Scott County, Tennessee
FNB Chronicles

This page was created 06 Sep 2008

BY CARMEL BURKE
From A Booklet Published In 1976

The late CARMEL BURKE of Oneida was an avid historian who was particularly fond of local historical events. In 1976, in observation of America’s 200th birthday and in-conjunction with local Bicentennial activities, BURKE published a booklet which listed notable local, state and national historical events, from the earliest days to the present. Here is an excerpt from that booklet:

1896 — Utah became the 45th state

1897 — Bottling plant for soft drinks opened in Oneida (Coca-Cola and Nehi have been bottled here).

1897 — Oil and gas wells had been drilled and had produced at Glenmary, Oneida and No Business

1897 — Diesel engine invented in Germany

1898 — Spanish American War. Scott County men went to both Cuba and the Philippines

1898 — Telephone system built between Helenwood and Huntsville

1899 — The vacuum cleaner was invented by THURMAN (USA)

1900 — Population of Scott County was 11,077

1900 — Population of Tennessee was 2,020,616

1901 — City Hotel was the first hotel built in Oneida

1902 — Southern Clay Mfg. Co. started a brickyard at Robbins

1902 — Air conditioner invented by Carrier (USA)

1902 — Stearns Coal and Lumber Company (a Michigan firm) was established at Stearns, Kentucky

1903 — First Baptist Church founded in Oneida

1903 — Electrocardiogram process developed in the Netherlands

1903 — The WRIGHT brothers were the first to successfully fly an airplane. It flew 120 feet at Kitty Hawk, N.C.

1904 — The tractor was invented by HOLD (USA)

1904 — First National Bank established at Oneida

1905 — Mr. L. E. BRYANT built his house at Bear Creek near his mining operations. He was a graduate of Heidelberg University in Germany and had geologists from Princeton, who helped him at his operation. The house is a museum of craftsmanship and material. It is now listed in the National Register

1905 — Oneida receives its first of three charters of incorporation

1905 — The Rockwood Mills of Rockwood built a hosiery mill in Oneida

1906 — Pearson’s Flooring Mill started in Oneida (now Tibbals)

1906 — The Tennessee Railroad started from Oneida to South Oneida, on to Paint Rock then to Norma and later to Fork Mountain

1907 — Oklahoma became the 46th state

1907 — Helicopter invented in France (first successful helicopter)

1907 — The Church of Christ established in Oneida

1908 — Huntsville High School built

1908 — Dr. M. E. THOMPSON starts medical practice in Scott County

1908-18 — The Treat School for Boys was established in Helenwood and operated until 1917. Its Summer Campus was at Oaks Bluff, Mass., on Martha’s Vineyard, and its Winter Campus was in Scott County. These students were from some of America’s most wealthy families. The best known were probably the DODGE brothers (of the Motor Company family), and HORACE DODGE, Jr. was best remembered. Others were the nephew of J. P. MORGAN (of the New York banking family),the son of the President of the B&O Railroad, the son of a Lexington, Kentucky racehorse farm owner, the son of Dr. GRANDALL in St. Louis, and TOM ROBERTS (son of a Texas oil man). No stunt was too daring or dangerous for these rowdy boys. If no other challenge could be found they would race the train on horseback toward Oneida. At times they would jump a fence into someone’s yard and ride the horse into their house. Once five students were arrested in Oneida for riding horses on the skating rink floor and for riding horses on the second floor of one of the five hotels in Oneida. If local citizens needed recreation, they would go to Helenwood to see these "Rich Devils" from Professor Treat’s school. The school was started by Professor EDWARD TREAT, his wife WILMA and her two brothers. They were all graduates of name colleges in New England. Their school was planned for boys too mean to attend normal schools, and they depended on physical activities to keep them occupied

1908 — HENRY FORD built his Model "T" car

1909 — Norcross Mill was built at Norma. It was one of the largest in the South. A clothes pin factory was also built to employ women.

1908 — Statewide prohibition in Tennessee

1909 — Early industries in Scott County included a Coca-Cola Bottling Plant, a Nehi Bottling Plant, Ice Plant, Lumber Mills, Hickory Mill, Basket Factory, Handle Factory, Bowl Factory, Coal mining, and other wooden products

1910 — Scott County had a population of 12,947 people

1910 — Tennessee had 2,184,789 people

1910 — First telephone system was built at Oneida by Mr. O. C. CONATSER

1912 — New Mexico and Arizona become 47th and 48th states

1914 — Jellico Grocery Company built a wholesale grocery in Oneida

1914 — Dr. D. T. CHAMBERS starts medical practice at Norma

1914 — The JOHN CARSON farm was subdivided in Oneida and created Alberta Ave., Baker St., Carson St., and Davis St. (Western half of Oneida)

1915 — The Scott County News started in Oneida by Mr. BELL. He sold it to Mr. C. W. WRIGHT, who operated it for many years. The press was purchased from The Cumberland Chronicle

1915 — The O&W Railroad starts between Oneida and Jamestown (it was chartered to extend to Glasgow, Ky.)

1915 — Large lumber mill built at Verdun

1915 — The Oneida Independent School System was chartered in Oneida. A two-year high school was built on Main Street (where Conatser’s Store is now located) Block on Depot Street in Oneida

1917 — Oneida receives its final charter of incorporation (It’s second was taken by the State of Tennessee, because the town passed a cargo tax on freight cars used to haul local resources from the county)

1917 — Russell Producing Company bought the oil wells at Glenmary and in Morgan County. A refinery was built between Sunbright and Deer Lodge, and gasoline from here was sold under the trade name ‘‘Dixie Vim’’

1917-18 — World War I. Many servicemen from Scott County were trained at Camp Paris, S.C. and most of them went overseas with the 30th Division. Sgt. ALVIN C. YORK from Pickett County was the hero of that war.

1918 — Flour mill was built in Oneida at the present Texaco site

1920 — First radio station in America was KDKA in Pittsburgh

1920 — Bad train wreck (passenger) at New River. People were killed

1920 — Scott County’s census was 13,411

1920 — Tennessee’s census was 2,337,885

1921 — Oneida Masonic Lodge established

1921 — Kiwanis Club organized in Oneida

1922 — Tennessee’s first radio station was WSM in Nashville

1922 — Radar was invented (USA)

1922 — American Legion was organized in Oneida

1922 — Mr. H. F. COOPER (and others) built a private water and sewer system in Oneida

1923 — Construction of U.S. 27 was started to improve and rebuild it for automobile use from Kentucky to Morgan County

1923 — First Trust and Savings Bank was chartered in. Oneida

1923 — The Oneida Bank and Trust was opened in Oneida

1923 — First Air Mail service in Tennessee (to and from Nashville)

1925 — Scopes (Monkey) Trial at Dayton, Tennessee. It got world attention and established standards for teaching evolution in the schools

1925 — Five hotels (Commercial, Cross, Gibson, Grandview and the King) were open in Oneida. A large concentration of machinists and metal skills were found in the railroad shops in Scott County. There were six railroads operating within the limits of Scott County during this period — Southern, Tennessee, O&W, Ritter, K&T and the Ketchen Railroads. Oneida was a booming town and new industries were moving in because of the resources and railroads

1925 — The frozen food process was developed by Birdseye (USA)

1926 — Scott County Fair organized

1927 — HERBERT TOOMEY became the first Scott County pilot. He became interested after talks with PAUL REDFORM (and early flying and racing advocate)

1927 — Dr. W. W. FOUST was shot and killed at a show in Robbins by BEN FOWLER. Mr. FOWLER was the only Scott County resident to be electrocuted at Nashville

1927 — J. W. WEST (Deputy Sheriff) was also shot and killed by BEN FOWLER at the show where Dr. FOUST was killed

1928 — Streets in Oneida were paved with concrete and bricks

1928 — The Iron Lung was invented by SHAW (USA)

1929 — The Big Flood (considered the 100-year flood). It covered New River Bridge.

FNB Chronicle, Vol. 1, No. 2 – Winter 1990
First National Bank
P.O. Box 4699
Oneida, TN 37841
(page 4)

This page was created by Timothy N. West and is copyrighted by him. All rights reserved.