Emma & John
When John and Emma first moved to Murfreesboro they lived in 3rd Ward, northeast of downtown, and attended the First Presbyterian Church. He had a carpenter’s shop at the corner of Vine and Church that he kept until he died. He did well, saved some money, and they bought a farm some time before 1878, as it shows on a map (above) from that year. It was in District 13 of the county, northwest of town, right along the Nashville Turnpike, near what today is west College just north of the West Fork of Stones River. It was very close to the Civil War fort. In 1884, Emma bought 11 adjacent acres for $200.
On the property, John raised fruit and fruit trees for sale, including peach, pear and plum trees. He also grew and sold strawberries.
Emma and John had four children. The oldest, Eugene, was born in early 1871 while they lived in town. John B was born July 16, 1875. Emma was born in 1882. A fourth child, William, was born in 1879, but apparently suffered from a seizure disorder and, it seems, a developmental disorder. He lived with his mom until she died in 1916, and then lived in group homes until he died at age 47.