Towns, Villages, and Settlements of Maury County

Ewell's Station

A short distance south of Spring Hill, on the railroad, is Ewell's Station, and here is the well-known Ewell farm. Here lived the distinguished Confederate general, Richard S. Ewell, who took up his residence at this place after the war and who at the time of his death, was devoting his energies to the breeding and improvement of stock. The somewhat romantic marriage of him and his estimable wife and the coincidence of their deaths are almost fit for a novel. At this place now resides Maj. Campbell Brown, stepson of the former. Maj. Campbell Brown is the well-known breeder of fine stock. In the Twenty-second District, in addition to Spring Hill and Ewell's, there is Woodlawn post office, a beautiful place on the railroad and Neapolis, the seat of an academy.

Santa Fe

Santa Fe is near the center of District No. 22. It is one of the oldest settlements in the county. The Indian title having been extinguished north of the river before they were south of it, settlements began there earlier.

The following families are said to have settled in the county in 1806; Caughrons, Brookes, on Snow Creek, McLeans, Neeley, Cinders, Griffins, Mitchells, Fitzgeralds, Dotys, Aydelottes, Piggs, Ayers, Bakers, Hills, Ladds, Seagraves, Lockharts, Owens and Edmistons.

In 1807 came the Reaves, Binghams, Wrens, Hunters and McCrackens.
It is said the first white child born on Snow Creek was Samuel H. Willams.
The first mill was owned by Andrew Mitchell; this was a horse-mill.
The first water-mill was owned by Spencer Griffith.
The first blacksmith was Thomas Aydlotte. Carter Linsey was a smith and augur-maker.
The first merchant was Jonathan Bullock;
The first teacher was Richard Passmore; Mr. Hopkins was also an early teacher.

The first physician was Dr. Stribbling, followed in order by Drs. Thomas W. and Samuel Kilpatrick, Dr. Douglas, Dr. Nicholas Scales, Dr. Bateman. Dr. W. W. Dabney, Dr. John Vestal, Dr. Satterfield, Dr. L. B. Forgey, Dr. Samuel Godwin, Dr. James Ragsdale and Dr. Sebastian, all of whom are now gone.

The first minister in Santa Fe was the Rev. John Crane, a Methodist, who came there as early as 1807 and died in 1813 and was buried at Goshen Church, the first burial at that place.

The Cumberland Church was organized at Santa Fe at a much later date. It is said Santa Fe was called Pinhook at first but was changed later to Benton, but on application for a post office, another change became necessary and it was given its present name, Santa Fe which leads from Columbia to Mount Pleasant.

Mount Pleasant

The country surrounding Mount Pleasant is claimed to be the finest in the State. To strangers visiting Maury County this question is always put: "Have you been out on the Mount Pleasant Pike?'' Mount Pleasant was founded about 1820. Old Father Hunter, a famous bear hunter and Primitive Baptist preacher, was one of the first settlers in that vicinity.

Other settlers were the McGees, Griffiths, Craigs, Coopers, Mitchells, Stockards, Pickards and Baileys. Not far from these were the Nixons, Buekners and Grimeses.

The first merchant in Mount Pleasant was Lyman D. Brewster, who moved from Spring Hill to that place about 1820. There were formerly some very large landed estates lying in the vicinity of Mount Pleasant, but these have mostly been divided up into smaller farms.

Among the early business men of Mount Pleasant were Hervey Hoge, Lemuel Long Samuel P. Lea, Messrs. Willson & Jennings. Among the later ones were Henry A. Miller, Ephraim Dickson, Alex Williams and E. O. Cross.

Among the noted physicians are noticed: Dr. Hamilton, Dr. Thorenot (who died of cholera in 1834), Dr. Sprinkle, Dr. Stockard, Dr. Sansom and Dr. Jordan, who is believed to be the oldest man in the county, and still vigorous. Among the later physicians are Dr. Hunter, Dr. Long and Dr. Williams.

Hunter's Church, about one mile south of Mount Pleasant, is contemporary with Zion, and was built about 1810.

The first Presbyterian ministers here were Duncan Brown, Hugh Shaw and John S. Frierson. A new church has since been built at Mount Pleasant and the membership of the church transferred there.
The early Methodist ministers were John Akin, John Daniel, John Nixon, Kesterson and Tidwell. This denomination has a large and flourishing church at Mount Pleasant.

There are also quite a number of Cumberland Presbyterians in this section, and these people have an old camp ground and church at Mount Joy, on the west fork of Bigby, about three miles from Mount Pleasant.
Good schools have been maintained at Mount Pleasant for more than a half century. Mathew D. Cooper is said to have taught school there as early as 1809-10.

Cross Bridge

Cross Bridge is the name of a little place about ten miles from Columbia, on the Columbia & Hampshire Pike. At this place is a store, post office and an academy.

Hampshire

Hampshire is a small village in District No. 15, and is about fifteen miles west of Columbia, and is situated on Cathey's Creek. Lands in this neighborhood were settled in 1807. The first settlers in the neighborhood were the Akins, Loves, Farises, Whitesides, Lusks, Williamses, Erwins, Alexanders, Peytons, Bells, Isoms, Bitlles and Burnses. Hampshire is a place of some wealth and business. Game in this vicinity was formerly very abundant. It is said that the wife of William Alexander killed a deer with a smoothing iron in 1808. Near Hampshire on the creek below' were settled the Kennedys, Maloues and Catheys, the latter giving the name to the stream.

The first Presbyterian Church in this neighborhood was organized by the Rev. James White Stephenson, who was then pastor of Zion Church.

The first church of the Primitive Baptists was organized by the Rev. Mr. McCaleb, who, with the Rev, McConieo, was the first minister of that persuasion.

The first Methodist preacher was the Rev. John Akin. In the Cathey neighborhood are a Presbyterian and a Christian Church; the latter has quite a large congregation.

The first school teachers in the neighborhood were Rev. John Akin, Asoph Enloe and Henry Young.

Bigbyvilie

Bigbyvilie is about nine miles south of Columbia. The origin of the place dates about 1834 or 1835. The village is quite small, and has made little progress, in a commercial sense, for a number of years. It was incorporated a number of years ago, but in April, 1882, it surrendered its charter. Settlements began in the vicinity of Bigbyvilie about 1807. Among the early settlers were the Hendersons, Reeses, Alexanders, Smiths, Matthews, Hannas, McCains, Perrys, Scotts and Zollicoffers. John J. Zollicoffer, father of Gen. Felix K. Zollicoffer, died on his farm near Bigbyvilie, and here, too, the General was born. Frederick Zollicoffer, a brother of the General, was one of the first merchants in Bigbyvilie. The place contains the usual number of business houses of a place of its size; also a Methodist church and a Masonic hall.

Mount Pleasant

Not far from Bigbyvilie, near the head waters of the Little Bigby, is what is called Mount Pleasant is at the terminus of a branch of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, Southport. William McConnell is said to have been the first settler in this vicinity. He built a tannery near where the village stands. Near the place were the McKnights, Galloways, Mathewses and Ralstons. Near here also lived and died Col. William Pillow. The Methodists have a church here and the Christians have one near the place. The first lodge of Good Templars in Maury County was organized at Southport by the Rev. Mr. Hensley in 1868. Near the dividing line between Maury and Giles Counties, at source of Little Bigby, is a cave of considerable size. Here saltpeter was obtained for the powder mill that first stood in Columbia.

Williamsport

Williamsport is situated in the western part of the county on Duck River. The land where the town now stands was entered by Edward Williams and a ferry was established by him at that place called "Williams' Ferry." The town was laid out in 1817 by Edward Williams, and being on the river was very naturally named Williamsport. The town was incorporated in 1817 by an act of the Legislature, but the charter was allowed to lapse after a time, but was re-incorporated in November, 1845, and the charter amended in 1855.

Among the early settlers in and about Williamsport were the Cooks, Williamses, Pools, Edwards, Comptons, Oliphants, Bullocks and Englishes. Across the river were the Leipers, Greenfields and Colemans. Hugh Leiper gave name to Leiper's Creek.

The first physician of Williamsport was Dr. James G. Smith, who came to the county with the Greenfields. Dr. Thomas Greenfield came out from Maryland and settled Greenfield Bend.

Williamsport was in an early day an important shipping point, being on the river as it was. The boats used were flat-boats, keel-boats and pirogues. John Muirhead, who lived south of Gordon's Ferry, and Samuel Oliphant are said to have built the first flatboat that ever floated out of Duck River to New Orleans. Maj. John Bullock, John O. Cook and James Blakely are said to have brought the first salt from the famous "saline works," near Shawneetown, Illinois. This was as early as about 1814.

The first merchant in Williamsport was George Hicks. Several distinguished business and professional men have lived in Williamsport; among them were Powhattan Gordon, Abraham Church and Dr. Samuel S. Porter. Although in a healthful section of the country, Williamsport was scourged by cholera in 1835. The town is surrounded by good farming country and has its complement of churches, schools, business and professional men. In the same district, No. 14, is a village or settlement called Saw Dust Valley, the center of a prosperous community. In this vicinity is the well-known old Methodist camp ground called Mount Nebo. Near the old camp ground is the modern church of Mount Nebo.

Kinderhook Settlement

In the First District, in the northwestern part of the county, is a settlement called Kinderhook. The particular place mentioned lies on the line of the old Natchez Trace. The first settler in that region is said to have been a man named Kersey. A county may fail to name some insignificant place Boston or Charleston, but it never fails to have a Kinderhook.

New York Settlement

On a branch of the Big Bigby, in the southwestern part of the county, is New York. It is more the name of a settlement than a town. It contains a store, Scott Mill, and one or two shops. Near the place is a Presbyterian Church, and about one mile from the place is a Methodist Church.

Enterprise

In the Eleventh District is a neighborhood called Enterprise. There was formerly a store and business shop and a mill there. The place is too far from railroad communication to thrive, although surrounded as it is by fine lands. In the vicinity of Enterprise are a Methodist and a Baptist Church.

Rally Hill

Rally Hill lies in the eastern part of the county, about fifteen miles from Columbia. The early settlers in this district, the Twenty-fifth, were the Hardisons, Boyds, Peays, Billingtons, Strattons, Hurts, Derryberrys, Smiths, Hueys, Foglemans and others.

Other Centers

Other centers in the Twenty-fifth District are Glenn's Store, where there is also a post office, Hurt's Cross Roads, Orr's Cross Roads; the latter contains an academy and a church, and Hardison's Mill's. There is a post office at the last named place. In former days the settlers about Bear and Flat Creeks were wont to come to Columbia and meet their rivals from the vicinity of Culleoka and engage them in the "manly art" of fisticuff. These contests were often long and sometimes bloody, but were simply tests of muscle.

Culleoka

Among the first settlers in the vicinity where Culleoka now stands was David Love who built a mill on Fountain Creek. This was long known as Love's mill. Lemuel Prewett settled at Cave Hill, west of Culleoka, in 1807. Col. Joe Brown was another early settler in that locality. John Toombs was au early settler near Culleoka. He once built a distillery near the present site of the county poor-house. Near Culleoka was the old Pleasant Grove Academy; near this is the old Wilkes' Camp Ground and Church. A short distance east of Culleoka is a Baptist Church. At the village of Culleoka is the well-known school of the Wells brothers. This school has long since swallowed up the old Pleasant Grove Academy. In addition to this well-known school Culleoka contains a Methodist and a Presbyterian Church, a Masonic hall, a hotel and numerous business houses.

Hurricane Switch

Hurricane Switch lies six miles beyond Columbia. The village contains two or three stores, a post office, several shops and a Methodist Church and camp ground. Pleasant Grove Depot lies on the railroad, ten miles from Columbia. This place contains several stores, a steam flouring mill, a hotel and other buildings. Campbell's Station lies three miles beyond Culleoka, on the railroad. This was named from the family of Campbells who settled there in an early day. Among the early settlers near there were the Campbells, Gills, Davis Kerr and Amis. Besides a few business houses there is a Christian I Church near Campbell's Station. Formerly there was, near this place, Shane's Church and Graveyard. Mark Jackson, an old Revolutionary soldier, was buried here, as well as many of the old settlers.

 AHGP Tennessee | Spring Hill Settlement

Source: History of Tennessee, Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1886