Some of my early Smiths stopped in Paris, Tennessee, in the 1820s for a sojourn of a few years, before moving south to Mississippi.

Most of the early growth in the Western District occurred on the gently sloping interior plateau where the land was fertile and the drainage better than along the Mississippi. One of the most popular areas was present-day Henry County, immediately west of the Tennessee River and adjoining Kentucky. The eastern part of the county offered easy access to Middle Tennessee. Its topography of broken and forested hills interspersed with small, fertile valleys, was familiar and reassuring. A north-south ridge served as a sharp demarcation between this part of the county and the more open uplands to the west. The entire county was well suited to the cultivation of tobacco, corn, and even cotton. At first the area was under the jurisdiction of Stewart County, and business was transacted at Reynoldsburg on the east side of the Tennessee. But after the General Assembly formally created Henry County in 1821, the pace of development accelerated, and by 1830 it was the most populous county in the Western District. Its new seat of government was the town of Paris, which arose on a carefully selected site in the middle of the county and was named for the native city of the Marquis de Lafayette, an enormously popular figure in the United States. When Paris was laid out in 1823, the lots around its public square sold for $200 each. A few months later Paris already had a log courthouse, five general stores, and three hotels: by 1830 it was the second largest town in the Western District with some eight hundred residents, and it could boast of school, tree-lined streets, fine houses, a lyceum, and some local industries. Three years later, if one is to believe the Tennessee Gazetteer, its inhabitants included lawyers, physicians, clergymen, carpenters, bricklayers, cabinet makers, tailors, hatters, tanners, shoemakers, blacksmiths, tinners, saddlers, tavern keepers, and a silversmith. Visitors agreed that it was a lovely community–“Paris, beautiful Paris!”–or at least, as one traveler remarked, “much the handsomest town I have seen since I left Louisville.”

– Tennessee Frontiers, pages 258-259.

Paris, Henry County, TN, Map, 1888

Following is an informative essay about Paris that I found online. The website I found it on (http://www.cei-inc.org/heco/paris_tn.html) is no longer active. It is undated but was estimated to have been written in the 1930s which means it must be in the public domain by now. I added some paragraphs for readability.

Early History Paris, Tennessee
Historically Speaking by John S. Dunlap

The General Assembly of Tennessee, by a resolution adopted November 16, 1821, authorized Sterling Brewer, James Fentress and Abram Maury to select a site for the county seat of Henry County, which was established by an act of November 7, 1821; the said county seat to consist of not less than fifty acres. Peter Ruff sold these commissioners twelve and one-half and Joseph Blythe thirty-seven and one-half acres. A public sale of lots occurred on April 14 and 15, 1823, and according to the statement of a writer who claims to have been present at the sale, the fifty acres was covered with wild pea vines, the tree growth being principally poplar. This writer further states that between two and three hundred were present at the lot sale, and that those in attendance were “intelligent, enterprising men, well dressed and quite sober, and about one-fourth of them bought lots.” The sale continued for two days, and all the lots were sold; those around the public square bringing around two hundred dollars each, and those back further, according to location, selling from a hundred dollars down to as low as twenty dollars. The first lot sold was struck off to Daniel Culp, and is now the site occupied by the store of Luther C. Humphreys. Culp built a log store-house and soon had a stock of merchandise on sale, thus becoming the first merchant, but by the fall of 1823, there were five stores and four hotels. Of the later, the building long known as the Carter House was the only brick structure, it having been erected by Samuel McCorkle, and standing until it gave way to the present Post Office building. Within ten years the population numbered around eight hundred, of whom there were twelve lawyers, twelve physicians, two clergymen, five carpenters, four bricklayers, two cabinet makers, two hatters, eight tailors, two shoemakers, five blacksmiths, two silversmiths, four tanners, two tinners, seven saddlers; and there was one church, one printing office, one academy, three schools, ten stores, two taverns, a cotton gin, and two factories.

The first courthouse was of logs, the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions sitting in one end, and a member of the then Chamber of Commerce, vending pies and liquors in the other; and it is the testimony of an eyewitness that the “Worshipful Court was subject to frequent adjournments that carried the business from the bar of justice to the other bar.” In 1825 a brick edifice replaced the log courthouse and stood until 1850, it being then removed and followed in 1852, by a really commodious and imposing structure, which later served its purpose quite well until 1897, when the present building was completed. The first Circuit Judge was John C. Hamilton, and the first District Attorney was Lucas Kennedy-both of Paris. The first official family of the county was as follows: Thomas Grey, Sheriff; James G. Swisher, Register; James Hicks, County Court Clerk; James Jones, Circuit Court Clerk; Samuel McGowan, Trustee; and Eldridge G. Atkins, Clerk and Master. The oldest, and probably the first school in Paris, now Lee School, but first known as the Paris Male Academy, was chartered early in the life of the town and a regular succession of trustees maintained for nearly a hundred years, during which time many who have become useful and eminent citizens received their early training there. The land upon which this school stands was donated by Judge John C. Hamilton, and a marble tablet setting out this fact deserves a place within the school. And, for many of those earlier years, there were always maintained by those who supported them, schools for the training of young ladies, teachers of best ability being engaged to conduct them.

Paris was on the 179 mile stage line from Nashville to Mills Point in Kentucky, the stopping places including Reynoldsburg, Paris, Cullen, Dresden and Troy. The arrival and departure of the stage coach was an event invariably marked by much flourish and display. Dr. Josiah H. Porter, born December 8, 1824, was the first child born in Paris, and the first death was that of a man named Ralls. The remains of the latter were uncovered when the Paris waterworks system was installed in 1893, and reinterred in the city cemetery. Doctor Porter was born in the home of his father, Doctor T. K. Porter, at the northwest corner of Brewer and Ruff streets, now the site of W. E. Gatlin’s home.

Paris was never a backwoods settlement, and the beaver hat soon out numbered the coon skin cap. Good clothes cost as much as they do now, wine was bought for three dollars the bottle, fine groceries came from New Orleans, and later, custom-built carriages costing on a par with the automobile of today were drawn by spanking teams over streets no worse than the present Rison street approach to our fair city. The first minister was probably the Reverend John Manly; the first presiding elder was G. W. D. Harris, and the first pastor of the Methodist church was Reverend Phineas T. Scruggs. Paris has been host to several annual conferences of the Methodist church, and at the second of these was adopted the resolution which finally divided that great body. The first physician was most likely Dr. W. J. Dewitt, and while the list of members of that profession contained many of ability and skill, the nature of their labors for humanity precluded any publicity, and therefore records of their services are wanting. Many did serve with distinction in the war between the states, and at least three, Doctors J. H. McSwain, G. R. McSwain and M. C. Wiggins, served overseas in the World War. About the first institution established by Paris men was the Paris Jockey Club, and it was not camouflaged as a “county fair” either. Gentlemen bet in the open on their favorite horses, and Paris horses were raced all over the South, some even going the route in Havana.

The white man preceded the Indian to Paris and in 1835, when the red man was on his long journey to the West, the Paris man was fortified against the invasion, and a Rotary brand of fire water at ten dollars the quart, was used to speed the savage on his way. And it is said that some of the same fellows are still in the same business, at the same old stand, but with a slightly modified price, and a brand qualified to make a “good Indian” out of any paleface who dallies too long over the flowing bowl.

The first railroad came to Paris in 1860, and the second in 1891. One of the first newspaper published in Paris was the West Tennessee, issued the first time on March 26, 1826, and it was later edited by A. R. Johnston who was afterward a prominent office holder in Mississippi. Gen. Felix K. Zollicoffer began his distinguished career as a Paris editor and W. W. Gates, the pioneer of West Tennessee journalism, once published a newspaper in Paris. Many other able men whose names are now lost, were connected with Paris journalism. A former Paris boy, Frank D. Caruthers, is business manager of the New York World, one of the world’s greatest newspapers; and Wyncle King, another Paris lad, is on the regular staff of illustrators for the Saturday Evening Post. Still another Paris man became Governor of a western state [Wyoming]-W. J. Ross, afterward succeeded by his wife, Governor Nellie. J. T. Halcomb, also of Paris, has headed the schools in Oklahoma City. Paris has given the state two comptrollers; J. T. Dunlap and John B. Thomason, and the latter served longer than any other incumbent of that responsible office. A Paris representative, Hugh W. Dunlap, secured the passage of the law permitting voters to cast their home districts, when before, they were compelled to come to the county seat and elections took two days.

Paris was the center of a system of chain stores years before Rainey, Reynolds, Crawford and Gatlin were born, one unit being located so far away as New Orleans. An old man S. Cochran, died in Paris, who in his youth beat the long roll at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown. Another saw Jackson beat the British at New Orleans and save the fairest section of our country, while still another achieved the distinction of being the only Tennessean who ran at that battle. Two Paris youths from the bars of their prison saw the grey eyed man of destiny shot in Honduras, and returned, one to die before a deadly foe, and the other, after swimming the Mississippi in a buggy, when he lost horse, buggy and all save honor, was second in the Marmaduke-Walker duel, when two commanding officers of the Confederate Army settled a point of honor, to the death of one; served in the Confederate army as Colonel, and then died peacefully in his bed. These were, respectfully: J. R. Means, Jr. And R. H. Crockett.

A county in Texas is named for a former Paris citizen and sheriff; E. H. Tarrant; and a county seat in Tennessee for a Paris lawyer, W. C. Dunlap. A Paris Lawyer, J. C. Sweeney, held court in the Philippines in the first years of American occupation, and another, L. D. McKissick, held a seat on the Federal bench in California. A Paris lawyer served in the cabinet of the Texas Republic, and another, scorning to flee his fate, died at the Goliad massacre, and his Paris sweetheart died of a broken heart. These were, respectively: G. W. Terrell and James Haskell. A Paris citizen, James D. Porter, represented his country as Minister to Chile, just following the time when another Minister had almost deserted his post. Bishop Joshua Soule presided at the first Methodist conference in Paris in 1831, and bishop Quintard has conducted the services of his church in Paris, as has also Bishop Gailor, later to become the head of his church in the United States. Paris was the scene of many forensic encounters in the older days when all the great orators of Tennessee of the time spoke here, the chief places being, when the crowds were too large for the courthouse, the vacant spaces now occupied by Lee school, the residence of Judge Lamb, and that of J. M. Porter. Adventurers of high and low degree have made their stay in Paris, among them Davy Crockett in his canvasses, Colonel John Smith, of the field of honor; Quantrell, and Frank and Jessie James, while general officers of the Federal and Confederate armies have trailed their sabres in the streets of the town. In Paris lived and died unknown to fame, a member of the original Texas Rangers organized by Captain Jack Hays. That man was Frank W. McNeil. And W. L. Pryor and R. H. Stevens were among those hardy adventurers who sought gold in California in 1849.

A Paris man, J. D. C. Atkins, for years controlled the expenditures of Congress as Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations. William T. Haskell, the most brilliant Tennessean, spent the earlier years of his life in Paris, as did his wife, who was the first woman to hold the office of Librarian in Tennessee. In early days the young ladies of Paris were taught music by an Italian nobleman, and the young gentlemen received instruction in Latin by an alumnus of the University of Belfast. A Paris lawyer, W. C. Dunlap, in his argument before the Supreme Court, used language, which adopted by the court in its verbatim in its opinion, changed the law of self defense and incidentally let down the bars to many a willful murder. As one of the commission to establish the boundary line between Tennessee and Kentucky, a Paris man, Benjamin Peoples, assisted in settling a question that had vexed the authorities of the two states for years. And a one time Paris man, William Arthur, assisted in establishing the boundary line between Kansas and Indian Territory.

A Paris man carried the colors of the Confederacy to the port of Rio de Janeiro, and another followed Morgan to the furthest North reached by that gallant leader, and his gold spurs and ivory handled pistol still are hidden under the stone where he placed them rather than surrender them to the enemy. And these two were, respectively; T. K. Porter and H. P. Dunlap. The first portrait painter in Paris was William Poindexter, and the first photographer was Charles Poindexter. A Paris born man, Howell E. Jackson, was a member of the Supreme Court of the United States; another, W. R. Harris, was a member of the State Supreme Court, and still another Paris citizen, Andrew McCampbell, twice declined that honor. Paris has given three Chief Executives to Tennessee, who served the people in critical periods of the state’s history, and these were: Isham G. Harris, James D. Porter and Thomas C. Rye. Paris furnished two members of the Constitutional Convention of 1870-they were James S. Brown and James D. Porter. In after years, James S. Brown, Jr., son of the aforementioned, served as Mayor of Nashville.

When two companies of Brownlow militia were sent to Paris to prevent a free election, a simple threat of the local den of Ku Klux Klan kept them away from the polls, and the oppressed people came back into their own. A monument in Elmwood cemetery in Memphis erected by its citizens, commemorates the heroism of a Paris born boy, and the inscription reads: “John R. Trice, born December 10, 1832, died March 5, 1854. A tribute to the brave pilot who died at his post, while steering the burning steamer, Caroline, to the shore. He saved many lives, himself he could not save. The gallant Trice; at the post of duty, undaunted, met death. Life strove to lure him with her glorious beauty, but he preferred to die, rather than to desert honor’s cause. His loss was life, his gain, the world’s applause. His last words were: Captain Taylor, the tiller rope is burned.” A one time citizen of Paris, Mr. Lowenstein, received the honor of knighthood from one of the oldest thrones in Europe.

Three men, Jackson, Polk and Johnson, who afterward became President of the United States, have spoken in Paris, and Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America, spoke here as late as November 26, 1886. Another President, Zachary Taylor, wore at his inauguration, a Paris made hat which had been presented to him. Paris furnished the Confederate Congressman from this district, General J. D. C. Atkins, who also served in Federal Congress a number of years. Isham G. Harris, also represented this district in Congress, and later, was long a member of the Senate from this state. The bodies of four Tennessee Congressmen lie buried in Paris soil: W. G. Blount, John W. Crockett, William Fitzgerald and J. D. C. Atkins. Paris has furnished one Attorney General for the state, Frank M. Thompson, and ten District Attorneys, Lucas Kennedy, Hugh W. Dunlap, George W. Terrill, John W. Crockett, Berryman T. Hamilton, James R. McMeans, J. P. Dunlap, J. T. Dunlap, Jr., J. W. Lewis and T. C. Rye. And of Paris Chancellors, there have been three: Andrew McCampbell, I. B. Williams and T. C. Rye. Two State Treasurers, Porter Dunlap and John F. Nolan, have been contributed by Paris. Memucan H. Howard, a Paris man, was the first Comptroller ever elected in the State of Tennessee, and he declined the honor.

Paris furnished seven colonels to the Confederacy: C. D. Venable who died in service, J. J. Lamb and E. Fitzgerald who were killed in action, J. M. Clark, W. E. Travis, J. S. Dawson and J. D. Porter. When Tennessee joined her sisters of the South in 1861, Paris, as usual, was represented: Isham G. Harris was Governor, J. T. Dunlap was Comptroller, J. E. R. Ray was Secretary of State, James D. Porter wrote the resolutions under which Tennessee dissolved her connection with the former Union, and a Seventeen year old Paris lad, J. T. Dunlap, Jr., commanded the company of Zouaves which placed the Stars and Bars above the Stars and Stripes over the Statehouse in Nashville. Paris has given five officers of the United States Navy, two of whom, T. K. Porter and Charles D. Cooney, served the Confederacy. Two others, James S. Brown and William H. Caldwell, served in the Spanish-American War, and a fifth is John C. Sweeney, Jr.