Durhamville, Tennessee
Encyclopedia
Durhamville is a rural unincorporated community
in Lauderdale County, Tennessee, United States. Durhamville is the second oldest town in Lauderdale County. It was founded by Colonel
Thomas Durham in 1829 or 1830. Thomas Durham owned a store in the town since 1826.
Blues
guitarist Sleepy John Estes
is buried at Elam Baptist Church Cemetery in Durhamville.
, a detachment of the 52nd Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment engaged Confederate troops at Durhamville in 1862. One Union Army
soldier was killed and ten wounded, eight Confederate soldiers were killed.
was a U.S. blues
guitarist, songwriter and vocalist, born in Ripley
, Lauderdale County. He died on June 5, 1977 in his home of 17 years in Brownsville, Haywood County, Tennessee. Sleepy John Estes is buried at Elam Baptist Church Cemetery in Durhamville.
, an area with a high earthquake risk.
After the abolition of slavery, sharecropping
was the primary means of income for low income families in the area. Mostly for the cultivation
of cotton, land would be used by sharecroppers in return for a share of the crop to the landowner. Modern machines such as the cotton picker
have made the manual cultivation obsolete over time as they took over the work from the hand laborers
.
As of 2008, there are no industries in Durhamville; some of its houses are abandoned; and as an unincorporated community, it has no clear boundaries.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Lauderdale County, Tennessee, United States. Durhamville is the second oldest town in Lauderdale County. It was founded by Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Thomas Durham in 1829 or 1830. Thomas Durham owned a store in the town since 1826.
Blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
guitarist Sleepy John Estes
Sleepy John Estes
John Adam Estes , best known as Sleepy John Estes or Sleepy John, was a American blues guitarist, songwriter and vocalist, born in Ripley, Lauderdale County, Tennessee.-Career:...
is buried at Elam Baptist Church Cemetery in Durhamville.
Civil War
During the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, a detachment of the 52nd Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment engaged Confederate troops at Durhamville in 1862. One Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
soldier was killed and ten wounded, eight Confederate soldiers were killed.
Blues
Sleepy John EstesSleepy John Estes
John Adam Estes , best known as Sleepy John Estes or Sleepy John, was a American blues guitarist, songwriter and vocalist, born in Ripley, Lauderdale County, Tennessee.-Career:...
was a U.S. blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
guitarist, songwriter and vocalist, born in Ripley
Ripley, Tennessee
Ripley is a city in Lauderdale County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 7,844 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lauderdale County...
, Lauderdale County. He died on June 5, 1977 in his home of 17 years in Brownsville, Haywood County, Tennessee. Sleepy John Estes is buried at Elam Baptist Church Cemetery in Durhamville.
Geography
Durhamville is located at 35.667°N 89.493°W. The settlement is situated on the southeastern edge of the New Madrid Seismic ZoneNew Madrid Seismic Zone
The New Madrid Seismic Zone , sometimes called the New Madrid Fault Line, is a major seismic zone and a prolific source of intraplate earthquakes in the southern and midwestern United States, stretching to the southwest from New Madrid, Missouri.The New Madrid fault system was responsible for the...
, an area with a high earthquake risk.
Economy
Agriculture is the dominant source of income in the area surrounding Durhamville, especially the cultivation of cotton.After the abolition of slavery, sharecropping
Sharecropping
Sharecropping is a system of agriculture in which a landowner allows a tenant to use the land in return for a share of the crop produced on the land . This should not be confused with a crop fixed rent contract, in which a landowner allows a tenant to use the land in return for a fixed amount of...
was the primary means of income for low income families in the area. Mostly for the cultivation
Tillage
Tillage is the agricultural preparation of the soil by mechanical agitation of various types, such as digging, stirring, and overturning. Examples of human-powered tilling methods using hand tools include shovelling, picking, mattock work, hoeing, and raking...
of cotton, land would be used by sharecroppers in return for a share of the crop to the landowner. Modern machines such as the cotton picker
Cotton picker
The mechanical cotton picker is a machine that automates cotton harvesting in a way that reduces harvest time and maximizes efficiency.-History:...
have made the manual cultivation obsolete over time as they took over the work from the hand laborers
Manual labour
Manual labour , manual or manual work is physical work done by people, most especially in contrast to that done by machines, and also to that done by working animals...
.
As of 2008, there are no industries in Durhamville; some of its houses are abandoned; and as an unincorporated community, it has no clear boundaries.
Notable people
- James Peter WalkerJames P. WalkerJames Peter Walker was a U.S. Representative from Missouri.Born near Memphis, Tennessee, Walker attended the public schools and the boys' college at Durhamville, Tennessee....
(1851–1890), U.S. RepresentativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, attended the public schools and the boys' college at Durhamville.