts o f

BUNood ' s histo r y in t o t he l .l rge r, overa ll p i c ture of hov two

fam i l ies , the Popes and ,\kins , and the ir many homes contr ibuted

to the h istory of Burwood .

There .l re a lso other families who likew1se influe nced

history nnmes s u ch as Shnw , Johnson, Riggins,

Dodd , r,(lYender , By rd, ~lorro"', Drake, ~!nrtin, Cayce and

as well a s many othe rs. The ilCCUr<l.t e te l ling of <l.11

st.ories would t<l.ke II great deal more rese<l.rch than is

, curre ntly Ilvllll.-able, b u t by concentra ting o n two f <l.mllie s '.;ho

t o h ilve been the ea rliest se tt le rs within Burwood p r oper, we

begin to get a sense o f t he <l. r e<l. ' s h i s t o ry .

Reverend J Ohn Pope ond Silmuc l Akin or t hei r lmmcdlil te

memhe rs we r e r espons1b l e for several homes a nd made o ther

such as the church, the schooL lind the sto re . The

men lived on different sides of a hill, yet they both made an

" '0' on BU N ood and it 111 41most impossible t o wr ite much about

spec ial house s without mentioning the people who called

REVt!REND JOliN POPE

The Reverend J ohn Pope was pily inq taxes on property in

i s n OW' Surwood in 1805. Over the years he increa s ed h i s

holdings , and by 1828 he h ad claimed two thou~ond sixty-one

The land extended a~ r <l r ilS t he l ilW WQu i d .l l iow. 1' ..... 0

"'ere bounded by I Jnd no t yet treatl ed from the I ndia ns. 1'0

\

\

'I , 'I I

I ,

I ,

the north lived I!acdy Hurfrcc fo r whom Hurfrcesbo r o "'/IS ""mcd.

rio t b eing one to was te time, ilccord i ng to reccrds f r om

h i s d !iUY , Reverend Pope s el e cted a knoll and i mmed i ately set

about building his two-story hou se , Eastview . The CX,lct dll te it

.... as fi nished is no t known but is believed to be 1806. It Is

known t hat reference was ma de whi ch i ndicated it was occupied by

1808 . The home wa s we ll buil t ilnd the sturdy structure s til l

sC.lndlng tod.ly is evidence of the f act. Unde r t he CHipboard

siding lIro l il r gc hand- he .... n 1°95. No n.:J U s wc cc u sed at <I l l. The

strong construct i on can cl ea rl y be secn in the cella r ilnd the

.lttic. The n.:trre" .. stai r s l e ading t o the second floor as .... e ll as

many orig i n <l l h<'ltte nc d doors ... rc still being used . There is a

sec r e t e nc l osure c a rvod i n th e origi nal wai nscotti ng in the

11vi ng r oom, and l arge stonos a sho r t di s tance f r om tho s i de doo r

ma rk t he f OIT.Ie r location of the kitchen, whi c h W.:lS s opar.:lte d (ro::l

the main house .

Ou t from Eastview 1s the Pope fa mily ceme t e ry with t he

fi r st burial being that of Reverend Pope !l imself i n 1829 a nd t he

I o.s t a gr.:lndso n in 1910. A short dis ta nce away, in front of what

i s now a ba rn, was a ceme tery whe re many se rvants and slaves were

b u ri ed .

Reverend Pope WliS' a c irc ui t rider mini ster o f the

Me t hodi st fa ito. \-"Ith the ., r e;:,. grow1ng, he

ouve a build i ng for wo rship and schoo ling.

(e I t 1 t ne cessa ry to

In 1818, he deeded a

half ac r e to be used as a p l aco of worsh ip by a ny de nomi n.,t!on,

so long a s one d i d not i nfrinqe on the other. School was .,150

h(! ld at th(! POP(! Chape l Chu r ch , as Reve r e nd POP(! f elt that an

education was very important . He made sure h is sl.:>ves and

sorl/a nts wero taught, t oo . La ter, a t ... ·o-room sc hoo l W<lS 1>uilt

ne are r Revere nd Pope 's home. This West End Schaal .... as c l osed

abou t 19 16 whe n a l a rgo r s chool W.:lS built .:Ibout .:I mil(! a way whe r e

a cO!lllllun ity had spru ng up .

Fi r s t ItnO'o<o'n as Wi II i .,msbur<jh , then Shaw Town, it became

BUrwood, The re are dl f f(! f ent o p inion s a s to how tho name Du1"\o'Oo(\

W.:IS chosen'. Some 5.:1y John Drake Pope t qok the name from Mr.

Humphry Wa r d ' !; novel, Robe rt Elsme r e; o ther s S<1Y Or. J oe Pari<s '

, , , .0 ,

" an

" .n ;cd

~rc

r l: s '

. . 58

son h lld returned from C ... Uforrlia .. 'here he ~ iI '" ."nd like d the n ... rne.

Although the coad cacrics t he "lime Pope ' s Chilpc l todllY,

11'1 1910 n tornado de stroyed the ehurch. Fo r a time t he

congregation melt at the "'cst End School <lnd l.:lter In II v a c ant

house. In 1912, the Pope' s Chape l eOn'1rC9"Uon decided to bu il d

I n whilt had become the center of their ne w cDlII1IIun l t y . ,\I'I a cre of

]<1nd ... ·Il S bought from W. ,\. Shaw. who opcc<l ted Shaw's store. f o r

onc hundc(!d twenty-f ive do ll <l cs . The Bur ... ood Me thodist Church

c ompl e ted In 1913 and with hter add ition i s st ill i n use

Reverend. John Pope, the man . the mi n ister, the teacher

t he pionee r, mllde a great imprint on the h istory of the

nurwood commun i ty. EastView, his home. h.:ls been nominated by the

~ s t ate for listing on the NaUona l Regi$te r o f Historic"l Pl aces.

is owned by Leonard Grigsby, who bought it from the

Shaws 1n 1938. " Colone l lIe nc.e r son Uelm has been t he only o the r

sice the Pope f"mil y. ,

POPE - H"RTIU ,

AS the years went by, Re ve rend Pope gav e l and to

of his sons for buildIng. Also, on Pope Chape l Ro ad

the fonner country home of IHlliam Pope. On evergreen

the Thom"s Pope home r emai ns. John Osburn Pope' s home was

Cayce Springs Ro ad and was de s t t"oyed by fit"e. The home of

r;:;:::d,.:c~ .. ::t":rle , Edith olnd ~lolry Pope, the las t of the Pope nllme ~ is also en Evergree n Read .

During the Civil War , Jacob ~lartin, fath e r of t .... ins.

Doug las and ~l1ss Olive ~l artl n , commanded Bake r' s Company ot

" Cavollry

Station.

'h. El even th

y promotcd

Battali on which h'as organized in 18 6 2 in

Ile was " cting majot" o f G Company, l a te r me r ged

Tenne ssee Cava lry by Forres t; ye t he was never

t o that rilnk .

Knowing the Tho mpson Station area so we l l, Ca ptai n

Wil S in command of an il!lv,lnce pa r ty sent i nto Tennessee

I

59

ahead of Hood ' s a rmy in 1864. In Octobe r of 186 4, C;;tpt.lln Martin

Ollld some twenty-(1ve men c aptured 1I Fedcrlll t roo p train and

de rail ed it . ,\11 t he capt ured so l d i e r s werc: late r excha nged or

p al:oled becau s e of a l ack o f sO l d i ers to gUilrd th em. t " retaliation, the Fe de ra l troops bu rne d t he Drake home on the

corner o f Evergreen a nd Cayce Springs Road where Captain ~l a rtln

a nd h i s wife. Susan Orilkc ~!ilrtin, were livi ng with he r parents.

This wa s the on l y hou s e in the neighbor hood burned by the t roops

clueing t he war . Captain Ma rtin a nd h i s wife then bought and

moved to wha t is now kno-.m as the POp(!-~!ilrtln house.

Th is stately home be longed to Thomas Anderson Pope. the

son of Pa r son John Pope, and stands on Evergreen Road. J acob

~\ilrtin and Su:;an Dr.:ake Ha r t i n bought the property, and i n about

1880, the o r 1g1 nil l s ection was cove r ed with e l ilpboa rd ilnd t he

bac k dining and bed r oom areas were added. This l ove l y home, a nd

the Martin fa mily , c:<:empli fl e d Southern charm. After the death

of ~\ r. Douglas and ~Hs s Otivc , t .... in c hil d r en of Jacob and Su san

': ~la rt ln, t he l ast dying in 1<) 67 , the home w.:as first sold to ~\r . and Mrs . J. T. Reed, '~'ho did some restoration. Tile present

owne r s , Tony and Sue Pewitt , have complete l y remodeled the hou~e

i1 nd ha ve given bac k tile c harm so much a part of their home p l ace .

AS a n adolescent, ,I was o f ten inVited to t he home o f

the Mo r tins to p l ilY with Nr. Oouglas ' s granddaughter, who visited

from Cal ifo r nia. tn the sultlltle r, we o f te n played croquet on the

beilutifully ga r dener- ke pt, ma nicured 111. ... ·1'1. After the g<1me, we

were treated to l emon ade and c ooki es 01'1 the COO l veranda before

being 'l l lowed to he l p pick fresh fl owers from the greenhouse.

During the winter mo nths ""e .... ere allowed t o explore upstairs 3nc

s earch through 'o l d trunkS betore af t ernoon t ea and c ake s we re

se rved b etore a roaring fire . I never sa .... r~r. Doug l as without J

tie, no r MiSS Ol ive Withou t <1 fresh.starched co tton d r ess !'LO

ma tter how ea rly I <1r ri,v ed .

acing" dinner guest was .1 ra,, ) tre"t . Of cou r se, )'011

ndres sed~ for dinne r ilnd Sil t a r ound a l ong buffet t.1ble. AftC!

qr"ce W.lS o~fered . loIis5 Ol ive would rln9 1I 5m.l! I brass be ll

(which I bOU9ht .1t .l l .:I ter lIuct i on sale) . I n st,~ntly 11 sen'lIl1 t,

•

'" di,

CO"

ef!

1 , , .,

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" ;hc

:ob

,,' ", ,,' " h ,,\n

}lr •

j(lnt

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IICC .

of

i tee!

'" "' ~{ore

)Usc •

"d

.... e re

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,

1n her starched uniform, would appear i1nd serve from the silver

dishes which W(lre then plilced on the sideboard Of buffet.

conversation .... as n lways plc.ls<lnt, never cent r oversial. A special

effort was <llways milde to make me feel we lcome. These dllYs spent

with the Martins a rc some of my most wonderful memories. Ilevcr

cou l d there be a bet ter example oC Southern 9race and charm t h iln

. ,

..Atiss O/We .A1artill ., dre.ssl!d Jor di!J7zer " SAMUEL AKIN

On Carter's Creck. Pike across the ridge from PolnlOn

home, another family came and made ., great imp.let ;lG c","rly

o f what later became known a s Burwood. Samu c I Ak i n

land 1n the fourth Civil District ,)s ea rly as 1801. Ell'

he owned two hundred twelve acres. I n 1818. Somue l IIkin

n.lmed .lS .In orlql.na l trustee of Popc ' s Chape l by Porson John

SlImucl lIkin and hill wife, Dorcus, lived in.l log cabin

a l.lrqer house was finished in f ront of the cabin and .lbout

61

a mile tlouth of wh.:r.t is now the center of Burwood . Even thOIJ'lh

S.:r.muel .:r.nd Dorcutl I\kin h.:r.d t .... e l ve chil d r en (five 501'15 .:r.nd sevell

d.:r.ughters) , only two sons werc II l ivc ·..,hen their mother died i/\

1850. By the t e rms o f the ",ill dr.:r.wn up short l y before S.:r.mu':li

,.kin's doath in 1844, the land .... a s t o !)e divided e qually betwClell

the brother!.!, John I\kin .:r.nd ,.rthur S te ....... r d Akin.

5a"'ttel.:llkin .ilfOU$C

sIgned by I\ndrew Johnson , Governor of

Te nnessee, dated 1854, gave John Akin cleve n IIcres In the Fourth

Civil Di strict of Williamson County. (Thi s g rill'll i :l i n t he

pOssession of LiI.l ~!.li Akin R<lgsd<lle). This e l even- <le r e section

"'<lS mos tly ye 11 0 ... • popl<lr timberl.:r.nd loc<lted bet .... een J ohnson

HOllo .... and Boston Roads. This (l cre age provided .1 s o u r ce o f

l umbet f o r s eve ral ,.kin houses 11'1 the .lrea. In 187 2. ~Ji lli am ~l .

Aki n e omplc ted hi r. home across thc road f r om his fat her the

S(lmue l Ak i n home pl<lce. HIS dllughter, Cora, continued to live in

the home pl,lce until s he sold it to the Z.l ll Dodds i n 192 2.

Wll lJ.lm M. Ak!n ~ l so g.lve hi S two sons 11 home si.tc . ~lill Akin

fini s hed bu i lding hi s home ncar his fat he r ' s house In 1895, and

Tim Akin bui lt on land f o rmerl y o .... ned by Fee l in Helm ncarer

,

I , "do. ,

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of

urth

,M

,tiOI'l

1050 1'1

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v o \ n

192 2•

"

Bu ....... ood's center.

JlImcs Bruce Ak!n, i1 brOther to Wi lliam ~!. Akin, and

son of John , g[".:Indson of Samuel, lived .le eas!; the rOlld

' :::~,. ,:the Tim Akin house • . Over the;! YCilrs it bec.:Imc known as the

;': "':in hau::;:e .

'0 ,,'

Nillarcl

the late 1800's , Dr. Joe Parks came into the

hui lt lin office by the stde o f t he road in front of

Akin house. This office building has been moved

the house but is 5t111 standing. Earlier doctors were Dr.

"" "'"'. for whom the commun i ty was first named Willillmsburgh ,

Dr. Shllnnon, £lIther of Lou ise Shannon Dceman, whose mother

a direct descendant of Parson John Pope.

Vilnce . ilnother son of James Bruce "kin, l i1tc r buI l t ,}

~::::: " ,o:~o. do .... n C.ll"tcr's Creek Pike nColrer the center of the :~ The two ,'~in brothe rs - Millard and Vance, plnycd a

part in Burwood's business history. They operllted I\~in's

fir s t in its Old location when a porch extended across the

Durinq 1910 and 1 911, t hey built a new store at the

location, where "they operated it until it was sold to the

family in 1937. It conti nues to be operated much as always,

the old bulcony and ro l ling llldders still in use. Being the

continuously operlitinq country store in WlIlli1lDson County,

recently been nominated by the state for ucceptance on the

.U""I Registry of Historica l Places.

Just as many families played a vitlll rO l e in Burwood's • so dId cilrly bUSinesses . There were Shaw ' s store, Will

salo.'mill , the cotton·- gin, the blacksmith shop, the barber

which later bccame the creumery and the post office.

With i mproved roads nnd betler methodD

aurwood hilS become a quiet, pleasant com:nunity i n

Williamson County. lHth all t he present-dillY chillnges,

remains eenstillnt - the country store and churches remain

of cOlMlun ity iIIctivity. There <lire mnny old county

remaininq. I f they could talk - what stories they could

6J

ill "Br<ffher.5· 5rQre

1890'S

1911

'" The Trustees wore \'1. ~ . Min . M • . D. Cl l\rk, N. 11. '!lOYd, n .

" Thweatt ~nu A. R. S~ar~an.

The Pope ' a Ch,'pcl site \oj'·IS 5:)1<, ""Ill one "lo r e :'I f o:r I:'OUnd

in Durwood WI\S bou')ht f r r:m \~. ;" .(;l\W f o r S125.00 por .:le re. " '

This l o t WitS · doodad t o " the :I !:>:"vc- nru:lc(l trustees in June 1 ,

1912, ~ccording t o t he r eco rd In t ho Cnurt P.ousc in Franklin , ,.... . Tennessee .

pr escnt snnc t uury.

I n 1931 , ;;\n ontr<lne c h:l11 <Ind til',) Sund1'!y SchC'ol r enms . , ..

were added . , Fror;l tho hc<)inning, the ne w church "'{Ia c:n llCd

The Durwond ;1othO<l i st Church.

) .. 'f/l.} last additio n t o t h <'l huil,Un'T. Hhich c nnsists of a

modorn ki tcJ:!on ,a riel twn 5un(~.:l.Y Soh('n r ,)(,1115 cnp.:I')lo .O f boin<;r

c o nvo rtccl in to 1I d i nimJ 'nr o'l, Wi' S m<l~C in ___________ . , ,

Tho present l~cm!)orshi tJ o f ':.hc Ilurw(\nd ~!cthod i st Church

i!,l _I: _ _ ~~_

, .

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