Once a bustling port on the Forked Deer River and a dynamic railroad town, Jackson, Tennessee, has a rich history. Most people are familiar with David Crockett, Casey Jones and Carl Perkins, but in Tales of Madison, author and Madison County historian Harbert Alexander shares the lesser-known stories that comprise the fabric of Madison County's past. Tales of Madison offers new insights into the defining events in Madison County, tracing the history of Jackson from its origins as a Native American hunting ground over eleven thousand years ago to its promising future today.

Only a fraction of what is known about Madison’s earliest African American settlers and the vibrant and cohesive communities they formed has been preserved in traditional sources. The rest is contained in the hearts and minds of their descendants. Seeing a pressing need to preserve these experiences, lifelong Madison resident Muriel Simms collected the stories of twenty-five African Americans whose families arrived, survived, and thrived here in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. While some struggled to find work, housing, and acceptance, they describe a supportive and enterprising community that formed churches, businesses, and social clubs—and frequently came together in the face of adversity and conflict. A brief history of African American settlement in Madison begins the book to set the stage for the oral histories.

10-year-old Madison lives in an orphanage overseen by the mysterious directress, Madam Eve. Here, the children are divided into different groups based on their age, and once you grow up, you must leave. While Madam Eve treats the orphans kindly, there is a secret trapdoor in the basement for disciplinary measures, certain chores they must do every day, and limited food for each group. One day, as Madison passes by the kitchen to tend to the flower garden, she catches a glimpse of Wendy, who is otherwise as quiet as a mouse, talking to herself. But as she closes in on the off-the-wall girl, a hideous hobgoblin scurries right between her legs and disappears into thin air. Before she knows it, Wendy drags her out of the kitchen and drones on about telling what they saw to Madam Eve. But the directress won’t believe Wendy and Madison is too shocked to say anything and clams up like a clam. That very night, Wendy vanishes without a trace and only Madison is aware of the girl's sudden absence. Burdened by guilt, Madison tiptoes out of her room in the wee hours to find Wendy or the hobgoblin they had spotted, only to end up under Madam Eve’s draped bed. That’s when she becomes certain – whatever had happened to Wendy, it was undoubtedly the work of Madam Eve. Will Madison ever uncover the truth behind Wendy's mysterious disappearance? Only time will tell in this captivating tale of friendship and magic!

Historian David O. Stewart restores James Madison to his proper place as the most significant Founding Father and framer of the new nation: “A fascinating look at how one unlikely figure managed to help guide…a precarious confederation of reluctant states to a self-governing republic that has prospered for more than two centuries” (Richmond Times-Dispatch). Short, plain, balding, neither soldier nor orator, low on charisma and high on intelligence, James Madison cared more about achieving results than taking the credit. Forming key partnerships with Washington, Jefferson, Monroe, and his wife Dolley, Madison achieved his lifelong goal of a self-governing constitutional republic. It was Madison who led the drive for the Constitutional Convention and pressed for an effective new government as his patron George Washington lent the effort legitimacy; Madison who wrote the Federalist Papers with Alexander Hamilton to secure the Constitution’s ratification; Madison who joined Thomas Jefferson to found the nation’s first political party and move the nation toward broad democratic principles; Madison, with James Monroe, who guided the new nation through its first war in 1812, and who handed the reins of government to the last of the Founders. But it was his final partnership that allowed Madison to escape his natural shyness and reach the greatest heights. Dolley was the woman he married in middle age and who presided over both him and an enlivened White House. This partnership was a love story, a unique one that sustained Madison through his political rise, his presidency, and a fruitful retirement. In Madison’s Gift, David O. Stewart’s “insights are illuminating….He weaves vivid, sometimes poignant details throughout the grand sweep of historical events. He brings early history alive in a way that offers today’s readers perspective” (Christian Science Monitor).

Contains stories first broadcast on NPR.

For over forty years, Dr. Fred A. Engle Jr. and Dr. Robert N. Grise have devoted themselves to researching and preserving Madison Countys history and cultural legacy through their weekly newspaper column, Madisons Heritage, in the Richmond Register. Now, Kathryn Engle has sifted through the breadth of their impressive body of work, compiling a fascinating collection of historical tales from this remarkable Kentucky county. Beginning with stories of the hardscrabble pioneers who first settled the area and continuing with tales of Madison Countys local legends, important places and pivotal events, these diverse stories embody the essence of this historically rich area. Few know the heritage of this region as well as Engle and Grise. Journey back with them through the annals of Madison Countys history.