Jonathan Acuff's Place Mentioned in Newspaper Article(1932)

My 3rd Great Grandfather, Jonathan Acuff was mentioned in an article in the Sept 22, 1932 edition of the Bledsonian and Pikeville Banner. The article was a follow-up to a previous piece about Blackmon Shirley(known as the oldest G. A. R.veteran) who, according to Calhoun Swafford, had at one time lived at the Jonathan Acuff's place. 

But at what time was that?  

I did find Blackmon in Bledsoe County Tennessee. during the 1850 US Federal Census. Blackman's age in census records is all over the place.  After looking at the listing of his reported ages as a whole, I feel his actual birth year was around 1830, which would make him about 103 at the time of his death--definitely an interesting character.

Mr. Swafford noted in the article that it had been about 55 years since he had seen Blackmon, placing their last encounter prior to 1877. Hamilton County Tennessee borders Bledsoe County, but it is most likely that Blackmon lived at the Acuff place sometime between the 1840s and 1860. While we know he was in Bledsoe County at the time of the 1850 Census, we cannot say for certain that he was living at the Acuff place at that exact time.

 

Transcription of the article:

Calhoun Swafford Knew Shirley 

Calhoun Swafford of Route 1, came to the Bledsonian office Saturday and said that he remembers Black Shirley. An article about Shirley was published in our last issue. He is now said to be living in Springtown, Texas, where is getting considerable publicity on account of his age, he having reached his 114 year. An article clipped from the daily press said that he was a native of Tennessee having lived at Pikeville. Mr. Swafford said Black Shirley at one time lived at the Jonathan Acuff place, now owned by Mrs. Mary Brown on Route 1. Later he lived near Summer City and afterwards moved to Rhea county and from there he moved to Texas. Mr. Swafford thinks it must have been at least 55 years since he last saw him. Mr. Swafford relates an interesting experience with Shirley. He said that Shirley came to their home many years ago and boasted that he could ride a wild horse they had in the barn lot. Shirley was warned by Mr. Swafford's father that the horse was wild and could not be ridden. Shirley tried it anyway, and after a fit of bucking Shirley was thrown to the ground and stayed at their home several days before recovering from injuries sustained in the fall. Shirley was related to Mr. Swafford's mother, Mrs. Miria Mills Swafford. He also married a Swafford, it is said. Mrs. H. G. Ferguson stated to The Bledsonian editor that her mother, Mrs. C. E. Pope, also knew Shirley or knew of him when he lived here.

Source:

"Calhoun Swafford Knew Shirley," Bledsonian and Pikeville Banner, Vol XIV, No 51,  Sept 22. 1932, p 1 col 2; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHK-Q3RX-38B8  : accessed 16 August 2026 ) IGN 8972078, Image 102 of 1057.

1850 US Federal Census Population Schedule, Bledsoe County, Tennessee, Eastern District, Household 361, line 11, Blackman Shurley; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6L9Q-R8N :  accessed 16 August 2026 ). IGN 4191096(Item 2 of 2), Image 202 of 276