An Introduction to Henry County History 101

“Welcome to Historic Henry County,” proclaim signs on major highways leading into the county. And, Henry County is historic. County historian David Webb is leading a drive to make more of us aware of its historic sites.

“Right now, we have nine Tennessee Historical Commission historic markers in Henry County,” Webb says. “Four of these honor men buried in the Paris City Cemetery at the eastern end of Ruff Street, three others are inside the city limits of Paris, while the other two are in the southern part of the county.”

One of the four markers in the city cemetery was just placed last year: It is at the gravesite of E.W. Grove. The others are just inside and along the wrought iron fence. They honor J.D.C. Atkins, John Wesley Crockett and James D. Porter.

Crockett was one of the legendary Davy Crockett’s sons, Porter was a Tennessee governor and Atkins was uniquely a member of congress of both the Confederate States of America and United States.

The three sites inside the city limits include one on West Wood Street, near the intersection with Crutchfield Lane, noting the Battle of Paris during the Civil War.

Another is at the former home of Gov. Porter on Dunlap Street, now the home of John Van Dyck. The third is atop Grove hill, recognizing the E.W. Grove-Henry County High School.

The two markers in the county are both connected with wars: one, at the Mansfield Baptist Church cemetery, at the junction of Highway 114 and Mansfield Road, marks the location of the skirmish at Mansfield during the Civil War.

The other is at Routon, just off Highway 79 southwest of Paris, at the edge the location of Camp Tyson, the nation’s only U.S. Army base dedicated to barrage balloon training during World War II. It is now home to the H.C. Spinks Co.

The historical markers committee of the Tennessee Historical Commission has to approve each marker’s text, along with documentation of its authenticity. Written permission from the property owner also must be obtained.

Each marker costs about $1,400; if it has different text on each side it costs about $1,500. And, each must be sponsored; that is, the county or another entity must come up with the money to pay for it. Webb, as county historian, submits the proposed text and documentation to the commission.

Eight more being researched

Webb’s history students at HCHS are currently researching and writing the text for eight more proposed historic markers.

He hopes a marker with different texts on each side will be erected on the southeast corner of the courthouse lawn; one side will salute Henry County, the other side will recognize the historical significance of the Henry County courthouse.

The Robert E. Lee school building at 402 Lee St., now the home of the Lee Academy for the Arts, would be recognized as the site of a Confederate organization during the Civil War as well as an educational institution.

The current home of the James H. Hudson family, Whitehall, 403 Whitehall Circle, is another Civil War site that would be recognized with a marker.

Similar to the two markers in the city honoring James D. Porter, another Tennessee governor, Tom C. Rye, would be remembered with two markers: one at his gravesite in Maplewood Cemetery, the other at his former home at 610 N. Poplar St.

Rye served as governor during World War I and died here in Paris in 1953 after serving 20 years as chancellor.

Cavitt Place is another likely spot for a marker. Now the Paris-Henry County Heritage Center at 614 N. Poplar St., it was built by Col. O.C. Barton and featured in 1916 in the American Architect magazine.

Paris at one time was noted as a railroad town and has been served by the such lines as the North Carolina & St. Louis and the L&N as well as some lesser-known lines like the Clarksville & Louisville and Memphis & Ohio. A marker is proposed near the former NC&StL depot, now occupied by Vicky Muzzall Tax Service, at the corner of Fentress and Ruff Streets.

Manor House at the corner of Hudson and Depot streets is not only the former home of Gen. J.D.C. Atkins but also the famed duo-piano team of Nelson and Neal.

Others may be proposed

Sixteen others he would like to have erected in the next three or four years are on Webb’s list. Sites for some of these markers are still being considered.

They include two Henry County routes of the infamous Trail of Tears that the Cherokee Indians followed to Oklahoma after being forced from their homes in North Carolina. One runs from Reynoldsburg Road to Iron Banks Road to Walker Cemetery on Highway 69 northwest of Paris; the other would be the Tennessee River route, which might rate a marker at Paris Landing State Park.

Two other historic markers might also be placed at the state park. One would simply honor Paris Landing itself as a steamboat and freight landing on the Tennessee River, dating back to the mid 1800s. From here and other landings on the Tennessee River and Big Sandy River, supplies were transported to surrounding towns and communities by ox cart.

The other would recognize Kentucky Lake itself, the largest manmade lake in the eastern United States. Kentucky Dam backs up the Tennessee River for 184 miles and creates a lake that stretches south across the western tip of Kentucky and nearly the entire width of Tennessee. At maximum normal operating level, Kentucky Lake covers 160,300 acres.

A Chickasaw Indian reservation site and, later, a tourist attraction as a health spa would earn a marker for Sulphur Well. Webb believes a marker could be erected on Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency property near a boat launching ramp near the community of Elkhorn.

As West Tennessee’s oldest incorporated muncipality, Paris should certainly be recognized with a marker probably placed near city hall.

Two other sites near city hall might be considered. One is the Fentress Street location of the former home of John Wesley Crockett, son of David and a U.S. Congressman himself. The other would be the West Washington Street homesite of Gov. Isham G. Harris.

Others on Webb’s list are the site of the first Henry County courthouse, possibly the first in West Tennessee, in the Clifty community; Manley’s Chapel Campground, the first religious encampment in West Tennessee, near Manleyville; and the grave of Dr. Mordecai Johnson at Greenwood Cemetery. The activist was the first black president of Howard University.

The south Dunlap Street birthplace of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Howell E. Jackson is on Webb’s list as is Camp Lowe, a Union Army camp during the Civil War, near the present Paris Landing State Park marina.

Oakwood, the home now owned by Robert and Peggy Adams on Chickasaw Road, would be recognized for its architectural significance and the Pine Hill Plantation of Col. Robert D. Caldwell on Caldwell Road west of Puryear certainly has historical significance.

Finally, Webb believes the World’s Biggest Fish Fry, now over 50 years old, deserves recognition.

In all then, there are two dozen more markers he would like to see join the nine current markers in Henry County to give additional legitimacy to the county’s claim of “historic.”