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THE CANEY FORK OF THE CUMBERLAND

The Story of a River, Its History, Features, Moods, People and Places with Particular Reference to Rock Island and the Area Above Great Falls

Brought Together
By
Arthur Weir Crouch
Nashville, Tennessee
© 1973

It is through the generosity and sense of history that his son and heir, Ed Crouch has given his permission to reproduce here excerpts from his Father's book. We thank him.

**FORDS ABOVE THE GREAT FALLS ON THE**
**CANEY FORK AND ITS TRIBUTARIES**
FORDS	There were many fords in this area even up into the 1920's. The following list is not complete but does include the more important fords. It will be noted that several were in use before the first settlers arrived. The question might well be asked, "Why list the names of so many fords both above and below the Great Falls when they are no longer in use and many are hidden under the waters of Center Hill and Rock Island Dam?" They are of interest to the local historian, help indicate the location of early roads and the family names attached to some of them and help the present generation in tracing their family histories.
BLACKWELL	On Mountain Creek at the upper end of the William Hennessee land.
BOSSON	On the Caney Fork just above the mouth of Collins River.
BLACKS	On Collins River about 1 mile above the bridge on Highway 70S.
BRIGHTS	On Rocky River at the mouth of Laurel Creek.
BUTTS	On the Caney Fork 1/2 mile below the mouth of Lost Creek and just above Butts Bridge. The bridge was built in 1924. This is a very old ford and was an Indian crossing coming down Hickory Valley from Sparta, crossing Caney Fork and then following a south-easterly direction up the mountain and across Glade Creek.
BYERS	On Collins River near the present highway bridge on Highway 70S.
CHATTANOOGA	On Caney Fork a short distance below the Mitchell Ford and about 1/4 mile down stream from the Mitchell Bridge, at the lower end of Big Bottom. It was possible to cross here and then take the road crossing at Butts Ford with a fairly direct route to Pikeville and Chattanooga.
CUMMINGS	On Caney Fork just below Cross Rock Spring, Reno Mill and the Reno Bridge. In the first bend below the bridge.
CUNNINGHAM	On Collins River a short distance downstream from the Intake for water for the Power House. James McGiboney, born 1847, said it was hard to get in and out of. It gave access to the land in the bend between the Caney Fork and the Collins River and was referred to as "The Wilderness."
DENNY	On Caney Fork at the mouth of Dry Branch. This branch comes in from the left bank or Van Buren County side.
DILLON	On Caney Fork about 1/2 mile above Walling Station. It was a very old crossing used by the Indians coming South on the Chickamauga Path. The also crossed the Caney Fork at Rock Island but Dillons was a better crossing.
DRAKES	On Cane Creek a short distance above the mouth of the creek near an old mill.
DUNGEYS	On Caney Fork about 800 feet downstream from the mouth of Calfkiller River. It was referred to in an 1849 grant to Simmons. Dungey received a grant - Cert. 1807, entered 1819, and surveyed 1820. The Hodge Bridge carried the traffic in later years.
FLAT SHOALS	On Collins River 3 and 1/2 miles from the mouth and on the old road from Rowland (now called Campaign) to old community of Horseshoe Falls to Keltonburg and Smithville. This ford was in use long before 1826.
GILMORES	On Collins River. Mentioned in Grant to John Gribble in 1851 near a bend in the river. Probably near the old Hennessee bridge site.
GREENS	On Calfkiller River. Probably near Burroughs & Taylor Mill located east of Cave, Tennessee.
GRIBBLE	On Collins River. Probably short distance down stream from Flat Shoals and on Gribble land.
HASH	On Rocky River, 3/4 mile above mouth and near Yost Bridge, abandoned in 1924. See McClures Ford.
HEAD	On Laurel Creek - first crossing above mouth of creek.
INDIAN	On Rocky River - See McClures Ford.
ISLE	On Collins River about 6 miles above Shellsford.
MCCLURES	On Caney Fork close to the present Highway 70 S bridge. Myer, page 850 quotes, "One of the early grants on Caney Fork near Rock Island calls for a line where the Chicamauga Path crosses the river at McClures Ford (later called Hash's Ford), near McClure's battle ground." Myer quoting from Mr. Roberts refers to "crossing the Caney Fork at Hash's Ford (known seventy-five years ago as McClure's Ford)." There was a ford at the location given above but it was a bad one and little used. The main traffic crossed Caney Fork above the mouth of Rocky River and then forded that river at the Hash Ford which was called the Indian ford and McClure's ford. The Hash Family lived almost within sight of the ford. Mrs. Elizabeth Hash, born 1834, told Mrs. Jennie Hash Rucker that McClure's ford was on Rocky River near the old Iron Forge. It was also called Hash Ford. Other old people told her the same. Capt. Roberts was incorrect in the same statement when he referred to the ford being "within three hundred yards of the stone fort, built by early whites in the bend of the river, where McClure's battle was fought with the Indians. The stone fort was there when the first settlers arrived. No mention is made of the Stone Fort in any of the three accounts of the battle. (See Old Stone Fort.) Some people also referred to the ford on the Rocky River in later years as the Rowland Ford. Actually this one was a short distance upstream from the Hash Ford.
MCELROY	On Caney Fork River a short distance below where the Tosh Bridge was built.
JOAB MILLER	On Rocky River below the old Joab Miller Bridge. (See Miller Bridge for further details.)
MITCHELL	On Caney Fork River at the lower end of Big Bottom and a short distance downstream from the end of the backwater of the Great Falls Reservoir.
MORMON MILL	On Caney Fork River about 1/2 mile downstream from the Butts Bridge.
PLUMLEES	On Caney Fork River above the mouth of Calfkiller River. Mentioned in an 1847 grant. Also mentioned in a deed of 1841 referring to a ferry road and Parker Still House.
PORTERS	Probably same as Butts Ford.
PURVIS FORD	On Barren Fork River.
RIVER HILL	On Caney Fork River at the mouth of Cane Creek. Crossed both Caney Fork and Cane Creek.
ROCK ISLAND	On Caney Fork River. See Bosson Ford.
ROWLAND	On Rocky River near old Iron Forge. See McClures Ford.
SCOTTS	On Hickory Creek slightly over 2 miles north of Viola and a short distance downstream from the bridge on the Viola-McMinnville Road near the old bridge. A very old ford on the old Elk River Road, sometimes called the Alabama Road.
SIMMONS	On Cane Creek just above the mouth of Spring Branch.
WALLENS? WALLERS	On Calfkiller River downstream from Harriett Iron Works which was located near the dam constructed for the Hydroelectric plant.
YORKS	On Laurel Creek a short distance above York's Mill.
YOST	Located near former Yost Bridge and also called Hash Ford. See Hash Ford and McClures Ford.

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