Troy Schools, Obion County, Tennessee

In 1845, Waller Caldwell built a school known as Westbrook Academy about one and a half miles west of Troy.  This seems to be the first school of higher education in the county and most of the young men of Troy attended.  In 1860, George B. Wilson and Ira P. Clark of Geneseo, New York assumed charge of the school.  Wilson was a graduate of Temple Hill Academy and Clark a graduate of Princeton University.   School was suspended during the War Between the States, but when each returned from Confederate service, circa 1865, they resumed school for a year.  At that point Wilson resigned and Clark remained for another year.  Professor Sample and Underwood succeeded them and James G. Smith and Charles Wright were also on the faculty.

It seems that, between 1865 and 1875, several private schools were conducted in Troy.  One of these was by Rev. H. C. Wheeler and Cora Dickey.   Charles Wright built and operated his own private school near Westbrook Academy.   He came to the States from London, England and served the Confederacy in the Civil War.  In London, he was a court reporter and a pioneer in this country in teaching stenography and shorthand.  He taught in the vicinity of Troy, circa 1865 to 1890, and then went to Union City to teach.  At some point he went to Chicago to be with his daughter, Fannie, and worked in the Chicago City Hall as a stenographer.

In 1874, Obion College was chartered by Solomon W. Cochran, Lysander Adams, Walter Brice, Stephen M. Howard, Joe T. Brown, George B. Wilson and William H. Jackson.  The next year, 1875, the school was built with the help of local citizens and a land gift from James S. Moffatt.  School opened 6 September 1875 under the administration of Professor B. Moore, assisted by Professors Underwood and Shaw.   Jennie Smith taught the primary department and Mrs. Frank Hornbeak was instructor of music. 

They were succeeded by T. P. Walker and Charles A. Brown and even later by Rev. R. W. Erwin, J. E. Harrison and Robert Harrison.  Other principals were A. B. Cummings, Fred J. Page, A. B. Collom, J. C. Reid, Furman J. Smith, C. J. Fowler, A. H. Grantham, C. E. Davis, C. A. Davis, R. C. Murray, A. M. Witherington. and W. B. Forrester. 

Troy High School was established, using the Obion College facilities, in 1921 along with Hornbeak, Kenton, Mason Hall, Obion, Rives and South Fulton.  In 1929, W. B. Forrester became principal and severed for 31 years.

1940-41, Troy High School Faculty: W. B. Forrester, Janie Moffatt, Sarah Moss, Frances Carmack McNeill, Moami Taylor, J. H. Jonakin and M. M. McBurrough.   Grammar School: Mr. Fay Schnider, Bertha Polk, Bessie Curry, Mrs. Herbert Hooper, Miss Hill Moffatt, Miss Mary Myers.

By 1890, the original building burned and was replaced with one of brick.

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