Granville Ghost Walk 2018: Samuel Sampson Carver

On October 26th and 27th 2018 Samuel Sampson Carver was featured as a character in the annual Granville, Tennessee Ghost Walk. Below is what Sam told the folks at his two night appearance:

Sam Carver (1847-1938) played by great great grandson Sam Moore

Hello there, my name is Samuel Sampson Carver, my friends call me S.S. or Sam. I was born on January 8, 1847 in the Wartrace community just across the Cumberland River from Granville. I lived a fairly normal life as a farm boy, helping my father on the farm. When the Civil War broke out, I wanted to enlist, however I was only 13 years old, and they told me I was to young. I had to wait until I turned 18 to enlist. I finally enlisted on my 18th birthday on January 8, 1865. I enlisted in Captain William S. Long’s 8th Tennessee Mounted Infantry Regiment that was based over in Carthage. My enlistment made for some tension in my family, since my older brother Milt had enlisted a few years earlier in the Confederate army. It was so late in the war, I knew the Union was going to win, thus I joined them. I never rose any higher then private in my military career, and I never saw any battlefield action. On August 17, 1865 I was mustered out. One benefit that I did receive from being on the winning side was a pension, which I received for the remainder of my life. That extra money would come in handy a few decades later. When I returned home I fell in love with the beautiful Amanda West. We married and had a total of six children. There were five girls and one boy. I tried my hand at many different trades to support my family. I did everything from teaching school to running a boarding house. I finally made it my mission to find some land suitable for farming. I searched all over Jackson and Smith counties before being told of land in the Liberty community, just a few miles east of Granville that was going to be sold in a chancery court sale. The land included two log cabins, and a beautiful two room dog trot home sitting on a hill overlooking the creek. The terrain was and still is mountainous, but I was up for the challenge. I decided to construct a saw mill and blacksmith shop in addition to my farming operation. Due to the size of my family, I had to renovate the existing home. I added an upstairs level to it, and enclosed the breeze way between the two rooms. For thirty-eight years I served as Justice of the Peace for the 5th Civil District. This district stretched from Granville to Big Branch. The parlor of my home was used as the courtroom. I can’t begin to count the number of weddings that I preformed in the front room of that house in the middle of the night. I also served my community by establishing the Liberty church of Christ and serving on the Martin’s Creek Bridge Committee. We would have lost the farm during the Great Depression if not for my Civil War Pension and the Ralston Purina Company retaining my grandson in law Donald Moore as a salesman. My farm became a wonderful operation. Myself, my son Joseph Rueben, and my grandson in law Donald Moore accomplished great things during the farm’s early years. I am most proud of the folks we were able to help through our tenant farming program. Thinking back, I guess the farm truly was the lifeline of the Liberty community. On July 11, 1938 I passed away peacefully in my home. I am buried in the Carver Cemetery just a few yards away from the old home place. I have heard that a few significant things have happened to my descendants since my passing. I hear that Granville is celebrating the 1950s this year. I heard through the grapevine that my great grandson Joe and my farm Carverdale were featured in an October 1955 Time magazine cover story. I remember Joe as a boy sitting in my lap and playing with my pocket watch. He was quite the mischievous little boy, and I hear he still is. I also heard that my home and farm were recently listed in the National Register of Historic Places. I thank my great, great, great grandson Carver (I love that name by the way.) for getting that honor for our family. It’s satisfying to know that my descendants take such a great interest in their heritage. I wish I could have known he and his sister Olivia. I’m proud that the farm has stayed in the family since I purchased it in 1890. I am extremely proud of my descendants and my community for carrying on my legacy. Stop by Carverdale Farms anytime, you might just see me lurking around keeping an eye on things. 

At Moore Historical Consulting my #1 priority is historic preservation. Do you own a historic home, commercial building, or farm? If so contact me today to learn more about the historic preservation strategies I offer. These include nominations to the National Register of Historic Places, nominations for a Permanent Conservation Easement, nominations to the Century Farms program, and writing text for historic makers. At Moore Historical Consulting I make exploring and preserving your past fun and easy.