Early days in Robertson County, which lies south of the Kentucky border in Middle Tennessee and includes the City of Springfield, are recalled in this spiral bound booklet compiled from excerpts from: History of Tennessee, originally published in 1886 by Goodspeed Publishing Co., Counties of Tennessee by Austin P. Foster (1923), and Tennessee, a Guide to the State, a 1939 Federal Writer's Project of the WPA. The new 51-page booklet is printed on 60# paper with the print enlarged for easier reading. A vinyl sheet has been added to protect the front cover. To hold prices down, we try to limit the size of our booklets, occasionally dividing the information into two booklets: one on history and one containing individual biographies. We have done this with Robertson County. "Biographies of Robertson County, Tennessee" is available as a separate booklet. Among the subjects included are: Geography -- Waterways and Soil traits; Whiskey Distilleries; The adventures of Thomas Kilgore, the first settler;Kilgore's, Maulding's, Sevier's, Adams' and Miles' Stations; Other early settlers, including Ezekiel Polk and Samuel Crockett; Indian troubles in the 1780s; Mills erected; a ghost story involving Elisha Cheek, the "Bell Witch" that haunted the family of John Bell, and a trial wherein a verdict of not guilty was influenced by a plea of witchcraft; two duels; the division of Tennessee County resulting in the formation of Robertson County; the County Court -- its magistrates and some of its procedures; County buildings; County officers; Legislative officers and members of constitutional conventions; the town of Springfield; Early businesses; Newspapers; Lodges -- Masons, Odd Fellows, etc; Other towns -- Adams Station, Greenbrier, Sadlersville, Cedar Hill, Coopertown, Turnersville, Barren Plains, Cross Plains, Mitchellville, Orlinda, and Black Jack; Fines of one to six cents; Various murder cases; a boy sentenced to the penitentiary for stealing a five cent hankerchief; W.W. Pepper, Mortimer A. Martin, Parry W. Humphreys, A.E. Garner, H.C. Crunk, and other judges and attorneys; Lynchings; the old militia system; Indian wars and the War of 1812; the Mexican War of 1836; the Civil War with names of some participants; Occupation of Springfield by various union forces; Liberty Academy, Bell Academy and other schools; Red River Missionary Baptist Church and other churches; and other items of interest. The WPA excerpt includes a visit to the site of "Bell Witch Farm" where the spirit of Old Kate Batts resided and even scared off Gen. Andrew Jackson (later President Jackson); Wessyngton House, built by Joseph Washington; and Springfield.
Robertson County, TN
only $10.10
Sources: History of Robertson County Tennessee; History of Tennessee
Authors: Mary L. Geiffs
Original Publication Year: 1886
Original Publisher: The Goodspeed Publishing Co.
See Description for more info.
