Mike West, The Murfreesboro Post, April 19, 2009
Next to Stones River National Battlefield, the Sam Davis Home in Smyrna is probably the most interesting and best-preserved Civil War site in Rutherford County.
Born on Oct. 6, 1842 in Rutherford County, Sam Davis grew up in the upper middle class home of Charles Lewis and Jane Simmons Davis. Like many other young men, Sam joined the army before Tennessee had officially seceded from the Union. He enlisted in Co. I of the 1st Tennessee Infantry Regiment in April 1861. The 1st Tennessee participated in the Cheat Mountain campaign in western Virginia under Robert E. Lee in 1861. In 1862, they moved west and took part in the battles of Shiloh, Perryville and Stones River. Early in 1863, Sam became a member of Coleman’s Scouts, a group founded by his older half-brother John. By 1863, the Union Army occupied much of Middle Tennessee.
Sam and his fellow scouts worked behind enemy lines disrupting communications. Even though they wore Confederate uniforms and traveled with passes signed by Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg, the Union army considered them spies if captured. Ultimately, he was captured and executed at Pulaski, after refusing to expose his associates in Coleman Scouts.
The Sam Davis Home is located in Smyrna approximately 20 minutes from Nashville and 15 minutes north of Murfreesboro. The Sam Davis Home is on Sam Davis Road, simply follow the signs. Admission is charged. On the Web: http://www.samdavishome.org/ Call: 615-459-2341.
The historic home is open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday. A tour includes a visit to the museum, video presentation, and guided tour of the house and grounds. Historical Research Room: Linebaugh Library The Historical Research Room (HRR) located on the second floor of Linebaugh Public Library in Murfreesboro features Rutherford County materials and Tennessee genealogical resources. The HRR is open during regular library hours. The materials in the room are a reference and research collection and are not available for check out or interlibrary loan.
The Historical Research Room includes: More than 10,000 books covering the Eastern, Southern, and Midwest regions of the U.S. and more than 5,000 rolls of microfilm. Rutherford County and Tennessee sources include: A large collection of printed material on Rutherford County, including cemetery records, early wills, county census records, community histories, history of the county schools, marriage records, and the Rutherford County Historical Society publications. Rutherford County vertical file: These files contain clippings from local newspapers, pamphlets, and ephemera on subjects relating to Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, and local individuals. The library also has a Family History File, containing donated genealogy research on Middle Tennessee families. Microfilm of Murfreesboro newspapers from 1931 to present. (From 1820-1930 only scattered issues have survived.) Microfilm of Rutherford County Court Records from 1804-1999, Rutherford County Death Certificates from 1914-1925, Tennessee Death Index from 1908-1944, Tennessee Confederate Soldier Pension Records, and other local records. Federal census records and indexes from 1810-1930 (book and/or microfilm). Extensive collection of printed materials for the State of Tennessee in general and for the counties of Tennessee. Access to Ancestry Library Edition and HeritageQuest Online.
Visit our Articles & Databases page for more information. If you have questions or need more information about the HRR collection, contact Lisa Ramsay at 615-893-4131, ext. 117, or email [email protected]. Linebaugh Library is located at 105 W Vine St, Murfreesboro, TN 37130 Call: 615-893-4131. On the Web: www.linebaugh.org Special Collections at MTSU’s James E. Walker Library Early Tennessee Imprints The Early Tennessee Imprints collection consists of books and other print materials produced in Tennessee between the years 1791 and 1866 (that is, between the year the first printing press operated at Rogersville and the first year after the Civil War). Robert Allen Ragland Sr. Memorial Civil War The Robert Allen Ragland Sr. Memorial Civil War collection includes 19 and 20-century books and other materials that cover various aspects of the Civil War. The collection has numerous materials that focus on the war in Tennessee and on the Battle of Stones River. First-time users are asked to complete a registration form and present a photo ID before using materials. Special Collections materials – including reference books – do not circulate. Fragile or rare items may require handling by staff. Use of some materials may be otherwise restricted at the discretion of staff. Both the Reading Room and the Exhibition Room are open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday. The area is not open weeknights and on weekends. The Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area The Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area (TCWNHA) is a federal, state, and local partnership managed by the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU. The goal of the heritage area is to preserve and interpret the stories, effects, and legacies of the Civil War and Reconstruction in Tennessee. The TCWNHA includes the entire state and features eight heritage corridors along river and railroad systems. The heritage area’s web site (http://histpres.mtsu.edu/tncivwar/) provides one of the best listing of sources both Internet and otherwise for people researching the Civil War in Tennessee. Call: 615-898-2947. Fax: 615-898-5614. E-mail: [email protected]. On the Web: http://histpres.mtsu.edu/tncivwar/ Bradley Academy and Cultural Center “From African Warriors to Civil War Soldiers” is Bradley Academy Museum and Cultural Center permanent exhibit on the Civil War. With artifacts, paintings, historic photographs and documents, this exhibit tells the story of how Africans were enslaved on their continent and brought to North America to work in a slave society. The exhibit continues with how African-Americans were able to fight for their freedom before and during the Civil War both as part of the Underground Railroad and as actual soldiers. The numerous topics in this exhibit include traditional African Cultures, the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the cotton industry in the South, slave society in North America, Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, the Underground Railroad, daily life of a Civil War soldier, the famous 54th Massachusetts Colored Infantry, and Women during the War. Bradley Academy Museum and Cultural Center is located at 415 S. Academy St., Murfreesboro. Call: 615-867-2633. On the Web: http://www.bradleymuseum.org/ Middle Tennessee Civil War Round Table The purpose of the Middle Tennessee Civil War Round Table is to study, explore, and examine all facets of the defining moment in our nation’s history. The group primarily focuses on the impact of the Civil War upon the lives of the men, women, and children of Middle Tennessee. The round table meets monthly to discuss Civil War topics and to participate in programs presented by guest speakers from the local area and across the nation. MTCWRT also sponsor sand participates in community events in order to educate the public about the rich Civil War heritage of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County. The Middle Tennessee Civil War Round Table meets on the third Tuesday of every month at the Heritage Center of Murfreesboro & Rutherford County (225 West College Street, Murfreesboro, Tennessee) or other area Civil War sites. Meetings begin at 7 p.m. Anyone interested in open discussion of the Civil War with a local flavor is welcome to attend. The group also publishes a newsletter. On the Web: http://www.mtcwrt.org/