Polk County 1898

by Roy Lillard

In 1898, Polk County did not have a single bank. The City of Benton reported a population of 165, with seven general stores: Clemmer & Love, B.A. Green, G.W. Harbison, Mr. Harbison and Mr. Taylor also operated a hotel or boarding house. This information was supplied by R.G. Dun & Co. of N.Y. The places reported were not post offices, but sites of business locations, and were most generally general stores in the smaller communities. In the same year (1898) Cleveland reported a population of 2,863, while Charleston reported 394, and Calhoun reported 222 people living in that town.

Ducktown had a larger population than Benton, reporting a population of 221. Isaac Cloud operated a Livery, W.C. Styles watchmaker and jeweler, and general stores were operated by E.M. Kilpatrick & Son and C.K. Steward, Wertheim & Smith. Both the Ducktown Sulphur Copper & Iron Co. as well as the Pittsburg & Tennessee Copper Co. were in operation. Wright & Gamble also operated both a store and a hotel.

The people of Copperhill reported that they did their banking in Knoxville, a population figure was not given. Only three businesses were indicated: C.A. Amburn and Polk County were general stores, and the Pittsburg & Tennessee Copper Co. was in operation.

Parksville boasted of a population of 30, with general stores operated by W.S. Kimbrough (grandfather of Barton & Mary Sweeny and Frank Mitchell).

Conasauga had population of 50 individuals, and the general store was operated by J.W. Browder. Fetzerton, located in the Cookson’s Creek community had two general stores operated by G.W. Fetzer, and Isaac McClary. At this same time Farner had two stores: P. Wertheim and Mrs. C.E. Young. Mrs. Young is the only woman reported to have been in business at this time in Polk County.

Located at Isabella was the Mary Mines, as well as stores operated by William Bell, W.L. Harper, and the Isabella Grocery and Dry Goods Store.

The citizens of Wetmore did their banking at Madisonville, and reported only one store, Woody & Blackwell. The people of Reliance did their banking at Athens or Cleveland. J.D. Chamber & Son, and Noah C. Higdon (father Mrs. Edith Lillard and Mrs. Frank Rymer) operated stores at this location, while W.H. Johnson & Bros. operated a saw mill. Servilla at this time had four general stores operated by J.A. Hammons, E. Newton, C.J. Spourling and S.M. Waldrop.

Boyd Rymer, brother and sometime partner of Brad Rymer operated a general store at Rymer. T.A. Pannell and J. W. Tunnell operated stores at Patty.

At Heliotrope (a few miles above Conasauga) stores were operated by E.H. Davis, and E.A. Swann. T.H. Breen operated both a store and hotel at McFarland. The only store at Old Fort was operated by J.R. Pearce. At McCays five general stores were in operation in 1898.