| Notes |
- Page 2, The Citizen - Times, Wednesday, Nov 8, 1978 (Oliver Springs)
SOLDIER'S CAMPFIRE MEETINGS ABOUT 1920
Mrs. Nora Courtney sent in this picture of an "Old Soldier's Camp FireMeeting" at Jonesville about 1920. She had received the picture fromMrs. Oscar (Rhoda) Tunnell whose father was Jim "Trigger" England isin the group picture. Unfortunately, only a few in the picture can beidentifie
Willie "Trut" Jones who has lived all is life next door to theJonesville Church said, "The Old Soldier's Camp Fire Meetings wereheld for many years at the Jonesville Church on the 4th Saturday inSeptember. The front entrance to the church was i in the opposite endfrom today's entrance. The L & N Railway passenger train would bringin as many as 150 old soldiers from Harriman and points west." Localveterans, and veterans from Oliver Springs, Robertsville, etc. helpedto swell the crowd. Around 1920, the group was composed of veteransof the Civil War, Spanish-American War, and World War I.
Cooked Bacon Over Camp Fire
WWI Veteran, Elmer Butler, remembers Andy Kimbrough, who was a blackman and a Spanish-American War veteran, would always have a big campfire going between two logs, and an ample supply of fat bacon. Eachold soldier would secure a piece of bacon on the sharp end of a caneor stick, and broil the bacon over the fire just like he did when inthe service. Some of the old soldiers fudged a bit and producedcheese, crackers, cookies, and assorted goodies from their pockets.
CLINT LILES (Civil War) is shown in the picture ready to strike up atune on his little drum. Julian Barger is poised with his drumstickto pick up the bass. Some say that Julian played louder and steppedhigher when marching if he had visited his well stocked wine cellarbefore he started the Camp Fire meeting.
Some Area Civil War Soldiers
Some area Civil War soldiers who wore the blue and gray were: DanielVann, Edmund Vann, Lupton Scarbrough, Abe Smith, John Duncan, R.C.McKamey, Henry "Pony" Cash, Maj. Edward Black, Bill Brummette, J.H.Taylor, Capt. E.A. Reed, Dr. Thomas A. West, Dr. Henry and Dr.Theodore Sienknecht, Capt. Jim Bunn, Capt. Thomas A. Butler, andothers in the Butler, Galbraith, and Griffith families. Capt. JohnHannah, Ethelbert Crozier, John G. Diggs, Sr., and Jr., James R. andJames B. Davis, Phillip Brashears, Abe Cox, B.L. Hendrickson, J.R.May, Jake May, Samuel Moore, Tobias Peters, Isaiah Phillips, IkePhillips, Elisha Rose, Goodman and John Webster, Fate Wright, FateButler, Carrick Edwards, John Massengill, Thomas Ollis, Charles Coker,Ambrosse Foster, Jonathon Coker, Samuel Borum, Richard Borum, Peter andChristian Ruffner, Tom Duncan, Joe Nichols, Peter Estes, Joe Hacker,Henry H. Wiley and five of his sons, John Russell's nine or ten sons,Tom, Jack, and John H. Wright, William Peak, Lewis Rector, Frederickand Thomas Seiber, and William Monroe Roberts and five of hisbrothers.
Striking Up the Band
For the most part, these Camp Fire Meetings provided great fellowshipand good will for the entire community. Lyd Coker was always presentto keep an eye on the "doings" and she was usually included in thegroup picture.
John E. Wright who knows about the "Wrights" said, "When fellowshipwas at its highest, Thomas C. Wright, or his brother, Captain Jack,would invariably insist that Julian Barger, CLINT LILES, and the restof the band strike up "Dixie," and thereby bring the otherwiseharmonious meeting to the verge of renewed hostilities."
Order would be quickly restored when Julian Barger would strike up amarch, and lead a march down towards Poplar Creek, and then circleback to the Church with every soldier in the parade trying his best tokeep in step............................
From "A History of the Coalfield Area" by W.B. Lyles:
"After the Civil War ended, as the soldiers came back home to settledown, there were two or three families by the name of Lyles thatsettled in the Coalfield area. One such soldier who married was CLINTLILES. He was a drummer boy during the war. All soldiers, whetherthey fought for the North or the South, received a pension. Some ofthem took a few years to get their checks started. My father told mewhen he was a boy he earned 35 cents a day to dig sweet potatoes.
Uncle Clint would sit sometimes and tell stories of what happenedduring the war. His pension was $12.00 a month. This was considereda large income during the Reconstruction Days after the war when wageswas 10 cents a day working on the railroad."
1880 Morgan County Census, 1st District:
Abner LILES Head Male White 35 Faming
Martha Ann LILES Wife White Female 33 Keeping House
Sarah LILES Dau White Female 9
Tennessee LILES Dau White Female 8
Matilda Ann LILES Dau White Female 6
Manda C. LILES Dau White Female 4
Ellen LILES Dau White Female 1
1920 Morgan County Census, 1st District:
A.C. LILES Head Male White 74 Farmer
Martha LILES Wife Female White 72
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1843 - 1924 (81 years)
Siblings
