Business Men 1818 - 1830

The first Newspaper established was the Lebanon Gazette, which was established in 1818 by Messrs. Ford & Womack. It was published but a short time.

In 1842 the Banner of Peace, edited by Dr. F. R. Cassitt, was established in Lebanon and published in the interest of the university until 1851, when it was removed to Nashville.

Other papers published in Lebanon have been the Chronicle, the Pocket, the Free Press, and the Cumberland University Magazine. The papers of the present time are the Herald and Register.

The Herald was established in October, 1853, by W. Z. Neal and R. T. Spillers. It was a seven-column folio, and in politics was Whig. The paper was published until the civil war, when it was suspended for three years. In 1865 the paper was revived by Neal & Ward, the latter having purchased the interest of Mr. Spillard. In December, 1869, R. L. C. White purchased Mr. Neal's interest, and in 1871 Mr White became the sole proprietor and has continued as such to the present time. The Herald is a five-column quarto, has a good circulation, and is independent in politics.

The Register was established in 1883 by D. C. Williams, who sold out the paper to J. D. Kirkpatrick in 1884. Mr. Kirkpatrick conducted the Register until June, 1886, when he sold the property to A. C. Durdin. The Register' is a seven-column folio, Democratic in politics, and enjoys a good circulation and advertising patronage.

Business 1800 - 1820

From 1800 to 1820, the business men of Lebanon were John Herrod James Anderson Edward Mitchell, William Mann, Benjamin Tarver, George Hallum, Joel Mann, David Marshal, Reddick Eason, Leonard Sims, Allan Avery, Patrick Anderson, Yerger & Golladay, Cage & Crutcher, Winchester & Cage, Jaspar R. Ashworth, and Nathaniel Dew During the same period, Edward Mitchell, David Marshal and John Herrod were the tavern keepers.

Business Men of the Twenties

The business men of the twenties were James Johnson, Mathew Dew, Yerger & Golladay, Foster Crutcher, Hicks & Johnson, Pauldin Anderson, John Muirhead, David Marshal, Allcorn & Johnson, Harry L. Douglas, Frank Anderson, Thomas J. Thompson, Jasper R. Ashworth. T. J. Stratton and Henry Chambers. The hotels during the same period were conducted by David Marshal, George Helms, William Hartsfield and Harry L Douglas.

Business Men of the Thirties

During the thirties the business men were Jasper R. Ashworth, Joseph Phillips, Lawrence Sypert, T. ,J. Stratton, William Hall, Edward and John W. White, John Hearn, John M. Hill, Dr. James Frazier, M. T. Cartwright, P. & T. Anderson, Stiff Harrison. E. A. & J. W. White, White & Price, Henry Smith, Peyton Ewing & Co., Fisher Bros., Dawson Hancock, Allcorn & Johnson, Ewing and Richmond, George H. Bullard, Mathew Cartwright, Gillespie & Mabry, Hearn & Hill, E. A. & J. W. White, and W. II. Wortham. Albert Wynn and a company composed of Obediah Gordon. George F. McWhirter and James G. Robertson, were the innkeepers, and a company composed of Gears, Wilkerson, Pyle, Porter & Co., conducted an extensive carriage factory during that period. At the same time a large cotton factory, owned and operated by a stock company under the firm name of the Tennessee Manufacturing Company, was in full operation, and upward of 500 hands were employed in the manufacture of cotton goods of all descriptions. The property was afterward destroyed by fire and never rebuilt.

The business men of the thirties with but few exceptions, and the following additions, were the same during the forties: L. Drifoos and John W. Price.

 Wilson County | AHGP Tennessee

Source: History of Tennessee, Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1886