The Officer Farm and Cemetery

Queen Anne's Lace Growing at Maple Hill Campground 

The Officer Farm and Cemetery 

Maple Hill RV Park and Campground Trip  Day 1 

Kenny & Dana Koogler

John Ungerer

Sharon McGee

Saturday June 22, 2019

Officer Farm Pictures 

Big Sunk Cane Directions

Officer Cemetery Directions 

   I have decided to try something new in my blog writing.   I am going to try writing the entries

in the context of the destination as opposed to a chronicling narrative style.   Example I usually 

write a trip report along these lines.   

  " We camped at Maple Hill Campground from June 20th through 23rd.  While there on day 1 we visited The Officer Farm and Cemetery.   Day 2 We visited Slave Falls. ..."  

 Now I plan to write the reports as The Officer Farm and use the context of while we were on a trip to Maple Hill  RV Park we visited the Officer Farm.   It will be a stand alone entry.  Search keywords will be more focused on the feature visited.   I will include more directions with each entry when it is appropriate.    I am making the switch and this report will be the trial run.   I figure if I do not like it or get negative feedback I can always return to the old way.    I have always written my blog to suit me.  I am going to try to make it a little more user friendly and helpful to anyone else who might need or want to use the directions.   

 Above:  black eyed susans growing at Maple Hill Campground
Below: Ripening blackberries around the dog walking path

Above:  A look across the green open space at the cabins and campers 

The biggest rental cabin.

Patriotic campsite next to us.  These folks have really decked their site out!  It was impressive.

Above: The camp office and sno ball shack.   

   

 Friday evening we left for Jamestown and a weekend of camping.   We were eager to 

spend some time with our good friends John and Sharon.   We had originally planned to rent a pontoon boat and take it out on Dale Hollow Lake.  Swimming, cooking out, and hiking to various waterfalls along the lake shore.  We had been looking forward to it.  The weather did not look promising for the weekend so as usual we had to hang loose.  We always try to have contingency plans.  This weekend was no different and it paid off in fine form.   

   Thursday night we arrived at the campground to the pleasant surprise that we still had two nights credit from a previously curtailed trip.   Tim reminded us of that fact, and greeted us. He directed us to the campsite so  we went to set up.  It was a nice evening thus far.     I took a walk on the grounds and experimented with videotaping lightning bugs.  I didn't have good results, but I did enjoy the attempt.

I got back to the camper in the gathering dark.   We sat there relaxing and the camper began to shake and sway.   The wind was really picking up.   It wasn't long until we were in the midst of a bad thunderstorm.     It rained in earnest and the wind blew.  We slept with the windows open and 

enjoyed the fresh, cool air and sounds of the night. 

   
    Saturday morning we got some breakfast and headed out to meet John and Sharon. The back up plan for today was to visit the historic Officer Farmstead in Overton County near Monterey.  

I recall Sharon telling me of a visit she had while their house was under construction.   She went to 

look at some lumber they were considering buying for the house.   She told me after she got back a story about Civil War history, a shooting, a cave with a stream and a fascinating old fellow.

She remarked then that I would like it.    I later learned from Marvin Bullock of the Officer Farmstead and the shooting that took place there during the Civil War.   Today I was going to get the 

chance to visit for myself.     The place is for sale at a cool $2.49 Million dollars for 500 acres.

I wanted to get over there and visit while I still had the chance.    

   We drove out to Livingston first to have lunch at The Steel Coop.  It was good as it always is.

Our server was a pretty Irish young lady.    I couldn't help wondering what a young Irish woman who sported counter culture piercings and wildly colored hair would think of bucolic life here in Livingston and Overton County?   I had a Cuban sandwich and it was good, but huge!  

The food was scrumptious and we were topped off with lots of energy for our day's adventure.

The trip over wasn't bad.  The trip home would prove to be more problematic.  Landslides in Overton and Fentress Counties have caused multiple closures of Highway 85.    You run into lots of
Cain't git thar from hyere and will continue to do so until that is repaired.   The road WILL be repaired and reopened with November 2020 projected as the date of completion!  In other news the owners of The Steel Coop are doing well and their business is thriving.  They have decided to remain in the area and expand.  They are taking over a restaurant at Dale Hollow Lake. I cannot remember the marina for sure, but I want to say Sunset.   They are buying a house that lies between the lake and town.    I am pleased they are successful!

       Above: the cave and spring at the Officer Farmstead.  

   We followed Highway 84 south to Rock Springs Road and turned.  We did not go far back this quiet country road until Sharon directed us to turn right.   We went down a lane that took us to a gate.

We passed the cave and stream on the way.  We walked through the pedestrian gate , and up to the house.   We knocked on the cabin door of Mr. Walt Officer, the owner of the place.   Despite being told the place is for sale, there is no realty sign up.   We found no one home so we turned round.

We pulled down to the cave and decided since we were here we'd just go ahead and have a look at the cave.    It is pretty with a spring flowing from it.   The ruins of the old spring house is there.

It is Mr. Officer's current water supply so I did not feel right tromping round there too much.

Below: Another look at the spring

       Below: The dry stone walls on what is left of the spring house are quite pretty. 

     

Below is a very short video of the spring.

 Below: Long country lane off Rock Springs Road takes you to Mr. Officer's house

Above: On the opposite side of the road lies a dam and more construction to do with the water works

   We decided we'd pull down to the road and walk across to take a look at the old house.  It is posted, but Sharon knew the fellow, and felt he'd have given us permission had he been home.   It was apparent as soon as I walked up why the place was posted.   Graffiti tagging was on the stucco of the front walls of the porch.   A massive elm tree stood on the front lawn.   The old house was wood construction with stucco overlain on a metal mesh grid.  It was supposed to have been built around 1835.   

The Officer Farmstead.. the main house which is very large.  It had to be a grand place in its day.

  Huge American elm tree in the front yard.  This tree was likely a witness to the events that unfolded here at this place on March 12, 1864. 

       Tennessee found itself in the midst of a Civil War, and seceded the United States by a narrow margin.   They found themselves in the dubious position not only of being involved in the war, but the individuals throughout the state were set against one another often.   Some favored secession. Others favored remaining with the United States.   Others felt they had no truck with such things period.    It was a cauldron brought to a boiling point.    The horrors of war are many, but what happened here was particularly tragic. 

     The evening of March 12, 1864 the Officer family was at the  table when Union  Col. William Stokes and his cavalry arrived at the farm.   They burst in and dragged the six Confederate soldiers
to the yard. They were trying to make their way back to the units they served.  Five were Texans.
A sixth was from Alabama.   They were tied to the gate post and executed one by one.  Mrs. Officer was badly wounded, and all present were terrified and shaken by the event.   The Union soldiers tried twice to burn the Officer house to the ground, but each time Mr. William Alexander Officer managed to extinguish the fire.  All the while being threatened by the Union troops for saving his own home.
The soldiers executed were unarmed.  One young lad , an orphan boy visiting with the family, was left unharmed, but very upset.   One of the six soldiers, Robert Davis,  was already wounded, but despite pleadings from the Officer Family he was killed along with the others.
Below is his headstone that lies in the Officer Cemetery.   What took place here is only one example of barbaric behavior justified by orders and the fact it took place during time of war.


       The old house is quite a marvel that it has stood this long.   It brought to mind many Sunday afternoons and evenings at my great grandparents home.  Sunday was church. Sunday School at 9:30.   Worship service at 11 am.   Afterwards quite often we'd all stop at Granny and Poppy Bradley's and eat lunch.   Their house was large and the yard and outbuildings were a fun place to play.  There was a stream nearby and a ditch I liked because it always had snails in it.
It is a shame that such a fine, beautiful home in a pretty setting doesn't have mostly happy memories.

    We walked all around looking at the outbuildings and former walkways.   There were lots of them.
The grass was tall in the yard so I was constantly on the lookout for snakes.   I did not see any, but I did see a fawn which jumped up and ran.   We made a lap around the house. As we came round to the road side of it again we looked and saw a man standing talking to Kenny.   We headed that way.  We were fortunate to have run into Mr. Walt Officer!  He had just returned from some errand.  We greeted him and he remembered Sharon coming by.  We explained we had come by to ask permission to see the old place. He was very pleasant and agreeable.  He had to get going he said, but remarked to please look around all we wanted.   In the brief conversation with him I got some confusing information.  I have read the main house was already added to the National Registry of Historic Places.   Kenny disputes that and says I am mistaken.  I do remember Mr. Walt making a comment about" having to ask them before you could  even mow the lawn" once it was under their umbrella. 
Yet I have seen with my own eyes the application filled out so I am not sure the status.   Maybe one day I'll be able to visit the Overton County Heritage Society and get clarification.

     

 Above: The old barn across the road from the house

 Roadside wildflowers near the Officer Farm

 Ruins of a picket fence at the edge of the yard.  It looked like this protected a vegetable garden at one time.

 Sharon and Kenny peering in the front door.  You can see the vandalism on the front porch wall.

 Above:  Rear of the house facing away from the road.

 Back door. The screen door frame still hangs there.  More graffiti tagging.   Some of these features had to be added later such as the storm windows.

 Log outbuilding

This was probably the old stable.  It looks like the one my great grandpa had.  

      Next we moved on to find the Officer Cemetery.  We passed quite a few interesting dwellings out in the countryside while searching for it.   Sharon was relying on her memory which was a little sketchy on the details when it came to the cemetery location.    We missed it the first try so had to double back and take a turn off road.    She remembered Mr. Walt had driven her to see it in his truck so it was away from the house.   I saw a lady out sweeping her porch and had Kenny stop to let me ask directions. She was very nice and told me we were heading the right way.  She gave me further clarification on how to find it.   With that assistance we finally found ourselves at a gated entrance. 

It was dummy locked so we opened it and Kenny drove the truck back there.    We passed at least one abandoned house on the drive back.  The lady with the directions told me it was a pretty spot.  It was indeed.  

    The Officer Cemetery welcomes visitors, but not vandals.    It is posted no loitering any time.

The place was neat and tidy.   Today had cleared off and the skies were now sunny.   It was growing hot.  The cemetery was a somber place while still pretty.   Six Civil War gravestones stood in a row.

Uncle Abe had picked a nice final resting place for these poor fellows.  

Above: Row of graves of the slain confederate soldiers.

Grave of 2nd Lt. Robert S. Davis of Texas

Grave of John P. York -Texas

Grave of Oliver Shipp --Texas

Grave of Samuel Garrett--Texas

Grave of William Slaughter--Texas

Grave of W.A. Lipscomb -- Alabama

  I have listed and photographed each grave individually as a reminder that each one of these represents the life of a man.   Each one was someone's family member.   I read that Uncle Abe cut a lock of hair from each man before he buried them. He kept them as possibly something of them to give to family members as a final gesture of his care over them.   They were kept with the personal possessions of an area woman. It is presumed the locks of hair were probably destroyed with some of her personal items upon her death.    

         We wandered round and were struck by the high rate of infant mortality.  

Lots of graves of stillborn babies or children from two months old to two years.   The times back then were very hard. Seems there was no shortage of sorrow.

 Memorial bench

 A Bradley grave marker!

 Infant of the Officer family died April 6, 1816.

Below: W. A. Officer grave marker.  Clasping hands was a common motif on headstones in those times.  It represents taking the Savior's hand and stepping into Eternal Life

Below Comb graves.. there were several.  We saw a grave that did not have one of these. There was no longer a spoil heap and the grave had settled leaving a depression in the ground.  It really is better to have these set up over the graves. I found something about the settled grave upsetting to me.  Somehow seems a little sadder.

Above: I liked this view the best.  The area mountains and this grave marker which is a cross. It bears the names of two decedents.     

       Once we left the cemetery we made a half hearted attempt to find and visit the Table Rock nearby.   Not having clear directions and permission we decided it was best left til another time.

We headed back toward the east and stopped a service station to get fuel, a bathroom break and popsicles.     We cut across Dry Hollow Road toward Big Sunk Cane to show John and Sharon the falls.   It is a short, easy hike.   We had been trying to get them back to see this for many years.

     We parked and hiked back across the pasture to the sink where a nice falls flows down out of the hillside and into a cave.    It was running today, but was not as pretty as when we saw it in Spring.  It did have a rainbow in it though!  The forest was nice and lush green.   

 Above: Kenny ahead of me

 Above: John and Sharon behind me.

 Above: Big Sunk Cane Falls in Summer flow

Below:  Rainbow in the mist of the falls.

   

Ya Cain't Git Thar From Hyere Part the Trip

    We finished visiting the falls and headed back toward Jamestown.  I love some of the features in this area along with the history and natural beauty.   What I despise is how it is such a long drive to reach it.   We struck out toward home and Kenny came to the point where Hwy 85 was barricaded as promised.   Back we went toward Manson Road and continued on.  Manson Road and I have a love hate relationship.   It is such a pretty road, but it seems sooooo long and tiresome especially when I am weary of being in the vehicle.    We prayed we'd not run into anymore troubles. Thankfully and at last we made it back to Woo Hoo.   We said our goodbyes to John and Sharon.  We had no plan for the next day except to watch the weather to see if  Dale Hollow Lake  was going to work out.  If not we'd find something else to do. 

   I reached out to the Overton County Historical Society when I got back to my house.

I asked about the location of the Table Rock and the possibility of visiting it.  

I was told promptly that it lies just past the cemetery about quarter mile.

I was also told that it is ok to visit for historical purposes.  Again vandals are not welcome.  It is near a private residence and lies on private land so don't mess things up by spraying graffiti or destroying property.  

Below is a short video of Big Sunk Cane Falls