Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee

Official Website of the
City of Soddy Daisy, Tennessee

    Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, located north of Chattanooga on Highway 27, is a rapidly growing area of Hamilton County. Up until 1969, Soddy-Daisy was known as two separate communities, Daisy, Tennessee to the south and Soddy, Tennessee to the north.

    Daisy, Tennessee was the site of Poe's Tavern, where the first courts of Hamilton County were held. Hasten Poe, a veteran of the war of 1812, erected the tavern. It stood at the intersection of two heavily traveled highways and was a noted stopping place. The tavern was torn down about 1915.

    Soddy, Tennessee takes its name from Soddy Creek which runs through the community. It is a corruption of the Cherokee word "Sauta" which is a form of Echota. Rev. Able Pearson organized the Mt. Bethel Presbyterian Church there in 1828 that helped establish the community. Col. William Clift, a large landowner and Hamilton County's first millionaire, was a pioneer citizen of this area and built his residence there in 1825.

    Soddy is situated on the Cincinnati Southern Railway, the station here being named Rathburn in honor of W. P. Rathburn. The place was very small until the Soddy Coal Company commenced mining coal here in 1867. Some coal had been mined here previously by Col. William Clift and Maj. R. C. McKee, the former having settled on Soddy Creek two miles east of the present postoffice, in 1826. After the starting of the coal mine the town began to grow. The Soddy Coal Company built the first houses, and opened the first stores, and there was also one small grocery and a drug store, besides those owned by the company. The Soddy Company consisting of about fifteen Welshmen made an assignment in 1874, and most of the stock purchased by J. T. Williams, J. W. Clift, A. Lloyd and M. H. Clift, a portion of it remaining in the hands of Lewis. This company now employs about 500 men, and mine about 150,000 tons of coal each year. They commenced making coke in 1881, and now make about 36,000 tons per year. Besides good common schools, Soddy has a graded school in which Latin and the higher English branches are taught. Of this school P. A. Wall is the principal, and Mary McDonald assistant. The post office of Soddy was established in 1829, and William Clift appointed postmaster December 15 of that year. It was discontinued December 3, 1845. On April 10, 18501 it was re-established, John M. Watson being on that day appointed postmaster. His successors have been George Card, appointed September 13, 1867; Edward S. Card, September 6, 1869; William H. Card, November 27, 1874; J. T. Lloyd, January 17, 1882, and Abraham Lloyd, February 6, 1882.

    Daisy is situated on the Cincinnati Southern Railway. The place was named after Daisy Parks, a daughter of Thomas Parks, vice-president of the Tabler-Cleudup Coal & Coke Company. The Daisy Coal Company was organized April 16, 1881, the first members being Thomas Parks, J. T. Wilder, Maj. Dodan, R. M. Barton and L. B. Headrick. This company continued on as such until July, 1885, when the Tabler- Cleudup Company was organized with Maj. J. H. Tabler, president; Thomas Parks, vice-president, and D. G. Cleudup, treasurer. The capital stock of this company is $400,000. The average output of coal is about 50,000 tons and of coke, which they commenced making in November, 1885, about 10,000 tons per annum. They employ about 150 men, own 7,000 acres of land with four veins of coal from three and one-half to seven feet thick. This company opened the first store in the place in 1883, in addition to which there are now two small stores, one started by Puckett & Roe in 1884, the other by J. T. Jones in 1886. The town of Daisy contains two churches, Poe Springs Academy and about 600 inhabitants. A post office was established here, named Poe's Cross Roads, June 30, 1846, with Samuel P. Poe, postmaster. It was discontinued October 21, 1847. Daisy post office was established December 12, 1883, with Robert Maddox, postmaster, still retaining the position.
Goodspeed's History of Tennessee 1887