Born 1796, in Virginia, W.H.Quarles was just a young boy when he made the trip to White Plains, TN with his father William P. Quarles and extended family around 1809, It was a long journey from Virginia, with 10 children, 4 sons-in-laws, several grandchildren, and thirty slaves traveling by covered wagons over the mountainous trail. They brought with them livestock, farm equipment, tools, household and personal items, everything they would need to establish a new home in White Plains, Tennessee.
According to family stories passed down through the generations, upon arrival young William was instructed to ride to Sparta to get supplies. Now, William was no more than 13 years old at the time, and in unfamiliar country. He expressed his concern to his Father, saying, ‘But Dad, I’m not sure where Sparta is!’
His Father replied, ‘There’s the trail, son. You got a tongue in your head, use it.’ And with that, young William set off on his journey, determined to find Sparta and bring back the supplies his family needed.
The Quarles family didn’t just stop at building a home, however. They also set up a general store, blacksmith shop, and post office at White Plains on Walton Road in present-day Putnam County. At one time, White Plains was the county seat of a new Putnam County. William P. Quarles had been awarded a land grant for his service in the Revolutionary War, and he had also purchased other land to help establish this new community. It was a brave and ambitious endeavor, and young William was just one member of this hardworking and determined family.
Later in life, W.H. Quarles, or ‘Uncle Billy’ as most people called him, was a merchant and farmer. He ran the family business from the time he was 20 years old until the house burned down in 1844. But the Quarles family didn’t let a little thing like a house fire get in their way. They rebuilt a house at the site of the current White Plains Golf Pro Shop and continued to run the plantation from there until that house burned down in 1848. It seems that the Quarles family had a knack for overcoming adversity and building anew, no matter what challenges they faced.
