Grape Grove Township

Grape Grove Township

Beginning at the section corner of sections twenty-two and twenty-threes and twenty-six and twenty-seven, township fifty-three, range twentyseven ; thence south to township line between townships fifty-two and fiftythree; thence east with township line to range line between ranges twenty-five and twenty-six; thence north to Caldwell county line; thence west to section corner of sections four and five, and thirty-two and thirty-three (the two latter in Caldwell county ), in range twenty-seven ; thence south to the section corner of sections twenty and twenty-one and twenty-eight and twenty-nine; thence east the space of two sections to the beginning corner.

The boundaries of this township have not been changed since its organization, forty-three years ago. It is in the northeastern part of the county, and contains, per census of 1880, a population of 3,091.

In that year, probably, William Tinney, John Hendricks, and others, settled in the northern part of the township. Nathan Tinney, who settled on the site of the present town of Tinney's Grove in 1840, was among the early settlers of Grape Grove township; and so, also, were the following persons: Samuel Grove and James Miller, from Virginia; John Alexander and John Brown, from Ohio; Mathew Hafterty, John Endsley, John Elliot, Roland Ralph and Arthur B. Ralph, from North Carolina; James Homan, Edward Saunderson, Perry Maupin, B. McCuistion and James McCuistion, from Tennessee; Levi McBee, from Ohio; Willis Boyce, James Linnev, Julius and Dr. Mattock, Pleasant and Layton Ewell, from Kentucky; and John Sidden and John Hendricks from, East Tennessee.

Among the early marriages, were John Sidden to Martha Maupin, in 1832; Austin Harlow to Susan Harlow, March 26, 1840, by James Tuggle, justice of the peace; and John McBee to Sarah Matheney, in 1846.

Among the early deaths: Mrs. William Tinney, who died in 1S32; Ellen Boyd, who died in 1839, and was buried at Tinney's Grove, and John Motherhead, who died in 1840.

The physicians who practiced in Grape Grove township at an early day, were Dr. George Kelly, who, after some years practice in Grape Grove, went to California; Dr. Roland Ralph, now - 1881 - a citizen of Albany, in this county; Dr. McFadden, from Kentucky, now in Kentucky; Dr. Nathaniel Davis, from Knox county, Tennessee, a graduate of Jefferson medical college, Philadelphia, and who is now - 1881 - an honored citizen of Richmond, Ray county, Missouri ; and Dr. Roberts, from Kentucky, who was killed at Millville in 1879 by one James Keyes.

Among the early ministers, who conducted religious worship in Grape Grove township, were Rev. Daniel Patton, of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. Services were held in a meeting house, constructed of logs, situated in township fifty-three of range twenty-seven. The house was torn down years, .ago; Andrew Jordan, also a Cumberland Presbyterian, preached in the same house; Rev. - Hatton, and Rev. Samuel Grove, of the M. E. Church, held services at Tinney's Grove, alternating between the residences of John Brown and Levi McBee, as places of divine worship.

A man named Barton, taught, perhaps, the first school at Tinney's Grove. He had but five or six pupils, and as he proved inefficient as a teacher, received nothing for his services, they being rendered, doubtless, to the detriment, rather than to the advancement of the children entrusted to his training.

Captain W. D. Fortune, now living in the vicinity of Tinney's Grove, was among the early teachers of Grape Grove township. He was a competent teacher, and is a worthy citizen.

The following is a description of a building in which school was taught at Tinney's Grove, at an early day: The house was quite small, built of logs, and had been used by its owner as a place in which to garner his corn. The corn was, of course, removed previous to the commencement of school; but why the flooring was also taken out, the writer was not informed, and can not imagine. The stick chimney had been torn down, and the aperture left open, to answer the purpose of a door. A multitude of cracks obviated the necessity of windows. Seats were prepared by placing narrow planks across the sleepers - and

Mrs. Winnegham and Mrs. Tinney were among the weavers of cloth and carpets; the settlers did their own domestic and industrial labor, and drew supplies, in the matter of groceries, principally from Lexington and Richmond.

Such is the early history of Grape Grove township. It has ever been the abode of a refined and moral community, and is now, 1881, in point of population, the third township in the county.