BURRVILLE, TN
The following is from the book, "A History of Morgan County Tennessee" written by Ethel
Freytag and Glenna Kreis Ott.
BURRVILLEThis community was originally called Mount Vernon and its settlement dates back to about
1830. At that time settlers from North Carolina, Virginia and Kentucky came in and obtained
one thousand acre grants from the state. Among these early settlers were John GALLOWAY
and James PETERS; who took grants joining and covering what is now the community of
Burrville. The ten children of the Peter's and Galloway's married and settled near their
homes. Other families came in and the settlement grew. Some of these older settlers were:
THORTON, JONES, HULL, DAVIS, CROMWELL, HURT, McCORMICK, JOHNSON and
ALEXANDER.Probably about 1860, the Mount Vernon Methodist Church was organized and a log church was
built on the site of the present church. The first grave in the cemetery was that of the child
of Mr. and Mrs. William DAVIDSON, who was buried during the Civil War. The first Sunday
School was organized about 1881 by Mrs. Phenie BABCOCK. In the early days the church
services were held when the circuit rider, who had many churches widely scattered, would
arrange to come. Among those early preachers were Rev. A. B. WRIGHT and Rev. A.C.
PETERS. They were identified with the early church work at Burriville.The people of the Burrville Community have always stood for education and progress as is
shown by the oustanding educational institution. Students came from all parts of the county
to the A.B. WRIGHT Institute in 1900.The first post office was established in 1881 with Charles SKEEN of Scotland as postmaster
and the post office was named Skeen. Later it was named Burrville [The people of Burrville
wanted to name the post office Mount Vernon but found there was already a Mount Vernon
post office in Tennessee]. The mail was carried on horseback from Sunbright once a week.About 1895, James GREER opened a general store in Burrville.
A 1919-1920 school bulletin gives the following description of Burrville:
"Burrville is a prosperous county town on a good pike west of Sunbright. It was at one time
the seat of the A. B. Wright Institute named in memory of Rev. A.B. WRIGHT, a faithful
minister of the gospel, who spent his life in the Master's service throughout the mountain
sections of Tennessee and Kentucky. Rev. A.C. PETERS, a citizen of Burrville and a minister
for forty years or more did more perhaps in his day than any other person for the upbuilding
of the church and school at this place. There is a splendid school building large and well
furnished. The present high school being established the latter part of the last year, is in the
infancy but we have great hopes for its prosperity with the support of the excellent people of
this community who have so faithfully stood by the schools of past years".Burrville is still a small country town. It has an elementary school of 123 pupils and 4
teachers. Two churches - the Methodist and the Church of the Nazarene are located in this
town. Burrville has a post office. Merchants licenses were issued this year to: Chasteen's
Store, Ashley Store, E.D. McCURRY, one beer license was issued to Ernest FROGG.
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