Jefferson from Annals of Rutherford County, TN by John C. Spence, Volume 1, p. 30-38 – 1802.
The influx of population continued to flow into Davidson, from all quarters. Great numbers were settled in the extreme portions of the county, making a long distance from the town of Nashville… As yet, no roads much greater width than common cow paths. Many of the settlers having to cut there way through cane and grape vines, to these narrow roads. In connection, the inconvenience attending the crossing of water courses. Often when coming to these streams, the water being on the rise, the traveler ignorant of the deepness, caused delays of time, involving
great danger in crossing. . .
Taking all these things into consideration, there were a disposition among the people to have greater accommodation in the extreme portion of Davidson. . . settlers were in favor of the move, and suggested the
propriety of petitioning the Legislature at the next session, granting the establishing a new county from the southern portion of Davidson.
In the meantime, Col. Robert Weakley and Robert Bedford, owning land on Stones River, near the junction of the two prongs, east and west, twenty miles from the town of Nashville. . . They platted and surveyed a portion of land into town lots, naming the town, Jefferson, in honor of Tomas Jefferson, an eminent statesman and President. The town is situated on the bank of the river. At the time of settlement, it was supposed to be an eligible site, in consequence of a promise affording a future navigation for the flat and keel boats, as afterward so used by the people. The town was heavily timbered and as usual for the country at the time, was thickly set with cane, making a heavy undertaking to clear the streets and lots of the encumbrance of timber. The town lots were offered for sale and many disposed of. The purchasers immediately commenced improving lots and building houses of hewed or round logs, as suited the fancy or ability of the owners. Chimneys of stone or stick and clay, usually called wood chimneys, the kind first used.
The town was still a portion of Davidson and not likely it would afford the accommodation to the greater portion of the people in the more southern part of the County attending to county business, being far removed from the county site. The people in this section of one mind, determined to get up a petition to the next General Assembly at Knoxville, setting forth their grievance and wants, praying, that body to grant the petitioners the privilege of establishing a county from a portion of Davidson.
This feeling was daily growing in favor with the people, the time, anxiously looked forward, meeting of the Legislature, giving relief of this kind. Passed, Knoxville, October 25th 1803. . . An Act establishing the County of Rutherford, named in honor of Gen. William Rutherford of North Carolina, who had rendered eminent service in the war of Independence, declaring the county a part of “Mero District.”
Appointing James Sharp, John Thompson, Peter Legrand, Thomas Rucker, John Howell, Charles Ready and John Hill, commissioners of said county. Also appointing William Nash, Justice of the peace of Davidson County, who administered the oath severally to each of the Commissioners. William Nash was then qualified as Justice of the peace of Rutherford. Further, establishing the county, William Nash, on the part of Rutherford and Samuel Weakley on the part of Davidson, Commissioners, to establish the county lines of the two counties. . . Samuel Weakley of Davidson, surveyor, having performed the work for which service he was allowed, by the county of Rutherford, the sum of ninety six dollars. . .
Agreeable to the recent act of the General Assembly, requiring forty acres of land to establish a town, Col. Weakley and Bedford generously offered, and donated to the commissioners of the town (Jefferson), thus laid off into lots, forty acres required by law, for their purpose, which was accepted, leaving the donating party a great number of lots on hand to their own use.
In this manner, the town of Jefferson was established. The commissioners, in compliance of law, were making sales of lots and giving deeds to purchasers of their portion of the town. Monies coming in from sales of lots by the commissioners, was used for public improvements of the town. They were styled commission of public buildings. . .
County Court, Jany 3rd 1804. . . having no convenient place for holding said courts, and wishing to accommodate the public by meeting at the most central point in the county. It was proposed and agreed, to meet at the house of Nimrod Menefee. . . His house was small. This defect in the accommodation, a large log fire was prepared in the yard, in front of the door, for those attending court could be warmed, and such other convenience as he could devise. In the house, the dinner table and chairs were prepared for the use of the court. A large gathering of people for the time, representing all parts of the county, were present, attending court, all things being ready. . .
Menefee Place
The house of Menefee, where the first court in Rutherford was held, formerly standing on the ground between the pike and R. Road (railroad) leading to Nashville, immediately north of the present U. S. Cemetery, on a small rise of ground. The house was made of hewed cedar logs. The openings in the wall was chinked and plastered with lime. The Corners sawed down. Stone chimney. The roof, covered with shingles. These were put on by boring a hole in the shingle and inserting a peg, then hanging over the lath, using nails in the last course of shingles, and it is
said, the first shingle roof house in the country. Nails were scarce and high. boring holes and using pegs and pins was the common practice for a long time in making any article.
[The] time this settlement was made, there was no road to or from his house, in any direction. It was a wilderness country, and he one of the first settlers contending with wild animals and overcoming a dense forest, in making fields for planting corn. . .
At this place, on the 3 rd of January 1804. . .Little thought the people, when selecting Nimrod Menefee’s house, the birth place where law and justice would sway and govern the new born, and rear it up to future greatness, that they too, had selected a bloody ground, a potters field to bury strangers, a field of blood, January 3rd 1863.
Samuel Wilson, a soldier of the Revolution, whose remains lie near by, one of the first settlers in the county. On his land too, the battle was fought the hottest engagement by Gen. Breckenridge Corps, at the river near the crossing. This land connects with the Menefee land.
The Court was principally taken up with proof of deeds of conveyances, road orders and stock marks for registration. The first deed coming into notice were from Robert Weakley and Thomas Bedford to Joseph Bowman, for forty one and a half acres land. William Kelton brands his cattle with K, horses with W. Samuel Wilson brands his stock 9b. So all the settlers have their brands recorded, giving a description of the ear marks. At this court there was a great press with road orders. The first overseer of roads, Thomas Bedford, appointed to open a road from the junction of east and west fork of Stones river [town of Jefferson], to the county line, the way to Nashville. Roads were marked, for main public road, three chops on the trees, second rate roads, two chops, mill or neighborhood roads, one chop. Signboards at crossing or forks were required. At first roads were usually cut about ten feet wide,
clear of stumps and rocks. . . the first Constables. . . Joseph Boyer, John Anthony, William Ramsey and William Martin. . .
[By now] Hewed cedar logs for houses was the common style. Stone and wood chimneys, cover, shingles and boards. No very great display making glass windows. Glass scarce and high. As a matter of necessity, small windows and few of them.
There existed a difficulty in procuring sawed lumber. To meet this want, there were men who made a business of sawing lumber for flooring and other purposes, by hand, using a whip saw. This become a common business a long time in the country. During the first settlement, timber used in this manner, being the first class, as the county abounded with the finest yellow poplar, the timber generally used for this purpose. . .
With all the difficulties attending, the town of Jefferson continued to grow, making a respectable showing and was not long before it began to have the smell of paint, the article in common use, Spanish brown or red, and yellow ochre, two prevailing colors. . .
The commissioners actively engaged in the erection of a courthouse for county purpose, on the public square. This building, forty feet square, two stories, of brick. The roof, from each way, running to a point in the center. . . This was finished with the usual brown and ochre paint. . .
After all this, it was discovered bad men had emigrated to this country, among others. To accommodate them, a temporary prison was erected in the town limits, where board could be had at public expense. For outer
exercise, a whipping post was established. Whipping and branding was in the bill of fare, for past time. The stocks and pillory was introduced. In one, the performer may stand for hours, head and hands through holes in
a half bent position. The other, the preference, in a sitting position, a little reversed, feet and hands through holes, as in the other manner. One standing, the other sitting. . . Hanging was in the list of punishments. An offender had an opportunity of being thoroughly punished for misdeeds.
This system of punishment was continued in the state, until the establishment of the Penitentiary in 1830, when the system was abandoned. . .
Jefferson was gradually improving. Houses going up and business shops opening. It was not long before a strip [of] red flannel was stretched over the door, indicating a store of dry goods and all other articles for sale.
Hinchey Petaway, the first in this line, opened a small trade store. Dr. Jno. B. Hogg, the first offering to practice his profession in this place. The business was not profitable in a new settled country. The old women generally managed cases of children with roots and herbs. If a case got past their skill, the Dr. was sent for. He came in a hurry. . .
Although the town of Jefferson was increasing in size and importance, people having to attend Courts, were unwill to travel the distance they were situated. They insisted on a more central point to accommodate the majority of the people. The Second County Court [April 1804] was opened and held seven miles south of Jefferson. . .at the house of Simon Miller. .
The first Jury case tried in the town of Jefferson, The State of TN vs. E. Radford, assault and battery. People were not disposed to receive a jostling, taking it an insult, often resenting with a ground tumble. They fought with nature’s weapons, fist, stones, and sticks. A pistol scarcely ever resorted to. . . p. 43 – No town is of much importance without a house of entertainment. In Jefferson there were two of this kind opened, apparently doing a fair share of business.
Each kept a bar for the accommodation of the public. At these places, people gathered to get the neighborhood
news, beside, a good meeting place for old soldiers, to call for their half pints, drink and fight the battles again, showing great hatred for the “Red Coats,” the former enemy (Brittain). . . p. 59 – 1808 – The county site was improving in a lively way for the time. It was having the look and appearance of future promise, having a navigable stream passing, aiding commerce. The business of flat boat building was now more generally conducted, floating produce to New Orleans. A few keel boats were introduced running to and from Pittsburgh, also to New Orleans, back to Jefferson. Making a trip either way, it usually consumed three months time. The work was laborious, performed by main strength. The men polling and pulling up stream, by hanging on to the willows at the banks of river. It was quite an announcement on the arrival of a keel boat from New Orleans or Pittsburgh to Jefferson. . . This kind of
navigation of the rivers, kept up by flat and keel boats, continued until 1818, which time small steamers, about one hundred tons burthen, were introduced on the rivers. Charges on freights from two to three dollars per
hundred pounds. The steamers never going further up the Cumberland than to Nashville.
p. 68 – 1809. Among the many orders passed at the County Court, one granting David Dickinson Esqr., the privilege of building a mill on the west fork of Stones River, grinding for toll. [Note: This mill later known as
Ransom’s Mill, was located on the road to Jefferson where it crossed the Manson Pike.] He had in connection, a saw mill for making lumber. Timber was plenty and convenient to the mill, proving a source of convenience in
the neighborhood, to those wanting lumber. The grist mill, one run of stones for corn and wheat. It was situated on the site of the present Ransom Mills. A flour bolt arranged, turned by hand. This mill having gone out of use from old age, standing a relic of the past. during the war, it finally disappeared, being destroyed by the soldiers. . .
p. 220 – From the earliest settlement of Jefferson, it had been the custom to build flat boats, to float produce to New Orleans. Keel boats were also used, carrying freights going and coming. Constant Hardiman Esqr. [1778-1850], taking the notion steam boats could be built as well at this place, as at any other point, and to carry out his idea, he had the hull of a steam boat built, about a hundred tons burthen, at Jefferson, this being the first and the only one. After the hull was completed it was floated down Stones river to Nashville, the necessary machinery furnished, made complete in running order. Jefferson is not a favorable location for boat building, it was showing a spirit of public enterprise in that portion of the community, which was commendable. Navigation from this point, when
used, is only suited for flat boats floating produce, lumber and rafts of cedar logs down Stones river into the Cumberland, thence on to New Orleans. . .
p. 236 – Joshua Haskell Esqr., [died 1860 in Madison Co., TN] one of the first resident lawyers in Murfreesboro, removed to West Tennessee. Was appointed to a judicial office in that district. . . Thomas Hart Benton [who apparently lived for a while near Nashville, TN before moving to Missouri] inquiring [of Judge Haskell] what part of the country he was from, being informed, from Tennessee. What part of Tennessee? Old Jefferson! “Ah! Sir. I remember it. I reference and respect that old town of Jefferson. Sir! It was at that place, I made my maiden speech at the bar as a lawyer. I remember my feelings well. Many great changes have taken place since that time.