The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1902-02-14
FACTS
...AND..-
~FANClES~

CORRESPONDENCE FROM TENNESSEE
BY WILL T. HALE.

S1S SEsS az az ~ M n 'sTE' M a
Origin of Names, and Early Hunting and
Trapping.
In every State in the Union there
are places, rivers and mountains
whose names date back for many
years.
The origin of many of them are de-
cidedly interesting. For instance,
when Roger Williams fed to Rhode
Islands wilderness to escape the in
tolerant Puritans, he called the place
where he stopped Providence, and the
name clings to the present enterpris-
ing city founded on the spot. So,
after a company from the ship May
flower, in 1920, went ashore to eX
plore the New England country, they
were suddenly attacked by Indians.
The pilgrims repulsed them, and i'm
mediately named the point where the
battle took place First Encounter
There are scores of places in Ten
nessee whose names the average read
er may wonder over, and not be able
to find the reason for them. It may
be amusing if not profitable to inquire
into their origin here.
twenty-five miles south of Nashville
there is q large section called Benton
the designation seems as appropriate
as 1.-THE Mountain Section for those
counties bordering the Cumberland.
The long residence of the mother of
Thomas H. Benton, the great states
man and orator, in the Benton Town
country gave it it's name. Mrs. Ben
ton, who was of the noted Gooch fam
lily of Virginia, lost her husband soon
after the Revolutionary war, and was
left with several sons and daughters.
Mr.. Benton had acquired a tract of
land, containing 10000 acres, in Ten
nessee, and the family moved to it, 1t
was on the extreme verge of civiliza-
ton. The great war-trail of the
Southern tribes of Indians led through
the estate. After awhile settlers be-
gan to come in, and with them a bet
ter protection from the sayages. The
estate was first called "The Widow
Benton's Settlement" and afterward
Benton Town.
Names of Rivers.
In 1850 the Holston river, in the
eastern portion of the State, was
known as Watauga river-"the river
of islands"-by the Cherokees. The
name was lost, and new one assumed
Some years before 1853 Stephen Hol-
ston, a resident Of that part of Vir-
ginia which afterward bore the name
of Botetourt, travelling in the South
and West, came to the headwaters of
a considerable river. Allured by the
fertility of the soil on either side, as
well as by the great quantity of game,
he proceeded some distance down the
stream. When he returned to Vir-
ginia after his excursion, and told his
Of his discoveries, his
name was given to the river.
The Clinch is also a celebrated river
watering East Tennessee. About 1861
a number of Virginians and Pennsyl-
vanians set out for the West, Daniel
Boone being among them, as was a
gentleman named Wallen. Boone left
them at Arlington, Va, but the others
passed through what is now Moccasin
Gap, in Clinch mountain. They were
yet in Virginia, and as they were
crossing a certain beautiful stream
therein, an Irishman, one of the party,
fell into the water from a raft, and
cried out, "Clinch me. Clinch mel"
of course meaning for his companions
to lay hold and save him. The COM
pany were not used to the word or
phrase, and, amusing themselves at
the expense of the Irishman, called the
river and also the mountain Clinch.
The names have been retained ever
since. A part of the mountains was
also called Wallen's Ridge.
The party continued their journey
through Cumberland Gap, and while
there agreed that Wallen, who ap-
peared to be a person of some promi-
hence, should name the new mountain
presenting its rugged peaks before
their gaze. Having come from Cum
berland county, Va, he gave it the
name of Cumberland. Reaching the
river now known as Cumberland flow
ing through Middle Tennessee, they
bestowed upon it the name of North
Cumberland. The south fork of this
river rises in Kentucky.
About the last of June, 1866, Col.
James Smith of Kentucky started out
10 explore a body of land which the
Indians told him lay between the Ohio
md Holston rivers, and which had
been ceded by the savage tribes to
Great Britain. Reaching Holston, in
company with Joshua Horton, William
Baker, Uriah Stone and others, they
travelled westwardly. They explored
he Cumberland and Tennessee rivers,
md came upon stream which emp
les into the former a few miles above
Nashville. To this river they gave |
he name of Stone. for Uriah Stone
stream which has become more cele-
1rated than its size would warrant |
since the great struggle of the civil |
war, the battle of Murfreesboro or |
Stone river.
Places of Local Note.
Perhaps Sumner county, in Middle |
Tennessee, has more names of places |
given by the first settlers than any |
,ther county in the State. Station |
camp Creek, Russell Creek, Bledsoe's |
lick, brakes Pond and Mansco's Lick |
ire some of them. The circumstances |
lnder which they took their names are |
# thrilling and dramatic interest. Va |
'ious parties made hunting and trap |
ling excursions through that section, |
.arrying their bear, deer and buffalo |
hides in boats down the river to sell |
n the settlements.
In 1771 Casper Mansco, Isaac Bled-
oe, Joseph Drake and an old man by |
he name of Russell entered the terri
DRY now included in Sumner county
nd camped and hunted. Russell was
cry old and near-sighted, and when |
hooting at deer or other animals was
hIiC tO tie Diace of white manor