History of Marcella Falls
This is a paper that was written in 1970 by Mary Ann Truitt Clayton for an American
History class at Columbia State Community College.
Most of the material used in this theme was given to the Historical Society as a
program by Mrs. Nell Benson.
Other information inserted by Scott Fraser in (--), a descendant of Alfred Ogilvie
WILLIAMS.
Marcella Falls is located about ten miles northeast of Lawrenceburg on the
Eastern boundary of northern Lawrence County. The falls is enclosed by
three hills and is only about twenty feet high.
The waters from the big springs, fall from the highland rim into the Middle
Tennessee basin of Giles County. These springs made possible and were
responsible for the industrial empire which Marcella Falls was before and for
a short time after the Civil War. Factories in operation here during this time
included a large woolen mill, tan yard, shoe factory, saw mills, furniture
factory and flour mill.
Marcella Falls Woolen Mills was the name under such products as shoes,
flour and even furniture were shipped by water as far south as New Orleans.
They were first to haul to Nashville by wagon train for shipment. These same
products were also hauled by wagon to cities as far away as Philadelphia.
The original Marcella Falls Woolen Mills, flour mills and tanning business was
located on the Duck River near Caney Springs in Marshall County. It was
built and operated by a family named POWELL. A. O. (Alfred Ogilvie) and
Benjamin WILLIAMS who married into the POWELL family bought them out in
the late 1840’s or early 1850’s and relocated the Mills in northern Lawrence
County at Marcella Falls. (This is in conflict with other family information
where we learn that in the early 1840’s James Williams, resident of Civil
Order, Marshall County, bought the business and operated it for a short time.
In the later part of 1840 he would give the business to Alfred Ogilvie Williams
and his daughter Martha Matilda as a wedding present. A.O. Williams and his
brother Benjamin moved the entire operation to the beautiful falls in northern
Lawrence County. Later, William Janway NOWLIN bought Benjamin
WILLIAMS out and assisted Alfred in the operating of the business.)
The Williams brothers although originally from Middle Tennessee (Belfast,
Marshall County, Tennesee) had gone at the time of their father’s death
(William Wiliams) to Tishomingo, Mississippi where they helped build what
was then known as the Charleston and Memphis Railroad which later became
part of the Southern Railroad. They did this with their own slave labor for the
purpose of hauling cotton to market. Through this venture they acquired
considerable wealth for those days. It was with this small fortune that they
were able to develop Marcella Falls Woolen Mills into the vast and varied
industrial complex which was for a time the center of industry in Lawrence
and adjoining counties.
William J. NOWLIN married a sister of the Williams (Sarah WILLIAMS)
brothers and became a partner in 1844, buying out the interest of Benjamin
WILLIAMS, who died a short time after (May 9, 1857). It was from the letters
written by his grandson, C.D. NOWLIN, a former Columbia dentist, that we
are able to trace the history of this industrial center.
Marcella Falls was named for Marcella PAINE, the daughter of Robert PAINE,
a lawyer in Columbia during the eighteen hundreds. The house where she
was born, on South Main Street in Columbia, was still standing in 1856. She
was a well educated person but was in ill health and took the position of
governess at the falls to the William children in the hopes of regaining her
health. The Falls was known for its mineral waters and she stayed there
between 1850 and 1860.
There is a story that A.O. Williams, one of the owners was fond of the
Classics and had been acquainted with the name “Marcella” which means the
most beautiful. He was definitely a lover of nature and wanting to perpetuate
the name in nature, he gave it to his beloved falls.
The school where Marcella PAINE taught was a brick building about one and
half miles from the falls and was given to the community by the Northern
Presbyterian Church. It was known as the Brick Academy and later as Mt.
Horeb Baptist Church and School. The school had the reputation of being the
best in the area and families in the community kept boarders in order that
they might have the opportunity to attend it. Even some persons in Lawrence
County were sent there instead of the Lawrenceburg schools because of its
reputed superiority. It is said to have been a hospital during the War;
however, school was conducted here throughout the war and during the dark
days of reconstruction it was probably the leading institution of learning in the
county.
The Methodist Church established the first church here before the Civil War
as the Brick Academy and called it Mr. Horeb Methodist Church. Later the
Baptist worshipped here and their present church is still called Mt. Horeb. It is
in the same vicinity although it is some distance from the original location.
The Marcella Woolen Mills, as did other industries of this time, issued script
money with the picture of the State Capitol on one side and face value, with
the name of the one issuing the money, on the other side.
The equipment with the exception of small fire arms, of some six hundred
men in the 23rd regiment of the Tennessee Volunteers was supplied by the
mills during the Civil War. Also supplied quite unintentionally was the Union
army which helped it self in carrying away wagon loads of shoes, boots, and
all the spun material they needed. Mr. C.D. NOWLIN recalls in one of his
letters that a negro slave, “Old Nelson”, who died forty years ago in Mt.
Pleasant, said that the Union army took as many as one hundred wagon
loads which, at the age of sixteen, he was forced to help load. Old Nelson
estimated that the goods taken would probably have been worth some one
hundred thousand dollars.
In 1863 Federal troops came through and burned all deeds and tax receipts.
Later when the proper papers of ownership could not be produced upon
demand, the carpetbaggers sold about 4, 000 acres of the estate for less than
three thousand dollars.
Marcella Falls survived the war and operations continued with a decline in
both production and profit. The coming of the railroad to Ethridge and Brace
in 1883, drove commerce away from Marcella and later in 1889, even the
U.S. Postal Service was moved form the Falls and relocated in Ethridge
because of the railroad.
After the holdings passed from the Williams and Nowlin families, a company
known as the Marcella Falls Manufacturing Company began operations
(Alfred Ogilvie WILLIAMS remained as Superintendent). There are still
descendants of the HIGDONS, SCHRADERS, and DISHONGHS, who were
superintendents of this business, living in this area. Horace DISHONGH of
West Point has some of the old machinery they used and a few years ago, it
was till in running order.
The turn of the century saw the last of Marcella Falls Industries with the
exception of the lumber and saw mill business. During the time from 1900 to
1915, there was U.S. Stave and Lumber Company operated by Frank
WHEELER and Earnest WALKER. Also, there were various timber tracts
sold and a mill would be in operation just long enough to process the lumber.
After this time, even the lumber mills died out.
E. Dan SMITH purchased the estate in the early 1920’s. He never lived there
but, in 1925, he did convert the Falls swimming pool and picnic area. He did
this for the benefit of his family and friends to be used as a summer retreat.
Much to his disappointment, however, he had created quite an attraction and
people throughout this area made Marcella the destination of many a Sunday
afternoon drive. After several years, Smith became tired of this invasion of
privacy and sold out.
During the next twenty years there were numerous tenants of Marcella. The
BAKER family lived there several years during this time and is responsible for
the reference still made in the community to Marcella as the old Baker place.
In the early 1950’s after a period of vacancy, the house in need of repair, was
bought and renovated by the first cousin of this writer, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph
BENSON. They had purchased the property several years earlier.
In remodeling the original A.O. WILLIAMS home, which they now occupy, the
Bensons shingled the outside and added additional rooms. The inside of the
old portion, however, remains the same including the beautiful hand carved
stairway and the old logs, which are not covered.
Postmasters who served Marcella Falls:
This list is taken from Lawrence County Historical Society Bulletin #6,
November 1953. PMG indicates appointment was by the Postmaster
General.
Geo. B. DISHOUGH, PMG, Oct. 9, 1867
Wm. J. MULLINS, PMG, July 31, 1868
A.O. WILLIAMS, PMG, July 22 1874
J. Milton PARKER, PMG, Mar. 27, 1884
Ella RENFRO, PMG, Oct. 19, 1885
Changed Nov. 8, 1985 to MARCELLA
Mary HIGDON, PMG, Nov. 8, 1895
Discontinued Jan. 15, 1896, moved to Brace and
Re-established May 6, 1896
Alva C. CLAYTON, PMB, May 6, 1896
David WILEY, PMG, Nov. 14, 1896
Hezekiah M. JONES, PMG, Jan. 23, 1897
Discontinued Oct. 21, 1903, moved to Ethridge.
Lawrence County Historical Society, Bulletin 1953-1972, Vol. I
On Sept. 17, 1852, Joshua K. SPEER deeded 3-3/5 acres to John WOOD,
William WHITE, W.B. ROPER and Joshua K. SPEER as Trustees for the
Mount Horeb Academy “upon which is built and standing a brick house called
and known by the name of Mount Horeb Academy, together with all the
appertencances attached thereto” and saying “To have and to hold the same
for the specific and expressed purpose of keeping and carrying on an
Academy or school for the encouragement of learning.” (See Deed Book “L”,
pp. 436-7, Register’s Office, Lawrenceburg, TN) And at July term, 1854,
Robert T. RICHEY, Joseph H. STRAYHORN, James R. DICKEY, Benjamin
WILLIAMS, Alfred O. WILLIAMS were appointed Trustees of Mount Horeb
Academy to replace William WHITE, W. B. ROPER, and John WOOD, who
had removed from the state.
Lawrence County Historical Society Bulletin #12, pg. 12
We have been informed that the huge oak, still standing at Marcella Falls,
was once called the “Council Tree,” Indian tribes having held their councils
there.
Mr. R. Millard BENSON and family are restoring the old mansion house at
Marcella Falls; this was one of the finest homes in northern Lawrence County
prior to the War Between the States, and for many years thereafter. Marcella
Falls was one of the thriving places in the county at one time, and boasted of
several industries, including the old Marcella Woolen Mills. The machinery
from the old woolen mils there is now in the possession of the DISHONGH
family near West Point. The Dishongh family came to Marcella Falls about
1855, to operate the woolen mills for the William’s family who had established
the mills.
Excerpt from the LAWRENCEBURG PRESS, June 13, 1883, Jacob Leamon,
Editor and Propr.
Come to Tennessee
The Land of
Genial Climate
Cheap Farms, Fertile Soils,
And
Healthful Air
Her waters are pure as ever
Poured from Castalia’s
Fount
The following lands are offered for sale at the prices given.
No. 87 1285 acres 12 ½ miles north of Lawrenceburg. This property is near
the well known Marcella Falls and is well watered by good and abundant
springs. Chalybeate spring in 400 yards of the residence. There are acres
cleared land the balance timber, white oak, black oak and poplar. Frame
dwelling with three rooms, kitchen and dining room of 1 ½ stories, all the
necessary outhouses. There is also on the premises a tannery, with all the
conviences and modern improvements. A grist mill with two pairs of ___ and
saw mill. These building are all large and substantial frames and supplied
with all the modern improvements, nearly new. They are all run by the united
waters of two large springs that rise within two or three hundred yards and
furnish a full supply of water power, to propel all these machinery the entire
year. There are four tenant houses on the property. An exceeding desirable
property for those wanting such. Price $10,000