Nashville History

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Monday, December 4, 2017

Buchanan family notes.

North Carolina Grant to Archibald Bucchanan (Buchanan)

Archibald was listed in The Preemptors Middle Tennessee's First Settlers by
Irene M. Griffey, as Archibald Robinson. It is not known if this is Ms. Griffeys,
mistake or it was listed that way in the commissioner's book. There is no doubt
in reading the description of the land that it is Archibald Buchanan. Archibald
Robinson obtained a pre emp of 640 acres of land on the West side of Stones River
to join the river and include the place called the Clover Bottom whereon the old
Station stood.

It is listed with the certificates given on March 10, 1783. We know this land was
originally claimed by John Donelson and perhaps Archibald purchased the preemption
right from the Donelson family.  Son in law, Andrew Steel, received a certificate
on Jan. 18, 1783, for a 640 acre tract near the junction of the Cumberland and Stones
River. It is possible that Archibald could have come earlier than 1787 and returned
to Virginia for a few years. It is possible that he had a representative here to
claim land for him.  Perhaps his son James Steele, the son in law Andrew Steele or
one of his Bowen in laws, who were here early.  The land was not surveyed for Buchanan
until 1788.

There is no evidence that Archibald Buchanan was living in Davidson County, prior to 1787,
when he appears on a tax list, along with his son in law, Andrew Steele. The first mention
of Archibald in court minutes is April 10, 1788, when he and Andrew Steele are among the
hands, ordered to help lay out a road from Mansker's Station to John Walkers. On July 10,
1788, Archibald is named a juror in the county court.  He was chosen as a grand juror on
October 6, 1788.  On October 7, 1788, Archibald is given ferry rights on Stones River. This
was likely the same location as the Hoggett's Ferry in later times.

For many years it has been believed by descendants of Archibald Buchanan that his
home was the Blue Brick that was located in Donelson. Plats of the land of Archibald
Buchanan show the land where there old Blue Brick stood was outside of the property
lines of Buchanan. It is very sad to me to learn that this was not him home. I cannot
find any source earlier than the 20th century that said this home belonged to Archibald   Buchanan. The only source I know of is Miss Anna Whitworth who was a Buchanan
descendant.  She stated in 1937 that the Blue Brick was Archibald's home. She believed
his land was a Revolutionary grant but we know it was not.

Plat showing land of Archibald Buchanan. Platted by Steve Rodgers THC


North Carolina Grant to Archibald Bucchanan (Buchanan) Clover Bottom tract.
Davidson County, TN
Deed Book B, p. 224

State of North Carolina No. 583.  To all to whom these presents shall cause
greeting.  Know ye that we for and in consideration of the sum of ten pounds
foe every hundred acres hereby granted paid into our treasury by Archibald
Bucchanan, have given and granted and by these presents do give and grant unto
Archibald Bucchanan a tract of land containing six hundred and forty acres
lying and bing in our County of Davidson on the waters of Stones river
including the place called clover bottom.  Beginning at a double white oak and
[illegible] a bluff of the river about twelve poles above the mouth of a small
branch.  Running South one hundred and twenty eight poles to a dogwood and
sugar tree, West two hundred and seventy poles to a corner in James Todds
line.  Thence with his line North twenty five poles to said Todds corner at the
mouth of his spring branch, up Stones river according to it's course meanders
to the beginning.  With all [illegible] waters and [illegible] minerals hereditaments
and appurtenances to the said land belonging or appurtening.  To hold to the said
Archibald Bucchanan his heirs and assigns forever.  Which land was surveyed for
the said Bucchanan June 6, 1788 by Daniel Smith agreeable to an entry dated Dec.
11, 1784.  The grant signed Samuel Johnston with seal of the State affixed and dated
Nov. 26, 1789. Countersigned James Glasgow Sec Andrew Ewing D. R.



Notes Archibald Buchanan and the Bowens

Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia
Volume I

AUGUSTA COUNTY COURT RECORDS.

ORDER BOOK No. VII. 
p. 90 MAY 20, 1761.
(9) Lilley Bowen qualifies admx. of Moses Bowen.

p. 159  OCTOBER 19, 1769
(32) George and William Mathews and John Maury appointed guardians
of John, Moses, William, Ann and Elizabeth, orphans of John Bowen.

ORDER BOOK No. VII. 
Page 89 MAY 19, 1761.
(3) Agnes Buchanan qualifies admx. of her late husband, James
McFarron, decd., now wife of Archibald Buchanan.

page 91  AUGUST 18, 1761.
(53.2) John McFarron qualified admr. of his son, John, Jr.

Archd. Buchanan appointed guardian to John McFarron, orphan
of James McFarron.  In consideration of this appointment Archd. 
agrees to educate, clothe and bring up at his own expense the
orphan, and when of age pay him the estate with lawful interest.
[most people list May 19, 1761 as a marriage date for Agnes and
Archibald but it just the earliest known reference to them as a
married couple. I have not found the actual marriage date.]

Page 239.--18th
August, 1761. Archibald Buchanan's bond (with Jno. Maxwell, Chas. Hays), as
guardian (appointed) to Jno. McFerrin, orphan of James McFerrin.

MARCH, 1769 (B).
Buchanan's Administrator vs. Sayers.—Bill filed 14th January, 1767.
Archibald Buchanan, administrator of Walter Buchanan, late of County of
Chesterfield, merchant, orator. In 1764 Alexander Sayers, now deceased,
owned land in Dunkar's Bottom, on New River, and on Red Creek, at Fort
Chiswell, and mortgaged the same to Walter Buchanan on 21st January, 1764.
Alexander died 1765 intestate, leaving son Robert, eldest son and
heir. Walter Buchanan died 1766. Archibald is brother of Walter. Robert
Breckinridge was guardian of Robert Sayers, May 1767. The mortgage was
proved before the General Court, 28th April, 1764, by John Skelton, Robert
Donald and Marty Handly, witnesses. John Fleming and Joseph Maynard were
also witnesses.

Page 154.--19th March, 1753. Borden, etc.,
to John Walker, Jr., 302 acres of 92100. (Back Creek?); corner Joseph Culton,
Moffets Cr., Robert Culton. Delivered: Alexander Walker, October 2d, 1775,
Archibald Buchanan. Teste: James and Wm. McCoskry, Alexander McMullen.

Page
134.--7th November, 1762. Borden's executors, to Archibald Buchanan, £5, 406
acres, part of 92,100, crossing McCowns Run; Robert Christian'scorner; white
oak by a warm spring, on Hays' (Nays?) Creek. Teste: Robert King, John Lawrance,
John Lawrance, Jr. Delivered: Wm. Buchanan, August, 1769.

Page 119.--18th May, 1768. James Rutherford's will was presented by Wm. Buchanan,
one of the executors, who refused to execute. It is proved that Margaret, the
widow, likewise refuses. Will is proved, by William Buchanan (another witness,
James Buchanan, being dead). The other witness, Archibald Buchanan, is ordered
summoned. Administration granted Alex. Walker.
    
Page 379.--9th June, 1761. James Buchanan's will--To son Alexander Buchanan;
to son Archibald Buchanan; to son John Buchanan; to sons Wm. and Robt. Buchanan;
to wife Mary Buchanan; to sons Geo. and David Buchanan; to daughter Rebecky
Buchanan. Executors, wife Mary and son Alexander. Teste: Daniel Nerrity, Jas.
McCown, Wm. Scott. Proved, 19th March, 1765, by Daniel Harrison and Wm. Scott.
Executors qualified, with Jno. Wallace, Jno. Buchanan. (Mary's mark).

Page 35.--18th August, 1769. Archibald Buchanan and Agness to William Buchanan,
£45, 406 acres, part of Borden's 92,100 acres, crossing McCason's Run; Robert

Christian's Corner, oak by a Warm Spring, north branch of Hays' Creek.

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Ghosts in the house

Mama was a great storyteller but she was also truthful. Her ghost story was something she remembered and also something that was told to her many times. In the late summer of 1926, when Mama was seven years old, two birds got into their house. The same week her mother saw two shooting stars. Old wives tales said these were both signs of upcoming death in the family. 

On Sept. 15, Mama's fourteen-month-old baby sister died. Three days later on Sept. 18, Mama's grandmother, who lived in the same house with them, died. Soon after the family hired a live-in housekeeper and cook to help Mama's very pregnant mother with her chores. One morning at breakfast the housekeeper said she could not sleep the night before because of a blue-eyed baby girl who kept looking in the door at her. But when she got up to check the baby was gone. The little baby that had died had bright blue eyes. The next youngest child had brown eyes so it could not have been her looking through the door. A few days later the housekeeper said that when she was sleeping the night before an old woman came to her bed. The old woman said, "This is my bed and my feet are cold and you need to move over." The old woman disappeared. 

The housekeeper announced she was quitting and would not be back. The bed had belonged to the grandmother who had recently died. And she always complained of cold feet and would warm bricks by the fire to put at the bottom of her bed. Wish Mama was here to tell me that story one more time.


Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Frank Bolles of Nashville

This is information on the family of Frank Bolles of Nashville, Davidson County, Tenn. I am not related to the Bolles family and I have no additional information. 

Abstract from “Davidson County, Tennessee Naturalizations 1803-1906”, Mary Sue Smith, 1997 - Criminal Court Div. 1, MB W p292 Bolles, Frank – {Naturalized}a native of Oldenburg, Germany; born in the city of Damina on 2 Feb 1848; immigrated to the United States in 1866, landing in New York, being then 18 years of age; has been his intenetion for more than three years to become a citizen;  renounces his allegiance to the Prince of Herseg.  –upon the foregoing petition and the fact that he came to this country prior to being 18 years old…decree he be admitted to citizenship, 12 June 1878.

1880 Census for Tennessee, Davidson County page 225A
Bolles, Frank  age 32
Bolles, Sophia age 22
Bolles, Minnie age 1
Bolles, Sophia age 3


Frank Bolles and Sophia Boehler were married May 25, 1875, bondsman was Fred Hosse and ceremony was performed by Joseph Uphause, M.G.  Davidson County original marriage licenses and bonds – Metro Archives

Junius Ruth and Wilhelmina Bolles were married August 14, 1911.  The ceremony was performed by J. Francis McCloud, rector of St. Andrews Episcopal Church Davidson County original marriage licenses and bonds – Metro Archives
 (1911 Nasvhille city directory – St Andrews listed at  49th Ave SE corner of Michigan Ave.)

Junius Ruth was not listed in the 1911 city directory.  Minnie Bolles was living with her mother Sophia at 1216 3rd Ave. N.  This address was between Madison and Monroe Streets. 

Annual Report of the Public Schools of Nashville, Tennessee 1896-1897
page 15,  Annual Commencement of the Fogg High School at Theater Vendome, Wednesday Evening, June 2, 1897.

List of Graduates

Wilhelmine Bolles – Graduated with high scholarship. 


Annual Report of the Public Schools of Nashville, Tennessee 1893-1894
page 83,  Grammar Department Graduates.  Fogg School, January. Bolles, Wilhelmina.


Annual Report of the Public Schools of Nashville, Tennessee 1901-1902

page 5, List of Teachers, Miss Wilhelmine Bolles.

page 51, Elliott School, Miss Wilhelmine Bolles, Assistant, Fourth-A Grade.

Annual Report of the Public Schools of Nashville, Tennessee 1902-1903

page 5, List of Teachers, Miss Wilhelmine Bolles.

page 47, Elliott School, Miss Wilhelmine Bolles, Assistant, First Floor, Fourth-B Grade.

Annual Report of the Public Schools of Nashville, Tennessee 1903-1904

page 5, List of Teachers, Miss Wilhelmine Bolles.

page 60, Elliott School, Miss Minnie Bolles, Assistant, Fourth Grade.

Annual Report of the Public Schools of Nashville, Tennessee 1904-1905

page 5, List of Teachers, Miss Wilhelmine Bolles.

page 46, Elliott School, Miss Minnie Bolles, Third-A Grade.

Annual Report of the Public Schools of Nashville, Tennessee 1905-1906

page 5, List of Teachers, Miss Wilhelmine Bolles.

page 59, Elliott School, Miss Minnie Bolles, Fourth-B Grade.

Annual Report of the Public Schools of Nashville, Tennessee 1906-1907

page 5, List of Teachers, Miss Wilhelmine Bolles.

page 51, Elliott School, Miss Minnie Bolles, Fourth-A Grade.

Annual Report of the Public Schools of Nashville, Tennessee 1907-1908

page 5, List of Teachers, Miss Wilhelmine Bolles.

page 35, Elliott School, Miss Minnie Bolles, Fourth-B Grade.

Annual Report of the Public Schools of Nashville, Tennessee 1908-1909

page 5, List of Teachers, Miss Wilhelmine Bolles.

page 51, Elliott School, Miss Minnie Bolles, Fourth-A Grade, Organist.


Annual Report of the Public Schools of Nashville, Tennessee 1909-1910

same as 1908-1909

Annual Report of the Public Schools of Nashville, Tennessee 1910-1911

same as 1908-1909

Annual Report of the Public Schools of Nashville, Tennessee 1911-191

page 6, List of Teachers, Miss Wilhelmine Bolles.  Resigned.




The original Ninth Ward School was established in 1865 and was located at the corner of Madison and N Cherry streets.  The building The Ninth Ward School was built in 1873 at the corner of Jefferson and Norht High Streets.  The name of the school was changed  to Elliott School at the beginning of the 1890-91 school-year.  The name change was in honor of George B. Elliott who died in April of 1890.  Mr. Elliott was the Principal of Tarbox School at the time of his death.

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Russell Family of Pond Creek

Betty Sellars and Jimmy Allen contributed to this report.



James Russell was born ca 1747. (I don't know where the year birth is from, may just be a guesstimate.  I think he may have been born as late as 1760.) Many genealogies say he was born in Wake County, NC, however Wake County was not created until 1771. He died in Davidson County, Tennessee on July 27, 1819 and is said to be buried at Gower's Chapel in the Gower family cemetery off River Road and Charlotte Pike in Davidson Co, TN.  He has a tomb stone in that cemetery that was placed in the 1930's by a DAR group. James Russell was a Revolutionary War soldier and enlisted in North Carolina, where he served as a private. It is from his final pension payment voucher that we get his date of death.

He was one of the pioneer settlers of Davidson County, Tennessee.  He was a dispatch carrier for General Robertson and Governor Blount and he also worked as a surveyor. In 1780, James Russell was a member of the party that went by land to the present site of Nashville, Tennessee. His signed the Cumberland Compact on May 1, 1780.   Also, on the expedition was James' father-in-law Abel Gower and brother-in-law Abel Gower Jr. Both Gower's were killed by Indians in the fall of 1780 at Clover Bottom.

We don't know why James Russell did not receive a preemptors grant. He was here to sign the Cumberland Compact and should have been eligible for a preemptors grant.  He may have sold his preemptors right to someone else, and it was recorded in another person's name.  He may have returned to North Carolina for a few years.  He must have returned by April of 1784 as his son William was born in Davidson County at that time.  He does not appear in the records again until October of 1785.
 
In December of 1789, James Russell purchased 100 acres of land on Pond Creek, in Davidson County,  as assignee of Martin Armstrong.  In January of 1793, Thomas Russell purchased 100 acres of land on Pond Creek, in Davidson County, as assignee of Martin Armstrong.  There were many other land transactions for James Russell. He was an early owner of what is called Gower's Island in the Cumberland River.

On the 4th of February 1794, James Russell, Robert Shannon and William Con, on their way from Nashville to Knoxville, were ambushed in the Cumberland Mountain, eighteen (18) miles from South West Point, by a party of Indians consisting of about 25, who fired on them and wounded Russell thru the body and arm.  He suffered with this would for the rest of his life. James was a chain bearer for Colonel Rutherford in laying out the veterans claims for land grants in Davidson Co, TN which was issued for service in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.

James Russell married Elizabeth Gower the daughter of Abel Gower, Sr.  We do not know the marriage date. They could have married in North Carolina.  The marriage could have taken place in Davidson County, Tennessee, prior to 1789.  Marriage records for the county are lost before that time.

The following have been named as children of James and Elizabeth Gower Russell.  Others have been named in various sources but with no documentation.   It is highly possible that some of these are the children of Thomas Russell and Angley Gower Russell.  Thomas is believed to be the brother of James Russell.  There are may be other children of James and Thomas. 


        William RUSSELL b April 11, 1784; married Mary Ann Polly Kellum, September 13, 1805; died February 20, 1856, Madison Co., MO while visiting family.  Lived on Pond Creek; moved to Calloway Co., KY; He was a Justice of the Peace and performed many marriages in Davidson County. This is the William Russell who gave land for Bethel Church in 1825, on Pond Creek in Davidson County, now in Cheatham Co., TN.

       Pharaba Russell, born 10 October 1786; married George Sugg Allen, 21 November 1803; died  21 September 1866. Lived on Pond Creek, all of her life.

         Elizabeth Russell, born abt. 1790 ; married Martin Patterson 20 February 1810, Davidson Co, TN

James Russell Jr; born 20 December 1790, Davidson Co., TN; died 29 May 1843. Davidson Co., Tennessee.  Married Elizabeth Duren 25 December 1809 Davidson Co TN.   There are numerous copies of deeds of land purchased by James Russell. Jr. on or near Pond Creek. 

          Sally Russell, born abt. 1796; married Jeptha Hooper, 18 April 1810, Davidson Co, TN. this family moved to Calloway Co., KY  

      Arnold Russell, born 3 April 1796; died 25 Nov. 1872, Yazoo Co, Mississippi.

         Nancy Russell born abt. 1797; married Churchill Hooper 23 Aug. 1814 Davidson Co TN

        Peggy Russell, born abt. 1798; married Scott Larkin 10 November 1818

      John Russell, born abt. 1799 
  
      Martha Patsy Russell, born abt. 1804; married Wilson L Hooper 8 March 1824

  

Thomas Russell, is believed to be a brother of James Russell.  He was born before 1770; died 1824 in Davidson Co. TN; He married Angley Gower  13 November 1789. 

Children of Thomas Russell and Angley Gower Russell;

           Isaac Russell

          Polly Russell ; married James Daugherty 30 June 1816.

       Thomas Russell, Jr born 1798; married Ann Hooper 19 July 1829.

       Other children mentioned but not named in will of Thomas Russell.


Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Turkeys, and coyotes but no silly rabbits.



As the crow flies, our house is about three miles from the historic courthouse in downtown Nashville.  We have lived in Inglewood for 39 years, moving from East Nashville.  My family lived in Northeast Nashville when I was born and I grew up there.  My husband spent most of his childhood and teen years, a couple of blocks from East Nashville High School.  Wildlife in our childhood urban neighborhoods consisted of songbirds, pigeons, or an occasional toad. There must have been possums around but I don't remember seeing them. When we moved to Inglewood, rabbits were abundant, sometimes we spotted a possum crossing the road or a garter snake slithering through the grass.

The times they are a changin with the urban wildlife.  There are more birds and a bigger variety. Crows as big as ravens rule the treetops.  We have seen deer walking up our street.  Neighbors post photos of turkey, deer, and coyotes on Facebook.


Tom Turkey showing off for his lady friend, Inglewood, June 2015, Debie Oeser Cox

We have heard the eerie call of the neighborhood fox. One morning we looked out the window to see a coyote in front of the house. A family of raccoons lives in a neighbor's tree.


Mama Raccoon, Inglewood, June 2017 Debie Oeser Cox

Young Raccoons, Inglewood, June 2017 Debie Oeser Cox

We still see an occasional possum.  Rabbits and stray cats are a rare sight, but Hawks, of more than one type, are plentiful.  A neighbor has seen a heron fishing in her backyard pond.  We have seen a Great Horned Owl and often hear the call of the Barred Owl. Bobcats have been spotted in outlying areas of Davidson County.  Curious to see what changes might occur with wildlife in Inglewood in the coming 20 years.

Sunday, February 5, 2017

Memory of Mama

This is a little note from facebook a couple of years ago.

I found a note that Mama wrote, listing her utility bills with the amounts in 1978, when she and Daddy were living at 1022 Pennock, in Papa Oeser's old house. In May, she wrote, telephone 11.50; gas 7.34; paperboy 7.28; lights 14.68 and water 7.19. Did anyone else say light bill, instead of electric bill? When mama was young, lights were about all that used electricity in a house. Not much more than that when I was a kid. We had a TV, a radio and a refrigerator, and in summer, window fans. Our cook stove and heat used gas.

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Wash Day!

This beautiful day, November 29, 2016, reminds me of wash day.  It was easy to wash clothes in the summer in Nashville, TN.  OK not easy, but convenient.  Most days from June through September ranged from warm to very hot, and not a lot of rainy days.  Fall, winter, and spring provided challenges for getting the washing done.  Any fall (or winter or spring) day that started as this one has, became wash day.  For my mama that meant up early to fill the wringer washer with hot water and all the dirty white clothes for the first load.  I always had an automatic washer but did not always have a dryer.  The washing was easy for me, just putting in a load of clothes and letting the machine do it's job.  Still, I had to start early to get all the clothes dry on the shorter days of fall time.  I loved hanging out the clothes and it was especially pleasant to take them off the line and smell the goodness of the sunshine and fresh air.  I often just had to bury my face into an item and just take it all in.  It was more than a smell.  It was an experience, like no other. Like anyone else who had no access to a dryer, I hwould hang out clothes, year round.  If the weather was particularly bad for an extended time, I had to resort to the laundromat, or wishy-washy as we called them in Nashville.  I hated that, so I hung the clothes out whenever possible.  Why is it that we never think to make a photograph of the simple everyday things, that once they are gone, become so important in our memories?  I did find a photo on pinterest that remind me of mama's clotheslines, but there was no credit.

Copied from pinterest, no credit given



I borrowed this excerpt from another of my blog posts to share here.

Washing clothes! Oh if kids today only knew.  At our house wash day started early, as soon as Mama got Daddy off to work and out of the house.  We had a wringer washer and she had to use the bath tub as a rinse tub.


Mama would pull the washer near the bathroom door and fill it with hot water and add powdered tide.  White clothes always went first. If there were a lot clothes the water would be changed but usually one tub of water did all the clothes.  Load the clothes into the hot water, let the machine agitate for awhile.  Then run each piece of clothing through the wringer and place it in the tub.  The machine I remember most was electric but the older ones had to be agitated by hand and the wringer had a handle that was turned to wring the clothes.  Ours had a motor that turned the wringers as clothing was fed through.  After the clothing was rinsed in the clean water, it went back through the wringer again and into a basket.  Then out to the clothes lines.  We had five or six lines strung between metal "T" poles that had been secured into the ground with concrete, so the weight of the wet clothes would not pull them down.



Once I was tall enough I helped hang the clothes.  Mama wouldn't let me use the wringer.  She got her hand caught in one and was afraid I would get hurt.  We had a lot of people in our house at times and a lot clothes.  By the time enough had been washed that all the lines were full, usually the first clothes hung, had dried and were taken down to make room for the next load.  In the summer my sister Ann and I were always home to help but once school started Mama was on her own.  It was an all day job and Mama washed the clothes and hung them out year round.  Rainy days would delay wash day and in the winter she sometimes had to wait for the warmer days.  I do remember when clothes froze on the lines, but they seemed to dry anyway.  When I was about 10, I think, an automatic coin laundry opened in the old Roxy theater.  By then my sister was married and she would bring her laundry and we would take Mama's and go there to wash clothes in bad weather.  Mama still washed and hung the clothes in good weather until she moved from Meridian in 1972. And next came ironing day!