Near Cosby in Cocke County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)
A Hidden Family Quilt During the War Between the States
Photographed by Tom Bosse, November 2, 2024
1. A Hidden Family Quilt During the War Between the States Marker
Lawlessness was rampant in Cocke County during the war. There were many deserters and outlaws hiding in the mountains, who would murder and rob the citizens at random. One such group was the “White Hats”. They got the name from the white sacks they put over their head to conceal their identity. No one knew who they were and even became suspicious of their own neighbors. People indeed lived in fear during the war.
This lawlessness was compounded by the fact that most of the
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Due to the high degree of lawlessness, mountain homesteads were often robbed by marauders from both Confederate and Federal sympathizers. Basically, anything of value was stolen. Cocke County families were force to hide food items and anything else of value. One family matriarch in the Bogard community, Mrs. Polly Ann Murrell Huff Hicks hid a quilt that she made by hand in a hollow stump to keep it from being stolen by marauders. The picture at the bottom of this article shows Polly Ann’s daughter, Mrs. Betty Jane Hicks Williams holding up the quilt on the front porch of her Sevier County home during the 1920s. Mrs. Williams donated several acres of land in
Photographed by Tom Bosse, November 2, 2024
2. A Hidden Family Quilt During the War Between the States Marker
Most old quilts are treasured finds, but this quilt had an unusual story to match its beauty. Mrs. Maria Holloway, a self-taught quilter originally from Massachusetts learned some of the details of the quilt’s unique past. She loved the story of the quilt and the Cosby community so much that she moved her quilt shop here. Maria has a passion for quilting and family heirlooms. Her husband, John Holloway, has a genuine passion for Southern history. The Holloway’s have a strong desire to see local
Photographed by Tom Bosse, November 2, 2024
3. A Hidden Family Quilt During the War Between the States Marker
The Story of the Hidden Quilt
Polly Ann Murrell was born in the late 1820s, a daughter of Jobe and Polly (Cooper) Murrell. As a young woman, she married James Huff, a son of Rev. John Huff and his wife Nancy Allen. They were the parents of three daughters: Maranda (Randy), Charity, and Harriet.
The marriage ended with Huff’s death in 1856. Of the three daughters, Maranda was blind and Charity died young. Harriet married Abraham Hartsell, Jr.
Polly Ann Murrell Huff, a young widow with three daughters, next married Perry Hicks. The marriage probably occurred in 1859. The next year a daughter, Elizabeth (Betsy) was born. The year 1860 saw a shadow across America. The Civil War broke out and soon its bloody scourge spread across Cocke County. Peaceful communities split apart as former friends and neighbors laid down their farming tools and replaced them with war materials. In many cases, brother fought against brother.
In addition to the regular troops of the Confederate and Union armies, gangs of “bushwhackers” began roaming the countryside. These gangs sprang up as deserters, renegades, and criminals saw a way to prey on the helpless women, children, and elderly who were left at home while the able bodied men were at war. Polly Ann Hicks, whose life thus far had been far from easy, probably took the trials of war in stride. She lived near the old Butler Schoolhouse, close to the present Carl Williams and Ross Bryant homes in Board.
She had to be on constant guard against sudden attacks and raids from bushwhackers. Such things as meat, salt, coffee, sugar, and, of course money were scarce as the proverbial hens teeth. Hiding places were created, used, found and destroyed. Every family found its own place for its valuables. For Polly Ann Hicks, a chestnut stump provided a hiding place for the family’s precious commodities. Into the stump went the aforementioned treasures as well as a beautiful, hand-dyed quilt. This was not just any quilt. It was a work of art, designed and stitched by hands that had seen little beauty, but which could create a museum quality masterpiece.
After the war, Polly Ann retrieved the quilt from the chestnut stump and restored it to its rightful place as a Sunday coverlet for a bed. There it remained, delighting the eye, and at the same time, serving as a reminder of the honors just endured. Polly Ann became a grandmother, and one grandson, a little boy named Thurman Williams, particularly enjoyed his grandmother’s quilt. Later he asked her for the quit and she gave it to him.
Today, that little boy is 91 years old: a father, grandfather, and great grandfather. He lives across from Douglas Lake. Mr. Williams has graciously loaned his grandmother’s quilt for the opening gala. The quilt is in very good condition. Its colors are vibrant today; the oranges, greens, reds, and browns, still carry their century-old colors well. A special feature is the exquisite quilting in both fan and feather designs. Its pattern is a variation of the Whig Rose.
From “Chestnut Stump During Civil War, Quilt Carries Meaning” by Duay O’Neil
Newport Plain Talk, Feb. 1981
Republished in the book, Stories from the Civil War in Cocke County by E.H. Walker, III
Erected 2016 by Maj. James T. Huff Camp 2243, Sons of Confederate Veterans.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: War, US Civil • Women.
Location. 35° 49.095′ N, 83° 14.776′ W. Marker is near Cosby, Tennessee, in Cocke County. It is on Cosby Highway (Tennessee Route 32/73) 0.2 miles north of Jones Cove Road ( Route 339), on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3892 Cosby Hwy, Cosby TN 37722, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in East Tennessee and in the Great Smoky Mountains. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, the State of Franklin, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Battle of Shultz Mill on Cosby Creek (here, next to this marker); Capture of General Robert Vance (here, next to this marker); Ben W. Hooper (approx. 1.8 miles away); Whitson’s Fort (approx. 3.9 miles away); Tennessee Veterans Memorial (approx. 4.9 miles away); Civil War in Tennessee (approx. 4.9 miles away); Francis Asbury Trail (approx. 8.8 miles away in North Carolina); Governor Ben Walter Hooper (approx. 9.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cosby.
Also see . . . Foothils of the Smoky's Quilt Shop. (Submitted on November 27, 2024.)
Credits. This page was last revised on November 27, 2024. It was originally submitted on November 26, 2024, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 657 times since then and 88 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 26, 2024, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
