It is hard to say what allows someone to “leave their mark” on history. In the great State of Tennessee there have been several. Some you may have not even heard of before.
Jesse F. Adams:
He was a medical pioneer and entrepreneur from Cannon County, Tennessee. After graduating from Vanderbilt University Medical School in 1911, he returned home to Cannon County to build his own practice. His medical contributions are numerous but one that stands out was during the Great Depression. Adams established the Good Samaritan Hospital from 1933-34. He refused to accept government assistance. Adams cited that this was his own “public works” project.
William Robert Anderson:
U.S. Navy Captain and Congressman Anderson was born in Humphreys County, Tennessee. He was the commander of the submarine USS Nautilus in 1958 when they crossed the North Pole underwater for the first time. Anderson also was awarded the Bronze Star for his patrols in the Pacific Ocean during World War II.
Mary Frances “Fannie” Battle:
Fannie Battle was born in Davidson County, Tennessee. She is best known for being a Confederate Spy during the Civil War. Her Father and brothers did their part in the Confederate Army fighting in the battles of Fishing Creek, Fort Donelson, and Shiloh. In March of 1862 the Union Army came to Nashville. Shortly after, Fannie Battle became a Confederate Spy. She gathered information about Federal Forces around the city. One of the common spy tactics was to date a Union Soldier and obtain information about troop movements.
Mark R. Cockrill:
Cockrill was born in 1788 in Nashville, Tennessee. Mark Cockrill was known as the “Wool King of the World.” He received numerous awards for his Tennessee-bred sheep. Cockrill’s Merino sheep samples were awarded first prize at the 1851 Crystal Palace Exposition in London. He was awarded the gold medal by Queen Victoria. Prior to the beginning of the Civil War, Cockrill was estimated to be worth 2 million dollars.
“Sleepy” John Estes:
John Adam “Sleepy John” Estes was born in Ripley, Tennessee. He was well-known for his skills in the rural blues. Sleepy John is credited with reestablishing American music with folk blues during the 1960s throughout the United States and Europe. Prior to his discovery, Sleepy John and his family were living in a sharecropper shack barely making ends meet. In 1991, Sleepy John was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.
Sources:
- https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/jesse-f-adams/
- https://teva.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15138coll50/id/4340/rec/3
- https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/william-robert-anderson/
- https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/ships/submarines/uss-nautilus.html
- https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/mary-frances-battle/
- https://www.tnvacation.com/civil-war/person/22/mary-frances-battle/
- https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/mark-r-cockrill/
- https://teva.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15138coll25/id/1150/rec/1
- https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/sleepy-john-estes/
- https://www.westtnheritage.com/sleepy-john-estes-home