Record book
pencils, shoes, bacon, sugar, lard, quinine, a bottle of King New Discovery ?, sage, stove, cuffs, calico, shirting goods, thread, can of peaches, bushel corn, 2 bottles SSS, #7 nails, machine oil. There was several times she purchased castor oil, so this must have been “the remedy back then.” She may have been an artist by the paint and pencils she purchased.
"There's never been a place called Cotton Ridge in McNairy County" I said to Sara
Blakely Sieker when she came into my office. But I was wrong. According to Deed Book H,
Page 307, "For cash in hand at Cotton Ridge in McNairy County, Aug 2, 1860, J. P. Blakely
sold to J. P. Peeples: a two year old bay filly & two head of cattle." Nancy Kennedy
COTTON RIDGE
Coal Hill Arkansas, January 10th, 1931 Mr. Thomas Blakely Wilhite Nashville Arkansas My Dear Thomas, sparing partner and grand son:- When I was just your age, 4 years old, I went to Memphis, Tenn. My father was in the war and was stationed at Memphis, my mother, little sister Dorah and Aunt Pagan Barham, went to see my father. My aunt went to see her son Leander Barham who was afterwards killed in the corner of a fence -- he and a young man, George Manus, while they were asleep killed by bushwhackers. I remember very little about the trip, however I can remember that my aunt lost her pocket book we camped and she walked back several miles to look for it but I do not know if whither she found it or not. I can remember the solders and the little tents and going down on the bank of the Miss River I thought it was a very large river. I was born March 25, 1859, in a little log house chinked and dobed in the suburbs of Cotton Ridge Tenn a little town of about 29 inhabitants. During the war my mother moved to town on a small farm where we lived until I was 9 years old, my grand father also owned a water mill about 200 yards from his home, a big 2 story log house, it was in the millpond I learned to swim when I was about 7 years old. My father came home in June 1865, brother Pink and I was at school when we heard my father was at home, we ran all the way home, a distance of about 2 miles. I was not very well acquainted with my father as I had never seen him but once as I remember that was in Memphis in 1863, you see he left home when I was 2 years old, hence my limited acquaintance. It was this mill pond that my father would let us boys go in swimming as often as we wanted to if we would go in before breakfast. We went in between daylight and sun up beginning about the first of March and continuing through out the spring summer and fall and about the 15th of November we would go into winter quarters, I became an expert in the water. Could swim like a duck and dive like a fish. The first school I ever attended was the summer of 1865, the teachers name was John Cantiberry, a cripple caused from infantile paralysis. I did not know then what was the cause but I know now. Well I continued to attend the Cotton Ridge School every summer until I was 9 years old when we moved to Graves County, Ky, 15 miles from Mayfield, the county site and by
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the way it was in Mayfield that I saw my first man hanged, I can well remember how he was dressed and he said he did not do the actual killing but the man he was with was a very bad man, he told his pal to come away and let the woman alone but instead his pal killed her but the real killer was never caught as I understand. Well I can remember the move from Cotton Ridge McNairy County Tenn to Viola Station Ky we moved by the way of trucks pulled by a yoke of steers, one red and a black one. The red steer was named after me "Tom" and the back one name was Dick. It was about 125 miles from Cotton Ridge to Viola and it took 3 weeks to make the trip. It was January 1868 and the roads were very bad and muddy so we made very slow progress. I remember we got with in about 10 miles of our goal, Wash Peeples, a cousin of mine, who had been with us left us one morning and walked a head of the moving van to tell the news. It sure did make us sore as when we got there we had no strange news to tell as Wash had told it all. My grand father and some uncles and aunts lived in Ky at that time so when we arrived my father looked around and bought a farm from old man Taylor. The house on the farm was a 2 story house, a big room and a kitchen, a hall between so we was well fixed for room and shelter. Us boys worked on the farm made and gathered crops, going to school about three months each year after crops was made. We lived on this farm 5 years. My mother died on the 23 day of November 1872 and was buried the next day in a country grave yard on Brother Pinks birth day. In March 1973 my father married a Mrs. McCalister who had 4 children. We did not get along so in December 1873 we broke up housekeeping and moved back to Tenn. Leaving my step- mother and half- brother in Ky. Lest I forget my mother died 3 days after my little brother Ira was born it was my mother’s request that her Sister Aunt Eunice take Dora and the baby and keep them so she did. Taking them to Tenn where Ira died at the age of 9 months. I remember what we were doing the day we received the letter that Ira was dead, we were cleaning up a turnip patch and Uncle Ned Peeples brought the letter down in the field to my father. After going back to Tenn brother Jim and I worked for my grandfather on a farm at $8 per month, made and gathered a crop for which we received 64 cents each. I went to school that summer 2 months to a teacher by the name of Henry Gamble. He taught school in a log dwelling house. He was a fine man and teacher. He could read, write, sipher and spell real well. I had only 2 books to lug to and from school, a blue back speller and a McGuffies see reader. This was 1874 so the next year I worked for my Uncle Bent Peeples and wages had gone sky high. We, Jim Pink and I, all got 12.50 pr month worked 8 months for an even 100$. Nothing much to buy we all saved about 95 cents a piece and spent at going to school. The next year 1875 all of us brothers and sister started up house keeping. Rented what was called the Covy farm one mile from McNairy Station. We lived on this farm 2 years. We moved to an other place and Brother Will and I got a job on a section. I worked at this job 2 years never losing a day. Saved all the money I could and went to school as much as possible. I had made such great progress that I was employed as a teacher in a graded school in the country. On of my students finely made a Doctor out of himself and it was he that attended Mr. J. J. Bradley in his last illness. Well after working on the RR and teaching school I entered school again went to the South West Baptist University of Jackson, Tenn. Went back home and during the winter of 1879
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went to Dr J. W. Conger. It was while attending this school that I first met a little blue eyed girl that afterwards became your Mama. In or on the 26 day of February I landed in Knoxville Arkansas bought a car load of stuff through for my uncle Bent Peeples, made a share crop with him that year made 9 bales of cotton and 150 bu of corn. Picked all the corn and gathered all the corn, went back to Tennessee. Landed there on the 9th day of November 1882 attended my sisters wedding that night went to my grandmothers funeral the next day and was married my self on the 19th of November 1882. Came back to Ark and made 2 crops and went to work for Cazort Brothers on the day Grover Cleveland was elected president. Back to my first year in Arkansas after crops was laid by, a friend of mine by the name of Sam Evans took a notion to go west, so we rigged up a one horse wagon and pulled out for Indian territory. We went as far west as Weber Falls and in order to make expenses we rigged up a small slight of hand show. I was HouDinia so I had some bills stuck which read like this: "Thomas B. Blakely the great slight of hand performer Legerdemain and Ventriloquist will perform to night at the school house admission 10 and 25 cents" And strange to say we made expenses and then some. Well Thomas with the help of your grandmother keeping boarders and helping to save money I was able to attend the medical college at Little Rock, Arkansas during the year 1892 and 1893 graduating. Ten years later I took a post graduate course in Chicago, Ill and I am sure you have heard your mother say what a famous Doctor I am, cure cancers, relieve ear-ache, stop the colic in a 3 month old kid. You see I finally made what my grandfather wanted me to be. Now if I could live to see ---- become a great doctor I certainly would be happy. Tell your mother I will tell her what the wonderful salve is made of after she is cured but I am afraid to tell her now as the remedy is so simple she wouldn't have in confidence in it. Now you know if I was to tell her this is what the salve is made of she would quit using it. I sure hope her ear will get well and stay well as I can’t think Ear Salve of any thing that I would rather see than to see her ear well when she comes Sweet gum wax, up to see us next spring and eat vegetables and fried chickens. Don't you Oxide of zinc, know it will soon be time to garden, not quite a month, the 14th day of Mutton taller and February is the time to start. enough molasses to Thomas I hope you enjoy this letter and I will write you make a salve. some more one of these days. I will write you before gardening time as I will be so busy then I won’t have time. When you see your grand mother look on her finger and you will see a ring that I put on there 50 years ago one Sunday evening while we were hunting huckleberries. Love to you all, your grand father Thomas Benton Blakely
NK note: Thomas Blakely (or Blakeley) married Mary Louise Bradley, of Purdy, daughter of Joseph John Bradley. In 1860 when Thomas was 1 year old, he is listed in the 8th district, 1860 McNairy County Census in the household of J. B. and Mary E. Blakely, next door to Mary's parents C. W. and Thursday Peoples. I got this from Sara Blakely Sieker, Littleton, CO 80122
DAVID ATKINS LINEAGE
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John Atkins, a Revolutionary soldier from North Carolina had ten children: John, George, Nancy, Elanor, Elizabeth, James, William, David who married Frances Brock Mullins and they moved to McNairy County, Tennessee in 1832, Ruben, Mary. Nancy Elanor Atkins, daughter of David and Frances Atkins, recorded her memories at the age of 86 on Mar 1, 1924: "My parents, David Atkins and Frances Brock (or Brook) Mullins, both born Rockingham, NC, were married in 1824. Mother was born in 1808 and attended Rockingham High School and father was born in 1800. Grandfather came from Ireland and grandmother Mullins from England. Great-grandmother Bethel was an Allen. The first five children of David Atkins were born in NC: Augustus (1824); Eliza (1826) Thomas (1828) John Sadler(1829) and Martha Lettice (1832). The family moved to McNairy County, Tennessee in 1832. David purchased 600 acres seven miles west of the Tennessee River in the southeast corner of McNairy County. They brought four servants with them: Jess, Polly, Sarah and Millie. Four more children were born in their new home: Rhoda Susan (1834) Sam Houston (1836) Nancy Elanor (1838) Irene Frances (1840). Our house was a good sawed log house, smoothed and planed with dovetailed corners. Short boards were driven between the logs and mortar was daubed outside and later painted white. Father died in 1840 before the house was finished. In 1853 Mother sold off land and divided their then ten slaves between the children keeping one for herself. Her reason for doing this was she planned to remarry a successful farmer, Ephra Barnett, who had plenty of land and servants. Augustus and Susan sold off their interests and moved to Texas. Instead of going to Purdy High School at the age of fifteen, I decided to marry with my mother's permission. Joseph (Joe) Dameron Leath and I were married on 26 Mar 1854 and we moved to his father's place three miles south of Hamburg. Joe's father was Joseph Leath, born 1796 and Joe's mother was Judith Dameron and his grandmother was Elizabeth Gainey (Hainey). Joseph Leath had been one of the first settlers on the Tennessee River and when he moved to Huntsville, Ala, he could have entered all the land he wanted from Hamburg three miles south and back to the McNairy County line for a cow and a calf. Four of my brothers served in the War Between the States. John escaped without being hurt, but Sam was killed at the Battle of Chickamauga. Two brothers and three sisters died in Texas, and one brother and one sister died in Tennessee. I will never forget my Mother's prayers on the morning of 6 Apr 1862 when we knew my husband was at the Battle of Pittsburg Landing. After her prayers we knew he would not be killed. On the 17th they drove the Yankee back and Joe came out to Mother's at Kendrick, Miss and spent the night with us. The next day he joined his company in Corinth. Joetha was born 18 June 1862 and I did not see my husband until Christmas when my baby was old enough to say Daddy." Given to Nancy Wardlow Kennedy by : Mrs. H. C. Knapp
JOHN AUSTIN
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It is believed that my ggg grandfather, John Austin, was born in Georgia and was married to Miss Bray. At some point, his family appears to be in McNairy County. Records show dealings between the Austins and Brays in McNairy Co. Census records show that the Austins and Brays lived near each other. W. G. Bray and wife Vianna are recorded. John Austin's son name his daughter "Vianna" and W. G. Bray deeded property in McNairy County to L.C. Austin, Dec 22, 1882. The only child of John Austin and Miss Bray that I have located is my gg grandfather, Johnnie Culpepper Austin, believed to have been born about 1813 in Rome, GA. He married Mary Ann Gurley. J. C. Austin died in McNairy County, ca January 1880. Johnnie and Mary Ann had nine known children; the fifth child, Louis Caste Austin, born abt 1845 married Sarah E. Mask on 1 Nov 1883, in Alcorn Co, MS. They had a farm in McNairy Co and two children, Louis Caste, Jr and Mary Melissa. Louis Austin SR, died prior to Sept 1889. He is buried in an unmarked grave in Indian Creek Cemetery. The farm was inherited by his children when they reached majority. His widow, Sarah, married Calvin Graham. Her exact death date is unknown, but Calvin Graham remarried December 1892. Sallie is buried in an unmarked grave in Oak Grove Cemetery. Her sister, Jennie Mask York and Jennie's family are buried in Indian Creek. Louis C. Austin, Jr. married Sally DeLoach and moved to Arkansas. Mary Melissa Austin married Rufus Neil Coke Sept 20, 1903, Alcorn Co, MS. They raised their six children, Irvin Frank, Helton Fidelia, Austin Neil, Ruby Jewell, Jack McWilliam (my father, 8 Jan 1920) and Mary Nell on what had might have been the Austin family farm between Chewalla and Guys. The family remained on the farm until the children were all grown. Mary Melissa died in 1935, buried in Indian Creek Cem. Rufus Coke, son of Richard Franklin Coke and Fidelia Stephenson, was born in 1884, in the community of Gift, near Corinth, MS where his father operated a store and mill. Richard Franklin Coke's father, William J. Coke, a Civil War veteran having fought with "General Lowerie" was captured at a battle listed as Goose Creek, Miss" in Dec 1863 and remained a POW until the war's end. William, Richard F. and Rufus Coke were all active members in Baptist Churches. My father became acquainted with my mother, Ruby Ilene Hightower and her identical twin, Ruth, when the Hightowers moved to Guys from Decatur, Ala. They were married Jan 8, 1938 in Corinth and resided in Alabama before moving to California in 1952. Jack and Ilene Coke live in Salton Sea Beach, CA where Jack pastors West Shores Baptist Church. They had four children, Barbara Laffoon, Jacqueline Hutson, John Steven Coke and Melissa King. Given to me Barbara Coke Laffoon
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