Remembering “Miss Dot”: The Grace, Grit, and Legacy of Dorothy Hogan Cottam If you ever spent time at Bozo’s Hot Pit Bar-B-Q over the years, you likely ran into the true heartbeat of the front-of-house: Dorothy Allison “Dot” Hogan Cottam. Affectionately known to everyone as “Miss Dot,” she carried herself with a rare blend of…
Tag: Charleston Methodist Church and Cemetery
Williams, Thomas Jefferson “Bozo”
The Legend of “Bozo”: How Thomas Jefferson Williams Built a Tipton County Icon If you’ve ever driven down Highway 70 through the town of Mason, Tennessee, your senses have likely been hijacked by the unmistakable, mouth-watering aroma of hickory smoke. That scent belongs to Bozo’s Hot Pit Bar-B-Q, a legendary West Tennessee staple that has…
Williams, Fannie Cotton Richardson
The Matriarch of Mason: Celebrating the Life of Fannie “Mama Fannie” Williams Every historic small town has a heartbeat, and in Mason, Tipton County, Tennessee, that heartbeat was kept steady for decades by Fannie Richardson Williams. Known affectionately to her family and community as “Mama Fannie,” she was a woman of quiet strength, profound resilience,…
Williams, Emma Iris
Keeping the Pit Lit: The Legacy of Emma Iris Williams and Bozo’s Bar-B-Que If you’ve ever driven down Highway 70 through Tipton County, chances are your nose guided you before the road signs did. That sweet, unmistakable aroma of hickory smoke drifting over Mason isn’t just dinner—it’s a living history. For decades, one of the…