The story of Tolbert Fanning began at his birth on May 10, 1810. He was born in Cannon County, Tennessee in the wilderness. Settlers were still trying to dig, burn and hack their way out of the wilderness. The people of today do not realize that they stand on the shoulders of giants from the past. Tolbert Fanning was in truth one of those giants-in more ways than one. He was 6’6” in height and was stronger than an ox. He was criticized by several when he was a young and upcoming preacher. They suggested that he return to following a plow as he had for most of his young life. Well, many of the critics lived to see the day when Fanning could hold an audience in total and complete rapture for over three hours when he preached.
Tolbert Fanning’s family moved to Alabama while he was still a youth. This was in the year 1816. Little else is known of his early life except that he did attend a school that was on Cypress Creek and that this school was held by the brother of the governor of Alabama. By 1824, the restoration movement was in this area of Cypress Creek and two preachers in particular-James E. Matthews and Ephraim D. Moore were leading the group. In 1826, B.F. Hall was in the area and was teaching a doctrine slightly different to that which they had heard previously. He taught that the gospel must be obeyed, and that when they were baptized, they would be relieved of the guilt of their sins. During one late September night, a young Tolbert Fanning responded to the invitation and the following day, October first, he was baptized for the remission of his sins in Cypress Creek by James Matthews.
Tolbert Fanning spent a year in reading and studying the scriptures before he boldly ventured forth as a herald of the kingdom of God. In not too long of a time, Fanning was preaching in his neighborhood and on occasion, in different neighborhoods as well. He was a passionate youth that was deeply desirous of opportunities to share the gospel. His views got him in trouble on one occasion. He saw one brother selling one of his slaves who happened to be a brother as well. Fanning’s personal views were in profound opposition to the “peculiar institution” of slavery. On his next opportunity to preach, he was preaching at the East Main St. church of Christ. His topic was the practice of slavery. This was met with great anger by the vast number of the congregation who were slave owners themselves. This was in the year 1830; thirty-one years before the Civil War was fought over this divisive issue. Besides losing a place to preach, he also ended up with legal difficulties. The slave owner had Fanning arrested. Fanning’s courage was evident, even at twenty-one years of age. When he saw something which he felt was unscriptural, he had to speak out against it. Fortunately for him, an attorney, Charles Reedy, saw his courage, came to his rescue and won the case. He and Fanning, became life-long friends.
Fanning as a Preacher
Besides this incident, Fanning was to become an exceptional preacher who was known across the brotherhood. As a young preacher, he was encouraged to return to his previous career, which was farming. You might think that it was mentioned previously but this was a totally different incident to that one! Fanning received a good number of “encouragements” to be anything other than a gospel preacher. What these “helpers” did not know, or maybe could not know that they were trying to extinguish a fire by throwing gasoline on it! Each attempt to get Fanning to quit preaching God’s truth only made him more-much more-determined to be a good, rather, great proclaimer of the truth. He was always looking for opportunities to tell the old, old story to whomever was willing to hear him preach.
A good example of this attitude can be found in the story of the church in Russellville, Alabama. Fanning had been working very hard at the school and farms. He had an ability to do a tremendous amount of work. His ever-increasing ability as well as his sheer strength, both mental and physical, allowed him to accomplish tremendous amounts of work. He could teach in the morning and then come home to accomplish a great amount of hard, physical labor. After that, he was known to study, write, or edit until around 2:00 a.m. He would then rest until 5:30 a.m., when the process began all over. Such was the sheer power of the 6 foot, 6 inch, 240lb. man who was determined to do all the good that he could.
Returning to the church in Russellville; he was going to take a “break” by going on the road to preach a “few” sermons and have fellowship with his brethren. On an early morning the Fanning’s prepared their carriage to be drawn by Fanning’s favorite horse—a Morgan Stallion named “Jacob Faithful.” They headed south with a few small stops. Their goal was to meet his boyhood teacher, Ross Houston. They had come to Russellville, and he had preached to a small audience who gave him little hearing. They had decided to depart the next morning. The local roads were poor in the best of weather but it had been a very rainy season and the roads were so muddy that Jacob Faithful had a very hard time just pulling the carriage, much less through this new sea of mud where the roads used to be. They had managed to go slightly less than a mile when one of the springs on the carriage broke. The trio were forced to return to Russellville to find a repair shop and had to wait several days while a part was sent from another city. Some things just never seem to change! Fanning announced that preaching would occur each night at candle lighting. His next business was to set out to visit the local farmers to discuss items that were near and dear to their collective hearts. Perhaps this endeared him to them, causing them to want to hear him speak; or more likely God was at work in the hearts of the locals making them desire to hear this new man who spoke their language so well. Either way, the Gospel sounded forth from this bold proclaimer and the seed soon sprouted forth manifold. By the time the carriage was repaired about 40 souls had been added to the church and Fanning knew that he could not leave. Within a month, there were over 100 new children of God. When the decision was made to finally continue the tour, he was able to leave a group where over two-thirds were the heads of the community. Fanning would never speculate on whether God had broken his spring but he thought a great deal of the circumstances behind the whole incident. How great things can rest on small details for God’s people!
The Fanning’s left Russellville headed for Columbus, Mississippi. News had travelled by mail and person about the wonderful happenings that had occurred in Russellville, and Columbus had an air of great anticipation. The excitement in Columbus wasn’t shared by those of the denominational world. They told their people definitely not to attend the meetings, but apparently these warnings went unheeded as there was a steady stream of people attending the meetings. At first there was no response but people were searching the scriptures to see if Mr. Fanning’s teachings were true. The first conversion soon came from the Presbyterians, then an infidel came. The denominational preachers were on high alert because of Fanning’s teachings. It led, ultimately to a debate between Mr. Fanning and a Mr. Lyons. Apparently, Mr. Lyons was full of sarcasm and people were soon comparing the two men’s temperaments. Fanning was calm and polite while Lyons got more sarcastic and hostile as he was losing. Soon, the courthouse where the debate was held, overflowed every night. Mr. Fanning was able to baptize between eighty and ninety persons. They soon provided themselves with a meeting place and were a stand-alone group by the time the Fanning’s left town. It is said that visitors who came to scoff were soon bowing in prayer and studying the Scriptures they had recently disavowed. A great change was seen in a large number of people as the seed was planted and grew rapidly. After two and a half months, the Fanning’s left Columbus to continue their tour. Wherever they went, Christians and congregations were to be found in their track. In all, they were gone from home for six months and had personally witnessed about two hundred people obey the gospel. When Fanning finally arrived home, he was seriously ill and lingered near death for the next four months. The Fanning’s preaching tours between semesters became very well-known and resulted in scores of congregations being planted. Like Paul would re-visit the congregations he planted, so Tolbert visited Russellville and Columbus, as well as the score of other churches that he had labored to start. Those who saw him fill the pulpit could only say that he approached the pulpit “as a giant filled with his theme.” One man who had been converted during Fanning’s “assault on the ramparts of hell” in Russellville could only say: “As a public speaker, his style was simply inimitable. His voice was strong, and his articulation was distinct. As a preacher, he was always logical and scriptural. He appealed to the common understanding of his audience, holding it spellbound to his subject.”
Fanning’s Agricultural Labors
Tolbert Fanning loved the country and country living. He was a farmer at heart; even while he lived in town. He was also the representative for his county at the farming organization. He attended a meeting where it was decided on whether there was to be a state agricultural organization or not. Among his other duties, he was editor of the newsletter called The Agriculturalist. He, being the editor of the new Agriculturist, was impressed with the number of businesses in Nashville. His farm was to be a model for others to imitate. It eventually amounted to nearly 300 acres. While looking at a cliff and springs around it, the name “Elm Crag” came to Fanning and it stuck. It was known as “Elm Crag” as long as Fanning owned the place. After his death and into the next century, the land eventually became a part of Nashville’s airport. In the magazine, Fanning sought to encourage others to start a farming school somewhere in the county. Eventually, the farming school was started at Elm Crag with 12 students in January of 1843. Fanning stated: “It is my object to teach the students everything necessary to the improvement of the land and the best modes of cultivating and saving of the crops. It could not be expected our operations in manual exercises would be profitable to the proprietor. Many students are city boys.” Besides the schoolwork, Fanning traveled widely, always paying attention to what other farmers were doing. He would write about these changes as he saw them. All was documented in his paper. This became good practice for the religious papers he would produce over the years.
EARLY EDITORIAL PURSUITS
Fanning held a great respect for journalism from an early period. His second journal, which was launched on January 1, 1844, was named the Christian Review. It was, right from the start, a success. (This writer owns a copy of the paper and it is easy to read and very entertaining.) The editors of the paper were: Fanning, W.H. Wharton, H.T. Anderson, in addition to the “representative” editors, including Jacob Creath Jr. of Missouri, M. Winans of Ohio, W.W. Stevenson of Little Rock, John R. Howard of West Tennessee, and W.D. Carnes of East Tennessee. The first issues were full of news about the Campbell-Rice debate that had just occurred. Fanning had written the majority of information.
He also gave four reasons for conducting such a journal at such a time. First of all, because of the many papers were filled with confusing doctrines, it was hard to understand what the churches were actually teaching. Second, the editors did not believe that the opposing papers were practicing Christianity fully. Third, the “churches of Christ” were not as intelligent, spiritual, and zealous as they should be. Fourth, the editors who were spread all over the place could give a better, most accurate report of things due to the fact that they were there.
Fanning loved the power of the pen and often was in discussion with various others who were not in agreement with his views. Unlike most other editors, Fanning allowed those who opposed him the right to explain their views in the pages of his paper. This was a privilege not often seen nor extended by other papers. In his first issue, he stated, “We seek, and invite investigation on every topic connected with man’s salvation, and therefore, we say to Jews and Catholics, Protestants, and the world, our pages will always be open for discussion.” This policy had the ability to wreck the journal but wise management held the chaos to a minimum.
FRANKLIN COLLEGE
Franklin College was a large part of Fanning’s life and we will try our hardest to bring out the facts here. At Fanning’s thirty-fifth birthday his greatest work lay ahead, along with the trials and temptations all earthly men must face. It was in January of 1844 that Fanning was able to actually put his dream into motion and begin what he called “Franklin College,” in honor of that name so well-known for learning. Fanning had been dreaming of and planning for this wonderful school. He had been “silent as the tomb” about any religion, but it was his intention to teach the Bible in this new institution. When he had received the charter, the trustees and Fanning met back in the office where Fanning edited The Agriculturist. Here they planned the next step in Fanning’s dream school. He planned on teaching the Bible, and the majority of professors were from the church of Christ, but it wasn’t known as a religious school.
Before the school opened for students, much remained to do. Carpenters, plumbers, and tradesmen were all plying their trade. The school’s floor-plan was shaped like a large letter “L,” and was three stories in height. It measured 120 feet long by 40 feet wide. Two years later Fanning added a large building for the Preparatory Department. This, along with Fanning’s own residence, Elm Crag, made for a good number of buildings on the height of the large hill.
Fanning had been planning and saving up for a number of years and he planned on keeping the school as independent as he possibly could. He had invested his life’s savings in the institution and still found himself short. He had traveled to every town and village within a short difference but found that he had only raised $2,000. By the time the school was ready to open, Fanning and Embry had invested nearly $15,000. There was still a desperate need for another four or five thousand dollars despite large amount just invested. When the school had been in operation for two and a half years, Fanning had spent $24,000 and was another $6,000 in debt for the operation of the facility. He had taken up several different ways of raising funds. One was selling scholarships for $1,000 each as well as selling stock in the operation to whomever was willing to invest in the future of the institution. There were a number of ways to raise the necessary cash and he was familiar with all of them. In regards to the courses offered at the school, there were three separate departments. The first was the Juvenile, which accepted boys from five to twelve years of age; Preparatory, which took boys above twelve years and readied them for entry into the college; and the college proper which was a four-year study. The Juvenile class was instructed in spelling, reading, writing ,arithmetic, grammar, as well as geography, history, music, and a study of the Scriptures. The Preparatory class studied Latin, Greek, mathematics (algebra to quadratic equations), and history (history included “Sacred Literature”). At the sophomore year, the student began chemistry. And in his junior year he commenced his study of geology. By his senior year he began mineralogy as well as mental and moral philosophy (which included rhetoric, logic, political economy, and history). During each year the student studied Latin, Greek, and Mathematics.
There was a call for books and equipment. One of the big donors was Alexander Campbell who sent a number of the Harbinger and several copies of each of his books. This was a large donation.
When the second year (1845) came around, there were ninety students registered and Fanning, through The Christian Review warned all that there was no more room for students to come and be registered. By August there was a total of one hundred and thirty students registered. The number stayed like that for the next fifteen years.
In mentioning Franklin as being a boy’s school, and half of the population being left out, it must be noted that Mrs. Fanning taught a girl’s school. Her story now needs to be told as she was half of the Fanning story of success.
Charlotte (Fall) Fanning was born outside of London, England on April 10, 1809. Her family emigrated to America during her childhood and she lost her mother either during the journey or shortly afterwards. She then fell under the tuition of her older brother, Philip S. Fall. His name is also well known and beloved by the fact that he was a gospel preacher and also a teacher. The education that she received from him was very liberal and happened to prepare her for an occupation as a teacher. It was here where she proved to be very, very good at her job. She taught at the Nashville Female Academy, which was known as the best institution of its kind in Nashville. Sometime during this teaching period, she became acquainted with a rising young preacher. This fellow was a graduate of the University of Nashville and of fine literary attainments. He was also a widower whose wife had only lived a short time and was considered to be available by those who were in the market for such as that. They both had a heart for educating young children and within a few months would open a school for children. This would be a part of the remainder of their lives.
In the year 1856, Fanning announced that he had plans to make a change in the administration of Franklin College. He desired to change the board of trustees to add several Franklin Alumni. The reason for this is that he felt that they would have a greater interest in the institution than would be expected from an outsider. Another change included the business department
When the next semester began in 1857, Fanning felt that it was at its peak of popularity in the brotherhood and most successful. Fanning also was glad that a great deal of responsibility which he had shouldered in previous years would now be borne by others. Being a professor was now the extent of his responsibilities. In 1859, the school be-came the property of Professors N.B. Smith and William Lipscomb. Like the board of trustees, these two were alumni of the institution.
There was a reason for shedding himself of these responsibilities. One of the main reasons had to do with a controversy that he had been involved in with Robert Richardson of Bethany College. This had been over “spiritual insight” which basically boiled down to a modern form of ancient gnosticism. This came down to, as Fanning would say, “Franklin versus Bethany, Gospel Advocate versus Millennial Harbinger.” Fanning became so depressed that he confessed sorrow for contact with either school or paper! It had never been intended to happen this way but that was how it ended. Fanning had been painted with the cruelest brush and he was simply tired of the whole thing.
Four long bloody years of war ended in April 1865. After a four-year suspension, Fanning re-opened Franklin College on October 2, 1865. Few students were able to attend due to financial reasons but some were able. Barely three weeks into the term, a lad was burning out the chimney in the dorm. The fire got out of control and the entire facility was gutted by fire. What the war had not done, one young lad was able to accomplish by an accident. The main building of the facility was burned to the ground with an estimated $30,000-$40,000 loss. Along with that loss was also around $20,000 of equipment and books. W.D. Carnes’ priceless library was completely destroyed. Nothing was insured!
Later Life
Charlotte Fanning tells that her husband seemed to have his mind set upon some goal. She said: “He was anxious to fulfill his mission, seemed to feel there was not much time left—night would soon come in which no man can work.” Knowing of his legendary stamina, it was hard to imagine him thinking of death in any way.
In 1868 Fanning took his last trip to the south. The places he visited were Mississippi and Alabama. It was here that most of his childhood was spent, as well as years of his early maturity. He wasn’t traveling on Jacob Faithful with his carriage, but on a southbound train headed to Decatur, Alabama. Here, he saw the results of the war in the drought-blighted crops and poverty in society all around. As he traveled on, he was surprised to meet up with a young T.B. Larimore, who was also heading his way. Larimore had graduated from Franklin College a year earlier and had been evangelizing widely. After a day on the train, he arrived back at Memphis, where he spent two Lord’s Days preaching. He did not enjoy the success that had been his constant companion in earlier years. He blamed himself for the failure although it was most likely the result of the war and the Southern attitude after the defeat that they experienced.
Of special note was that several of the brethren thought that they could detect a loss of strength and a generalized change in his usual posture. This is of great interest when one takes into consideration Fanning’s great physical strength and legendary stamina. He no longer moved with great ease and energy for which he was widely known. One day in April, 1874, Fanning went out to the barn to look in on his livestock. He asked a farmhand to lead out a fine bull for him to examine. He expressed fear of the beast and Fanning, being impatient, went to move the animal himself. The bull made a lunge toward Fanning and nearly killed him on the spot. Fanning was carried to the house and placed in bed. Here, he spent an impatient week. He, being never sick, struggled with staying in bed. April 30, a Thursday, he felt well enough to be up and about. He went out to the barn and upon returning to the house, he felt something inside of him tear as he started up the stairway. From this point on he was in agony on that side. After a few days, it was the Lord’s day and Fanning told the doctor that this would be his last day. He called a number of friends to his room and asked that they worship with him. They partook of the supper and he asked them to sing but everyone was too broken up to sing. Fanning begged them to “Sing, sing.” By the time they were able to start the song, he was too weak to join them. At this point, he died. His hands were then folded over his heart. It was May 3, 1874.
The funeral was conducted the following day by his friend, Philip S. Fall. Fall stated: “Two objects were near to his heart—first to restore the service of God to the order God gave in the New Testament; second, to place a good industrial and literary education within reach of every youth. He labored to these ends during his life and desired his property devoted to them after his death.” This epitaph was placed on the tombstone of Tolbert Fanning. When the property was acquired for the expansion of the Nashville airport, both Tolbert and Charlotte Fanning were moved to Mt. Olivet Cemetery. It is there where the tombstone may be seen to this day.
Bibliography
A Life Richly Lived-The Story of Tolbert Fanning-Kyle Frank
The Hazard of the Die-James Wilburn