We’re thrilled to share a heartfelt memory submitted by our cousin Sylvia Lane about her grandparents, James Carol (J.C.) Sullivan and Lillie Armenty Tidwell. Sylvia has been an invaluable part of our community, contributing countless hours of research and support over the years.
We’d love to hear from anyone with memories to share—please reach out so we can feature your stories on Heycuz! A special thank you to Sylvia, whose dedication remains inspirational, even though she’s currently unable to use a computer due to a health condition affecting her eyes.
For more information about James Carol (J.C.) Sullivan and Lillie Armenty Tidwell please see their family group sheets here: James Carol (J.C.) SULLIVAN and Lilly Armenty TIDWELL.
By Sylvia Lane
In about 1859 I received a camera for Christmas. The next summer I took it with me to the farm. My grandparents’ farm has three very tall and steep hills. On the left of the road leading into the farm is the steepest and most dangerous hill. My grandfather by then was using tractors to cut hay and till his land. This hill was too steep for any tractor then manufactured. He had to use Old Maud, a very dangerous and difficult mule to manage, but the only animal on his land that could pull the old-fashioned hay cutting machine. of all my grandfather’s children on Preston James Sullivan, my father and y grandfather could handle Old Maud.
That summer I walked up that hill and took a picture. When I had the film developed I was amazed at how far you could see from the top of that hill.
In 2002 I took my mother back to the farm with my husband Jerry. A Sullivan cousin, Thomas, had built a home at the top of the hill. The enclosed pictures were taken from in front of his house and the opposite hill, behind the original farmhouse, from the cemetery at the top of that hill. This is not a family cemetery. The Steele family are buried at that cemetery and are the family my grandfather purchased the land from.
All the land in the photos are Sullivan or Fry land. Father’s older sister Old May Sullivan married John Thomas Fry.
Each summer I had chores of gathering eggs and bringing in a bucket of water from the hand water pump just outside the house. My grandparents did not have inside water and plumbing until 1962.
This summer I had a new chore, milking cows. I have enclosed pictures of my Grandparents and Aunt Celia with the cows. The milk was sold to Purity Dairy in Nashville, TN.
Above is two images showing the location of the James Carol Sullivan land.
John Thomas Fry Farm
John Thomas Fry Farm from on top of the hill. The pictures were taken before 840 Bypass road cut them apart near their property lines.
Thomas Sullivan Home. This hill is so steep Granddad could only cut by Mule drawn cutter. (Look in the middle on the right to see the) entrance road to James Carol Sullivan farm. It winds a switch back road around the hill back to Cayce Springs Road.
Above and below show milking being done on the farm.
Lillie Armenty Tidwell Sullivan with her chickens, her big hen house behind her.
Old log smoke house behind main house
Back row: Maudie Fisher, Bessie Fisher James Carol Sullivan, Lillie Armenty Tidwell Sullivan, Ludie Givens, Luther Gives, Amanda Tidwell.
Front Row: Minnie Edna Tidwell, George Washington Tidwell, Cora Malinda Fisher Tidwell, Baby Leechey, Cleveland Tidwell.
Picture found in The Fisher Family 1774-1985 by Aubrey Fisher Gardner. Limited Edition book copy is in Williamson County Archives at Five Points in Franklin, TN downtown.
Picture found in “The Fisher Family” by Aubrey Fisher Gardner. Sources for this book are the children and descendants and Family Bibles. Sylvia adds “I attended a Sullivan reunion at James Daniel Sullivan farm in 1963. Aubrey was there getting information and making appointments to visit later to review family bios.”
The last reunion they attended before Aunt Amanda died.
