Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1898-07-01
HiStOriC-I70o.

In these sketches which we are attempt
ing !" give we must rely largely upon
traditions handed down from the old PEG.
pie OF the past generation. There are
lew records of the old days prior to 1928
Therefore we may make some slight or.
rorS, which we will thank any os our
readers To correct.
Inc county of Tazewell was laid of I'm
l'~. The county then comprised all of
what Is now Mcdowell County and a
part OF Mercer. the greater part of Buch-
anan, and part of Bland.
I'm the Spring of 1900. VIM Peer,, ond
Nahuel Ferguson gave the land for the
town OF Jacksonville, VIM. Peery gave
/" acres, and Samuel Ferguson gave 10
acres and 2S poles. VIM. George James
Written and Jno Crockett were apnointed
10 la of the town, and 10 designate .
acres Tor public buildings. James Moore
surveyed the lots for ~ - cents each
he hrst Court House and Jail was
nuilt on the lot now occupied by w ~
Nlttcn " COS. store. The Court IIouse
was temporary cheap loo bpiIdinc
costing tSays Jas. X. Witten, ESQ ten
dollars. The Jail was built of stone and
brick
Nol. HARRISON recOllectS an amusing
incident connected with the Jail. II
seems That citizen of the town owned n
COW that gave great trouble TO the neigh.
oorS around about by breaking into gar
denS %c.- a veritable "town COW " and
III those days all cows were belled. some
o' the citizens who could bear the NUS
ahce no longer put the COW, bell and all
III the jail. Ii is needless to add that
inns cow gave no futher trouble.
III inns primitive and rude Court House
justice was dispensed for a number of
years. There were no Judges i'm tbosa
uays as now, but OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES less
'h"l three at time. we believe, occupled
the bench.
The first deed recorded i'm Tazeweu wos
executed by James Brown TO .John Sto,n
e"Soh. conveying one hundred acres of
iahd' Tor $4,000, Lying on the Maiden
spring Fork of Clinch River The
hrst VIII probated was that of .Iames
"aIeS' who lived on Bluestone. which
was AT the time the will was written in
"ythe county. This VIII was nrohatad
S..Ns
sept. md $500. Court was organized and
established. therefore, in 1900 i'm thio
county, Just about 9S years ago. Not =
single man or woman is living now. who
llNed, and moved, and had their bainos
mere, when our County Court was estab.
iShed
just how long Court was held in this
hIst building we do not know, probably
NOT very long. Some years elapsed. and
another building was erected on the site
now occupied by HARRISON & GiIlesnie
broS - store. This building was removed
anu larger and a more commodious
building erected, Col 10. Harrison SAVE
!" io"'' or Whereabouts, aud the old
puiiolhg was moved to a lot about where
Col May 5 Office now stands, ant Ms ed as
school building for while.
In the year 1872 the present ,,urt
house was built. The old one was sold
to Mr.. Jos. Stras, who refitted il for a
business mousse, law Offices &c. 1t was
burned i'm 1881.
90 the Old land marks have been re-
ihoVed-o by One-tO meet the demands
Oh developing civilization.
me present Court House is TO he re-
modelled, we understand, and the next
generation Will remodel again, and so il
goes. ~
III future article we hope to give brief
sketches OF some eff the leading LAWYERS
Oh oiden times, when Tazewell was in its
infancy.