The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1874-03-20
The Corner Stone.

stately superstruciure that will speedily
be erected upon the foundation now be.
ing laid in the public square of Athens,
there may be found by some antigua
rian, searching with the candle of tradi-
ton, n small metallic box, securely seal
ed and incl0sed with brick and cement,
containing manuscript memorial, to-
gether with the contract for building the
New Court House. the plan and specii'
cations of the same, aud possibly other
mementoes OF the present. 1t has been
suggested that copy Of the ATHENS
PosT, issued the week such deposit shall
be made, will form an appropriate and
interesting relic for those into whose
hands said souvenir may come.
After the foregoing explanation, we
will attempt The difiicult task Of making
brief mention Of such data as will nat
ursly be sought by those OF future
generation to whom this communication
is addressed-diflicult, moi for want Of
fitting material, for its abundance to the
writer is appalling. The scope of a
newspaper article, hastily written dur.
ing brief and interrupted snatches of
time, taken from busy vocation, the
day pr.oedina the publicatia" "f H.
journal for whose columns il is prepar-
ed, will not admit of more than an i'm
perfect coup d'eea. Much, which pleads
for record, both of local and general
character, past. present and prospective,
must be left untoucbed-to which IL is
hoped other pens and occasions will do
ample justice. The local history Of
Athens is magazine rich with mar
velous variety of interesting material
for the biographcr and historian.
The old Courthouse, recently demol-
ished to make way for the structure now
in process Of erection, was substantial
brick building, forty feet by forty, upon
a limestone foundation, two stories the
lower used az the court room or hall of
justice, The upper story was divided in
to Offices for clerks. Jury, etc. The roof
was covered with tin, and the building
surmounted by cupola and spire sup.
porting a large copper ball or hollow
cylinder. When first viewed by the men
of preceding generation, it was doubt.
less regarded rs grand aud commo.
d!ous structure, as its successor, which
covers the site and more than twice the
space occupied by tae old building, will
be when finished by the people oe this
generation. From records in the Coun-
ty Court Clerks Office, it appears that
the act authorizing the organization o
McMinn county was passed by the Leg
isature, in sess on at Murfreesboro', 9th
November, 1919. Tho first court was
held in Calhoun. small hamlet situated
on the east bank of the Hiwassce river,
about fourteen miles west of Athens, at
the house Of John Welker, on. the first
Monday of March, 1920. The first Jus
tees of the Peace, commissioned by the
Governor were George Coville. John
BENZ. Hhmbright Black and
Archibald Turk. First Clerk of the
County Court, Young Colvillc; Sheriff.
Spencer Beevers Trustee-A. r. Turk
Chairman of The Court-A. r. Turk
Hambright; Ranger
Griffith Dickson. The first County
Court in Athens occurred in December,
1923, in a temporary building The old
Court House was built in 1924, and
no late. Chas. L. Keith held the first
Circuit Court in the place. Athens
vas not founded, or laid Off into town
OTIS and streets, until about 1922. The
original Commissioners appointed to
av off the town of Athens we're Isaac
Rice. Alex G. Robson, Samuel McCon.
ell, John Walker. Thomas Armstrong,
george Colvillc, WIN. H. Cooke, John I
}. Flanagan aud Elijah Hurst. Prior ,
o date named, there were but two or I
hrcc rude cabins where tho picturesque '
nd thriving town now stands, distin. c
uished alike for lis social and lit c
rary advantages, and not less FOR the :
ealthfulness Of its inhabitants, who Il
ave never suffered from the malignant v
pidemics, which occasionally brought 4
isolation to less favored localities. II 4
said that q largo Indian town once s
coupled the present site of Athens. Il
ing anterior to the settlement of this b
'gion OF country by .hc whites. There n
ere certainly large scttlcments of In. c.
ians in this neighborhood within the
vuiuty ~ man.
The present population Of Athens, in "
uding tho suburbs, is about eleven ri
indred, perhaps two hundred colored q
he total population Of McMinn county, G,
cording TO the census tables Of 1870, G
1860. or this number 1880 are fl