yesterday's tennessee

BITS AND PIECES

Jonathan Kennon Thompson Smith

In the Lexington, Tennessee cemetery is buried the following person with a slab tombstone, grave length, still in sound condition although flush with the ground:

Sacred to the memory of AMANDA J. SWAYNE who was born May 18, 1824 and departed this life July l, 1857, Age 33 yrs.1 mo. & 13 d's. The Lord gave and the lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord.

Buried in Lot 229, Riverside Cemetery, Jackson, Tenn.: JAMES W. SWAYNE: In memory of JAMES W. SWAYNE, born Nov..6, 1821, died Mar. 14, 1856. Shed not for him with bitter tear nor pine with vain regret, Tis but the casket which lies here, The gem is sparkling yet.

U.S. Census, Henderson Co., Lexington, October 31, 1850, page 361: JAMES SWAYNE, age 29, born Va., lawyer; AMANDA J. SWAYNE, age 26, born Tenn.

Living in the household of FELIX W. HENRY in 1860, Henderson Co., civil district 10, page 251, were: J. F. SWAYNE, male, age 10, born Tenn.; M. W. SWAYNE, female, age 8, born Tenn.; J. W. SWAYNE, male, age 5, born Tenn.

In RECEIPT BOOK, Henderson Co., 1857-1895, page 8, MARY W. (Mollie) SANDERS, wife of S. P. SANDERS, received from W. C. McHANEY, guardian of minor heirs of JAMES and AMANDA JANE SWAYNE, $100, October 8, 1869, Mary W. being a daughter, or minor heir of the older Swaynes. IBID., page 23, JOHN F. SWAYNE, received as such heir from McHaney his share of the estate, $1771.13, Aug.8, 1871. IBID., page 59, JAMES W. SWAYNE, received a such heir from McHaney his share of the estate, $830.56, January 24,1877.

 

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In an enclosed plot in the Lexington, Tennessee cemetery are several members of the BROOKS family: WILLIAM BROOKS, born in Newtonlamavady, Ireland, March 5, 1805; Died at Nashville, Tenn., Dec. 30, 1865. This is inscribed on a grave-length slab, the uppermost portion now broken into several pieces. Just north of him, MARGARET wife of WILLIAM BROOKS born in Londonderry, Ireland, Dec. 26, 1811; Died at Perryville, Tenn., Nov. 19, 1865; grave-length slab in sound condition. Just north of her, Sacred to the memory of JOHN C., son of W. & M. BROOKS, born Oct .5, 1837; Died Dec. 30, 1858, Aged 21 y. 25 d.; grave-length slab in sound condition.[Newton Limavady is located in County Londonderry, Ireland.]

U.S. Census, October 1850, civil district 10, Henderson Co., Tenn., page 361: WILLIAM BROOKS, age 45, born Ireland, merchant; MARGARET BROOKS, age 37, born Ireland; JOHN BROOKS, age 11, born Tenn.; WILLIAM BROOKS, age 7, born Tenn.

 

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GOODSPEED's HISTORY OF TENNESSEE, Henderson County, 1887, pages 848-849:

J. N. Hall, a leading druggist of Lexington, was born in 1844, near his present place of residence. He is the son of Robert W. and Martha (Thomas) Hall. The father is of Scotch-Irish descent, born in Huntsville, Ala., in 1813. When a youth he commenced clerking in the dry goods store of Mr. Bradley, where he continued in the same capacity for about fifteen year. When about twenty-six years of age he went to Reynoldsburg, Tenn. The following four years he was engaged as clerk, captain or overseer on the Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers. In 1843 he came to Lexington and established a mercantile house, where he displayed marked business qualifications, and met with success. In 1880 he moved two and a half miles out of the town; in 1866 went to Jackson and resumed merchandising; in 1883 he sold out, and has since lived a retired life. He has the confidence and esteem of all. His marriage with Martha Thomas occurred in 1843, at Paris, Tenn., an estimable lady of Henry County, born in 1826, of French-Scotch descent. To them eleven children were born, nine of whom are living, the subject of our sketch being the eldest. He received his education in the academy at Lexington. When quite young he entered his father's store as clerk, and remained there until 1878, when he came to Lexington and opened a first-class drug store, in which business he is still engaged, carrying a large stock of drugs, paints, oils, brushes, perfumes, etc. He is a man of ability and integrity, inheriting largely many of his father's noble traits of character. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and a Mason, belonging to St. John's Lodge, No. 139, of Jackson. He is also a Democrat, and his first presidential vote was given Horatio Seymour in 1868. Mr. Hall was married November 13, 1870, to Lyda Fielder, a native of Lexington and daughter of John S. and Mary P. (McHenry) Fielder. The father is a well known druggist. Mrs. Hall is the mother of three children: Robert W., John F. and Lyda. Mrs. Hall is a true Christian woman, a member of the Missionary Baptist Church.

Buried in Lot 196, Riverside Cemetery, Jackson, Tennessee:

R .W. HALL
Mar.10, 1813-Oct. 4, 1890

MARTHA C., wife of R.W. HALL
February 25, 1825-November 2, 1888

Other works by Jonathan K. T. Smith can be found at the Madison County Records Repository at TNGenWeb.