The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1921-04-21

Scattered about the high bluffs
overlooking the broad Mississippi
river are a few markers left of Ran
/ dolph ii it's palmy days Occasion
ally an old citizen viii show a ravine
or partly caved road way, now grown
up in weeds and underbrush, saying;
There are the remains Of the main
street in Randolph"
This thoroughfare extended from
the steamboat landing through the
residence section, winding about the
foot Of the highest bluff, then strik-
ing out to the top, where once stood
Confederate batteries, placed there
during the Civil war to defend the
town.
Nothing is left Of old Randolph.
It was Destroyed by federal troops fol-
lowing some mans experience of
taking a shot at gunboat that had
taken it's stand in front of the town
flying the Union flag. The bullet
missed the gunboat, but it passed
through the flag. A report was
made to the commander, and men
were afterward landed with orders
TO burn the town and every house
within six miles around it.
The soldiers sent ashore to carry
out this order did their work thor
oughly. Not residence was left, ex-
cepting that of j. H. Barton. Ira
dition has it that Mr.. Barton, being
member of the same lodge as the
federal officer in command managed
to save his dwelling.
Mrs. G. w. Templeton, who has
lived in Randolph for more than so
years, said the federal soldiers did
not commit any robberies. They
gave every dweller of a house so
many minutes to get their belongings
out, then the torch was applied and
guards stationed to see that none Of
the fires were extinguished.
In an hours time all that was left
Of the once famous town of West
Tennessee. an early business rival
of Memphis. lay in ash heaps.
On top Of the bluffs, it is said by
old inhabitants, were located the best
residences. All that is left are
chimney foundations. cisterns and a
few sunken roadways, dead markers
.of streets. where the beaux and
bellies If the earliest times strolled
and talked of their future.
o After its destruction by federal
troeps most of the LARGEST nnercan-
tile houses were moved to ,Mennnhis
ard from them sprano some of the
lesding firms of that city.
Randolph was not settled by the
riffraff, as records show. There were
the Chapmans, Templetons, Free
mans, Clients, Bartons, Sullivans and
many other families, who trace the
history Of their forefathers back to
the twenties, when the town was
first thought Of.
M. H. Sullivan, a son of Isaac S.
Sullivan, still lives on his fathers
old home place. The residence was
used as schoolhouse after the Civil
war. The elder Sullivan's home met
the fate of others at the hands of
the federal troops.
In the rear Of the Sullivan home
are the remains of a Confederate
powder magazine. Young Sullivan
uses it now for potato house.
The magazine is about Is feet
deep, with arched ceiling, lined top,
sides and bottom with brick and ce-
mented over.
From the Sullivan home down the
side of the high bluff is located the
first cemetery at Randolph. A few
tombstones remain to mark the
graves of those who died more than
go years ago.
There is an imposing shaft at the
grave of Josiah Lee Wilson and
Rachael Wilson, his wife, Josiah
Wilson died July 26, 1870. He was
born September IA, 1906. His wife
died at the age of 40 years. Josiah
Lee Wilson is said to have been one
of the earliest settlers there. He
was merchant and planter and in
his active career made a great
amount of money. He was the father
of r. E. Lee Wilson, of Memphis.
Araan A. Harris, aged 20 years,
died in 1884, according to the en-
craving on tombstone. His FAM
lily were early settlers and consid-
cred the most prominent in West
Tennessee.
Amanda S., wife of John Adams,
died July 5, 1866. The Adams family
were also early settlers, engaging
in planting and merchandising. James
and Harretta Densford died in 1856.
Their graves are forgotten and none
of the old folks at Randolph could
remember any Of them.
Randolph was founded in 1927 1t
came about when some hunters
camped on the bluffs, and it is said
that Davy Crockett was frequent
visitor to the town. He was friend
of Marion Chapman, who was a
camper near Randolph in 1888, "the
night the stars fell" Mr.. Chapman
became a constable for the Randolph
district after reaching manhood, and
those who knew him claim he never
showed the white feather in making
arrests of bad characters who muir
dered an plundered through that Sec
tion of Upton county many years
prior to the Civil war.
When Randolph made a strong bid /
for business over Memphis she was
an incorporated town. At the time
the place began to decay and after
the federal soldiers burned it the
charter was surrendered. 1t was in
coruorated again a few years ago.
The last meeting Of the legislature
ended it all.
1--WE are all law-abiding citizens