BOOTH FAMILY
Booth Mercantile Company, Booth Funeral Home
The following information is copied from "Origin of First Baptist Church of Oliver Springs" by Snyder E. Roberts, pub. 1980, page 45
Preacher Everett B. Booth was a descendant of hardy pioneer stock who settled in upper East TN. JOSEPH BOOTH (d 1805) and wife, SARAH, came from Chester County, PA to settle on a large tract of land southeast of Jonesboro, TN. JOSEPH BOOTH, JR. (1788-1849) had a son, JOHN BOOTH (b 1806) who married a PARKS. John was the father of MATTHEW F. "Matt" BOOTH (1842-1920) who married AUGUSTA HATCHER. He was a farmer and tax assessor. Matt and Augusta were the parents of the following children:
EVERETT BOOTH, WILLIAM H. BOOTH, MARY E. "MOLLIE" BOOTH DAVIS, ALICE VIRGINIA BOOTH, FLORENCE BOOTH, CORA BOOTH MORECRAFT, MARTHA CAROLINE "MATTIE" BOOTH PHILLIPS, JOHN FRANKLIN BOOTH (see below).
Reverend Everett Booth was born September 23, 1866 near Irwin, TN. Little is known of his early life and schooling except that he was a graduate of Carson-Newman College, and probably had at least some advanced work in a Baptist Seminary. Booth was both an educator and a Baptist Preacher. He married ENNA GALLOWAY (1871-1926). They came to Clinton, TN, where he was Pastor of the First Baptist Church, and he was Principal of Union Academy (or Clinton High School) in 1892 with his wife as a teacher in the school
Booth moved to Oliver Springs in 1895 to accept the Principalship of the new Oliver Springs School, and the Pastorship of the new Oliver Springs Baptist Church. His wife and, at times, a sister served as teachers in the school. Preacher Booth was an astute businessman. With his leadership, the Booth Mercantile Business was organized and a large store building erected on Estabrook Avenue was operated in conjunction with Booth-owned coal mines.
During his record 25 years as Pastor of the Oliver Springs First Baptist Church, it is doubtful that he ever accepted a dollar as salary for his personal use. Booth was an eminently qualified educator and after his principalship at the Oliver Springs School, he served as Superintendent of Roane County Schools; the only Oliver Springs man to ever hold that office. He retained his residence in Oliver Springs while serving as Superintendent. Rev. Booth and Enna had one son, METHYR BOOTH (1899-1938) who attended Oliver Springs Schools, worked in Booth's Store, and served as Postmaster from 1931-1935. He married VIOLA BROWN, and they had two children: JAMES BOOTH and ENNA LOU BOOTH.
Fighting Parson
One side of Booth's nature not so well-known is that he was a man of great physical strength, and he was fearless. Uncle JOHN T. SMITH (90 years) said, "HENRY WHITTAKER was a Railway Section Foreman and was given up to be the strongest man ever in these parts. Now, Henry told me for a fact that Preacher Booth was the strongest man that he ever had a hold of. Henry said, "We got into a fight and Preacher had me flat on my back before you could say scat, and I could not get up until I hit him in the temple with a railroad spike which I just happened to have in my hand."
Preacher, also tackled some of the "big boys" when he personally prosecuted flagrant bootlegging and beer joints operating illegally in the town.
Preaching Style
As a Preacher, Booth delivered precise and scholarly sermons. He could, and did, deliver dissertations with hair-splitting exactness on such subjects as: Salvation, Atonement, Covenants, Redemption, etc. which, in all fairness, were for the most part, over the head of his congregation made up mostly of farmers, coal miners, etc. who better understood the terms of "hell-fire and damnation," and "born again." The Church was not growing numerically.
Masonic Memorial
Preacher Booth was a faithful member of Omega Lodge #536 F&AM. After Booth's death on March 27, 1920, a Masonic Committee, headed by the incomparable Harvey Hannah, drew a resolution, a part of which is as follows:
"He (Booth) was a great scholar, not only a finished master in English with a broad literary education, but he was a profound Bible student; few men in the South were his equal. In a deep spiritual, profound knowledge of God's inspired work; and as a Preacher and teacher, he was a master. He could have filled any pulpit in any Church in "America and made a great impression, by his learning and Christ-like life. Yet, he chose the frontier of service, rather than the great cities. The country meeting house, rather than the great cathedral, and it was in the village and country, he gave his life's work for his fellow man. Such a man and Mason was our brother, wise in council, strong in advice, deep and fervent in prayer. We shall not see his like again in our generation. "
Rev. Everett Booth's funeral was held in Oliver Springs First Baptist Church, and he was buried in the Oliver Springs Cemetery.
The following is copied from "The Story of Oliver Springs TN and Its People, Vol. II, by Snyder E. Roberts, pub. 1983, page 66.
The Booth Mercantile Company was established around the turn of the century by Preacher Everett B. Booth, his brother, JOHN F. BOOTH, and a sister or two. This 2-story sturdy frame building was located on the west side of Estabrook Avenue at the Southern Railway crossing opposite the present Masonic Hall.
Booth Building
The entrance to the main store was by way of high concrete steps on the right. A sign advertised Sherwin-Williams Paints and Varnishes, and also a sign denoting caskets for sale in 1910. The basement contained storage bins for potatoes, etc. The steps on the left at first led to a skating rink which was operated by JOHN BOOTH and WALTER WARREN, but later this portion of the first floor housed the furniture and dress departments of the store. A second floor contained an apartment or living quarters, storage facilities for the store, and the equipment and supplies for the funeral parlor. In later years a part of the left section on the first floor was used as a reception area for the funeral home.
After the department store ceased operations in the 1920's, the right section of the first floor was used briefly for basketball games. The funeral home was continued under the direction of JOHN F. BOOTH who served the entire Oliver Springs area for many years. A modern electric shoe repair shop was installed in the right section. At first the shoe repair work was performed by J. VANN., but was soon turned over to LEONARD HACKER.
The building burned on August 22, 1938 in one of the town's biggest fires. The heat from the flames was so intense that the Presbyterian Church, which stood to the left of the store, was soon aflame and burned. The Masonic Building, Odd Fellows Hall, and old Jabez Mitchell store building, and Ladd's home, were all ablaze but the firemen with much volunteer help were able to save all those buildings with only minor damages.
JOHN F. BOOTH rebuilt on the same site a smaller building. This newer building housed the funeral parlor, and shoe repair shop on the first floor, and had apartments on the second floor.
John Franklin Booth married Carrie Elizabeth SILVEY. No children.