The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1916-02-25
BROWNSVILLE AND
HAYWOOD COUNTY
OF THE LONG AGO, AS REMEM-
BERED BY AN OLD CITIZEN
Mr.. John Clinton Gives Some History
of Our Town and County Which
Will Prove Interesting TO
Many of Our Citizens.

In the year 1872 the State Consti-
tuition was adopted, and on March 2S,
General John Sewer was elected Gov
ernor of Tennessee at salary of $3.50
per annum. The county Of Haywood
was organized in 1923 and was named
in honor of John Haywood of the Su-
preme court.
By some means it was heralded
abroad that Tennessee, and particu-
larly West Tennessee was a new and
very rich country and more particu-
larly Haywood county, which caused
great rush of immigrants from Vir-
ginia and North and South Carolina.
But that long journey had to be ac-
complished with great hardship, there
being no means of transportation ex-
cept by fiat boats and barges. Public
roads were very poor. This class Of
immigrants came in their own wag-
ons and old fashioned earryalls, bring
ing with them their farming tools and
household furniture. They had to
cross many mountains and rivers be-
fore they could find the virgin soil,
where they could locate and build the
old log cabin in which to spend their
future days and by industry make a
comfortable living for their families.
1t required many weeks to complete
this journey.
When Brownsville was first settled
it was a small village within the orig
inal corporate limits, and the resi-
dences and business houses were small
one-story frame and log houses. In
the early forties there was small
brick one-story house that was used
for a Methodist church. There
were only three two-story brick
business houses on the public square,
the balance of the business houses
were one-story frame and log build
ings. The hotel was on the east
block and was a two-story frame
building. There was two-story
frame building which was used as a
hotel where now stands the Carnegie
Library.
The only brick residence that was
standing in the forties was where B.
M. Bradford now lives. On the corner
of Washington and Church streets
that was used for blacksmith shop.
The young men Of that day fitted it
up as Thespian Society for their own
end tho r ,&-.a. amusement The fol-
l0lTing composed the comPanryA DR..
w. B. Rogers, B. M. Estes, Joe Turner,
Simon Turner, Hal Rogers, Bill Pee
bles, d. Weaver, Sol Berson, W. b..
Grove, Doctor Turner, Mathew Bron-
tee, D. Taliaferro and others.
The first Presbyterian church was
built in 1925, and the first pastor was
Rev. Weir. The building was not
quite as large as the present building
but it had a gallery on the north,
south and east which was for the ben
eft of the slaves of that day who were
owned by the members of the church.
The pulpit is described as being eight
or ten feet high with steps leading up
to the pulpit. 1t was curtained with
dark blue burlap and it is said that
the minister's head was just visible
above the center when seated. The
present building was erected about
1855 or 1860. The church has had up
to the present time about twenty-four
pastors.
The next frame church building was
the NJ. E. church, South--date when
built is not known, but it was built on
the corner where the present church
stands. 1t fronted on the south with
two doors. Rev. Arthur Davis would
preach one Sunday evening and the
next Sunday Rev. Thos. Owen, Bap-
tist minister, would preach for the
benefit of the colored slaves. The
white boys (the writer being one)
would slip in behind the doors, not es-
pecially to hear the preaching, but to
see and hear them shout after the
minister had retired. This building
was rolled away to make a place for
a beautiful M. f. church, and which
when completed was greatly admired.
While the Conference was being held
in Paducah, Johnson's gin in front of
w. B. Booker's residence took fire and
the flames crossed the street and set
fire to the church, which was COM
pletely destroyed. Brownsville had
Just been selected as the meeting