By John L. Kiener,
Washington County Sessions Judge
“County schoolhouse; a small one-story log in which O’Donnell taught school, to whom daughter and many boys of the best families of the town went. Now removed.
Jennie May; one-story frame. A corpulent, old, old lady who was the captain of our pie company when we sold pies to the soldiers in 1861.
Lewis family; a long one-story frame like the Starnes. But, little is remembered of this family. Now replaced by the home of N.R. Jackson.
The old Baptist Church, to which the writer went to school when very young to a teacher whose name was Grimsly, was bought by Col. John Ryland, who also purchased a large acreage of land between the Johnson City Road and the Cherokee Road. Col. Ryland had two sons, Talbot and George; only daughter remembered, Fannie. On this farm I saw the last muster of the state militia. It was also on this farm that the people staged a big railroad barbecue. Col. Ryland held the office of sheriff for two or three terms. The greater part of this farm has been divided into lots and sold. The old Ryland home now belongs to James A. Cummins.
Joshua Sherfey, carpenter, two-story frame. Two sons; three daughters. Now owned by Mrs. Mahony.
Moredecai Price, brick mason, one-story frame. Later occupied by a family named Rader, who moved to Bristol in the late fifties.
Hyter Pritchett, carpenter, one-story frame. One son, Jeter, became a lawyer, located at Marshall, NC, became a Judge, and was elected t Congress. Died at Marshall a few years ago.
Now drop back to the south side of old E.T. & VA RR and go west.
Tan yard of John Green, a long one-story brick just east of the railroad trestle. Ceased operation in the early fifties.
John Green, slave holder and real estate, consisting of farms and town property. Large three-story building. Three sons; John, Talbot, and Allen; two daughters, Mrs. Davis, mother of J.L. and Mrs. Huff. Now owned by Mrs. A.S. Murray.
John E. Naff, tailor; two-story brick and frame. Two sons: Emmett and George; five daughters, Sarah, Annie, Carrier, Minnie, and Maud. Later sold to Henry Hoss, who filled out the unexpired term of my father as county court clerk. Mr. Hoss had two sons, Embree, a bishop; Archibald, a doctor; two daughters, Mrs. S.J. Kirkpatrick and Mrs. George French.
The widow of Judge Emerson; large two-story frame. Now the property of G.C. Mottern, heirs.
W.H. Crouch, warehouse, in which he held the office of postmaster when the railroad came to Jonesboro. Now Hickey-McCorkle Wholesale Grocers.
Shelby T. Shipley; two-story brick. Two sons; John and Edward; two daughters, one of whom married Elbert Shipley. His sons are A.L., W.P. and Herbert. This property was sold to Dr. W.R. Sevier, who had one son, Samuel, now dead; one daughter, Miss Nannie, married a Sabin. Now the home of J.M. Ward.”
Our directory will be completed in Part XI. The next building identified by Captain Ross Smith was “Martin Academy.” It is from this location that our last installments of “Old Jonesboro” in the 1850s will begin.
