History of Marcella Falls

This is a paper that was written in 1970 by Mary Ann Truitt Clayton for an American History class at Columbia State Community College.

Most of the material used in this theme was given to the Historical Society as a program by Mrs. Nell Benson.

Other information inserted by Scott Fraser in (--), a descendant of Alfred Ogilvie WILLIAMS.

Marcella Falls is located about ten miles northeast of Lawrenceburg on the Eastern boundary of northern Lawrence County. The falls is enclosed by three hills and is only about twenty feet high.

The waters from the big springs, fall from the highland rim into the Middle Tennessee basin of Giles County. These springs made possible and were responsible for the industrial empire which Marcella Falls was before and for a short time after the Civil War. Factories in operation here during this time included a large woolen mill, tan yard, shoe factory, saw mills, furniture factory and flour mill.

Marcella Falls Woolen Mills was the name under such products as shoes, flour and even furniture were shipped by water as far south as New Orleans. They were first to haul to Nashville by wagon train for shipment. These same products were also hauled by wagon to cities as far away as Philadelphia.

The original Marcella Falls Woolen Mills, flour mills and tanning business was located on the Duck River near Caney Springs in Marshall County. It was built and operated by a family named POWELL. A. O. (Alfred Ogilvie) and Benjamin WILLIAMS who married into the POWELL family bought them out in the late 1840’s or early 1850’s and relocated the Mills in northern Lawrence County at Marcella Falls. (This is in conflict with other family information where we learn that in the early 1840’s James Williams, resident of Civil Order, Marshall County, bought the business and operated it for a short time. In the later part of 1840 he would give the business to Alfred Ogilvie Williams and his daughter Martha Matilda as a wedding present. A.O. Williams and his brother Benjamin moved the entire operation to the beautiful falls in northern Lawrence County. Later, William Janway NOWLIN bought Benjamin WILLIAMS out and assisted Alfred in the operating of the business.)

The Williams brothers although originally from Middle Tennessee (Belfast, Marshall County, Tennesee) had gone at the time of their father’s death (William Wiliams) to Tishomingo, Mississippi where they helped build what was then known as the Charleston and Memphis Railroad which later became part of the Southern Railroad. They did this with their own slave labor for the purpose of hauling cotton to market. Through this venture they acquired considerable wealth for those days. It was with this small fortune that they were able to develop Marcella Falls Woolen Mills into the vast and varied industrial complex which was for a time the center of industry in Lawrence and adjoining counties.

William J. NOWLIN married a sister of the Williams (Sarah WILLIAMS) brothers and became a partner in 1844, buying out the interest of Benjamin WILLIAMS, who died a short time after (May 9, 1857). It was from the letters written by his grandson, C.D. NOWLIN, a former Columbia dentist, that we are able to trace the history of this industrial center.

Marcella Falls was named for Marcella PAINE, the daughter of Robert PAINE, a lawyer in Columbia during the eighteen hundreds. The house where she was born, on South Main Street in Columbia, was still standing in 1856. She was a well educated person but was in ill health and took the position of governess at the falls to the William children in the hopes of regaining her health. The Falls was known for its mineral waters and she stayed there between 1850 and 1860.

There is a story that A.O. Williams, one of the owners was fond of the Classics and had been acquainted with the name “Marcella” which means the most beautiful. He was definitely a lover of nature and wanting to perpetuate the name in nature, he gave it to his beloved falls.

The school where Marcella PAINE taught was a brick building about one and half miles from the falls and was given to the community by the Northern Presbyterian Church. It was known as the Brick Academy and later as Mt. Horeb Baptist Church and School. The school had the reputation of being the best in the area and families in the community kept boarders in order that they might have the opportunity to attend it. Even some persons in Lawrence County were sent there instead of the Lawrenceburg schools because of its reputed superiority. It is said to have been a hospital during the War; however, school was conducted here throughout the war and during the dark days of reconstruction it was probably the leading institution of learning in the county.

The Methodist Church established the first church here before the Civil War as the Brick Academy and called it Mr. Horeb Methodist Church. Later the Baptist worshipped here and their present church is still called Mt. Horeb. It is in the same vicinity although it is some distance from the original location.

The Marcella Woolen Mills, as did other industries of this time, issued script money with the picture of the State Capitol on one side and face value, with the name of the one issuing the money, on the other side.

The equipment with the exception of small fire arms, of some six hundred men in the 23^rd regiment of the Tennessee Volunteers was supplied by the mills during the Civil War. Also supplied quite unintentionally was the Union army which helped it self in carrying away wagon loads of shoes, boots, and all the spun material they needed. Mr. C.D. NOWLIN recalls in one of his letters that a negro slave, “Old Nelson”, who died forty years ago in Mt. Pleasant, said that the Union army took as many as one hundred wagon loads which, at the age of sixteen, he was forced to help load. Old Nelson estimated that the goods taken would probably have been worth some one hundred thousand dollars.

In 1863 Federal troops came through and burned all deeds and tax receipts. Later when the proper papers of ownership could not be produced upon demand, the carpetbaggers sold about 4, 000 acres of the estate for less than three thousand dollars.

Marcella Falls survived the war and operations continued with a decline in both production and profit. The coming of the railroad to Ethridge and Brace in 1883, drove commerce away from Marcella and later in 1889, even the U.S. Postal Service was moved form the Falls and relocated in Ethridge because of the railroad.

After the holdings passed from the Williams and Nowlin families, a company known as the Marcella Falls Manufacturing Company began operations (Alfred Ogilvie WILLIAMS remained as Superintendent). There are still descendants of the HIGDONS, SCHRADERS, and DISHONGHS, who were superintendents of this business, living in this area. Horace DISHONGH of West Point has some of the old machinery they used and a few years ago, it was till in running order.

The turn of the century saw the last of Marcella Falls Industries with the exception of the lumber and saw mill business. During the time from 1900 to 1915, there was U.S. Stave and Lumber Company operated by Frank WHEELER and Earnest WALKER. Also, there were various timber tracts sold and a mill would be in operation just long enough to process the lumber. After this time, even the lumber mills died out.

E. Dan SMITH purchased the estate in the early 1920’s. He never lived there but, in 1925, he did convert the Falls swimming pool and picnic area. He did this for the benefit of his family and friends to be used as a summer retreat. Much to his disappointment, however, he had created quite an attraction and people throughout this area made Marcella the destination of many a Sunday afternoon drive. After several years, Smith became tired of this invasion of privacy and sold out.

During the next twenty years there were numerous tenants of Marcella. The BAKER family lived there several years during this time and is responsible for the reference still made in the community to Marcella as the old Baker place.

In the early 1950’s after a period of vacancy, the house in need of repair, was bought and renovated by the first cousin of this writer, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph BENSON. They had purchased the property several years earlier.

In remodeling the original A.O. WILLIAMS home, which they now occupy, the Bensons shingled the outside and added additional rooms. The inside of the old portion, however, remains the same including the beautiful hand carved stairway and the old logs, which are not covered.

Postmasters who served Marcella Falls:

This list is taken from Lawrence County Historical Society Bulletin #6, November 1953. PMG indicates appointment was by the Postmaster General.

Geo. B. DISHOUGH, PMG, Oct. 9, 1867

Wm. J. MULLINS, PMG, July 31, 1868

A.O. WILLIAMS, PMG, July 22 1874

J. Milton PARKER, PMG, Mar. 27, 1884

Ella RENFRO, PMG, Oct. 19, 1885

Changed Nov. 8, 1985 to MARCELLA

Mary HIGDON, PMG, Nov. 8, 1895

Discontinued Jan. 15, 1896, moved to Brace and

Re-established May 6, 1896

Alva C. CLAYTON, PMB, May 6, 1896

David WILEY, PMG, Nov. 14, 1896

Hezekiah M. JONES, PMG, Jan. 23, 1897

Discontinued Oct. 21, 1903, moved to Ethridge.

Lawrence County Historical Society, Bulletin 1953-1972, Vol. I

On Sept. 17, 1852, Joshua K. SPEER deeded 3-3/5 acres to John WOOD, William WHITE, W.B. ROPER and Joshua K. SPEER as Trustees for the Mount Horeb Academy “upon which is built and standing a brick house called and known by the name of Mount Horeb Academy, together with all the appertencances attached thereto” and saying “To have and to hold the same for the specific and expressed purpose of keeping and carrying on an Academy or school for the encouragement of learning.” (See Deed Book “L”, pp. 436-7, Register’s Office, Lawrenceburg, TN) And at July term, 1854, Robert T. RICHEY, Joseph H. STRAYHORN, James R. DICKEY, Benjamin WILLIAMS, Alfred O. WILLIAMS were appointed Trustees of Mount Horeb Academy to replace William WHITE, W. B. ROPER, and John WOOD, who had removed from the state.

Lawrence County Historical Society Bulletin #12, pg. 12

We have been informed that the huge oak, still standing at Marcella Falls, was once called the “Council Tree,” Indian tribes having held their councils there.

Mr. R. Millard BENSON and family are restoring the old mansion house at Marcella Falls; this was one of the finest homes in northern Lawrence County prior to the War Between the States, and for many years thereafter. Marcella Falls was one of the thriving places in the county at one time, and boasted of several industries, including the old Marcella Woolen Mills. The machinery from the old woolen mils there is now in the possession of the DISHONGH family near West Point. The Dishongh family came to Marcella Falls about 1855, to operate the woolen mills for the William’s family who had established the mills.

Excerpt from the LAWRENCEBURG PRESS, June 13, 1883, Jacob Leamon, Editor and Propr.

Come to Tennessee

The Land of

Genial Climate

Cheap Farms, Fertile Soils,

And

Healthful Air

Her waters are pure as ever

Poured from Castalia’s

Fount

The following lands are offered for sale at the prices given.

No. 87 1285 acres 12 ½ miles north of Lawrenceburg. This property is near the well known Marcella Falls and is well watered by good and abundant springs. Chalybeate spring in 400 yards of the residence. There are acres cleared land the balance timber, white oak, black oak and poplar. Frame dwelling with three rooms, kitchen and dining room of 1 ½ stories, all the necessary outhouses. There is also on the premises a tannery, with all the conviences and modern improvements. A grist mill with two pairs of ___ and saw mill. These building are all large and substantial frames and supplied with all the modern improvements, nearly new. They are all run by the united waters of two large springs that rise within two or three hundred yards and furnish a full supply of water power, to propel all these machinery the entire year. There are four tenant houses on the property. An exceeding desirable property for those wanting such. Price $10,000