TIPTON COUNTY, TN
"The Beginning"
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The first settlements in the territory which
afterwards became Tipton County were made by General Jacob Tipton in
1821, by Jesse Benton below the third Chickasaw Bluffs, by H. Yarbrough
on Indian Creek, and by Henry Turnidge and others on Big Creek. The
county was named for Captain Jacob Tipton, who fell in St. Clair's
defeat near Fort Washington in 1791, and who was the father of General
Tipton. The county court was organized in 1823 at the house of Nathaniel
Hartsfield, about one mile south of Covington. Covington, the county
seat, was located on lands donated by John C. McLemore and Tyree Rhodes.
The constitution of 1834 having provided for the formation of a new
county out of territory lying between Hatchie and Forked Deer,
Lauderdale was established in 1835, leaving Hatchie as the north
boundary of Tipton County. The proximity of Tipton County to the
Mississippi River and the bluffs within its limits gave it great
prominence in the annals of settlement and the struggle for precedence
which make up the early history of West Tennessee counties. Jesse
Benton's place was a general landing for emigrants who came by river,
and soon became a distributing point for the adjacent country. Benton's
Trace still remains in local geographical nomenclature. Randolph soon
became a flourishing town. Indeed, at first all indications pointed to
its future success in the contest for commercial mastery which
geographical position forced upon the two towns, Randolph and Memphis.
Like Memphis, it was situated upon one of the Chickasaw Bluffs and at
the mouth of a small inland stream. But Big Hatchie was navigable as far
up as Bolivar, and Randolph carried on a lucrative trade by water with
many of the newly established counties east of Hardemaln. It became at
once the shipping point for all the western counties except Shelby and
Fayette. This was during the internal improvement mania, and a plan was
suggested which, if carried out, might have enabled Randolph to carry
off the palm in its contest with Memphis. This was to connect the
Tennessee and the Hatchie by means of a lateral canal or drain. This
would have given Randolph the trade of the fertile sections of country
through which the Tennessee runs, and would probably have given it the
greatness which has fallen to its rival. The governor of Tennessee
recommended the project to the General Assembly, but nothing came of it.
In 1834 the " Randolph Recorder " was issued by F. S. Latham, who soon
afterwards sold out to A. M. Scott and removed to Memphis. In 1836 or
1837 the " Randolph Whig"' was established by the McPhersons, but was
soon discontinued. In 1836 Randolph shipped 40,000 bales of cotton, and
in 1839 from 20,000 to 25,000. Some time in the thirties Randolph
established a bank. In 1833 a semi-weekly stage was started by James
Brown from Jackson to Randolph. A great drawback to the growth of
Randolph was the A. M. Cambreling suit, involving the title to 1,000
acres of land, on part of which Randolph was located. This prevented the
growth of population, and was not settled until 1835. The removal of the
Indians and the settlement of North Mississippi helped Memphis, and
finally a few steamboats that navigated the Hatchie began to unload at
Memphis. The foresight and liberal policy of John Overton caused Memphis
to prosper rapidly, and by the time the Memphis and Charleston Railroad
was built, the leading merchants of Randolph had removed to the lower
town.
The last attempt of Randolph to regain its earlier importance was in 1852, when, by a bare majority of the voters in the county, it was decided not to move the seat of justice to that point from Covington. A Tipton County institution, which exerted a beneficent influence upon the development of the western part of the State, was the Mountain Academy, founded by the Reverend James Holmes, of which it is chronicled that it,was long noted as the best in West Tennessee, and hundreds of youths were instructed and trained there, who became eminent as teachers and professional men. The name of James Holmes, D. D., is more intimately connected with West Tennessee as an educator and instructor of the young, both male and female, than perhaps 'any other man living." History of Tennessee: the making of a state By James Phelan 1888 (Submitted by Barbara Ziegenmeyer)
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October 29, 1823 From territory within Shelby County, Tipton County is established. Approximately 1/3 of the new county is north of the Hatchie River.
December 1, 1823 Officers of the Tipton County Court are elected: John C. McKean - Chairman of the court Andrew Greer - Clerk John T. Brown - Sheriff Nathan Hartsfield - Register John Robinson - Trustee William Henson - Ranger George Robinson - Coroner
December 2, 1823 The first tax levy is ordered - Twelve and 1/2 cents on each white person and 25 cents on each black person (to be paid by slave's master). Levy on land is set the same as the state levy.
March 1824 The first jury is selected which consisted of the following citizens: Thomas Ralph, Anderson Ralph, Henry Allen, Hopson Ferrell, John Eckford, Alexander McCullough, Thomas Hodge, James Hodge, John Person, William K. Kulbreath (Culbreath), Jesse Benton, Michael Holshouser, William Henson, John Robinson, William Robinson, George Keller, Samuel Robinson, Adam Logan, Joseph G. Stone, Samuel Young, and Hubert Ferrell.
June 1, 1824 First Deed is recorded at the register's office - 640 acres of land in Tipton County "on the waters of Big Creek of Loosahatchie River" from Thomas Hickman of Davidson County to Samuel Perkins of Williamson County.
October 11, 1824 The Tipton County Circuit Court is organized. Thomas Taylor is appointed clerk and William Stoddart is sworn in as attorney-at-law.
December 11, 1824 James Fentress, Benjamin Reynolds, Robert Jetton, and William Martin (commissioners appointed by the state legislature to locate sites for the county seats of counties in West Tennessee) appear before the county court and announce they have "located the county site to Tipton county on the lands of John C. McLemore and Tyree Rhodes in range 4 and section 8 of said county and to be called Covington". Commissioners and superintendents of buildings of Covington are elected to succeed the commissioners appointed by the state legislature. Elected were: John Eckford, Alexander Robinson, Robert G. Green, Elias F. Pope and Marquis Calmes.
January 5, 1825 Covington Commissioners petition the county court for enough money to build a temporary courthouse.
April 12, 1825 The sale of lots begins in Covington.
July 4, 1825 The county court moves into the newly completed frame courthouse located on the northeast square in Covington. (the center of the square was left vacant for a permanent courthouse to be built at a later date) The court had been meeting at the home of Nathan Hartsfield. Mr. Hartsfield is paid $50 as payment for the court's use and occupation of his house. John Robinson, Thomas Ralph and John Eckford are appointed judges. Aquilla Davis is appointed road overseer. Workers are assigned to Mr. Davis for the purpose of opening a road to the county line in the direction of Brownsville. Plans are also made to lay off a road to the county line in the direction of Somerville.
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