A Follow-Up Study of the Graduates of Jefferson High School
(Jefferson City, TN, 1956-1960)
A Thesis Presented to the Graduate Council of The University of
Tennessee in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science
by Jessie B. Malone
August, 1963
Chapter II
Historical Background of County
Development of County and Communities
Religious, cultural, economic, and political factors are indices to the type of educational program within a school unit. This chapter will include a description of physical features, major industries, types of communities, and the influence of Cherokee and Douglas Dams on Jefferson County.
Geographical data. Jefferson County, located in the northeastern part of Tennessee, is in the great valley of the eastern division of the State. The county is nearly semicircular in outline and lies mainly between the French Broad and Holston rivers. Part of the northern boundary of the county is formed by the Holston River. The French Broad River forms part of the eastern boundary and flows across the southeastern part of the county. About one fourth of the area of the county is dissected from the remainder by this river.
The relief is characterized by a small segment of English Mountains, Bays Mountain, a central valley, and plains that are in part thoroughly dissected. The Bays Mountain extends through the county in a northeastern-southwestern direction which causes drainage to flow in practically all directions. The general slope is southwesterly.
The elevation above sea level ranges from 800 to 1,632 feet with an average elevation of 1,300 feet. On a clear day the Great Smoky Mountains make a lovely sight in the eastern half of the county.
Much of this hill land is covered with a very fertile reddish loam while the river and creek bottom lands are covered with a silt loam which is also known for its unusual fertility. Another type of soil which is found within this county is very thin; and a third type, having some of the characteristics of fertility, is poor in production. The mineral wealth has proven to be enormous. Zinc and limestone are extensively mined, and quantities of both lead and iron are known to exist. The zinc is of high quality. Another geographical factor is climate, which is favorable for the production of staple crops. The temperature very seldom falls below zero or rises above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The average for the year is about 59 degrees Fahrenheit.1 The climate of the county is temperate and continental. Its salient features are its moderate winters with short erratic cold spells, mild summers with cool pleasant nights, and a well distributed mean annual precipitation of nearly fifty inches, including about ten inches of snow. The average frost-free season is 212 days.2 The former boundaries of the county have been altered somewhat by the construction of two dams built by the Tennessee Valley Authority under the World War II Emergency Program. They are the first of several such dams authorized under this program. The construction of these dams not only changed the topography of the county but resulted in many economic and recreational changes for the people of the county. The Cherokee Dam is located on the Holston River three miles from Jefferson City, the largest town in the county. The dam was constructed on an emergency basis in sixteen months, being completed in 1942. Several fine farms were inundated, and the families were forced to move their homes to other parts of Jefferson or neighboring counties.
The location of this dam had very little effect on the county schools. One small, one-room school with an enrollment of twenty pupils was consolidated with the large Jefferson City Elementary School. The teacher and pupils were transported to Jefferson City by a county school bus. Douglas Dam, located on the French Broad River eight miles below Dandridge and thirty-two miles above its confluence with the Holston River, influenced the county to a larger extent. This dam was started on February 2, 1942, and in a record twelve and a half months was completed, with closure of the dam on February 19, 1943.
The building of a dam on the French Broad River was considered as early as 1936 and again in 1939. Although recognized as a project that would control a drainage greater than any project developed, recommendation for its construction was deferred by the government because of the complex problem attendant upon the creation of a large reservoir on the Lower French Broad. Above the site lay a fertile, populous, and prosperous agricultural section. This region was highly developed and adapted to the production of vegetables and other farm products. Construction of such a project would cover 15,000 acres of bottom land and 18,000 acres of less productive land with water.
Many of the people in Dandridge and Jefferson County whose homes were threatened opposed it bitterly and made repeated efforts to prevent a dam on the recommended location. However, with the outbreak of war, it was deemed to be the best site for large-scale expansion of power facilities; and, in spite of the opposition, it was written into law and construction was begun in February, 1942.
The town of Dandridge apparently was doomed by the flood waters and served to strengthen opposition. This would have had great implications for the entire county because of its function as the seat of county government. In due time the Tennessee Valley Authority engineers deemed it feasible to build a dike, which would save the historic town.
The farms, 23,870 acres or 19 per cent of arable land in the county, were bought by the government, and the migration of the families was completed early in 1943. Some of the families bought land elsewhere in the county; some migrated to other counties and states. Five small schools were covered by the reservoir; but since the children's homes were also covered, the pupils who remained in the county were absorbed into other schools and no buildings were built at that time.3
Major industries. The county is rural and has always been predominately agricultural but is fast becoming industrial due to the increase of the major industries in the last decade and the addition of two more large corporations in the past six years. The most important crops produced in the county are tobacco, corn, wheat, dairy and beef cattle. The largest cash crop is tobacco. Even though agriculture is the major industry, there are other businesses and facilities conducive to attracting people to the county. Zinc mining is important near Jefferson City and New Market and offers employment to those residents of the city and county.
During the year 1959, 2,990,485 pounds of tobacco were sold, which returned more than $1,500,000 to the farmers. Over two thousand farmers depend on Burley tobacco as their most important source of cash.4
The Bush canning factory at Chestnut Hill is one of the largest independent canneries in the nation. It was established in 1907 by Stokely Brothers of Newport and A. J. Bush of Chestnut Hill. In 1916 Stokely shares were purchased by Mr. Bush and became Bush Brothers and Co. The cannery employs over six hundred people and has a yearly output of over two million cases of canned foods. The factory supplies a convenient market for the many vegetables, fruits, and berries grown on the surrounding farms. Douglas and Cherokee lakes have become two of the most popular fishing, boating, and swimming areas in the state. Picnic areas near the shores draw many visitors in spring, summer, and fall. Providing recreational facilities has become big business in the county, and many people earn their livelihood from the industry.
The cattle, both for dairying and beef purpose, has become an increasingly important industry in the last ten years. Oats, barley, rye, peaches, apples, cherries, berries, hogs, and poultry are less important branches of the farm program.5
The timber industry may also be considered among the county's natural resources. The acreage of forest land is around 25,000 and consists mainly of the following species of trees: pine, maple, walnut, oak, hickory, and cedar. There remain only a few acres of virgin timber.6
The Jefferson City Cabinet Company, a subsidiary of The Magnavox Corporation, is located one mile north of Jefferson City. It began its operations within the county in 1955 and has had a steady and prosperous growth since that time. Expansions of building facilities are almost continuous. The company employs over 1,400 wage and salary earners from the surrounding communities and various nearby counties. The total plant area contained over 350,000 square feet and covered eight acres of land at the time of this study.
The products of the company include televisions, radios, and record
changers. Public opinion has
it that these items are among the best quality of their type. The current
number of finished goods
in units produced annually by the plant is in excess of 903,000.
Historical and Educational Development of Community
Formerly, the 318 square miles now known as Jefferson County were included in those of Greene County. In 1783 the first settlers came to Jefferson County, and these included the following men and their families: Robert McFarland, Alexander Outlaw, Thomas Jarnigin, James Hill, Wesley White, James Randolph, Joseph Coperland, Robert Gentry, and James Hubbard. The first two men mentioned located in the area known now as Hamblen County. The last seven settled in what is now called Sevier County. About four miles above the mouth of the Chucky River and on the north side was the site chosen by Captain Jarnigin for his homestead. James Hill lived about a mile below Captain Jarnigin, and Wesley White settled immediately opposite Taylor's Bend. Robert Gentry located four miles above Dandridge, and Joseph Copeland seven miles above Dandridge on the south side of the French Broad River. After this period of settling during 1783, the population grew rapidly.
Some very important events occurred during the decade following the year 1783. In 1785 the Franklin government divided the area then known as Greene into three distinct and separate counties. One of the new counties formed by this division was Caswell, which included the area now known as Jefferson and Sevier counties. Jefferson and Knox counties were created on June 11, 1792, by Governor Blount. During the following year he had these counties formed into the Hamilton Judicial District. Sevier County was created in 1794 by dividing Jefferson County, and in 1797 the county was divided again, a part of it becoming Cocke County.7 The remaining area of 318 square miles is the present Jefferson County.8
The formation of the judicial system in Jefferson County was not long in coming. In just one year, one month, and eleven days following the formation of Jefferson County, the first Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of Jefferson County Court met at the home of Jeremiah Matthews, about four or five miles west of Dandridge, and north of the French Broad near the river. This meeting took place on July 22, 1793. A short time later Dandridge became the county seat. Today, more than 169 years later, Dandridge remains the seat of justice in the county. In 1810 the Circuit Court was organized, and about a quarter of a century later the Chancery Court. Law and order were held in a sort of sacred trust, and the religious duties of individuals and communities were given, perhaps, greater emphasis than before.9
By 1810 churches were organized in all parts of the county, and religious services were held in homes whenever buildings for worship were not available.10 Religion and education have been vital influences in the lives and activities of the people since its beginning. The oldest church in the county is the Hopewell Presbyterian Church in Dandridge. It was organized in 1785, eight years before the town was established. The people are practically all Protestants, largely Baptist, Presbyterian, and Methodist.
Education has been a major concern of the people since before the organization of the county. Efforts to establish outstanding educational facilities were made in various communities.11 After the church buildings were erected, somewhat later came the construction of various schools. During the beginning of the educational system in the county, both public and private schools flourished. The first academy was located in a log house at Dandridge. The trustees were appointed in 1806, and the academy was opened in 1818. A brick building was erected later, and the academy became a co-educational institution.
Subsequently, a frame building was erected and a school for girls established. In 1850 the Dandridge Female Academy was incorporated with a board of nine trustees. A large, three-story building was erected. The third floor was occupied by the Sons of Temperance, the second floor by the Masonic Lodge, and the first floor by the school. The school was opened in the fall of 1851 under the religious influence of Reverend William Harrison, a Presbyterian minister. This building was used until it was considered unsafe, when it was replaced by another brick building by the Masonic Lodge in 1887. This building was used until January 1, 1951, as an elementary school for pupils of Dandridge and vicinity. At this time a completely modern building was ready for the high school pupils, and the elementary pupils were moved to the old high school building.
In 1825 the Holston Conference of the Methodist Church decided to establish a manual labor training school at New Market. A farm was purchased, the necessary buildings erected, and in 1830 the Holston Seminary was opened. The manual labor feature of the institution was never put into operation, and the farm was sold. However, the school was maintained until about 1885 when it was replaced by a seminary controlled by the Presbyterian Church.
In 1848 Strawberry Plains College was founded by Reverend Curd Fulton working under the direction of Holston Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. It gained a wide reputation and was considered an excellent school. The college was destroyed during the Civil War and was never replaced.
Edwards Academy was built by the United Brethren Congregation at White Pine in 1883. This school continued in operation until 1911 when it became a part of the Jefferson County School System.
Carson-Newman College, located at Jefferson City, had its beginning in two separate schools, one for boys and one for girls. Unlike the other institutions of higher learning in the county, at that time, it continued to grow and prosper.
The college began with a dream of Reverend William Rogers and Reverend C. C. Tipton to build a Baptist college on the banks of Mossy Creek. The necessary funds for a building were collected, and on August 7, 1851, the school was opened by Reverend Rogers and R. R. Bryan and soon after chartered as the Mossy Creek Baptist Missionary Seminary. In 1856 the name was changed to Mossy Creek Baptist College; again in 1880 the name was changed to Carson College in honor of James H. Carson of Dandridge who made a bequest of $20,000 to support ministerial education.
A female seminary was established in 1880 under the patronage of the Baptist Church and named Newman College in honor of William C. Newman, who made liberal donations for its upkeep. In 1889, Carson College, composed of men, and Newman College, composed of women, were consolidated into a co-educational institution, "Carson-Newman College," and is now operated by the Southern Baptist Association. Today, it is a four-year, co-educational college. It is a member of the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, The American Association of Colleges, and the Tennessee College Association. Its work is recognized by graduate schools, professional schools, and state departments of education.
The influence of Carson-Newman College has been felt to a great extent in the educational life of the entire county, and it now trains the majority of teachers who work in the Jefferson County public schools.12
As was true of all East Tennessee, the established academies served as a basis on which the present high school system was established. Along with the schools appeared other organizations such as fraternities and anti-slavery and temperance movements. One theatre house was opened in 1819 at Tuckertown, now New Market.13
Development of towns and communities. The second oldest town in Tennessee, and the first to be laid out in Jefferson County, was Dandridge. The town was named in honor of Martha Dandridge, the wife of George Washington. Prior to the year of 1785, a few early settlers had floated down the French Broad River by raft and stopped along the banks at various spots. Although a few of these settlers already mentioned lived along the river, Dandridge was selected as the site for the County Court in 1793.14 The fact that it probably was already a meeting point for the people of the county, since it had a church and burial ground as well as a splendid stillhouse, and its position on the bank of the French Broad, undoubtedly influenced the commissioners to make it the seat of justice. The town was laid off on a site of fifty acres of land which was donated by a resident of the community.
Little is known of the first buildings in Dandridge, but, following the building of homes, the jail was erected next.15 It was built in 1793 and was replaced by a double log wall filled between with rock in 1846; the same year the courthouse was erected.16
Shady Grove, a settlement located three miles west of Dandridge and settled about 1785, was one of the early settlements along the French Broad. After Dandridge was made the county seat of justice, the town did not increase very much in size.
In 1788 Mossy Creek, now Jefferson City, received its first settler. It was five years later and ten miles to the west of Dandridge that Jefferson County was settled from the southeast from the French Broad River. Adam Peck built his house just below Mossy Creek, named because of the abundant floating moss on the creek and along its banks at that time.
About 1819 James Tucker opened a house of entertainment ten miles northwest of Dandridge on the stage route from Knoxville to Abingdon, Virginia. The place became known as Tuckertown, and during the next few years a small village grew up in the vicinity. As the town became established it provided a new market for produce and passengers on the stage route and was later given the name of New Market. About 1831 a newspaper, The New Market Telegraph, was established by McAfee and Bunker. It continued only a few years.17 The other villages or towns that were of any importance in Jefferson County were Leadvale and White Pine. Leadvale was originally established in 1848 by Major L. D. Franklin, who built a store and residence. To the surrounding area, this little town was one of the most important villages during the nineteenth century, principally because lead had been discovered there and because a main railroad made it the loading station for livestock and goods going east. It was finally discovered that the deposits of lead were not so abundant as supposed and many of the residents moved to a neighboring settlement which is now called White Pine.
For several years only a few people lived in White Pine. In approximately 1870, Esquire Leeper was employed to lay out a town. For several years previous to this, it had been called Dandridge Crossing, due to the Dandridge and Greeneville stage road crossing the railroad tracks at this place.18 When the town was laid off and the United States Government Post Office was erected, a government agent wrote and asked for a name by which it should be called, Esquire White looked out of his window and saw an eighty-five foot pine and wrote that White Pane should be the name.
White Pine was incorporated in 1893. It suffered a severe loss from fire in April, 1905. It was reincorporated in 1915 with D. L. Reynolds as its first mayor. The first bank was built in 1906. This bank grew from assets of $7,500 in cash to over $50,000 in the first four years of existence.20
Of all the towns and communities mentioned, Mossy Creek, now Jefferson
City, has surpassed
them all. This city now has a population of 4,550, as compared to the
population in 1950, which
was 3,633.21 This increase as compared to the population of a century
ago is probably due to
the progress of the development of its resources and the growth of Carson-Newman
College.
Political, Economic, Social, and Religious Data
The early industrial development and growth of Jefferson County were very favorable. The discovery of natural resources and the fertile farmland along the Holston and French Broad rivers and their tributaries attracted the early settlers to the various locations which later developed into towns.
Mills, carding machines, retail stores, blacksmith shops, and other industries made their appearances as soon as the demand justified their existence. There were many normal conditions, however, which tended to hinder development. In addition to the usual problems confronting the inhabitants of a new state were a group which may be classified under three heads: the relations and adjustments with the national government; the establishment of trade relations, and the solution of the Indian question. Much suffering and bloodshed had resulted from the bitter struggle carried on between the red and white races. In spite of these retarding influences, however, the natural increase of population continued.22
According to the census report of 1840, the total population of Jefferson County was 12,076; by 1850 the number had increased to 13,204 and by 1860 to 16,043, the slave population being about 13 per cent and the number of free colored never as many as two hundred. The census report of 1850 presented some interesting facts. There were only seventeen foreigners, and 2,040 families, which indicated a rather large percentage of children. A comparatively small number were reported in school, 396 in private and 3,000 in public schools of the county. The annual income for educational purposes was about $1.25 per pupil, the private institutions having the advantage in finances.23
In 1850 only about 3 per cent of the population lived in villages. Dandridge, with 378 inhabitants, was the largest town. There were 904 farms in the county. The assessed valuation with improvements and equipment was $1,384,594. Indicative of the business and financial trends was the fact that two banks, each having capital stock of $50,000, were doing business in Dandridge prior to the beginning of the War Between the States.24
Rural life had undergone much change by 1900, farms were reduced in size, and slave labor, of course, did not exist. Farmers had begun to take more interest in truck patches and fruit. Since 1900 inventions, modern equipment, improved transportation, manufacturing, mining, better church buildings, and schools have tended to enhance both economic and social life. Nevertheless, many problems have remained.25
The Republican party is predominate in politics. Nominations in the Republican primary election are tantamount to election. Unlike many other counties, the political ideologies and differences are friendly. There are no pronounced factions and no issues are made of political or religious affiliations in the educational or business life of the county. School employees are appointed without reference to political parties or church membership. The people have respect for and pride in their Board of Education and County Court. The members are men of integrity, intelligence, and, in most cases, are heavy taxpayers.26
Jefferson County may be regarded as a representative unit of East Tennessee. The population of the county, according to the 1960 census, was 21,493 as compared to the census of 1850 of 13,204. It consists of an Anglo-Saxon element with its usual traits of conservatism. The theory of " personal rights" is often emphasized, at least by example, and so is the standard of morality, with keen appreciation of honesty and justice. The moral and religious conduct of the people, as a rule, is to be commended. Strict regard for the Sabbath may be noted by any observer merely passing through the county.27
Fraternities, societies, clubs, and social organizations among both men and women are very common. Every village has its organizations or chapters, and the work carried on is by no means of a trivial nature.
Although there exists some poverty and some unemployment, as in other counties, this seems to be on a general decline. Individuals often appear to tax themselves to find something to do or sell in order to have a little spending money. Taxes are high, but property is m
