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MADISON COUNTY HISTORY


General Histories

Files at Madison County TNGenWeb
Goodspeed's History of Tennessee/Madison County, Tennessee (1887)
Madison County, J. G. Cisco (1902)


Agriculture

Files at Madison County TNGenWeb
When did mechanical cotton pickers come to West Tennessee? The answer is in the obituary of C. W. Joyner.
Madison County (from Killebrew's Introduction to the Resources of Tennessee [1874])

Files Found on the Web
The Commercial Appeal Plant to Prosper Competition (1936) (Approx. 900k)
Malathion, The Jackson Sun


The Black Experience

Files at Madison County TNGenWeb
Freedmen's Labor Contracts, Madison County, Tennessee 1866-1867
Genealogical and Historical Gleanings from the Freedmen's Bureau Records West Tennessee Public Marriage Records of Black Persons in Madison County, Tennessee, 1868-1888
Tombstone Inscriptions from Black Cemeteries in Madison County, Tennessee, Jonathan K. T. Smith
Tombstone Inscriptions from Black Cemeteries in Madison County, Tennessee, Volume Two, Jonathan K. T. Smith

Files Found on the Web
Arthur Adams, Blind Pig Records
Autobiography of Bishop Isaac Lane, L.L.D.: With a Short History of the C.M.E. Church in America and of Methodism, Isaac Lane. The University of North Carolina web site hosting this page features nineteenth century southern diaries, memoirs, and autobiographies, many of which concern the Civil War.
FBI Files-Eleanor Clubs, PBS Online
A First Lady (Sadie Barham), T. J. Duckett
Forked Deer Blade, (abstracts), compiled by Sarah Hutcherson (TNGenWeb/Rootsweb) (several items mention colored or negro individuals)
Freedmen's Bureau Indenture of Apprenticeship Bonds for Madison County, Tennessee 1865-1866, Freedmen's Bureau Online
History, Lane College
History of CME Church Publishing House, Department of Publication Services, CME Church
The History of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America: Comprising Its Organization, Subsequent Development and Present Status (Electronic Edition), C. H. Phillips (University of North Carolina Library Website)
Jackson Sun Sept 1876-Dec 1877 (abstracts), compiled by Sarah Hutcherson (TNGenWeb/Rootsweb) (numerous items mentioning colored or negro individuals)
Jim Crow Laws, Sparticus Educational (UK) (has photograph of whites-only coca-cola vending maching in Jackson; nice general history site for US and UK history)
John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson (1914-1948), A Profile of African Americans in Tennessee History, Tennessee State University
Lane College, A Profile of African Americans in Tennessee History, Tennessee State University
Life as a Freedman: Occupations, Jubilee Homepage, Northwestern High School, Hyattsville, Maryland
Methodism and the Negro in the United States: Electronic Edition, Joseph C. Hartzell (1923)
October 1960: The Untold Story of Jackson's Civil RightsMovement, The Jackson Sun
Rosa Perkins Cobb, Christine's Genealogy Website
Samuel A. McElwee (1857-1914), A Profile of African Americans in Tennessee History, Tennessee State University
Sonny Boy Williamson (John Lee Williamson), BluesWeb/Island Internet
Sonny Boy Williamson, Gayle Dean Wardlow
Tennessee Colored Pension Applications for CSA Service, Willie L. Robinson, based on work by John V. Brogden (seven were from Madison County)
Note: Christine's Genealogy Website is probably the most comprehensive index to African American genealogy and history on the web. Her family is from Madison County.


Business and Industry
(also see Railroads below)

Files Found on the Web
Ashton Manuscripts, Lilly Library, Indiana University (description of papers of William Adolphus Ashton, 1803-1870, textile designer, who in partnership with R. M. Taylor manufactured oilcloth in Medon 1837-1838)
The Bemis Story, Bemis Historical Society
The Tennessee Years, Jimmie F. Chatham, Slaydon family page which includes information on Sanford G. Slaydon, gold and silver smith, who also owned the La Fayette Inn [in Jackson circa 1825-circa 1839]


Cemeteries

Files Found on the Web
Tennessee Tombstone Transcription Project/Madison County, TNGenWeb/Rootsweb


Church

Files at Madison County TNGenWeb
A Note on B'nai Israel Congregation Records, W. D. Bostic
Reminiscence of a Baptist Minister, C. E. Azbill (with photos) (Warning: this file may be slow to load for modem users.)

Files Found on the Web
Church History, Malesus United methodist Church
Church History, Lester's Chapel United Methodist Church
Clover Creek Missionary Baptist Church History, Clover Creek Missionary Baptist Church
History, Northside United Methodist Church
History of Bemis United Methodist Church, Bemis United Methodist Church
History of Bible Grove Baptist Church, Virgie Ann Hinson Pritchard
History of CME Church Publishing House, Department of Publication Services, CME Church
The History of St. Mary's Parish & Church, St. Mary's Parish
The History of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America: Comprising Its Organization, Subsequent Development and Present Status (Electronic Edition), C. H. Phillips (University of North Carolina Library Website)
Methodism and the Negro in the United States: Electronic Edition, Joseph C. Hartzell (1923)

Cotton Grove Convention, 1851
The following two web pages mention a Baptist convention which met at Cotton Grove in 1851 to discuss five questions. WARNING: Both web pages are very doctrinal.
Baptists and Intredenominalism, M. L. Moser, Jr.
Emanuel Landmark Baptist Church, Dave Gustafson


Civil War

Files at Madison County TNGenWeb
John Ingram Bivouac, United Confederate Veterans, Jonathan K. T. Smith

Files Found on the Web
Britton Lane Battlefield Association ("The Battle That History Forgot")
Jackson Tennessee American Civil War December 19, 1862, americancivilwar.com (engagement at Salem Cemetery)
Lewis LaFountain Company C, 20th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Obituary, Battle of Britton's Lane, Bill LaFountain (from ILGenWeb Civil War Scrapbook)
Reminiscences of a Mississippian in Peace and War: Electronic Edition, Frank Alexander Montgomery. Chapter 10 has a eyewitness account of the Battle of Britton's Lane. The University of North Carolina web site hosting this page features nineteenth century southern diaries, memoirs, and autobiographies, many of which concern the Civil War.
Salem Cemetery and Battleground website, Salem Cemetery Battlefield Association and John B. Ingram, Camp 219, Sons of Confederate Veterans
6th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment, U.S.A., Tennesseans in the Civil War (TNGenWeb)
The 7th Tennessee Cavalry Battalion, adapted from Sumner County, Tennessee in the Civil War, Edwin L. Ferguson (mentions events at Medon and Denmark)
Tennessee Colored Pension Applications for CSA Service, Willie L. Robinson, based on work by John V. Brogden (seven were from Madison County)


Colleges and Universities

Files at Madison County TNGenWeb
Madison College, Jonathan K. T. Smith

Files Found on the Web
A Heritage of Commitment: Union Celebrates 175 Years, Union University
Historical Background, Lambuth University
History, Lane College
Our Past, West Tennessee Business College
Lane College, A Profile of African Americans in Tennessee History, Tennessee State University
Union University History


Communities

Files at Madison County TNGenWeb
Early Communities of Madison County, Tennessee, compiled by Laura W. Griffith
Post Offices of Madison County, Tennessee (1832-1971), compiled by Laura W. Griffith
Spring Creek, Tennessee, Jonathan K. T. Smith

Files Found on the Web
City of Medon (WARNING: very slow to load via modem and Java locked up my computer)
Denmark, Tennessee Some Pictures and History, Jo Thiessen
Early Days in Medon, Marvin Schubert
Historic Bemis, Tennessee, Bemis Historical Society
Madison County Historic Districts, National Register of Historic Places
Skillern and Allied Families, Jo Thiessen (about 2/3 through document are two descriptions of life in the Denmark community)


Communities--Jackson

Files at Madison County TNGenWeb
Vintage Postcards of Jackson, Tennessee, from the collection of Wanda Lee

Files Found on the Web
Bird's Eye view of the City of Jackson, Madison County, Tennessee 1870, Library of Congress
Brief Histories:

Downtown Wanderings, by d. n. english Historical Photo Gallery for Jackson Tennessee, Main Street Publishing in conjuction with the Jackson Madison County Library's Tennessee Room
History of The Jackson Sun, Jackson Sun
Local Info, Jackson-Madison County Public Library
October 1960: The Untold Story of Jackson's Civil RightsMovement, The Jackson Sun
Postcards from the Past, Main Street Publishing


Government

Files at Madison County TNGenWeb
The Madison County Poor House, from A Genealogical Miscellany, Madison County, Tennessee by Jonathan K. T. Smith


Life

Files at Madison County TNGenWeb
Woolfolk-Phillips Residence, Jonathan K. T. Smith
Newspaper Abstracts:

Files Found on the Web
Montage, an online autobiography of Monte Key, with illustrations and musics (pages 2, 5-14 deal with his years in Madison Co.)
Newspaper Abstracts:


Maps

Files at Madison County TNGenWeb
Maps of Madison County, Tennessee Historical and Genealogical, James H. Hanna

Files Found on the Web
Bird's Eye view of the City of Jackson, Madison County, Tennessee 1870, Library of Congress


Music

Files Found on the Web
Arthur Adams, Blind Pig Records
Big Joe Turner, Barrelhouse Blues Club
Blind Pig Artists: Arthur Adams, Blind Pig Records
Big Maybelle, Lea Gilmore
Billy Rawlett Biography, Bullydog Music
Carl Perkins, Rockabilly Hall of Fame
Carl Perkins, D. Penny's The History of Rock 'n' Roll
Curtis Hobock, Rockabilly Hall of Fame
Rockabilly Hall of Fame
rockabillytennessee.com
John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson (1914-1948), A Profile of African Americans in Tennessee History, Tennessee State University
Sonny Boy Williamson (John Lee Williamson), BluesWeb/Island Internet
Sonny Boy Williamson, Gayle Dean Wardlow


People

See the People of Madison County page.


Railroads

Files Found on the Web
A Brief Historical Sketch of the Illinois Central Railroad, Illinois Central Historical Society
Casey Jones Centennial, Poway-Midland Railroad Volunteers Inc.
Public Health Assessment, ICG Iselin Railroad Yard, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
The Real Casey Jones Story, Water Valley Railroad & Casey Jones Museum


School

Files Found on the Web
School Days at Malesus, Paul Watlington


Sports

Files Found on the Web
Welcome to Kitty League Baseball!, Kevin McCann (Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee minor league baseball)


Survey and Settlement

Files at Madison County TNGenWeb
Memucan Hunt Howard's Recollections (Published Version or Manuscript Version) (Memucan Hunt Howard was one of the surveyors working West Tennessee when it was first opened to settlement.)

Files Found on the Web
Western Tennessee and Bordering States, Sue Patterson


Women

Files Found on the Web
The Bettie Page Revival, Karl-Erik Tallmo
Big Maybelle, Lea Gilmore
Emma Inman Williams ("Miss Emmy"), Jonathan K. T. Smith
FBI Files-Eleanor Clubs, PBS Online
A First Lady (Sadie Barham), T. J. Duckett
Mrs. Casey Jones, Jack Gurner
Parents and Siblings of Eliza Duvall Young, Barnard & Hardison Family Genealogies (includes a letter written by Eliza Duvall Young while she was living with her grandparents in Medon in 1838)
Rosa Perkins Cobb, Christine's Genealogy Website


World War I

Files Found on the Web
Madison County World War II Casualties, Access Genealogy
Tennessee World War I Veterans, Tennessee State Library and Archives
Madison County (Part 1 : Acree - Byrum)
Madison County (Part 2 : Cable - Ezzell)
Madison County (Part 3 : Fenner - Hinton)
Madison County (Part 4 : Hobson - Lyons)
Madison County (Part 5 : Maben - Owen)
Madison County (Part 6 : Pacaud - Slaughter)
Madison County (Part 7 : Smallwood - Tyus)
Madison County (Part 8 : Utley - Young)


World War II

Files Found on the Web
Mr. Kurt Heilbronn, Eisenhower Library Oral Histories (he served as a flight instructor at McKeller Field)


Miscellaneous History Pages Found on the Web

Files Found on the Web
Bibliography of Tennessee Local History Sources: Madison County, Tennessee State Library and Archives
Jackson-Madison County Library
Watlingtons of West Tennessee, Elton A. and Janice T. Watlington [Note: This site does an outstanding job of adding a sense of community and history to the story of a family.]


 

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