https://www.facebook.com/61550545093433/videos/1047885526908086
On Wednesday, May 21, 2025 Mr. Phil Williams was the speaker at the monthly meeting of the historical society. However, before Mr. Williams spoke, the group was introduced to a Mr. James Allen Gooch from the Rutherford County Historical Society. Mr. Gooch knew Mr. Williams through the Williams Furniture Store in McKenzie, Tennessee that Phil Williams owned and managed for 46 years before his retirement. James and Carol Gooch specialize in cemetery preservation and offered their knowledge to the group.
Phil Williams gave his talk on the history of McLemoresville, Tennessee, as well as on his father, Billy O. Williams, who was a Poet Laureate of Carroll County and an Associate Poet Laureate of the State of Tennessee.
Pictured above is Billy O. Williams. Billy Williams also served in the Air Force during WWII. During this presentation, Phil Williams read a poem that his father had written to the group.
Above is a picture of the Old Main Campus Building of Bethel College. Bethel College began as Bethel Seminary and was founded by West Tennessee Synod of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in 1842. The picture above was taken at approximately 1900 – 1905. The college was moved to McKenzie, TN in 1872.
This was a picture of the Main Campus Building that was town down in 1912.
Carrolton was established as a town on land that was owned by R.E.C. Dougherty, who was a surveyor and entry taker in 1819. The town later became McLemoresville.
The town of McLemoresville was named for Colonel John Christmas Mclemore, who owned much of the land in McLemoresville in 1820. The first county court was also in McLemoresville. It was called the court of pleas and quarter sessions and was organized in March of 1822.
Perhaps the most famous resident of McLemoresville, TN is Dixie Carter, who was born in McLemoresville, Tn in 1939. Her father owned and operated a dry goods store in McLemoresville. Dixie Carter is also buried in McLemoresville.
There is a link at the top of the page to the video on the presentation by Phil Williams of the history of McLemoresville, Tn.
The History of Carroll County, Tennessee 