Chapter Twenty One

March 16, 1939

Brittain church is about one-half mile south of Cochran’s Cross Roads, mentioned last week. This is one of the oldest churches in the county. It was organized 1768. This is a very noted church in the community and quite a number of leading men of the county lived in this community. There are several men buried in this cemetery who were in the battle Kings Mountain.

The first bicycle I ever saw was at this church, and it belonged to Robert E. Biggerstaff of Forest City. The front wheel of this bicycle was about four feet high and the rear wheel was about ten inches high. I recall going to this church about fifty-five years ago. It was, as I remember now, on the first Sunday in September, and in the bottom and just above the ford at Cane Creek there was a patch of molasses cane. The fodder had not been pulled. The night before there had come a killing frost and the fodder on this cane was black.

Sheriff Andy Long lived in this community and near this old Piney Mountain road. Mr. Long was a very popular man, and I would think he was as well known as any man in the county. He served as sheriff of Rutherford county for a number of years and at that time the sheriff collected the taxes, so he had to come in contact with almost every man in the county. Mr. Long was a Presbyterian and a Democrat.

Mr. Long had a son, Mr. G. W. Long, who later became sheriff. He was elected in the year 1888 and was reelected again in 1890, but in 1892 he was defeated for the nomination by Mr. Ed Beam. Mr. Long served four years and made a good sheriff. He was a member of the Presbyterian and was elected sheriff as a Democrat.

Mr. Long married Mr. Albert Thompson’s daughter and they both died a few years ago and were buried in the same grave in the cemetery of Brittain church.