Merchants of Shelbyville 1810-1880

The first merchant of Shelbyville was James Deery, who opened a general merchandise store on the town site in 1809, one year before the location of the county seat.

The first mill was a water-power corn-mill, and was built in about 1815 by Clement Cannon on Duck River, and a mill, known as the "Cannon Mill," is in operation on the same site at, the present.

The first blacksmith was Henry Tudale, and he was followed by Jeremiah Cunningham, Moses Marshall and Jacob Morton.

Merchants of Shelbyville from 1810 up to 1840

Benjamin Strickler, John Eakin, John and Spencer Eakin, Peter Donnelly, Hugh Wardlow, Robert Stephenson, J. C. and T. M. Caldwell, John A. Marrs Brittain & Escue, Thomas Doris, George Davidson, Alexander Eakin, Thomas Reed, W. B. Brame, Robert Mathews, Robert Moffitt, Wardlow & Thompson, John N. Porter William Deery, John Cannon & Co., Davidson & Caldwell, and Davidson & Jett. Richard White and R. P. Harrison were the hotel proprietors of that period.

Merchants of 1840

The merchants of the forties were John Eakin, Eakin Bros., George Davidson, William G. J. C. & T. M. Caldwell, Robert Mathews, W. W. Wilhoit, Seahorn & McKinney, William S. Jett, Eakin & Moffitt, James H. Deery and T. M. Caldwell & Co.

Merchants of 1850

John C. Caldwell, Jr., C. P. Huston, Baskette & Stamps, Wilhoit Bros., Armstrong Bros. Baskette, Jett & Co., Cowan & Strickler, Caldwell, Cowan & Co., John Wilts, John Bering, Mitchell & Shepard, J. W. Wallace & Bro., Roan & Cable, and Mitchell & Sperry.

Merchants of 1860

Merchants of the sixties: Thomas W. Buchanan, O. Cowan, John F. Brown & Co., Mason, Vandy & Co., Corney & Neiley, H. Frankie & Co., R. C. White, Thomas J. Roan. C. A. Warren, Evans & Shepard, Horner & Co., Buchanan & Woods, Graves & Gillis, George B. Woods, John H. Wells, and Trollinger & Tune. With but few exceptions the merchants of the seventies were the same as during the sixties.

Merchants of the Present

Buchanan & Woods, J. S. Gillis, A. O. John & Co. and A. Frankie & Co., dry goods and notions.

J. P. Brown and Rice & Sandusky, clothing.

Allison & Hall and Leftwich & Co., dry goods and clothing.

Mrs. E. Dalby, Mrs. Martha Rainbow and Mrs. E. Cleveland, milliners.

C. A. Warren, B, F. Dwiggins, Green & McGill, John Dayton & Co., E. W. Carney, G. H. Eakin, Morton to Wilhoit, Rutledge & Thompson, T. J. Warner, Hix Bros., Arnold Bros, and R. H. Whitman, groceries.

W. R. Haynes & Co., furniture.

C. W. Cunningham, books and stationery.

F. H. Otte, merchant tailor.

Evans & Shepard, Roan & McGrew and S. F. Knott, drugs.

John W. Ruth & Son, jewelers.

M. A. Rainbow, silversmith.

A. J. Jarrell, tinware and stoves.

O. Cowan & Co. and J. E. Deery, hardware.

Foman &Son, tinware and groceries.

Hope & Co., Eagle & Shaffner and W. M. Bryant & Co., grain dealers.

H. C. Ryall, lumber dealer.

Mathus & Low, commission merchants.

N. J. Calhoon & Bro., marble works.

M. L. Morton and E. W. Fuller, harness and saddles.

J. H. Hix, C. D. Gunter, T. J. Jones, S. P. Freeman, W. V. Allen, Arnold Bros, and T. J. Warner, saloons.

W. H. Caul, gunsmith.

Benjamin C. Gregory, photographer.

G. A. Cleveland, house and sign painter.

John Ledbetter and Reidenbery & Turner, butchers.

Jack Henderson, T. C. Ryall & Co., T. C. Allison, Hite & Taylor and Collins & Rankin, livery stables.

R. M. Bowen, G. F. Davis and J. R. Hunter, shoe-makers.

The only hotel of Shelbyville is the Evans House, J. C. Eakin, proprietor, which is a first-class hotel in every respect.

James Brown and Simpson & Burkeen are the barbers.

J. T. Landis will open a steam laundry, which is now in course of erection, during the fall.

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AHGP Tennessee

Source: History of Tennessee, Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1886.