Page 28 

PLEASANT RIDGE 1955 

Pleasant Ridge is a long and meandering ridge that starts or hooks off from Sugar Tree Knob near the -------- home one the west side of the Knob.  This ridge runs its way a little north west.  It may be said by some to run due west but it does not.  The main source or base of the Knob and Pleasant Ridge is the west end of Short Mountain. 

The north side of the ridge has long spurs? and short hills branching off from it in many places and several creeks and riverlets and good highway roads most everywhere.  It has always been a lucking place for liquor making 
and boot legging.  It has ever? had a lawbreaking set of people yes both men and women to contend with.  For the past few years the ridge has been a very good community to live in. 

THE ORIGIN OF PLEASANT RIDGE 

Grandfather Henry Dennis was a soldier and served and fought in the War of 1812.  He drew two land warrants as pay for was service.  One warrant was 300 acres on the other one 400 acres.  He laid his 300 acre warrant on the north side of the ridge where the cemetery is and the old ---------- Church stood. Grandfather gave the graveyard and church ground to the Methodist the year 1818.    He bought a Negro man from Maryland to Tenn with him.  He built the old darkey, Pleas was his first name, a little cabin out near the Melton Cemetery.  The ridge was first called Pleases Hill and by some way it taken the name Pleasant Ridge.  The Methodist held a church at Pleas Hill till up 
in the 1830's.  Somewhere from 1839 to 1847 when a Church of God was set up. 

OLD PEOPLE OF THE RIDGE 75 AND 80 YEARS OF AGE IN 1955 
 

Capt Jim Melton  Ike Higgins  Hiram Tittle  Will Young  Dallas Woods  Mr. Pitman  Joe Melton  B. F. Mayo  Mr. Feesley  Marion Hamilton  T. G. Stone  R. M. Stanley  J. A. Stanley  Lige Higgins  Jack Gilley  Bill Dennis

Mr. Patric  George Bogal?  S. J. Tittle  Bill Martin  Sam Preston  Billy Preston  Mr. Hibdon  John Moody  Steve Harriman  Wes Harriman  Bill Bonds  Clent Cooper  Dave Travis, Sr.  John Harris  Mr. Walker  Mr. Reed

OLD RIDGE PEOPLE 

Those I've named or written in this script lived directly on the Pleasant Ridge Road from Sugar Tree Knob to the Joe Northcutt divide overlooking Porterfield Community.  The Ridge and its spurs once was dated with many 
rude log huts but they are all gone and a few well built residences has been put up in many places on the Ridge.  Water was once set back to the Ridge. Now every farm has one or two wells on it and if anyone is deprived of a well. 
He lifts his water up over trees and bluffs with electricity.  That T V A has made available and convenient to all.  Seven highways crosses the ridge going north or coming south.  One spur ridge from Pleasant Ridge touches five 
counties.  They are Cannon, Rutherford, Wilson, DeKalb, and Smith. 

Page 29 

HISTORICAL FACTS ON CANAL CREEK AND PLEASANT RIDGE 
BY RUFUS A. DENNIS 

Date:  ? 
copied from Kiger papers 

I have been asked many times if I knew anything of the beginning of the Pleasant Ridge.  Pleas Higgins, an old Negro, built a small log cabin about where the Melton Cemetery now is, and father told me that was why the hill is 
called Pleasant Ridge.  Pleas Higgins was never a bonded negro.  It seems he was born free.  He died and was buried on the ridge some where. 

Henry Dennis was a soldier in the War of 1812.  When discharged he drew two land Warrants for his pay for serving as a soldier.  Henry Dennis' home was on Canal Creek.  The George Melton family owns it now.  Henry Dennis' land 
warrants were granted him about 1815.  One was 300 acres and the larger one was 400 acres.  The 300 acres, warrant was on Pleasant Ridge around where the graveyard now is.  Three counties joined about where the Sam Dennis home now is.  The Warren Co. line came by Short Mountain running with the meander of the ridge and going west to the head of Lox Creek where Warren Rutherford and Wilson counties joined.  Smith Co. and Wilson Co. were on the north side of the Warren Co. line.  Part of Sycamore and all of Canal Creek were in Smith Co.  Some of Sycamore and all of Hurricane Creek were in Wilson Co. 

Henry Dennis had a son William Dennis.  He built his son Bill (as he was called) a log house where Sam Dennis now lives, and Bill Dennis was the first person that lived at the Sam Dennis place on Pleasant Ridge. 

Henry Dennis gave the Methodists permission to put up a Methodist Church house on the ridge about 1818.  The Higgins, Melton, Nokes, Tittles, Prestons, Rigsbys, Milligans, Crabtrees, Teasleys, Thompsons, Gilleys, Stones, Neelys, Barretts, Cox, Hindons, Bonds, Mullenix, Womacks and many others were affiliated with the Methodist way back in that remote place and time. 

Henry Dennis was a peculiar and droll man, but was easy and pleasant to meet. He was well-to-do and was counted wealthy in his day.  He came from Maryland to Tennessee about 1798.  He married Lafatia Parker and they reared a large family.  Many of his descendants are scattered over the country about here:  the Hollandsworths, Gammons, Higgins, Murpheys, Patricks, Nichols, Davenports, Milligans, Grooms, Elledges, Fusons, Powells, and many more. 

Somewhere about 1828 to 1832 Henry Dennis went to Nashville in the month of August to buy salt, sugar, coffee, and other staples.  On the way to Nashville down below Lebanon is, or used to be, a camping place for wagoners. 
Henry Dennis stopped there late in the afternoon to spend the night.  There was plenty good water and room for his oxen at that place called Scott's Hollow.  The proprietor told Dennis there would be preaching at the school house back of the thicket that night and invited Mr. Dennis to attend.  He went to the services and at the close invited the minister to some up in Smith County and preach for the people.  He readily accepted and set the time as 2nd Sunday in Sept.  When he returned home he notified the people of the time set for the big meeting.  The people got busy and built a  brush arbor where Eulah Powell's barn now stands. See 29A 

Page 29A [Comes before 30] 

When the time arrived the preacher Mr. Jesse Sewell, was on hand and had a man with him-Mr.Kelley. The meeting lasted 10 or 15 days and forty men and women embraced that faith (Church of Christ) as I've been told by my father and aunt. The next year Mr. Sewell came back and added more to the church. The people got busy and hewed logs, sawed boards and lumber and built a large log house up near the Frances Hollandsworth home. They met at this place until 1884. A school house was erected on Beach Hill at Gassaway in 1886 and the congregation met there until 1891 when the present house was built, that year. I have been told that sometimes the church would be inactive for 5 years at the time. In my time I have seen it idle 10 years. In 1897 Bob Standley, L.B. Martin, and probably two or three more, met to raise the church as they called it, and revised the church roll marking off all but a scant few. The church was idle 4 years and dwindled away. 

The Pleasant Ridge Church of Christ was established about 1834. Vance Crabtree, Bobby Preston, Hiram Tittle, Mr. Wilcher, Tom Preston, S.W. Parris, Mr. Walls, Mr. Gilley, Mr. Young, and others had let the Methodist church go defunct so they joined the Church of Christ. Some of the men who remember the church were: 
John Derting  Born 1793 died 1881 
HY Morris   1809  1902 
AL Hancock   1811  1897 
PA Keaton   1810  1892 
Wm. King   1809  1887 
James King   1811  1895 
Peter Adams   1813  1884 
Jacob Adams   1815  1887 
Cooper Hancock  1815  1877 
Ira Hollandsworth  1814  1898 

I have heard all the above named men talk of the olden times so often. H.Y. Morris was as apostate of the Nauvoo Baptist Church. Ira Hollandsworth was a Methodist at one time. 

It seems that the Methodists began to dwindle away in the 1820s (1826-1828). A Mr. Lawrence and some Gunters, Baileys, and others, erected a house of worship down on Rock House Creek just up on a branch called the Lawrence Branch. They named it Walnut Grove. The church thrived there for years. However, something went bad some way and Jake Hawkins slipped to conference and told his untrue flowery tale about things at Walnut Grove, so the General Conference sold the church house and land to Mr. Hawkins. He returned home, got everything ready and the night before  the big meeting was to begin, hauled rails and built a fence 9 rails high all around the house and when the people of the community came to church next day there was nothing doing. That wound up the Methodists at Walnut Grove. Some members went to Woodbury, some to Short Mountain, some to Blue Wing in the 8th Civil Dist. And some went to Jones Chapel until it was disbanded in 1884. 

Henry Dennis gave the church ground on Canal Creek, and gave the land at Pleasant Ridge for both Church and graveyard. The graveyard was in Smith County. Sam Dennis home was in Wilson Co. Where the school house now stands was Warren Co. All on the south side of the Ridge road was Warren Co. I do not know whom Henry Dennis sold his Ridge farm. 

Page 30 

SCHOOLS FRUIT TIMBER 1955 

The Ridge once had five schools and three churches.  There are only one church and one school house on the ridge at this date  Dec.  1955.  Pleasant Ridge takes the black ribbon for cemeteries.  There are 14 grave yards on the 
ridge that I know of.  Some of the grave yards are off on the first ends of Spur off ridges.  The stores, mills, grist shingle and lumber mills are no more.  The ridge and its hollows are well wooded after so much valuable timber being taken off the farms. 

There are yet thousands of feet on top of thousands of feet of choice timber waiting for the woodsman axe and saw.  The ridge was at one time a good fruit section for apples, peaches, and every small fruit of every variety. 

A MUCH BETTER COMMUNITY 

The ridge is a very much better place to live than it once was.  It was at one time a disagreeable place to be at.  I could name some of the evil points, but I deem it best not to do so.  I say this.  It was an evil whisky strong 
hold and it is bad enough yet but nothing to compare with former years.  There is not but two or three families on the ridge that was living on the ridge 20 and 25 years ago.  They used the church for a whisky selling agency. Sunday School, extra preaching days and debates were held to draw crowds. The ones that did this was church members and they every one went to the bad and passed on.  Boys from off the hill went out there to drink and show off. 
It was a picnic dance.  Shooting match or some other evil agency to entice people to partake of the bad and evil set in their path way. 

RIDGES THAT GOES OFF FROM THE NORTH SIDE OF THE RIDGE 

The ridges and creeks that takes off from the north side of Pleasant Ridge are as follows.  Camp hills and what I call Camp Hill Creek is the first to break off from the Ridge. 

Another section of large hills, branches off from the main ridge near the Box School House Stand.  This is a difficult set or bunch of hills to trace. Several short sfurs and one long ridge breaks off on the right side of the ridge and they lay between the Camp Hill Creek and Turkey Branch. 

A ridge takes off at the old Vickers home near the head or source of Turkey Branch and the Thompson hollow.  This ridge is between Canal Creek, Turkey Branch, Willmouth and Clear Fork Creeks.  Canal is on the left and the others 
already mentioned are on the right of the long hill or ridge.  The Wilmouth and Clear Fork Creek are on the east side of this ridge and Canal Creek on the west.  This ridge dips off at Gassaway.  Beech Hill Cemetery in on the end of this hill.  There is only one house on the long ridge.  The Abe Scott home.  Now lets go on west and cross the Rock house and Canal Creek low gap and go out to the old church stand and the large graveyard. 

At the south west corner of the cemetery a road turns to the right called Sycamore Ridge road.  This ridge divides at the John Seaton Womac farm.  At the extreme source of Sycamore Creek one ridge runs east to the left an spur 
--- goes nearly or about due north.  The right hand ridge is 7 or 8 miles long and at one time 22 families resided 

Page 31 

on this hill and today. There is not one family on the ridge. 

SYCAMORE RIDGE AND SPURS [spur has been replaced with sfur which was used all through this page] 

This right hand ridge is between Canal Clear Fork and Sycamore Creeks and Blair branch.  The lamented A. L. Hancock home is at the heel of this ridge.  A ridge starts off on the Nokes place later knows as the Niger Rans Higgins stead.  This ridge is on the west side of Blair branch and the Bogle hollow and Sycamore on the east. 

The Rufe George, Joe Dodd and S. L. George are on and near the heel franys? - -- of this range of fertile hill.  In going out this right hand spur ------many  start spurs ----- naked off on the east side of the ridge and they all 
faint off at Canal Creek.  The longest sfur? makes off at the head of the N. T. Stuart hollow on the southeast and the head of Gravel branch on the N W.  This ridge stops at the Frances Holland home on Canal Creek.  The graveyard 
is on the nose of this ridge. 

THE LEFT HAND SPUR OF SYCAMORE RIDGE 

This spur breaks off at the J. S. Womac home and its course is just a little N W.  This is a long ridge and to follow the meanders of the ridge it will measure 50 to 75 miles in length.  It is between Sycamore and Clear Fork Creek on the east and Hurricane Sanders Fork and Smith Fork on the west and north west.  Back some years ago many people lived on this valuable long range of hills.  A score or two years ago about 50 families lived on this range of valuable fertile hills and ridges.  Today five families are all I can number on the ridges.  Short sfurs makes off on either side of the ridge to the ash harbor and lick branch low gap.  Short sfurs goes off from the ridge until we get to the Halley farm.  Here a spur goes off and it runs between Hurricane and Sanders Fork on the west and the Ewen branch on the 
east.  This Hatley ridge butts off at the Hays bridge on the highway above Prosperity.  We as now at the Davis and Frank Bryson ----- settlement.  This ridge runs east and it has short sfurs on its S E side jointing down to Sycamore and Clear Fork Creeks.  This ridge comes to end at the Overall Cemetery over in the late Alex Higgins lot.  This ridge is a limestone ridge and its soil is fertile as creek bottom land.  At the head of the Anderson hollow and the Adams hollow a ridge starts off and runs between the Anderson branch and Smith fork on the west and the Adams branch and Clear Fork on the east.  This is the Keaton ridge and it has many short sPurs and low hills running off from it.  Some people live on this range of hills. 

THE KEATON RIDGE 

This ridge section is a fine place.  Its good farms fine homes in its valleys are beautiful to look upon.  The cave ridge and Turner Knob are noted for chasing hills.  Also the Broughton hill has been the chasers delight.  This hill is the last of this range.  The H. M. Evans home is on the heel of this noble range of fertile and beautiful hills. 

There is another ridge to write up that goes off from this long ridge at the Davis home one the high hill.  This ridge course is near a north direction.  The Anderson branch is on the east side of this ridge and the Erving branch 
and Smith Fork on the West side of the ridge.  The Hite? Farn Hatley farm, the Hancock, J. B. David and L. D. Hamilton farms are on the West side of this ridge.  Hamilton farm is on the heel of this ridge. 

Page 32 

THE LONG RIDGE  ** IT'S LENGTH 

We are now back to the Joe D. Northcutt divide overlooking Porterfield community.  There a long ridge makes off short to the right to the north.  This ridge is 100 miles long.  This ridge and its spurs ---- runs through and touches 5 counties.  One of its spurs ends at the gin fluf at Dowell Town., Tenn.  another spur ---- runs near Alexandria and takes in Helton Creek and the Walker Creek hills.  A spur sets off at the head of Smith Fork and goes near Watertown and turns east and it ends near where Caney River runs into Cumberland River above Carthage.  I have not noted all points of interest about Pleasant Ridge.  I have just made out a short sketch or true script so far as I have ---- into.  I must write a short report of the left hand side of the ridge.  This is the Stone River and south side of the range. 

THE SOUTH SIDE OF PLEASANT RIDGE 

The Lawrence branch is the first outlet from the Knob on the south and right of the ridge.  This small creek runs into Rock House Creek at Walnut Grove.  The Lester Higgins and Burley Mayo branch enters Rock house Creek near the 
Hawkins home and so does the Marcum and Wooten Hollow.  Rock House heads at the canal gap.  It is four miles long and it empties into Stone River near the new bridge.  Highway 53 is on Rock House Creek.  Cavenders Creek is next. Doc Tittle comes next and its black road comes to the center of Woodbury on its north side and across the bridge into town.  The Woodbury and Auburn black road is on Rush Creek and when going south on this road you by Edge Field and hit Highway 70 turn east and you are in one minute of Woodbury.  There is no sterile land on this creek.  It is all very fertile. 

LAP CREEK 

This creek starts from the Northcutt divide and it is the largest and longest creek on the south side of this ridge range.  Its ridge sfurs extends down to Readyville and to the Gooch ford below Readyville.  The Sambo peak the Swim hill and Maxie hill now the Dennis hill are all of this range.  Also the mink mine on one of Sam Braggs farms belong to this ridge group. 

The Readyville school house is on this creek some distance east of Readyville. The house is on highway 70. 

THIS IS THE END OF MY SCRIPT THERE ARE MULTITUDES OF THINGS YET TO TELL WAIT LATER ON. 

THE 15TH DISTRICT 

The 15th District has never been given credit for its worth and always been due it.  The fifteenth district was set up or created the year 1882.  G. G. Stone and William Martin was the first two magistrates chosen by a special election.  J. S. Womac the first constable.  Such good men as B. F. Mayo,Johnny Watson, L. B. or S. B.? Martin, M. B. Davenport, M. B. Milligan, J. S. Womac, Jesse Wooten and a host of others now cherished in memory.  J. B. 
Womac, Clyde Hollandworth and maybe some others are yet on this --------. Joe Watson and Burley Mayo holds the helm of the district and they are devoting their time and interest to and for the future welfare of the county in general.  Of course some serious crimes and brutal murders have stained and disgraced her soil so deep 

Page 33 

it has left or stain and perpetual disgrace. Yet with all this harmful crime strewn upon her I think she has retrieved for situation.  We should not look on the dark side of the picture always.  When we view the dark side of life and its meancally? scenes the funeral bell tolling in our ears the black hearse at the front gate to bear our dear ones away we say how long and toil seem is life on this earth. 

Now turn reverse the picture and see life in all its gaiety tiffiny, the fantastic with gay giddy friend life is just a short fleet dream.  The 15th District has reaped for part of life from both sides of life picture. 

She has been decorated with some of the blue blooded men and women all along God ever created.  I spent the bloom of my youth a far her soil and every fiber of my living every pulsation of my heart is consecrated to her. 

THIS FINE GARDEN SPOT OF TENNESSEE 

I claim this Pleasant Ridge, and its long spurs and off shoots, its large creeks, and rich valleys and fertile hills and blue grass lots of pastures and excellent meadows. fine woodland hills of the choicest timber, its pure cave springs of water, its chimney fire proof rock, and many other gifts of nature are the purest and best that can be found on this mundane? sphere. There are thirty two churches in this hill and valley section.  Its colleges and high schools are the best available.  This territory has more wealthy citizen (I mean farmers) than any other big locality in this state.  Our 
 

Continue to Page 6