Lawrence County Heritage

The Journal of the Lawrence County

(Tennessee) Genealogical Society

Vol. 17 No. 2  Winter 2013
 

Table of Contents

compiled by Susan Beeler Anderson 

From the Editor:

There is still a problem of not receiving enough material to publish in the Journal.  Please contact the editor if you can help or have any comments concerning the Journal.

New Sources Identified by Kathy Niedergeses

Kathy reports a recent discovery of two local newspapers and asks the readers to contact her if they know anything about American Union published around 1860 and Crestview Informer published in the early 1900's in the Crestview/Summertown area.  No papers of either publication have been found.

About Our Front Cover - Griggs Cafe  Compiled by Kathy Niedergeses

The article was compiled from information given to the compiler by Jessie Mae Griggs Knott and her sister Sharon Griggs Jessop.  Griggs Cafe was located at 106 Waterloo St. in Lawrenceburg where The Green Tomato Restaurant is now.  Details are provided regarding various owners with an emphasis on Everett E. & Nettie Mae Peppers Griggs who purchased the business from Edgar Thompson in the early 1950's.  Interesting facts concerning employees, menus, daily routines of the owners and family members highlight the story.  The cover photo is undated but appears to have been taken in the 1950's.  Another photo shows includes the storefront and other businesses today.

The Fire Fiend - Part III (continued from Fall 2013)  Researched and compiled by Kathy Niedergeses

This is the third article in a series that includes information on fires, fire fighting equipment and the men who have protected Lawrenceburg since early times.  Sources include local newspapers, minutes of the City of Lawrenceburg, various community histories, Our Hometown: Lawrenceburg, TN, etc. and are given with each entry.  The author asks the readers to submit any information regarding fires not listed to the Lawrence County Archives.  See the article for details on the location, date, etc. of each fire listed.  The following locations and associated surnames mentioned in the article:

Pin Hook; Eagle Cotton Mill, Dustin & White;  Marston; Holt; Simms & Sons; Crowder, Gibbs & Belew; Robertson; Burdine; Stewart's Merchandise Store, Summertown; Rippy; County Farm - Bradley; Summertown Jail; Moore, Swinnegen, Chadwick, LaBeauf, Thompson, Thomas; Summertown Bank; Ethridge Elementary School, McArter; Curtis; Commercial Hotel, Robertson, Garrett; Lawrenceburg Public School Building, Garner, Wheatley.  (To be continued in the Spring 2014 issue of the Journal)

Minutes to Lawrence County Genealogical Society Board Meeting, Saturday, September 21, 2013  Doyce Shaddix

Meeting was held at the Old Jail Museum.  It was called to order by President Wallace Palmore; minutes were accepted, seconded and passed.  The financial report was read, accepted, seconded and passed.  Old business included a report that many issues of the LCGS Journals through 2009 had been sold for one dollar and several after 2009 for the regular price.  No copies of David Crockett, The Public Man and Legislator by Gert Person have been sold since the last meeting.  New business included the re-election of two officers, Doyce Shaddix and Kathy Niedergeses.  Kathy asked for suggestions on ways to stimulate the growth membership.  The Journal will not be sent out until a sufficient number of membership dues are collected.  Meeting was adjourned.

Minutes to Lawrence County Genealogical Society Meeting, Saturday, September 21, 2013  Doyce Shaddix

Meeting was held at the Old Jail Museum and called to order by President Wallace Palmore.  Minutes of the last meeting were read and a motion to accept was made and seconded and passed.  The financial report was given, accepted and passed.  Old Business included a report there are 26 unsold Heritage of Lawrence County, Tennessee books for sale.  New Business included the re-election of two new board members.  The number of memberships is critical to being able to send the Journal bulk rate and it will not be sent until more renewals are received.  The next meeting is to be held at the Lawrence County Library.  Meeting was adjourned.  Curtis Peters gave a presentation on his roots to Jamestown, Virginia.

Mary W. Gibbons & Lewis W. Martin  by Mary Ann Glass Kelton

The author tells the story of Mary W. Gibbons, daughter of James and Elizabeth Gains Lovern Gibbons, and Mary's husband Lewis W. Martin.  They married after the Civil War in Tishomingo County, Mississippi but moved back to Tennessee in 1866 where Mary was born.  Mary raised three children after Lewis died in 1875.  Her grandchildren are also named.  Both Mary and Lewis were buried in the Gibbons Family Cemetery in Lawrence County.  Related photos are included.

Lawrence County, Tennessee 1890 Tax List - Part II, Conclusion, Ninth Civil District (continued from Fall, 2013)  Wallace Palmore

The names of those taxpayers in the Ninth Civil District of Lawrence County, Tennessee are listed with the following additional information: acres, land value, total property value, poll tax, state tax, county tax, school tax, RR tax, and highway tax:  Henson, Hickman, Hudgpeth, Hogan, Joiner, Jackson, Johnson, Kearns, Kilpatrick, Kerry, Kenkle, Krans, Lambert, Lanning, Locke, May, Marrah, Martin, McKens, Donelson, Morris, Morron, More, Messiner, Morebrink, McLean, Nealy, Orth, Parkes, Parman, Ezell, Pinkleman, Pamplin, Pelsting, Porter, Parker, Ratliff, Richardson, Roser, Reigensperger, Rose, Sandusky, Simonton, Schooler, Schire, Sinden, Smith, Sykes, Dunn, Shothberger, Schade, Shaw, Shmidt, Tripp, Thaney, Tylor, Ussery, Veder, Woner, Weigand, White, Wilkinson, Williams, Weber, Wisdom, Yarbrough, Yokley, Youngblood, Bonee.  (This completes The 1890 Lawrence County, TN Tax List for the Ninth Civil District.  The Tenth Civil District will appear in the Spring 2014 issue of the Journal.)

Migrations To and From Lawrence County, TN During The 1870s Through Early 1900s - Part XIII  (continued from Fall 2013)  Researched and Compiled by Kathy & Lawrence Niedergeses

This information was found in newspapers from the1890s and early 1900.  It includes names mentioned as migrating to or from Lawrence County, visitors, names registered in hotels, former residents subscribing to local newspapers.  Copies of the actual newspaper pages are available from microfilm from the Archives.  Please contact the Archives if you have migration information about your Lawrence County ancestors.  Surnames:  Oland, Turner, Wilson, Gillespie, Gambel, Fath, Ellers, Geachwind, Stribling, Carroll, Wallace, Looney, Orth, Reagin, Rogers, Thomas, Barnes, Boulie, Timberlake, Kennedy, Warn, Matthews, Hughes, Meridith, Parkes, Shaeffer, Bingham, Jones, Hillyer, Rhodes, Mawlerter, Geralt, Tucker, Meek, Sykes, Hancock, Kinney, Nixon, Jenkins, Collis, Craig, Mitchell, Evans, Embry, Childress, Hughes, Hough, Smithson, Allen, Gilmore, Beckham, Patton, Childress, Schade, Davis, Simms, Finch, McKissack, Horn, Harvey, Bridgeford, Tucker, Squires, Lee.  (To be continued in the Spring 2014 issue of the Journal)

Mystery Families and Photographs

Four photos from the Beckham, Cole, and Dye collections are published in hopes that someone can identify them. 

Businesses From The Past Dish Out Great Recipes  by LaShawn Howell Baxter

Information from the book The Ladies Aid Society Cook Book published in 1909 by the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Lawrenceburg, TN includes a complete list of businesses appearing in the book, table of weights and measures, and six recipes.  Five advertisements from local businesses are included.

Lawrence County Birth Records 1902-1912 - Part XXI (continued from Fall 2013)  Transcribed by Donna Niedergeses Davis, 2004

The following surnames are found in the original book of births and deaths in Lawrence County, Tennessee, 1908-1912 by Donna Niedergeses.  Information includes: last name, first name, date of birth, sex, color, where born, physician's name, date of ??, and page number in book.  Surnames:  Davis, Beckman, Littrell, Staggs, King, Jones, Wiggerman, Kerstiens, Johnson, Wethers, Hollander, Kesler, Hand, Crabb, Brown, Belew, Owens, Styles, Roberts, Lindsey, Braswell, Jones, Jennings, Rushing, Norwood, Stevenson, Doub, Cremer, Crabb, Richardson, Farley, Wilburn, McDow, Clayton, Wilburn, Pace, Legg, Durrett, Baxter, White, Haris, Cox, Bassham, Kelton, Hendrix, Chapman, Boyd, Ridgeway, Buffalo, Couch, Warren, Shook, Bailey, Appleton, Gallion, Grisham, James, Glass, Freeman, Murrell, Daughtry, Hannah, Crowder, Golden, Ball, Davis, Price, Freemon, McGaha, Shay, Sisk, Durrett, Smith.  (To be continued in the Spring 2014 issue of the Journal)

The Hardiman Family  Based on research by Clarence W. Hardiman, Edited and Additions by Kathy Niedergeses

This article covers some of the descendants of John Edward Hardiman who was born in 1812 in Virginia, moved with his father Thomas Hardiman to Limestone Co., Alabama in 1828, Giles Co. Tennessee in the 1840's and owned a farm in Lawrence Co. Tennessee. Children of John Edward Hardiman, his father Thomas Hardiman and his grandfather John Hardiman are named.  Family details are given for two children on John Edward Hardiman: Anderson P. Hardiman and Daniel Gibson Hardiman.  Two photos accompany the article: one of Anderson P. Hardiman and wife Drucilla Elizabeth Hughes Hardiman and another of Minnie Arbelle Ellison Hardiman, Hattie Day Wilburn, Caroline Powell Wilburn and Etta Day Shaddix.

The Book Nook  reviews by LaShawn Howell

A book in the Lawrence County Archives is reviewed- Haunted Mansions in the Heart of Dixie by Debra Glass.  The book is "a tour of tales that stretch from the Tennessee/Kentucky border where the Bell Witch found her fame, to Huntsville, Alabama where Cedarhurst Mansion has been home to the same ghost for nearly two centuries."

Yesteryear Insights

Excerpts of news items taken from local newspapers in 1895 include surnames: Tanner, Wilson, Morton, Haines, Schade, Kilburn, Blessing.

Last Updated July 5, 2014                                                                                        Return to Society's Home Page