The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1879-04-24
TENNEssEE,s HISTORY.
How it has Been Preserved for Thir-
ty Years by Admirers of the
Long Ago.
Important Facts and Figures.

The appended sketch, prepared
expressly for a late Issue of theNash-
vile Banner, by Arson Nelson, Esq.
the well known. and universally
poplar Secretary of the Historical
Society of Tennessee, will be pc.
rused with an unusual degree of in
terest, because of its Importance
and authenticity: ~.
Many years ago a society for the
collection and preservation of his
torical papers,, relics. antiquities,
&C., existed in Nashville. 1t did
not accomplish much, but its very
Organization showed the tendency
Of the minds in our city, noted for
scholarly attachments, to eRdeayor
to rescue from oblivion the history
Of people noted for patriotism,
chiyalry and intelligence, After il
ceased to exist for a considerable
time, several public spirited citizens
met in the library rooms of the
merchants association to ,reorgan
ize a historical society. This was
in May, 1S49, and the organization
was effected by the election of Ma
thaniel Cross AS President; Gen. A.
w. Putnam, Vice President; VIM.
A. Eichbaum, Treasurer; John r.
Eakin, Corresponding SECRETARY,
and w. F. Cooper, Recording Sec
rotary. This society did not exist
many years, but was again brought.
to life in 1857, who, at the May
meeting, elected the following OIL
GERS: A. w, Putnam, President,
Thos. Washington, Vice President;
w. A. Eichbaum, Treasurer; r. j.
Meigs, Jr., Corresponding Secreta
ry; Arson Nelson, Recording Sec
Rotary; John Meigs, Librarian.
Contributions OF valuable nanu
scripts, newspapers, relics, DC,
poured ia from ali parts of the
State, as well as few from other
States.
An anniversary meeting in pubic
took place on the LIST of May, 1858,
in Watkins grove. An immense
procession of old soldiers OF the war
of 1872, the Creek war;. the Mexi
can war, the officers and cadets OF
the Western Military Institute, the
Shelby Guards, the Nashville Ty
biographical Union, the Philoma
thean Society the teachers anal pu
pills of the Nashville Female Acad-
envy, the superintendent, teacher
of the public schools of Nashville
citizens on horseback, in carriages
buggies, DC, and clJizens on foot
marched from the Public Square &c
Watkins grove, where COLLATION.
was served In excellent style to al
present. The Hon. James Nj. Da
wilson, of Fayetteville, was the ora
tor of the day. Judge L. L. Smiley
read historical account OF the ser
vices of the Third Tennessee Regi
ment in the war with Mexico. Gov.
VIM. b. Campbell and Rev. DIR. G..
ID. Elliott delivered eloquent al
dresses. Bands of music were dis
tributed along the line of the pro-
cession, and The whole city made it
holiday occasion to commemorate
the organization of the provisional
government" at RoberUson's Sta
tion, now Nashville, May LIST, 1880.
and the formation of this society,
May LIST, 1S49.
At the annual celebration May l,
1859, Randall w. McGavock, Esq ,
Mayor of Nashville, and a grand
son of Hon. Felix .Grundy, pre-
sented a full length portrait OF
Judge Grundy, painted by Dury, in
a neat little speech, to which Col.
A. w. Putnam, President ofthe So
ciety, responded The Hon. John
NJ. Bright, OF Lincoln, delivered an
eloquent Grafton on the Lille, charac
ter and public services of Hon. Fee
Xix Grundy, the best criminal law
yer IN the South. The exercises
took place in the hall of the House
of Representatives, in the presence
Of as many people as. could obtain
An excellent band of
music enlivened the ceremonies. |
several companies. military and
civil, were present. The picture of
the deceased jurist was elegantly |
framed, and is now in one of the Ii
brary rooms in the Capitol.
In September, 1859, committee
of Hon. Thos. Washing |
ton, Col. A. w Putnam and Rev |
DR.. r. b. G.. Howell, was appointed /
to urge the council of the city OF
Nashville to adopt suitable meas
ures for the removal of the remains |
of Lieut.. Chandler, formerly pay
master In the. u. 5. Army, from
their place of interment in the sui
phur spring bottom TO Mount OLE
vet Cemetery. The committee &C
complished their purpose, and on
the 23d of Septemb Der the remains
were exhumed, and a procession,
accompanied by a band Of music,
large mum bers of citizens, the May
or and City Council, the Historical
Society and others, marched TO the
McKendree Church, where an APP
and patriotic address was
delivered by Hon. +. II. East. Lieut..
Chandler died here in 1901. and his
remains were found in good state OF
preservation
In October, 1859, at the request
of the society, Lieut.. NJ. f. Maury,
the distinguished scientist, deliv
cred his celebrated lecture on the
geography of the sea.
In January, 1860, the society re-
ceived from Egypt the splendid
Egyptian mummy now in the Capt.
tol, sent by Col. J. G.. Harris, Pur
ser IN the U. 5. Navy, now living on
South Spruce street. After the
meeting in September, 1860, the So
cIety ceased active operations until
several years after the war. Many
articles, papers, books, DC, were
lost during the war, but the small
collection of coins were all pre-.
served by being taken away from
the Capitol and placed in private
house, free from the dangers Of war
In 1874 the society elected the
following officers: DR.. j. G.. M.
Ramsey, President; DIR. r. G. Eos.
ter. Vice President; DIR. John III
Currey, Treas'r; Gen. g. p. Thurs
ton, Corresponding Secretary; An
80 NaIaor RarordinO &ocrofarv