New Market – Though we do not cut much of a figure as a manufacturing town, we have a flourishing saw mill in constant operation, also a planning mill, both owned and managed by Mr. A. H. Trotter, who is also a contractor and builder giving employment to several men.
Mr. Tom Brown in an expert cabinet maker and has lately completed some beautiful bookcases, tables, cabinets, etc. that shows that he not only knows how to handle his tools, but has an artistic eye as well.
Russell & Son, are the proprietors of a blacksmith and wagon making establishment, they having the reputation of making first class wagons and horse-shoes that cannot be excelled.
M. L. Dick & Son, are engaged in the general merchandise business and do a very good business. Mr. Charles Dick is their buyer and always shows good taste in his selection of goods. Mr. Dick is also the postmaster and represents Uncle Sam in a very satisfactory way.
W. B. Minnis & Co. is the style of another firm in the general merchandise business. They occupy a beautiful new building containing all the modern conveniences and keep perhaps the largest stocks of goods in town. They employ three clerks and are always polite and obliging to customers, they are agents of all sorts of agricultural machines and fertilizers of which they have sold a great deal this year and they ship quantities of wheat and corn, etc.
G. W. Long & Co. are also in the general merchandise business and handle machinery and fertilizers, they also ship large quantities of grain, eggs and butter. Mr. Long is a very busy man, besides giving this business his oversight, he is the proprietor of the hotel, New Market and also of the best stocked and equipped livery stable this side of Knoxville and he is also a justice of the peace and every week has from two to three lawsuits to decide.
E. England & Son, have a harness and saddle shop and also a tannery, they make the best harness found anywhere and their saddles are not only handsome, but the most comfortable and last longer than any other.
New Market as an educational town has few equals. There are two excellent schools in progress now. The N. M. Academy under the control of the Presbyterian Synod has as the principal, Prof. Francis Penland of North Carolina, who with his able assistants, Misses Emma Newman and Lillie Frankland, is giving the greatest satisfaction to the patrons and scholars. Holston College, is managed by the Methodist persuasion and Prof. Williams, Miss Rosa Bruce, and Miss Weams are the teachers. Both schools are well attended and are doing good work.
There are only four churches here now and two of these belong to the colored people. The Presbyterian Church is the strongest. I believe as long as Rev. John Eakin is pastor, it will grow and flourish as the fig tree. The Methodist Church has lately changed pastors, the Rev. Mr. Reed is now in charge.
The medical fraternity is well represented by Messrs Taylor, Franklin, Matthews and Dr. and Mrs. Palmer, all of whom have been very successful.
As a residence town our place holds out many attractions. It is beautifully located at the foot of a picturesque hill backed in the distance by Bay's Mountain. It lies in what is known as the New Market valley and through the town flows Lost Creek, taking its name from its mysterious disappearances about a mile below here.
The "dirt road" which we hope will be a pike soon goes through Main Street and although the town has not been laid off in blocks, it is quite pretty and the streets are so plainly marked that strangers are not likely to get lost.
Now if antiquity gives a place any claims to notoriety, we are old – dead old. In the appearance of some of the buildings will testify. Away back before this century was born, this was a place and rejoiced in high sounding name of "Tucker town" no doubt being named for the unfortunate Dan Tucker, made famous in story and song, but this name like all things had to give place to the march of progress and in the infancy of nineteen hundred some public-spirited man had it changed to its present euphonious title.
For more than sixty years this was an incorporated town until the advent of a saloon some ten years ago and the citizens preferred no corporation to whiskey, so it was repealed and since that time we have gotten on very well without a corporation.
Source: Knoxville Daily Journal, Tuesday, November 19, 1895
Transcribed by Robert McGinnis
