Among the early settlers of the Oolenoy Valley who came down from Virginia, were Samuel Edens and his wife. They had five children, one of whom was William Elford (Dr. Bill) Edens. Dr. Bill married Mary McClure and they had four sons - Warren, Dennis, Alexander, and Samuel - and three daughters - Rebecca, Adeline, and Evelyn. At first, he built a large, two story log house in which they reared their children and lived until near the close of the Civil War.

After Sherman burned Atlanta in 1864, he selected 60,000 veterans, as history shows, and began his notorious march to the sea. No army opposed him. Ahead of them were plantations and small farms, women, children, and old men. Against these helpless people he sheathed the sword but lit the torch and. applied it to everything in his path. Sherman's Army spread itself over a wide area and swept it clean, not only of food but of shelter and raiment. By day the positions of his troops could be determined by clouds of smoke, and at night by the glow of burning houses. Groups of these Yankees scattered in every direction with their pillaging and burning, even including our Oolenoy Valley far up in the mountains.

Dr. Bill Edens, a veterinarian, fell victim to the slaughter. Two different groups came at different times. The first group demanded food, took young horses, shot the old ones, and burned cribs of corn. One man became ill and was unable to go on. Alexander Edens had died previous to this and his wife, Margaret (Aunt Peggy), was left with four children to rear. She took the sick soldier in and cared for him until a second group came and he was able to go with them. He told this last group not to bother Mrs. Edens' things for she had been good to him. When leav­ing, she gave him a piece of her bacon. He asked her to keep it for she and the children might need it, but she was not afraid to explain to him that she had plenty. He offered her a $20 gold piece, but she told him to keep it for he might need it before he got home. It is hard to imagine this element of goodness in one of Sherman's marauders.

This second group centered their destruction on Dr. Bill Edens. They had shot some old men as rebels. Knowing this, old men were afraid and would plan to hide when they had word the Yanks were coming. Dr. Bill had his hiding place selected. It was a deep hole in the Oolenoy River with a cave in the bank and screened with bushes and canes. When he heard the Yanks were coming, he went down the branch to the river and buried himself to the chin in water, leaving Mrs. Edens and son Samuel with the house. The soldiers asked for the old man, but the wife refused to tell. They began searching for him and two came along the river bank by him, but he had moved his head to the cave in the bank and they failed to see him. When they couldn't find him, they told the wife they would burn the house if she didn't tell where he was hidden. Still she refused to tell. After Mrs. Edens had fed them, as they ordered, they lighted the torch and set fire to the house. Dr. Bill, from his hiding place, watched the house and heard his wife begging and screaming. When the house and all its contents were in flames, the soldiers moved on.

Dr. Bill, his wife Mary, and son Samuel were left to live with their children who were married and had homes. Dr. Bill said he would build a house that could not be burned down. With the aid of Merideth (Med) Looper, who lived at Pumpkintown, and Matthew Hendricks, he made brick of clay on his farm, and the house was made of these bricks. The chimney is built in as a part of the wall. The joists and timbers needed were hand hewn. This house still stands after 100 years. It is located about one- half mile west of Pumpkintown on the Table Rock Road.