A Glimpse of Our Past
I have always been fascinated with history. I became more so as I began researching my own family's history in 1984. My grandfather, Charlie Bailiff, owns his grandfather's farm, and this is where I spent much of my childhood. I heard many stories of my ancestors while growing up – where they lived, the tools that they used, the battles that they fought, attending candy drawings, and overnight hunting trips. As I read the below documents for the first time, I received a glimpse of our past. My great-great grandfather was James Monroe Bailiff. He was born December 2, 1845 near Temperance Hall to Thomas Issac Bailiff and Nancy Bates. Nancy was a daughter of Issac Bates and Didama Tubb, sister of Colonel James Tubb of Smith Fork Creek.
James Monroe Bailiff served as a Confederate soldier in the cavalry during the War Between the States. In a letter dated December 23, 1918, he tells of his experience:
"James Monroe Bailiff, a private of Company A, Allison's Battalion of Cavalry, in the War Between the States, Confederate, was wounded in the Battle at Chickamauga on Saturday, the second day of said battle in the right side by a ball from an Enfield rifle, and the ball is still in him. The ball went through his cartridge box before entering between two ribs the third from the bottom rib disabling him. In a few days, two or maybe longer, he had a brother, Columbus Allen Bailiff, who after said battle being a soldier in said company, was taken sick with Typhoid and Pneumonia fever. And when the army retreated from Chickamauga, his company left him with his brother at a private house to aid in taking care of his brother. In December after said battle in September, his brother was able to walk, and they were taken prisoner by the enemy and carried to Chattanooga. They remained there about a week, then shipped to Nashville. While at Nashville his brother was in such a condition that it was unsafe for him to be moved to another prison. For that reason, he decided to take the oath of allegiance to the United States government in order to, if possible, save the life of his brother. But after taking the oath they were shipped to Louisville, Kentucky and banished across the Ohio River until sometime in February of 1864 when they made their way back to DeKalb County in no condition to do any sort of military service. And after arriving home, he was taken down with rheumatism and unable during the year of 1864 to walk. He had it on his mind at the time that he took the oath, in the event that his brother lived through his sickness, that he could do service and would rejoin his company. He took the oath for the reason of saving his brother's life and not for the purpose of serving the United States government. He has all the time since been true to his principals and democracy and to the United States government since the Confederate Army surrendered."
After the war, James Monroe Bailiff married Eliza Jane Foster, daughter of John Foster and Martha Hale of the Wolf Creek community. Monroe and Eliza made their home in Possum Hollow in the Dry Creek Community in 1875. Their son, Alonzo Farmer Bailiff, at age 90, tells of those early days in the below interview given to Tommy Webb (DeKalb County historian) in September of 1960:
"The Alexander and Braswell houses were the only ones in here [Possum Hollow], surrounded by canebrakes, cattle would run wild in there. Wolves would howl around the house when they killed hogs. They had to guard the patch of corn, 2 or 3 acres, all day to keep squirrels, etc. from eating every ear. My father [James Monroe Bailiff] used to kill wild hogs, had a dog that would catch them. We [Alonzo and family] moved in this hollow [Beckwith Hollow] 53 years ago. Colored folks used to live in this hollow – Milas George. They cleared this hollow, gave 5 dollars an acre. This was part of the Beckwith's land. Beckwith's had a big long hotel. Old Granny Beckwith said that the President once stayed there. The Beckwith's were the start of wild hogs. All of these hollows were full of them. Both of our mother's [Eliza Foster Bailiff & Lon's mother-in-law, Lucinda Davis] spun and wove. Women used to carry water in "piggins" on their head. Men had flintlock guns with powder pouches. I like all kinds of hunting. There used to be small black bears in this country. I never saw a wild pigeon that I can remember. But my daddy [James Monroe Bailiff] said there were so many that they broke limbs off of trees. They would fly through low gaps, men shot, and the wind carried them 200 or 300 yards. I have killed wild turkeys, used to be plenty of them. I have shot at a few deer but not many. Old doctor Fuson was the doctor here on Dry Creek. Dr. Squires was at Liberty. The Atwell schoolhouse was a log building by the old Snow Hill School across the road to the east. It had planks in the wall used for a writing table, soldier was once laid on it, and the blood is still there. He was buried nearby [Mike Clayborn home]. The old main road to Smithville came up Dry Creek to the Turner place. This is now the Lucius Cathcart home. The road went up there and out the ridge to the Snow Hill School. Soldiers came up there and had a battle near the old Atwell school. The turnpike up Snow Hill was not built until after the war. Never heard much about bushwhackers. I had 50 beehives. One year I got 900 pounds of honey. We went to school at Possum Hollow in a house where Bob Earl Fuson now owns. They had church meeting at the schoolhouse. It was Baptist. There was a store on Dry Creek. Kent Cathcart owned it. It was where the Youngblood Post Office was. We went to mill at Cripp's Mill, made meal and flour both. Daniel Moses ran the mill. Jimmy Snow would preach at the meeting house. Bro. Lewis also preached there. I used to go to dances, log-rollings. Work all day and dance all night. Old Uncle Elisha Vandergriff was a blind fiddler, very good. John McDowell, also. You had to watch Lishy not to get too much whiskey. He would fall out of his chair! There was much drinking, but very few drunks. A lot of people made wildcat whiskey. Not much shooting or cutting. Where Johnny Shade Tramel is building was the old Bank's house. There were two old houses here [Possum Hollow]. One was owned by Isaac Alexander. The Fate Mullican house was built by old Uncle Sam Braswell. Now owned by Alvie Mullican who uses it for a sheep house. It has mixed logs, wide logs. My daddy's [James Monroe Bailiff] house was up the hollow to the right at Johnny Shade Tramel's place."
written by Kevin Bandy
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