b. Mar. 1828, d. Aug. 28, 1909 Married Dec. 15, 1847 The children AND grandchildren of Goodman always called him "Father". Sally was called "Grandmammy" and Martha Meekins was called "Little Grandmammy". |
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 Repaired image. (Thanks, John) |
Goodman S Hight was born in NC. He came to Williamson County TN in 1830 something then a few years later moved with his parents to near Glendale, possibly William Troope place. . He married Sallie Rust in Maury County in 1847.
Joe Mack (serious family historian) thinks in 1850’s they lived between Scribner Mill Road and Culleoka Baptist Church on what is now called Baptist Church Road. This was before Goodman bought any land. Joe Mack thinks he was an overseer on a plantation. We have documentation that his brother was in fact an overseer on the Whitaker plantation so it fits.
Goodman Hight joined Confederate army and served in Co. G, 19th Tenn. Cavalry (Biffles Regiment) under General Forrest. Goodman fought at the Battle of Thompson station for sure. Family tradition has it that he was at Perryville Kentucky . A member of his company mentions that Goodman Hight “straggled on Hood’s Raid in November 1864." This is probably true. Most every soldier who lived in the neighborhood got permission to visit home as they were advancing toward Nashville. With the ill-fated results, many simply didn’t go back to the regiment or were unable to get back to their regiment with the federals occupying the county. The rebels were whipped and everyone knew it. Goodman probably just stayed home.
During this time 1860’s it appears he was living west of Seavy’s in the Wolf Harbor Hills. There is a log house still standing today, unoccupied. It’s the old Horace Osborne place and I think it could be where Goodman and Sallie were living. In 1870 Goodman bought 100 acres on the North side of Fountain Creek. The farm Goodman bought in 1870 contain a log house at the back place which was already there. I don’t think he built it because 1870 is a little late for log construction.
Continuing with the back place, Goodman and Sallie remained here until they passed away. Sallie died 1909. Goodman died in 1913 and he left the house and 50 acres to his children, or in the case of a child being dead, grandchildren.
His will stated that daughter Pattie could keep the house as long as she lived or until she married. So, at his death, Aunt Pat kept living there and this house became known as “Aunt Pat’s place”. There was only 50 acres at this time.
In 1921 Paul Maxwell Hight bought the “Back Place” from the heirs. Aunt Pat was still living when Paul bought the place. As part of the deal, he had to take care of Aunt Pat for as long as she lived. (per the will arrangments of Goodman). After Paul's untimely death, Aunt moved into the front house with her brother (Paul's father) Jim.
Meanwhile, Eugenia (Paul's wife/widow) rented out the back place to Joe Park Hight and his family lived there in the early 30’s (Joe Mack remembers living there).
Nettie was away at School. Must have been mid 1930’s when Jim Hight wrote to Nettie “I have bought my father’s place”. Joe Park Hight worked construction and moved around, so once Jim Hight bought the back place from Eugenia, Floyd and Bessie Craig moved in. Floyd and Bessie lived here and raised a family until mid 1940’s. Some of their grandchildren were born at the back place. Floyd and Bessie moved to the front place , “Netties house” about 1945 and the Back place was abandoned. It stood until the mid 1980’s. It was mostly rotten by then but a Craig salvaged a few logs to use in a new log house he built at Culleoka. A chimney mound, some boards and sheets of tin remained until recently. Now there are buttercups that pop out every spring which mark the old Place.
