John Hamilton Morgan Journal, something further about C. F. Christensen and $5

[Editor’s note: This August 14, 1885 journal entry answers the question Bruce Crow posed here. I’ve added the additional John Morgan journal entries about the Christensen case I found through the end of 1885.]

1885
August 14
Arrived at J. C. [Johnson City] at 5:30 a.m. Had my boot heels fixed by a red headed shoemaker and at 6:30 took train for Elizabethton. Arrived at 7:00 a.m. Had breakfast at the Snyder House. Met C. C. Collins and had a talk with him on the Christensen’s case. At my request he examined the court record and found that it read that C. F. Christensen is bound to the State of Tenn. in the sum of five dollars and Wm. Green in the sum of five. Met quite a number of friends and was introduced to a number of Mrs. Ingles. Had a very pleasant talk with Simmerly and others.
…
August 19
Started early this a.m. and accompanied by brother Rouche, walked to Roan Mt. station and came to Elizabethton on the cars. Had dinner at the Snyder House and a talk with Collins. Wrote quite a number of letters. Warm.

August 20
Met Collins and had quite a talk with him about the case. Afterwards walked to depot and took train to Johnson City. Had dinner at the Hoss House. Took train for Chattanooga and arrived at 10:20. Hot and dusty.
…
September 25
Went to Knoxville on the 10 a.m. train. Met and talked over the Christensen case with Gen. Thomburg and decided to try to stop prosecution by taking advantage of error in Court record. Returned to Chattanooga at 10 p.m.
…
October 12
Arose at 4:30 and went out to the Depot in an awful rain storm and at 5:37 took train for Chattanooga. Had breakfast at Round Mountain and dinner at Newport. Met Col. Thomburg at Knoxville and held a consultation on the Christensen case. Arrived in Nooga at 10:10 p.m. Tired.

[Note: This doesn’t look like it has ended yet. But my copy of this part of John Morgan’s journal ends on January 3, 1886. There is no further mention of the Christensen case through that date. I can tell I’ll need to return to the Marriott Library, which I really enjoy doing. When and if I discover further mention of this incident I’ll share it here.]

You can get a good look at, and a bit of history about, Col. Thornburg by reading about this incident at The Ancestor Files. John Morgan’s rn must have looked like an m to the typist who transcribed his journal.



It appears C.C. Collins was a local court official.