Evan Phillips, Harvey
H. Hannah, and Dr. A.K. Shelton at repose in front of the
Wiley/Hannah Mansion, c. 1936. Mr. Phillips was a prominent Judge, former mayor, and
alderman for the city of Oliver Springs, TN. Harvey Hannah was a decorated General,
veteran, fiery orator and statesman. Dr. Shelton was the hotel doctor for the famous
Oliver Springs Hotel, and for many years was a prominent physician in the Oliver Springs
area. |
Dr. Henry Sienknecht and
lovely wife Barbara, together with two of their children, Lula
and Will. Dr. Sienknecht was a pivotal figure in the development of
Oliver Springs. He founded the H. Sienknecht Mercantile Store in 1901,
which for many years was the preeminent store in the tri-county area. |
| Joseph Richards, Sr. No history of Oliver Springs would
be complete without an indepth study of Joseph Richards, Sr. Born in Cardiff, Wales, in
1826, he emigrated to the United States in 1848. An early partner in the Knoxville Iron
Works, Joseph acquired extensive land and mineral holdings in the Oliver Springs area, and
moved his family to Oliver Springs around 1880. He died in 1888, and is buried in the
Oliver Springs Cemetery. (The Story of Oliver Springs and its People, Vol.3- Snyder
Roberts 1985) |
The Richards Brothers- David, standing at left, Joseph,
Jr. standing at right, John, seated at left, and William D. seated at right. These four
sons of Joseph Richards, Sr., building on the legacy of their father, extended the family
holdings to include coal mining operations, commisary, and most notably, the nationally
known Oliver Springs Hotel, which
flourished from 1895 until it was destroyed by fire in 1905. For a more comprehensive view
into the fascinating lives of these brothers, read "The History of Oliver Springs and
its People, Vol. 3" by Snyder Roberts 1985- available from the Oliver Springs
Historical Society. |
