Jesse Shelton and His Pegram Plantation

Jesse Shelton, my sixth-great-grandfather, once owned a plantation in present-day Pegram, Cheatham County, Tennessee. His land was on Turner Creek and the Big Harpeth River according to his 1809 deed. The below map marks that spot and has an estimate of what his 640-acre spread (one square mile) might have looked like to help you …

Continue reading Jesse Shelton and His Pegram Plantation

Hiram Harper, Nashville Detective: From Boston to Alcatraz

"One of the Best" - Detective Dave Beasley Hiram Herbert Harper, my mother's grandfather, passed away when she was only about seven months old. Our information about Hiram is limited to a few records and numerous newspaper articles. I wish I knew more about Hiram, because he seems like a fascinating man. Sadly, we don't …

Continue reading Hiram Harper, Nashville Detective: From Boston to Alcatraz

The Bess Family of Sycamore Mills

Lydia Meador and John Best My search for the parents of Elizabeth Bess, my fourth-great-grandmother, started years ago when I built my first family tree. I had zero to go on. Family trees online were no help either, as none of them listed her parents. I truly started from scratch. Bess is a unique last …

Continue reading The Bess Family of Sycamore Mills

Anecdotes of Centenarian William Bennett

William Bennett, of the Sycamore Mills area of Cheatham County, Tennessee, lived to be nearly 106 years old. We are lucky to have a few newspaper articles about his life that were written in the early 1900s when he was still alive. See 1) Wild Bill Bennett article and 2) Article transcriptions. If you carefully …

Continue reading Anecdotes of Centenarian William Bennett

William Bennett Newspaper Articles

Here is a transcribed collection of newspaper articles about William Bennett, my fourth-great-grandfather. For the article, "Wild Bill Bennett", please click here. The Leaf-Chronicle, 06 Jan 1902, Mon, Page 6 HEALTHY And Able to Cultivate a Crop is William Bennett at the Age of 96 Years Mr. Wm. Bennett, of the Second District, was in …

Continue reading William Bennett Newspaper Articles