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BIOGRAPHIES
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FAMILIES
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Union County |
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GO TO WEBPAGE BUILDING
TUTORIAL
BRIEF HISTORY
The following comes from Goodspeed's History of Union County written in
the late 1800's. Some more comtemporary histories differ from this. In fact
this year (2006) Union County is celebrating it's 150th birthday by local
proclamation. How they ever came to this date as 150 years is beyond me.
Myself, I tend to believe Goodspeed since he was around back then.
GEOGRAHIC
LOCATION |
| Union County lies immediately north of Knox County, and is divided into
two very nearly equal parts by the Clinch River. Powell River forms a part
of its northern boundary. These streams, with their tributaries, afford an
abundance of water and power. The area of the county is about 220 square
miles, The surface is generally broken, but there is a very large number
of valleys, furnishing excellent soil. |
NATURAL
RESOURCES |
| The county contains much valuable timber, but its greatest wealth lies
in its mineral resources,which are varied and abundant. It contains rich
deposits of iron ore, which as yet have been worked to avery limited extent;
vast beds of the finest marble, silver-bearing lead ore and zinc. The last
named is abundant, and is worked quite extensively by the Edes, Mirter &
Heald Zinc Company. |
COUNTY
CREATION |
| The first act providing for the erection of the county was passed on
January 8, 1850, but not meeting with the requirements of the constitution
it became necessary to amend it. This was done November 21, 1858. It provided
for the formation of the new county from fractions of Knox, Anderson, Camphell1
Claiborne and Grainger Counties, and appointed James W. Turner, William Needharn,
C. H. Howard and Allen Hurst, commissioners to hold the elections and organize
the county. The elections were accordingly held and resulted in a vote of
868 to 100 in favor of organization. The county court was organized on February
6, 1854, at Liberty meeting-house, in what is now Maynardville. |
MAGISTRATES PRESENT AT
ORGANIZATION |
| The magistrates present were Elijah Evans, John Lowry, William Colvin,
Goldman B. Carden, William Needhann, Jesse G. Palmer, Jacob Turner, Calvin
B. Howard and Enoch Branson. Soon after a bill was filed, enjoining further
proceedings by the officers of Union County, and pending the decision of
the courts, a period of nearly two years, no business was transacted. The
bill was finally dismissed, and the complete organization of the county effected
in 1858. |
THE FIRST COURT
BODY |
| The first circuit court for Union County was begun and held at Liberty
Meeting-house by Judge Robert H. Hynds. The grand jury enpaneled at that
term was as follows. Coleman Walton, E. Ausley, Jacob Stookaberry, John Monroe,
Jonathan Alexander, George Turner. William Hickle, Robert Dyer, Charles Skaggs.
David Miller, Isaac Stooksberry, Isaac Sharp and William Bayless. The citizens
of the county have ever been peaceable and law-abiding, and comparatively
little litigation has ever taken place. The courts continued to be held in
the meeting-house until 1858, when a brick courthouse was erected. The jail
was built about a year previous. |
CREATION OF
MAYNARDVILLE |
| The counsel on behalf of the county in the creation of Union County was
Horace Maynard, and in gratitude for the service rendered by him, the seat
of justice was named in his honor. The site of Maynardville was formerly
the property of Marcus Monroe, who donated to the county the lots north of
Main Street, reserving the proceeds of the sale of the remainder for his
own use. The first house erected was a stone building, erected in 1854 by
A. L. Leinert, who still occupies it. Among the other merchants and professional
men of the town prior to the war were Leinert, Huddleston & Co., D. F.
Huddleston, merchants; Nicholas Ailor1 attorney; J. W. Thornburgh, Monroe
Harbison and R. J, Can, physicians. |
FIRST
SCHOOL |
| In 1858 Liberty Academy was built, and the institution incorporated with
the following trustees: C. Monroe. W. P. Owens, J. M. Dinwiddie, A. L. Leinert
and Harding Scaggs. It has since been well supported, and ranks among schools
of its class. |
FIRST DRUG STORE AND
HOTEL |
| Maynardville Is pleasantly situated, and has a population of about 200.
The merchants at the present time are A. L. Lelnert and J. W. Branson A.
W. Can is engaged in the drug business, and also keeps the hotel. |
FIRST
LAWYERS |
| The attorneys resident in the county are Coram Acuff,the present
representative to the Legislature from Union and Campbell Counties; John
P. Rogers, attorney-general of the Second Circuit; J. L. Ledgerwood, D. W.
Gentry, J. S. Groves and John Williams. |
RELIGION IN THE
COUNTY |
| The leading religious denomination in this county is the Baptist. It
is doubtful indeed if in any other section of the State one denomination
so far predominates as do the Baptists here. This being so brief a sketch
of the two associations, which center in Union County, will not be out of
place.
On the third Saturday In October, 1818, delegations from twelve churches,
mainly from the Tennessee Association, met at Cedar Fork Church in Claiborne
County, and organized Powell Valley Association. The churches and delegates
were as follows: Hinds Creek (Union County), John Warwick, James Ishams,
John Goss and Richard Newport; Gap Creek (Claiborne County) William Jones,
Thomas Murray, Aaron Davis and Jacob Lowder; Cedar Fork (Claiborne County),
Samuel Pitman and Absolom Hurst; Buffalo Creek (Grainger County), Josiah
C. Bunch, John Ferguson, James Dyer and David Watson; Davis Creek (Claiborne
County), John Sharp and Fred Rolinger; Glade Spring (Campbell County), Joshua
Inglish; Powell River (Campbell County), Thomas Boydston; Big Barren (Claiborne
County), William Cook and Samuel McBee; Head of Richland (Grainger County),
John Kidwell and C. Rucker; Big Spring (Claiborne County), Richard Harper,
Joab Hill and Hiram Hurst; Coal Creek (Anderson County), and War Creek.
Thompson's settlement in Virginia was also represented. Other churches were
organized and added to the association as follows: Poncheon Camp (Grainger
County), 1821; Rocky Spring, now Fall Creek, 1822; Mount Hebron (Union County),
1824; Blackwell Branch (Hancock County), 1825; Old Town Creek (Claiborne
County), 1825; Clear Creek (Anderson County), 1826; Mouth of Barren, 1882;
Blackwater, 1884; Mount Pleasant, 1834;Blue Spring (Union County), 1834;
Powder Spring Gap (Grainger County), 1885; Lost Creek (Union Connty).1835.
In 1835 seven churches were dismissed to form Mulberry Association to Include
the territory previously covered by the eastern portion of Powell Valley
Association. During the next year Mountain Creek (Claiborne County) and Zion
were added to the latter association. At about this time the schism in the
church in reference to missionary work and to joining the societies of the
day, began to widen and in 1839 five churches holding to the missionary doctrines
withdrew to form a new, association, Other churches were divided, the weaker
faction usally withdrawing to organize a new congregation.
The association as a whole, however, remained "anti-mission, " and received
accessions from some of the adjoining associations which had joined the opposite
faction. Among tbe new churches received after that time were Cane Creek
(Anderson County), 1852; Hickory Creek (Campbell County), Salem (Grainger
County), 1804; Pleasant Point (Claiborne County), 1865; Mossy Spring (Union
County), about 1865; Bean Creek (Grainger County), about 1870, and Concord
(Grainger County), 1877. The association now numbers seventeen churches with
a total membership of 585.
The five chnrches which withdrew from Powel1 Valley Association assembled
at Glade Spring Meeting-house, in Campbell County, on November 29, 1889,
and organized the "Northern Association of United Baptists." The churches
and delegates were as follows: Poncheon Camp Creek, John Clark, Xnderson
Acuff and William H. Odle; Powder Spring Gap, Marcus Monroe, William Huff,
J. Beelor and William Peters; Blue Springs, George Sharp and Daniel H. Wright;
Mount Pleasant, Jacob Whitman. and Nathaniel Gray, and Clear Branch, C, H.
Boatright and Joseph Kenney.
The new association was prosperous, and its growth remarkably rapid. At the
second meeting five churches, Zion Hill, Glade Spring, Cedar Ford, New Salem
and Beech Fork were admitted, making the number of churches ten, and the
total membership 579.
Other churches were admitted as follows.Bethel, Powell's River, Shady Grove
and Clinton, 1841; Liberty and Jacksboro, 1842; Locust Grove, 1848; Milan
and Hickory Valley, 1845; Zion, Chalybeate Spring and Poplar Creek, 1846;
Itidian Creek1 Sulphur Spring, Macedonia and Union, 1847; Elm Spring, 1848;
Big Valley, Beech Grove and Alder Spring, 1849; Head of Barren, 1850; Blowing
Spring, 1851. In 1853 Clinton Association was formed of several churches
in Anderson and Campbell Counties, having sixteen churches in the Northern
Association. Since that time the churches admitted have been Providence and
Cedar Grove, 1856; New Hope, 1857; Little Barren and Shady Grove, 1859; Nave
Hilt 1867; Liberty, 1868; Warwick Chapel, Rock Castle, Gravestown, Cedar
Creek, New Hope and Bethany, 1869; Chestnut Grove, 1870; Dutch Valley, Sugar
Hollow, Gap Creek, 1871; Cedar Spring and Pleasant Point, 1872; Haynes' Flat,
Texas Valley and Carr's Branch, 1878,' Cedar, Spring and Zion, 1877; Union,
1878; Crooked Creek, 1881; Spring Dale and New Prospect, 1882.
The total number of churches in the association is now thirty-two, of which
seventeen are in Union County. The aggregate membership is 2,960. |
FIRST SHERIFFS AND
OFFICERS |
| The following have been the officers of Union County since its organization:
Sheriffs-E. West, 1854-56; Jesse G. Palmer, 1856-186O; A. J. Brock, 1860-62;
Calvin Moore, 1862; Jannes L, Ledgerwood, 1865-68; Christian Ousley, 1868-72;
John Sharp, 1872-74; J. L. Ledgerwood, 1874-76; James M. Wilson, 1876-78;
W. 0. Monroe, 1878-80; William Oaks, 1880-84; William C. Sharp, 1884-86;
F. M. Miller, 1886. |
FIRST COUNTY COURT
CLERKS |
| Clerks of the county court-William T. Carden, 1854-1858; L. Huddleston,
1858-64; William Colvin, 1864-72; J.W. Turner, 1872-74; Coram Acuff, 1874-86;
W. B. Morton, 1886. |
FIRST CIRCUIT COURT
CLERKS |
| Clerks of the circuit court-Allen Hurst, 1856-60; R. J. Carr, 1860; L.
B. Carden, 1865-70; A. A. Snoderly, 1870-74; M. D. L. Kincaid, 1874-78; J.
F. Huddleston. Clerks and masters O. W. Huddleston, A. McPheeters and J.
W. Branson. |
FIRST COUNTY
REGISTRARS |
| Registrars William P. Owens, Thomas D. Harding, James W. Turner, Isaac
Snoderly, 1860-66; George Johnston, 1868-74; D. S. Turner, 1874-78. William
Weaver, 1878-80; E. B. Morton, 1880-86; J.R. Snoderly, 1886. |
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