Long before the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) was conceived many descendants of the early settlers in Union County made their livelihood farming the 615 acres that is today called Island F. This farmland lay north of Pinhook Store, the hub of the community, and was served by island Ford Road. Island Ford Road crossed Crooked Creek a few hundred yards behind Pinhook Store and traveled down the east side of the creek to the J. A. Evans farm. From the Evan's farm the road forked eastward to the Clinch River to serve the farmers in that area. The west fork traveled down the Clinch Valley to connect with a road to Loyston and forked north to cross the Clinch River at Hamilton's Ford. Side roads branched off the main road to serve other farms, an academy, and Hamilton Grove Church. Hamilton's Ford was near an island in the Clinch River that was owned by Forest and Earnest Hamilton. Traveling northward by the ford the current was swift until reaching the island. From the island the ford was more shallow and less swift. At low tide the crossing was safe for children without being in the company of older people. Farther down the Clinch there were other fords named: Kelly, Sharp and Cloud. Eastward from Hamilton's Ford were the Ousley, Needham and Walker Fords. These crossings permitted travel into Anderson, Campbell, and Claiborne Counties.
In the 1930's, the property which today makes up Island F belonged to families named Gilbert, Cox, Hamilton, Collinsworth, Sexton, Savage, Turner, Buckner, Evans and Fields. neighboring families were the Russells, Hundleys, Myers, Warwicks, Lamodins and others. There were a number of tenant families in this area also.
The farmers and tenants lived in modest homes ranging from homes covered vertically with oak planks with strips nailed over the joints, to two-story weatherboarded dwellings covered with wood shingles. T. C. (Tip) Cox had a two-story home. Wiilliam Hamilton had the most elaborate home. It was two-story with large hall and fireplace. Barns and other outbuildings dotted the neighborhood. Orchards of peach and apple trees were planted very early on farms in the community.
The area contained many fresh water springs. Families that did not have springs were permitted to use water from neighbor's spring. Jim Buckner had a large spring. Alton Gilbert had two springs on his farm. One of these was located in a hollow below the home. By using a wire strung from the house to the spring, he was able to lower a bucket on a pulley to the spring. With arope attached to the bucket it was filled and hauled up the wire to the house. The ridge spring was piped to the barnyard to supply water for the farm animals. Jim Evans had a spring on his farm. Dick Evans had a spring and later dug a well in the yard. These springs were sufficient to supply fresh water for the home, to do laundry, serve spring houses, and other uses.
The community was served by an academy that was located on the Hamilton Estate. The school was probably built by this family soon after settlement. The property containing the academy was later sold to W. L, (Fate) Gilbert, Pine Burr School was established in the area on August 8, 1893, when T.C. Cox and his wife M. C. Cox donated 120 square rods to W. P. Raley, J. R. Evans, and John Harris for school purposes. Pine Burr School served the community until 1933 when the property was acquired by TVA for the Norris project.
Before a Baptist church was established in the community families traveled to Cedar Grove Baptist Church to worship. On July 3, 1880, a presbytery consisting of members of Cedar Grove Baptist Church, petitioned the church for letters to establish a church "at a school house where W. L. Hamilton was on the Clinch River," The petition was granted and on August 14, 1880, they met at the school, George Turner preached the first sermon, Following the sermon the group adopted the name Crooked Creek Baptist Church. Sometime later a building was constructed on property belonging to J. A. Evans. Crooked Creek Baptist Church served the community until August 23, 1913 when the building burned, Although many of the early churches in Union County did not have Sunday Schools, Crooked Creek established a Sunday school on June 9, 1888. Under the leadership of Pastor Mize and members of the Evans family, a large crowd assembled that evening. A. L. (Abe) Evans was appointed clerk and recorded 68 students ranging in age from eight to twenty-one years. Records listing younger children have not been found.
Crooked Creek Baptist Church served the commuirrity thirty-three years. After the buIlding burned the congregation met in the Oakland School house on Little Valley Road. During those meetings the church voted on the 4th Sunday in March 1927, to "change its name to Little Valley Baptist Church.
Hamilton's Grove Church was estab1ished in the 1890's, At first it was non-denominational. In 1905-06, the church joined the Powell Valley Association and became a Baptist church. The church continued to have services until 1933 when it was forced out of the area by TVA.
Perhaps the earliest store in the community was established by Levi Evans. Just how long it served the community is not known. Robert Wyrick operated a store near the Pine Burr School and ran a peddling wagon through the area for a while. Later he moved his store near the Crooked Creek Church. Frank Banner had a store eastward across the island on the Clinch River, These small stores fell to demise when Pinhook Store was built in the 1880's, Nola Post Office began serving the community on a tri-weekly basis on January 26, 1901. Operated from the home of J. R. (Jim) Evans, it continued until February 15, 1910 when the central office was established at Maynardville. Evans also had a grist mill on his property. The mill was situated on Crooked Creek and operated by "Jink" Brantley.
There were seven cemeteries in the immediate area of Island F. Four of these were surveyed by TVA and acquired for the lake basin, desingeted TVA 316, the Evans Cemetery was located on property owned by F. S. Hamilton on the left bank of the Clinch River opposite Hamilton's Island. Twenty-five graves were removed from this cemetery by TVA. TVA 15, the Field's Cemetery was on property owned By J. H. L. Buckner on the right bank of the Clinch River one-half mile below Hanner Hollow. Thirty-two graves were removed from this cemetery. TVA 296, the Buckner Cemetery was on property belonging to J. A. Buckner and was located on the right bank of Crooked Creek at its mouth. Only three graves were contained in this cemetery and were removed. TVA 86, the Milton Russell Cemetery was located on the right bank of the Clinch River about one-forth mile down stream from the mouth of Crooked Creek. TVA moved eleven graves from this cemetery. Butcher Cemetery lay south of Pinhook but was not disturbed by the land acquisition nor did it serve as a reinturnment cemetery. Soon after Crooked Creek Church was organized a cemetery near the church was established perhaps at the death of Riley Stansberry. It is often refered to as the Sransberry Cemetery. TVA surveyed the Church cemetery in the 1930's and recorded fifteen graves all of which were marked with fieldstones. Considered above the high-water-mark, this cemetery was not disturbed during the Norris acquisition. Troy Buckner recalls that another small cemetery containing the remains of Andy Savage and two children of Lee Tharpe's was located on the K.D. Savage farm not far from the Clinch River " this small isolated cemetery was riot included in the TVA survey.
In 1981 , the compiler contacted Hobert Cooke and ask him to guide him to Island F. The mission was to locate the Crooked Creek Church Cemetery on the island. Crossing the ridge In a 4-wheeler, the party approached the island from the south. At the time the water level had fallen and we were able to drive over a spur of land to the edge of the woods. Hobert was familiar with the area and pointed out that in the 1930's the channel of the Clinch River made a sharp bend as it approached the area and flowed in a wide circle around it . Looking westward one was able to see the bend straighten out as it cleared the island and moved westward down the valley. The island blended well into the country setting of lake and ridges. It was difficult to believe that fifty years ago many of these ridges and lowlands had been cleared for farming by families who tilled the rugged area for generations.
Within minutes after entering the woods an undergrowth of periwinkle identified the cemetery. Planted with loving hands the myrtle had spread to cover a wide plot of ground. Underneath the carpet were found several fieldstone none of which had any markings. Our only surprise was finding a large flat stone imbedded in the earth a short distance from the cemetery. This could only have been the first step to the Crooked Creek Church. We wanted to bring the stone out but decided to leave it as a monument to the hundreds of feet it had supported over the years.
In the spring of 1984 the compiler made another trip to Island F. This trip found the serenity of the island disturbed by bulldozers, power saws and logging trucks. Roads were cut across the island and piles of logs were lying along side the roads waiting to be loaded and hauled to saw mills. All of the timber was being cut from the island. Our search for the church cemetery was obstructed by brush piles from the trimmings of trees, We were unable to locate the church step. TVA had contracted to have the timber cut on the island and to make a wildlife reservation. One wonders how wildlife can be sustained without proper forest cover which provides protection and food.
This article appears by the courtesy of the Union County Historical Society. Our thanks to them for their support. If you would like more information about this Society, books they sale, other articles, or joining their organization please visit their homepage by clicking here.
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