Today in Johnson City History, Friday, March 21, 2025
News from Bowmantown, Washington College, and Haws X Roads
Wednesday, March 21, 1900: One hundred and twenty-five years ago today, the Herald and Tribune reported news from several localities in Washington County. From the rural community of Bowmantown, readers learned that “We are having winter weather almost in the lap of spring. It snowed Thursday and the next morning it was about a foot deep. This (Monday) morning there is some of it is (sic) still here, but it is melting pretty fast. We had several days of pretty weather before this snow; the farmers made good use of the time plowing and doing other farm work; they are very much behind with their work. The wheat was looking pretty well. Winter oats were damaged by the freezes through the winter.”
“The hickory men moved their saw mill last week from S. K. Barkley’s to John Keys’,, near Millbrook.”
Millbrook was apparently a community in rural Washington County.
“The health of this community is improving; nearly all the people had the grip and some few have it yet.”
“Grip” is now called influenza.
“H. M. Sherfey had a very painful (indecipherable) finger on his right hand for several weeks, but is now improving. The bachelor who was spoken of some time ago is still on foot; notwithstanding he is having a very sore finger, he has been carrying the mail.”
“W. M. Wine, of Morristown, stayed all night the 18th with H. M. Sherfey on his way to Sullivan County to visit friends.”
Morristown, Tennessee is located about 66 miles from Johnson City. It is almost due west of Johnson City.
“Mrs. J. B. Barkley and her children went last week to visit her sick father near Harmony.”
Harmony is a community in rural Washington County.
The information from Bowmantown was signed by “Uncle Ben”.
News from the community of Washington College included the following: “We hear the song of the farmer in every direction, which makes us feel that spring has arrived and labor is the order of the day. This is also the season in which many students make the great mistake in leaving school to engage in other pursuits. The school here continues to be in a prosperous condition. President Cooter, who has been travelling in the interest of the College for some weeks, is expected home soon.
“Miss Nellie Miller spent Saturday and Sunday with home folks in Limestone.”
Limestone is a community in rural Washington County.
“Baxter Taylor – although not a physician – was visiting the sick of this place last week. It is thought he will return in the near future.”
“Miss Myrtle Sanders still remembers her friends on College Hill by paying them frequent visits.”
“Baxter Haws, of North Carolina, a former student of this place has been spending some time with his brother John, who is in school here.”
“The men folks of this district are very quiet in regard to politics. H. T. Bowman, they say is the man for Sheriff, and the man who gets more votes must move at a lively speed so they says.”
The news from Washington College was signed by “Jane”.
Washington College is a community in rural Washington County. In 1900, Washington College was also an educational institution, functioning as a college.
Next was news from Haws X Roads. “As this place has not been represented in your columns for some time, I will give a few items that may interest some. Perhaps you wil have more space to spare this week as the Congressional campaign has closed with Brownlow victor”
Walter Preston Brownlow “was an American politician who represented Tennessee's 1st district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1897 until his death in 1910. He is remembered for obtaining large federal appropriations for his district, as well as for his intraparty political battles with Chattanoogans Henry Clay Evans and Newell Sanders over control of the state Republican Party. Along with his congressional tenure, Brownlow served as Doorkeeper of the United States House of Representatives from 1881 to 1883, and published the Jonesboro Herald and Tribune from 1876 to 1910.” (Source: Wikipedia.)
“The health of this community is very good, but grip and pneumonia prevails in the surrounding neighborhood.”
“P. F. Bishop, of West Virginia, visited his parents at this place last week.”
“Miss Mary Belle Haws spent last week in Greene County, visiting relatives.”
“Dick Lamb was buying cattle in this section last week.”
“Joe R. McCrary made a business trop to Jonesboro and Johnson City last week and saw one person of interest while away”
“The Bethesda Graded School prepared an excellent program for the closing exercises. ‘The Old Maid’s Convention’ was very amusing and caused some to grin out loud.”
Bethesda was presumably a community in rural Washington County.
“The Fall Branch school (sic for School) is moving right along regardless of the measles, mumps and other epidemics that are raging there.”
Fall Branch is a community in rural Washington County.
“John G. Bollin’s little five-year-old daughter’s clothing caught fire Thursday evening and there was no one in the room but two younger siblings who were unable to rescue her from the flames. Before help could reach her she was seriously burned, and was in great agony for forty eight (sic for forty-eight) hours, then succumbed to the wounds. She was interred in the Kincheloe Cemetery Saturday.”
“Rev. Jack Cox died Sunday and was interred at Double Springs.”
Double Springs is a community in rural Sullivan County.
The news from Haws X Roads was signed with an indecipherable name.
Haws X Road, or Haw’s Cross Roads is a community in rural Washington County. It is also sometimes spelled as Haw’s X Roads or Haw’s Crossroads.
The Herald and Tribune was, and still is, published in Jonesboro, which was spelled that way in 1900.
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