James E. "Uncle Jim" Chessor was the son of Adam J. Chessor and Lucy Ann Bates.

Thank for the Memories
by Karen Tarkington

This article appeared in the "Hickman County Yesterday" column in the Hickman County Times, January 26, 1983.

Over the years Hickman County has been blessed with many talented people who used their gifts to let the rest of the world know of the greatness of Hickman County and the people who resided in that area. One of these such people was a man who used his love of mankind, his knowledge of the Bible, and his ability to write to spread the word about the hard-working, dedicated citizens who make Hickman County their home.

He was never awarded a Pulitzer Prize for his writings, and his books aren't in eery library across the nation. However, his work was recorded and was important in the late 1940's as he had two volumes of his poetry published, as well as several manuscripts.

"Uncle Jim" James E. Chessor was a self-educated, intelligent, humourous and expressive person. This is reflected in his writings of that time before his death on July 24, 1953, at the age of 63. He wrote a column from time to time in the Hickman County Times, plus he was the county correspondent from Shipps Bend for that paper.
Uncle Jim was born on Sulphur Creek on August 10, 1889, and his parents were Add and Lucy Bates Chessor, who died before he reached adulthood. He was left an orphan in 1910, and as he said, was "tossed from pillar to post." His main desire was for more education, an item he craved and worked for constantly.

To achieve his goal of continuing education, Uncle Jim worked at various jobs to earn money. He served as a farmhand, a timberman, a sawmill hand, a school teacher, and served as an apprentice in a newspaper office as a printer.

Uncle Jim was a versatile person. He served as an author, a teacher, and a minister during his lifetime, graduating from the Nashville Bible School (now called David Lipscomb College) in 1917.

In 1914 he began his career as a preacher in the Hickman Conty rural churches, eventually serving as the minister of the Shipps Bend Church of Christ.

He also taught English and the Bible at Burritt College, located in Spencer, for eight years until he retired for health reasons. During this time he wrote a Bible story book for children, titled "Short Bible Stories" and then he prepared a manuscript "The Health of the Soul."
He was also considered an authority on the history of Hickman County and surrounding areas, and wrote many articles for the Times and other newspapers about the historic facts. He and his friend Ed Dotson were probably the two foremost students of Hickman County history.
Uncle Jim was a friend to everybody he knew, and even to people he had never seen and probably would never even meet. During World War II he kept busy writing and memographing a monthly letter to servicement from home. "Uncle Jim's letters" were mailed to all parts of the world to keep the Hickman County men in service from being homesick, paying all the expenses from his ownpocket.

He also wrote a historical study of the county entitled "The Rise of Christianity, Hickman County, Tennessee, 1836-1900*." He featured many of his poems, sketches, and much research in the book (which can be found on microfilm at the Hickman County public library).
It was a study of the early Hickman Couny life, especially in the area of religion, as well as home life, teaching, and just plain country living.

One of his poems praises the country merchant as a friendly, courteous man who is interested in the welfare of his customers, not in the least concerned with making the almighty dollar. "Hands on the counter, there he stood his neighbor's need his kindly thought. No mindhad he for bargains shrewed -- An honest price was all he sought.
He clothed and fed the country round --
The rich, the poor of every trade;
He knew that all his wares were sound,
By labor, thriving factories made.
The farmer found his sturdy plow,
The drill and harrow for his field,
With keen, well read advice on how
To make his run down meadows yield.
His wife well chosen fabric eyed
Upon the shelves in neat, bright piles,
Judging if narrow goods, or wide,
Were better for "these queer new styles"
There at his post; year after year,
The kindly graying merchant stood.
His life was plain, his conscious clear --
He hid his world in brotherhood!

This poem, written in 1936, is typical of the pictures he painted with words of the early pioneers of the county -- the merchants, farmers, teachers, preachers, doctors, mothers -- the many types it took to make this a thriving and industrious area.

In 1948 he copyrighted and published his first volume of poetry entitled "My Valley and My People." His most successful book consisted of 26 poems of country life with the title coming from one of the verses. It was bound in green manuscript covers, and was followed in 1950 with "Leaves From My Hills."

This second book contained 60 poems about life in his much loved Hickman County hills and valleys, of the people he considered his friends and family.
In his obituary in the Hickman County Times, it was stated "He was more than a preacher and a writer. He was a country philosopher, whse words and writings were enjoyed by all who received the benefits of their wisdom. Above all, he regarded himself as a plain, simple man who loved to write. His manuscripts would total thousands of pages."
Most fittingly, Uncle Jim wrote that the epitaph he wished on the headstone of his grave could best describe his life in the simple inscription -- "the simple annals of the poor."

Although Uncle Jim Chessor considered himself among the poor, he was rich in his knowledge and ability to write. He was also rich with friends as all Hickman County claimed him as a favorite son. We are much better for him having passed through, as he left a vivid description of the early life of this county for all the future to see.


*"The Rise of Christianity, Hickman County, Tennessee,1836-1900" was published posthumously as "Glimpses of the Past, 1800-1900," and is available through the Hickman County Historical Society.

**In 2005 James Chessor was named one of the 101 most important people in the history of the Gospel Advocate.