The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1912-02-16
HISTORIC FRANKLIN
TAKING ON NEW
LIFE.

When speaking of the different
cities and towns Of Tennessee that
have first-class records as important
towns where the people are doing
things, one must not overlook
the county seat of William
son. No more wide-awake seat, OF
it's size, can be found in the old
Volunteer State. Franklin is the
local cente' Of the State of TenncS-
see, being as near Shelby as it is to
Carter. While it is true it. cannot
boast of being a metropolis but the
encouraging feature of Williamson
County's largest city is, that out Of
about three thousand inhabitants, one
thousand are Negroes. These thrift
ty, industrious, wide-awake one thou
sand Negroes stand on par with those
OF any other city. Indeed the homes
of some of the most noted men and
women in the United States can be
traced to this quiet, unassuming spot
on Tennessee's map. In order that
one might get a pictorial glance Of
what is transpiring in Williamson
County, whose record in ante-bellum
days stands unparalleled in the state
and whose citizenship, present and
past, has afforded great men and
women, a review of the personnel
as we'll as the avocations Of busi-
ness among the Negroes might not be
o. of place.
The Negroes are conducting the
following businesses: grocery stores,
butcher shops, shoe shops, tailoring
establishments, undertaking estab-
lishments, hotels and other enterpris-
es that, not only furnish their chill
dren employment, but that give them
rating in the business world. All
of this has not induced them to over.
look their religious duties. There
are eight organized, well-attended
churches whose towers point skyward
at Franklin. The peaceful relation
which exists between the races has
always been a matter of much favora
BILE comment.
Franklin and Williamson County
furnished more free Negroes during
the period of slavery than any Other
section of the state. This is actually
proven by the records. There were
Negroes in Williamson County dur
ing the darkest days Of slavery wht
were pursuing first-class trades anC
whose children still live to testify tt
these facts. At present there ar,
some successful business men ant
farmers in the county: Mr.. A. N. c
Williams, proprietor OF a grocer.
store; Mr. G. w. Patton & Company
grocery merchants; Mr.. T. A. viii
liams, proprietor of a grocery store
Mr.. ]. T. Patton, undertaken; Mr.. H
G.. Ewing, undertaken; Mr.. Johl
Lawrence, merchant tailor; Mr.. AL
drew Merritt, blacksmith; Mr. vii
Redmond, proprietor of hotel; MI
John Carter, president of the Thrash
ing Machine Company; Mr.. Andrey
Ewing, Mr.. Henry Ferguson and MI
Harry Ewing are contractors, an
there is contracting firm in the cit
known as Ewing and Wilson.
The proprietors of barbershops ar
Messrs Fount Brown, Jackson M
Even and John Hughes. While tn
butcher shop there is owned by MI
Charley Conn, who has been in bus
ness over a quarter of a centur!
Mr.. Jack Shelburn is one of the leaC
ing uphOlsterers in the city, Will
Mr.. Gus Foster occupies an enviabl
position as a machine man. Prom
nent among the farmers in clos
proximity to Franklin, who ow
splendid farms of their own, al
Messrs. Jack DAVIS, Tom Masol
Wiley Scruggs, John Gentry and
Hatcher, The homes of Frankli
compare on the whole favorabl
with those Of any other city in tn
! state.