History of Scotts Hill

Excerpts taken from: The History of Scotts Hill, Tennessee. Written By: Gordon H. Turner, Sr., (Carter Printing Company, Southaven, Mississippi, 1977).

Scotts Hill was first settled in the fall of 1825 by Charles Austin, about one and a half miles SW of the present downtown. The first merchant was Micajah Scott, who built his store atop the hill across from the present Methodist Church. The town was named after him by a traveling salesman from Paducah, who lost a $20.00 dollar bill on his last trip through the town and Scott returned it to him on his next trip.

The town was first incorporated in April 1917 with Isiaac Wesley Patterson as Mayor. The town was devastated on May 22, 1917 when one of the worst tornados ever to hit this area destroyed the east end of town. Then on October 16th, a disastrous fire burned all 12 business houses and 5 homes.

The public water system was turned on in 1957 to provide a much needed service.

The first 4 year students graduated in 1929, in that same year the boys basketball team went to the State semi-finals.

The first postmaster was Dr. William H. Brigance in August 1850. The Post Office was located in the Scott Store. The town developed rapidly being on the main stagecoach route between Clifton and Jackson. The Scotts Hill College opened to students in the Fall of 1896 and ran until about 1917.

In 1975, the Sesquicentennial Celebration honoring 150 years of the community was the biggest event ever held in Scotts Hill. Approximately 5,000 people were estimated to be along with parade route.

Scotts Hill History Links On The Web

Preface
Chapter 1, Interesting and Helpful Background History
Chapter 2, To Leave or Not Leave North Carolina for the West
Chapter 3, Routes West to What Became Scotts Hill
Chapter 4, Scotts Hill's Very First Settlers
Chapter 5, More About Early Scotts Hillians
Chapter 6, The Scotts Hill Area During the Pre-Civil War Years: 1830-1860
Chapter 7, Civil War Times Around Scotts Hill
Chapter 8, The Scotts Hil Area from Post-Civil War Days Through the Gay 90's
Chapter 9, Steamboating Near Us Mostly on the Beautiful, Historic Tennessee River
Chapter 10, The Scotts Hill Area During the 1st Half of the 20th Century
Chapter 11 -- Part One, The Healing Arts [Doctors and Medicine] Around Scotts Hill: 1825-1876
Chapter 11 -- Part Two, Scotts Hill Area Doctors Who Lived and Practiced Mostly in Outlying Communities but Were Related to the Town in Some Way and Did Limited Practice In-Near Town
Chapter 12, The Scotts Hill Area History: 1950-1976 (with Extra Notes Back to 1900)
Supplement to Chapter 12, The Scotts Hill Sesquicentennial Celebration
Chapter 13 -- Part One, Scotts Hill Churches
Chapter 13 -- Part Two, The History of Scotts Hill Schools
Addenda to Part 2 of Chapter 13, The Old Scotts Hill College as I Remember It 60 Years Later, Written by Prof. Caleb Perry Patterson of the University of Texas to the author of this book in 1960
Chapter 13 -- Part Three, U.S. Postal Service at Scotts Hill 1850-1976
Addenda to Part 3 of Chapter 13, Interesting Historical Data About Scotts Hill Postal Service
Chapter 14 -- Part One, Caleb Perry Patterson, Scholar, Educator, Authority on Constitutional Law
Chapter 14 -- Part Two, The Remarkable Family of Adam and Adeline Austin Powers
Chapter 15 -- Part One, Bounce, by Edward W. Duck
Chapter 15 -- Part Two, The Destructive Tornado of 1917, by Clara Elmo Alllen (Mrs. J. R.) Brazzel
Chapter 15 -- Part Three, Andersonville Prison and the Steamboat Sultana's Explosion, by Isaac Noah Davenport a Union Soldier of Scotts Hill, Tenn. Who Survived Both Horrors
Chapter 15 -- Part Four, A Description of the Scotts Hill Tornado of 1909, by Margaret Austin Maness (Mrs. I. N.) Davenport
Chapter 15 -- Part Five, A surgical Reminiscence of 40 Years Ago, by Dr. Jere L. Crook of Jackson [Written in 1941]
Chapter 16 -- Part One, Brass Bands of the Scotts Hill Area -- Silver Bands Too
Chapter 16 -- Part Two, Music
Chapter 16 -- Part Three, The Milam Family
Chapter 16 -- Part Four, The Powers Families
Chapter 16 -- Part Five, The John W. Wylie Story
Chapter 17 -- Part One, Old-Time Country Schools a Few Miles from Scotts Hill
Chapter 17 -- Part Two, Our Annual Big Decoration Homecoming Days
Chapter 19 -- Part Three, A Tribute to the Men of the Armed Services During World War I from the Scotts Hill, Tennessee Area
Chapter 21, Other Scotts Hill Area Activities Through the Years
Back of Dust Jacket, The Author