Davidson County TN Genealogy – Access Genealogy

Slave Narrative of Ann Matthews

Person Interviewed: Ann Matthews Location: Nashville, Tennessee Place of Birth: Murfreesboro, Tennessee Place of Residence: 719 9th Ave. South, Nashville, Tennessee “I wuz bawn in Murfreesboro on Stones River. I dunno how ole I ez en hit meks me ‘shamed ter tell peeple dat, but mah mammy would hit me in de mouth w’en I’d ax how ole I wuz. She say I wuz jes’ tryin’ ter be grown.” “Mah mammy’s name wuz Frankie en mah daddy wuz Henry Ken Kannon. Don’ member much ’bout mah mammy ‘cept she wuz a sho’t fat Indian ‘oman wid a turrible tempah. She … Read more

Biography of Rt. Rev. John Patrick Farrelly, D. D.

Farrelly, John Patrick, Rt. Rev. D. D.; Bishop of Cleveland; born, Memphis, Tenn., March 15, 1856; son of John P. and Martha Clay Moore Farrelly; early education in the grammar schools of Tennessee, Arkansas and Kentucky; studied classics for three years at Georgetown University, Washington, D. C.; in 1873, went to Europe, to complete classical education; graduated from the College of Notre Dame de la Paix, Namur, Belgium; from Namur, went to the American College, Rome, to study philosophy and theology; at the conclusion of a brilliant course received the Doctorate in Sacred Theology from The University of the Propaganda, … Read more

The Seminole War of 1816 and 1817 – Indian Wars

After the close of the war with Great Britain, in 1815, when the British forces were withdrawn from the Florida’s, Edward Nicholls, formerly a colonel, and James Woodbine, a captain in the British service, who had both been engaged in exciting the Indians and Blacks to hostility, remained in the territory for the purpose of forming combinations against the southwestern frontier of the United States. Nicholls even went so far as to assume the character of a British agent, promising the Creeks the assistance of the British forces if they would rise and assert their claim to the land which … Read more

Slave Narrative of Rachel Gaines

Person Interviewed: Rachel Gaines Location: Nashville, Tennessee Place of Residence: 1025 10th Ave. N., Nashville, Tennessee Age: 95-100 “Lawdy! I’se dunno how ole I ez. B’leeves I’se ’round 95 ter 100 y’ars. De fust thing I members ez I wuz tuk in a waggin ter Trenton, Kentucky en sold ter Dr. Bainbridge Dickerson jest lak dey sold cows en hosses. Mah sistah wuz sold in de same way at Bowling Green, Kentucky ter ‘nuther Marster.” “I wuz sold only one time in mah life en dat wuz w’en Marster Dickinson bought me. Atter freedum wuz ‘clared de Marster tole all … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Joseph Leopold Borgerhoff

Borgerhoff, Joseph Leopold; University prof.; born, Belgium, Sept. 27, 1870; son of Theodore and Elizabeth (Opt’ Eynde) Borgerhoff; education, Ecole Moyenne, Leau; Ecole Normale de I’Etat, Burgess; University of Brussels; came to America in 1895; M. A., Vanderbilt University, Tenn., 1901; studied University of Wisconsin, University of Chicago; married Elizabeth Woodward Guerard, of Atlanta, Ga., Sept. 16, 1903; fellow and assistant in romance languages, Vanderbilt University, 1900-1; assistant in Germanic languages, University of Wisconsin, 1901-1902; fellow in Romance languages and assistant in Spanish, University of Chicago, 1902-1903; instructor romance languages, 1903-1906, associate professor, 1906-1910, professor since 1910, Western Reserve University; … Read more

Davidson County, Tennessee Cemetery Transcriptions

Tennessee Cemetery records are listed by county then name of cemetery within the Tennessee county. Most of these are complete indices at the time of transcription, however, in some cases we list the listing when it is only a partial listing. Following Cemeteries (hosted at Davidson County, Tennessee Tombstone Transcription Project) Adams-Kimball Cemetery Aldrich Cemetery Aldrich Family Graveyard Alford Cemetery Anderson-Johnson Cemetery Baker Cemetery Barnes Cemetery Barry Cemetery Bell Cemetery Bell Family Cemetery Bess Cemetery Blackman Cemetery Blair Cemetery Blunkall-Bennett Cemetery Bondurant Cemetery Boyd Cemetery Joe E. Brown Burnett Cemetery Carmack Cemetery Carpenter Cemetery Carper Cemetery Cole Cemetery Collier-Harris Cemetery … Read more

Biography of Robert Wray Brooks

For twenty-seven years Robert Wray Brooks has been identified with the wholesale paper trade of St. Louis and has developed an extensive business under the name of the Brooks Paper Company, of which he is the president. Studying closely every phase of the trade, actuated in all that he undertakes by a progressive spirit and by firm determination that enables him to overcome all obstacles and difficulties in his path, he has made steady progress toward the goal of success and is now controlling extensive and important commercial interests. Tennessee numbers him among her native sons. He was born in … Read more

Slave Narrative of Ellis Ken Kannon

Person Interviewed: Ellis Ken Kannon Location: Nashville, Tennessee Place of Residence: 318 5th Avenue N., St. Mary’s Church, Nashville, Tennessee “I dunno jes how ole I ez. I wuz bawn in Tennessee as a slave. Mah mammy kum frum Virginia. Our marster wuz Ken Kannon.” “Our Mistress wouldn’t let us slaves be whup’d but I member mah daddy tellin’ ’bout de Overseer whuppin’ ‘im en he run ‘way en hid in a log. He tho’t de blood hounds, he heered ’bout a half mile ‘way, on his trail could heer ‘im breathe but de hounds nebber fin’ ‘im. Atter de … Read more

Biographical Sketch of S. J. McLemore

S. J. McLemore, a pioneer of Tullahoma, was born in Lincoln County, Tennessee, December 29, 1822, and is the son of S. J. and Martha (Whitaker) McLemore, natives of North Carolina. The father died in 1825 and the mother in 1880. Our subject reared on the farm, remained there until his marriage to Margaret J. Ward in 1841, when he removed to Nashville and entered the produce business. In 1851 he came to Tullahoma. He sold goods until the civil war and after the close of the same entered the livery business. In 1876 he began merchandising, continuing at that … Read more

Biography of Wade Hampton Kornegay

For three decades Wade Hampton Kornegay has been a representative of the Vinita bar and with the passing years his clientele has steadily increased in volume and importance. as he has demonstrated his ability to cope with the intricate problems of the law, while he is also recognized as one of the most progressive agriculturists and stock raisers of Craig county. He was born in Duplin county, North Carolina, April 17, 1865, and was named for General Wade Hampton, the noted Confederate leader. His parents were Henry and Jeannette (Williams) Kornegay, who were also natives of North Carolina, the former … Read more

Slave Narrative of Emma Grisham

Person Interviewed: Emma Grisham Location: Nashville, Tennessee Place of Residence: 1118 Jefferson St., Nashville, Tennessee Age: 90s “I wuz bawn in Nashville. I’se up in 90 y’ars, but I tell dem I’se still young. I lived on Gallatin Pike long ‘fore de war, an uster se’d de soldiers ride by.” “Mah marsters name wuz Wm. Penn Harding. Mah daddy wuz sold at Sparta, Tennessee ‘fore I wuz bawn en Marster Harding bought ‘im. Mah mammy erready ‘longed ter de Hardings.” “I don’ member much ’bout slavery I wuz small, but I know I wore a leetle ole slip wid two … Read more

Slave Narrative of Alice Biggs

Interviewer: Miss Irene Robertson Person Interviewed: Alice Biggs Age: “Bout 70” Location: Holly Grove, Arkansas “My mother come from Kentucky and my father from Virginia. That where they born and I born close to Byhalia, Mississippi. My father was Louis Anthony and mama name Charlotte Anthony. “Grandma and her children was sold in a lump. They wasn’t separated. Grandpa was a waiter on the Confederate side. He never come back. He died in Pennsylvania; another man come back reported that. He was a colored waitin’ man too. Grandma been dead 49 years now. “Mama was a wash woman and a … Read more

Slave Narrative of Narcissus Young

Person Interviewed: Narcissus Young Location: Nashville, Tennessee Age: 96 Place of Residence: Rear 532 1st Street. No., Nashville, Tennessee “I’se 96 y’ars ole. Bawn in slavery en mah marster wuz Isham Lamb en mah missis wuz Martha Lamb. Mah mammy d’ed w’en I wuz three y’ars ole en I wuz raised in de house ’til I wuz big ’nuff ter wuk out in de fiels wid de uthers. Mah missis l’arn me ter sew, weav en spin. I also he’lped ter cook en wuk in de house. Atter I got big’er I went ter chuch wid mah white folks en … Read more

Biography of Chester Lee Hill, M.D.

The medical fraternity of Haskell finds a prominent representative in Dr. Chester Lee Hill, who is an exponent of all that is highest, best and most advanced in the, practice of medicine and surgery, and of all that is most worthy and honorable in his relations toward his fellowmen. He was born in Canton, Cherokee county, Georgia, May 1, 1876, and is a son of Andrew H. and Maria (Phillips) Hill, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of South Carolina. The father was one of the early planters of Georgia, becoming the owner of fourteen hundred acres … Read more

Biography of William Peyton Waggener

William Peyton Waggener, only son of Hon. Balie Peyton Waggener, had followed in the footsteps of his father in the profession of law, and had attained enviable rank and prominence in the profession at Atchison. He was born at Atchison June 18, 1870, and grew up in his native city, where he attended the public schools and St. Benedict’s College. In 1887 he graduated from the Military School at Boonville, Missouri, and for two years was a student in Midland College at Atchison. He then entered the law office of his father and after a careful preparation was admitted to the bar … Read more

Biography of Timothy S. Givan

Timothy S. Givan, editor and proprietor of the Tullahoma Messenger, one of the prominent weekly papers of Middle Tennessee, was born in Hardin County, October 8, 1845. He is the son of James M. and Mellona (Needham) Givan, both of whom were born in Kentucky, the former November 4, 1811, and the latter September 19, 1819. The parents, married October 9, 1834, had ten children born to them, six of whom were boys, and of these our subject is the youngest. The mother died April 4, 1854, and in 1856 the father married Rachael Clark. He died October 5, 1859. … Read more

Biography of Dumont D. Howell, M. D.

For sixteen years Dr. Dumont D. Howell was numbered among the capable, prominent and successful physicians of Nowata, where he passed away on the 6th of December, 1919. He was born in Murphy, North Carolina, January 14,1874, and was a son of D. M. and Margaret (Sudderth) Howell. The Howell family was long connected with the history of North Carolina and of Georgia and the Sudderths were also of an old family of the former state. In the acquirement of his education Dumont D. Howell supplemented his public school course by study at the Young Harris College of Georgia and … Read more

Slave Narrative of Naisy Reece

Person Interviewed: Naisy Reece Location: Nashville, Tennessee Place of Birth: Williamson County TN Age: 80 “I wuz bawn in slavery, in Williamson County, guess I’se ’bout 80 y’ars ole. Think I wuz fou’ w’en de wah started.” “Mah mammy en daddy wuz Mary en Ennock Brown.” “Mah missis en marster wuz Polly en Randall Brown.” “Dunno ob any ob our fam’ly bein’ sold. W’en freedum wuz declar’ we wuz tu’n loose wid nothin’. Mah daddy tuk us down in de kuntry, raised crops en made us wuk in de fiel’.” “I’se cooked a leetle fer urther peeple, but mos’ ob … Read more

Biography of Cortez F. Enloe, M.D.

Dr. Cortez F. Enloe, a man of strong personality who has been a leader in the public life of Jefferson City for many years and who is numbered among the substantial citizens as well as among the successful physicians of this part of the state, was born in Clarksburg, Missouri, January 28, 1881, his parents being James and Mary (Ryan) Enloe, who were also natives of Missouri. The father was a school teacher in early life but afterward became a merchant and at all times took a deep interest in public affairs, especially in the welfare and improvement o1 the … Read more

Biography of Prof. T. B. Kelly

Prof. T. B. Kelly, A. M., LL. B., president of Pure Fountain College, Smithville, was born in Columbia, Maury Co., Tenn., in 1852. His parents were Thomas J. and Elizabeth (Hardwicke) Kelly. The father was of Irish descent, born March 9, 1810, in Dickson County, Tenn., where his father, Thomas Kelly located after emigrating from Ireland, about 1800. Thomas J. married in 1838, and about 1844 moved to Columbia, where he established a queens ware store, which he managed successfully until the year of his death, 1861. His first wife was of French extraction, born in 1817, in Buckingham County, … Read more