submitted
Tuesday, February 28, 2017 4:06 pm

Irvin Stroud has donated to the Hickman County Historical & Genealogical Society several items collected by his family and ancestors.

The items include a ledger book believed to have been used in the Bugg Store on the Clinton and Metropolis Road (now #307); the carpenter's square used by John Montgomery to build coffins at his shop near the store; a receipt book for the lodge that met in the store building; a steward's monthly account book for several of the Methodist churches in the county; and pictures of several of Irvin's ancestors.

Miss Docie Jones, Fulgham switchboard operator and historian, recorded that Montgomery's coffin work began in his home. He made coffins for a wide range of customers from eastern Hickman County and part of Graves. Miss Docie recalled that he kept an assorted stock on hand and occasionally the boys, Will, Almus, Tom and Dick used one of them to scare an overnight guest.

Later, Montgomery built his shop near the Bugg Store, and then added additional buildings in 1901. The Baltimore Masonic Lodge, organized in 1857, moved there onto the second story of the building from Pleasant Valley Church where it had been meeting since 1876. A Woodman of the World organization and its auxiliary, the Woodmen Circle,met in the area as well. It is believed that the donated receipt book originated from the meetings of those groups. Montgomery built the old clapboard Salem Methodist church building in 1874 along with several residences in the area. He continued in business until his retirement due to ill health and died in April, 1927.

The items given by Stroud are on display at the Historical Society and can be used for research purposes.