The Williamson County Historical Society has received copies of a Civil War Diary that will be of interest to you.

The diary is titled: "The Reminiscences of Newton Cannon - First Sergeant, 11th Tennessee Cavalry, C. S. A." It is 84 pages long, was originally published in 1963, and reprinted in 1993.

Newton Cannon's grandfather (Newton Cannon) was the Governor of Tennessee 1835-1839.

War Period covered: 1862 - 1865, as well as post war period

Some of the topics covered include: Formation of Partisan Rangers in Williamson County Riding with Joseph Wheeler and Nathan Bedford Forrest, Longstreet, Jo Johnson, Hood.

Battles of Murfreesboro, Fort Donelson, Thompson's Station, Chickamauga, Knoxville, Atlanta, Jonesboro, Franklin and Nashville among others are mentioned.

Scouting adventures in Middle Tennessee.

The diary is not a day-by-day account but was compiled from the 77 page Civil War Veteran questionnaire that Newton completed in 1922. Lots of wonderful reading.

If you are interested in obtaining a copy contact Rick Warwick at the Williamson County Historical Society, PO Box 71, Franklin, TN 37065 or contact Rick via e-mail at rwarwick@historicfranklin.com

Cost of the Newton Cannon Civil War Diary is $5.00 plus $1.50 postage.
The diary is well worth the price.

Money from the sale of the diaries will go for purchasing historical markers.

The following Williamson County Historical Journals are available for $10 plus $2 for postage:

No. 23 - 1992 Material from Miss Susie Gentry (1860-1944), leading Franklin historian.

No. 24 - 1993 Writings of Park Marshall (1855-1946), Franklin mayor who wrote a history of Franklin and Williamson County in 1917.

No. 26 - 1995 Journal and letters of Dr. John S. Parks (1819-1903) , a Franklin physician who took is daughter on a grand tour of the U.S. in 1859 and recorded their travels for his invalid wife back home in Franklin.

No 27 - 1996 Articles on the McGavocks of Midway in Brentwood; Nelsonville: Williamson County's First Planned Town-1797; Andrews Family; Williamson County Poorhouses (1826-1958); Civil War Recollections of Andrew B. Ewing (1851-1941); Diary of William Van Davis Co. D 30th Regt Mississippi Volunteers from November 1864-January 1865; W. A. Johnson, prospector of phosphate in Wm. Co.; History of Glen Echo, the home of Judge Thomas Stuart.

No. 28 - 1997 Female Education in Williamson County (1822-1861); Alice Charlton's Diary (1876-1877); Diary of Kate Kirkpatrick (Jan. -June 1891); Civil War Letters of Capt. T.F. Perkins, Jr. while in Federal prisons; Records of Boston Church of Christ (1855-1860); History of Bridges in Franklin by Park Marshall (1928); Writings of Elder James E. Scobey (1834-1923)

No. 29 - 1998 Memoirs of Richard Reynolds; Nursing in Wm. Co.; Letters to colonel Aaron B. Boyd of Riggs Crossroads 1842; Area 19th Century Springs and Resorts, Recollections of Franklin by George H. Armistead, Jr. 1973; Franklin's hanging Tree by Park Marshall; Civil War Diary of Chaplain Charles Todd Quintard covering the Battle of Franklin 1864; The Confederate Generals Killed at Franklin by John Peacock 1954; Dick McCann, Confederate Guerrilla; The Turley Family; Williamson County courthouse; Kill'Em All Club; Who Was Marcellus Cuppett?

No. 30 - 1999 The Franklin Confederate Monument dedication Nov. 30,1899; Two Centuries of Meeting of the Waters, the home of T.H. Perkins; The Capture of Aaron Burr by Nicholas Perkins in 1807; Abram Maury, the founder of Franklin; The Carl Family of Williamson County; The Carothers Family of Williamson County; William Thomas and his kin; Williamson County Fairs; Williamson County during the Civil War; Second Hour of Glory, the making the 1923 Civil War film "The Human Mill";

No. 31 - 2000 Williamson County in Black and White, a look at the history of race relations. (200 photos 260 pages)

No. 32 - 2001 The Letters of Dr. A.B. Ewing (1845-1862); Records and Incidents of the Children of W.S. McLemore, C.S.A. Colonel and Tennessee Circuit Judge

No. 33 - 2002 The Diary of Dr. Samuel Henderson from 1834-1876); Diary of John Hughes Henderson, Sr. from 1882-1912; Reminiscences of Judge John H. Henderson, Jr. 1980. Lots of local and state history, plus Henderson family genealogy.

Williamson County Books Available from the Historical Society:

Who's Who in Williamson Volume One (A-E) by Jane Owen.
Book contains 240 articles, 220 photos, 400 pages, softcover, $25.
Articles taken from The Review-Appeal from 1936-1953 of interviews with people from across the county.
The remaining three volumes in the series will be forthcoming.

Historical Marker of Williamson County, Tennessee by Rick Warwick
Trace the history of Williamson County using this guide to its 160 historical markers.
Area location maps make this self-guided tour easy to follow.
The written text of each marker plus period photographs.
192 pages, softcover. $12.50.

 

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May 7, 2003