I never have missed an occasion to declare that I am a
full-blooded, native Skullbonian. I always tell people that I am
from Idlewild, the capitol of Skullbone. Certain countries and
states have two capitols, Gibson County has two county courts,
and some capitols of countries and states have the same name, so,
I suppose we can have two, and maybe three capitols, so that
Henry Williamson can remain Mayor of Gann ! Seriously, I am very
proud of the fact that I did come from Skullbonia. Every time I
see a friend from over in Skullbonia, here in Jackson or
elsewhere, I always make inquiry as to when he has been back to
enjoy that invigorating fresh air, country ham and egg custards.
You are always well fed over there, as far as that is concerned,
but I always enjoy going back to visit old friends and neighbors,
themselves, as well as their wonderful food.
However, I am beginning to feel outdone when I go back on visits
to Skullbone. Many of them seem to have changed a lot during the
last few decades. I am reluctant to admit that I am growing
old, myself, and that that might have something to do with
it.
I have heard my father say that, although he was too young for
military service during the Civil War, he and other Waldrops
around where Idlewild is now, sympathized with the Southern
cause. Back in those days, the older citizens called Skullbone
village "North Gibson" , which was a stronghold of
native Republicans or "Federals". The Waldrops bought
their groceries there. I heard him say many times that when he
was sent there from time to time to buy things and hoping to get
a letter from someone [ ?not in Skullbone? ] , he always
rode an old crippled horse and consequently, the Union soldiers
wouldn't bother him whereas if he had used a good horse they
would have taken it from him and left him stranded.
When I went to Bradford school, I was in the eighth grade, but,
when I went to another school I found myself in the eleventh
grade owing to the different systems of grading.
In 1926, I married a college girl, Nell Mundy. Nell was born at
Hatachie, down on the Hatachie river and she grew up at Mercer,
Tennessee. We have two children of whom I am very proud, a boy
and a girl and four grandchildren. My son __________, is a
Captain in the Air Force, and a graduate of West Point Military
Academy, the daughter has three children, a boy and two girls.
She married George W. Cowden and they live in Waco, Texas.
I got my lawyers degree at Vanderbilt University, however, my
first year of law was taken at Washington University of St.
Louis. I got my A.B. degree at Union University, then Washington
University and finished at Vanderbilt.
I am sorry that I don't have much knowledge of my ancestors. Of
course, my father was Thomas Winfield Waldrop of Idlewild, who
died at age 87. His grandfather, that is my great-grandfather,
moved from North Carolina with 7 or 8 boys, and settled in what
is now Idlewild community. My grandfather, Wiley A. Waldrop, was
one of the champion prize fighters or bareknuckle boxers of the
Skullbonia area. My grandfather married a girl of the
Idlewild community named Pounds, and they had four children. We
went on a little boat of some sort to take some produce to New
Orleans, going down the Obion river and contracted yellow fever,
from which he died. We do not know whether he reached home on his
return trip or whether he died on the way. My father could not
remember his father, so that left my grandmother with four
children there in the wilderness where Idlewild is now, with only
about two acres of land cleared, and it was "root hog or
die" with them. Dad told me that one of his very earliest
remembrances was, that his grandfather, my great-grandfather, and
the other boys had the oxens[?] all geared up to the old covered
wagons and they were going to Texas, and that his grandfather
gave him a farewell ? dime. which he kept until he was grown.
While upon a trip to Texas in 1923, I was old by my brother
Gilbert Waldrop, who was then residing in Dallas, and who now
lives in Harlington, Texas, that there was a Waldrop with one of
the banks in Dallas. I called on him and related that story by my
father. He stated they came from Tennessee and perchance was
there at that separation in Tennessee. He told me that his father
was still living and would be in Dallas and in his home in
a short while, and invited me to his home and I spent the night
with them. When I told his father, who was well up into his
seventies, about the story Dad related to me, his face lit up
with great joy and said "I was right there", and he
gave me the history of the Waldrop family. They had settled at
Tyler, Texas, and my greatgrandfather had died there and I took
the occasion to go to Tyler and check the records, there. I wrote
several pages concerning the family as revealed there and mailed
it to my father and he, of course, adopted it with great pride
but, of course, when the old home at Idlewild burned, all this
family history was burned with it !
My Mother was a Jackson, Mollie A. Jackson. She and my
Uncle Jimmy Jackson were born on a plot in Jonesboro, Arkansas,
right where the very heart of Jonesboro is now. I have
never known what relationship these Jacksons here to the Jacksons
of this part of the country, because my Grandfather on my
Mothers' side, served in the Civil War and lost his life for the
Confederate cause, and my Mother and Uncle were very small and
consequently, they came on over to Tennessee where their
relatives lived, the Walkers, up in Skullbonia area.
I am an "unreconstructed" rebel still, and proud of it
! Some people accuse me of being prejudiced, in some areas,
and I confess that I am. I assume that this is largely a result
of the stories that my father would relate when I was small,
about the "Home Guards" Gangs and Guerillas, freed
slaves and otherwise. After the crops were gathered and the
meat laid away, they would come around and cart everything away !
I assume that the Skullbone area had its full share of Gangs,
Home Guards, Guerillas, Bushwhackers, Ku Klux and what have you.
I guess this next item is a matter of history. I used to
hear the older Confederate veterans of the community tell of the
advent of the Ku Klux Klan and their calling upon the Home Guards
and the like over at Trenton one night, putting an end to their
reign of terror in that area. The "carpet bag"
days brought about a great resentment and activity in the
Skullbonia area. I assume that the reason for so much local
conflict and skirmishing in that region was the closeness
of numerical strength of the two parties, therein. In many
election contests, and otherwise, the vote in the old days was
usually exceedingly close for a Democrat or Confederate county.
The Republican Federals were very strong in Carroll and Weakley
counties, and in the hilly peninsula jutting down into northeast
Gibson County comprising a large portion of Skullbonia. Therefore,
prejudice ran high. Father always denied his membership in
the Ku Klux Klan, but to us he told of many incidents of their
coming into our home.
I knew Esquire Frank Bruff of Goosefoot, Tennessee and have been
in his store. This reminds me of a particular occasion that
might interest you, since we were old boyhood friends and school
mates. There was a lawsuit at Idlewild on one rainy day and
Dad considered it rather amusing, and permitted us boys to
attend. Henry Hilliard (called Hellerd) and I think a Mr.
Sellers were the parties to the lawsuit. Mr. Rufus Landrum
and Esquire Frank Bruff were opposing counsel and, incidentally,
Mr. Bruff was a very astute trial lawyer, himself. It is
very possible, that the impression that I received at that trial,
gave me the determination to become a lawyer. That was the
first case I ever attended and we quoted to each other the
statements of the opposing counsel and it may be that this had
something to do with my becoming a lawyer.
When you and I were attending Bradford High School, I was walking
four miles each way from near Idlewild, whereas you were walking
three and a half miles from near Skullbone ! But, you didn't have
a railroad to follow.
All of my law practice had been right here in Jackson, where I
started by myself in the fall of 1925. Started on my own.
Mr. Roy Hall and I formed a partnership about 1927, and have been
together ever since. We handle most any kind of cases,
other than criminal cases, which we have not handled in years.
Jack Norman, the famous original lawyer of Nashville, was a
school mate of mine at Vanderbilt.
One outstanding native of Skullbonia is Kit Parker, he came here
to Madison County and was elected our county Superintendent of
Schools several years ago and is now in the Tennessee State
Educational Department. Kit made a good Superintendent.
I believe if the records were searched, it would be found that
Idlewild furnished more railroaders than any other place,
according to its size. For instance, Ed and Bob Terry.
Eds' son, incidentally is President of the First National Bank
here at Jackson, Tennessee. Also, Charlie Terry was a
railroader. His father was Cal Terry, Bob and Eds' father
was [?] Hunk Terry. Most of the Goddard family were
railroaders and some of them got high up in rank. Also,
some of the Crockers were railroaders.
Instead
of the dollar or two a month that some of the Civil War veterans
received on the start, at Camp Gordon, you and I received thirty
dollars a month. I stayed with it till the war was over,
but, never did get across. I guess they were afraid that I
would get hurt ! Do you remember the time at Camp Gordon
when you and I got our first typhoid shots ? To me, one of
the most amusing incidents of the whole war was watching the
other fellows getting shots in the back. You really put on
a show, bowing up in the back ever time they did.
Our old "wash hole" was down there in the "horse
shoe bend" of the Rutherford Fork of Obion river southwest
of Idlewild.
I have attended Church services at the old Mt. Pisgah a great
many times. I am affiliated with the Missionary Baptist
Church. Without any thought of being boastful, I have had a
good many contacts with the Baptist denominational area during
the last several years, and happen to be, at the present time,
the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Union University and
have been on the Board since about 1930. For the last five
years or so, I have been on the Executive Committee of the
Southern Baptist Convention, which consists of 40 members
all over the area where the Southern Baptists have their work.
I reckon as a fellow grows older he thinks more about his boyhood
circumstances, friends and acquaintances than one does in earlier
life. The youngsters seen to think that they will never
grow old. it looks like we ought to look back to our past
more, learn more about it, and appreciate it more. This
lack of interest and lack of knowledge that could be learned from
the lessons of history is appalling to me. It occurs to me
that some of these old-time, pioneer people, with their honesty,
integrity, drive and push, made this country what it is,
and left us a great heritage which we are not fully appreciating
or defending. The old-time virtues seem to be fading out.
Many parents are just feeding their children and not
"raising" them at all---just allowing them to grow like
wild animals.
Had they not undertaken to meddle with the situation as it was
moving, we would have had the brotherhood of the races and a
feeling of genuine concern for each other that we don't have, to
say the least of it, and that for which we have all longed, has
been retarded a great deal by the NAACP, communists and others of
that stripe.
C. Reid Dowland is hereby given full and free permission to use
any statements or photos furnished by me, in his forthcoming
histories, books, etc., and/or to use same in newspapers or to
turn them over to historical societies.
Transcribed by Dixie
Lea Wright