White Beans and Cornbread

By Ed Hearn, Gail Hearn and Jim Hearn

Travel back in time to the late 1800s and meet Colonel Edmund Cole, a Civil War veteran and wealthy entrepreneur, destined to change the future lives of thousands. Then, move forward to the 1960s and experience daily life at a special place, Tennessee Preparatory School, which was the end result of what Cole created for needy children throu

• Language: English
• Publisher: Legacy IV Books
• Release date: Jul 17, 2020
• ISBN: 9781734483574

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White Beans and Cornbread

Growing up in the South

Jim Hearn, Gail Hearn, and Ed Hearn

LEGACY IV BOOKS

Published by Legacy IV Books

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Published 2020 – First Edition

Copyright © 2020 by Jim Hearn, Gail Hearn, and Ed Hearn

Printed in the United States of America

Editing and Proofreading by Trent Armbruster

Information about museum by Pat Chojnacki, President of TPS Alumni Association

Cover design, Concept and Interior Design by Abigail Chiaramonte

All rights reserved. No part of this book can be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from one of the authors, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

This book consists of factual information, with only a small amount of fiction included to enhance Colonel Cole’s story. No person named within was meant to be presented in any way but a purely positive one.

This book is dedicated to all the past students,teachers, coaches, staff members, and administrative personnel of Tennessee Preparatory School,originally founded in 1885 and officially closed in 2002

Contents

Front and Back Cover Photos

The 1800s

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Additional TPS History

Closing of the School

TPS Alumni Association and the Museum

Our Heritage of Democracy Forever

About the Authors

Graduation Photos

Front and Back Cover Photos

The Anna Russell Cole Auditorium, named after the wife of TPS’ founder, Colonel Edmund W. Cole, is shown on the front cover. It was completed in 1894 and extensively renovated during 1959 and 1960. For over one hundred years, that building served as the central focus for many of the school’s important gatherings, including church services, movies, plays, special events, and graduation exercises.

During the renovation, both ends of the structure were extended, which created valuable new space. A large stage was added at one end and a balcony, projection room, and vestibule area were added to the other end. The basement was completely remodeled and enlarged with the addition of more classrooms. As a result, overall seating capacity increased to approximately 850. Its impressive brass pipe organ had already been installed in 1940.

~*~

The black and white photo on the back cover was taken by Travis Lee Hearn, III, a graduate of TPS in 1963. He was the older brother to this book’s three authors and died in 2006. That classic image shows Ed and Jim Hearn in their football uniforms after the conclusion of Ed’s final high school football game in December of 1966.

It’s a favorite photo of theirs, bringing back good memories of the special times when they both played together and represented the school with pride on the athletic field.

The 1800s

Life is full of unexpected turning points. Sometimes those unforeseen events can mean complete change for our lives and others close to us. What will it be today? Will things make a move for the good or will everything go in the other direction? For a Colonel in the Confederate Army, those thoughts were heavy on the mind of Edmund Cole.

He opened his eyes at dawn, after a fitful night with very little sleep, only to realize he was still inside his battered tent. Camp had been quickly set up the night before on the bank of a small stream in middle Tennessee.

Loose dark hair was pushed off his forehead just before he rubbed a growth of dense stubble on his shallow cheeks and chin. Cole noticed, as he looked down, how worn his Confederate uniform had become. He’d slept in his clothes to stay warm through the night, and they were a mess.

Glancing outside, it was obvious his men had taken a beating. Many were limping and needed the aid of their handmade walking canes. Some were wearing bandages to cover head and arm wounds sustained during battle, as they cautiously patrolled the area and looked for something to eat. In the distance, terrible screams began which were coming from a man undergoing surgery, having a limb removed because of gangrene. Nearby, men were heard moaning in pain from injuries the surgeon couldn’t help. The stench of death and dying permeated the air.

Cole’s losses ran high, and he knew his remaining men had fought hard the entire four years of the Civil War in an effort to protect the South. A seemingly endless supply of northern soldiers continued their aggressiveness and refused to give in no matter how many times they were pushed back. Cole felt certain the current lull of fighting was only a temporary reprieve.

Having a strong character was important, and that inner quality ruled Colonel Cole’s mindset by its innate drive to influence his critical decisions. As a devoted leader, he knew that how he appeared and acted affected his ability to gain and keep respect from the men under him. Just as necessary was his need to maintain a positive outlook in the face of extreme opposition. Those thoughts seemed to always be on his mind.

Out of the corner of his eye, Cole saw Captain Skinner approaching through the mud, carrying his rifle in one hand and looking down. Skinner had served well since his promotion six months earlier. They’d become good friends and had learned to trust each other’s judgment.

Skinner, a tall man of six-feet two-inches and twenty-eight years of age, was older than most but still too young to be daily facing the reality that he might not make it through the day.

When the captain spoke, his voice conveyed strength. He demanded attention when addressing his troops and giving orders. They listened to him and followed his orders for fear his wrath would come down on them for disobeying. That had occurred twice in the past, and those two men had hell to pay for their insubordination. Skinner had punished them harshly by forcing them to dig excrement pits, clean up after the horses, and bury the dead.

Skinner’s clothes were torn and ragged. His dark pants were riddled with long openings exposing white skin on his thin legs. A brown cowhide leather jacket he wore over a gray shirt was covered with a thick layer of dried blood, dust, and dirt. The blood was from a fellow soldier who had died in his arms. His boots were wet and covered with brown mud. As he walked, the toes curled up revealing a small hole in one of his leather soles.

With a quick salute, Skinner said, Colonel, we’re running out of food. Neither the horses nor the men have eaten anything substantial for two days. We’re also extremely low on ammunition. Pretty soon we’ll be forced to fight hand-to-hand with our swords and knives. That’ll be suicide for sure. What do you suggest?

As much as I hate to admit it, we need to retreat. If we can’t soon merge with other Confederate troops and build up our depleted numbers, we must start to focus on finding food and renewed supplies at local farmhouses in the area. Surely someone will be able to help us.

We may have found help. There’s a lone rider who rode into camp this morning before daylight, and he’s spreading a rumor the war is ending.

We need to get more information in order to know what to do next. Is that person still with us?

Yes sir. He’s standing by the campfire at this moment talking with a few of the men.

Please have the gentleman brought to my tent immediately. Let’s hear what information he has to offer.

Captain Skinner turned to two of his men standing close by and ordered them to get the visitor.

Go get the soldier who rode in this morning. He’s currently at the campfire. Bring him to Colonel Cole’s tent.

Yes sir. We’ll get him for you right away.

When the man arrived at the tent, Cole started by saying, Hello, sir. I’m Colonel Edmund Cole. I understand you have some news about how the war is going.

Yes. I’ve come this morning to let you know a decision has been made which will affect us all. On April 9th, just two days ago, our commander of the Confederate States, General Robert E. Lee, surrendered in northern Virginia. That took place at the Appomattox Courthouse. Ulysses S. Grant, the Union army general, accepted the decision. I’m here to let you know the war is over. You need to tell the news to everyone you see as you travel back to your homes, or what’s left of them.

Are you sure of what you’re telling me?

Definitely. I quickly left that area in Virginia as soon as the surrender took place. My commander gave me orders to ride south and spread the word.

This news is unexpected, even though I’ve thought for a long time it was coming. The question was only when it would arrive. We’ve been through some horrible battles with much loss of life on both sides. The South is short on men, supplies, food and ammunition. Our general morale has been hard to keep positive during the last month or so, but no one was willing to give up. What you’ve told us changes everything. Thank you for coming here. How long will you be with us?

Not long. My goal is to continue circulating around the area to let as many troops know of this surprising turn of events as possible.

Stay as long as you want to rest, both for yourself and your horse. There’s very little to eat, but you’re welcome to share in what we can provide.

Captain Skinner, this has been a long hard war, and no one should hang his head. We need to gather everyone in the camp and let them know the news. I’m sure they’ll be anxious to pack up and get on the road home.

Yes sir. I’ll take care of it immediately. What do you plan to do?

I’m not really sure. I’ll have to think about it for a while. This is all so sudden, and it changes everything. Because this whole area has been affected so greatly with major destruction by Union soldiers, I may move farther south to Georgia. I’ve thought about living in Augusta for some time now. I feel positive my wife Louise and children will not mind the change of scenery.

What will you do Captain Skinner? We have become good friends and my hope is that we stay in touch. Above all, I appreciate your service to the Confederacy.

I believe I’ll go home. My wife lives near Nashville. To my knowledge the old home place is still intact. We have a small farm that I left when the war started. Going back to being a farmer and raising a few children is probably in my future.

In whatever you choose to do, good luck.

Thank you, sir. The same goes to you.

~*~

Colonel Edmund W. Cole, born in Giles County, Tennessee on July 19, 1827, was honored and beloved by all. His father, Captain Willis W. Cole from Revolutionary War fame, had died when Edmund was only three, leaving his widow Johanna with nothing but a small farm, six young boys and three daughters.

Hard work on the family farm until he was eighteen years old prevented Edmund from getting a good education, but he naturally possessed a good mind capable of sound judgment. By that age, the demanding work had made a splendid physical man of him.

Cole began his first job away from the farm as a clerk in a clothing store where he learned simple trade skills, and afterwards in a bookstore where he acquired a broad knowledge of literature, including the classics. This second job and nightly readings gave him valuable exposure to famous philosophers’ and business leaders’ thinking, which later helped place him among the great executive minds of the South.

Like all soon-to-be great men, he inherited a strong desire for achievement from his mother Johanna, who was a devoted member of the Methodist church. She was a remarkable woman with rigid character and unswerving principles. While growing up under her influence, Edmund developed the mindset that he’d never go into a business engagement, or try to solve any great business problem, without first considering whether or not it would be fair and just to all concerned, regardless of his own gain. Over the years, that one trait served him well, and he found ways to use it often. He quickly acquired the trust of everyone around him, which led to rapid promotions in various jobs.

In 1849, Edmund became a bookkeeper at the Nashville post office. Two years later, he was elected general bookkeeper of the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad where he served until 1857.

When the Civil War broke out, Edmund, like all loyal Southerners, joined the Confederacy. He was quickly elevated to the rank of Colonel, a title that stuck with him for his entire life. His military career was both a brave and honorable one, creating a lasting legacy for a man who was continuously held in high regard.

After the war ended, and while living in Augusta, Georgia, he was elected general superintendent of the Georgia Railroad & Banking Company. Not far into the future, and after moving back to Nashville, he was elected president of the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad. He held that position for twelve years, with phenomenal success, adding millions to the value of its capital stock.

Edmund had a way of seeing the big picture. His vision from the start was to increase the size of the smaller railroad once he was in charge of making major decisions. During the first part of his tenure, the Nashville & Northwestern, McMinnville & Manchester, Winchester & Alabama, and the Tennessee Pacific Railroads were added to the main railroad he controlled. Later, he added at least five more substantial railroad lines to the conglomerate with one of them owning a fleet of transatlantic steamers. With all these additions, Edmund ended up controlling most of the large railroad lines. He was the first person to conceive the idea of one huge railroad business operating under one management that would extend from the West Coast all the way to the Atlantic Seaboard. It was pure genius.

Eventually, Colonel Cole accumulated large private interests in other businesses throughout the South in addition to the large share of ownership he’d acquired in the major railroad business headquartered in Nashville. It all took a lot of his time and attention, causing him to finally make the decision to resign the railroad presidency in 1882. Being a man of enormous means by that time with many connections, one year later in 1883, Cole opened the American National Bank in Nashville with an initial personal outlay of six hundred thousand dollars.

Because of the confidence he held with powerful friends, the rush to subscribe for stock in his new bank was unprecedented in the history of banking in Nashville. With the title of president, and being the major owner, he decided six months later to consolidate that bank with the Third National Bank of Nashville, an old and prosperous bank that was well established in the area. Soon afterward, he merged and included the Safe Deposit Trust & Banking Company.

By that time, Colonel Cole had proven himself to be a man with extraordinary insight who possessed an extremely high energy level used to accomplish any task he chose to undertake. He never seemed to neglect even the smallest detail.

Cole was a large man with a commanding presence. His manner was usually serious and polished. He possessed a good sense of humor, had an unusual magnetic influence over other men, was broadminded in his opinions, and was a liberal thinking citizen who contributed to many public enterprises including educational, religious and charitable. To round out his highly regarded attributes, he was a Democrat, an active Methodist, a member of the State Board of Health, a Mason, a member of the Tennessee Historical Society and a patron of literature, music and fine arts. What more could you ask?

~*~

Several years earlier and before entering the Civil War, Colonel Cole met a sweet young lady, Miss Louise McGavock Lytle. She was the daughter of Archibald Lytle, one of the most prominent citizens of Williamson County, Tennessee. Cole soon knew she was the one for him. Their courtship was short and mostly public. When they were able to be together, it usually occurred while attending large parties given by her parents at their plantation home for friends from around the state.

The first party Cole attended was in 1851. He had been invited because of his job as bookkeeper at the Nashville post office. Mr. Lytle was regularly in and out of the office doing business and always took time to make conversation with Edmund. They quickly developed a liking for each other and enjoyed talking about various subjects. Lytle recognized Edmund as a highly intelligent person destined to do more than just work at the post office.

During one of those conversations, Lytle said, Edmund, I’m having a party at my home this Saturday. Many of my friends who hold important positions around town will be attending and you should get to know them. Would you like to come?

Yes…for sure. Thanks for inviting me. What time should I arrive?

How about six o’clock? That’s when most of the crowd will be gathering. By the way, I’ve got a beautiful daughter of eighteen who’ll be there by herself. Be sure to introduce yourself. You might enjoy her company.

Thanks again. You’re very kind. I’ll be there.

Once Lytle left the office, Edmund sat for a moment wondering about the invitation. That he’d been given a chance to meet some of Nashville’s prominent business leaders in one place was good news. He knew he’d be sure to take advantage of that opportunity and couldn’t wait until Saturday night arrived.

At six o’clock on the dot, he walked up the steps of a beautiful home. It had a wide porch containing four, large fluted columns which supported the front of a massive two-story building. The place was an impressive brick structure painted bright white with a black roof. It was far different than the small house he’d lived in on the farm where he’d grown up and left six years earlier.

As Cole entered and moved through the crowd, he noticed a strikingly beautiful young lady standing by herself in the sitting room. Without hesitation, he approached and introduced himself.

Good evening. I’m Edmund Cole. Are you the daughter of Mr. Lytle?

Yes. How’d you know that?

Your dad and I are friends. He invited me to the party a few days ago and told me to make sure I met his daughter. I assumed that was you when I saw you standing by yourself. We know each other because of my current job at the post office. He seems to come there often to do business with his associates. Would you like to have some company?

I’m Louise Lytle. Yes. Would you please sit down?

Can I first get you something to drink, tea or coffee?

That would be nice. I’ll have some sweet tea if you don’t mind.

Be right back. Don’t go away.

You’re funny. I like that.

Edmund hurriedly walked to the next room and located two glasses of sweet tea. He inserted a slice of lemon in each and returned to Louise’s side. As he handed her one of the glasses, he motioned for her to have a seat. The next thing he knew, they were sitting beside each other having a nice conversation about the party.

Do your father and mother have many of these parties here at your home?

More than I’d like. Personally, I don’t enjoy being around this large a crowd. Dad knows so many important people around the area that he’s quite comfortable entertaining and showing off this place. For me, it’s not usually that much fun. I’d rather be reading upstairs. Tell me about yourself, Louise said.

Well…there’s not much to know, but here goes. I grew up on a small farm not too far from here. My dad died when I was very young. Because of that, I had to help my five brothers and three sisters take care of the place, along with my mom, until I was eighteen. At that time, I took a job as a clerk in a clothing store and later in a bookstore in order to move on with my life. By working in the bookstore, I developed an interest in literature and the classics.

Literature…Classics. We do have a few important things in common.

That’s for sure. Whenever I have time in the evening, I can be found reading to try and educate myself. My feelings are that if I ever want to get somewhere in life, I’ve got to be motivated and learn from a variety of sources. My mom was a strong early influence and promoted strict principles on how to get ahead. Having trust in the Lord and being fair with everyone were high on her list. In addition to that, she stressed to me the need to work hard at whatever I undertook.

Edmund, I like you. Let’s go outside so we can get a breath of fresh air. It’s a pleasant evening, and I’m sure the night sky will be filled with stars.

Outside, it was a wonderful evening. They walked away from the house, down a stone pathway leading toward a creek, and continued talking for forty-five minutes before finally stopping. Looking across at the full moon that had just risen above the horizon, Edmund took her hand and leaned forward. He gave her a soft kiss on the lips and backed off to see her reaction. She smiled. Edmund instantly knew a connection had been made.

They were married three months later. It was a large ceremony that took place in the backyard of the mansion. By that time, Edmund had become friends with a large group of influential people that would soon cause his life to change and evolve.

Through his many business associates around Nashville, Edmund’s new father-in-law found out about an important job opening and recommended Edmund run for election as the general bookkeeper of the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad. That would offer Lytle’s son-in-law a step up in status and a nice pay raise. Without much competition and with very little effort, the job was soon his.

In his new position, Edmund took a quick interest in learning all about the railroad and soon got to know the men in charge of making major decisions within that organization. He gained their respect and was given responsibility far above just serving as a bookkeeper. Before he knew it, many of the daily operations of the railroad, including hiring and firing of employees, were handed over to him. Under his control, the business was streamlined, and profitability was improved. He became so effective, that in 1857, he was named the superintendent.

In early 1861, many of Edmund’s friends began to talk about rising troubles between the North and South. Ownership of black slaves to perform necessary hard labor on the large southern plantations was no longer viewed as proper by Northerners.

During a Saturday evening gathering, a friend asked, Edmund, what are your plans if the North doesn’t back off and allow us Southerners to continue operating our farms and plantations, as we have for so many years, with the use of black slaves? In my opinion we need to band together, move north with a strong militia, and use our rifles to get this all over quickly. I’m hearing from more and more of my friends who are thinking this same way. The North has no right trying to tell us how to live here in the South.

I’m not sure what I think. We’ve never fought a war. I fear our friends have no idea of the death and destruction that could be ahead. I’ll do what’s necessary, but with strong reservations, Edmund responded.

As the storm brewed, it became clear a Civil War was in the making. The southern Confederacy, under Jefferson Davis, decided to make a break from the North and form its own nation. Edmund wasn’t in favor of leaving his job, his wife, and his children but viewed it as unavoidable. If he was going to join, he wanted to go in with a position of leadership. With his connections, that wasn’t hard to achieve. He entered and soon afterward was given the title of Colonel, in charge of an entire division of men.

In his mind, his experience during the war was anything but successful. He left the long and bloody battle four years after it started, during the early