"On September 16, 1889, Arvy Glenn Freed, an alumnus of Valparaiso University in Indiana, became the first president of Southern Tennessee Normal College at Essary Springs, Tennessee, about 60 miles south of here. Enrollment grew from 72 the first year to 450 by 1893." Sam Hester
"Birthplace of Freed-Hardeman University"
Southern Tennessee Normal College, Essary Springs, Tenn. (1892)
The
Southern
Tennessee Normal
College
Essary Springs, Hardeman
County
Will Begin Sept. 18,
1892
The History of this College is
too well known to narrate. It has already surpassed the
expectations of its best friends. Over Four Hundred and
Fifty Students from Four States were enrolled the last
session. The prospects for future are flattering in the
extreme.
LOCATION. - We have the choice location of Southern Lands.
High, dry, and healthy. Pure Air. The best of mineral
water, free to students. The highest of Moral influences. A
nice quite, place, four miles south of Pocahontas on the
Memphis & Charleston R. R. This place was chosen by the
President for the building of an Ideal Normal College to
meet the crises of the hour.
COURSES OF STUDY. - Preparatory, Teachers', Scientific,
Business, English, Music, Type-writing, and Select.
All Branches taught from the Alphabet to the Classics.
EXPENSES. - Board, Rooms, Fuel, Lights, Washing, all
complete at $7 to $8 per month. Many of our best students
of for much less than these figures.
Tuition in preparatory Course from $1.50 to $2.50 per
month. Teachers', $3.20 per month. The other course, $3.50
per month. We guarantee these figures. All expenses of a
student need not exceed $10 to $12 per month. Tuition due
at the beginning of each ten weeks.
WE HAVE THE CHEAPEST SCHOOL IN THE SOUTH.
FACULTY. - Our Faculty is the strongest, -- the best that
can be secured. The Institution is Permanent, Reliable,
Progressive, Through, Practical, and suited in every
respect to meet the demands of young men and ladies in
securing an Education.
APPARATUS. - The Instition is now supplied with the lates
and best apparatus. A costly Surveying Outfit has been
secured. The student does actual field work. A fine
REMINGTON TYPEWRITER, No. 2, latest Model, has been added.
This machine is too well known to need commendation. A very
costly LIBRARY of the best Encyclopedias, Histories,
Anatomies, and General Literatures, is in daily use by the
students. Over one thousand square feet of the best
Blackboards. Charts, Globes, Maps, and alltha can be
desired to make a success of any subject.
WHEN TO COME. - Come at your first convenience. You will
find classes to meet your demands.
WHO SHOULD COME. - Age nor qualifications exclude no one.
You are sure to feel at home in your classes, it makes no
difference what your advancement may be.
BOOKS. - Bring all the text-books you have. You will need
them. All good authors are used, and none taken as
standard.
HOW TO REACH ESSARY SPRINGS. - From the West, by way of
Memphis and Grand Junction; from the East, by way of
Decatur and Corinth; students from the North and South will
change at those places on the Memphis & Charleston R.
R. for Pocahontas, where they will be met with conveyance
for the College. Write the President at what time you will
leave your homes.
The Institution is positively non-sectarian. Our students
are from almost all denominations, and we give them as
testimonials. Our Faculty is of different religious
beliefs.
The high moral stand for our students has no superior. They
are from the best families in the land, and govern
themselves.
Teachers, Students, Patrons, Friends, All: - We can not
tell you all in this little circular. We ask you to come
and see for yourself. We guarantee every word in this
circular, and know that we can do even better than here
represented. The reputation of the school is now
established. Its work is known. It shall be improved each
day. The College is now a reality.
We challenge competition, and willingly meet all
opposition. Can you not be with us? We hope to meet you in
the school-room, and shall do all in our power to advance
your welfare.
Come, we welcome you.
Write for particulars,
A. G. FREED, President
ESSARY SPRINGS, HARDEMAN CO., TENNESSEE
Do not forget the date of opening.
W Joe Offices
Corinth, Miss.?
David Nelms invited A. G. Freed to come to
Essary Springs to preach and start a school. He is buried
in the Essary Springs cemetery.
Known
attendees:
Richard Nelms, Cass Ross, Ella
Kennady, Ben Ragan, Albert Hudson, Nettie Moore, Cora
Bingham, (Mrs. A. G. Freed), Walter Kidd, Blake Nelms,
Charles Ijams
Allen
O. Lea
Allen O. Lea, , postmaster of Shreveport, La.,
is one of the best-known men in business, political and
social life in the northern section of the state.
He was born Aug. 8, 1876, in McNairy county, Tenn., and
reared in his native locality, he received a primary and
grammar school education at home; then entered the southern
Tennessee normal school, from which he graduated in 1895.
Continuing his studies, Mr. Lea matriculated in the law
department of Cumberland univesity, at Lebanon, Tenn., and
in 1897 was awarded his diploma. The same year of his
graduation as a lawyer was marked by his election, at the
age of 21, as the mayor of Selmer, Tenn., a public trust
which he ably filled during 2 years.
In 1899 Mr. Lea was appointed postmaster of Selmer, serving
in that official capacity to the year 1902, when he was
appointed office deputy United States marshal, and to fill
this position, he removed to Memphis, Tenn.
The following year he came to Shreveport, La., as chief
deputy United States marshal, which position he held about
6 years, and in 1910 he was appointed United States marshal
for the western district of Louisiana, which position he
resigned in Dec., 1910, to accept the place of postmaster
of Shreveport.
Mr. Lea is a member of the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce,
of the Genevieve Orphanage board, and member of the
Shreveport golf and country club.
James
Perrin Lowery
Geneva, Fla.
BIRTH: Ripley, Miss., Mar. 5, 1872
WIFE: Anna Hornsby
CHILDREN: Six
BAPTIZED BY: M. H. Northcross, July, 1892
BEGAN PREACHING: Wenasoga, Miss., 1893
TRAINING: Southern Tennessee Normal College, Essary
Springs, Tenn., B.S., University of Mississippi
CHURCHES SERVED: Senatobia and Thyatira, Miss., 1915-21,
McKellar Avenue, Memphis, Tenn., 1925-28, Monroe, La.,
1936-43
RELIGIOUS DEBATES: Lowrey-Dye, Methodist, "Name, Origin,
Doctrine. and Practice of the Church," 1916,
Lowrey-Milburn, Baptist, "Name, Origin, Doctrine, and
Practice of the Church," 1912, Lowrey-Taylor, Baptist,
"Name, Origin, Doctrine, and Practice of the Church," 1917
RADIO: Pine Bluff, Ark., Sanford, Fla.
PERMANENT CONTACT: Roy W. Nichols, Geneva, Fla.
OTHER FACTS OF INTEREST: Was student of A. G. Freed,
President, Southern Tennessee Normal College. Taught in
Freed-Hardeman College, 1908-15. Had a part in establishing
eighteen congregations in Southern states. Editor of Green
County Observer, Paragould, Ark.. for four years. Taught
eight years in public schools in Tenn., Miss., and Fla.
Most of his life has been spent in evangelistic in
destitute fields. For ten years he published
The Mississippi
Evangelist. Did evangelistic work in
Miss. when there were only three loyal preachers left after
the digression.
Preachers of Today, Vol.
I,
205-06
Rachel
B. Martindale
By 1889 Finn and Belle Martindale moved to Essary Springs,
Tennessee for the purpose of enrolling the eldest daughters
Rachel Bradford and Frankie in school.
Rachel B.(Bradford) and Francis Ann (Frankie) not only
attended school together in Tennessee but both became
engaged about the same time to brothers. Rachel was engaged
to Willis Heywood Watkins and Frankie was engaged to George
W. Watkins of Caruthersville, Missouri. But a funny thing
happened on the way to the alter for Rachel and Heywood
Watkins, it appears that Rachel's younger sister, Martha
Elizabeth, hijacked Heywood Watkins, and they eloped with
him to Missouri.
Ron Hughes
William
Robert Rutledge -- 1867-1952
He was
a member of the church of Christ at Tiplersville,
Miss. and father of James H. Rutledge. He is buried in the
Tiplersville, Miss. Cemetery which is located a few hundred
yards behind the Tiplersville church of Christ building.
Below, he is standing to the right of A. G. Freed.
1889
Graduating Class of the Southern Tennessee Normal College
Photo and names were
provided by Elsie Tapp, Houston, Tx
Back
row, left to right
(1)
Blaake Nelms (2) Richard Nelms? (3) Ben Ragan (4) _ (5) _
(6) Ike N. Rowland (7) Albert Hudson (8) Charlie Ijams
Middle
row, left to right
(1) __
(2) Walter Kidd (3) W. R. Rutledge (4) A. G. Freed (5) Cass
Ross (6) __ (7) Richard Nelms ?
Front
row, left to right
(1)
Cora Bingham (later Mrs. A. G. Freed) (2) __ (3) __ (4) __
(5) __ (6) Ella Kennady (7) Nettie Moore
He is buried
in the Tiplersville, Miss. Cemetery which is located a few
hundred yards behind the Tiplersville church of Christ
building. From Walnut, Miss., turn south on Highway 15 and
go about seven miles. Run right at the street before you
come to the Tiplersville church of Christ building. Go
about one mile and bear to the right. The cemetery is on
the left. This is the cemetery where Mrs. J. A.
Thornton is buried.
Isaac
Newton Roland
I.
N. Roland -- 1868-1950
C. P.
Roland's grandparents were Isaac Newton
and Marilda Stewart Roland of Middleton, Tenn. He operated
a woodcraft shop. He died when his son, who was also named
Isaac Newton Roland, was only twelve years old. In 1888 he
entered a school newly established by A. G. Freed at nearby
Essary Springs, Tenn. and was in this school's first
graduating class, that of 1889. Later he took additonal
studies, completing the quivalent of about three years of
college at the West Tennessee Normal, the forerunner of the
present Memphis State University.
In the Freed school at Essary Springs, I. N. Rowland met
the woman who presently became his wife and the mother of
C. P. Roland. She was Mary Margaret Nelms. The Nelms became
members of the church of Christ in 1872, being converted by
T. B. Larimore.
After his graduation, I. N. Roland became a teacher in the
Freed school. After Freed came to Henderson, I. N. Roland
re-established the Essary Springs institution and kept it
in operation for many years. In 1925, he joined the faculty
at Freed-Hardeman and taught until he retired in 1939.
Dr. Charles Roland, Feb. 4, 1968, from Walking Down Memories
Lane by
Grace Roland
1889
Graduating Class of the Southern Tennessee Normal College
Photo and names were
provided by Elsie Tapp, Houston, Tx
Back
row, left to right
(1)
Blaake Nelms (2) Richard Nelms? (3) Ben Ragan (4) _ (5) _
(6) Ike N. Rowland (7) Albert Hudson (8) Charlie Ijams
Middle
row, left to right
(1) __
(2) Walter Kidd (3) W. R. Rutledge (4) A. G. Freed (5) Cass
Ross (6) __ (7) Richard Nelms ?
Front
row, left to right
(1)
Cora Bingham (later Mrs. A. G. Freed) (2) __ (3) __ (4) __
(5) __ (6) Ella Kennady (7) Nettie Moore
J.
Stricklin
J. T.
Stricklin was born Nov. 3, 1870 in Hardeman County, Tenn.
He was educated in the public school and Southern Tennessee
Normal College.
He began teaching school while a young man, and has taught
successfully in Alabama and Texas. Hearing so much false
doctrine taught, he began preaching in Alabama in 1901. He
came to. Texas In 1903 and has preached a great deal in he
has been successful. At present he is one of the teachers
in the Thorpe Springs Christian College. He continues to
preach as he can in connection with the school work.
Preachers Who Blazed the
Trail by C. R. Nichol
Kinchen
Langston Rose -
1820-1898
Kinchen Langston Rose was the
eleventh child of James and Jerusha McLawhorn Rose. His
father died when he was eight years old, after which he
migrated with a number of families to Hardeman County,
Tennessee. This movement of families over the "Smokies"
from North Carolina into Tennessee was known as the "Great
Migration." Besides farming a large farm he also preached
and taught school. His church was The Disciples of Christ.
Reverend Rose was married three times: first wife was Jane
Covington, second wife was Susan Covington, they had one
son. Third wife was Jeannette Cherry, by whom he had six
boys and one girl. He offered his children schooling or a
good horse, saddle, and bridle.
All chose schooling, and they all taught
afterwards. They attended the Southern Tennessee Normal at
Essary Springs nearby, and were inspired by the teachings
of Dr. Freed.
From the book, Some Pioneer Preachers and
Teachers of Tennessee by Rosalie Ausmus Keever,
1974.