Van Buren County (formed in 1840 from White, Warren and Bledsoe and named for Martin Van Buren The first court
was held at Spencer, the county seat, April 6. 1840. Home to Burritt College which opened the doors February 26,
1849.
Toward the close of the eighteenth century brave pioneers from Virginia and North Carolina pushed westward through
Cumberland Gap and across the plains of East Tennessee to what is now known as the Cumberland Tableland. Many were
the dangers they braved and the hardships they underwent while building homes among the wilds of the mountain forests.
The story of the early settlement of Tennessee is filled with romance, and no teacher finds difficulty in getting
pupils interested in these adventures and hardships. Among the families who settled near Spencer, in what is now
Van Buren County, we find the names " Walling," " Clark," " Gillentine," " Trogdon,"
"Parker," "Smith," "Seitz," and "Stewart." Van Buren County was cut off
from White and Warren Counties about the year 1844, and Spencer was located soon after. A. K. Parker, of Virginia,
who owned five thousand acres of land, covering the town site, deeded fifty acres for the town and built the first
house in Spencer near the site of the present hotel. John Gillentine, also from Virginia, built the second house.
This was on the Doyle Road, just above the town spring. Then he and John Stewart built a storehouse where now is
located the residence of Charlie Clark. The first courthouse, a little log building, stood just north of the present
one. This rude structure was soon replaced by a brick building, which stood until the erection of the new building
a few years ago. This first brick building was put up by Nathan Trogdon, a mason. While erecting this courthouse,
he conceived the idea of building a school. The idea was taken up by others, and soon developed into something
real. A board of thirteen trustees was elected, with John Gillentine president. Then a charter was granted by the
State (Burritt College was the first chartered school in that portion of the State and the first college in the
South to open its doors to girls). Money was made up by the citizens of Warren, White, and Van Buren Counties,
and Nathan Trogdon was given contract as builder. Mr. Trogdon cut the timber with his own ax, hauled it with his
own team, dressed the lumber by hand, and burned the brick in the primitive way on the school ground. Of so much
importance was it to found our Alma Mater.
The building was completed and its doors opened to the eager sons and daughters of the mountaineers in February,
1849, with Newton Jones as president. Burritt College received its name from the great educator, Elihu Burritt,
who was once a common (we suggest uncommon) blacksmith. He, by diligent labor, made his way to the highest ranks.
No wonder the motto, "There is no excellence without great labor," is drilled into the minds of Burritt's
boys and girls. It was the motto of its founders. "Burritt" is a pretty name, an appropriate name, and
one always remembered with gladness by those who have studied within its walls. The school was kept up until the
year 1861, when the doors were closed because the boys left college to enlist in the army. During the war the buildings
were used for the encampment of soldiers. Sometimes by Yankees and again by the rebels her walls were desecrated.
Even in the quietude of the mountains war brought its desolation. The dormitories were used as stables for the
horses; and so at the close of the war Burritt was a ruin, buildings partly destroyed, grounds laid waste, and
pupils scattered, some of them having fallen during the fray. After the war a part of the college grounds was sold
to get money for repairs. Under the old charter teachers were required to accept stock in the college as tuition,
and this had been done until the teachers practically owned the buildings. President Powell sold his stock to Elijah
Denton, who employed Mr. Carnes as President. About this time Dr. Brents moved to Spencer, and the idea of a larger
school was conceived. Mr. Denton, President Carnes, and Dr. Brents were members of the church of Christ, and a
brotherhood school was proposed. Mr. Denton deeded Dr. Brents half of his interest, and Dr. Brents made up money
for the erection of a new college. (Just here it is interesting to note that prohibition in Tennessee was born
at Spencer. President Carnes drew up the bill for a four-mile law; and through the influence of Mr. Myers, father
of John Myers, of Pikeville, who was then Representative, the bill was passed. From this small beginning prohibition
spread throughout the State.)
From the erection of this second building the school continuedat times prosperously, at other times under adverse
conditionsuntil 1890, during a part of which year the doors were closed. The trustees were undecided what to do.
The Methodists talked of buying the buildings. A meeting of the board of trustees was called. They met in Bouldin's
Hotel to settle the question. R. L. Gillentine, son of the above-mentioned John Gillentine, was present; and at
his suggestion J. L. Molloy and Brother Sutton were appointed to secure a President, and Professor Billingsley
was named as the man for the place. They succeeded in getting him to take the school, which he taught with credit
to himself and delight to all until March, 1906, at which time the college burned. But President Billingsley did
not leave with Burritt in ashes. Plans were immediately made for the erection of a new building. Only one school
term was missed. Professor Billingsley continued as President until 1911, at which time he accepted a position
at Murfreesboro, and Professor Graves was chosen President of Burritt. He is still President, and is a remarkable
success as disciplinarian and as instructor. May he long continue the great work. One of the Presidents of Burritt,
Martin White, who now lives in Texas, walked all the way from North Carolina to Spencer to become a student at
Burritt. He entered school, graduated, served in the army, and after the war became President. We have heard that
another one was once just a tall, awkward boy from the swamps of Mississippi, who wore a red bandanna for a collar,
butsucceeded in making friends with all the young ladies.
