Maury Co., Tennessee

Research Room

 

 

The Mt. Pleasant/Maury County Phosphate Museum
Address: 105 Public Square, Mt. Pleasant, TN 38474
Phone: (931) 379-9511
 
The Phosphate Museum was organized in 1991-1993 by Irene Dugger and Jimmy Dugger and other volunteers interested in preserving the history of phosphate mining in Maury County and the county's historical artifacts. Contained in the museum are Indian relics (with more to be added from a nearby dig being conducted by the University of Tennessee), old photographs of schools and other sites of Mt. Pleasant and Maury County, a Civil War display (metal-detector findings from local land), a "cotton days" display, antique cameras, antique tools, and antique toys, etc. The mining display has been moved. All artifacts are from Maury and Lawrence Counties.
 
The museum will be moving to a new building with a larger display and storage area in the near future. Hours of operation are: 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The museum is closed on Wednesdays and Sundays. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.

Note: New museums planned for the future in Maury County include: a Maury County Museum in Columbia, and a county/Civil War museum at Rippavilla Mansion near Spring Hill.

 

Copies of a modern joint county/city map may be obtained from the Maury County Chamber of Commerce for a nominal cost. The Maury County Public Library has a very early map of Maury County mounted on a wall. Copies cannot be made. Another source for early maps which depict Maury County is the Tennessee State Library and Archives.

 

Maury Alliance
Address: 106 West Sixth Street, Columbia, TN 38401
Phone: (931) 388-2155

Maury County Convention & Visitors Bureau Address: 8 Public Square, Columbia, TN 38401
Phone: (931) 381-7176

 

Columbia State Community College
Address: Hwy 412 West, Columbia, TN 38401
Phone: (931) 540-2722

    Columbia State Community College Online

 

 

Microfilmed censuses of Maury County are generally available for 1820 through 1920, with Soundex for 1900, 1910, and 1920.
          Please check out the Look-Ups page to see who can do these look ups for you!!

 

Numerous books are available at the Maury County Archives, and in the Heritage Room of Huntsville Public Library, Huntsville, AL. Click here for a representative list of the major works at the Archives

Special Note: At Central High School in Columbia, the history students of William W. Byrn are publishing The New Ground, a quarterly collection of stories concerning the history of Maury County.

Maury County Remembers World War II." : The Maury County Historical Society, with editor Virginia W. Alexander and co-editor, Margaret Ashton, just completed a two-part collection of records of and stories from men who served in World War II from Maury County, Maury County Remembers World War II. Included in Vol. 1 are 5,000 discharges and military records. Vol. 2 includes stories from the men at war and their families on the homefront. There are reminisces from notes of Lindsey Nelson, late renowned sportscaster and graduate of Columbia's Central High School, stories from Nelson's sister, who served with the American Red Cross in the Philippines (with accounts of General MacArthur), and portions from the diary of Dr. William Cook from prison camp.
 

The two volumes contain over 800 pages (8 1/2" x 11") and are hard bound. Order from: MCHS, P.O Box 147, Columbia, TN 38401.

Mrs. Alexander has also completed Riverside United Methodist Church, 50 years, 1945- 1995. The 8 1/2" x 11" paperback book (66 pages) contains a complete listing of all members, baptismal records, deaths, dates of joining, church history, etc. It can be ordered from: Riverside United Methodist Church, 313 6th Ave., Columbia, TN 38401.

 

 

The Daily Herald was established as a daily newspaper in Columbia, Tennessee, in October 1899. Its predecessor of the same name was started in 1844, but survived only a few months. The Columbia Herald was started in January 1855, discontinued in 1862, and re-established in 1870. In 1872, it was merged with The Mail, which had been started in 1871. In 1882, The Columbia Herald Company was formed by 30 businessmen. The Journal and The Maury Sentinel were induced to merge. The Hon. Henry Cooper, ex-US Senator, became Editor in 1885. F.D. Lander succeeded Mr. Cooper in 1887.

The first issue of The Maury Democrat appeared in 1882. It was purchased from a stock company by Lynch Perry in 1888. It survived for many years in publication alongside The Daily Herald. Microfilmed copies of The Daily Herald are kept in a circulating collection and may be viewed on the microfilm reader/printer at the Maury County Archives.

The Columbia Daily Herald has its offices at 1115 South Main St., Columbia, TN 38401. Phone: (931) 388-6464. Fax: (931) 388-1003. Information on the Herald was derived from present Editor, Tim Wood, and The Century Review of Maury County, Tennessee The Columbia Daily Herald is now online! Click on link above.

 

 

Cheek & Baxter Undertaking was founded in Columbia by J.O. Cheek and O.E. Baxter about 1890 and was in operation for several years. J.M. Morton began undertaking in Columbia in 1891. The business was carried on by his son, and later his heirs, for many years.

 

Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home
 
320 West 7th St., Columbia, TN 38401
Phone: (931) 388-4711
Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home was established in Columbia in 1890 and is the oldest still in operation. John A. Oakes bought an interest from Mr. A. Barr, who had been in the business in Columbia since 1856. R. E. Nichols became a junior partner in 1899.

Williams Funeral Home
 

2517 Trotwood Ave., Columbia, TN 38401
Phone: (931) 388-2135

V.K. Ryan & Son Funeral Home
 

300 East 7th St., Columbia, TN 38401
Phone: (931) 388-4961

Baxter Bros. Funeral Home
 

1105 East End, Columbia, TN 38401
Phone: (931) 381-1353

Chavers Funeral Home

214 Columbia Ave., Mt. Pleasant, TN 38474
Phone: (931) 379-3850

Roundtree, Napier & Ogilvie Funeral Home

128 Broadway, Mt. Pleasant, TN 38474
Phone: (931) 379-3977

Williams Funeral Home
 

819 North Main St., Mt. Pleasant, TN 38474
Phone: (931) 379-5574

 

Phone: All county offices may be reached through one number at the switchboard at Maury County Courthouse, Columbia: (931) 381-3690

The County Clerk has marriage records from 1807.
The Clerk of Circuit Court has divorce, probate, and Civil Court records.
The Register of Deeds has land records.

 

    List of holdings at the State Library

     Maury County Public Library is 218 West 8th St., Columbia, TN 38401. Telephone: (931) 388-6332.               Fax: (931) 388-6337

     Spring Hill Library:  Contact Helen Dark  931-486-2932 or email shlibrary@charter.net. You may search their catalog online for available resources.
 

 

Maury County Historical Society
Contact: Mr. Ronnie E. Erwin, President
Address: P. O. Box 147, Columbia, TN 38402
Phone: (931) 388-5373

 

MCHS, founded in 1964, meets every odd month on the third Sunday. A quarterly publication is issued. Membership dues are $10 per year.

The Maury County Genealogical Society and African American History Council are looking for African American Cemeteries in Maury County, they are trying to locate and transcribe them if possible. Anyone with any info can call the archives or email Archives.
 

    Daughters of the American Revolution

Jane Knox Chapter
Contact: Beth Summar, Regent, 200 Skyview Dr., Columbia, 38401; phone (931) 388-7900

Thomas McKissack Chapter
Contact: Mrs. Jerry Burns, Regent, 1105 Tenassee Trail, Columbia, 38401; phone (931) 381-2806

Tenassee Chapter
Contact: Mrs. J. Arch Warren, 2318 Zion Rd., Columbia, 38401; phone (931) 381-0778

    Sons of the American Revolution
 

Tombigbee Chapter
Contact: Ed Cherry, President, Clearview Estates, Columbia, 38401; phone (931) 381-3646

    United Daughters of the Confederacy
 

James Madison Sparkman Chapter
Contact: Mrs. Curtis R. Fitzgerald, 405 Woods Dr., Columbia, 38401; phone (931) 388-0506

    Sons of Confederate Veterans
 

Sam R. Watkins Post #29
Contact: Greg Atwell, Commander
phone (931) 505-1889 e-mail Crazywolfga@aol.com

 

Note: The national headquarters for Sons of Confederate Veterans is located in Columbia at Elm Springs, an antebellum mansion built about 1837. Elm Springs, built for Susan Todd Looney and passed down through her family, is located at 740 Mooresville Pike.
For more information, contact:
Ben C. Sewell, III, Executive Director
P.O. Box 59
Columbia, TN 38402-0059
Telephone: (800) 380-1896
Fax: (931) 381-6712
E-mail: execdir@scv.org

 

 

©2005 by Paulette Carpenter; all rights reserved.

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