This week's Passing Parade picture was taken at the home of Pink Gray. Pink Gray was the son of the Rev. Jacob Gray, a former minister of the Liberty Baptist Church of Christ and Prospect Baptist Church of Christ. These are the children of Pink Gray, Edgar Gray and Riley Gray. Those in the picture are Celia Gray, Martha Gray, LPN, Edwin Gray, Howard Gray, Elizabeth Gray, and Louise Gray. All attended Wells Hill School except Howard Gray who went to Liberty School. He was also an elder of the Liberty Church of Christ.

Today we will give the history of Wells Hill Community. Wells Hill Community is located between Skinem and Liberty in the 8th Civil

District of Lincoln County, TN. The name originated from the first people to settle there. In 1825, Peyton Wells, a wealthy engineer came here from Virginia, and purchased a large amount of land. He then married Mary Monroe, a young lady from Rutherford County, TN. They built a log home at the foot of the hill. A part of their log home still stands today being used as a corncrib.

Mr. Wells built all the roads in the community. Mr. and Mrs. Wells raised a big family and gave each child several acres of land for a home. A daughter married Theo Harris, Sr. They had one son, Theo Harris, Jr. The family gave the land and helped build all the buildings in the community. Theo Harris, Sr.'s wife wanted to teach school, so this is how the school began, constructing a log building. Mrs. Harris was the first teacher. Some others were Jim Kerby, Dana Hamilton, Herbert Hill, Mary Pamplin, Ollie England, William Riddle, Charles Bledsoe and Daisy Caldwell, to name a few.

This was near the time the Church of Christ was established in 1887. First elders there were W.J. McAlister, Fenton Locker, and A.J. Ventress. The school and church continued to operate until mid 1920's, and the school was moved to Prospect and the church to Skinem.

Theo Harris, Jr. operated a brandy house in the early days. There was a large apple orchard and he made apple brandy and sold it in Huntsville, AL.

There was also a sawmill and a gristmill, and an inn or hotel where servicemen stayed. Theo Harris Sr. helped with the signing of the first courthouse in Fayetteville.

From 1904 until 1956 Fayetteville got its water supply from springs at Wells Hill. Fifteen springs supplied the water by gravity flow, 900 feet above sea level; 225,000 gallons a day of pure freestone water supplied the town. People came from everywhere to see this, as there was only one more like it in the world.

Sad—all the things are gone today from a community that thrived during the late 1800's and early 1900's. All that remains today are memories and a small park.

Four people helped collect the information for Clema McGee who collected the history. Others who helped Clema McGee to make the history report are Celia Gray, Elizabeth Gray and Bob Allen Gray.

My father, Riley Gray, attended the Wells Hill School. In 1928, they tore down Wells Hill School and Rowland Hill School and made Prospect School from the buildings.

The new school (Prospect of 1928) is where Maple Ferguson attended school.