Faith, Folklore, and Friends

Continued from yesterday's blog: 1810 January : *Wanted, dry hides.  William Stewart & Company. *My wife Molly has absented herself from my bed without just cause.  I will not pay her debts.  William Fitzgerald. March : *For sale, dry goods and groceries.  Edward Foster *I wish to forwarn the public against trading or taking assignments against two notes of hand held by Eprhaim Thomas dated August, 1808. I will not pay said notes unless compelled by law.  John Tell *A runaway negro by the name of Jack was committed to the jail of Smith County.  He says he is 22 years old and is the property of Mathew Johnston who lives on Little Harpeth Williamson County.  John Harmon, jailor. In addition to this snippets, there was lots of news about lost and found horses, public sales of land, applying to the government for free land, and the announcements from the post office of letters  that had not been picked up.  I tried to copy the...

Continued from yesterday's blog: July : Died in New York, Thomas Paine. September:  *I was married on the 4th of December to Jemina Burgess, the daughter of Thomas Burgess of Warren County, Tennessee.  After eight months of marriage, I have has [sic] nothing but trouble, distress and uneasiness of mind. I am no longer responsible for debts of her contracting.  Thomas Stuart.  (Have you ever heard such whining?  I'm thinking it wasn't a bed of roses for Jemina, either.) *After a short illness, Thomas Dardis died on Thursday. *Daniel Lambert died in London at the age of 40.  He weighed 739 pounds. *Dr. Charles F. Mabius cured a negro boy who was blind in 1807.  Josiah Howell. December : The copartnership of the blacksmith business is dissolved by mutual consent.  Samuel Evetts and William Williams.  Will all those indebted please come forward. I hope that worked out for Samuel and William.  We will look at 1810 tomorrow. ...

Last Tuesday night was the meeting of our reading group at the library.  It was good, as usual, but the best thing is I was able to come early and poke around in the genealogical section. Y'all know how I love old newspapers, and I found a book called Genealogical Abstracts from Tennessee   Newspapers compiled by Sherida K. Eddlemon in 1989. It contained abstracts from several Tennessee newspapers from 1803-1812, over 200 years ago, or way back yonder, as some would say. From the Carthage Gazette and Friend of the People (don't you love that?) in 1809: January : Mrs Sally Anderson died in the town of Liberty on the 21st. She was the consort of Mathias Anderson of that town. February : *For sale, salt petre. T. Dickson, Miller &Co., Glasgow, Barren County, Kentucky. *Young Celah will stand this season at my plantation on Goose Creek.  James Ware. *For sale, Mann's Lick salt.  Basil Shaw. March:  My wife Susannah Waggoner has eloped from my bed...

Continued from yesterday. September 9 : *For sale, the 250 acre tract where Dr. Mark B. Sappington now lives at the mouth of White Creek.  Roger B. Sappington. *Edward Swanson gives public notice that Absalom Tatum is his agent in securing witnesses concerning the pre-emption of his land in Williamson County. *Died at Wilkinsonville on Thursday the 20th, Col. David Strong of the 2nd United States Regiment. October 28: *The banns of matrimony were published for Jacob Black and Sally White. *Wanted, a miller.  James Winchester. November 11: *On the 8th of January, 1802, there will be a public sale in Robertson County of the 640 acres on Buzzard Creek belonging to John Ellis. The property was taken at the influence of George Gordon.  Jas. Menees, S.R.C. December 2: *A brown horse was stolen from Jesse Hudson on Dry Creek, Davidson County.  There is a generous reward upon its return. *Henry Beeler was convicted of horse stealing in the Superior Court of...

Continued from yesterday.... April 1: At the beginning of every month, the newspaper listed letters remaining at the Nashville Post Office.  The list was longer than usual in April, which makes me wonder if the winter had kept people at home. *Lost on March 14, a black leather pocket book, on the road leading from Nashville to Capt. Jostlins.  John Pierce. *Charles Robinson has opened a tavern on the Big Harpeth, twelve miles from Nashville on the road leading from there to Natchez. *On Saturday last while trying to turn a boat, a man by the name of Weiser was killed in an accident at Neely's Bend. May 6: *John Collins informs the public he can cure the rupture in persons aged 1 to 45 years.  No cure, no pay. *$10 if found in Tennessee, $25 if found in another state.  Two mares stolen in Williamson County near Franklin. Jesse Tarkinton. June 3:* Reward of $15 for mare strayed from Jeseph Tarkington on Otter Creek, Davidson County. *A general assortmen...

I love reading old newspapers and imagining 'the rest of the story.' Recently, I found a book at the Florence/Lauderdale Public Library compiled by Sherida K. Eddlemon that had articles from various newspapers between 1791-1808. The author hoped that Genealogical Abstracts from Tennessee Newspapers would be used to find relatives that might not be listed anywhere else. The following excerpts are from 1801, when there was no telephones, no telegraphs, no televisions, no cars, and not many roads. I'm trying to refrain from commenting on every item; you can do that for yourself, but I have to wonder about some of these. The times, they have changed!  January 14: *Charles Robinson has opened a tavern on Big Harpeth twelve miles from Nashville.  *Joseph Lack, tailor, has commenced business in the log house next to MESSRS. TWIG and STOTHART.  *Richard Cross has opened a house of private entertainment. February 11: * I am empowered to sell for John G. Blou...