Beulah Massey Pack was born February 28, 1889 in Sevier County to Dr. Zachary David Massey (1864-1923) and Sally Josephine Mullendore (1855-1940). She was the first of their six children.
Dr. Massey had been born in Marshall, North Carolina, and upon graduation from Louisville Medical College in 1889, he moved his young family to Wears Valley in 1889, and then to Sevierville 1890. Dr. Massey served in the Spanish-American War from 1898-1899 as an assistant surgeon with the 6th Infantry Regiment. Upon his return from service, he served as the Sevierville postmaster from 1899-1904, and then as a Tennessee State Senator from 1904-1906. Dr. Massey also served as a Republican Representative from Tennessee in the Sixty-First Congress (November 8, 1910 – March 3, 1911) upon the sudden death of Rep. Walter P. Brownlow. Afterwards, he resumed his medical practice in Sevierville.
Dr. Massey is remembered today for his devoted bird dog, Bertie, which accompanied him to his office everyday in downtown Sevierville. According to County Historian Carroll McMahan, “In the early 1900’s, Dr. Massey would place his deposit in a pouch each day and give it to Bertie, who would carry the pouch to the teller and wait while the money was counted and a deposit slip was written. The teller then gave it back to Bertie to deliver to Dr. Massey.” You may see Bertie’s statue today at the intersection of Bruce Street and Court Avenue, across the street from the Dolly Parton statue on the courthouse lawn.
In her scrapbook, Beulah includes many clippings about her father’s death and his illustrious career. She also includes clippings on her mother and her children. She married Charles Edgar Pack (1880-1960) on October 31, 1910 in Sevierville. They had three children: Charles Pack Jr. (1911-1960), Eleanor Rogers Pack (1915-1980), and David Massey Pack (1921-1996).
