Uncle Nick Grindstaff

A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.
--Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892) English preacher. 

Here, alone atop Iron Mountain, lies Uncle Nick Grindstaff, born December 26, 1851 and died July 22, 1923. For forty years he lived alone on this ridge between Stoney Creek and Doe Valley, on the border of Carter and Johnson Counties.  It's not exactly known what led him to become a hermit. The story of his life seems shrouded in mystery. Orphaned as a small child, he was raised by relatives and had the reputation of being a smart, hard working, "model" young man. When he became an adult, he inherited the family farm and made a go of it for a few years but eventually sold it and headed out west to Missouri. It's not exactly clear what led him there or what really happened. Some say he married and his young bride soon died. Others say his love married another.  Still another account said he was beaten and robbed and stripped of everything he had.  Whatever befell him, Nick never recovered. He moved back to east Tennessee and for the next forty years lived as a hermit on Iron Mountain.  Twice a year he would come down to the local general store for meal, bacon and other supplies... and to get a haircut. His only companions on the mountain were his dog "Panter", a cow he used as a pack animal, and his pet rattlesnake (!).

In July 1923, a friend, Baxter McEwen, stopped by his shack to check in on him and found him dead. Legend has it that Panter was so protective he wouldn't let anyone remove the body. Eventually, Nick was given a Christian burial with family and friends in attendance. At some point, Panter was also buried there.  Though he isolated himself, he must have been loved -- for two years later, they returned to construct and dedicate the chimney-shaped monument you see above. It was the shopkeeper who penned Nick's sad epitaph:

"He lived alone, suffered alone, and died alone"


But the legend and mystery did not stop with his death. It's said that years later, Appalachian Trail hikers who camped near the grave reported hearing the mournful, haunting howls of a dog in the night.

More on Uncle Nick here, here and here.

Directions: From Highway 19E in Elizabethton, take Stony Creek Road (Highway 91) toward Shady Valley, TN for 18 miles to a parking area for hikers at the intersection of Highway 91 and Cross Mountain Road on the right. (If you enter the village of Shady Valley, you've gone 3.5 miles too far). Map here. Standing at the AT parking area, if you were to cross the highway, you'd enter the old Osborne Farm and head toward Damascus, VA.  Instead, cross the Cross Mountain Road and take the AT for 3.6 miles to the grave.  It sits back maybe 30 feet off the trail to the right, but is hard to miss.


The first mile of the trail has a few muddy bogs in it, but thankfully, there are walkways in these areas. Overall, it's a fairly gradual climb up the mountain, with the exception of a short, but very steep section that will get you huffing and puffing.  In the winter months, there are lots of great views of Doe Valley from this section of the AT.

remembrance

Although no sculptured marble should rise to their memory, nor engraved stone bear record of their deeds, yet will their remembrance be as lasting as the land they honored.
--Daniel Webster (1782-1852) American statesman and senator.

Above: Mountain Home National Cemetery, Johnson City, TN

From Wikipedia: On the grounds of the Mountain Home Veterans Administration Center, the cemetery was established in 1903 as part of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, a federal old soldiers' home. The cemetery features over 12,000 graves highlighted by a monument to Congressman Walter Preston Brownlow, who petitioned the government and worked tirelessly to have the veteran's center created. It officially became a National Cemetery in 1973, and has primarily the interments of veterans who died while under care at the facility.

More information on Mountain Home in a previous post, here.

bravery

The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.
--Thucydides (460-404 BC) Ancient Greek historian and author. 

The stone reads:

Mary Patton
1751-1836
One of that heroic band who established a civilization in the wilderness. She made the powder used by John Sevier's troops in the battle of King's Mountain.
Erected by her descendants. 1932

To read a previous post of mine about the fascinating life of Mary Patton, click here.

Memorial Day

What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.
--Albert Pine (1861–1937) American author

Two Revolutionary War heroes to honor this Memorial Day...

Jacob Brown, born in Virginia in 1736, moved to the Nolichucky area of what was then North Carolina territory in 1754 on land leased from the Cherokees.  He established a trading company and provided blacksmith and gunsmith services. His home was located just three miles from Col. John Sevier's home -- who he followed into battle at Kings Mountain as part of the Overmountain Men.  He was a captain at the time of the Battle of Kings Mountain, and was later promoted to second Major of the Washington County militia when it was part of the short-lived State of Franklin.  Brown died in a hunting accident in 1785. The large monument you see here incorporates the original small stone (click photo to enlarge). The Brown Cemetery is said to be the oldest marked cemetery in Tennessee and is located next to the Nolichucky River in a remote area of Washington Co, TN.  More on Jacob Brown and his family here. Click here for directions to the cemetery and a listing of those interred there.

Hugh Harris, Sr. had the distinction of serving under George Washington during the Revolutionary War. Born in Virginia in 1749, he  enlisted in 1776 as a Private in the North Carolina Continental Line, being promoted to Corporal in 1778. He served in the Battles of Germantown and Monmouth, and was discharged in 1779. Around 1827 he moved to the Limestone area of Washington County, Tennessee. He did in 1855 at 105 years old. His grave is located at New Salem Church Cemetery on Lester Snapp Road in Washington County.

Memorial Day

We enjoy freedom and the rule of law on which it depends, not because we deserve it, but because others before us put their lives on the line to defend it.
--Thomas Sowell (b.1930) American economist

The photo above was taken at the Mountain Home National Cemetery in Johnson City, TN. Established in 1903, the cemetery now has 10,000 grave sites, the oldest are those of Civil War veterans.

Click here to access the names and burial locations of those interred at Mountain Home. Click here to learn more about the cemetery and its history and here for directions.

Let us so live...

Let us so live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.
--Mark Twain (1835-1910) American Humorist, Writer and Lecturer

I recently came across the sad remnants of an old cemetery outside of Kingsport, TN. The stones were leaned up on a tree in the middle of a cow pasture. I stopped and took some photos and upon looking at them later I became curious about this small family cemetery. The stones I could read bore the surname "Lady" and dated to the early 1900s, with many looking to be much older. A topo map of the area noted the location of "Lady Cemetery" and online I found this brief note about the "Lady home place":

"For the benefit of those who may want to find this Lady site, the William Lady house is still standing. It is a 2-story hewn log structure, now covered with siding, with a cornerstone marked "L.A.D.Y. 1796" The site is located on Buttermilk Road.... Across the road is a cemetery with several graves, including those for William Lady (1795-1869) and his wife, Jane (1797-1879). The date on the cornerstone raises questions because the first deeds indicate a Lady presence in the area are early 1800s."

Another website noted that in "1803, Jacob Lady settled on 238 acres [in Sullivan County] purchased from Conrad Isley." Not sure of the relation, but perhaps this was William's father.

It's sad to me that the stories of these early settlers have been lost -- and the cemetery so neglected. Makes me want to go out there and at least record the markers. (Not sure what good that would do, but I hate to think that history would be lost!). This reminded me of a previous post.

Andrew Johnson National Historic Site

The only thing you're taught about President Andrew Johnson in school, is that he was the first president to be impeached. To be honest, I wasn't even sure why he was impeached -- and I knew nothing about other aspects of his presidency or the man himself. And although he hailed from Greeneville, TN, I don't think we really celebrate or claim this east Tennessee president because of the dark cloud of impeachment. But after touring his home and national historic site, I have an appreciation for (and certainly a much better understanding of) our 17th President.

For a man with no formal education, Johnson certainly met with success throughout his life. Going from alderman to Mayor, State Representative, State Senator, Governor of Tennessee, US Representative, US Senator, Military Governor, Vice President and President. His life contained many contradictions: a Democrat, yet he was elected Vice President under a Republican president. A Southerner, yet loyal to the Union. A slave owner, yet opposed to secession. Indeed as military governor in 1864, Johnson issued a proclamation freeing all slaves in Tennessee.

During his presidency, Johnson sought to implement Lincoln's reconstruction policies. Congress had other ideas - and the conflict led to his impeachment. The Congress had set a trap for him - declaring it unlawful for a President to remove from office any official confirmed by the Senate. When Johnson suspended Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, impeachment proceedings began. He came within one vote in the Senate of being removed from office. Perhaps the best known accomplishment of his Presidency was the purchase of the Alaska territory from Russia for $7.2 million -- widely considered a 'folly' at the time. Following his presidency, Johnson became the only President to return to the US Senate.

The President's home (above) is open for self-guided tours -- across the street is the impressive museum and visitor's center celebrating his life. Be sure to watch the short video narrated by former Senator Fred Thompson. A short drive from downtown brings you to the national cemetery where he was laid to rest, wrapped in the flag and with a copy of the Constitution under his head. Click here to visit the official website of the historical site. More information here.

Mary Patton

Mary Patton
1751-1836
One of that heroic band who established a civilization in the wilderness. She made the powder used by John Sevier's troops in the battle of King's Mountain.
Erected by her descendants.
1932

Mary McKeehan Patton, born in England in 1751, played a crucial role in the defeat of British loyalists in South Carolina in 1780 -- a battle considered by many to be a key turning point of the Revolutionary War. Her family immigrated to the Colonies in the late 1760s, and it is thought that Mary learned the art of gunpowder manufacturing from her father. She wed Irish immigrant John Patton in 1772 and after the birth of their two children, they moved from Pennsylvania to the Overmountain region of North Carolina (now Tennessee). Moving over the mountains into Cherokee lands meant that they were in direct violation of the crown's order to remain east of the Appalachians. The British Major Patrick Ferguson sought to enforce the order. In response to his threats, the Overmountain men banded together and marched to King's Mountain in South Carolina and routed the British loyalists and killed Major Ferguson. The battle lasted 65 minutes.

Mary's role in the Battle of King's Mountain was to provide 500 pounds of gunpowder to the 850 Overmountain Men from her mill located on what would become known as Powder Branch outside of present-day Elizabethton, TN. Mary was known to be thrifty and entrepreneurial. She would travel as far as South Carolina to sell her powder for a dollar a pound -- she then would buy land with the proceeds. When she died in 1836 at age 85, it's said that she owned 1,700 acres of land. More about Mary here and here. Read my post about the path these Overmountain men took over Yellow Mountain here.

Mary is buried in Patton-Simmons Cemetery (under the large monument above) on Toll Branch Road near Milligan College, TN.

"The victory was of far-reaching importance, and ranks among the decisive battles of the Revolution. It was the first great success of the Americans in the south, the turning-point in the southern campaign, and it brought cheer to the patriots throughout the Union."
--Theodore Roosevelt, The Winning of the West, Vol. 2

Tiger and Sallie Whitehead

A trail crosses a small footbridge across Tiger Creek and winds its way up to a small, secluded hilltop graveyard, a fitting resting place for Tiger Whitehead and his wife, Sallie. Tiger was an east Tennessee legend -- Tiger Creek and Tiger Valley were named for him. The inscription on his tombstone reads, "The noted hunter - James T. Whitehead - Born 1819 (Killed 99 Bears) - Died Sept. 25, 1905. We hope he has gone to rest."

As the story goes, this bear hunter was named Tiger after a traveling circus lost a tiger and commisioned him to hunt it down. In just a few short days, he brought it back from the thick woods alive. Tiger was almost killed once when he only wounded his target and the black bear charged him. Not having time to reload, Tiger shoved the butt of his gun into the bear's mouth and then reached for his knife and killed it. It's also said that when he was near death, his friends trapped a bear and brought it to him, trying to help him reach the 100 mark. But Tiger said, "No! If it's not free and running wild, I can't kill it."

Next to Tiger's grave, lies his wife, Sallie Garland Whitehead. She was just as much a character as her husband. Her tombstone tells her story: "Sallie Garland - Wife of James Chambers and James T. Whitehead - Age 97 years - She was not only a mother to the human race, but to all animal kind as she gave nurse to one fawn and two cubs. She is now resting from her labor." Interesting that there were numerous pennies left by visitors on her grave.  While her gravestone does not indicate her dates, her great-great-grandson emailed to tell me she was born in 1803 and died in 1900.

In the early 1970's Johnny Cash played a concert in Jonesborough, TN -- the next day, his friend Dr. Nat Winston took him to see Grandfather Mountain in NC. On the way, he stopped off to show Johnny the graves of these local legends and to tell him their story. Johnny wrote the song which he included on a 1975 children's album. He actually tells the story of their visit to the grave on the album "Personal File" which was released after his death.

Click here and here to read more about Tiger and Sallie;
Click here to read the lyrics to Johnny's Song; and finally,
Click here to see a wonderful painting inspired by Cash's song.

The Limestone Cove Tragedy

A historical marker in Unicoi County marks the site of a bloody incident that speaks volumes about the impact of the Civil War on upper east Tennessee. It's easy to assume that since Tennessee was among the eleven Confederate States that all residents of Tennessee at that time supported secession and the Confederate cause. But the history of this region is much more complicated that simply drawing a line north and south. My first recognition of this came when I was still living in Illinois ("The Land of Lincoln") and read about a small college called Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, TN. Strange, I thought, a college in the South named for the Great Emancipator. Upon moving to to east Tennessee, I found it fascinating that most cities in the area had a "Union Street" and a "Lincoln Street." When I asked local folks about this, they said that east Tennessee was pro-Union during the war. And while that is true, it's also an over generalization.

One hundred and forty five years ago, the Limestone Cove Massacre occurred in what is now Unicoi County (it was created from parts of Washington and Carter Counties in 1875). The site of the massacre was the Bell house, which originally stood across the road from the Bell Cemetery. A 1903 book entitled History of the Thirteenth Regiment, Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry describes the incident in all its gory detail. The Bell family is said to have been well known and respected in Carter County. Yet neighbors led the Confederate troops to this home of Union sympathizers -- and upon finding a house full of men enroute to join the ranks of the Union army, the Confederate troops killed the men and burned down the house. The roadside historical marker at Bell Cemetery gives a brief account...

Limestone Cove Tragedy
Here are buried the eight civilians killed at the home of Dr. David Bell in Nov 1863. Enroute to Kentucky to join Federal Forces, they were found by a detachment of Col. W. A. Witcher’s Confederate Cavalry, while waiting for breakfast. They were: B. Blackburn, Calvin Cantrel, Elijah Gentry, Jacob Lyons, Wiley Royal, John Sparks and two unknown. Buried nearby is Dr. Bell's brother, James killed at the same time.

Counting the Cost

All we have of freedom, all we use or know -
This our fathers bought for us long and long ago.
--Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)

Marking the Days

HER LIETH THE BODY OF CHRISTOPHER MCENTURF JUNER HE WORS BOREN MARCH THE 25 1782 AND DYED APRIL THE 29 AND BURYED THE 30 1796 HIS AGE WORS 14 YEAR ONE MONTH AND 4 DAYS

I came across this very old tombstone in People’s Cemetery off of Springbrook Road outside of Unicoi, TN. I’ve never done much in the way of genealogy research, so I was amazed at all resources available online. It didn’t take long to find records pertaining to Christopher, a fourteen-year-old boy who died 212 years ago. Here's what I found... Christopher McInturff, Jr. was born March 25, 1782 in Shenandoah County, Virginia -- the eighth of ten children of Christopher and Christina McInturff. Around the time North Carolina ceded her western lands to the federal government (1790) to create the Tennessee Territory, the family moved to a large plot of land (550 acres) on Buffalo Creek at the foot of Buffalo Mountain (near the cemetery).

Christopher died the same year Tennessee became the nation's 16th state. At that time an enormous swath of northeast TN was called Carter County – from this huge area, two additional counties were later created: In 1838, Johnson County was separated out of Carter County and in 1875 Unicoi County was established out of parts of Carter and Washington Counties. I didn’t find much about this family's involvement in local history – but I can only imagine how difficult life on the frontier was for these early settlers. I find it touching that in making Christopher's tombstone, they counted and celebrated each of his days.

Shoulder to Shoulder

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.
--Elmer Davis

I can remember my grandmother telling me when I was a teen that she enjoyed walking through cemeteries. At the time, I thought that was a bit odd. But somewhere along the way, I've discovered that I, too, like to roam around cemeteries -- looking for the old stones, reading the names -- wondering what their lives were like. The photo above was taken at the Mountain Home National Cemetery in Johnson City, TN. Established in 1903, the cemetery now has 10,000 grave sites, the oldest are those of Civil War veterans.

Click here to access the names and burial locations of those interred at Mountain Home.
Click here to learn more about the cemetery and its history and here for directions.

Shades of Grey

St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church (built in 1862), Valle Crucis, NC.

I've been experimenting with black and white a lot so far this new year. Maybe its because it's January and there's not a lot of color to be found. Or maybe it's because in the winter months you see the "bone structure" of the land (as Andrew Wyeth said) and black and white photos tend to emphasize the scene's texture, lines, shadows and form. With color striped away, we look more deeply. In fact, it's common for people to say that there's so much more detail in black and white photos. It's not that there's any more detail than in a color print -- it's just that we see so much more when looking at a black and white shot. So which photos look best in black and white? Look for scenes with contrast -- an interplay between light and shadow -- for instance, scenes with deep blue skies and bright white clouds. Also look for interesting textures, patterns and shapes. With Photoshop (and other programs, even free programs like Picasa), you can apply color and infrared filters when converting them to black and white to exaggerate the contrast and make your black and white photos "pop." Click here to see some famous black and white images from Ansel Adams.

Acuff Chapel

Acuff Chapel was the first Methodist meetinghouse west of the Appalachians and the first in Tennessee. Built in 1786 on land donated by Timothy and Anna Leigh Acuff in what is today Sullivan County, this chruch also served as a school for 75 years. The successor church, Adams Chapel, is still an active United Methodist congregation. The church above was eventually sold and moved -- used as a private house. In 1962 the Holston Conference purchased the building, moved it back to its original location and restored it. In the cemetery are the graves of the Acuffs and many other early settlers to the area. Additional photos here and here.

Directions: From Interstate 81, take exit 69 (Highway 394), drive south 1 mile to the intersection with Highway 126 in Blountville, TN. Turn right (west) on Route 126 and travel 2.2 miles. Look for the historical marker and the church on the right.