history tennessee unincorporated rural community tennessee united_states located banks mississippi_river lands inhabited indians later native american tribes culture thousands years phase people tribe populated mississippi_river valley near period spanish explorer crossed mississippi_river near french explorer built french fortification near canoe expedition mississippi_river european settlers arrived area town founded 1820s earliest european settlements location second bluff banks mississippi_river south lower mouth provided ideal harbor town early center river commerce shipped cotton annually memphis commercial success community depended use slave labor cotton fields surrounding settlement office established pastor appointed fortunes community began decline late 1840s failed railroad development unfavorable mail route unsuccessful attempt county seat unfinished project cut canal factors contributed commercial demise town fort tennessee built early american civil war second fortification constructed later year civil war town burned twice union_army forces promoted decline community dedicated park intended promote civil war history community unique views mississippi_river available wider public finished park project create scenic connects historic sites mississippi_river population consists dozen dwellings economy rural community dominated agriculture major industries businesses present indian cultures bce indians later lived communities hunter area covers modern day southern united_states approximately mississippi_river delta populated tribes culture mound building native american people developed late woodland indian period phase people local expression culture inhabited region modern day time contact europeans arrival end period land claimed populated tribe exact origins uncertain prehistoric indian settlements located vicinity later european explorers spanish explorer led european expedition deep territory modern united_states european documented discovered mississippi_river men reached mississippi_river area modern southwest tennessee northwest mississippi weeks arrival expedition built order cross river continue expedition westward later arkansas territory documented controversy exact location crossing mississippi_river report published suggests traveled built boats crossed river claim generally believed probably true crossed mississippi_river memphis french explorer led canoe expedition explore mississippi_river basin expedition landed hunt members went missing assumed captured indians decided stay search missing member built named lost man structure built french tennessee days later missing member found way lost way hunting expedition reached mouth mississippi_river april exact location unknown historians claim fort built bluff modern day suggests fort constructed second bluff near modern day research mentions bluff location fort border modern sources assume fourth bluff modern memphis location european settlement europeans began settling land east mississippi_river inhabited centuries prior arrival europeans land southwestern kentucky ceded negotiations united_states represented general governor represented chiefs warriors sides agreed transfer signing treaty united_states agreed pay return right land east mississippi_river north mississippi state line early european landowners eager secure investment land southwest tennessee years founded wealthy influential investors tried find ways return share land judge wrote general let owners property mississippi laying town damp sale winchester founded memphis tennessee winchester jackson trying secure investments property memphis area owned advantage investors north memphis mississippi_river 7th president united_states memphis located second memphis fourth early 19th century terrain provided promising locations harbor mississippi_river emerging towns area estimated population establishment early 1820s landowners investors land second bluff form years later miles north memphis water described area good landing mississippi_river joining mississippi_river north second bluff accessible miles brown chose site second bluff lay plan promising river town culture gives date official establishment reports date foundation founders named community leader united_states congress virginia spokesman old republican faction democratic republican party old republican faction wanted restrict federal government roles cotton commerce success located banks mississippi_river second bluff provided ideal harbor stages river center commerce tennessee important cotton shipping point 1830s town early rival memphis commercial superiority mississippi_river important shipping point tennessee shipped cotton mississippi_river year cotton shipments added cotton shipped memphis peak commercial success community called great depot commission warehouses dry goods stores physicians tavern families making living area early 1830s town developed quickly population approximately people time town hotels businesses private schools time 19th century bank founded 1830s newspapers published recorder whig founded newspaper paper continued business issue recorder published june publication newspaper dates september whig established late early published issue january whig long shortly establishment publication soon discontinued travel routes line established provided connection jackson located miles east line offered convenient alternative travellers towns connected villages way twice week heading west jackson stage line roughly modern route state route stage road modern state route terminates miles west mississippi_river later 1830s connected direct route memphis located miles south road segment weekly mail line jackson memphis mail carried horseback route provided link towns connected settlements banks mississippi_river trade travel purposes exact routing mail line memphis unknown slavery good commercial success attributed use slaves working cotton fields area owners slavery common time civil war landowners ran plantations lands bought slaves work fields cultivation cotton corn beans cultivated recorder early 1830s landowners announced public slaves owned capture return runaway slaves plantation owners offered monetary incentives rewards offered return stolen slave thief slave convicted theft jail published notices recorder inform owners slave abolition slavery prepared abraham_lincoln slavery united_states eventually abolished 13th amendment constitution ratified december amendment declared slavery shall exist united_states abraham_lincoln 16th president united_states decline fortunes declined later 1840s 1850s factors starting shortly establishment town years settlement founded dispute ownership land town established arose faulty land title land owner new_york pending lawsuit prevented growth population residents community bought land town founded settlement unfavorable mail line early lasting influence fortunes town mail route established went nashville jackson ended memphis left end branch route mail line received mail week failed railroad development contributed demise town residents unsuccessfully tried county seat attempt county seat defeated bare majority voters financial depression failed attempt cut canal problems negative impact future commercial prosperity early civil war march town described consisting half dozen dilapidated frame houses civil war town burned twice september residents building residences businesses second time contributed declining fortunes community civil war fortification built january memphis appeal published pro proposal build fort defend memphis invaders sent confederate states secretary war brigadier general endorsed april eligible situation battery protect memphis days late april year tennessee governor ordered establish camp complete fortification troops tennessee arkansas stationed location accomplish task took months bluff defenses artillery batteries order protect fort land naval attacks june construction fortification completely finished cannons reported ready fort wright time trained future leaders cavalry received training fort wright fort tennessee military training camp defensive position mississippi_river july abandoned confederate infantry sporadically occupied southern forces civil war powder magazine left fort second confederate stronghold area civil war constructed months fall fortification situated mississippi_river mile southwest dispatch published new_york_times march described rough incomplete feet river position fortification allowed view mississippi_river miles upstream downstream boats approaching fort river detected early strong position confederate troops garrison prepare naval attacks fort union_army supply boats passing mississippi_river attacked elevated position fort risk immediate retaliation longer existence destruction general troops assumed control defeated confederate stronghold memphis surrounding areas including region located miles north memphis land trying area union control increasingly frustrated constant guerrilla activity sector confederate area weakened union forces raiding supplies firing boats delivered cargo invading forces mississippi_river union supply ship eugene fired confederate rebels mississippi_river second bluff carrying supplies memphis september ordered colonel 46th informed subordinate officer attack eugene small force time gone find emphasis original locate determined punish helped sealing fate instructed destroy place leaving house mark place union_army soldiers colonel command burned retaliation guerrilla activities emerging area superior officer reported given public notice repetition guerrilla attacks justify measures retaliation loading boats guerrilla prisoners receive fire 18th president united_states commanding general united_states_army retribution military paramilitary attack collective punishment innocent civilians mentioned early scene terror campaign named campaign destruction subsequent union_army attacks hostage executions civilians southern communities led intended break confederate resistance south argued residents areas confederate resistance accessories presence inactivity prevent murders destruction property potentially exposed retaliation union_army actions command criticized examples war crimes committed united_states presidency abraham_lincoln burned second time federal soldiers church history town established years later early settlers reverend pastor appointed organ church developing christian leaders church leadership roles church appointment pastor community congregation formed built church years civil war ended second church built congregation construction new church building completed second bluff building serves place worship methodist congregation born grew methodist community town martin later serve bishop distinguished military service world war pacific methodist pastor later life president retired died reverend reverend appointed community located road worship attendance church reported members congregation average god god second place worship church founded congregation led pastor pastor god located road postal history post office established mail line routed nashville memphis route went jackson arlington deliver mail post offices towns times week left main route end branch route mail line mail branch route delivered weekly segment arlington mail route roughly modern day route stage road later 1830s connected memphis direct travel route road mail line started jackson routed terminated memphis mail route carried horseback delivered post offices way weekly schedule southernmost segment mail route provided direct link memphis connected villages mississippi_river way travel trade purposes exact course mail line segment memphis unknown fragment route bearing road feet length existence remaining piece old road located miles north feet east mississippi_river south mouth western terminus avenue memphis remaining fragment old road destroyed land historic mail route located industrial property owned property accessible public operation exact location post office unknown code tennessee telephone area code memphis metro area modern history agriculture dominant source income area surrounding especially cultivation cotton corn beans cultivated century abolition slavery primary means income low income families area cultivation cotton land return share crop landowner modern machines cotton manual cultivation obsolete time took work hand laborers october tennessee parks non profit organization dedicated bluff celebration politicians historians community members acres property second bluff purchased park intended promote civil war history community unique views mississippi_river available wider public additional revenue tourism expected community bluff finished project create scenic connects historic sites mississippi_river project promotes economical development preservation land wildlife tennessee counties bordering mississippi_river population consists dozen dwellings economy rural community dominated agriculture major industries businesses present historical locations historical coordinates historical historical coordinates historical old coordinates old lane coordinates graves cemetery date early 19th century present day old road coordinates
History of Randolph, Tennessee