Some Early Settlers of North Knox County

by William H. Irwin Jr.
(reprinted by permission)

As early as 1785 – 1790 isolated cabins were appearing in the valleys and on the ridges of North Knox County, an area which at that time can only be described as nothing but a wilderness of trees, vines, bushes, thickets and undergrowth.  Soon thereafter the names Raccoon Valley, Bull Run Creek, Copper Ridge, Chestnut Ridge, Brushy Valley, Beaver Dam Creek, Flint Ridge, Bull Run Valley, and other North Knox County landmarks began appearing on deeds and other official documents of Knox County.  This area was a part of Hawkins County until Knox County was formed in 1792.  It was still a part of the State of North Carolina until 1796.

Looking at a topographical map of North Knox County, several distinct ridges can be seen stretching from northeast to southwest.  Leaving Knoxville through Sharp’s Gap and proceeding north, a traveler must cross Black Oak Ridge, Beaver Ridge, Copper Ridge, Bull Run Ridge, and finally Chestnut Ridge.  Lying between Black Oak Ridge and Beaver Ridge is Hinds Valley, named for pioneer settler Levi Hinds.  Between Beaver Ridge and Copper Ridge lies fertile Beaver Valley, with Beaver Creek and Emory Road meandering its entire length.  Emory Road, one of the oldest traveled roads in Tennessee, was the main stagecoach road connecting East Tennessee with Virginia, and was used many times by President Andrew Jackson on his way to Washington from his home near Nashville.  Between Copper Ridge and Bull Run Ridge lie Brushy Valley and Bull Run Valley.  These two valleys are separated by a series of small ridges sometimes referred to as Bull Run Knobs.  Lying between Bull Run Ridge and Chestnut Ridge is Raccoon Valley.  Between Raccoon Valley and Chestnut Ridge is Flint Ridge, which actually could be considered a foothill of Chestnut Ridge.  On the north side of Chestnut Ridge in Anderson County is Wolf Valley.  Wolf Valley was a part of Knox County until Anderson County was formed in 1801.

Raccoon Valley, home to many of the early families found in this genealogy, stretches from near Maynardville on the northeast end to the Clinch River near the present Bull Run steam plant on the southwest end.  Raccoon Valley derived its name from John “Raccoon” Miller, a Revolutionary War veteran who was born in South Carolina and in 1793 settled on Bull Run Creek about three miles below the present Maynardville.  There he built Bull Run Blockhouse, a fort for protection from the Indians.  That part of Raccoon Valley lying in North Knox County, not as fertile as Bull Run Valley or Beaver Valley because of its limestone base, was isolated and relatively unknown until well into the twentieth century.  It was to be the year 1936 before electricity was brought to Raccoon Valley and the Heiskell community.  Interstate Highway 75, with its Raccoon Valley exit, has made Raccoon Valley a well-known name among travelers, although it is mostly locals who use this exit.  That section of Raccoon Valley in Knox County has no creek or waterway flowing through it.  Streams emanating from the south side of Chestnut

Ridge drain through gaps in Bull Run Ridge to Bull Run Creek.  Childress’ Branch flows through Heiskell, following the railroad tracks to Bull Run.  Williams Branch flows a few yards west of Mount Harmony Baptist Church and reaches Bull Run Creek through Diggs Gap.  Also, Foster’s Branch joins Williams Branch and flows through Diggs Gap.

The first settlers in this area, in their one or two room pioneer cabins, some with dirt floors, made from logs hewn by broadaxes, lived an archaic, self-reliant lifestyle that is almost unimaginable today.  With homemade furniture, a spinning wheel, and other bare essentials, it was a hard-scrabble life at best.  But these tough, independent and resourceful pioneers cleared the land for themselves and their descendants with nothing but axes, primitive saws, horses and mules, and perhaps a yoke of oxen.  The monotony of labor was rarely broken except for a visit to or from a neighbor or a meeting held nearby by a circuit riding preacher.  Many descendants of these early pioneers still live on the same land as their ancestors.

John Menefee, probably the first settler in the Powell area of Beaver Valley, built a fort about 1787 on Beaver Creek near what is now the intersection of Clinton Highway and Emory Road.  Menefee’s Station was built to protect the family from hostile Indian raids.  John Menefee and his father, William Menefee, later discovered they had settled on some of the many thousands of acres which had been earlier granted by the State of North Carolina to Stockley Donelson, brother-in-law of Andrew Jackson.  Thus John Menefee, to remain on the land, was required to purchased it.  On July 16, 1794, he purchased 164 acres on Beaver Creek from Stockley Donelson {Deed Book Cl – page 23, Knox County}.  On June 9, 1795 he purchased from Stockley Donelson 500 acres on Beaver Dam Creek {Deed Book Cl- page 334, Knox County).  On July 1, 1795, John Menefee purchased another 400 acres on Beaver Creek from Stockley Donelson.  This John Menefee was a brother-in-law of William Conner, Sr., the subject of this genealogy, whose wife was Jamima Menefee.

Another early settler in Beaver Valley was Levi Hinds, who was granted 200 acres on Beaver Creek in 1793 {North Carolina Grant # 158, Knox County Deed Book Al, page 185}.  Brothers Jeremiah and Samuel Tindell settled on upper Beaver Creek in 1798.  Also, Isaac Pruett, who bought land on Beaver Creek at Grassy Creek in 1798. 

Lanty Armstrong bought 150 acres from Joseph Lea on Grassy Creek in 1799.  Later in 1808 his son, Josiah Armstrong, bought 300 acres from John Menefee on the south side of Beaver Creek at Grassy Creek.  Josiah Armstrong was a son-in-law of William Conner, Sr.  who bought land and settled on Beaver Creek in 1799.

Garrett Harris settled on Beaver Creek in 1795, having purchased land from William Lee and Aquila Low.

George Lucas, who was in the area as early as 1799, owned land on Copper Ridge.  Some of his land was to be included in 1801 in the newly formed Anderson County.  Mitchell Childress was in the area as early as 1797, evidenced by the fact that he was one of the subscribing witnesses to the Will of William Menefee, written in that year.  Joseph Yarnell was on Beaver Creek about two miles west of Menefee’s Station in the late 1790’s.

Harris Gammon, patriarch of the Gammon family in the area, bought land on Beaver Creek in 1797.  Casper Webber settled on upper Beaver Creek in 1816.

Samuel Bell, said to be a cousin of John Menefee, bought 1100 acres of land from John Menefee on Beaver Creek on December 16, 1817 {Knox County Deed Book Q-V1, page 244}.  It is believed that the original Menefee’s station or fort was on this land.  Bell’s Bridge and Bell’s Campground carry the family name.  After this sale, John Menefee moved on to Texas.  There is a statement found in the obituary of Maggie Blanche Bell, daughter of Samuel Menefee Bell, stating that the wife of John Menefee was a Bell.  No documentation has yet been found to confirm this.

Henry Karns, who was in the area as early as 1806, bought land from John Gammon on Beaver Creek in 1816.  Later, in 1826, he would move to Raccoon Valley.

Later to the Powell area came the Maxwell Brown family, the Wilson Groner family, the Coopers, Rhodes, Normans, Fox’s, Tillerys, Ragsdales, Gills, and many others.

Over on Bull Run Creek Curd Cox settled where the present Bull Run Valley and Pedigo Roads now intersect.  Tradition has it that he was there as early as 1800.  His son-in-law, William Conner, Jr., bought 500 acres on Bull Run Creek 1n 1811 – 1812.  Many of his descendants would settle in Raccoon Valley, Brushy Valley and Bull Run Valley.

Hardy and Richard Marshall were on Bull Run Creek as early as 1816.  John Fowler bought land in Raccoon Valley in 1839.  Later to Bull Run Valley, Brushy Valley, Raccoon Valley, Chestnut Ridge and Copper Ridge came the Joseph C.  Bishop family, the Lewis’, Moores, Williams, Childress’, Overtons, JettS’, Bittles, Altums, Jennings, Yorks, Jenkins, Gentrys, Stonecifers, Herrells, Hansards, Grahams, and many others.

Over in what is now the Sharon church area came the Alexander Bishop family, the Copelands, Harris’, Bradleys, the Mays family, Shroeders, Greenwells, and others.

From the early 1800’s to well in the 1900’s the lifestyle of the area families changed very little.  Farming was the basic industry.  The Civil War disrupted the life of many families, and in lots of instancies it was literally brother against brother during the War.  The completion of the railroad to

Powell’s Station about 1860 and its completion on to Heiskell and Clinton about 1867 created opportunities other than farm work for many men of the area.  Crossties and firewood for the railroad were needed.  Logs were shipped by rail to Knoxville and other areas.  Many men of the area obtained jobs with the railroad as section hands, firemen, telegraph operators and engineers.  It is said that the Heiskell community at one time had more men per capita working for the railroad than any other community in Tennessee.  The following citizens sold land between Powell Station and Heiskell for rights-of ways to the Knox and Kentucky Railroad:

But farming still remained as the basic industry.  A typical family farm in the latter half of the nineteenth century contained a home and the other structures needed to make it self-sufficient; a barn, smokehouse, springhouse, blacksmith shop, corn crib, outhouse, chicken house, woodshed, beehives, and a hog pen.  The men in their bib overalls and wives in their bonnets and ankle length dresses became experts at quilting, canning, broom making, basket weaving, plowing, molasses making, shingle splitting, coopering and cloth spinning.  Some farmers had their specialties, such as coffin making, preaching, stone cutting, and an occasional distillery, or “still”, could be found in some of the remote hollows or “hollers”.  When those resourceful people needed something, the first thing they did was think “How can I make it?”  Today, it’s drive down to the store and buy it.

The Heiskell Community

The Heiskell community derived its name from William Heiskell, former member of the Virginia House of Delegates, who in 1861 bought 700 acres of land on Bull Run Creek, stretching over Bull Run Ridge.  Some of this 700 acres was later to be owned in the

1930’s and 1940’s by the Homer Edington family.  Although the community was to be known as Heiskell, the Post Office was to be officially known as Bull Run until 1898.  Depot Street, Water Street, Raccoon Valley Road and what is now Heiskell Road comprised the nucleus of the Heiskell community in the late 1800’s.  At that time all these roads could be considered nothing but horse and buggy roads, dusty in the summer and muddy in the winter.  Most of the community activities revolved around the railroad depot, located at the end of Depot Street at the railroad.

Richard Cox, grandson of Curd Cox, was probably the first store owner in Heiskell.  He opened his business about 1870 and sold it to William Oates about ten years later.  William Oates developed a crosstie and cordwood business.  McDonald’s store soon opened near the corner of Depot and Water Streets.  Joe Edington operated a grocery store on Depot Street about 1890.  Strader’s blacksmith shop was on Water Street.  Newton Phillips owned a store at the corner of Depot and Raccoon Valley Roac.  His wife, Mary Jane Conner Phillips, ran a boarding house for railroad workers, teachers and visitors.  The Heiskell Mercantile Company, later called Messamore’s Store, opened for business in the early 1900’s.  It was owned and operated by Samuel Jasper “Jake” Messamore.  In the 1890’s Martin Davis operated a sawmill on Childress’ Branch.  Later, Albert Underwood operated a grocery store at the corner of Raccoon Valley and Heiskell Roads.  All of these old grocery stores are gone, with the exception of the Underwood store, which has been operated by several different owners in recent years.  It has been remodeled and is now the only store in Heiskell as of this writing.  Joseph C.  Bishop developed one of the best peach orchards in Knox County in the 1870’s.

Some of the early teachers at Heiskell school were Ocie Cox, R.L.  Cox, and M.F.  Cruze, who later became a medical doctor in Powell.  Jake Messamore taught at Heiskell, Crawford, Fairview and Conner schools.  In 1931, Crawford, Conner and Fairview schools consolidated with the new Heiskell school, which had just been completed.  In the 1930’s some of the teachers were Grace Messamore, Ruth Burnett, Elma Burnett, Harry Cooper, Kyle Herrell, Alma Sweet Herrell and Glenn Johnson.

Several grist mills served the area.  One of the first in the area was built by Sam Cooper on Fowler’s Spring Branch near Bull Run Creek.  It was later owned by George Jenkins, who sold it to Cal Dishman, who operated it until about 1935.  Cal Dishman sold it to Charles Baker who operated it until about 1940.  In the Sixth District of Knox County in 1860 Sam Cooper, Robert Childress, Thomas Dowell, Marvel Hill, and Richard Marshall paid taxes on their grist mills.  John M.  Conner paid taxes on a saw mill, and William Radner Conner paid taxes on a distillery.

William Jett’s mill, located in what is now the Greenhill community, was grinding corn as early as 1870.  Diggs mill, located on Raccoon Valley Road just east of the Diggs Gap Road intersection, was grinding corn in the 1880’s.  Diggs mill was later to be known as Fleenors Mill, and was still operating in the 1930’s.

Mingie’s Mill was built by William H. Mingie in Mingie Hollow around 1870.  Karns Mill was operated by Thomas Karns and powered by Conner’s Branch, which flowed from Stillhouse Hollow to Bull Run Creek.  This mill also powered a sawmill and wool carding machine.  William E.  Bowman built a grist mill about 1890 on Burnett’s Branch.  This mill stopped grinding corn about 1928.  George Keisling built a mill on Keisling’s Branch on West Raccoon Valley Road near the Anderson County line.  Remnants of many of these old mills can still be seen around the old mill sites.

Early Schools in the Heiskell and Powell Area

Early schools in the area were of the one or two room variety, with a pot belly stove decorating the inside and out-houses or “privies” adorning the playground.  In the latter half of the 1800’s Knox County schools operated on the “district” system.  Each of the several districts appointed their own district directors, usually three to five, received and disbursed their own finances, built and maintained their own buildings, employed and dismissed their own teachers, purchased their own supplies, and generally controlled their own schools.

Knox County Deed Book X-2, page 145, April 6, 1858, John M.  Conner deeded to J.W.  Fowler, Azariah Herrell, W. H.  Conner, J.  C.  Bishop, and P. F.  Gentry, Trustees for the Western School Section of the Sixth District, one acre, on the north side of Bull Run Creek near the branch west of the house where W.  H. Conner now lives.”  This school, probably the oldest around Heiskell, located about one-fourth mile east of the old Joseph Fowler homeplace, became known as Fowler’s Schoolhouse.  Sam Cooper was one of the first teachers.  It closed its doors in the late 1870’s when Bishopville school was built a short distance from the railroad depot in Heiskell.

Knox County Deed Book L-3, page 492, September 15, 1873, Henry Stonecifer deeded to A. J.  Lucas, W. H.  Crawford and P. F. Gentry, one acre bordering the K&O Railroad on the northwest side, for school purposes.  This school, known later as Jennings schoolhouse, was located on Brushy Valley Road on land that was later to become the William Jennings farm.

Knox County Deed Book R-3, page 230, August 17, 1877, for ten dollars, Green Harris and his wife Elizabeth deeded to the Knox County for school purposes one-half acre, described as being near William Jett’s mill on the Henry Cox and J. R. Hansard lines.  This was the beginning of Greenhill School.

On the 19th day of March, 1877 the Tennessee State Legislature passed an act which provided “It shall not hereafter be lawful for any person to sell or tipple any intoxicating beverage within four miles of an incorporated institution of learning in this State”.  To invoke this protection, many schools in the State were incorporated.

Some of the local citizens of the Heiskell community decided to invoke the protection of this newly passed law, and in 1878 Bishopville School was incorporated and renamed Bishopville Academy, although the curriculum remained about the same.

Deed Book R-3, page 505, June 8, 1878, Knox County.  John M.  and Mary Conner deeded to the Directors of public schools for the Sixth District, C.L.  Childress, C.L.  Webber and Jonathan N.  Bishop, adjoining the lands of James W.  Bishop, one acre and fifty-six poles for school purposes.  This school, known as Conner’s School, was located on Brushy Valley Road about one-half mile east of the present George Burnett homeplace.  It closed its doors in late 1931.

Knox County Deed Book E-4, page 119, May 23, 1885.  Rhoda Foster, Joshua Foster, and Ruthie Mae Foster to Joseph W.  Fowler, A.W.  Bishop and John Roberts, School Directors for the Sixth District, for ten dollars, one acre on Raccoon Valley Road for school purposes.  This school, located just east of the present Raccoon Valley Road -Interstate 75 intersection, was known as Fairview School, closing its doors in 1931.

Knox County Deed Book 116, page 275, October 24, 1891.  D.G.  Grant deeded for one hundred dollars two acres to the school directors of the Sixth District, W.E.  Bowman, D.M.  Burnett and J.  Foster, northeast side of Island Ford Road {now Heiskell Rd.} for public school purposes.  This was the beginning of Heiskell School, known in the beginning as Heiskell High School.  It accomodated ten grades at that time, later reduced to eight.

Knox County Deed Book 150, page 167, November 26, 1896.  William Patty Fowler and wife Mary Jane Fowler to the school directors of the Sixth District, W.K.  Altum, W. E. Bowman and J. D. Brown, for forty dollars, one and one-half acres, with the stipulation for the use of the spring on the property of Fowler.  This school, on West Brushy Valley Road, was probably referred to in the beginning as the New Jennings School, later to be known as Crawford School.

Deed Book 262, page 63, August 8, 1906, A.G.  Keisling and wife to Squire Moore, Elbert Webber and Swan Lewis, school directors of the Sixth District, for one dollar, one-half acre for school purposes, beginning on a stone in the County line to Raccoon Valley Road.  This school, known as Keisling’s Schoolhouse, was located on West Raccoon Valley Road at the Anderson County line, near the present junction of Naff Road and Raccoon Valley Road.

The first Post Office in the Heiskell area was established in 1860 and officially known as Bull Run, Tennessee, with Jacob Johnson as Postmaster.  Other Postmasters at Bull Run and their appointment dates were:

• Joseph W.  Fowler      7/27/1866
• James Childress          8/30/1866
• William D.  Bittle        8/12/1868
• James M. Cox             12/2/1885
• Newton Phillips           4/18/1888
• Joe P.  Edington           5/1/1889
• Azariah Herrell            5/3/1893
  • James M. Homer          6/2/1897

On June 25, 1898 the Bull Run Post Office was changed officially to Heiskell, Tennessee.  Postmasters appointed to Heiskell were:

• James M. Homer                     6/25/1898
• Samuel J. Messamore              3/9/1916
• Perry B. Jennings                    1/1/1937
• Helen Davis Norman              5/2/1958

Brown’s Schoolhouse, located on land donated by Maxwell and Isabell Brown, was the first organized school in the Powell area, beginning its operation about 1820.  It was located about one-half mile from Powell on the south side of Beaver Creek on the Hardie Brown farm.  The original building was of log construction, but was replaced by a new building of frame construction about 1857.  Brown’s Schoolhouse remained open until 1874.  Some early teachers were Hardie Brown, Wm.  A. A.  Conner, John Brown, T. C. Karns, Wilson Collier and Charles Nelson.

Knox County Deed Book J, Vol 4, page 199, April 10, 1874, John N.  Ragsdale and wife (Caroline McBath) to John Tunnell, John Waldron and John M. Brown, School Directors of the Eighth District, for school purposes, one acre for one dollar, located near the depot, between Spring Street and Wells Street.

Sometimes referred to as Perkins High School and sometimes as Powell’s Station High School, this school accommodated ten grades and remained in operation until 1916.  Professor William H.  Perkins was the first principal, with Samuel M.  Cooper as his assistant.  A few years later John N.  Ragsdale donated land adjoining the school to the Trustees of the United Brethren Church.

Knox County Deed Book 0, Vol 3, page 292, July 14, 1877, John Meredith and wife Phoebe Jane, to John Sterchi, N.A.  York, J.  D.  Pelleaux, Eli Cox and J.D.  Brown, School Directors for the Eighth District, two acres,/adjoining the lands of J.G.  Caulkins and Mrs.  Lones, for school purposes.  This was the beginning of Plainview School, located in the Dante area, about one mile east of the railroad.

Knox County Deed Book F, Vol 3, page 634, April 14, 1887, A.J.  Johnson and wife Anna M.  (Leek) to William Herrell, W.W.  Bishop and C.L. Wood, School Directors for the Eighth District, one acre for fifty dollars, the land adjoining William Bayless’ southeast corner, on Stokes and Georges line, northeast of the K&O Railroad, near the crossing.  This school was just east of the present railroad junction with Central Avenue Pike near Glenwood Church.

Knox County Deed Book 133, page 8, Oct.  2, 1866, the heirs of James Booker to Alexander Bishop, Robert Wood, William Lewis, Calvin Wood and John Tunnell, Trustees, two acres for fifty dollars on the north side of Beaver Creek and the south side of Emory Road on Robert Wood’s line, near the property of Sterling Baker, William T.  Hall and Wm.  A.  Bradley.  This school.  known as Oakland School, was located at the junction of what is now Bishop and Emory Roads.

Knox County Deed Book 287, page 86, April 14, 1916, John Reagan and his wife Laura to the Knox County School Board, one and five-eighths acres, in Levy’s addition.  This land was a part of the old John N.  Ragsdale property.  This new Powell High School replaced the old Perkins School, offering twelve grades with a full four-year high school curriculum in addition to the eight-year elementary curriculum.  This school remained in operation until 1949, being replaced by a new structure located on Emory Road near Brickyard Road.

The first Post Office in the Powell area was officially designated as Tunnell Hill, Tennessee, established on September 28, 1860, with Lewis Ragsdale as Postmaster.  The name was

changed to Powell’s Station on July 5, 1867, with William Nighbert as Postmaster.  Later Postmaster appointments to Powell’s Station were:

• Christopher Groner     1/13/1875
• Eldridge Parker           12/2/1885
• Alexander Shelton      12/29/1888
• Melissa M.  Wood      3/23/1889

On February 15, 1894 the Powell’s Station Post Office was officially changed to Powell Station, with the following Postmaster appointments:

• Eldridge C.  Parker     2/15/1894
• Christopher Groner     4/28/1900
• John E.  Groner           1/20/1909
• Millard Cooper           5/19/1914
• John E.  Groner           11/1/1921
• Dorothy Bell               12/1/1940
• Bertha Cooper             5/31/1941

On November 1, 1949, the official name of the Powell Station was changed to Powell with the following Postmaster appointments:

• Bertha Cooper             11/1/1949
• Robert K.  Black         6/30/1959
• Kenneth Jennings  6/23/1961
• Ronald Huffaker  3/3/1984

With the establishment of Rural Free Delivery in 1896 many of the small Post Offices in the area closed their doors shortly thereafter.

• Dante Post Office – established in 1888, closed in 1899
• Fowler Post Office – established in 1899 with Carson O.  Fowler as Postmaster, closed in 1902.
• Pedigo Post office – established in 1884 with Adouram Pedigo as Postmaster, closed in 1902
• Twinville Post Office – establihed in 1860, closed in 1902
• Winstead Post Office – established in 1898, closed in 1902

The past fifty years have brought dramatic changes to the Powell community.  Vacant land has been and still is being gobbled up by subdivision after subdivision of fine homes.  Many new churches have been built.  Powell now boasts a new elementary school, a new middle school and a modern high school was completed in 1949.  New industries, businesses, restaurants and shopping centers have located in the community.  Whereas the community was served by only two mail routes in 1940, twelve routes are now required.

The same cannot be said of the Raccoon Valley-Bull Run Valley-Heiskell area.  Creek bottom land that in the past was covered with acres of corn and hay now lies vacant with the exception of a few cattle.  Heiskell school no longer exists, having been consolidated with Greenhill school into the new Copper Ridge school.  Messamores store has been razed.  The railroad depot is gone.  Probably the biggest change has occurred in the Interstate 75 – Raccoon Valley Road interchange, where campgrounds and service stations are flourishing.  Mt Harmony Baptist Church, organized in 1847, and Heiskell Methodist Church, organized about 1900, have changed very little.  The contrast between the two communities is obvious.  It might be said that one is progressive and the other is relatively motionless.  But how do you define progress? Some may measure progress by the hustle and bustle of new subdivisions, new businesses, large industries and heavy traffic.  Others may prefer the less hectic pace with more open space around them.

How these communities fare in the twenty-first century, only the relentless passing of time will tell.