The Website home of Karl Bullock

The man stood near the narrow tracks watching the approaching train, a mixed train carrying passengers and freight. He seemed restless, eager for excitement, boldly confident that he could handle whatever of whoever the train brought this loading day.

The corral just south of the depot was full of bawling cattle that the farmers had brought to send to market. People hurried from Tapp's store to line the east side of the tracks as the train whstle blew for the crossing. On the west side, McCown's store and the drug store were also emptied in time to see the long train stop as the cattler cars neared the corral. The passenger cars were halted at the depot and those getting off at this station were quickly absorbed into the crowd of waiting friends and relatives.

Near the track the waiting man began th pace up and down the length of the cars daring any of the passengers to get off and fight.

"Come on off and fight! What's the matter? Afraid? You'd better be! I can whip any d--- man on the train!"

Indeed it was no idle brag; it was well-known in the community and surrounging area that he was quite a fighter and was quite able and willing to back up his words.

A well-dressed businessman sat on the first seat of the passenger car quietly observing the would-be fighter. After a long while, he stood solemnly and laid his brief case on the seat. He took off his coat and tie, folded them neatly and placed them beside th case. Calmly he descended the steps of the coach, looked over the crowd and asked, "Where is the fellow so anxious to fight?"

The crowd formed a small circle as the two came together. A real bare fist fight followed and when the dust cleared the fighter was left stretched out flat on the ground. The crowd roared with laughter as the businessman brushed himself off, climbed back aboard the train, put on his coat and tie and sat down quietly as the train rolled away from the station.

Stories like this are frequently told of the early history of Falkner, Mississippi, showing that it "was somewhat like the frontier towns in the West back in the two decades before 1900."¹ Feuds and killings in the late 1800's gave credence to this wild West reputation which persisted for many years.²

Falkner has also benn known as a community where some of the best people anywhere lived. These people are the kind who belive in God, who love and help their neighbors, and who work together to benefit the community.

Falkner is located in the heart of Tippah County, eight miles north of Ripley on highway 15. The G. M. & O. Railroad runs through the older business district. Falkner is in a wide-level valley with rich dark loamy soil suitable for growing cotton, corn and other garden vegetables. The altitude of 460 feet makes this town one of the highest in Mississippi.³ Climate is quite varied but not extreme. Temperatures of 32 degrees of lower occur on an average of 65 days per year, and temperatures of 90 degrees or higher occur on an average of 75 days per year. Below zero temperatures are quite rare and above 100 degree readings are unusual. The average frost-free period is 220 days per year. Record high temperature is 108 degrees; record low is -10 degrees. Average precipitation is 54 inches per year; about 26 inches falls during the growing season. Measurable snow falls about tree winters out of four. There is a risk of tornados about once every six years of of hailstorms once in twelve years.⁴

In the early 1800's the Falkner area was a vast wilderness with a few small patches of cultivated land. The nearest town was the now extinct town of Ruckersville, three miles east of Falkner. This town was settled in 1842 by John and Daniel Finger and first called Finger's Cross Roads, from its location where the Ripley and Pocahontas and Salem public roads cross. Dr. Charles Rucker, an able physician, established a drug store here and the town took his name. Fant, Gibbs & Co. did a thriving business along with two other stores and a second drug store.⁵After the railroad went through Tippah County, the settlement gradually shifted to near the railroad and the town became extinct by 1900. "Early settlers at Ruckersville included Abner McCoy, Joseph Jamieson, Reverand William Gray, V. A. Boyd, and Dr. E. M. Alexander."⁶The Ruckersville area is now used to designate a residential area and voting precinct in the general vicinity of the old town east of the Falkner city limits.

"About 1855 the Richard Hopper and Abner McCoy families moved into the area of what is now Tiplersville, four miles northeast of Falkner."⁷This village on highway 15 and the railroad consists today of two churches, a general store, a service station-garage, a cotton gin, a feed mill, a small cafe and a post office. At one time there was a school, but the old brick building now stands vacant.

The history of the town of Falkner and the Ripley railroad are inseparable; the railroad seems to be the primary reason for the location of the town.

It was largely due to the determination and perseverance of this one man that on Thursday, August 29, 1872, at nine A.M., about 700 people boarded two trains and nineteen flat cars at Middleton, Tennessee and traveled the twenty-six miles of new track to Ripley, Mississippi. "The only station of interest between Middleton and Ripley is 'Faulkner^9a Station,' (sic) named after Colonel Faulkner (sic), by a vote of the board of directors..."¹⁰of the Ripley Railroad.

People lined the tracks for miles to welcome this little train reputed to be the first of this type in America. "It was also the only narrow-gauge railroad used as a common carrier in the State of Mississippi at any time."¹¹

This narrow gauge railroad paved the way for a standard gauge railroad which was completed in 1905.

In the early thirties the unheard of Diesel engines came into existence, bringing to the railroad the "Rebel" train, which was acclaimed far and wide. These excursion trains were the ultimate in luxury with stewardesses, relclining chairs, and air-cooling. They were crowded with passengers each excursion. Then as automobiles became more common and rail transporation declined, the Rebels were taken off and the "Doodlebug" substitutied. This was a small one-coach train which provided passenger service for several years.¹²Today the trains that run through Falkner are all freights. "The present Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad appears to have fulfilled the dreams of Colonel Falkner as it extends from the Gulf to the Great Lakes."¹³

"Colonel Falkner, Lawyer, author financier and war veteran, had a life as interesting as that of his road."¹⁴ He was born in Knox County, Tennessee, July 6 1826. In his boyhood his parents moved to Saint Genevieve, Missouri, where his father died."¹⁵ Around 1842 young Falkner left home and came to Mississippi to visit and eventually make his home with an uncle, John wesley Thompson, who became a prominent lawyer and judge.

During the Mexican War Falkner "enlisted as a private in the Tippah Guards (later a part of the Second Mississippi Infantry), was stationed at Vicksburg and New Orleans, went to the mouth of the Rio Grande and ascended the Matamores....". When the Tippah Guards returned home, Lt. Falkner (for which he had been commissioned) is said to have exhibited "War Wounds" of questionable character. Falkner explained "he was ambushed by 'guerrilios' while going from Monterrey to a place caled Aguas Calientes, (which was strictly off limits, incidentally)."¹⁶

Falkner returned to Ripley, read law in his uncle's office and began to practice. Falkner, a small man, "had a clear, alert mind, and a flow of fiery and eloquent oratory that enabled him to sway audiences - including judges - by his personal magnetism as well as his lucid marshalling of facts and arguments."¹⁷

In 1847 Falkner married Miss Holland Pearce. The next year she died after bearing him a son, John W. T. Falkner, (1848-1922), the grand-father of the novelists William and John Faulkner.¹⁸

"He married a second time to Miss elizabeth Houston Vance, of Alabama, the marriage occurring in 1853." To them were born the following children: William henry, Willie M. (Mrs. N. O. Carter), Bene L. (Mrs. Walter McLean), effie (Mrs. A. E. Davis) and two children, Vance and Elizabeth, who died quite young.¹⁹

Falkner's first known literary attempt was in 1845 when he wrote the life story of a confessed murderer named A. J. McCannon. In 1852 he wrote a tiny book of 131 pages, 464 stanzas of verse, entitled The Siege of Monterrey. In 1880-81 he wrote The White Rose of Memphis, a melodramic novel, which sold 160,000 copies and ran through thirty-five editions.²⁰

In 1861, at the beginning of the Civil war, Falkner was instrumental in organizing a volunteer company of infantry, the Magnolia Guards, which were incorporated into the Second Mississippi Infantry at Corinth. Falkner was elected Colonel of the Regiment.²¹ After the defeat at the battle of Hernando, Colonel Falkner sent in his resignation to be effective October 31, 1863. "he was idolized by many of his soldiers,...and it cannot be denied that he did a good job under most difficult conditions..."²²

Colonel Falkner was shot by his business associate, R. J. Thurmond, on November 6, 1869, election day, just after Colonel Falkner had verified his election to the State Legislature.²³ "The bullet lodged in Falkner's throat and no way found to extract it, his throat continued to swell..." so that about eleven o'clock the next night he choked to death.²⁴ He is buried in Ripley, Mississippi beside the railroad he built. A monument, which is said to be a perfect likeness of the Colonel, was erected in about 1892 and still stands in the Ripley cemetery.²⁵

Early records show the existence of a settlement near the Falkner station very soon after the railroad was completed. "Thomas Grace owned the land north of Falkner and the town was to be built on his land, but he would not sell a right-of-way for the railroad or for the town so Captain W. W. Rutherford gave the land for the railroad.... A deed dated March 4, 1874,²⁷ conveys two acres of land from W. W. Rutherford and R. J. Thurmond to the Ripley Railroad. On April 2, 1874 "an Act to incorporate the Town of Faulkner (sic), in the Count of Tippah" was approved in the State Legislature.²⁸ A very well-drawn plot of the town of Falkner was recorded soon after February 18, 1881 (no date was given, but the preceding page was recorded on this date).²⁹ There was an addition to the original plot recorded in August, 1920.³⁰

The 1874 incorporation date is not remembered by any of the older citizens contacted to date, so this remains unexplained in light of the "Charter of Incorporation of the Village of Falkner" recorded July 23, 1903 which covers approximately the same territory. A petition to Governor A. H. Longino on June 15, 1903, requesting a proclamation declaring the village of Falkner an incorporated municipality was presented "in accordance with the provision of Chapter 93 of the Code of 1892...."³¹ This date, 1892, has been referred to as the year Falkner was first incorporated.^32,33 However, the legal date of the charter according to this document in July 18, 1903, the date the seal of the state was affixed by Governor A. H. Longino.

"The officers for said incorporation: J. E. Cox, mayor; W. E. Tupp, marshal; and J. T. Keith, treasurer; and for the aldermen - B. M. Conner, A. L. McCowan, and J. H. Pearce." This petition was signed by the above men and the following: E. Tapp, E. C. Harrison, P. Tapp, W. L. McCowan, H. L. Welch, J. W. Murphy, Nelso Bell, J. E. Wright, E. T. Adams, Walter Wright, T. J. Moore, Will Tiler, J. M. Rutherford, W. F. Keith, L. Wright and J. C. Wright. The petition also claimed 112 inhabitants and twenty-five qualified voters living within the boundaries given.³⁴

A proclamation "abolishing the Incorporated Village of Falkner, Tippah County, Mississippi" was signed by Governor Dennis Murphree and Secretary of State Walker Wood, on June 15, 1927. This proclamation states that "a petition by a majority of the qualified electors of the Village of Falkner, Tippah, Mississippi" had been presented to the governor asking that the "classified status of said Incorporation be abolished; and that the Charter incorporating the said village by nullified...." The petition also certified that the village then had less than one huncred habitants.³⁵

Though not the official reason stated for abolishing the incorporation, it is said that this was done to avoid paying the cost of building highway 15 through the city limits. The town die not have the money, and many people who did not see the importance of this road opposed the project. Yet, "there was not a foot of improved road, not eve a gravel road in the county before the construction of the highway."³⁶

The highway cut through the large farms of John E Hefley, M. J. Jefley, Bob Renfrow, Le McCown and Tom Lancaster. An interesting fact about the John S. Hefley farm is that is has been owned by one family longer than any other land in Tippah County. The indians sold this 32o acres to a land company which sold it to a McClain family who sold it to the great-grandfather of Ernest Hefley, who still owns part of this original tract of land.³⁷

Having the charter annulled was probably unnecessary; the town may not have been required to bear the highway expense and the growth could have been far ahead of present status. In retrospect, it seems it was a mistake to let the charter go, and then to wait so long to incorporate again.³⁸

On Aprile 18, 1969, a petition was filed in Chencery Court, Ripley, Mississippi, requesting the territory "to be know as the Town of Falkner, Mississippi...be incorporated and constituted and established as a municipality...." The city limits would include approximately 280 in habitants and approximately 682.9 acres with assessed valye of real property being about $63,400.00. Proposed municipal officers were listed as: Mayor, Russell Richardson; Aldermen, Elton F. Bullock; Hillman Hopper; Harmon Griffin, Jr.; Roy Miskelly; and Ross Gay. One hundred thirty-nine qualified voters signed the petition.³⁹

On May 31, 1969, William H Anderson, Chancellor, decreed under the provisions of Section 3374-01 Mississippi Code Annotated 1942 (Recomp.) that the incorporation of the Town Falkner, MIssissippi into a municipality be granted. ^40,41

Through the years Falkner has been a good business town. Lifelong residents report many businesses of various types. Reference to a "Taylor's store" in a Southern Sentinel article, December 6,1894, is the earliest authenticated record of a business in the Falkner town area. It was located west of the railroad, just south of today's Gulf Station. The Rutherfold brothers were reported to have constructed a store on the west side of the railroad soon after it was built.⁴² R. W. Rutherford lived at Falkner in 1894; his brother, Jim M., was sheriff and they may have been partners in the store R. W. had west of Falkner where the old road wound back south toward what is now highway 370. (The location is across highway 370 from where the Ray Jackson home is now.)

On further west of Rutherford's was the S. S. Finger business, reportedly one of the largest in the county. It required at least two wagons constantly going and coming from Falkner with merchandise.⁴³ Mr. Finger is said to have become a partner around 1906 in the Walter Tapp store located just east of the delpt in the frame building which today houses the W. L. Jamieson business.⁴⁴

Bill Ayer's store, located just west of the railroad (near where the Ellis Rogers home is today), is pinpointed by current residents as the first business in town.⁴⁵ Pink Tapp's store was just east of this location at the same time of the Tapp & Finger store across the railroad. Another contemporary in 1906 was the mercantile business and hotel owned by Berry Conner. This large two story frame structure was just across the old road east and a little south from Tap & Finger's. In the early 1900's, the post office was in this building and Berry Conner was postmaster. Across the road north of Tapp & Finger's was a sawmill owned by W. E. Tapp and John Nance. Rufus Wilson was the driver of oxen to the sawmill. His unusual methods of moving these slow animals are still remembered.. When the oxen would "sull" and lie down, rufus would hold a lighted match to their noses until they jumped up ready to go again.⁴⁶ Rufus is also remembered as the first person in town to buy a bicycle.⁴⁷

Eubert Welch had a livery stable next to his residence north of the Baptist church. Mr. Welch took drummers (traveling salesmen) all over the surrounding country in a buggy. In 1909 a tornado hit the town and killed his livery team. The school across the railroad and south form the livery stable was destroyed and the top was blown off the Pink Tapp store.⁴⁸

There were two grist mills in town, one located in Nick Merritt's blacksmith shop east of the Tapp & Nance sawmill, and the other in the cotton gin.⁴⁹

Since Falkner is "situated in the best agricultural district in the county"⁵⁰ this cotton gin has been an important factor in the economy throughout its history. The first cotton gin was next to the railroad on the west side in front of the Methodist church property. This gin was fierst owned by the Wright brothers, Jim, Walter and Luther; later it belonged to D. T. Braddock. The present gin was first owned by Wilis Rogers and Vernis McElwain. E. W. McMillin, who now owns the gin, bought it after his gin in north Falkner burned in 1957. The Street hotel, organ, piano and general merchandise business, which was totall destroyed by fire, originally occupied todayh's site of the McMillin gin across the railroad east of the first gin site.⁵¹

Cattle have always been big business in this area. Years ago, Mr. Will Alvis from Ripley rode a bit bay horse through the country buying cattle by the head. He was a very repuptable cattle man and respected for his honesty and astute judgment. He would set a day for loading these cattle on box cars which would be set off for that purpose. Callte were brought to the corral south of the depot in time for loading day. This appointed day was the time many people came to town to do their shopping, watch the cattle loading and see who came in on the train.⁵²

On the east part of the area originallhy enclosed by the corral, adjoining buildings were built. A restaurant was in the northwest part where the post office is today. In the northeast part was the first bank location. The whole south side of the building was occupied by the W. F. Rogers and Son store.

The Falkner drug store owned by Sam Roach was west of the railroad beside Pink Tapp's store. Harding Hopper, who owned it next, sold to N. L. Jamieson and the Gay brothers, Alvis, J. T. and Ross. This building was enlarged and became a huge business selling everything form food to tractors. In the late 1920's this business and the Pink Tapp building burned to the ground. Mr. Tom Gay, the boys' father, was the rural mailcarrier for years. He died shortly before the fire, so Mrs. Gay began the business again as E. M. Gay store across the track in the building originally used by the E. E. Hill mercantile business located between D. T. Braddock (formerly Tapp & Finger's) and the post office/bank building. After Mr. Rogers died his son, Ellis, became postmaster; Mrs. Gay, with sons, J. T. and Ross, moved into the larger Rogers location. Alvie Gay had died and his wife, Ethel, ran the business at the former location for some time. The Gay brothers had also begun a trucking business; J. T. operated the store and Ross ran their trucking business. They operated thriving businesses jointly for years, then eventually the sold their interests so each owned the business he operated. In March 1963, shortly before his death, J. T. Gay sold the mercantile business to Tate Rutherford who operates it today. The Ross Gay family continues to operate the trucking business which has grown into the widely known Gay Truck Lines with headquarters in Memphis and Falkner. A truck terminal is now being constructed on highway 15 just south of Falkner.⁵³

John R. Jamieson, a contemporary of J. T. Gay, was in the service station over thirty years in Falkner. He owned a station where the bank now is until 1940 when he bought land next to the school on highway 15 and built a station and home. He built the present modern building in 1951 to accommodate his growing trade. After his death in 1960, his son, Wayne, operated the station for years. ⁵⁴

Another long-time store owner was Mrs. Tish Davis who ran a store in the old McCown building for over fifteen years until her death this year. Vance Hill, John James, and Lester Cox had all been in business in the same building before Mrs. Davis.⁵⁵

The Bank of Falkner has played a very important role in the economy of the town. "The charter of incorporation of the Bank of Falkner was filed in the office of Chancery Clerk in Ripley, April 13, 1923. The original capital stock was fixed at $10,000.00. A list of the original stockholders who signed for the applicaton for incorporation included D. T. Badddoc, T. A. Jamieson, E. J. Fryar, Lee Cox, A. L. Conner, T. W. Peeler, W. E. Tapp, B. W. Elliott, E. E. Hill, T. L. Gay, J. E. Pearce, J. A. Balch, J. H. Welch, John H. Richardson, and C. E. Day. W. E. Clemmer, well-known Tippah County banker, was the fist president of the bank. A. L. Conner became president in 1929 and served until his death in 1945. Mr. Conner was also postmaster for many years. E. W. McMillin, who began his connection with the bank in September, 1925, succeedded Mr. Conner as president, and continued in that capacity until 1970, when his son, James W. McMillin was named president and he became chairman of the board."⁵⁶ Mrs. Juanita Cross, granddaughter of Mr. Conner, is the vice president of the bank, Helen J. McMilling (Mrs. E. W. McMillin, Jr.), cashier, and Thomas E Pegram is the bank attorney. Other members of the Board of Directors are: Hillman Hopper, Lee Earl Hill, Mrs. T. W. Braddoce, W. E. Tatum, Sr., and Ross Gay.⁵⁷ Alvis Hopper is a long-time employee of the bank, having worked there since 1951.

In 1952 the bank moved out of the first location in the post office building to a new brick structure across the road north from the Pink Tapp site. An addition to this building now accommodates recent growth. On April 4, 1972, a new branch bank, Bank of Falkner Ripley Office, was formally opened on highway 15 just north of the corporate limites of Ripley.

Until the 1969 incorporation of Falkner, this was the largest bank in the United States located in an unincorporated community. Assets have steadily increased to a present total in excess of $5,000,000.00.⁵⁸

Falkner's oldest living citizen is Mrs. Alice Conner, wife of the early bank president, A. L. Conner. On October 8, 1972, Mrs. Conner will be 103. On her one hundred second birthday she was able to attend servcies at Falkner Baptist Church where she is a charter member.

Falkner's first post office was ini Pink Tapp's store, probably around 1835; Mr. Tapp was the agent. When the Republicans were in office (1889-1893) Mrs. Ella Jordan Maddox became postmistress and the post office was move to McCown's store. Mr. McCown "minded the post office."⁵⁹ During the next Democratic administration the post office was again relocated in Conner's store; Mr Berry Conner served as postmaster until his death. His son, Albert, then received this appointment and the post office was moved to the former restaurant location where it is today. Mr. Albert Conner also served as president of the bank in an adjoining part of the building. There was just a pertition between the two. J. E. Rogers became postmaster in 1946; at his death Mrs. J. E. Rogers received the appointment and served until her retirement in 1967. Mrs. Opal Richardson has been postmistress since that time.⁶⁰

For many years Mr. Clarence Childers has been rural mailcarrier from Falkner. Former mailcarriers were Mr. Tom Gay and Mr. John Richardson.

Dr. Epps Pegram (grandfather of the McMillin brothers) was the first remembered doctor living in Falkner. He had an office just north of the Walter Tapp store in the late 1800's. His home east of the Baptist church was later the home of Dr. J. E. Pearce who had an office in Falkner on the south side of McCown's store in the early 1900's.⁶¹ Dr. Pearce is well remembered for the many housecalls he made on horseback. He had four sone who also became doctors. Dr. W. H. Street had a dental office in with Dr. Pearce for a while, but later moved to Ripley where he practiced for many years until his death. Dr. J. H. Pearce's father, Dr. Lawrence Shas Pearce, born April 1, 1847, was one of the earliest doctors in Tippah County. He moved to Falkner in 1874 where he practiced until about four years before his death in 1955.⁶² "Old Dr. Pearce had his office about three miles west of Falkner on what is now highway 370. His son, Dr. Lew Pearce, had an office with his for a time. His son, John, was once County Superindendent of Education. Three Pearce children still live at Falkner; Mr. Sims Pearce, Mrs. Elisa Durbin, and Mrs. Erin Wright.

Dr. Bruce Marsh practiced here throught the 1920's living west of Falkner at the home later owned by E. L. Miskelly. In 1928 he built a home where the W. A. Tates home how stands and practiced for a few years until this home burned. He then moved to Ripley where his son, Marlin, was also in medical practice.⁶³

Through the years, "Trade Day" has been a custom followed by the people at Falkner and all over Tippah County. The first trade day was Monday, July 2, 1893, after the Sentinel advertisement for everyone who had anything "to sell, buy, or swap" to come to Ripley.⁶⁴ This has become a monthly custom now called "First Monday."

Another event attended by Falkner people was the annual school "Field Day" held in Ripley each spring. The railroad company made up a special train which when south early in the morning picking up people from Brownfield to Ripley, and returned north late in the afternoon. Sheriff Frank Rogers and Deputy Ellis Rogers had problems maintaining order on the train. After trying several methods, they picked out some of the "meanest men in Falkner, Tiplersville and Walnut communities and appointed them as deputy sheriffs to keep order on the train...; there was perfect order."⁶⁵

Falkner of about forty years ago was a village of old frame buildings and had streets or roads that were impassable during much of the winter. There was quite a bit of crime and for this reason Miss Jalie Richardson accepted the appointment as marshall in 1930 and did a good job maintaining order.⁶⁶ "Miss Richardson insisted she never locked anybody up. She turned prisoners over to the mayor for transportation to jail at Ripley. Her protection during those years was an automatic pistol." "We had a lot of arrests for drinking, disturbing the peace, and bootlegging," she recalls, but she said she never caught any gamblers because they were always off in the swamps or hills.⁶⁷ Gambllers once frequented the empty box cars in town, but Miss Jalie didn't hesitate to check them so the gamblers were forced to vacate.⁶⁸ She declared, "at one time there were a lot of mean boys here, but people generally exaggerated how bad they were. We had the bad, but we had the good, too. We've still got the good."⁶⁹

"Before liquor laws were passed Falkner had two saloons, and the town was noted for its hilarious fights, with people coming for miles around to see the fights which occurred every Saturday night."⁷⁰ In 1936 the sale of beer was stopped thorughout the county within three miles of any school or church by order passed by Tippah County Board of Supervisors.⁷¹ It is still illegal to sell any alcoholic beverage in the county. No doube this has been a factor in the diminishing of the "tough" reputation.

A community spirit of enthusiastic cooperation is one of the greatest assets the town has. This is especially evident in the building of the school system which is today the highest rate school in the county.

Early schools were privately owned and usually small. A prominent school was Chalybeate Springs Academy located northeast of Falkner aboutn seven miles. It was started in 1889 by selling shares in the academy. "There were springs in the neighborhood of the school building, the water from which contained a mineral known as chalybeate and this was the origin of the name."⁷² After 1900 the McKinstry family purchased the schoold and operated it for several years as a private institution with J. J. McKinstry as principal.⁷³ About 1914 the property was bought from the McKinstrys and a state agricultural high school was established; it reached its peak during the eleven years (1920-1931) J. C. Trussell served as superintendent. This was the only high school in the county though elementary schools were scattered in various commmunitites - Walnut, Falkner, Ripley, Pine Grove, Dumas and Blue Mountain.⁷⁴

Schools in the Falkner area were small schools in each direction of the town. Holly School was about two miles southeast (near the Roy Elliott home), Hopper school was south (near Rile Hurt's shop), Norton school on further south, Mt. Zion school southeast near the church site, Cooper Hill school west, and Chalybeate northeast.

Cooper Hill seems to be the school which was the beginning of Falkner school. Cooper Hill was first near the site Ansel Cross's home occupies today. Later, in the shift of population, the Cooper Hill school relocated near the site of the Frank Walter home. Evidently some of the "Old Cooper Hill School" students moved to Falkner around 1895 and a school was started in a small building located north of where the bank now stands.

David R. Childers taught in several of these early schools and he is often spoke of as the old school teacher genius. His brilliance was widely recognized.⁷⁵ People from far and near came to get him to work problems and translate foreign languages. He is known to have been offered a position in a college in Philadelplia by a college official who was impressed by the academic record Mr. Childers had made in the Georgia college he attended. However, Mr. Childers was somewhat less than ambitions, and did not wish to go to Philadelphia.⁷⁶

"At this time there was segregation of the sexes in the classroom and Albert Conner had managed somehow to get in the girls' section. Mr. Childers is often quoted as saying 'Come out from among the girls, scion of Berry and Mollie Conner.' Albert Conner had run away from the school taught in the Elliott community (Holly School) by Sidney O. Love, Sr. It was only after a thorough quizzing in grammar by Mr. Childers that Albert was finally admitted to Falkner School and later became Falkner's postmaster and bank president."⁷⁷

Another early teacher was Miss Tony Jordan who taught in Cooper Hill school for several years.⁷⁸

In 1907, perhaps even earlier, the Falkner school was an established public school, even though it was sometimes referred to as the "Kit Mitchell pay school." This name came from the fact that the state only paid for six months of school, so students paid tuition during September and October to make an eight months term. Mr. Mitchell, from Blue Mountain, Mississippi, was the teacher and he is credited with helping build the Falkner school in those beginning years.⁷⁹

After the 1909 tornado destroyed the school building (this same storm blew the top from Hopper school to Falkner), the community bonded together with little money and a lot of determination and rebuilt the school - a two story frame building.

In the late 1920's the school property was sold to Tom Peeler who contracted to build a new schoold building on the east side of the new highway, northwest of the Methodist church. Mr. Louis Reed is said to have been the last principal at the old location; he ma also have taught at the new site for a year.

During the 1930's the first school lunchroom program began. Mrs. J. T. Gay moved furniture out of one room of her home (the former schoold building remodeled) and she along with Sallie Reed and Mildred LaBarreare were the first lunchroom workers. The lunchroom then moved to a small building behind the bank. In 1958 som barracks buildings were purchased and remodeled to serve as lunchrooms on the new property. The brick building now used was constructed in 1951.⁸¹

Until 1937, Falkner school students could complete only eleven years of their education here; Chalybeate had the nearest complete high school. Falkner school added the twlefth grade in 1936 and the first class graduated in 1937. The school also became accredited for the first time in 1936.

In 1939 a large white frame gymnasium was constructed.⁸² This gym burned in 1961 and was replaced the next year by a larger, modern brick building.

In 1939 the old wooden school building was torn down and a larger brick structure was erected. During this time of rebuilding, students met classes in the Methodist church building on the southeast corner of the same block. The new building eith eight rooms housed grades one through twelve until the elementary building with seven rooms was erected in 1949. The home economics and agriculture biulding was built in 1947. With the exception of the gymnasium, all of thes bridk buildings were contracted and built by local labor at a cost of $16,000, and were valued in excess of $400,000 in 1953.⁸³

Consolidation of schools gradually added students at Falkner and by 1953 Falkner school with 420 students was the largest in the county; the school district reached from Benton County line to Alcorn County.

At this time schools were racially segregated with Negro elementary students attending the Falkner Elementary School in the Ruckersville community; Mr. Roy D. Prather was the principal. Negro high school students attended Line Street, the county high school in Ripley. This school was a modern well-equipped building, but the elementary school wasy a concrete block building without modern facilities.

Students in Tippah County have been transported by bus for many years. Early buses were privately owned, but in 1949 the County Superintendent C. H. Elliott began buying buses and eventually the county owned enough buses to transport all students.⁸⁴

Falkner school system has never been out of compliance with court rulings and has operated smoothly through the transition period from segregation to freedom-of-choices to total desegregation. In 1968 the Ruckersville school students were integrated into the Falkner School system. Prior to this, freedom-of-choices had been given to all students, but few of the Line Street students had chosen to attend Falkner. The Line Street facilities were such that they preferred to attend there; however when the court rulings indicated the necessity, all Negro students in Falkner school district enrolled at the Fallkner School center. The former Line Street School is now Ripley Middle School, an integrated junior high scholld of students in the Ripley separate school district.

The following is a list of administrators of Falkner school at the present site: J. E. Reed, 1930-1931; Coy Wallace, 1932-1933; Roy Ferrell, 1933-1935; J. E. Hinton, 1935-1936; Oscar Shannon, 1936-1937; S. E. Johnson, 1937-1940; B. H. Coombs, 1940-1942; Roy Harrell, 1942-1944; J. L. Ray, 1944-1948; A. R. Koon, 1948-1957; A. P. Posey, 1957-1960; H. L. Hellums, 1960-1967; and E. F. Bullock, 1967-present.⁸⁵

In 1957 the county school system was reorganized and Falkner became part of the North Tippah School district which includes the Walnut schools and Chalybeate Elementary School. C. M. Hailey was the first North Tippah District Superintendent. C. H. Elliott has been the superintendent since 1962 and much progress has been made. Falkner school now has a plant valued at near a million dollars and a large elementary school plant is being constructed on additional land purchased northwest of the high school. The bond issue for this new plant was approved by 86 percent of the Falkner citizens voting. Many new programs have been added and the Falkner School Center now has an academic rating of AA.

The type of community Falkner is today is also evident by the number of churches in this small town.

The Primitive Bapists worship at Pine Hill Baptist Church south of Falkner just east of Horton's Crossing, and at Little Hope Church west of Falkner. These are two of the oldest churches in Tippah County.⁸⁶

The old Pleasant Valley Methodist Church building was moved to Falkner in 1872 and used by both the Methodists and the Missionary Baptists for several years.⁸⁷ Indications are that the Falkner Methodist Church was established about 1874, from W. W. Rutherford to L.S. McCown, Thomas W. Wilson and J. B. Taylor, trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and their successors in office. Another deed, dated March 2, 1927 recorded in deed Book 25, page 257, was apparently for the purpose of getting the title to the property straightened out in conformity to the Conference regulations, and seems to be conveyng it from the Methodist Episcopay Church to a slightly different grantee. Trustees given are G. L. Phillips, P. W. Jones, and J. D. Richardson.⁸⁸ The following is a list of the pastors with dates of service as nearly accurate as could be found: Daniel Wesley Babb; B. B. Sullivan, 1887; W. B. Dodd, 1906; J. H. Bass, 1908-1909; J. W. Ward, 1912; A. J. Henry, 1918; W. J. Burks, 1919; John Johnson. 1921; W. N. Maxey, 1927-1929; H. E. Carter, 1930-1931; J. N. Humphrey, 1932; W. R. Liming, 1933-1936; J. B. Burns, 1936-1939; J. N. Hinson, 1939-1942; H. L. Beasley, 1943-1944; Felix A. Sutphin, 1945; C. B. Burt, 1946; Henry Hearne, 1947-1949; W. P Bailey, Jr., 1949-1951; David Horton, short term; b. B. Bailey, 1953-1955; B. G. Whitehurst, 1955-1956; Lonnie Johnson, 1957-1958; Bryan Scarbrough, 1959; Dudley Brown, 1960-1961; James Townsend, 1963; Faban S. Clark, 1964-1967; Gerald Chaffin, 1968-1969; and Don Sparks, 1970 to present.⁸⁹

In 1930 a brick structure was erected to replace the old frame building. In 1958 an addition of Sunday School rooms and kitchen was completed.

The Falkner Baptist Church records show their church was established in 1883 and met in the Methodist Church building until 1885 when a frame structure was built on the present Baptist Church site. Charter members included: Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Conner, Mr. and Mrs. T. L. Gay, Mr. and Mrs Tom Cross, Mr. and Mrs. B. M. Conner and Mrs. M. Smith. The first pastor was E. L. Wesson of New Albany, Mississsippi and R. B. Rutherford was the first church clerk.⁹⁰ Succeeding pastors and their terms of service are: Harvey Gray, 1920-1921; H. L. Whitten, 1921-1923; E. J. Eubanks, 1923-1923; C. S. Wales, 1927-1930; R. L. Ray, 1931-1932; C. M. Wilbanks, 1932-1939; Roy M. Lewis, 1939-1941; Milton Bryaing, 1942-1944; Clark Rakestraw, 1944-1948; Audey Meyes, 1948-1951; Clark Rakestraw, 1951-1956;⁹² Lathon Bray, 1956-1964; and Billy L. Foley, the present paster serving since 1964.⁹³ The church ran on "one-fourth time" (Sunday School every Sunday, preaching services one Sunday each month) until 1944 when "half-time" preaching began. In 1956 the church built a parsonage on property north of the sanctuary and Bro. Bray came as first full-time pastor having indefinite call. (All earlier pastors had been called annually.) The church clerks following R. B. Rutherford were: Gideon Watts, Jas. A Jamieson, L. C. Duncan, W.I Mitchell and Berlin Cross, who has served in this capacity since 1951. A. L. Conner was an early church treasurer succeeded by Ernest McMillin who has served since 1946. Those on the Board of Deacons are: Ellis McMillin, chairman, E. E. McMillin, Ira Mitchell, Willie Rowland, Clifton Lancaster, Bobby Wommack, and Willie Harrell.

The old frame church building was replaced by a brick sanctuary in 1928. Sunday School rooms were added to the building in 1957 and again in 1963. In 1966 older rooms were redecorated and a three story addition was completed. The sanctuary was completely renovated in 1972. Total church membership for 1971 was 397 with total receipts for the year of $24,275.

About the year 1890 the late Mr. John Braddock, plantation owner, deeded to a congregation of people, mostly families of his plantation, about one acre of land for the purpose of building and establishing a place of worship. The church was named and is known as Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church. The membership consisted of about ten to fifteen members. Among the first pastors of the congregation was the late Rev. John Dickey.

The congregation worshiped on this site from the late 1890's until 1954 under the leadrship of various ministers. In the year 1954, the congregation relocated on a new site two miles west of the old site in the same community. A modern brick structure was erected under the leadership of the late Rev. W. T. Warren, 1938-1954. Following his retirement, the congregation elected the Ref. J. R. McDonald who served for ten hears, 1955-1965. After his resignation, the congregation elected the Rev. O. C. Foster, 1966-1968, who died after serving two years. Rev. O. H. Moore was elected and served for one year. Following his resignation, the congregation elected the Rev. Harold B. Brock, who is serving as pastor at the present.

The congregation has grown from a membership of about ten to fifteen members to a membership of about 400. Also, the services have increased from once a month services to twice a month services and a present, full-time services. Sunday School is held each Sunday of the month. There is a Baptist Training Union held twice a month. Members are added constantly to the church.⁹⁴

The Cumberland Presbyterians of the early twentieth century attended Old Mt. Zion Cumberland Church, which stood on the site where Falkner Cemetary is now located. Many years later a new Cumberland Presbyterian Church was built in the Hill Community west of Falkner. This new church, also known as Mt. Zion, is a growing church which many people in the Falkner area attend.⁹⁵

Records of the East Mississippi Presbutery dated October 11, 1916, reported the organization of the Falkner Presbyterian Church. The Elliott, Braddock and Hopper families moved about this time from the Walnut Creek Church. Rev. E. P. Craddock served as supply pastor from 1917-1921.

Older people of the community remember the beginning of the Falkner Presbyterian Church as the time in 1909 when Dr. Trigg Thomas held a tent revival and over fifty people joined the Presbyterian Church.

Rev. William Earl Snipes was pastor during 1921-1922 and lived in a manse rented for his family. In 1923 a manse was built, but later was sold. The following were succeeding pastors and their times of sevice: Oma Grier Davis, 1923; Carol McFadden Boyd, 1924-1925; Rev. Harry Mosley Jenkins, 1926-1927; Paul S. Rhodes, 1927-1929; William Savage, 1932; Dr. Robert Dale Daffin II, 1932-1937; Spiva Leon McCollouch, 1954-1957; William Ernest Wilson, 1958-1965; Rev. Kellar, 1966-1968; Rev. Marvin Wilkins of the Mt. Zion Presbyterain served this church als 1968-1971; Rev. M. E. Greg, 1971-1972.⁹⁶

Elders from the beginning until the present are: B. M Elliott, R. L. Braddock, J. E. Braddock, W. H. Hopper, Lytle Reed, Lester Clemmer, and Ray Braddoce. Deacons are: C. F. Jamieson, A. F. Cross, Lytoe Reed, Tom Braddock, Ray Braddock, Roy Elliott, Hillman Hopper, J. W. LInebarger, Curtis Reed, Everett McMillin and Elmer Miskelly.

For many years this Presbyterian Church met jointly with the Methodists in the Methodist Church Building. On August 3, 1962, the first service was held in the new brick Presbyterian Church building located across highway 15 facing the school.⁹⁷

Today Falkner is a rapidly growing residential town with approximately 280 peoople within its corporate limits. Most people are home owners; building sites go as quickly as they are offered for sale. The new water system and propsed sewage system are attractive to prospective home builders. The friendliness of the people and the close-knit small-town atmosphere appeals to many escaping the crowded cities.

Businesses may not be as numerous as they were before fast transportation, yet new ones, like the Griffin Super Market, are gradually building out on the highway. Large shopping areas and industrial plants in Ripley, Corinth, Tupelo, and Memphis are only ten to sixty minutes away for the shopper or worker.

The future looks bright for this community, less notorious, more peaceful, but still an industrious town quite proud of its accomplishments.

²Southern Sentinel (Ripley, Mississippi), December 6, 1894.

³U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, "Tupelo Quad. Sheet N1-16-4," 1960.

⁴U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Survey of Tippah County Mississippi (Washington D. C.: U. S. Government Printing Office, 1966), pp. 92-93

⁵Dunbar Rowland, Mississippi (Madison, Wis.: Selvyn A. Brant, 1907), Vol. II, p. 786.

⁶James F. Brieger, "Hometown Mississippi" (unpublished material, Mississippi Archives and History, Jackson, Miss.), p. 875.

⁷Ibid.

⁸Herbert C. Murdaugh, The Ripley Railroad (Jackson, Tennessee: By the author, 1968), p. 3.

⁹Ibid,. p. 6.

^9aThe incorrect spelling of the Colonel's name is usually traced to his great-grandson, William, who spelled his name with a "u" and is more widely known. This particular instance is probably due to the report's error since it was before young William's time.

¹¹Murdaugh, p. 6.

¹²Terry Brassel, "My Community" (unpublished paper, vertical file Ripley Public LIbrary).

¹³Murdaugh, p. 27.

¹⁴Press-Scimiter (Memphis, Tennessee), July 25, 1935.

¹⁵Thomas Felix Hickerson, The Falkner Feuds (chapel Hill, W. C.: the Colonial Press, Inc., 1964), p. 9.

¹⁶Ibid., p. 11.

¹⁷Ibid., p. 12.

¹⁸Robert Cantwell, "Introduction", to The White Rose of Memphis (New York: Coley Taylor, 1953), p. xiv.

¹⁹Alexander L. Boudurant, "William C. Falkner Novelist" (reprints from publications of the Mississippi Historical Society, Mississippi Room, University of Mississippi), p. 114.

²⁰Hickerson, p. 28.

²¹Ibid., p. 24.

²²Ibid., p. 27.

²³Murdaugh, p. 21.

²⁴Donald Philip Duclos, Son of Sorrow: The LIfe, Works, and Influence of Colonel William C. Falkner, 1825-1889 (Ph. D. dissertation, University of Michigan, 1961), p. 329.

²⁵Hickerson, p. 28.

²⁶Brieger, p. 873.

²⁷Deed Book 2, (Ripley, Mississippi), p. 600.

²⁸Records of Incorporations, Book I, (Jackson, Miss.), p. 162.

²⁹Deed Book 6, (Ripley, Miss.), pp. 416-417.

³⁰Deed Book 29, (Ripley, Miss.), pp. 196-196.

³¹Records of Incorporations, Book I, (Jackson, Miss.), p. 445.

³²W. P. A. historical Research Project, "Source Material for Mississippi History, " Tippah County, 1936-1939 (Jackson, Miss. Archives and History, loose sheet by Robert L. Richardson).

³³Breiger, p. 873.

³⁴Records of Incorporations, Book I (Jackson, Miss.), p. 445.

³⁵Records of Incorporations, Book 2 (Jackson, Miss.), p. 431.

³⁶Anderson, p. 4.

³⁷Ernest Hefly, private interview, August, 1972.

³⁸E. W. McMillin, private interview, August, 1972.

³⁹Records of Incorporations, Book, 177 (Jackson, Miss.), pp. 426-430.

⁴⁰Ibid., pp 432-433.

⁴¹Records of Incorporations, Book 175, p. 427. ⁴²Breiger, p. 873.

⁴³Anderson, p. 4.

⁴⁴Lytle Reed private interview, July 19, 1972.

⁴⁵Ibid., and Ellis McMillin, private interview, July, 1972.

⁴⁶Mrs. H. L. (Wardie Hopper) Miskelly, personal interview, July 19, 1972.

⁴⁷Reed.

⁴⁸Ibid.

⁴⁹Miskelly personal notes on Falkner, February, 1972.

⁵⁰Dunbar Rowland, Mississippi (Atlanta: 1907), Vol. I, p. 698.

⁵¹Ellis McMillin.

⁵²Reed.

⁵³Mrs. J. T. (Wardie Peeler) Gay, personal interview, August 3, 1972.

⁵⁴Mrs. Bobby (Jonnie Jamieson) Childers, personal interview, August, 1972.

⁵⁵Miskelly, personal interview.

⁵⁶Southern Sentinel, March 30, 1972.

⁵⁷Ibid.

⁵⁸E. W. McMillin.

⁵⁹Miskelly.

⁶⁰Mrs. J. E. Rogers, personal interview, July, 1972.

⁶¹E. W. McMillin

⁶²Southern Sentinel, September 26, 1935.

⁶³Miskelly, personal notes on Falkner.

⁶⁴Southern Sentinel, June 8, 1893.

⁶⁵Anderson, p. 4.

⁶⁶Ibid., p. 4.

⁶⁷Commercial Appeal, May 13, 1957, p. 15.

⁶⁸Reed.

⁶⁹Commercial Appeal, May 13, 1957.

⁷⁰Breiger, p. 873.

⁷¹Southern Sentinel, October 8, 1936.

⁷²T. E Pegram, "Chalybeate Springs High School" (unpublished historical sketch, 1950).

⁷³J. W. Tomlinson, "Chalybeate High School" (unpublished historical sketch, 1935).

⁷⁴Ernest Hefley.

⁷⁵Mrs. Sdeney O. Love, Jr., personal notes, January 1972.

⁷⁶Reed.

⁷⁷Love.

⁷⁸Miskelly.

⁷⁹Ernest Hefley and Ellis McMillin.

⁸⁰Mrs. J. T. Gay.

⁸¹E. W. Ivy, "Survey Tippah County Public Schools, 1956 (unpublished material, Office of the District Superintendent, Walnut, Miss.).

⁸²Ibid., p. 23.

⁸³Tupelo Daily Journal, April 24, 1953.

⁸⁴Commercial Appeal, February 16, 1951, p. 33.

⁸⁵Onedia Wright, (unpublished material, n. d., Falkner School Library).

⁸⁶Love.

⁸⁷Breiger, p. 874.

⁸⁸Anderson, p. 2.

⁸⁹Love.

⁹⁰Jean Powell, "History of Falkner Baptist Church 1883-1956"

⁹¹Ellis McMillin.

⁹²Powell, pp. 127-133.

⁹³Falkner Baptist Church, Minutes of Business Meetings.

⁹⁴Roy D. Prather, "History of Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church" (unpublished paper, 1972).

⁹⁵Mrs. Egbert Hill, private interview with Mrs. Sid Love, January, 1972.

⁹⁶Presbyterian Church historical records.

⁹⁷Mrs. Lester Clemmer, personal notes on church history, 1972.