Treasure Chest Thursday - Nathan Wilcox Business Card

In 1870, my great-great-grandfather Nathan Wilcox and his family lived in Decherd (near Winchester), Franklin County, TN. I found his business card in a box of ephemera, passed on to me by my father. It was only years later that I could figure out what it all meant and how it helped explain his migration from Franklin County, TN (where the card was printed) to Clarksville, Montgomery County, TN (where he claimed to be in business).


The Clarksville Courthouse (among other buildings) was burned in April 1878; I found Nathan and family living in that town in 1880, but the back of this card implies that he was moving there in May 1878 (see clarification below). The Winchester newspaper - The Home Journal - ran advertisements from Clarksville, asking architects and builders to please make bids on the the reconstruction of the destroyed buildings. No doubt, this was how Nathan responded to those requests (which were run throughout April and May, and possibly longer, in the newspapers throughout Tennessee and probably surrounding areas).

"Received 28th day of May 1878" "Franklin County, State of Tenn., Winchester"

This is a treasure on many levels:
1) written in Nathan's handwriting
2) explanation of when he moved to Clarksville
3) a priceless piece of history as the only known business card for him