THE GOOD GOVERNMENT LEAGUE OF POLK COUNTY, TN
The Good Government League of Polk County, Tennessee tells the story of the bipartisan political organization that governed Polk County from the late 1940s to the mid 1960s. Formed in 1946 to end the violence, corruption, and election fraud of Sheriff Burch Biggs and his political machine, the Good Government League won the intense election of August 5, 1948, and for the next 18 years controlled the county government under the pledge of honest elections, impartial law enforcement, and improved roads and schools.
The political war did not end in 1948, as the Good Government League faced many obstacles in its reform efforts. Election fraud accusations, county government gridlock, and unsolved murders all plagued Polk County in this era. In the end, despite its flaws, the GGL proved to be a force for good.
A follow-up to Tyler Boyd's book, The Biggs Machine: Old Time Politics in Polk County, Tennessee, this detailed volume chronicles one of the most turbulent eras of Polk County history. No county in the history of Tennessee had ever been governed by such a diverse, yet fragile coalition that broke the traditional two-party system for a generation.
PRAISE FOR THE GOOD GOVERNMENT LEAGUE
The histories of small towns are full of novel-worthy stories, and Polk County, Tennessee is no exception. Tyler Boyd's latest book explores an era of fascinating characters, interwoven with events that directly affect the way many local communities are governed today. The Good Government League of Polk County, Tennessee is a worthwhile read for true-crime buffs, those interested in small town history, or anyone who loves a good story about small town America.
- Clifton D. Couch, MPA
Chair of Criminal Justice at Tennessee Wesleyan University, author of the Wallace Island Mystery Series, and former police chief.
With this second volume, Tyler Boyd continues his chronicle of Polk County politics during the twentieth century. As with his first volume, this book is an engaging and comprehensive narrative of Polk County politics, focusing on Good Government League reform efforts from the early fifties into the sixties. I look forward to the next volume.
- Dr. Neil Greenwood
Professor of History, Cleveland State Community College
Tyler Boyd's latest book, about the Good Government League after the fall of the Biggs political machine in Polk County, is something every serious student of Tennessee history should read. Tyler is by profession a history teacher and reading his work, it is abundantly clear that he loves and is serious about his subject. Having written about Burch Biggs and Harry T. Burn previously, Tyler Boyd's latest work is an important contribution in documenting an important time in East Tennessee's own history. I enjoyed reading it very much."
- Ray Hill
Author of Senator Kenneth McKellar: Feuding Son of Tennessee and Cordell Hull: Tennessee's Nobel Prize Winning Statesman
Tyler Boyd once again proves that some of history's most fascinating stories happen close to home. Rich in research and told with clarity and purpose, The Good Government League of Polk County, Tennessee chronicles a pivotal chapter in our state’s history, exploring the complexities of leadership, reform, and the pursuit of good government. Boyd skillfully weaves together the people, events, and decisions that shaped a community and left a lasting legacy still felt today. Historically significant, balanced, and engaging, this book is a valuable contribution to Tennessee history and a must-read for anyone who appreciates well-told history.
- Adrian Lambert
Executive Director, Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association
Tyler Boyd continues the saga of the ousting of the Democrat political machine that had controlled Polk County, Tennessee, for many years. In his research for this book, he consulted countless newspaper articles, reviewed numerous court documents that had never been accessed before, and uncovered a considerable amount of new evidence by interviewing many people who have heretofore never felt comfortable in relating their knowledge of the political corruption that had plagued their small rural county for many years. However, in telling his perceptive and candid story of how the bipartisan group of people who comprised the Good Government League sought to bring a degree of normalcy and integrity back to the way their county chose to run its government, Tyler very frankly and objectively deals with some of the excesses of the GGL as well. Drastic change, even when necessary, seldom comes without difficulties of its own, but despite those problems, his book shows that when the GGL disbanded, it had left Polk County with a much better form of government than had existed before.
- Carroll L. Ross
Former Circuit Court Judge for the 10th Judicial District of Tennessee
THE BIGGS MACHINE
Sheriff Burch E. Biggs ruled Polk County from 1930 to 1948, building one of the most powerful and brutal political machines in American history. Election fraud, graft, and police brutality were the order of the day. Aligned with Boss Crump in Memphis, he tried to extend his empire into neighboring counties. At the peak of his power during World War II, he was nearly unstoppable.
Inspired by the Battle of Athens, a bipartisan group of veterans formed the Good Government League (GGL) to challenge the Biggs machine. They put out a full ticket for county offices in the 1948 election. But unlike in Athens, there were fatalities on that election day, and the National Guard had be sent in to restore order.
A forbidden topic of discussion in many Polk County households for the past 75 years, it is long past time for this story to be told. With his newest book, The Biggs Machine, McMinn County author Tyler L. Boyd preserves this story in a single source for posterity.
Tyler Boyd’s The Biggs Machine is the fascinating account of Burch Biggs, the influential and notorious sheriff and politician from Polk County, Tennessee. Set in the turbulent years of the Great Depression, The Biggs Machine is a complex and often sordid story of the ambition, corruption, and violence that characterized the politics of a remote county in southeast Tennessee and is a must read for those interested in Southern history in general and small town politics in particular.
- Dr. Robert Barnett, Distinguished Professor of History, Lee University
The Biggs Machine tells the previously untold story of government corruption spanning decades. The rise and fall of this fierce political machine had ramifications and impact felt throughout Tennessee, not just Polk County. It is thoroughly enjoyable and historically accurate, yet sensitive to societal and political concerns that are still in play today. Boyd took on the tough task of bringing all the details together that tell this story, good and bad. History buffs and folks concerned with our political system will love it.
- Adrian Lambert, Executive Director, Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association
“The atrocities committed in Polk County by the Biggs’ Democrat Machine have lain silent far too long. Tyler Boyd’s book finally tells a story that is long overdue, and the people of this region owe a great debt to him for finally exposing the many outrages that occurred during those years when Polk County was controlled by that machine.”
- Carroll L. Ross, former Circuit Court Judge for the 10th Judicial District of Tennessee
PRAISE FOR THE BIGGS MACHINE
Tyler Boyd’s extensive research has preserved an important uniquely American story about freedom and what is necessary to preserve it. This book confirms that police brutality, unfair elections and public corruption are nothing new. It also tells us how an independent citizenry overcame tyranny. Furthermore, this story teaches us that freedom can be lost without informed voters, fair, impartial jurors, and ordinary citizens who meet their civic responsibilities in adversity. The Biggs Machine should be read by every student of American democracy.
- Jerry Estes, former District Attorney General for the 10th Judicial District of Tennessee
NELLIE KENYON: TRAILBLAZING TENNESSEE JOURNALIST
Nellie Kenyon covered big stories in an era when men dominated the field of journalism. Her career began at the Chattanooga News, where she reported on World War I and woman suffrage. She received the first press pass at the Scopes Monkey Trial, where she befriended H.L. Menken. Her accomplishments include solving a bank robbery and reporting on the Georgia Tann baby-selling scandal. Later writing for the Tennessean in Nashville, she covered the poll tax repeal fight and school desegregation. Her coverage of the trials of Jimmy Hoffa won her several accolades. East Tennessee author Tyler L. Boyd returns with another life story, taking readers on a trip through the twentieth century through the eyes of a trailblazing Tennessee journalist.
"At a time of questions about the media, it is refreshing to read of an enterprising woman, who worked her way from getting in the door to being a model for uncovering facts and was a great storyteller. Tyler Boyd captures those moments and more in Nellie Kenyon."
- Tom Griscom, former editor and publisher, Chattanooga Times Free Press
"Who doesn't love a story that connects local, regional and national history? As someone who values history and the stories of remarkable players in our historical heritage, I urge you to read Tyler Boyd's latest work, Nellie Kenyon. I suggest you grab a copy and settle down in your favorite comfortable chair, perhaps with a soft afghan, and be prepared to read from beginning to end. It's that good. It's that insightful. You're going to love Nellie and her truly exceptional journalistic career. Yea, Nellie!"
- Linda Moss Mines, Hamilton County Tennessee Historian
"A great history of a five foot tall female journalist pioneer who was a giant in the newspaper industry. She covered many landmark cases including Scopes to Hoffa throughout the legal history of Tennessee. Her interview of convicted gangster Al Capone at the Chattanooga Terminal Railway Station on his way to the Atlanta Penitentiary to serve his sentence for income tax evasion is a classic example of tenacious work and creativity by a reporter."
- Jerry Summers, author and attorney
PRAISE FOR NELLIE KENYON: TRAILBLAZING TENNESSEE JOURNALIST
"In Nellie Kenyon," Tyler Boyd brings us another fascinating subject. Pioneering journalist and sometime detective, Kenyon broke some of the biggest news of the day, from woman suffrage and the Scopes Trial to black market adoption and desegregation. Abby Crawford Milton called her 'the best bird dog in the pack so far as news gathering.'"
- Ann Toplovich, former executive director, Tennessee Historical Society
TENNESSEE STATESMAN HARRY T. BURN
After reading a letter from his mother, Burn cast the deciding vote to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, granting suffrage rights to millions of American women. Born and raised in McMinn County, he served in Tennessee government in various capacities for many years, including terms in the state senate and as delegate to state constitutional conventions. His accomplishments include helping secure universal suffrage rights, drafting clean election laws and leading successful careers in law and banking. He encountered more controversies in his career, such as an unsuccessful gubernatorial bid, election fraud and implementation of state legislative reapportionment. Harry T. Burn’s great-grandnephew, Tyler L. Boyd, chronicles the life and legacy of a Tennessee legend in this never-before-told life story.
As we approach the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment next year, Americans are discovering the history of the woman suffrage movement and the stories of the Americans who led it to victory. These stories are a vast part of our nation's history but they are not often discussed. It would be a tragedy if the stories of these trailblazers were forgotten by future generations. Works like this will keep their memory alive.
- U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee)
I encourage others to take time out and read this book and realize how a mother's love and persuasion moved her son to do what was right, even though unpopular at the time, and turned hysteria into history.
- former congressman Bob Clement (D-Tennessee)
"This book debunks the myths, repeated many times over the years, about Burn and that hot August day. It is a valuable addition to history, to have this story told, and by a family member who researched the topic meticulously."
- Former Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell, from her foreword
PRAISE FOR TENNESSEE STATESMAN HARRY T. BURN
Harry T. Burn is known as the young Tennessee legislator who listened to his mother, taking her advice to support ratification of the 19thAmendment in 1920. Burn secured the right to vote for American women, but his life and character have remained unexplored. Now, in this deeply researched biography, Tyler L. Boyd finally brings us the full man, putting into context Burn's singular act of conscience, helping us to understand how one person can make a difference.
- Elaine Weiss, author of The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote