Today in Johnson City History, Friday, October 18, 2024
Things happening in and around Jonesboro
Wednesday, October 18, 1899: One hundred and twenty-five years ago today, the Herald and Tribune, a newspaper that was, and still is, published in Jonesboro (which was spelled that way at the time), reported several short news accounts, most of which featured prominent local citizens. Several short advertisements were also scattered among the news items. Some of the news briefs and advertisements follow: “Chas. Correll, Calver Febuary and Sam Miller, of this place, and Jo McCrary, of Fall Branch, all of whom were members of the Eighteenth United States Buglers, came home last week from the Philippines, where they had been for about sixteen months. They boys are all hearty and make no complaint of ill health during their (indecipherable words).”
“The body of a man named Phillips near Conkling, was exhumed last Monday and examined by Doctors Hoss and Dulaney, it having been charged that he had been poisoned by his sister in law (sic) about two weeks ago. The Doctors (sic) could find no trace of poison but decided that he had come to his death by meningitis.
“A team belonging to Ed Baldwic attached to a wagon loaded with fertilizer got beyond control of the driver coming down the hill at the railroad crossing on Cherokee Street last Monday afternoon, and made a dash for Main Street but stopped as they ran against the corner of the Cox building. No damage was done.”
“Mrs. W. P. Brownlow and daughter, Mrs. A. N. Hacker, and child, left for Washington City last Monday, to remain during the winter.”
“The lecture delivered by Hon. A. A. Taylor in the church at Embreville last Saturday evening was the richest literary treat every offered the people of that place. It was confidently expected that something unusually good would be heard, but not one present was prepared for the feast that was spread. The lecture was full of beautiful word pictures, depicting many of life’s features too often overlooked and too little understood. ‘Life’s Poetry and Pearls’ contains gems of thought that glisten with a luster, that are seen in but few platform efforts, and could we give a synopsis of what Mr. Taylor said we feel sure our readers would agree with us that those who failed to hear him missed an opportunity but rarely offered. Lack of space alone prevents a more extended notice.”
“New Millinery at Miss Slemons’.”
“Capes and jackets at Dosser Bros.”
“Shirts of all kinds cheap at A. C. Britton.”
“Wanted – all your walnut kernels, Dosser Bros.”
“Fannie Britton is visiting in Knoxville this week.”
“John M. Fain, wife and children, were here a few days last week.”
“H. H. McPherson is pushing his residence to completion and when done will have one of the best buildings in the town.”
“At the annual Chrysanthemum show there will be an exhibition of dolls by the (several indecipherable words). There will be prizes given to the girl under twelve years of age who has made the neatest clothing for her doll.”
The former Congressman continued to be in the news. “A movement is on foot to secure Hon. A. A. Taylor for one of his popular lectures, to be given at an early date. It is under the auspices of the Public Library Association and should be liberally patronized.”
“James Martin, of Free Hill, who was in attendance at the M. E. Conference in Cleveland last week, returned home Monday.”
“Jas. Britton, now running an engine between the furnace and mines at Embreville, spent Sunday with relatives in this place.”
“The chestnut crop is said to be short this season.”
“Dr. Leab spent a couple of days in Knoxville this week.”
“Jonesboro is quarantined against Bristol on account of smallpox.”
“An immense quantity of fertilizer is being handled by our dealers and farmers this fall.”
The Brownlow name continued to be in the news. “Rev. M. D. Mitchell is now occupying the Brownlow residence on West Main Street.”
Conkling, or Conklin, is a community in rural Washington County, as is Free Hill.
Walter Preston Brownlow , a Representative and Doorkeeper from Tennessee; born in Abingdon, Washington County, Va., March 27, 1851; attended the common schools; employed as a telegraph messenger boy when only ten years of age; became an apprentice in the tinning business at the age of fourteen and later became a locomotive engineer; entered upon newspaper work as a reporter for the Knoxville Whig and Chronicle in 1876; in the same year purchased the Herald and Tribune in Jonesboro, Tenn.; delegate to the Republican National Conventions in 1880, 1884, 1896, 1900, and 1904; appointed postmaster at Jonesboro in March 1881; elected Doorkeeper of the United States House of Representatives for the Forty-seventh Congress (December 5, 1881–December 4, 1883); member of the Republican National Committee in 1884, 1896, and 1900; elected as a Republican to the Fifty-fifth and to the six succeeding Congresses and served from March 4, 1897, until his death on July 8, 1910 (March 4, 1897-July 8, 1910); member of the Board of Managers for the National Soldiers' Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers 1902-1910; died at the National Soldiers' Home, Johnson City, Washington County, Tenn., July 8, 1910; interment in the Soldiers' Home Cemetery. (Source: InfoPlease.com.)
Washington City is now known as Washington, D. C.
The Honorable A. A. Taylor served as a member of the U. S. House of Representatives from the First Congressional District from 1889 until 1895. He was Governor of the State of Tennessee from 1921 until 1923.
Embreville is sometimes spelled “Embreeville”.
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