Historic Union County

Spreading the good news of Union County

Norris Dam was finished in 1936 and the waters of Norris Lake flooded the homeland of many Union County folk who had to find farms and homes elsewhere. Many chose to relocate to the banks of rivers other than the Clinch and the Powell. Some 75 years later, Union County has not regained the population lost to the Norris Dam project. It has gained many measures of prosperity including electric power, technical assistance from Tennessee Valley Authority staff, access to many jobs, and a growing tourism industry.

Maynardville State Bank was chartered in 1922, the second bank to be chartered in Union County. The first was Luttrell Union County Bank in 1909. The Luttrell Bank was robbed shortly after it opened and its losses were significant enough that it was forced to close. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) had not been created yet and if a bank failed, for whatever reason, depositors lost their money.

Ok, so this doesn't look like my dad. If I hadn't said that, you might have thought my dad had a full beard and was portly, as they said back in the day. He really was skinny as a rail. Dad passed away on Armistice Day, what we now call Veteran's Day, November 11, in 1951. Armistice Day was to commemorate the signing of the end of World War 1. When I was growing up, that was a very important day in our house. After all, Dad was a veteran.

In 2 Timothy 2:15, the Apostle Paul charged Timothy to … “rightly divide the word of truth.” Every Christian Church quotes that passage and yet we disagree on the interpretation of many scriptures. Sometimes these disagreements are so vast that professing Christians simply cannot get along. Proof for this statement is plentiful, all you have to do is look at all the different denominations.

It is the time of year when we are counting down days until Christmas, finalizing shopping lists, spreading tinsel, and tying bows. As quickly as December sneaks up, June peaks around the corner. As we transition from snowflakes to sunshine, Union County 4-H is preparing for the upcoming 2018 4-H Camp! This December we have a special stocking stuffer that would be the perfect surprise for that special child, grandchild, niece or nephew that has it all.

As I lined up for the Christmas Parade in Maynardville, winning a trophy was the farthest thing from my mind. My purpose for being there was simply to take part in the event and enjoy the day with my wife, Frances. However, my wife loves to decorate, so she put together a theme as though we were heading on a trip to visit friends with a huge bag of toys stuffed in the rumble seat and packages tied on the back with ribbons and bows. I’ll have to admit, when she was finished and we were traveling the parade route, shouts of Merry Christmas came throughout the entire parade.

Congratulations, to Union County on your newest grant from The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. Thank you, Mayor Williams for allowing me to celebrate with you today. The Clean Tennessee Energy Grant will help your community reduce costs, increase savings, waste less energy and promote clean air. These grants continue to make Tennessee a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

“Actions speak louder than words.”

“You’ve got to put your money where your mouth is.”

Those were just some of the values instilled in Marilyn Toppins by her mother, and they’re words she lives by to this day.

Clean-cut, honest, hardworking, competent, accommodating–these are all adjectives used to describe Sheriff Swan Kitts. There was a sense of presence about him that said, “Sheriff.” But his moment of fame perhaps came with the death of country singer, Hank Williams. I’ve heard and read several accounts of this event, but I’ll only touch on the event involving Patrolman Kitts. Writer Wayne Bledsoe wrote a good piece entitled “Hank’s Final Journey,” which was published in the Knoxville News Sentinel on December 30, 2002.

Do you like Chocolate Chip Cookies? Am I the only one who doesn't? The problem with me is the chocolate. We don't get along. If you need to send a batch of cookies to school with your child, you can't go wrong with Chocolate Chip Cookies.

In an effort to improve services and guide the future development of programs and facilities, Union County is conducting a strategic parks and recreation master plan. A major component of this process is public input, which includes this community survey.

Your participation in this survey is crucial in determining the future direction and goals of our community’s parks and recreation. Even if you do not currently participate in any park programs or utilize the park system in any way, your survey answers will still be important. Thank you for your time and valuable input.

This year's Operation Christmas Child shoebox drive in Union County wasn't just an opportunity to support foreign missions. It was also a chance for local churches and community organizations to come together and work towards a common goal.

A project of Samaritan's Purse, Operation Christmas Child asks donors to pack shoeboxes with much-needed sundries like hygiene items, school supplies and toys. The shoeboxes are given to children around the world, often in the most dire situations imaginable. And with each shoebox is delivered another gift: the gospel message of Jesus Christ.

My dear Boys and Girls–Big Children too,
I want you to know that I am so glad that you have good schools to attend. I’m sure glad that you have buildings that have floors, openings in the walls that have windows, and blackboards that are not just “wooden boards” painted black. But I also want you to know that things have not always been this way. I hope you will get grandma and grandpa to tell you their school experiences. Maybe they will even tell you what their parents told them.

Fried apples are an old timey breakfast treat. Back in Depression days before WWll, fresh oranges and bananas, for instance, were out of reach for most farm families. You made do with what you had. We usually had apples.

Pie Contest Winners
Grand Prize $100 Elizabeth Tindell Carmel Pecan Pie
Fruit 1st $50 Abigail Foust Salted Caramel Pie, 2nd Kennedy Hill Apple Pie, 3rd Carrie Cook Apple Pie
Nut 1st $50 Abigail Foust Fudge Pecan Pie, 2nd Kathy Venturella Chocolate Pecan Pie,
3rd Emma McMillan Macadamia Nut Pie
Other 1st $50 Emma McMillan Chocolate Pie, 2nd Jonathan Tindell Chocolate Chess Pie,
3rd Jeremiah Tindell Butterfinger Pie

All entries received ribbons.

Rebecca Hughes of Union County Extension coordinated the event.

Best of Show - Debbie Toney for Good Morning Clinch Mountain

Best Union County Heritage - Carol Pratt with Molasses Making

First Place - Ruth Mihaltion for Billy Joe

Tie for 2nd Place - Shirley Keaton for Blue and Yellow and Ann GlennSherrill for Hickory Valley Farm

Tie for 3rd Place - Dianne Becker for Tribal Girl and Ann Glennsherrill for Fall In The Leaves

5 Honorable Mentions to - 1) Sherry Railey for Dog Days of Autumn 2) Ellen Perry for Zinnia Garden 3) Sloan Becker for Farm House 4) Nikki Riddle for Birds 5) Stephen Hamilton for Hidden Pond

Friends and neighbors gathered at Wilson Park in Union County TN, many driving their antique cars for the cruise in and the lighting of the Christmas tree. I drove my 1929 Ford replica and parked next to the Veterans Wall to be part of this event. The tree at the top of the hill stands approximately 20 feet tall and shaped nearly perfect. It is not just an ordinary tree, it is special, placed in that particular spot and folks gathered to celebrate the beginning of the Christmas holidays.

As the rain rolled off the skylights and wind beat the window panes, Cruz Contreras and Sam Quinn of the Black Lillies tempered the crowd with the somber emotional sounds of “Whiskey Angel”. The enthusiastic audience whistled and clapped their appreciation at last Saturday night's house concert hosted by Knox Heritage at Westwood on Kingston Pike. The concert was one of many fundraisers to pay off the note for Westwood. Knox Heritage and the East Tennessee Preservation Alliance contributed various resources and materials to help restore Oak Grove School in Sharps Chapel.

Several people have called me after the stories about tattooing houses. One call was from Robert Lee “Bobby” Fields, whom I have not seen since school days and had not spoken with in over 60 years. It seems that Edgebert Lee and Melba Lovell had stopped by to see him and brought a copy of the Union County Shopper. Bobby and his wife now live at Strawberry Plains. Bobby retired from Bell South with 37 years of service.