yesterday's tennessee

TENANTS AND FARM LABORERS WHO
LIVED ON THE HAMLETT-SMITH FARM
FROM 1908 THROUGH 1985

The Hamlett-Smith House

House on West Boundary

(white) - Arthur and wife Ellen Mount Seeley, children: Benton and Ed. (Ruby, Bill, and Nell born elsewhere). Small house near Hubert (Doc) Woodruff property line. House was torn down after they moved.

West - Log house built in early 1800's, burned about 1910,
replaced with 5 room frame house.

(black) - Tommie and wife MaryTrice, children: Harold, Joe, Fonnie, Narcissus, Willie Maud, Jenny, and Bertie.
(white) - Henry and wife Ora Brewer Stone, children: Clarence and Elton.
(white) - Albert and wife Mary Melton Brewer and son Leon.
(white) - Billie Joe Johnson and wife Louise, children: Patsy and Max (3 born elsewhere).
(black) - Dude and wife Louise Massengill, children: Alvee, Maxine, and Jim.
(white) - Irvin and wife Ernestine Johnson, children: Bobby and Maxine.
(white) - Jodie and wife Flora Jordan Morris, children: Earl, Roy, Edward, Norma Gene, Jerry, Joe Lee, and Laverne. Lived there the longest of any tenant
(white) - Couple by name of Morris, 2 months.

Log house (slave cabin still in use) across ravine from main house and west.

(black) - Sam and wife Lucy Ross, children: Culiver, Robin, Roy, and Lessie.
(white) - Lenzie and wife Nannie Brewer Tedford, children: Joe Neal, (Ruth, Howard born elsewhere).
(white) - Albert and wife Mary Melton Brewer, son Leon (born there in 1912).
(black) - Rufus and wife Lessie Ross Trice, daughter Arizona.
(black) - Tom and wife Ella Scott Barham
(black) - Jack and wife Suzie Cawthon Massengill (Suzie died there).
(white) - Hugh and wife Ivy Cherry Young (oldest couple ever to live on farm).
(black) - Rufus and his mother Willie Brown.
(black) - Rufus and Georgia Massengill Trice, children:William, L. C., Dennis, Ruby, and Charlene (2nd time for Rufus).
(white) - Wilburn (Tuck) and wife Betty Brown Russell and son Mike (Ann and Steve born elsewhere).
(black) - Tilmon (Tick) and wife Florence Cawthon Massengill, children: Tubby and John Daniel (2 born elsewhere).
(white) - W.C. and wife Peggy Clenny Ross.
(white) - Roy and wife Palace Moore Hinson 2 months (storm destroyed their home in Glendale, 1952).
(white) - Harry and wife Bettye Middleton Brown, son Don (lived there 13 years).
(white) - Billy Neal and wife Sandra McEarl Lott, son Shane (he was born while they lived there).
(white) - Michele Curtis (Mike) and wife Jeanette Johnson Nash, son Mark (Mark was born while they lived there). Brandon was born elsewhere.
(white) - Larry and wife Judy Roach Nobles (honeymoon couple). First couple ever to live on the farm to divorce. Six years and he lived there 2 years after divorce.
(white) - Stephen and wife Debora Ross Plunket (honeymooners) Dog deal: 8 months rental agreement cancelled.
(white) - Mary Lou Brown (daughter of Floyd Beacham), children Chuck and Kurt. First divorcee ever to live on the farm. First tenant to be evicted.
(white) - Lenzie and Dana Huddileston Kirk (honeymooners) 8 months.
(white) - Blake and wife Barbara Lynch Potter (6 months).
(white) - Paul and wife Terry Merservey Yielding (honeymooners) 1981. Mary Katherine was born May 23rd, 1983, the first white baby girl ever to be born while her parents lived there. Second white baby girl to be born on the farm 1900 to 1984. She was born on Paul's mother Edith's birthday, May 23. Twenty-three years prior to this date the first white baby girl was born while her parents lived on another part of the farm, daughter of Lance and Ann Wallace Bailey (Andrea Earline Bailey). In 1985 Mary Catherine has a little brother, Patrick, on February 23, 1985. He is the only baby boy named Patrick ever to be born on the farm

The Log House (behind the 2 story smokehouse)
damaged by storm and never rebuilt

(black) - Sam and Floura (Flura) Hart. Ned Trice (slave) lived and only with them, (his wife Neelly died in 1910 earlier). Ned and Sam tenant that cut a 50" plus diameter poplar tree and from a 22 ft. cut we knew to split and made troughs. One was hand hewn and made into live there a meat trough where hams and shoulders were salted and cured. The other half was made into a watering trough used near the mule barn and cistern. The troughs were made in the 1850's. The meat trough is still in use and good condition; the other long ago rotted.

Log House on left of road between main house
and the Hamlett Cemetery Road

(black) - Texanna Hopkins wife, children: John H. (drowned here in 1915), and son, Ed and wife Willie Maude and sister Mary Louise. Jack Hopkins, father died in Kentucky 4 months before Mary was born.
(white) - Calvin and wife Luevinnia (Lou) Smith Young, child Elmer. They reared a niece, Hessie Lyles. House burned and a 5 room frame house was built (1918).
(white) - H.O. and wife Dexter Smith McCall, son: William H. The 5 room frame house was built for Dexter.
(white) - Ed and wife Ima Davis, children: W. T., Roy, Joe Neal, Inetha, and Juanita.
(white) - Jim and wife Grace Ivy Teague, children: James and Bobby.
(white) - Henry and wife Opal Gilliam Benson, children: G. Howard, Charles, Travis, Dewayne, Jan, and Pat.
(black) - Anderson (Jack) and wife Jessie Lidell Edwards, children: Luna, Lena. Carol, Helen, Mack, Jerry, Charles, Larry, and Jackie.
(black) - William and Narcissus Trice Long, children (13): Thomas, Laura, Raymond, Orylee, Joe Neal, Lee L., Lonnel, Mildred, Woodson, Dorthy, Netha(2 dead).A bedroom was built on west side to furnish room for all 13.
(white) - W. D. (Tom) and wife Dorthy Lambert, children: W. D., Jr. (Pep), and Joy. (His mother lived with them).
(white) - Lance and wife Ann Wallace Bailey and daughter Andrea Earline. The first white baby girl ever to be born on the farm 1900 to 1984. Wade was born elsewhere.
(white) - Wayne and wife Morris, son of J. T. and Fedelia Ross Morris. House in bad condition and after they moved was demolished.

Log House 4 room with double chimney on hill opposite hill
where the Hamlett graveyard is located

(black) - Robert and wife Anna Cawthon Frey, children: Thompsey, J. L., David, Roy Bella and Luna.
(white) - Lee and wife Elma Johnson, children: Billy Joe, Irene, and Carl. (Mabel, Bertie, and Electra born elsewhere).
(black) - John A. and wife Effie Barham Cawthon, children: Bellzora, Suzie, Nellie, Florence, Raymond, Franzier, Jerry, John A. Jr., Bernie, Daniel, and Frank. 12th and the baby was killed when a stick of firewood fell and hit it on its head. House damaged by storm and fire and never rebuilt.

House built out of a barn and scrap material across gully from
the log cribs in the sheep pasture about 1936

(black) - Tilmon (Tick) and wife Florence Massengill, sons: Tubby and John Daniel, (2 girls born elsewhere).
(black) - Jack and 2nd wife Sally Moffitt Massengill, her sons: Dillard and Sonny. Sally died there in 1977, and the house burned 1978, and was never rebuilt.

Log House 2 rooms and 2 side rooms located on the 126½ acre tract
across Henderson-Lexington Road, now 22A highway

(white) - George and wife Mary Smith Stewart, children: James (Jim), Callie Rosella, Samantha., and Sadie. They became owners of the farm and house in 1911 bought from W. L. and Martha Benson Smith.

 

The Main House (1906-1908)

The Tedford family rented the farm and lived in this house from 1906 to 1908. James Cornelous (Jim) and wife Georgannah Patterson Tedford; children: Ida Tedford Tarpley, Linzie (Dick) Tedford, Edward Tedford, Mona Tedford Beene, John Tedford, Mahlon Tedford, Bernal Tedford, Lila Tedford Dennis. As of 1985 the only one living is Lila.

Tedford Family Reunion Held In Oklahoma The descendants of the late James Corneious and Georgannah Patterson Tedford met July 27 and 28 in Elk City, Oklahoma. The reunion provided an opportunity for many members of the third, fourth and fifth generations to meet for the first time. They came from Tennessee, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, New Mexico, South Carolina, Maryland annd Colorado. They can from Tennessee, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, New Mexico, South Carolina, Maryland and Colorado. James C. and Georgannah Tedford reared eight children. Only one survives, Mrs. Lila Tedford Dennis of Hollis, Oklahoma. Other children, now deceased, were Mrs. Ida Tedford Tarpley, Ed Tedford, Linzie Dick Tedford, Mrs. Mona Tedford Beene, John Tedford, Mahlon Tedford and Burns Tedford. A total of 76 descendants registered at the Elk City Civic Center. On Sunday morning, worship services were led by Dr. Daniel Baccus of Nashville, assisted by Dr. Steve Ellis of South Carolina, Jack Tarpley and Son, Tom, of Chattanooga, Barry Ellis of South Carolina, and James Henderson of Oklahoma. Among those attending were Mrs. Louise Tarpley Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Neil Tarpley, Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Tarpley, Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Tarpley, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Tarpley and children, Dr. and Mrs. Daniel Baccus and daughter, Dr. and Mrs. Steve Ellis and children, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Neil Tedford. Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Tedford and children, Mrs. Cornelia Tarpley and Mrs. Jesse Davis.

Tenant and Laborer Agreements

The tenants and laborers had verbal rental and lease agreements. The tenants owned their livestock, equipment, tools, vehicles for harvesting and travel, and paid one-fourth cotton, one-third corn rent, and shared in the hay crop. The laborers used the landlord's livestock and equipment and paid one-half of the cotton and corn and shared in the hay crop.

Both tenants and laborers were furnished a house, well, barns for livestock. smokehouse, henhouse, and outdoor privy. They were required to have a cow or the use of a cow for milk and butter, hogs for meat and lard, chicken or fowls for meat and eggs, and a garden or truck plot for food supply. They had pastures with ponds and helped with the upkeep-seeding and clearing both undergrowth and clearing. They were furnished the wood for both heating and cooking. They cooperated in clearing land, cutting timber for lumber needed for building and repairs, clearing ditch banks, digging ditches, building and repairing fences, improvements needed to land, repairing equipment, sharpening tools, keeping harness in good shape, and caring for the animals.

In the spring they cleared and hauled out manure from stables, cow sheds, sheep barns, and hen houses and spread it on the fields. No one worked in rain, snow, sleet, or cold. They cooperated in the hay and fodder harvest, using the landlord's mower, rake, and baler. Slaughtering time was both group and individual.

Tenants shared in wheat crop and harvest of Sorghum Molasses and Cider Vinegar. Each had a small orchard on the place at the 7 tenant houses but helped with the big orchard for all needs of fruit.

Roundup time came in summer when everybody came to the "big house" for a day of feasting on bar-be-cue hog, goat, and mutton, together with Brunswick stew, breads, desserts, and plenty of tubs of ice-cold lemonade.

Roundup Time

Andrea Bailey (1900-1988), the First White
Baby Girl Born on Farm

Catherine Yielding the First White Baby
to be Born in Slave Cabin on the Farm

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