The Union Pacific Railroad

The Union Pacific Railroad is the oldest railroad, in the United States, that is still in operation. It is the nation's largest railroad freight company. The line spans 32,100 miles, and covers 23 states. The Union Pacific was charted in 1862, as part of the Pacific Railroad Act. Along with the Central Pacific Railroad, it made up the Transcontinental Railroad. The Railroad was primarily constructed by Irish Immigrant workers. The first president and largest stockholder of the company was Dr. Thomas Durant. The town Durant, Iowa was named in his honor. The original headquarters of the company were located in New York City, but were eventually relocated to Omaha, Nebraska where they remain today. The Union Pacific offered both passenger and freight service, from its inception, until 1971. In 1971, passenger service was discontinued, due to low demand, and the rise of Amtrak. Today the Union Pacific offers excursions through their depot located in Cheyenne, Wyoming. These excursions are led by the historic 844 steam locomotive. Currently, preservation efforts are under way to restore the 4014 "Big Boy" steam locomotive for excursion service. The Union Pacific operates a total of fourteen freight yards in states such as Texas, Nebraska, and California. A total of 42,884 people are employed by Union Pacific, making the company one of the largest employers in the nation. The Union Pacific Railroad Museum, located in Cheyenne, Wyoming is home to railroad and company memorabilia. Also located in Cheyenne, is the Union Pacific roundhouse and steam shop, where the historic 844 and 4014 steam locomotives are housed. One should always be able to tell the difference in a Union Pacific locomotive and one from a different company, due to their iconic yellow paint schemes. The Union Pacific Railroad is one of the United States' greatest success stories. They are truly an iconic brand.

This map shows the expansive network of the Union Pacific Railroad.

An early photo of a Union Pacific passenger train.

Union Pacific Headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska.

The 4014 "Big Boy" steam locomotive hauling freight.

The 844 steam locomotive on an excursion trip.

A modern Union Pacific diesel locomotive.

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John Catron

John Catron was a lawyer and later a Tennessee and United States Supreme Court justice. He was from Sparta, Tennessee. It is very much up for debate as to where the Catron family migrated from. By all accounts, Catron did not receive much education. He later claimed that he taught himself, by "reading anything that he could get his hands on." Catron eventually took an interest in law, and began to read law under Sparta attorney George Washington Gibbs. When the War of 1812 broke out, Catron enlisted. He was sent south to fight in the Natchez Expedition. Catron saw action at Talladega, Tallusatchee, and Fort Strother. He eventually was granted a release from the army due to illness. His short time in the army, proved valuable to him, allowing him to obtain respect from men such as Andrew Jackson, and Attorney General Isaac Thomas. When Catron returned to Sparta, he continued to study law, and was later admitted to the bar. He left Sparta and set up his own practice at Monroe, the county seat of Overton County. He traveled all across the Third Judicial District, or "Mountain District," trying cases. Catron was often paid in whiskey, hams, and gunpowder, among other things. The district that he worked in was so poor, that money did not exchange hands very often, they instead chose to barter.  While serving as a lawyer, Catron and Andrew Jackson often came in contact with one another. The two men had known each other during the War of 1812, and respect between the two men only continued to strengthen in the years after. Jackson encouraged Catron to move to Nashville, where he would have more opportunities to be successful as an attorney. It was also in Nashville that he met his wife Matilda Childress. She was the granddaughter of James Robertson and the first cousin of Sarah Childress, the wife of James K. Polk. The Childress family was able to open up political doors for Catron that he had never thought of. Historians say that following his marriage into the Childress family, he became a "political animal." In 1824, he was elected to the Tennessee Supreme Court, and never looked back. He took on issues surrounding the Panic of 1819, as well as Indian rights. Catron's goal was to "dispense justice as seen fit." He was not afraid of public backlash over decisions he handed down. If he thought a decision was the right one, he did not hesitate to let it be known how he felt. Many of the decisions that Justice Catron made, are still affecting state and federal laws. His attitude toward the Native Americans are perhaps the most controversial aspect of Catron's career. During early cases that he presided over, Catron was usually sympathetic to the Indians. In an 1835 case however, he took a completely different view. The case was known as The State v. Foreman, and it involved the murder of a Cherokee man by Foreman. The court ruled that the state had the right to have jurisdiction over the Cherokee tribe. The ruling in this case, led to the reopening of the Worcester v. Georgia case. This allowed Jackson the opportunity to negotiate with the Cherokee tribe, and eventually to the Trail of Tears. Following the passage of the Judiciary Act of 1836, the number of United States Supreme Court justices was increased from seven to nine. It is unknown how Catron secured a spot, but theories range, from his close relationship with Jackson, to his in laws, getting him the seat. Just like his lawyer career, and Tennessee Supreme Court service, he rode a circuit. He opposed entities such as corporations, and he presided over numerous cases involving slavery. The most famous of those was Dred Scott v. Sandford. Catron continued to serve the country well as a Supreme Court Justice. In 1860, as southern states began to hold conventions concerning secession, Catron stood firm with the United States. This rubbed many of his family, and friends in the Upper Cumberland the wrong way. He and his wife were forced to leave Nashville and move to Louisville, Kentucky. Catron believed that anyone who supported the Confederate cause was committing treason. He continued to use his platform as a Supreme Court Justice to speak out against the Confederacy. Catron died on May 30, 1865 at the age of 79. His seat in the Supreme Court was eliminated under the Judicial Courts Act, in order to prevent Andrew Johnson from appointing a new justice. John Catron has gone down in history as one of the great success stories of the Upper Cumberland.

For more on John Catron, check out the book People of the Upper Cumberland.

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John A. Murrell

John Andrews Murrell was one of Tennessee's most notorious Pre Civil War bandits. He was born in Lunenburg County, Virginia, but migrated with his family to Williamson County, Tennessee shortly after. It is believed that his father, a Methodist minister, died shortly after coming to Tennessee. His mother opened up a hotel, and taught her son to steal from the guests. Murrell became so good at theft, that he could steal a hotel guest blind, without arousing them. He became a master at picking locks. His mother's influence eventually came back to bite her. One night Murrell stole fifty dollars out of the family funds, and headed to Nashville. He did not even make it to Nashville before he committed his next act of lawlessness. Along the road he met a livestock trader from South Carolina, who had come to the area to purchase some hogs. The man made the mistake of telling Murrell that he had decided not to make the purchase. After gaining the trust of the man, Murrell waited until the time was right before robbing the man. He stunned him with a lead weighted whip, took the money, totaling $1,262, and threw the man's body down a ravine. The man did not die however, but Murrell made sure to murder future victims. He became most famous for being a slave thief. By the time his career was over, he claimed that he had stolen over one hundred slaves. He would sell these slaves through networks in cities such as Nashville and New Orleans. It is rumored that Murrell almost set off a slave uprising, where he instructed the slaves to kill their masters. This never happened however, and there is no evidence that suggests Murrell ever attempted to do this. Murrell was able to gain much wealth due to his lawless deeds. He was often seen on fine horses, wearing fancy cloths. He was frequently seen spending time in cities such as Natchez, Mississippi and New Orleans. He would lure victims in while on the road by posing as a preacher. He would conduct "soul saving" services, as well as business deals. These business deals often involved the use of counterfeit money. His lawlessness continued until he met up with a man named Virgil Stewart. Stewart's sole objective was to gain Murrell's trust, then turn him in to the law. He was able to convince Murrell to take him to one of his secret hideout's in Arkansas, where police were waiting for them. Morrell was arrested, taken to Nashville to stand trial, and sentenced to ten years in the Tennessee State Penitentiary. He confessed to every crime he had committed, except murder. While in prison, Murrell was required to learn a new trade. He took up blacksmithing. When his sentence was up, he went to Pikeville, Tennessee and opened up a blacksmith shop. He only lived nine months after his release, passing away on November 21, 1844 at the age of 38, due to tuberculosis. Murrell is a great example of someone that was able to make the most of a second chance at life.

John A. Murrell is entombed in the Smyrna First United Methodist Church Cemetery in Rutherford County, Tennessee. The grave was looted shortly after his death and various body parts were stolen, with some never recovered. 

Historical marker located in Pikeville, Tennessee.

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Undefeated: The Adam Huntsman Story

     Adam Huntsman was one of the most colorful politicians of his time. He lived and worked in all three of Tennessee’s grand divisions. Once entering politics, he never lost a race for public office. He was a quirky man, but had a great sense of humor. During campaigns he often used Bible verses and Aesop’s fables in speeches. He lost a leg during the Creek-Indian War, but his outlook on life never wavered. What he accomplished in his life, caused him to become one of the most famous politicians in Tennessee History.

     Adam Huntsman was born on February 11, 1786 in Charlotte County, Virginia. His parents were Jacob and Mary Devine Huntsman. Nothing is known about his life in Virginia. He migrated to Tennessee in 1807. When he reached Tennessee he settled in Knoxville. While in Knoxville, he studied law under prominent attorney John Williams. Williams would eventually become a United States senator. It might have been from him that young Adam Huntsman took an interest in politics. 

     Politics were put on hold for awhile following the outbreak of the Creek-Indian War in 1813. Huntsman signed up to fight. While in this war, he suffered the loss of his leg. It is unknown how it happened, but most believe he was attacked while walking through the swaps of East Florida. For the rest of his life he had to wear a peg leg. This led to him getting the nickname “the peg leg politician.” He used his peg leg to his advantage, showing it off as evidence of his sacrifice to his country. After the war ended, Huntsman returned to practicing law. 

     Around 1815, Adam Huntsman moved to Overton County, Tennessee. He set up a law practice, and also served the county, as well as nearby White and Smith Counties in the Tennessee State Senate. He also served White County as court clerk. He was also the first member of the newly formed Masonic Lodge in Sparta. He gained wealth by buying and selling land and slaves in the area. He continued this practice even after leaving the area. While living in the Upper Cumberland, Huntsman met his first wife Sarah Quarles. Sarah was the daughter of William and Ann Quarles of White Plains. Huntsman lived in the Upper Cumberland area of Middle Tennessee, until 1821.

     In 1821, Huntsman and Sarah moved west to Madison County, where he became one of the most famous criminal lawyers in West Tennessee. He also became one of the larger leaders of the Democratic Party in that area. They settled in the Cotton Grove community. Cotton Grove was the first settlement in Madison County. The Huntsman’s started a farm there, and built a lavish home. In 1825, Sarah died, and he married a woman named Elizabeth Todd. It is unknown how Sarah died, but Huntsman did not stay single long. Two years later Huntsman served his second term in the State Senate. He served as a State Senator until 1831.

     Some of Huntsman’s accomplishments while serving in the State Senate included serving as a commissioner to make Tennessee’s rivers more navigable, and he also led the charge to revise the State Constitution. In 1834 he was appointed as a delegate from Madison County to revise the State Constitution. Huntsman was truly a Jacksonian Democrat and that gave him the power to get things done, and also allowed him to gain much more political power then the common politician.

     Adam Huntsman is most famous for his campaign and subsequent victory over David Crockett in the 1835 Congressional Race to represent the twelfth district. He received support from President Andrew Jackson, as well as Tennessee governor William Carroll. Both men ran vigorously for the office. Both campaigns went back and forth “smearing” each other. Huntsman wrote a tract known as “The Book of Chronicles,” which slandered Crockett in Biblical language. He focused primarily on Crockett’s failure to get a land bill passed during his three terms in Congress. Crockett responded to this by giving Huntsman the nickname “Old Black Hawk.” The two men never missed out on a chance to slander the other. 

     Huntsman and Crockett frequently traveled together while campaigning. They would make speeches to supporters, as well as debate. They were away for long periods of time, meaning that they had to spend nights together. One night while staying at the home of a farmer, Crockett decided to get back at Huntsman for the barbs Huntsman had been throwing his way. Crockett knew that the farmer had an attractive daughter, and Huntsman’s reputation as a womanizer spoke for itself. That night, Crockett snuck out of his room and grabbed a wooden chair. He took the chair to the door of the farmer’s daughter’s room. He began to rattle the girl’s door knob. He then put one of his feet on the rung of the chair and walked back to his room. The chair made the sound of a peg leg, which woke the girl and her father. The farmer ran up to Huntsman’s room and confronted him. Crockett acted as the mediator between the two. The farmer swore to expose Huntsman for who he was, and to vote for Crockett.

     After a number of hard fought months on the campaign trail, election day finally arrived. The results were 4,652-4,400 in favor of Huntsman. This infuriated Crockett. He claimed that President Andrew Jackson had used his “franking” privilege to send anti-Crockett pamphlets to West Tennesseans. He also accused Jackson of taking twenty-five dollars as a bribe to vote for Huntsman. It is unknown how true, if at all these claims were. Crockett did take the loss hard. He left Tennessee all together and went to Texas, just as he had promised during the campaign. He would be killed at the Alamo. 

     The election of Huntsman gave Andrew Jackson another ally in Congress. Huntsman is what historians call a “Jacksonian Democrat.” Huntsman wanted to push every piece of legislation that Jackson was in favor of through Congress. This legislation included pieces on banking, tariffs, and various internal improvements. He was never a big name in Washington, but he was considered a dependable “war horse” for the Democratic Party. By all accounts, he got things done, during his time in Congress.

     When Tennessee and Kentucky became states, there was a question hanging over their heads. That question concerned the border. It was very much disputed and up to debate as to what lands were Tennessee’s and which were Kentucky’s. This issue likely resulted due to outdated survey equipment and human error. But the issue continued to be a problem for the next few years. The issue became so great that eventually the United States Congress had to intervene. Adam Huntsman led the charge in getting the border dispute resolved. He sent surveyors to the border to resurvey the land. It was found that there was a problem with the border between the two states. The surveyors recommended that the border remain how it was. Even though Huntsman and others wanted the border to be changed, and the crisis resolved, it was much easier said then done. The border crisis was not resolved until after Huntsman had left office. Once the border crisis was resolved, Huntsman was given credit for leading the charge during his term in office. This was Huntsman’s greatest accomplishment while serving in Congress.

     In 1837, Huntsman decided not to run for reelection. He felt like he could win the election, but he knew it would be an uphill battle to take on Whigs John Wesley Crockett, and Archelaus M. Hughes. He blamed the Democratic Party for not defending him from slander that had been printed about him in various newspapers. The most widely accepted reason for not running again, is that Huntsman felt that he was neglecting his law practice, and he wanted to get back to it. Huntsman’s career in politics was over, but his spotless record remained intact.

     Huntsman returned to Jackson following his single term in Congress. For the remainder of his life he lived at his farm in Cotton Grove, and practiced law. He remained very heavily involved in campaigning for politicians throughout Tennessee. He served as a delegate for James K. Polk during his successful presidential campaign. A few years before he died, he married Nancy Waller Mosely. She was the widow of John S. Mosely, a prominent citizen of Montgomery County. Nancy had 851 acres and thirty-eight slaves in Montgomery and Madison Counties. Huntsman and Nancy only lived together one or two years, before he passed away on August 23, 1849. It is interesting to note that the couple prepared a prenuptial agreement four days before their wedding. The agreement stated that each person kept ownership of their property. In total Huntsman had six children, by two different wives. Three months after his death, it was discovered, that he had no will. Huntsman had taken out loans against his farm, that he had failed to pay back. The bank took his farm following his death. Huntsman is entombed in the Old Salem Cemetery in Jackson, Tennessee.

     Adam Huntsman is one of the most interesting figures in Tennessee History and politics. The fact that he never lost a race for public office is impressive. Huntsman lived in all three of Tennessee’s grand divisions, and made a positive impact in all three. He was a lawyer, soldier, and a politician. He had a somewhat unconventional way of doing things, but most of the time it all worked out for good.

Author’s Note: For more on Adam Huntsman the author recommends the book “The Peg Leg Politician: Adam Huntsman of Tennessee” by Kevin D. McCann. Some of the information contained in this article, comes from that book.

Painting of Adam Huntsman showing him as a "circuit lawyer."

Painting showing Adam Huntsman debating David Crockett.

David "Davy" Crockett

The Huntsman home place in Cotton Grove.

The grave of Adam Huntsman in the Old Salem Cemetery in Jackson, Tennessee.

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Benedict Arnold

Benedict Arnold is one of the most fascinating characters of the American Revolution. Before the war broke out, he had served as a drummer in the French and Indian War, and later worked as a pharmacist and bookseller in Connecticut. When the Revolution broke out, he was in the West Indies on a trading mission. He claimed that he was very surprised that there was a rebellion. When Arnold returned to the colonies, he was named captain in the Connecticut militia. Arnold and his men were involved in the siege of Boston, as well as Fort Ticonderoga. Arnold was later sent to Montreal, Canada, where he would serve as the military commander of the city. After leaving Canada he was assigned to fight in the Rhode Island and Saratoga Campaigns. It was at Saratoga where Arnold became famous for his military prowess. Instead of trying to attack a portion of the British army, he wanted to take the fight to them "head on." George Washington was on board with this, but not Horatio Gates. Gates refused to let Arnold preform this task, and refused to give him reinforcements. Instead Gates wanted Arnold to defend the "heights," or "high ground." Arnold did this, but also sent out men on reconnaissance missions. By the time the battle was over, the British had won. However, they did lose more then six hundred of their soldiers. Arnold felt that if he had been allowed to attack them head on, he could have won the battle for the Colonists. A few days after the battle, Arnold confronted Gates in his tent. Legend says that Arnold took his sword and slashed open the tent before entering. He claimed that Gates did not provide him with any reinforcements, and also failed to give he and his regiment credit in his report to Congress. Gates responded to this outburst, by firing Arnold. There would later be a second attack by the British at Saratoga, with Arnold involved in it, much to the chagrin of Gates. This time the Colonists were able to defeat the British. For his efforts, Gates was awarded a gold medal. Arnold was left with out credit yet again. By all accounts this was one of the reasons why Arnold chose to betray the Colonists. He felt like he was not being appreciated, and he felt very pessimistic about the Colonist's chances of winning the war. He became aquatinted with John Andre. Andre was a British secret intelligence officer. Arnold and Andre worked out a deal that the latter would provide the former with Colonial information for payment and an equal rank in the British Army. The information that Arnold gave Andre, contained American positions, movements, and also the anticipated arrival date of the French Navy. George Washington, being unaware of the activities Arnold was engaged in, gave him command at West Point. Arnold used this as an opportunity to take his plot to the next level. He demanded that the defenses be weakened. Arnold was paid 20,000 pounds for doing this. On September 23, 1780, just two days after meeting with Arnold, John Andre was captured at Tarrytown, New York by the American militia. He was found to be in possession of classified Colonial information. Arnold learned of Andre's capture the following day. Andre was later hanged for his role in the plot. Arnold eventually began to move all his assets to London. He also was given his captain commission in the British Army. His greatest accomplishment while serving in the British army, was the raiding and later burning of New London, Connecticut. While serving for the British, Washington gave orders to his army, that if Arnold is captured, he should be hanged. Arnold was never captured and took his wife and went in exile in London. He and his son Richard started a trading business, that primarily did business in the West Indies. He also fought a duel with the Earl of Lauderdale. No blood was shed in this duel. By all accounts the rest of Arnold's life was quiet. He eventually passed away on June 14, 1801 at his home in London. He was given an elaborate funeral, but there were no military honors. Benedict Arnold has gone down in history as one of the biggest traitors in American history. Luckily for the Colonists though, none of Arnold's actions ever came back to haunt them. The fact that he sold his homeland out to the British is simply unforgivable.

Painting depicting Benedict Arnold giving classified Colonial Army info to John Andre. He is instructing Andre to put the information in his boot, so it would be harder for anyone to find it.

Coded letter written by Arnold to Andre. 

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