Jackson-Madison County Library Jackson-Madison County Library in Jackson, Tennessee. https://jmclibrary.org Tue, 05 Dec 2023 11:09:59 +0000 Tue, 05 Dec 2023 11:09:59 +0000 hourly 1 3600 SnapPages.com Irish Genealogy Resources https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2026/03/19/irish-genealogy-resources Thu, 19 Mar 2026 11:07:33 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2026/03/19/irish-genealogy-resources
      This month, around St. Patrick’s Day, individuals may become curious about the potential for Irish heritage in their ancestry.

      The most important point is to have a good foundation of sound genealogy research on this side of the Atlantic Ocean. Internet genealogy database information can be very broad, so personal investigation of resources is needed to evaluate the thousands of potential search results. When people share family trees, one should always approach it with healthy skepticism. How does a family genealogy or family pedigree hold up under close inspection?  Does the researcher tell how and where he or she discovered the information he/she is sharing? Good research rests upon credible source citation.
 
      The following book titles are some resources patrons can use in the Tennessee Room during their exploration of Irish heritage.
Written in 1906, Rev. Patrick Woulfe’s book is a classic book on Irish name origins.
        Another indispensable work is Irish Settlers in America by Michael J. O’Brien. The two volume set is a reprint of articles from The Journal of the American Irish Historical Society. These volumes discuss record types as well as Irish populations by geographical location and time frame.
 
        Volume II includes land grants, colonial emigration, and investigation of records pertaining to service in the American Revolution.

        More localized is Patricia K. Jones’ book Across the Ocean of Promise: the Irish of Western Tennessee. Jones looked at the U.S. census records of 1850-1900 and extracted the names of individuals who stated on the census they were born in Ireland. Patricia Jones consulted other sources, including special censuses and scholarly articles reporting Irish immigration into Tennessee locations.

        One great value of Jones' 820-page book is the author’s notes on Ireland research. She also provides warnings for “deep pits” of confusion over vague or identical listings in Irish records.

         Immigration genealogy is definitely not for the faint of heart! Discovery of sound evidence through Irish genealogy research is as rewarding as a pot of gold.
]]> https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2026/03/19/irish-genealogy-resources#comments 0 Do You Remember? https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2026/01/20/do-you-remember Tue, 20 Jan 2026 14:01:11 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2026/01/20/do-you-remember
     It’s hard to believe 27 years have passed since January 17, 1999 tornado made its destructive path through Madison County. It was the first time I experienced a tornado, and I still remember the sound of the wind. I also remember the eerie silence after it quickly moved on to the east of my community.
     In the weeks and months following, the Jackson Sun newspaper covered the destruction and the ensuing recovery efforts. Later, our library patrons often brought segments of the Jackson Sun and other periodicals reporting the events and documenting the extensive damage. Tennessee Room staff organized these pages and clippings into the Tennessee Tornado Collection. It is a comprehensive index of print media coverage of the 1999 tornado. Because newspapers on microfilm are only black-and-white images, the color photos in the actual newspaper pages are visually better at showing the damage. The pictures are stunning to see.
Photo from the January 19, 1999 Jackson Sun.
     The collection expanded when other tornado events struck the area. Earlier tornado events were next included, such as the 1923 Pinson tornado; the 1952 Henderson,              Tennessee/South Madison County tornado; the 1975, 2003, 2005, and 2008 tornadoes in Jackson and surrounding counties--and the collection continues to date.
     The Collection now includes a map of destructive tornado paths, and a set of about 700 photographs (like the one above) showing damaged homes and buildings. Tennessee Room staff will assist anyone who has an interest in these past storms or a need to do some research.
]]> https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2026/01/20/do-you-remember#comments 0 Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/12/09/merry-christmas-happy-holidays Tue, 09 Dec 2025 09:22:18 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/12/09/merry-christmas-happy-holidays
     Christmas is such a busy time. Somehow, seeing vintage photos of Christmases past makes us realize how quickly the years fly by. Maybe that is exactly what makes revisiting “memory lane” such a warm and pleasant pause in the midst of the rush.
            Here are a few photos for your viewing pleasure.
Coca Cola’s float in the Jackson Christmas Parade, circa 1972.
Santa’s cottage in Jackson.
Santa, himself.
It turns out Santa’s day job was that of Mayor of Jackson.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season!
]]> https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/12/09/merry-christmas-happy-holidays#comments 0 Historic Newspaper Database Added https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/10/24/historic-newspaper-database-added Fri, 24 Oct 2025 16:58:52 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/10/24/historic-newspaper-database-added
Historical Newspapers: Tennessee Edition is now available.
Our latest acquisition for research is a selection of Tennessee Newspapers from ProQuest’s well-known database.
Six cities, representing all three grand divisions of Tennessee, are available through our subscription. The newspapers areas are:

  • Jackson The Jackson Sun  (1936-2011)
  • Memphis (eleven newspaper titles covering 1847- present)
  • Clarksville  (eight newspaper titles covering Nov. 5, 1884 – present)
  • Murfreesboro (two newspaper titles covering 1927-1931)
  • Nashville The Tennessean covering 1812 – 2009)
  • Knoxville (seven newspaper titles covering 1887 – present)

Of course, newspaper titles often appear with slight variations due to new editors or publishers over the decades.  

The link to ProQuest's Newspapers.com is found by starting with the JMCL home page. Hover at the drop down for departments and select “Local History and Genealogy.”  
Next, click the “View our holdings” icon. 
You will land on the ProQuest log in.
Enter your library card number for access.  Don’t have a library card? Click here
When the database opens, you will see a section revealing the many parts of this database.

This ProQuest database also offers access to reference books, journals, dissertations and other publications. It’s possible to use these for Tennessee biographies and information on state historical events, politics, natural history, and geography. These are also useful for general research of any kind for any topic!

For the historical newspapers, I personally feel it is easiest to select “Publications” and then specify “Newspapers.”

The first database will be ProQuest Historical Newspapers:  Tennessee Edition.
The search box will get you started! The site has some basic search tips underneath the hourglass Search button. If you need more assistance, links at the bottom of the screen will guide you!
]]> Jackson's Jewish History https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/09/24/jackson-s-jewish-history Wed, 24 Sep 2025 13:24:45 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/09/24/jackson-s-jewish-history
Jackson’s Jewish History
       September 23, 2025 is the Gregorian Calendar counterpart to the Jewish calendar date Tishrei 5786. Rosh Hashanah is the first day of the Jewish New Year, which inspires reflection on the rich Jewish history of Jackson.
        A Chronology of Jews in Jackson by Joseph Wahl, M.D. states that J. Friedlob came to Jackson in the 1860s and was most likely the first Jew in Jackson. This interesting resource is a study of Jackson City Directories and historical notes from the local Jewish community.  The booklet further states that in 1885, a charter was signed for a local temple, named Congregation B’Nai Israel. At first the congregation met in the homes of members. Later they met in the upstairs space above Sol Tuchfeld’s store, on Market Street (now Highland.)
      The above invitation to the dedication of Temple B’Nai Israel, October 25, 1897 shows the year as 5658. The invitation is from the Seale Johnson Collection.  
      The congregation purchased the building on E. College Street that had been the former meeting place of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church (now the Aeneas Building.) Eventually, a synagogue was built at 401 W. Grand.
     Over the decades, many names from the congregation became familiar to all Jacksonians as successful businessmen and businesswomen, medical professionals, and community leaders.
        This Kisber’s Department Store photo was submitted by Jonas Kisber, Jr. for Pictorial Madison by Williams, Carter, & Smothers. (The Roundabout at Highland & Deadrick was dedicated to Jonas Kisber, Jr. on April 4, 2019.) 
      Tennessee Room’s resources on local Jewish history include the Sam Baum Manuscripts, A Chronology of Jews in Jackson, Tennessee by Joseph Wahl, M.D., Jackson City Directories, and factsheets complied by the Lambuth B’Nai Israel Center for Jewish Studies.
]]> https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/09/24/jackson-s-jewish-history#comments 0 A New Book https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/08/08/a-new-book Fri, 08 Aug 2025 09:02:26 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/08/08/a-new-book

A New Book in the Tennessee Room

The Marathon Men: Jackson to Nashville

by D. Phillip Kaiser & Diane Kurek Kaiser

     This book is Volume III of the Kaiser's series on the origin and history of Marathon Motor Works. This book focuses on the major contributors to the automobile manufacturer, by explaining their backgrounds, formative experiences, strengths, and challenges. The two previous volumes dealt with the industrial development and growth of the company (Vol I) and the development of auto manufacture through related industrial operations in Jackson.
     The Marathon Men: Jackson to Nashville continues it's heavy reliance on primary source materials, with plentiful newspaper clippings, schematics, patent applications, and print advertisements.
     Biographies of the men behind the company include:
            Dr. Moses S. Neeley;  John L. Wisdom;  Exile Burkitt;  William Henry Collier;
            Howell Harris Brooks;  Augustus H. Robinson;  Henry W. Buttorff;  George Killebrew;
            and Harry Smith Berry;  plus Marathon preservationist Barry L. Walker.
It's a detailed study of the men behind the Marathon!
To see images of Marathons on display at the Tennessee State Museum click here
]]> https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/08/08/a-new-book#comments 0 Juneteenth - African American Research Aids https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/06/16/juneteenth-african-american-research-aids Mon, 16 Jun 2025 10:49:29 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/06/16/juneteenth-african-american-research-aids

Juneteenth & Geneaology:
African American Research Aids

Juneteenth is a great occasion to think about African American genealogy. Finding records documenting Black ancestors can be very challenging!
In early times and before Emancipation, the identities of Black persons were not recorded or written in documents without longevity.  Names could be inconsistent. When an enslaved person was sold to a new slave owner, the owner might rename the individual out of personal preference. Relocation could be frequent, and enslaved people were often separated from their families.

Tennessee Room Resources:

One technique to research an enslaved individual is to research the slave owner. Census records called Slave Schedules were taken in 1850 and 1860, but the names of enslaved individuals are not recorded.  The number, gender, and age of enslaved people are recorded under the listing of the slave owner in his or her Civil District in the county and state of residence.  

Madison County, TN 1860 Slave Schedule


Will, probate, and chancery court records are often more specific. Wills often name slaves left to heirs as property.  Government records usually have more stability, but there are no guarantees of finding a document with an identifiable reference. 
         Other sources of genealogy information include diaries, letters, family papers, and family business paperwork. Madison County resident Robert Cartmell kept a diary from 1849-1915. 

Excerpt from the Diary of Robert H. Cartmell, June 1865.


In his diary, Madison County planter Robert H. Cartmell talks about formerly enslaved persons making their own decisions as to whether they will stay with the farm for pay, or if they will leave.  His commentary on the drastic changes in post-war society: ". . . it is amazing beyond description."   

Other research aids:

Some helpful resources to further African American genealogy research are:
The National Museum of African American Culture's Freedmen's Bureau Search Portal
Click Here

Madison Count is well-represented in the Freedmen's Bureau records

Wanted: Last Seen, Finding Family After Slavery
This database searches advertisements placed in newspapers to find family members who had been separated from them. Click Here
Black Craftspeople Digital Archive
The BCDA tracks skilled tradesmen and craftspeople whose abilities were respected and whose products were highly valued.
Click Here
]]> https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/06/16/juneteenth-african-american-research-aids#comments 0 Memorial Day Thoughts https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/05/27/memorial-day-thoughts Tue, 27 May 2025 12:53:29 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/05/27/memorial-day-thoughts
Memorial Day. . .
   We're always grateful for an extra day off work or out of school. It's a chance to set our picnic tables with red, white, and blue while we cook out and enjoy the "unofficial" early start of summer.

    Gratitude is indeed the right response, but the origin of the holiday is a solemn one. 
 "Memorial Day began as a way to honor those who died in the Civil War and has become a day to honor all American veterans who gave their lives in sacrifice to our nation."

From the National Archives and Records Administration: Click Here
  In Madison County, many groups have emphasized remembrance over the years. One example is the Ladies Auxiliary to the Soldiers of WWI, USA. 

The Ladies Auxiliary to Barracks 1897, Soldiers of WWI, USA participated annually in Memorial Day ceremonies at Ridgecrest Cemetery. Photo c. 1979

     The Tennessee Room has a selection of resources to use in the research of casualties from Madison County.  These include:

      World War Veterans and Ex-Servicemen of Madison County, State of Tennessee, compiled under the direction of Mrs. Rutledge Smith, Historian of Tennessee Department of the American Legion Auxiliary, 1933-1936. Pages 191-201 list the local men killed in action.

      Monument to Healing: Two Soldiers and the Good Death, 1862, 1914 by Charles E. Cox & Spurgeon King, ed. by Jacque Hillman. The book focuses of the loss of one soldier in Madison County during the Civil War.

      More Than Names on a Wall by John R. Long III.  Madison County Historian "Ricky" Long researched the names on the Veterans Memorial monument at Liberty Garden Park.

Liberty Garden Veterans' Monument
(photo by Ricky Long)

      The genealogy database Fold3 is a genealogical military record resource available through the Tennessee Room public computers and on the Jackson-Madison County Library webpage tab "E-Resources." Sign in with your library card number to use the database away from the library.  Click Here

Learn more about these honored men. . .                          
                             . . . and remember them.

Photos of the men on the Liberty Garden memorial wall
(photos courtesy of Ricky Long)

]]> https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/05/27/memorial-day-thoughts#comments 0 Tennessee Room closure https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/05/07/tennessee-room-closure Wed, 07 May 2025 16:50:57 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/05/07/tennessee-room-closure
The Tennessee Room will be closed on Monday, May 12
for collection maintenance and reorganization.
]]> https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/05/07/tennessee-room-closure#comments 0 In Memoriam: Sandra Kay Kelly https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/04/11/in-memoriam-sandra-kay-kelly Fri, 11 Apr 2025 09:38:51 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/04/11/in-memoriam-sandra-kay-kelly
My heart sunk very low at this news.  For most of my 38 years managing the Tennessee Room at Jackson-Madison County Library,  Sandra Kelly was a vibrant part of our genealogy and history world.  Her dedicated volunteer work was just one of the many dimensions she brought to our library and our community.

I especially cherish her sense of humor—perhaps more than anything else. She had a gift for delivering sly, pointed, but always teasing commentary on my behavior. When I managed to counter with something that made her laugh, that laughter never failed to lift my spirit. In retrospect, it feels like she was always on self-imposed standby—ready to lend a hand in the Tennessee Room, or at the many genealogy workshops, meetings, and conferences. She just was always there.

It is truly a treasured gift to have had the good fortune to cross paths with her. She is forever fixed in my heart, alongside all those who have enriched my life in meaningful ways.

Godspeed, Sandra, on your next journey.


- Jack D. Wood, Tennessee Room Librarian and Former Manager


To View Sandra's Obituary Click Here

Sandra Kay Kelly
15th March 1941 - 28th March 2025

]]> https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/04/11/in-memoriam-sandra-kay-kelly#comments 0 Exploring Black History Part II: Exploring Our Roots https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/04/04/exploring-black-history-part-ii-exploring-our-roots Fri, 04 Apr 2025 11:05:53 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/04/04/exploring-black-history-part-ii-exploring-our-roots
WIllis and Cornelia Robinson w/ their children. c.1943-44
This month, we are introducing a series that focuses on the history of African-Americans in observance of Black History Month. Looking back on the past leads to both celebratory benchmarks and painful ones.  There will be more Black History Month blog posts to come throughout February, even featuring some guest bloggers. We hope to shine a light on figures and systems that may seem far forgotten, yet still remain close to our hearts and minds. Understanding and learning from the past is an essential part of healing the scars from our past.

This past year as we were going through staff changes, Lisa Maholmes stepped in to the role of Tennessee Room Librarian. Working in the Tennessee Room can require a bit of extra knowledge when it comes to genealogy, so to feel more comfortable helping patrons, Lisa decided to go and discover her own family roots. 
About her own journey through genealogy Lisa says that "Early this year, I was asked to work in the Tennessee Room in the Jackson-Madison County Library, and I was amazed with all the resources that this archive provides. After helping patrons start their genealogy journey, I decided to start investigating my own family history. I knew very little about my grandparents, so I decided to start with my maternal grandfather, Willis Robinson (top)."

"First, I asked my mother about my grandfather, and she told me stories and found photographs for me to use in my research. Second, I explored Ancestry.com and microfilm available for free in the Tennessee Room to find any information on my grandfather, and I discovered marriage licenses (middle) and obituaries. I even tracked my maternal great-grandparents to Haywood County using census records (bottom) . I still have more family history to discover, but I learned a lot and discovered things that have made me eager to continue exploring my roots."

Whether you're just getting started or have been at it for what seems like forever, come visit us in the Tennessee Room for tips and exclusive resources to better help discover your family's whole story!
]]> https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/04/04/exploring-black-history-part-ii-exploring-our-roots#comments 0 Exploring Black History Part I: Sallie Lackey and the Post-War Struggle for Equality https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/02/18/exploring-black-history-part-i-sallie-lackey-and-the-post-war-struggle-for-equality Tue, 18 Feb 2025 10:01:57 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/02/18/exploring-black-history-part-i-sallie-lackey-and-the-post-war-struggle-for-equality
From the Vault - Tennessee Room Blog
]]> https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/02/18/exploring-black-history-part-i-sallie-lackey-and-the-post-war-struggle-for-equality#comments 0 The Golden Age of the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/02/04/the-golden-age-of-the-jackson-area-chamber-of-commerce Tue, 04 Feb 2025 15:05:07 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/02/04/the-golden-age-of-the-jackson-area-chamber-of-commerce
While processing the Harvey Proctor Collection, I came across this awesome picture (left) of past presidents of the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce that includes the years 1940 to 1974 . What is special about the picture is that it lists all their names. These were the movers and shakers who led and served Jackson during twenty-four important years. Bankers, businessmen, engineers, entrepreneurs, city officials, and administrators are smiling for the camera. They are in the prime of their lives. Yet all of them can remember the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

This generation of leaders was put to the test during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. They sustained Jackson and Madison County during these wars and oversaw their return to a peacetime economy not once, not twice, but three times.
This moving picture shown above is an example of the photographic treasures contained in the Harvey Proctor Collection that was recently donated to the Tennessee Room in their original envelopes (right) The Harvey and Proctor families were involved in developing the media presence in Jackson. Building on the legacy of Clarence E. Pigford, the longtime publisher of The Jackson Sun, they organized and managed Jackson’s first radio station, WTJS (West Tennessee Jackson Sun) that was located on top of the highest hill in Jackson that sits behind the First Presbyterian and First Baptist churches’ campuses. They recorded just every business and religious program, leaving an invaluable legacy of tapes that have been digitized and are available to the public. They developed Jackson Madison County General Hospital and the adjacent residential areas that were part of the estate of Clarence E. and Sally Pigford. In the 1980s, they brought the first television station and later the first internet service to Jackson. They, along with the Chamber of Commerce Presidents photographed in the picture, were the modernizers and the developers of Jackson and Madison County.

NOTE: This entry was originally published on 01/18/2025
About Our Staff and Volunteers
Dr. Alice-Catherine Carls is one of our treasured volunteers here in the Tennessee Room. Before volunteering in the Tennessee Room, Catherine earned her Ph.D in the History of International Relations from the University of Paris I - Sorbonne. As Professor Emerita of History at the University of Tennessee - Martin, Catherine helps preserve and write the history of West Tennessee, you can even find a few of her published works here in the Tennessee Room library!  Some of the Special Collections Catherine as worked with include Liberty Garden, Robert D. Conger Jaycees, and she is currently processing the Harvey Proctor Collection.

]]> https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2025/02/04/the-golden-age-of-the-jackson-area-chamber-of-commerce#comments 0 Ushering in a New Year! https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2024/12/31/ushering-in-a-new-year Tue, 31 Dec 2024 12:32:09 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2024/12/31/ushering-in-a-new-year
Happy Holidays!
Welcome 2025! "Out with the old; in with the new."

As the saying goes, a New Year is definitely a time to look ahead with anticipation.
Off course, the Tennessee Room isn't so hasty to discard the past. We organize and archive!

Here are some examples pertaining to New Year festivities.

Elizabeth Bond Scrapbook Collection

Elizabeth Bond, a Jackson High School student, filled the pages of her senior scrapbook titled The Girl Graduate. Her entry for New Year's Eve 1920 (p. 106) shows party souvenirs and mentions the attention of two young men.

St. Luke's Episcopal Church Liturgical Calendar 1943 

St. Luke's Episcopal Church printed a parish calendar in 1943. Birthdays of parishioners  are printed on the days of the month.  Church directories and ephemera can be very helpful for genealogy research!
Jackson Sun - 01/05/1936

Herron and Evelyn Pearson Collection 

The Jackson Sun, January 5, 1936, sec. 2, p. 1.

Socialite Evelyn Pearson (center) ,shown here in her prized Balenciaga evening dress, compiled scrapbooks and memorabilia connected to her husband Congressman Herron Pearson's (left) term in the House of Representatives from the 7th Congressional District.  Pictured here with Albert D. Noe Jr. (right), manager of New Southern Hotel and President of Jackson Golf & Country Club ringing in the New Year at the Club!
]]> https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2024/12/31/ushering-in-a-new-year#comments 0 Remembering Pearl Harbor https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2024/12/06/remembering-pearl-harbor Fri, 06 Dec 2024 15:27:44 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2024/12/06/remembering-pearl-harbor
On December 7, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy launched a surprise attack on the United States, a day President Franklin D. Roosevelt called “a date which will live in infamy.” In honor of World War II heroes, Congress declared December 7th as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, with a proclamation starting in 1994 under President Bill Clinton continuing every year since.
The newspaper shown, The Jackson Sun dated December 8, 1941, comes from our Tennessee Room’s microfilm collection. We invite anyone interested in local history, genealogy, or vintage styles to explore our extensive collection of newspapers, covering Madison County’s history and beyond! See our holdings tab for a full inventory of our microfilmed newspapers!
]]> Jackson & Madison County Book on Sale for Reduced Price https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/12/jackson-madison-county-book-on-sale-for-reduced-price Tue, 12 Dec 2023 16:43:48 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/12/jackson-madison-county-book-on-sale-for-reduced-price
For sale at the library for $20.00
(cash or check only)
Proceeds support the Friends of the Library
From 2016:
"What better way to start the new year than with a new book!  The new pictorial history entitled, Jackson & Madison County: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow was published just before Christmas and is still available for purchase at the Jackson-Madison County Library. Its main feature is the superb photography work of Jackson photographer Mitch Carter.  Browsers of this book will be fascinated by the “then & now” comparative photos and some wonderfully clear aerial photos of Jackson.  Thomas Aud’s photo captions provide intriguing historical and descriptive information for the photos, while Harbert Alexander weaves it all together with his narrative.  Mary Reed’s profiles bring the focus closer on many present businesses, institutions, and corporations.  There is much to explore in this book. "
]]> https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/12/jackson-madison-county-book-on-sale-for-reduced-price#comments 0 Mr. A.M. Pounds and his 90th Birthday https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/12/mr-a-m-pounds-and-his-90th-birthday Tue, 12 Dec 2023 16:13:45 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/12/mr-a-m-pounds-and-his-90th-birthday
Arlie M. Pounds, a former Tennessee Room assistant, celebrated his 90th birthday on January 25, 2012, with a small ceremony hosted at the Jackson-Madison County Library. Although he is no longer with us, Mr. Pounds is remembered not only for his contributions to the Tennessee Room, but also for his participation in Dixie League baseball and his time served as a veteran of World War 2. A truck and DUKW driver, his service took him across North Africa, Italy, and Southern France.
Pounds (center), with an amphibious DUKW (pronounced "duck")
]]> https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/12/mr-a-m-pounds-and-his-90th-birthday#comments 0 Marathon Motor Works https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/12/marathon-motor-works Tue, 12 Dec 2023 13:51:04 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/12/marathon-motor-works
The Rise and Fall of Marathon Motor Works
by D. Phillip Kaiser and Diane Kurek Kaiser
This exciting new addition to the Tennessee Room is the first book of a projected trilogy concerning the automobile manufacturing  company  known as the Marathon Motor Works and its parent company, the Southern Engine and Boiler Works, along with the men who were instrumental in its creation and its demise.  In addition to its narrative, the book features many pages of facsimile catalogs, automobile and steam engine advertisements, manuals and parts lists, and photos. It’s a fascinating story of a business that began in Jackson, TN and thrived, then died in Nashville.
]]> https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/12/marathon-motor-works#comments 0 Atlas of the Transatlantic Slave Trade https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/12/atlas-of-the-transatlantic-slave-trade Tue, 12 Dec 2023 13:31:39 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/12/atlas-of-the-transatlantic-slave-trade
Atlas of the Transatlantic Slave Trade
by David Eltis & David Richardson

This atlas includes 189 maps, many illustrations, a timeline of the slave trade,
and a glossary of terminology, along with an authoritative text, all providing a detailed examination of this abysmal economic system that formed from greed and fostered racism. It describes in detail the dark side of a world in which all of our ancestors lived.

]]> https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/12/atlas-of-the-transatlantic-slave-trade#comments 0 The Tigretts of West Tennessee https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/12/the-tigretts-of-west-tennessee Tue, 12 Dec 2023 13:26:05 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/12/the-tigretts-of-west-tennessee
The Tigretts of West Tennessee and Their Families
by Gwendolyn McCaffrey McReynolds

When spurred by a passing remark made by her grandmother, Grace Truman Edwards Loggins, Gwendolyn McReynolds embarked on a research discovery to trace her connections to the Tigrett family. The end result, The Tigretts of West Tennessee and Their Families, is part genealogy and part narrative, following the research process that McReynolds utilized. It is an informative and well-resourced text, including family photographs, newspaper clippings, letters, and illustrative ephemera found in our own Isaac B. Tigrett Collection.
]]> https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/12/the-tigretts-of-west-tennessee#comments 0 Hardin County Blue and Gray https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/12/hardin-county-blue-and-gray Tue, 12 Dec 2023 13:15:22 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/12/hardin-county-blue-and-gray
Hardin County Blue and Gray: Civil War Soldiers from Hardin County, Tennessee
by David B. Cagle,
Ronney R. Brewington, editor
With 11 ancestral connections who were active in the Civil War, David B. Cagle’s original interest in soldiers from Hardin County was personal genealogy research. Cagle had found many connections who fought mainly in Confederate forces, but he also discovered some who were attached to Federal units. Over time, his material expanded to include hundreds of other Hardin County names, as well as some soldiers from Wayne, McNairy, and Fayette Counties in Tennessee.


]]> https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/12/hardin-county-blue-and-gray#comments 0 More Than Names on a Wall https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/07/more-than-names-on-a-wall Thu, 07 Dec 2023 14:39:09 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/07/more-than-names-on-a-wall
John R. Long, Madison County's own historian, has compiled a book entitled More Than Names on A Wall. Building from the list of 167 names on the Madison County War Memorial monument at Liberty Gardens Park in north Jackson, and adding 23 who are not on the monument, the author created biographical abstracts concerning each of the 190 men from Jackson and Madison County who died as a direct result of World War II. This information was gleaned by scanning through Jackson Sun newspaper articles and obituaries, high school yearbooks,  gravestone inscriptions, and other sources.  references are given to the location of the original articles in the newspapers.
]]> https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/07/more-than-names-on-a-wall#comments 0 The Obituary Index and the People Behind It https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/05/the-obituary-index-and-the-people-behind-it Tue, 05 Dec 2023 14:43:35 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/05/the-obituary-index-and-the-people-behind-it
Just the other day, a Boy Scout visited the Tennessee Room with a sheet of questions to ask, all centered around the usage of indexes for genealogical research.  It is sometimes easy to take resources for granted, but it is always important to consider not just the work done, but those behind it. One such index that was compiled by staff and volunteers of the Tennessee Room is an obituary index of The Jackson Sun, a project that began with the work of Jimmy Wilkins, a former Tennessee Room staff member.  
L-R: Jimmy Wilkins, former Tennessee Room Assistant; Evelyn Keele, Tennessee Room Head Librarian. Chester County Independent, June 14, 2018, p. 12-A.
Chester County Independent, June 14, 2018, p. 12-A
The obituary index is an ongoing project; even after Jimmy Wilkins retired, a number of Tennessee Room volunteers have continued the work he began and expanded the index beyond the original scope, 1936-1954.

Do you want access to the obituary index? Simply visit the main page of the website and, from the Departments tab, select Genealogy, then Obituary Index from the drop-down menu.
(note that, as an ongoing project, the work performed by volunteers may not be immediately accessible from the publicly available index on the library website. Dates prior to 1936 have been indexed by other sources)
]]> https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/05/the-obituary-index-and-the-people-behind-it#comments 0 Remembering Robert D. Taylor https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/05/remembering-robert-d-taylor Tue, 05 Dec 2023 11:26:01 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/05/remembering-robert-d-taylor
From 1994 to 2009, Robert D. Taylor served as Assistant Tennessee Room Librarian. As it goes, he passed away on July 8th, 2014, in his home in San Bernadino, California.
Sharing his wonderful voice at the Library's staff Christmas party in 1994.
The library staff and patrons who knew him, even briefly, will never forget his research help or his wonderful singing voice. Although there is sadness at knowing he is no longer with us physically, the spirit of Robert’s enthusiasm for family history and helping researchers will forever live in the Tennessee Room. I know that I will always be thankful our paths crossed.

Jack D. Wood
Tennessee Room Librarian
Jackson/Madison County Library
July 10, 2014

Robert Taylor assisting a patron in the Tennessee Room in 1999.
The Jackson Sun, 2008
]]> https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/05/remembering-robert-d-taylor#comments 0 Big Maybelle State Historical Marker https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/05/big-maybelle-state-historical-marker Tue, 05 Dec 2023 11:09:59 +0000 https://jmclibrary.org/blog/2023/12/05/big-maybelle-state-historical-marker
In 2018, the Jackson-Madison County Library sponsored a project, spearheaded by library staff members Mike Baker and Jack Wood, to obtain a Tennessee historical marker commemorating Mabel Louise "Big Maybelle" Smith (1924-1972), noted gospel and blues singer, from Jackson, Tennessee.  Her most notable recordings include "Candy" and the original version of "Whole Lot of Shakin' Going On," later made famous by Jerry Lee Lewis.  Her career led her to sing at the famous Apollo Theatre in New York City.  At the time, there were no state funds available, and so the library initiated a fundraiser to collect the $1450 required to fund the marker.
The generosity of several donors enabled the Jackson-Madison Library to raise the necessary funds to pay for the marker, which was approved by the state on February 22, 2019. A check for the amount was sent to the Tennessee Historical Commission on March 11. The marker was finally unveiled on July 24, 2019, alongside a brief ceremony at the site, followed by a program and reception at the Legends of Tennessee Music Museum.

Big Maybelle's Relatives
Left of sign:  Eboni Ray (gr-granddaughter), her husband, Thomas Ray, Jr.,
and Haven Ray, age 2 (gr-gr-grandson)
Right of sign:  David Burgess (Maybelle's son-in-law),
Thomas Ray III, age 9 (gr-gr-grandson),
and the family dog

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