Spring Street Property

The home of George Parnell at 315 West Spring Street that was built in the 1890's. George was born in Indiana to John Parnell and Katherine Croy Parnell. His father John was from England. George Parnell married Sarah E Campbell Parnell in 1882 and together they would have three sons, John Campbell Parnell who married Vesta Ruffner, the parents of Bromma Lane Parnell. The other sons were Charles Joseph Parnell and Harry Paul Parnell.

George Parnell was a lumberman and sawmill operator. The Parnells cut most of the virgin timber in the Windrock and New River area. This home was built of choice lumber of the virgin timber. George was also one the first city Alderman. He would leave for North Carolina sometime before 1920 and remain in the lumber business until he died in 1940 in North Carolina. He and Sarah are both buried in the Oliver Springs Cemetery.

His son, John C Parnell also worked as a coal miner as well as a lumberman. John's daughter, Bromma graduated from Oliver Springs High School in 1927. Because of the expense for her large family college wasn't an option but she did graduate from Knoxville Business College in 1928.

Looking for a job, Bromma moved to Oneida and lived with her aunt and uncle where she would soon be hired on a trial basis at the First National Bank. She started as a secretary but eventually became the first woman officer and director and the first senior vice president — man or woman. During her professional career she won many awards and held many top offices at the state level.

Bromma married twice, first to Roy Johnson in 1955 and later after his death to Grover C Pemberton in 1978. From this second marriage Bromma would eventually become president of Pemberton Oil and Lumber Company after Grover's death. In her later life she was known as a Philanthropist and a large supporter of the University of Tennessee. Before her death in 2011 Bromma made a donation to the Oliver Springs Historical Society that funded the Bromma Pemberton meeting room at the museum.

The home today is owned my Luke and Dot Hall and still has this fine woodwork

I recently received an inquiry on the Oliver Springs Historical Society’s website regarding the house at 313 W. Spring St. I’ve researched many of the old homes for the website, but 313 W. Spring St. hasn’t been done yet. In our walking brochure, the only information listed is that it was built in the 1880’s by John W. Shipwash. I’m unable to check county property records now but the state lists the property date as 1900.

Since the person that made the inquiry was a Shipwash, I decided to look into the very colorful history of John W. Shipwash for them. He was the oldest son, born in 1857 to Michael and Pelina Shipwash. They settled from North Carolina in the 1850s around Welckers Mill in Roane County. 

Pelina received a divorce from Michael in 1873 in Roane County Tn, by Judge E. T. Hall on 14 Aug. 1873. She was restored to "al of the rights and privileges of a single woman". She received custody, care and control of all children born in marriage. The court awarded Pelina some $600 and $200 purchase money and property constituting of a horse, hogs and cattle on the farm. This would be over $20,000 today.

Michael then moved to Blount County, Tn to raise a second family. He married Polly Ann Smith.

John W. Shipwash was 15 when his parents divorced and he was the oldest son of the five siblings. The family seems to have moved to Anderson County to be closer to Pelina’s Father. John W. Shipwash in February of 1878 traveled to Knoxville, TN in search of a man who he referred to as his stepfather. John told a story of a circulating tramp that arrived at his house six weeks earlier en route from New York to anywhere. The tramp gave his name as George H Austin, formerly of Michigan, and late of New York.

While remaining at his house, Austin wooed and won the affections of his mother, Pelina Shipwash, a susceptible widow. In less than three weeks, they were married, but the drifter proved disloyal to the marriage vow. He saddled up John’s favorite mule and stated he was going to Roane county for three days, but three weeks passed and Austin failed to return.

John started in pursuit, searching in Roane county without hearing anything on his stepfather, he returned to Knoxville where he learned that Austin came direct to the city but was unable to find his whereabouts. He was described as 33 years of age, dark hair and blue eyes, and gifted with an exuberance of chin music. John left Knoxville saying he would gift his favorite mule to anyone who would inform him of Austin’s whereabouts.

In August 1879, at the age of 21, John W Shipwash leaves the Anderson County home of his mother to marry Latha Liles who lives in Roane County. John and Latha will live in Elverton where they will farm and John will become a merchant at Elverton near the East Tennessee, Virginia, and Georgia Railroad, as it was know at the time. To this marriage would be born 14 children over the next twenty-five years.

John and Latha both prosper, John as a farmer, merchant and land owner, Latha as the postmaster for Elverton. All seems normal until December 26, 1890, when Alex Nichols, and John have a quarrel over a small amount of money that John says Alex owes. Alex, a member of the church, and a carpenter lived with his family on John’s farm. That morning the quarrel was over rent due John from Alex and a fight ensued but the two men were separated.

In the afternoon, however, John Shipwash left home about a mile from his store. As he made his way to the store he carried two handguns and a shotgun, and it was said when he left his home he said, “I will kill Alex Nichols.” When he reached the store at Elverton, Alex was standing near the building and when John saw him he raised his gun and fired, and Alex fell to the ground. Alex was mortally wounded, expiring thirty minutes later.

After killing Alex Nichols, John Shipwash made no attempt to escape but dared anyone in the crowd to attempt to arrest him. A crowd that included two justices of the peace. Shipwash said he would be satisfied, when he also killed Tim Donahue of Knoxville, who he carried another grudge.

It was stated that when sober, John Shipwash is a perfect gentleman, but when he touches alcohol, he becomes boisterous and overbearing. That’s what happened several weeks ago when John Shipwash went to Knoxville and made large purchases for his store. By the time he returned to the Knoxville depot to go home to Elverton he had drank too much and begun to use offensive language to order a cup of coffee and a sandwich. Mr. Tim Donahue, the general manager politely told Jim Shipwash that ladies and children were present and to be careful with his language. But that just made Shipwash more offensive, so Mr. Donahue walked from behind the counter and forcibly removed him from the restaurant. Witnesses were said to hear John Shipwash say one day he would kill Donahue.

Three days later Shipwash was arrested near Elverton and taken to the Roane county jail. A trial was held and John Shipwash was sentenced to 10 years in the state penitentiary, but just one year later in December of 1892 Tennessee Governor Buchanan pardoned John Shipwash to time served.