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VOL. 5, NO. 15
karns / hardin valley
APRIL 11, 2011
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Peeling back the layers
Teacher of the year!
Coward Mill part of rich history of Karns
Karns High School’s Phillip Beeler honored See page A-10
Science and song LA songwriter and musician Tim Sellers spends four weeks at UT music with mathematics and biology. See Wendy’s story on page A-3
FEATURED COLUMNIST BETTY BEAN
Rafting the rapids with Ned Betty Bean remembers Ned McWherter See page AA-44
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Barbara Guinn’s painting of what Coward Mill would have looked like when it was in operation. Photo submitted
By Joe Rector Barbara Guinn is knee deep in the history of Karns, Ball Camp, Hardin Valley, Solway and parts of Anderson County. The site of the old Coward Mill in Karns is her most recent interest, and Guinn and others have worked to recover the mill’s history. Her interests in the mill began because her husband’s great-grandmother was Sarah Coward, one of the daughters of the owner of the mill from 1879 to the 1930s. “I got interested enough to want to peel back the layers of history to find the beginning of the mill,” she said. Coward Mill was built on the banks of Beaver Creek at a location where the stream narrows. A portion of the creek was diverted so that it would turn the wheel. At the same time the mill was built, a 15foot high dam was also constructed across the creek, and it still is visible from Coward Mill Road. With help from the McClung collection and Karns residents, Guinn has been able to piece things together. Jesse Council bought the property in 1795, and he and his sons built the mill on Beaver Creek and operated it for 30 years. The original 400 acres was divided when 235 were sold to Edward Prince from Anderson County in 1835. Perhaps the most well known owners were the Hackneys. They came from a Quaker community in Friendsville in Blount County. The family bought the mill and acreage in 1862. Four brothers – Hiram, James, Jo-
Today, the dam still is visible, but the mill is gone. Photo by Joe Rector seph and Hugh Tate (H.T.) – operated the mill for 18 years. H.T. is a famous resident in the Ball Camp area and used 180 acres near Byington Station as a distribution point. The Hackney family still owns and lives on a portion of property at Coward Mill. William and Stella Coward bought 15 acres and the mill in 1879. Stella lived there until she died in the 1970s. Along with the mill and dam is a single-arch bridge that spans 80 feet. It was built in 1894, and in 1988 Knox County officials made plans to replace it. Thanks to the hard work of Don Caldwell and Judy Wright, the project was abandoned and the
old bridge was spared. When it was in operation, Guinn says Coward Mill was important because it served as a meeting place and information station for the community. Once or twice a month people would bring their grain to be ground. “It was a gathering place then like Hardees is now.” Barbara Guinn can mesmerize folks for hours as she recites histories of the places with which Karns residents are familiar. She is working on her book, “East Tennessee Footprints,” and hopes to have it out next year. Much of her work and information is available at http:// Barbara Guinn is including the inforeasttnfootprints.blogspot.com. mation on Coward Mill in her book.
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By Valorie Fister Jason Jeansonne’s 62-mile round trip commute from Halls to work at Oak Ridge each day is not the usual stop and go car ride down the highway. This commuter’s vehicle is a racing bike, and he sometimes breezes along at speeds of 30 to 40 mph. The competitive cycling enthusiast rises at 3:50 a.m. each day to train and stay in shape for his weekend races. He’s been in training for 10 years. “I’m an all or nothing kind of guy,” Jeansonne said. “I certainly do not have as much talent. … I have tenacity.” The 38-year-old engineer at Oak Ridge’s Pro2Serve is modest. Since he started cycling and racing in 2001, he has progressed to a level just below that of a professional without a contract. Jeansonne races with the FGS Elite Cycling Team. He has sponTo page A-2
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Competitive cycling enthusiast Jason Jeansonne warms up on a hill near his Halls home. Photo by Valorie Fister
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