Liberty, Tennessee One Place Study
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Location: Liberty, DeKalb, Tennessee, United States
Surnames/tags: One_Place_Studies Tennessee DeKalb_County
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Liberty, Tennessee One Place Study
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Name
Geography
- Continent: North America
- Country: United States
- State/Province: Tennessee
- County: DeKalb
- GPS Coordinates: 36.005, -85.972778
- Elevation: 189.0 m or 620.1 feet
History
Liberty was originally a part of Smith County, however when DeKalb County was established, it would be included in those boundaries.
Adam Dale was the first white settler in the area, and arrived aproximately 1797. In June of 1801 Robert Hayes sold Dale 320 acres of land for $480, and he wrote to the family and friends in Maryland[1].
Fourty families would travel to his settlment, including the Dales, Wests, Givans, Whaley's, Duncans, Brattens, Burtons, and Fites. They arrived after floating down the Ohio and Cumberland Rivers to Nashville, then travelled by horse and then transferring to wagons and are believed to have arrived in 1804. They named Liberty after the old home place in Maryland. [1].
Liberty received it's corporate charter in 1831, and by the middle of the decade aproximately 200 people llived in the village and other hamlets had developed including Temperance Hall, Dowelltown, Dry Creek, Clear Fork, and Dismal.
A key reason for it's trace success was that it had at least four mills by late 1880's. A dam was built to provide the water to run the mills, one of these was a grist mill. There was also a saw mill to produce lumber in the area[1].
Electricity arrived between the 1920's and 30's[1]
Population
Please note the links currently take you to the overall census for Dekalb County at this time.
| Year | Population | Growth | |
| 1870 census | 492 | ||
| Category: 1880 US Census, DeKalb County, Tennessee | 285 | ||
| Category: 1950 US Census, DeKalb County, Tennessee | 314 | ||
| 1960 Census | 293 | -6.7% | |
| 1970 Census | 332 | 13.3% | |
| 1980 Census | 365 | 9.9% | |
| 1990 Census | 391 | 7.1% | |
| 2000 Census | 367 | -6.1% | |
| 2010 Census | 310 | -15.5% |
Schools
- Liberty's first school was built in 1843 and taught by Mr. Gay[1].
- In the mid-nineteenth cetury the Masonic Normal Academy was developed.[1].
- By Dec of 1886 A school for African-American's was also establlished and had substantial enrollment.[1].
In 1916 a fire destroyed the two room frame house school, but arrangements were soon made to hold classes in local churches while the school was rebuilt. [1]
- Liberty had a high school, in 1984 there was a history room established to serve as a repository for artifacts, photographs, and written material which documents Liberty's past.[1]
Business
- The American Savings Bank of Liberty folded with the depression.[1]
- Rich's Grocery Store - destroyed in the fire[1]
- Squaire's drug store destroyed in the fire[1]
- Fites' hardware destroyed in the fire[1]
- Barber Shop destroyed in the fire[1]
One night during the end of the 30's a fire broke out in the business section and destoryed and damaged many businesses. [1]
Churches
- Salem Baptist Church Salem Baptist Church Website
- United Methodist Church
- A Church of Christ was established in 1890, however was dissassembled after several decades.[1]
- The methodists used circuit riders who were assigned to preach in several area churches. The Liberty circuit included Lliberty, Cleark Fork, Statesville, and Temeprance Hall[1].
- The black Methodist Church was established in the late nineteenth century in Liberty, as worship was racially segregated.
Newspapers
- The Liberty Herald Starting Page is November 17, 1886, the first paper was published on April 1, 1886 by W.A. Vick.
Cemeteries
- Givan Cemetery
- Overall Cemetery
- Pioneer Cemetery
- Richard N. and Anna Pistole Mathis Cemetery
- Salem Baptist Church Cemetery
Notables
- Adam Dale
- Bob Griffith(1912-1977)
- William T. Hale(1857-1926)
- Justin Potter(1898-1961)
Sources
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 Wallace, Connie Farris, A Brief History of Liberty, Tennessee, Settlement, Trade Center, Rural Community 1800-1980, Tennessee, 1984
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