Welcome to HurstNation.com, the home to all things related to the Hurst family from West TN. This site is under construction, so check back soon. Initially, the primary focus of this site will be Col. Fielding Jackson Hurst; 6th TN Calvary USA and his role in the Civil War in West Tennessee.

Your webmaster is a VERY amateur genealogy buff and a history lover. I do admit to being related to Col. Hurst, but must qualify that statement with the fact that I am not descended from him. He would be a great uncle a couple of times over. In any case, I was shocked none the less to read some of the horrible events attributed to the Colonel during the Civil War.

My link to the Hurst family is via Fielding's brother, David, the sole confederate of the family. Information on David is very lacking and I would appreciate anything that anyone has on him. It was somewhat of a downer learning that he "refused to have his photo taken."

If you are not aquatinted with the general history and public opinion of Fielding Hurst, I suggest that you start here with a great article from W. Clay Crook.

Was Fielding Hurst as bad as he is made out to be? Did a lack of control over his men precipitate atrocities and more abuses or was Hurst the mastermind giving the direct orders to commit war crimes? How did Hurst go from surveyor, lawyer, and respected citizen to guerilla warrior? It is sometimes hard to separate fact from propaganda, but that is one of the primary goals of this site.

I am keeping as open a mind as possible concerning Fielding Hurst. On the one hand, I find it hard to believe that he had anything to do with some of things attributed to him and there were equally well hyped evil-doers on the other side as well. On the other hand, there are also numerous tales of people firing weapons into his grave after his funeral, spitting on it, riding their horses over it, even so far as digging the Colonel up out of the ground, dragging his corpse around behind a horse before setting fire to it and chunking it back into the grave! OK, now, I don't know how much of that is true, but that kind of thing just doesn't happen unless you did something to deserve it.

In any case, I welcome any and all comments, links, Hurst stories, etc. New visitors may want to start here and work your way up. To date, the site is blog-like, but I intend to organize some of the stuff once more is online.

Last Updated: 2008-04-10 12:20 PM

Drop me a line at fieldinghurst@yahoo.com if you have any comments, questions, suggestions, information, or stories concerning the Hurst Nation or Col. Hurst.

This marker is in Bethel Springs, TN. Word is that almost a century after his death, the people of Purdy refused to allow the parker to be placed in their town. They compromised by letting them put it down the road in Bethel Springs. I would love to hear from someone with some first hand evidence of this event (placing of the sign).

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The Sixth Tennessee Cavalry

JUN. 13, 1924

McNairy County Independent;

(click images on this page to enlarge)

	

"Some time after the battle of Shiloh, April 6 and 7, 1862, Andrew
Johnson then Governor of Tennessee, authorized and commissioned
Fielding Hurst, of McNairy county, to recruit and organize a
regiment, and this regiment was known as the Sixth Tennessee
Cavalry.  About the first of October in that year companies A, B,
C, D, and G, were organized by Col. Hurst".   More
      

"The business section of Jackson was burned by Colonel Fielding Hurst's men."- Jacksonsun.com; History Timeline of Jackson, TN. (Source: Jackson Tennessee, The Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce, 1993 edition)

A LONG TIME AGO

Lexington, Tenn.

JAN. 14, 1924

McNairy County Independent;

Ever since I went to Purdy on the morning of the 9th of last October, to celebrate the Centennial of McNairy County and Horry Hodges, and as I entered the site of the town where I discovered America on the 27th of March, 1858, and saw the old Fielding Hurst home standing, I have been tempted to write to " The Abernathy Boys " a pernicious which the site of the old Hurst home brought to my mind. I have been afraid that some parts of my story might be offensive, but as everybody who knows me at all, knows that I have nothing but love in my heart for the whole human family ( with a few exceptions, for the late Judge Frank Wilson of the Court of civil Appeals told me that he never saw a rule in his life that was worth ad_m without several exceptions ) I have decide to risk it; so if the Independent does not see fit to publish my reminiscence, it can return my manuscript postage collect --- but I have provided for even that by the use of a sheet of carbon paper.

Well, while the late Fielding Hurst was personal friend of my father, the late Dr. Daniel Barry, and on that account refrained from burning our home in Purdy ( on back street next door north of the Dr. W. C. Kindel home and diagonally across the street and the alley that ran from the Gulledge place, which I can remember seeing the soldiers burn ) he is admitted by many to have been a bad man and his name is jet held in execration by some people who lived in and have branched out from Purdy and McNairy County. Colonel Hurst died and left living in the Hurst home on the north of the public square, his widow, " Aunt Locky", who had some peculiarities, but still was a woman of many splendid qualities - but it was only incidentally that Aunt Locky was to come into this story, the "leading man " in which is intended to be one Charlie Chamness, unless indeed, I might give Anderson Jones, a small size, very black negro barber and fiddler of the town, the leading role. Well, it is needless for me to state that Charley Chamness was not popular, for he was not with whites or blacks, either the Southern people or those of the whites who countenanced the Brownlow ni%&r militia, " who ran amuck one memorable day in Purdy and killed Bill Lewis, the sheriff of the county. Now, I come to the part played in my story by Charlie Chamness, which and finally died. From time to time, some one would come up from the east side and report on the condition of Chamness, until finally the statement was made in the presence of Anderson Jones that Chamness had just died. Anderson Jones, with all the solemnity one could imagine, made the remark, " I wish Aunt Locky Hurst had know Charlie Chamness was going to die today". He was asked " Why ? " by a bystander Anderson calmly replied "That was the best chance to send a letter to hell since I have lived in Purdy".

Anderson Jones died long since and it was a wonder somebody did not kill him, for he proved he would hit any white man who accused him of stealing.

Most of the other I can recall as being in Purdy at that time are dead, and here I am only going on sixty - six - but as I am " down in my back", I had better quit - with apologies to all who do not like to have those days recalled.

However, if the Independent publishes this, I will be tempted to write another reminiscence about Esq. Jon. W. Stumph sending Wylie Baucum home in a hurry one First Monday night about 11 O'clock after the Squire had sent Wylie's nephew to jail without trail.

W. V. Barry

( We've published this - send in the other reminiscence - we'll also publish it. - The Independent.)

(click images on this page to enlarge)

This image may also be found on page 13 of - "REFLECTIONS: A History of McNairy County, Tennessee 1823 - 1996".

Listed as Mr. D.W. Hester (Col #1, Row #6)

from the image below with Locky.

This image was provided by cousin Ann Bolger. I have not had any new news on cousin Ann since her proclamation on the original Hurst Nation concerning her terminal illness. That has been many months. If any one has any news on Ann, please drop me a line.

This image may also be found on page 221 of - "REFLECTIONS: A History of McNairy County, Tennessee 1823 - 1996". If you had anything to do with putting this great resource together, please drop me a line at fieldinghurst@yahoo.com. I have a couple of questions.

Fielding Hurst and wife, Melocky Huddleston Hurst

This is to my knowledge, the only other picture of Col. Hurst. If am am wrong, please correct me on that fact. I would love a better quality copy of this image if one exists. I am not sure which newspaper article featured this image. If anyone knows, please let me know. I can only assume that this really is Fielding Hurst.

"The Hurst Mansion" - Purdy, TN

WANTED: Memphis Commercial Appeal Article with "Uncle Ab" Hurst : "115 Year Old Former Slave," The Commercial Appeal, September 3, 1963, p.11.

If anyone can lay hands on a copy of this article for me, I would consider you a founding member of HurstNation.com and all the privileges and benefits that come with said title.

WANTED: Gary Blankinship: I would love to hear from Gary Blankinship; foremost Fielding Hurst expert, who also wrote a great masters thesis on Col. Hurst.

I have searched in vain for Gary for a few years on and off with no luck. If you found your way to the HurstNation.com, Gary, drop me a line!

By early March, 1862, the Confederate troops had relinquished Tennessee for northern Mississippi to recoup and build up their forces against the concentrated armies of U.S. Grant and William T. Sherman at Pittsburg Landing on the Tennessee River in southwestern Tennessee. The road through Purdy was frequently used by the Federal soldiers marching toward Pittsburgh Landing. In fact, many passed the Hurst home on their way and frequently stopped at the old Hurst plantation for food and shelter. - Gary Blankinship, "COLONEL FIELDING HURST AND THE HURST NATION" - The West Tennessee Historical Society Papers; 1980; p76

During the bloody two-day battle at Shiloh, the sounds of fighting and the booming of cannons could be heard for several miles. Uncle Ab remembered that when the battle began he was in his teens, and as a slave owned by Colonel Hurst "...he ran under the front steps of the Hurst mansion, and listened quietly to what he thought was a 'storm a' coming'." - Gary Blankinship, "COLONEL FIELDING HURST AND THE HURST NATION" - The West Tennessee Historical Society Papers; 1980; p77

More on Purdy Cemetery

Old Purdy Cemetery McNairy County Independent, November, 21, 1924

"Time, remorseless time, has leveled the mounds in the old cemetery, and the lettered monuments of granite and of marble are leaning, tottering and fallen. But they who sleep out there played well their part in the early history of this county, and grateful and loving people should revere their memories, and care for and preserve the graves of these their ancestors and benefactors."

Read the entire article here.

The full text from Major Wright's monument is included in this article.

"In the second grave south rests the body of Marcus Benjamin Wright, born in Chatham County, Ga., April 2, 1784, died at Purdy, Tenn., January 30, 1860. He was an officer in the U.S. army commanded the left wing of the 59th Regiment at the battle of the Horse Shoe. Upon the death of the brave Montgomery, he resigned his commission, and engaged in private pursuits until the breaking out of the Mexican War, when at age of 65 years, he volunteered as a private soldier in the Fayette Cavalry, and was present at the siege of Vera Cruz. on his return home, he was elected Register of McNairy county, which office he held until his death. He built the first cabin in the town of Purdy near where this monument stands. He was esteemed by all who know him, a brave, a generous and honest man. "How sleep the brave who sink to rest, by all their Country's wishes blessed.."

I believe that the following paragraph may hold the answer to who is buried in the grave with the lettering chiseled off (mystery grave (below) ), but I can't decide which one it is. Based on the "in memory of" and the 1840 date which is clearly visible on the stone, it looks like it might be Mrs. L. Burtwell. I also clearly see the name "Crump" on the stone too, so I just don't know.

"And then the monument to the memory of Findall W., son of G. C. and Elisa L. Crump, born in 1853, and died in 1858. Close by the monument to the little child is another one and on it are the words, Eliza L. Crump, wife of Dr. G. C. Crump, and daughter of Benjamin and M. A. Wright, born January 22, 1825, died November 10,1853."Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. " Then one in memory of Mrs. L. Burtwell, died in 1840, in the 67th year of her age."

THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL MEMPHIS TENN., SUNDAY JULY 29, 1956

By WILLIAM BOOZER

A few facts in this article do not appear to be accurate, but a good one none the less. It even has a picture of the Hurst Mansion before the steep decline of recent years.

An interesting fact that I have never seen anywhere else is that the ladies in the picture are chopping cotton on what was once the courthouse lawn!

Read the full article that includes the quotes below

"Down the narrow road, two women thrust hoe blades into the brown earth,
chopping cotton on what was the courthouse lawn. A horsedrawn wagon moves lazily out of sight over the gravel road that was dirt Main Street.

A horn blows. A dog barks. A child cries."

Thanks to Hunter Cashdollar for these images.

6th TN Cavalry : Company B

WANTED: Hurst's Wurst

I would kill for a copy of Kevin D. McCann's out of print book, Hurst's Wurst: Colonel Fielding Hurst & The Sixth Tennessee (U.S.) Cavalry.

I have been trying to get my hands on a copy of this book for forever.

I believe this is the same photo with varying degrees of quality in the reproduction. It is Company B.

(click images on this page to enlarge)

"The Hurst Mansion" - Purdy, TN

Did someone say mansion in the same sentence with this place? It is very sad to think of all that this home has seen in its lifetime and consider its current state of disrepair. Word is that their is an effort under way to try and save the house, but it is apparently a very slow process. One priority of the HurstNation.com site is to get the word out about this historic property that is fast becoming lost to history.

There are countless great stories concerning this house and I hope to share as many as possible.

Check back. More Hurst Mansion images will be posted here in the near future. The images above were acquired in the Summer 2004.

Speaking of lost history, Major Benjamin Wright's grave is also located in Purdy and has major issues to say the least.

"Gen. Sam Houston, one of the greatest and one of the most colorful characters ever produced by the American Republic, occasionally passed through Purdy and engaged in stately conversation with major Benjamin Wright. These two distinguished men fought under General Jackson at Horse Shoe Bend and in other battles against the Indians. It is said that these two great men met on the street, the town would literally turn out to hear the lofty political and historical conversations." - From Brief History of McNairy County; By Horry Hodges

SACRED to the memory of ...

Unknown. Someone hoped that history would forget this person, buried near Major Wright in the Purdy Cemetery. Someone chiseled out the name of the deceased.

If you want to take a stab at what you think it says, drop me a line at fieldinghurst@yahoo.com. I didn't have the energy, but I did tinker with it a bit with MS Photo Editor (right).