It seems no time since last Christmas. Perhaps this is because you have been doing nice things for me all year long. First, I must thank The Shopper for the opportunity to write this column and to you for reading it. The thank-yous to me for preserving Union County history are like a Christmas present every time I hear it. The opportunities the Museum of Appalachia’s Fall Festival and the Union County Heritage Festival provided me to renew old acquaintances and to make new ones, and to help persons in search of their heritage, are gifts to me in ways I could not even imagine.

Why Maynardville? Because a bright young lawyer named Horace Maynard, who had come to teach at East Tennessee College that later became The University of Tennessee, was sympathetic to the cause of the establishment of Union County, Tennessee. After the Act creating Union County, Tennessee, was passed on January 13, 1850, Knox County filed a lawsuit because Knox County did not want to lose a significant valuable land base. Horace Maynard agreed to defend Union County without charge and walked from Knoxville to Liberty to do so. He usually spent the night at the home of Mr. And Mrs.

The third weekend in July, Millers from all over the country will descend on Union County for another Miller Reunion. Here’s a little history about what they celebrate. For the most part the people at the reunion will be descendants of Martin Luther Miller, who was born in 1758 near Heidelberg, Germany, came to America and settled for a time in Alamance County (Orange County), North Carolina..

Dear Sammie,

From the time I can remember until your mother, Paralee, could not drive any more, we looked forward to the spring visit of the Cox family. Since I can remember, Uncle Charlie was already deeply stricken by rheumatoid arthritis and had to use double crutches to walk, so Aunt Paralee had learned to drive–years before it was common for women to drive a car.

This picture of Ed McNew was given to Bill Beeler, husband of Mossie, of Sharps Chapel on April 10, 1926. When the picture was made, Ed and Bill were attending a Fiddler’s Convention at Knoxville. Bill stayed with the McNews at Knoxville. The note says Ed’s brother, Bill McNew, had had a gall bladder attack and was operated on April 9, 1926 when 201 gall stones were removed. On April 14, 1926, Bill McNew said he was getting along alright. What about another Fiddler’s Convention–this time in Union County?

Did you ever hear about the fellow, born at Lost Creek, Union County, in 1901, who in his mischievous years threw a billy goat through the window of the church during a service. The settlement of the case was if he would leave the county they would not sentence him to jail.
He said he had kinfolks in both Ohio and Michigan so he would just flip a coin to determine where he would go. It was Ohio. He got a job with Firestone and over the years promoted to retire as one of the top dogs. He died at Clearwater, Florida in 1980 in a pretty nice pad I'm sure. TRUE STORY!

Charles H. Lynch, Jr. served as Trustee of Union County from 1948 to 1952. His Bondsmen and Bondswoman were
Charles H. Lynch, R. C. Heiskell, Thurman Hill, Raymond Sharp, Dan Oliver, C. R. Stooksbury, M. G. Graves, Bruce Rutherford, Dock Smith, W. C. McPhetridge, Edd Moore, Lee Cooke, Charles Seymour, William Welch, Alfred Brantley, Mana Dyke, Zeno Peters, Henry Dyke, C. R. Rogers, H. E. Rogers. Clifford Brantley, Dewey Bridges, Jim Craig, Callie Monroe, Charles R. Beeler, Kenneth Shoffner, Rina Shoffner, Walter Baker, Ruble Palmer, Earl Branum, Roy Cole, J.H. Baker, G.O. Rogers, Voyd Rogers, Bud Berry and H. R. Johnson.

Tip Chesney, Jr. Left us March 21, 2011 for glory, and reading his obituary brought back many memories. Tip, Jr. is the great grandson of Pharoah Chesney of Union County. Pharoah, or “Uncle Ferry” as he was fondly referred to. Pharoah Chesney was the freed slave of John Chesney of Union County, who lived in the Bull Run community of Union County. Uncle Ferry is best remembered for his long life. He is said to have lived to 120 before getting poisoned on a mess of wild greens that caused his death.

The East Tennessee Preservation Alliance (ETPA) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2015 East Tennessee Preservation Awards. The awards were presented during the East Tennessee Preservation Gala held at the East Tennessee History Center on October 24th. The following award winning projects represent some of the best examples of historic preservation efforts found throughout the Middle East Tennessee region:

2015 East Tennessee Preservation Award Winners