History Of Weaver

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From the historical files of June E. Tuck, who does not validate or dispute any historical facts in the article. Prepared by G. G. Orren and J. T. Arthur Assisted by Miss Valeria McCord and Glen Womack, 1937

Weaver began about 1887 after the Cotton Belt Railroad was built. The railroad wanted to name the village Dupree but the Dupree family objected so the village was named Weaver in honor of Jim Weaver, one of the first sheriffs of Hopkins County.

The pioneer settlers in the vicinity of Weaver were Dr. Smith, who lived 1 1/4 miles west of Weaver on what is known as the Davison farm; Eli Merrel who lived north of Weaver on what is now know as the McCord farm; Lewis Christian who lived on what is now known as the Hick Wall or Perkins farm; Bones Fite, Tom Crane, Gommillon, Spend (sic) Ward and Mrs. Griffith were other settlers.

The next wave of settlers included the Duprees, Lollars, Sparks, Wagleys, Davisons, Perkins, McCords, Brewers, Paynes, Whites, McMahans and Kennedys.

The first store in Weaver was built by Thomas Dupree immediately after the railroad was constructed. Dupree was succeeded by Buster Lollar, Joe Brewer, Williams and Gray, Milton Kennedy, Callie McAuley, and H. T. White. The second store was built by a Mr. Winkle and it stood where the Baptist church now stands. In 1911 M. D. Wagley built the largest store that was ever built in Weaver. He sold everything from millinery and ready-made dresses to buggies and wagons. H D. Arthur was manager of the store. This store burned a few years after Mr. Wagley's death in 1913. Between 1913 and 1918 Mr. Wallace built a grocery store, C.W. Bryant built at drug store, Milton Kennedy and Earl Adams built a general merchandise store. The drug store burned about three years later. Mr. W. L. Wallace continued operate his store until a few years ago and then turned it into a dwelling. The old building was remodeled the past year and is now a grocery store and post office, operated by Mrs. House. Kennedy and Adams sold their store to Benjie Perkins, but Mr. Kennedy built a new store in which he continued to run until the highway came through.

Other business people of Weaver were A. Sprinkles, Emmett Thornton (not the lawyer,) Moore Bros., Jim Scott, Clyde Griffith, George Conley, Cooley and Son, Brewer Bros., and J. F. Stephenson.

The doctors of Weaver were Coppedge, Jeffries, Butt, Brewer, Guthrie, Lynch, Sparks and Manning. A son of a pioneer family of Weaver, Dr. J. B. (Buck) Sparks, built a two-room office in 1907 where he practiced. It stood where Troy Cooley now has a service station. This office was later used for a switchboard and then a dwelling. Dr. Manning is still practicing medicine at Weaver and has a nice office east of the stores. It is now unusual for a village the size of Weaver to have a doctor, especially one with an office.

The section house was first located at White Oak Station, then moved to Weaver. Later the Saltillo section was consolidated with it. The depot was first located at Evans Point and then changed to Weaver. The depot agents were Charlie Bryant, R. M. Payne, Maxwell, Patterson, Brownfield, Nichols, Hanks, Rhodes, and Mrs. House.

The post office was formerly at Lollar's store and was named White Oak. This post office was moved to Weaver. The first post office was in Dupree's store, then Buster Lollar's store. Next it was in Mr. Wallace's store, then Benjie Perkins moved it to his store.

The first gen at Weaver was operated by Joe Minter and was located on what is now Alfred (Shorty) Anderson'Òs farm. The old gin pool is still there. This gin burned in 1913. In 1912 the Farmers Union built a gin. Later it was sold to Callie McAuley and J. Q. Wiler. At the present time Davis France owns it. Other gin men at Weaver were M. D. Wagley, Mike Wilkins, Earl Adams, Williams and Son, and J. A. Drake.

In 1891 the first schoolhouse was built in Weaver by the money made up by the people. The building was a one-story structure and stood where the present schoolhouse is and faced north. Later this school building was sold to Joe Brewer. The building was moved and the people had church in it. This occurred about 1919, and it was at this time that a two-room school house was erected at the place where the old one stood, which faced east. About four or five years later another room was added, and the building is the present one.

In 1902 or 1903 the first and only Methodist church building was erected where it still stands. Later it was remodeled. Bryant and Simms, missionaries from Mt. Vernon, were the first pastors. Later, Bryant held the position of presiding elder. The Baptist people continued to use the one-room school building for some time and in 1925 the present Baptist church was built north of the highway. Rev. Brad McLaughlin organized the church in 1895. Several charter members are still living.

The cemetery at Weaver is probably one of the oldest in the county. The Bone family had been buried there long before the Weaver was established and were the first to be buried in what is now called Weaver cemetery. Tommie Lollar was probably second and L. A. Lollar third. Later, Buster Lollar gave the land for the cemetery.

Jim Dodson, father of Reily Dodson of Saltillo, was the first and leading carpenter of Weaver.

Black Perkins built a blacksmith shop at Weaver about 1890. He was succeeded by Benjie and Dan Perkins. This shop has been in the hands of the same Perkins family continuously since 1890. This is unusual. About 1911 Smithson also operated a blacksmith shop.

Up until 1908 the old Frank Smith place, one mile north of Weaver was something to see and talk about in the community. This house was an old-fashioned log house. The kitchen was built separate, about three feet from the rest of the house. The kitchen had a dirt floor, and because the house had been built so many years, the dirt had become very hard. In 1908 J. B. McCord bought the farm and built what is still their present home. When the log house was torn down a variety of antiques were found. They had been stored in the attic. These were brass-toed shoes, fancy snuff boxes and papers that were 50 years old.