Savannah Courier
These transcriptions were donated to the project and transcribed by: Edward R. Harrell
Sep 17, 1885 - Death of W. H. Cherry - Yesterday afternoon at 5, o'clock Mr. W. H. Cherry died at his home in this city, after a prolonged illness. He was conscious to the last, and died peacefully and quietly, with the members of his family around him.
William Harrell Cherry was born at Lowryville, Hardin County, Tenn.,about fifteen miles from Savannah,the county seat,Aug 23,1822. Eli Cherry his father, came to this state from North Carolina when a mere lad. He exhibited a man that calm judgement,firmness of conviction and unswervable integrity which characterized the life of his son.
The father of the subject of this sketch married Cynthia Ward of Hardin County, by whom he had ten children, six of whom are living and survived their parents. The Cherrys are of Scotch-Irish extraction. The family having settled in North Carolina, where many of the stock reside, at an early period in the history of the State.
The deceased, who was the eldest child upon his father's plantation, attended such schools as the country at the time afforded,entering at the age of 19 the "Savannah Male Academy," the principal of which was Hugh R. Shields, A noted educator at that time. Among his classmates were Wm. Torbert, who has since attained considerable prominence as a minister in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He remained here one year. In the fall of 1841 he began his actual business life as a clerk in the store of John J. Williams, in Savannah. Young Cherry was poor. His father gave him a negro slave, but he died in a few weeks and his owner was left almost without a penny to begin the struggle of life. After filling the position of clerk for more than a year he formed a partnership with Geo. F. Benton, of Savannah an experienced merchant and bought out his employer. They secured the stock and good will of Mr. Williams and his guaranty not to engage in business any more for two years. When he did begin at the end of that time he found that he had formidable competitors in business.He remained in Savannah dividing his time and attention between merchandizing and planting until the second year of the war, when his wife's health giving way, he yielded to the earnest solicitations of his friends and physicians, and spent some time in traveling with his family in Minnesota and New York.
It was at the Savannah resident of Mr. Cherry that Gen. Grant made his headquarters after the fall of Fort Donaldson and preceding the battle of Shiloh. Mr. Cherry had been a very ardent Union man during the fight over the question in State politics, and in fact made quite a number of speeches over that section of the State against secession. So strong were his Union convictions that he could not take part in the rebellion though his people were engaged in it.During the latter part of the war Mr. Cherrywas engaged in trading in cotton in West Tennessee and Paducah, finally going to New York,where,as a member of the Gold board he added to his already large capital by his shrewd operations.At the close of the war Mr. Cherry went to Memphis and engaged in the banking business,serving for years as president of the Merchants National bank. The esteem in which Mr. Cherry was held by his associates in business was conveyed in a very complimentary occasion of his resignation, which ill health rendered necessary.In 1871 Mr. Cherry moved to Nashville,became a member of the firm of Cherry, O'Connor & Co.,afterward Cherry, Morrow & Co.,lessee of the penitentiary,and in the business he remained until a few days before his death, when he sold out to Dr. Morrow.
He was in his early life county clerk of Hardin county for four years, and for seven years trustee of the county. He was at the time of his death director of the Hecla Co-al Company of Kentucky, and of the Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad Company, and one of the trustees of the Nashville College for Young Ladies. He was also a member of the firm of W. H. Cherry & Co.,who own the cotton and yarn mills at Mountain Mills, Ala.He married May 12, 1842, Sarah Scott, the daughter of David Robinson, a wealthy farmer of Hardin county. She died Feb 5, 1850, At Savannah, and on July 17, 1855, he married in Savannah, Annie Maria, the daughter of James Irwin, a prominent merchant at that place. By his marriage with Miss. Robinson he had three children. Edgar, born Mar 19, 1843, was educated at Savannah and Purdy academy, and is now engaged in farming and stock raising his father's estate in Hardin county. Mr. Cherry's other children by his first wife died in infancy. The two living are Mary C, the wife of the Hon. James M. Head, and William Irwin.
For forty-five years Mr. Cherry has been a member of the Methodist church, and was at the time of his death a steward of the McKendree church.
- Nashville Union
Sep 24, 1885 - D.
W. Herring,
of Purdy and Hon. Jno M.Taylor,
a congressman from this district, are in Washington. Herring
is an applicant for the consulate of Vera Cruz.
The Cherry Will: The will of the late W. H. Cherry was probated yesterday and the executors qualified. The instrument bears date of Aug 31, 1885, and names James M. Head, John J. Vertrees and Edgar Cherry as executors, and Samuel J. Keith as guardian of W. H. Cherry. The testator devises the bulk of his property to his three children, Edgar, Minnie and William, in three equal shares, after specifically settling upon his widow the homestead and a handsome dower. Several of his relatives are also kindly remembered, and he queathed $5,000 to the supernuated preachers of the Methodist Episcopal church,their widows and families,the same to be distributed by the board of the said church, composed of Col Cole and others.
- Union
Oct 1, 1885 - A Child Is Shot By Its Mother:On last Tuesday morning Mr. Jerry Wilson, who resides six miles from this place went to his trunk to get an account book and left the trunk open, Mrs. Wilson seeing his revolver lying there, which had not been loaded for some time as she thought, but during her absence the other day Mr. Wilson loaded the same, took it up and snapped it at her little child to make it laugh, the pistol fired, the ball taking effect in the child's thigh, inflicting an ugly but not necessary fatal wound. Dr.J.L.Sanders was called in to dress the wound.
- McNairy Review
Oct 22,1885 - Mrs Nancy Sevier Irwin: Mrs. Nancy Sevier Irwin, daughter of John Sevier and Susannah Conway was born on Chucky River, near Warrenburg, Greene county, East Tennessee Oct 30, 1810. Her father was a nephew of John Sevier, the first Governor of Tennessee, and gave his life to his country in the war of 1814-15.
Her paternal grandfather was Valentine Sevier, a Colonel in the Revolutionary war, his wife was Naomi Douglas. Her maternal grandfather was Harry Conway, a Colonel in the Revolutionary war. His wife was Sarah Hundley of Virginia.She had three brothers and three sisters. Her sister Mrs. Sallie Smith and her half brother William Maloney died in Greene county, East Tennessee. Her sisters Mrs. Narcissa Herring and Mrs. Mariah Broyles, died in Hardin county, Tennessee. Her brother Henry Sevier settled in Missouri and died there a number of years ago. Her bro-ther Ambrose Hundley Sevier, was for a number of years a United States Senator from Arkansas, and was sent to Mexico by President Polk as peace commissioner after the war in 1846.
Mrs. Irwin professed religion and joined the Methodist church in East Tennessee, when a little girl fourteen years of age and connected herself at the old Turkey Creek camp ground in Hardin county, Tennessee about 1826.She married James Irwin of Murfreesboro, Tennessee Dec 18, 1828, at the residence of her sister Mrs. L. H.Broyles, in Hardinsville, now known as Old Town, then the county seat of Hardin county, Tennessee.They moved from Murfreesboro to McMinnville about 1830, and from McMinnville to Savannah about 1831.She lived an honorable and consistent member of the Methodist church to the end of her life,and after an illness of about two and a half days, died at her home in Savannah, Tennessee, on Oct 7 at 3P.M., 1885, aged 74 years, 11 months, and 7 days. She died in the midst of her children and friends, and in the same room in which her husband died twenty-seven years before.
Her life was a beautiful exemplification of the Christians faith., full of acts of charity and deeds of benevolence. She was a prominent member of the church and a modest leader in every good work. She was the oldest member of her church in Savannah, and always claimed the privilege of preparing the bread which she had done for forty years - for celebrating the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. When she was at home no one else thought of doing so.Her home was a home for the preachers, and Methodist Circuit riders for fifty years have here found a welcome and hospitable entertainment.She had ten children all of whom except her youngest HundleySevier lived to be grown. Her fourth daughter Juliet, died Mar 22, 1861.Her remaining children all living are Mrs. W. H. Cherry and Mrs. Dr. Hardin, Nashville; Mrs. Edgar Cherry, Mrs. D. A. Welch, Miss. Sue Irwin,John S. Irwin, McMinnville.
(There are more paragraphs to follow which need not be included, except the following)
The burial service was conducted by Dr. L. E. Covey, assisted by Mr. Milton Smith and Mr. J. W. Cherry.
Feb 4, 1886 - Announcements:
The McNairy Review, W. E. Grimes
editor and proprietor is moving from Adamsville to Falcon. Failed to receive
the requisite amount of patronage at Adamsville.
} Hardin County College: Lists of those whose
grades in General Average who made 97 or more.
} Real Estate Agents: One town lot on east end of Savannah on Waynesboro road, known as W. Z Hamilton lot, about 250 yards from Hardin College.
Mar 4, 1886 - Announcements: Wild Goose postmaster, etc.
Apr 1, 1886 - Announcements:
Purdy's new paper, The Democrat, has issued its first number, which is
now before us.
} Clifton Items: Miss. Mattie Hawkins, of Saltillo, who has
been visiting her sister Mrs. R. C. Ricketts, for the past
three weeks, will return home tomorrow.
May 20, 1886 - Arch McDougal gave twenty-five cents last Thursday to ride on the train to Ramer, just to walk back. He says there are 13,381 ties between this place and Ramer
- McNairy Review
Jun 10, 1886 - White House marriages: Lists those who were married there to that date. (Nine in all)
Jul 15, 1886 - We
are glad to note the fact that The Purdy Democrat is on the side of temperance.
All good people who are not already at work for the cause should fall into
line and add their influence to the flight that will sooner or later rid
this county of its greatest curse.
} Announcements: The county court of McNairy County has ordered an election to be held on Aug 21st to determine whether Purdy or Bethel Springs shall be the future county seat and we may expect to see another and more bitter wrangle to follow this move than one recently disposed of by the supreme court.
Aug 26, 1886 - The McNairy County removal election which came off last Saturday resulted in the defeat of the removalist. Bethel received 1263 and Purdy 715 votes.
Two-thirds of the qualified voters must vote for removal before a county seat can be removed. Not quite two-thirds voted in the election and less than two-thirds of that number voted for removal. We presume that another place will be put in nomination and another election ordered immediately.
} Jackson was the scene of the enforcement of the lynch law on the night of Aug 18th. Eliza Wood, a negro woman the victim.She was accused of poisoning, with Rough on Rats, Mrs. Wooten, for whom she was cooking, the previous week. An analysis of the stomach of Mrs. Wooten showed arsenic in sufficient quantity to produce death. When this fact became known a mob was organized who took the woman from the jail and hung her to a tree in the courthouse yard, stripped her of all clothing, fired shots into her body and left her hanging. It is generally believed that she had poisoned several other persons.
Oct 14, 1886 - M. R. Abernathy, has succeeded J. W. Purviance in the management of the Purdy Independent, the latter having gone to Florida to attend his orange interest.
Nov 4, 1886 - Adamsville Items: Mr. P. H. Thrasher of
New South attended the meeting here Sunday.
Nov 4, 1886 - The good people of Bethel Springs petitioned the circuit court of McNairy county which was in session at Purdy last week, to use its greatest efforts to suppressing the illegal sale of intoxicating liquors in that town. Continue the fight, neighbors, and the good work will continue.
Nov 23, 1886 - Jesse Wooten, whose wife was poisoned by a negro woman at Jackson last summer, has been pronounced insane and carried to the asylum in Nashville.
Dec 2, 1886 - Adamsville Items: Adamsville will soon boast of the only brass band in the county.
Note: Sometime during the last of 1886 or early 1887 the question of "prohibition" begins to appear in the newspaper. You will see many articles on this subject in these issues.
Jan 13, 1887 - The Pinkerton
Detective Force, have run down and captured the Missouri robbers. The
robbery was committed Oct 25, and was one of the boldest on record. One
man entered the car, overpowered the messenger and took from the safe $80,000. Wittock
who committed the robbery and Haight,
who planned it, plead guilty and were sentenced to seven years in the penitentiary.
Weaver an accomplice, also plead guilty and was sent up for five years. Fotheringham,
the messenger, was suspected of being as accomplice, but his innocence
was established and he was released. All the money except about $10,000
has been recovered.
} Mrs. Maria Braden, of Purdy, who has been visiting her father, Judge J. D. Martin, returned home yesterday,accompanied by her sister, Miss Allie.
Jan 27, 1887 - The McNairy Review has changed to a patent inside. We consider this an improvement on the patent inside. The Review is one of our spiciest exchanges.
Feb 3, 1887 - We
want a railroad to pass right through Savannah and we intend to use every
means in our power to secure a road. The interests of the people are our
interest and that is what we will always work for.
} A fire in Purdy last night consumed the Currey House, Nash's Store House, the law office occupied by D. A. McDougal and partners, and an unused house and was thought to be the work of an incendiary. D. A. McDougallost most of his books and all his clothing except one suit. The Independent's lost, by moving was over $200.00. We failed to learn the other losses.
Feb 17, 1887 - The Independent is making war on Purdy's boneyard. This is one evil Savannah is not troubled with.
Mar 3, 1887 - D. A. McDougal, Esq., has purchased the residence occupied by I. F. Huddleston. It is thought by some that he has matrimonial tendencies just now. But some people will talk
- Purdy Independent.
Mar 31, 1887 - The bill changing the line between Hardin and McNairy counties so as to include Adamsville in the former had passed the Legislature, but the bill giving Adamsville a branch court failed to pass.
Apr 7, 1887 - W. E. Grimes, former proprietor of the McNairy Review turned up at Henderson last week as proprietor of the Chester News.
} Adamsville is not a part of Hardin as reported last week.
After the bill passed it was reconsidered and defeated.
Jul 14, 1887 - Our neighbor county, McNairy, will on Aug 27, vote to see whether or not the county seat will be moved from Purdy to Selma. Selma is the nearest point on the railroad to the geographical center of the county.
Aug 25, 1887 - The
McNairy Independent has been purchased by Messrs T. J. Braden
and D. A. McDougal
of Purdy.
} Adamsville Items: Thad Butler was arrested last week for passing money said to be some of the money taken out of the mail. He is out on bond
Sep 1, 1887 - McNairy
county voted on removal last Satur-day. The vote stood 1722 for removal
to SELMA and 528 against removal. Removal failed for want of a constitutional
majority.
} The McNairy Independent under its new management is before us.It advocates democracy and prohibition and we hope its proprietors will never have cause to regret having entered the journal-istic field. Our personal knowledge of one of them leads us to conclude that they will succeed.
Sep 15, 1887 - The
Headlight is the name of the paper succeeding the McNairy Independent.
} Wm. A. Washington, the nearest relative to the first president of the United States died at Owensboro, Ky, last Monday. He was 87 years old.
Sep 22, 1887 - The McNairy County Wheelers passed a resolution at the meeting the 3rd inst. asking the county court to levy a tax sufficient to run the free schools six months in the year. We would like to see a similar expression from the Wheelers of this county.
Sep 29, 1887 - Henry
M. Wilbanks,
a deaf mute of McNairy County, who is visiting the family of W. D. Hagy,
called to see us Saturday. He is quite an intelligent young man, and has
some knowledge of the art of printing, in fact the art seems to have some
peculiar fascination for this class of unfortunates.
} Advertisements - J. W. Stumph, watchmaker & jeweler,
Purdy, Tenn.
Oct 6, 1887 - Murder:
Sheriff W. M. Brown,
and constable E. T. Phillips,
brought Thad Butler
who is charged with killing Alphonso Farris
at Adamsville, to our jail Sunday morning. Butler
was also charged with robbing the mail in July and was being held on that
charge at Purdy Saturday. Farris
who was wounded by Butler
Thursday did not die until Saturday night. It was then that Sheriff Brown
became uneasy about the custody of Butler. Butler
was placed in the Purdy jail some time back on the mail robbing charge,
but made his escape from the jail and had been hiding out.
} A land company is about to be formed to purchase the Shilo battle ground and Pittsburgh Landing. Just what the organization will be we are unable to state, but presume a little (pie)? might sharpen our understanding very much.
Oct 20, 1887 - News in General: The Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States now wear plain black robes. In the beginning of the century the robes had a scarlet facing, because Chief Justice John Jay borrowed the robe of the Chancellor of New York, which was so faced, and all the other Justices followed the style. In 1808, however, some one asserted that the red trimming was too Englese, and it was discarded, and the plain black has been used ever since.
Oct 27, 1887 - Arch McDougal, in Bob McKenseys's place, makes a starchy Chancery Clerk. In fact Arch is a Daisy anywhere you put him.
- Purdy Democrat
Nov 3, 1887 - The
widow of the once notorious Jesse James,
now resides in Kansas City and her little son is a messenger boy in the
real estate office of young Crittenden,
son of ex-governor T. T. Crittenden.
} Thad Butler, who was arrested at Adamsville a short time ago on a charge of robbing the mail was indicted by the grand jury in the Federal court at Jackson last week, but the indictment was quashed and Butler turned over to the State to be tried for the killing of Farris. He is now in jail in Jackson.
Nov 17, 1887 - We understand Prof. Hamm, Jr. has charge of the school at Adamsville; with a school situated in a community that appreciates education and all the modern advances in that line, as do the people of Adamsville, and with a young man, as well qualified, as meritorious for principal, as Prof. Hamm is, we can only bespeak the most flattering prospects for a live, thriving and prosperous school in that wide-awake little city.
- Purdy Headlight
Dec 15, 1887 - Four
Territories are preparing to make earnest endeavors for ad-mission to the
Union of the States this winter. The are Montana, Dakota, Washington and
New Mexico. The proposition to divide Dakota into two States will be revived.
} United States officials destroyed two stills
and captured the owners, Lon Wyley
and Finch Riley,
last week. The stills were located on the Mississippi line bordering the
ninth district of this county and have supplied wildcat whisky to Tennesseans
and Mississipians for some time. It is hoped that this move will stop wildcatting
in that section.
} The north bound passenger train over the St. Louis, Arkansas & Texas railroad was robbed by three masked men last Friday night, about ten miles north of Texarkana. The express car was plundered, but the mail and passengers were not molested. The safes were opened and the contents, which amounted to about $40,000, was poured into a sack, and it took two of the robbers to carry it to their horses. Gov. Hughes has offered $200.00 for the arrest and conviction of each robber.
Jan 19, 1888 - On
Thursday night of last week the safe belonging to J. T. Warren,
of Adamsville was blown open and robbed of about $4,500. Eleven hundred
dollars belonged to J. L. Littlefield,
Trustee of McNairy county and the remainder to Mr Warren.
} The Purdy Headlight, in speaking of the robbery say there is one thing for certain, it was not Thad Butler this time.
Dec 22, 1887 - Senator Cullom's bill for the establishment of a postal telegraph system is one that should pass without opposition, but, of course, the centralization cranks will have to make themselves heard.
This site is generously hosted by:
Many thanks to them!
If you have articles to submit to this project or questions please email Jackie Robinson
The design of this page is copyrighted © 1998, 1999 by Jackie
Robinson All Rights Reserved. This information may be used
by libraries and genealogical societies, however, commercial use of this
information is strictly prohibited without prior permission. If copied,
this copyright notice must appear with the information.