North Chattanooga was still mainly farmland as late as 1890. However, the construction of the Walnut Street Bridge would dramatically spur its development into homes and shops.
photo by David Moon collection
The Williams family once owned the future North Chattanooga.
There were various tracts left to his sons by George Washington Williams Sr., who died in 1832.
George Jr. and Samuel jointly held the home place that was on the river opposite Williams Island.
One of the younger sons, Silas, lived on the North Chattanooga farm directly across from Chattanooga with his young bride. This large tract was later to fall into the hands of Major John Cowart, a native of Virginia who was a farmer, merchant and ferry operator in the Ross's Landing days.
The young son, Jesse, did not stay long at the family's adopted home by the river. He went west at the time of the Indian Removal as did other family members. Then Silas died of an illness in the fall of 1843.
Nancy, the widow of Silas, recalled in a deposition that she had "been acquainted with the Williams all my life." She was from their former home in Paint Rock in Jackson County, Alabama.
Nancy, who by the time of the deposition had married a Gwinn, said after the death of George Williams Sr. "a settlement was made in Alabama in 1841. Silas, my husband, was to have the cattle, horses and hogs. Samuel and George was to have the Negro woman, the goods there were on hand, and the firm's debt. I have heard that they paid to Silas his interest in the home place by a tract of land of 80 acres now belonging to Major Cowart by Silas paying back his $150. The other heirs, John Baker and Henry Edwards, were paid $150 each. I cannot tell what was paid to Jesse.
"We moved up from Alabama after George W. Sr. died. We stayed a short time at George Williams. When we went to housekeeping we lived opposite to Chattanooga, the place now owned by Major Cowart. George Jr. moved to Lookout Valley and sold goods where Esq. Parker now lives."
A Williams lawsuit that was uncovered last year shows the differing temperaments of Silas and Jesse.
Col. James A. Whiteside observed, "Silas Williams was a very close hard trader and dealt with his brothers as with strangers."
He said after the death of George Sr. "Samuel tried to settle with Silas, but could not, but George had arranged it and could manage him. I told Samuel and he acquiesced to George's wish, and in a day or two he went and made the settlement (about Silas' share of the home place). He laughed about it and recapitulated the difficulty he and Samuel had with Silas."
Elijah Thurman, a close neighbor, said, "Silas Williams was complaining that George and Samuel were not going to pay him what was right for the home place. George said they had to pay him more than what was right or go to law with him. This was after the settlement had taken place. George said it was all settled up satisfactorily now. George said there would be no difficulty with Jesse about it - that Jesse was disposed to do what was right about it."
John Johnson recalled, "I was present when they settled their partnership business - G.W., Samuel and Silas. Silas kept all his land, his horses and his stock cattle. G.W. and Samuel got his drove cattle and his store books and notes and paid his county debts. I became acquainted with them in 1838 or 1839. I think Mr. Foster and Mr. Beason were at the settlement. Thomas Oxley may have been also."
Major John Cowart, in an interview on Jan. 16, 1852, said, "I lived about three fourths of a mile from their storehouse in Chattanooga and about four miles from G.W. Williams' house. A part of the time they both lived together. I still live at the same place. I have been a merchant 10 or more years. I have wound up, or helped to wind up, two businesses - that of Charles Sullivan and Williams, Black & Co. Samuel Williams and John L. Divine went into merchandising and stock trading. They were involved in cattle drives."
Major Cowart had married Cynthia Pack, who came from a distinguished lineage of Cherokee and Scot, in Alabama. When they began to occupy the North Chattanooga farm, there were only three other houses in that whole section. Cynthia Pack Cowart joined in the founding of the first Methodist church organized in Chattanooga. Major Cowart operated a farm that was considered "a model for its day."
The Cowarts resided in a house called "The Cedars" that was on the later Frazier Avenue not far from where the Walnut Street Bridge later had its north approach. The mansion had spacious halls and four large chimneys. The Frazier family resided at The Cedars until it burned on the afternoon of March 13, 1923.
Jesse Williams married Elizabeth Taylor. He lived in the Indian Country across the Mississippi until his death in 1870.
Cowart Street in South Chattanooga is named for John Cowart. Frazier Avenue is named for the Fraziers who later lived at "The Cedars."
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The links to the Williams papers on Sam Hall's website are here.