Julien Frank Gracey

Narrative:

     Julien Frank Gracey was born on 22 Sep 1858 in Eddyville, Kentucky.^7,8,9,10
     He appeared on the 1860 Federal Census of Eddyville, Lyon Co., Kentucky, in the household of his parents, Frank Gracey and Irene Cobb.¹⁹
     With his father away at the war, Julien Frank Gracey moved with his mother to Clarksville, Tennessee, by 15 Nov 1861.²⁰
     He appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, in the household of his parents.²¹
     Julien was named an heir in the will of his father, dated 2 Sep 1879 in Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, in which he was to receive on half his estate.²²
     He appeared on the 1880 Federal Census of Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, in the household of his parents, Frank Gracey and Irene Cobb.²³
     Julien was educated in the public schools in Clarksville and later attended the University of the South, at Sewanee, Tennessee.⁶ He graduated from Vanderbilt University, Nashville, in Jun 1881, with a Bachelor of Laws degree.⁶
     He established a law practice in Clarksville after his graduation.²⁴
     Julien married Minnie Irene Thomas, daughter of Dr. Edwin Ruthven Wallace Thomas and Fredonia Francesca McGinty, on 1 May 1884 in Blue Lick Springs, Kentucky.^11,12,13
     Julien and Minnie settled in Clarksville after their marriage.

Taking Up Railroading --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     He gave up his law practice in 1884 and joined the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company, doing legal work. In 1887 he was appointed superintendent of the Clarksville & Princeton division of that railroad, the line acquired when it purchased the Indiana, Alabama & Texas Railroad, of which his father had been president.^25,26,27
     Under his superintendence the line was extended to Princeton, Kentucky. In the process numerous stations were established, with three of them named for the family.^28,29 Gracey, in Christian Co., 7½ miles west of Hopkinsville, was established in 1887, supposedly named for his father. Cobb, in Caldwell Co., 8½ miles southeast of Cobb, was established late the same year. It was apparently named for his mother, or for her brother, Capt. Robert Linah Cobb, who had been Chief Engineer of construction for the line a few years before. Julian, six miles west of Hopkinsville, was established in 1888.
     He became division freight agent, with headquarters at Memphis in 1891.^6,30

Returning to the Family Businesses --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     On 1 Sep 1895 he resigned his position with the Railroad to take the place of his father, who had died in April, as general agent in Clarksville, a position he held until his death. He also participated in his father's other businesses, including F. P. Gracey & Brother, a local transfer firm. From 1896 to 1898 he was president of the Gracey-Woodward Iron Company, another business founded by his father. He clearly had other business interests as well. From 1896 to 1909 he was general manager of the Clarksville Street Railway & Light Company. He reported his occupation as capitalist in the 1900 census, apparently reflecting his diverse business interests. He served as a director of the St. Bernard Milling Company in Earlington, Kentucky starting in 1895, and of the Northern Bank of Tennessee starting in 1908, becoming a second vice-president there.^{31,32,33,34,35}
     Julien was one of the leaders in Clarksville in civic and public welfare work, and a regular contributor to charitable causes in Clarksville.⁵

A Comfortable Life in Clarksville --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     Julien built a summer home he called "Redbrook Farm" outside of Clarksville in 1899. In the early 1900's his family was used it to experience "sane, healthy, not too comfortable outdoor living." The girls were reportedly reluctant and insisted on having individual buggies and horses available for trips to the city.³⁶
     Julien and Minnie appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, at 611 Madison Street, enumerated 3 Jun 1900. Their children Louise, Hope, Julien, Frank, Elizabeth, Irene and Donald were listed as living with them, as was his mother, Irene Cobb, and Alice Johnson, a 57-year-old black servant.³⁷
     Julien and Minnie appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, at 611 Madison Street, enumerated 21 Apr 1910, reporting that they owned their home, mortgage free. Their children Louise, Julien, Frank, Elizabeth, Irene, Donald and Minnie were listed as living with them, as was their married daughter, Hope, and her husband, Howard McLean Perry.³⁸
     His wife died on 30 Sep 1919 in Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee.^39,40
     Julien appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, at 611 Madison Street, enumerated 6 Jan 1920, reporting that he owned his home, mortgage free. His children Irene, Donald and Minnie were listed as living with him.⁴¹ Julien also appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Montgomery Co., Tennessee, in the household of his son Frank and his wife. It would appear that while Julien still owned the family home where his three youngest children were living, and they considered him as living there, his older son, Frank, considered his father as living with him. It is also possible that his situation had changed in the 21 days between the two enumerations.⁴²

Leaving an Extensive Estate --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     Julien died on 6 Apr 1929 in Madison St., Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, at age 70, at his home.^14,15,16 He was buried on 7 Apr 1929 in Greenwood Cemetery, Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee.^17,18,2
     Julien died intestate (without leaving a will) and letters of administration for his estate were issued to Harry P. Pickering and Laurin B. Askew, after the posted a bond of $200,000 on 18 Apr 1929, with the United States Fidelity and Guaranty Co. of Baltiore as surety.⁴³
     An inventory of his estate was prepared for the court on 5 Oct 1929, listing:     For a total value of $245,904.⁴⁴
     All Julien's living children, and the daughter of his deceased daughter Hope filed suit against the administrators of his estate, charging they failed to exercise proper diligence. They claimed that the estate included certain stocks, worth about $87,000 when the administrators qualified, and they watched the market go up, then down, and took no action. The stocks were still held after a recovery and second fall in 1930, finally being worth less than $30,000. The suit was filed about 1933 and was finally heard 8 Jan 1936, in Gallatin, Tennessee.^45,46
     The court ruled, in an opinion of over 5,000 words, that the administrators were not liable for the claimed $57,000 loss. The court said they were qualified business men who "were caught by the breaks just like some of the best financiers in the United States." However they were found negligent in four other transactions, including buying $3,800 worth of additional U.S. Steel Co. stock, and failing to sell stock in the Northern Bank Trust Co., in which one of them was an executive officer. They were ordered to must pay $12,000 in damages.⁴⁷
     Both parties appealed. The two administrators had by then died, but their bonding company continued to defend the case. When the case came before the Central Division Appeals court in Nashville in April some justices disqualified themselves because of being involved in related cases. The case was heard by the Western Division in Jackson, Tennessee, on 11 Mar 1937. While the case had drawn press attention until then, the outcome was apparently not interesting enough to merit coverage, and no official record of the case has been found.⁴⁸