LYNCHBURG, Tenn. — Founders created Moore County in 1871 during the Reconstruction Era out of parts of Bedford, Coffee, Franklin, and Lincoln counties. By 1820, distilleries started to pop up all over the rolling hills including the now famous Jack Daniel’s Distillery.
On Sunday, Moore County archivist Christine Pyrdom will speak at the monthly Moore County Historical Society meeting and give a brief history of the founding of Moore County. Pyrdom serves as the director of the Moore County Archives. She and her husband, Karl, live on a century farm near the Moore County, Lincoln County line.
After Pyrdom’s presentation, Metro Mayor Bonnie Lewis will present Founding Family certificates to descendants of Moore County’s original families. The Moore County Archives and Moore County Historical Society collaborated on the program as part of the Moore County 150th anniversary celebration. Both Pyrdom and Kathryn Hopkins oversee the Moore County Founding Families Program.
To qualify for a Founding Families Certificate, the applicant must be directly descended from an ancestor who was in Moore County no later than the 1880 State Census. Proof of ancestry and residency may be shown by official records such as birth, death, marriage, probate or will, church, cemetery, funeral or obituary, land records, deeds, tax, court, military, newspaper, Bible, old private documents, county histories, and biographical records for each generation, including proof for the applicant. {To learn more about the program, click here.}
The meeting will take place at 2 p.m. at the Lynchburg Legion Building located just off the Booneville Highway near the Lynchburg Pool. Membership is not required and all Moore County Historical Society meeting are free and open to the general public. For further information contact Michael Northcutt at mbncutt@yahoo.com or phone 931-434-5797 or George Stone a georgestone@cafes.net or phone 931-581-2621. •
{The Lynchburg Times is the only daily newspaper in Lynchburg. Covering Metro Moore County government, Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Nearest Green Distillery, Tims Ford State Park, Motlow State Community College, Moore County High School, Moore County Middle School, Lynchburg Elementary, Raider Sports, plus regional and state news.}