History of Davidson County Tennessee United States of America

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Local History Notes:

Davidson County was created by act of the Legislature of North Carolina, approved October 6, 1783. It originally included most of the territory west of the Cumberland Mountains now included in Middle Tennessee. It was named for Gen. Wm. Lea Davidson, concerning whom Mr. Hugh Davidson of Shelbyville, says: "Gen. Wm. Lea Davidson was killed at Cowan's Ford, N. C., February 1, 1781, while resisting the advance of British troops commanded by Colonel Hall. Davidson County, N. C., Davidson College, Davidsonville and Davidson River were named in his honor. Also, Davidson County, Tennessee, and Davidson Academy. His widow, who was Miss Mary Brevard, a daughter of John Brevard, came with her family at a very early date to near Nashville, and experienced the dangers and privations of pioneer life."

"It was believed by General Davidson's friends and relatives in North Carolina, that he was killed by a renegade Tory, Frederick Hager, as his body was pierced by a bullet from what was considered a small bored gun at that time and Hager was known to carry such a gun at that time. After the Revolutionary war, Hager, together with several others of his renegade class, fled to Tennessee. About 1811, John Davidson and Hugh Davidson came out from Buncombe County, N. C. The first settled on 'Union Ridge' and the latter about two miles up Duck River from Normandy. Hager hearing of these two Davidsons, fled again, this time to the wilderness of Arkansas, to a point on the Arkansas River now known as Six Post, where he finished his miserable existence, leaving a large family."

When the County of Davidson was formed, the county seat was named Nashborough, after Gen. Francis Nash, of North Carolina, who was killed in the battle of Germantown. The name was changed to Nashville by act of the North Carolina Legislature in 1784. In this year the first courthouse was built of hewn logs, was eighteen feet square with a lean-to of two feet.

Statistics of Davidson County: Population, 1920, 167,815. Assessed valuation of taxable property, 1921, $197,134,968. Area, 508 square miles. Number of farms, 3,051. Railway mileage, 150. Drained by the Cumberland River and tributaries. Its surface is gently undulating and in some sections is well timbered. Soil fertile and well adapted to diversified agriculture. The county successfully produces 67 different field crops and fifty-four varieties of garden vegetables. Ten varieties of berries are grown in the county, and more than a dozen varieties of other fruits. The county has a fine system of free turnpikes. Staple products are corn, wheat, cotton, oats, grass, fruits and live stock. Dairying industry has increased largely in last few years. Nashville, the county seat and capital of the state, has a population of 118,342. It is situated on the Cumberland River, which is navigable below Nashville to the Ohio, and above Nashville to Point Burnside, Ky., a distance of about 350 miles, during a part of the year. Government locks and dams make the river navigable for all the year as far as Carthage, and it is expected that the system will be completed to Point Burnside. Besides the river, Nashville has excellent transportation facilities in the Louisville & Nashville, the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis and the Tennessee Central. The city has splendid streets and owns its electric light and water plants. The city has nearly one hundred miles of electric railway and two interurban lines reaching towns in adjoining counties. Nashville is one of the largest jobbing centers in the South, supplying a large territory in Tennessee and adjoining states. It is a large manufacturing center, its industries giving employment to many thousands of wage earners. It is one of the largest hardwood lumber markets in the United States, and its milling interests are larger than those of any other southern city. It is a large boot and shoe market and engages largely in the manufacture of these articles. Its daily newspapers have wide circulation and large influence. Its book and periodical business is the largest of any city in the South, and it is the second largest religious publication center in the United States. It is a financial center, its banks having combined assets of $60,000,000. Clearings for 1921 amounted to $845,509,813.12. Its public schools are as good as those of any city in the country, and its other institutions of learning, including Vanderbilt University, Peabody College for teachers and Ward-Belmont School for young women have made it famous in all the branches of learning. Information will be furnished by the Chamber of Commerce of Nashville. Scholastic population of county, 50,835; high schools, 17; elementary schools, 86.

Biographies:

John Wesley Gaines, representative, was born in Davidson county, Tenn., Aug. 24, 1861; son of Dr. John W. and Maria F. Gaines; and grandson of Thomas Louis and Lucy (Pendleton) Gaines of Virginia, descendants of the Gaines and Pendleton families of Virginia. He was graduated in medicine from the University of Nashville in 1882. He then took up the study of law and in 1884 was admitted to the bar, practising in Nashville, Tenn. He was a presidential elector on the Cleveland ticket in 1892, and was a Democratic representative from the sixth district of Tennessee in the 55th and 56th congresses, 1897-1901.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Davidson County Tennessee

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