USA > Tennessee > Early history of Middle Tennessee > Part 3
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CHAPTER IX.
THOMAS SHARP SPENCER.
Thomas Sharp Spencer came next as an adventurer into the Cumberland Valley. Having heard from his neighbors, Mansker and Bledsoe, of the rich lands and abundance of big game throughout this region he came over from his home in Virginia in the spring of 1776. Besides other companions he brought with him a man named Holliday, and together they fixed a station at Bledsoe's Lick, probably having been directed hither by lsaac Bledsoe, who had discovered it several years before.
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During the summer following. Spencer and Holliday hunted over and explored the country for many miles around. - In the bottom adjoining Bledsoe's Lick they cleared a few acres of land which they planted in corn. This they cultivated and gathered in autumn, thus being the first crop of grain raised in Middle Tennessee.
Later on Holliday became dissatisfied and decided to return to Virginia. Spencer accompanied him to the Barrens of Ken- tucky, near where Glasgow now stands, and through which in those days there ran a trail leading back across the mountains. When they had bidden each other adieu and were about to separate, Holliday discovered that he had lost his hunting knife. whereupon Spencer broke his own knife in two and gave half of it to his departing comrade. The latter was never heard from thereafter and it is supposed he was killed by the Indians on his journey homeward.
Spencer returned to Bledsoe's Lick and spent the winter alone in a hollow sycamore tree which stood in the bottom near the present site of the postoffice at Castalian Springs. This tree perished many years ago, but so long as it stood it was called by the settlers "Spencer's House." Some time after the events above mentioned Spencer went back to Virginia, his native State, but returned to the Cumberland country in 1780.
During the time of his residence in the sycamore tree he ex- plored the country side from Bledsoe's Lick to the mouth of Red River, near Clarksville, always keeping a sharp lookout for choice tracts of land to which, in the future, he might lay claim. Because of a false impression as to the provisions of the pre- emption law under which he was laboring, he supposed that by clearing a few acres and building a cabin on each section of 640 acres an individual would thus be able to possess himself of as much land as he might desire. In pursuance of this idea he
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selected for himself four fine tracts in Sumner County. Three of these were in the region around Castalian Springs, and the fourth was near Gallatin, it being the same as that subsequently owned by General Miller.
SPENCER'S TREE
In 1781 the State of North Carolina, to which the territory embracing Middle Tennessee at that time belonged, defined by enactment its pre-emption law, which allowed only one section to each head of a family, or single man who had reached the age of twenty-one. Spencer was thereby forced to make a choice of the four tracts previously staked off, and he accordingly selected 3
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the one near Gallatin. This splendid body of land has ever since been known as "Spencer's Choice." It bounds the corporate limits of the town on the south, and comprises the land now occu- pied by the heirs of the late Capt. J. B. Howison, together with the farm just south of it, the latter the property of Mrs. John H. Oldham, and a part of the farm owned by Mr. R. P. Hite.
The description of this tract, when granted to Spencer, called for natural boundaries which were supposed to embrace a sec- tion, but when an actual survey was made many years later it was found to contain about eight hundred acres. The records on file in the Register's office of Sumner County show that on August 17, 1793, Thomas Spencer conveyed to Stephen Cantrell two hun- dred acres of the above tract, the consideration being "two hun- dred hard dollars." The remainder of the tract was inherited by William Spencer, brother of Thomas Spencer, at the latter's deatlı.
Spencer was a man of great physical strength, a giant in his day, well proportioned, broad shouldered, huge in body and limb. and weighing nearly four hundred pounds. His traditional feats of strength were numerous. On one occasion, shortly after the beginning of the settlement at Nashville, he was hunting with a fellow sportsman on Duck River in what is now Humphries County. As evening came on they sought a secluded spot where they might build a fire, cook a deer they had killed, and camp for the night. While they were preparing the meal a skulking party of Indians espied them, and creeping up to within range of the camp fired at them, killing Spencer's companion. Spencer. who was unharmed, gathered up the dead body and gun of his fellow hunter and with the added weight of his own arins and ammuni- tion dashed into the thick cane and was soon beyond the reach of danger. The Indians, seeing his great strength and activity, and knowing that he had with him two loaded guns, followed at a respectful distance. He succeeded in carrying off and burying
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the remains of his comrade, after which he returned in safety to French Lick. 1687287
That veteran pioneer of Sumner County, John Carr, who has written so entertainingly of the early period of our history, says that on one occasion he rode through a parcel of ground which
SPENCER'S CHOICE
Spencer had cleared. There were five or six acres in the field, around which was a rail fence. The timbers used therein, each of which was equal in size to ten or fifteen rails, Spencer had cut from the clearing and carried on his shoulder to where the fence was being built.
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Another instance of his strength is related. He was sick and lying on a blanket by a fire near where two of the settlers were building a cabin. For a long time he watched them both strug- gle under the weight of a log trying in vain to put the end of it in place. Finally he arose from his blanket, walked to the cabin, took hold of the log and brushing the men aside threw it into position with apparent ease. Spencer had a large foot, huge even in proportion to his immense body. During his first winter at Bledsoe's Lick, Timothy DeMonbreun, as previously related, was conducting a trading station near Nashville, and had associated with him a party of hunters from Indiana and Illinois. One morning just at daybreak Spencer, who was himself a mighty hunter, and who happened to be in that neighborhood. chased a herd of buffalo close by the door of a hut in which one of these Frenchmen was sleeping. It had been raining and the ground was very soft. The sleeping hunter, aroused by the noise of the chase, came out and seeing Spencer's footprint in the mud near the door, became frightened, swam the Cumberland River, and ran north through the wilderness until he reached the French settlement at Vincennes. There he related his experience and declared he would never return to a country that was inhabited by such giants.
Spencer was of a quiet and peaceable disposition, and being possessed of a good face and gentlemanly manners was held in high esteem by all the settlers. Like Daniel Boone and others in kind who blazed the way of civilization on its westward march, he loved the solitude of the forest and often in times of greatest danger would for weeks hunt through the woods alone. and seem- ingly without fear. In this way he supplied food to the settlers in times of great need. He was never married, and after the settlements began to be established in Sumner and Davidson Coun- ties, he had no abode of his own. When not away on an expedi-
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tion it was his custom to spend the night at any station most liable to be attacked by the Indians. In the fall of 1793 Spencer re- turned to Virginia for the purpose of winding up an estate and receiving therefrom a legacy which was his due. Returning with a party on horseback by way of Knoxville, they had reached an elevation which, because of this event has since been called Spen- cer's Hill, near the headwaters of Caney Fork River. True to his custom Spencer was riding alone some distance in advance of his party, when at a gap near the top of the hill he was fired upon and instantly killed by a band of Indians who were lying in wait. Thus ended a career than which in all the annals of early his- tory there is no more shining example of undaunted courage and heroic self-sacrifice. His horse, which was a splendid animal, took fright from the fall of his master, and dashing through the line of howling savages which had surrounded him, fled back to the party and thus escaped capture.
Spencer's early advent into the region of Bledsoe's Lick proved to be a connecting link between the roving bands of hunters and adventurers who first came hither, and that hardier company whose annals we are about to consider, and who through toil and bloodshed, with trowel in one hand and sword in the other laid broad and deep the foundation of a mighty commonwealth.
CHAPTER X.
INDIAN TRIBES AND TREATIES.
The first permanent settlers came to the French Lick in the winter of 1779. Let us now locate the principal Indian tribes living east of the Mississippi River at that time.
As before related the region now included in Middle Tennes- see and Kentucky had for ages been held by the Indians as a
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great National Park or Hunting Ground. The reasons for this were as follows : It was well watered and, to a greater extent than any other portion of North America, abounded in fish and game. All of this made it doubly desirable to the savage heart. The section thus embraced lay on either side of a dividing line between the tribes of the North and those of the South. The former were called the Iroquois, and consisted of various clans, principal among them being the Mohawks, Senecas, Cayugas, Oneidas, Ottawas and Kickapoos. They dwelt in the country now in- cluded in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan.
Those of the South who were known collectively as the Mo- bilian race, included the Cherokees, Creeks, Seminoles, Choctaws, Chickasaws, Chickamaugas and Natchez. These were scattered over the States of Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee. For purposes of a common defense, the tribes of each of these groups were bound together in a kind of loose Con- federacy. Both the Iroquois and the Mobilians had formerly laid claim to the region in question, but neither could establish a better title than the other. After long and bloody wars over its possession, during the course of which many of the smaller tribes were completely exterminated, it was tacitly agreed that the land should be held in common. We have seen already that the Shaw- nees at one time invaded the Cumberland Vallley, but soon came to grief. Although at certain seasons they were allowed to re- turn and hunt, their rights thereafter were much abridged.
The Cherokees were the mountaineers of their race and inhab- ited East Tennessee and North Georgia. They numbered about twelve thousand and were the inveterate foes of the pioneers. South of these were the warlike Creeks, twenty thousand strong. who lived in Alabama and South Georgia. They, too, were enemies of the whites. The Seminoles, originally a part of the
TANT
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Creek nation, inhabited the peninsula of Florida. Of these there were about five thousand. The Chickasaws occupied West Ten- nessee and were only about four thousand in number. They were peaceful and brave, and soon became allies of the early settlers, to whom they often gave warning and aid in times of impending danger.
Mississippi was inhabited by the Choctaws, of whom there were about fifteen thousand. They were far to the south, and, therefore, played but small part in the numerous wars in the western colonies.
The Natchez, a remnant of an ancient but powerful tribe of Sun worshipers, occupied a small reservation on the Mississippi River just south of the Tennessee line. The Chickamaugas were a band of murderers and horse thieves, composed largely of out- laws previously belonging to the surrounding tribes, who were now clustered about the base of Lookout Mountain in the re- gion near Chattanooga.
The westward march of civilization across and beyond the mountains during the last half of the eighteenth century had created a market for the Hunting Ground, and straightway each Indian tribe, both North and South, began afresh to assert its claims thereto. As later events disclosed, they were willing to sell to the whites on the most favorable terms, secretly resolving to take the scalps of the latter when they should try to possess themselves of their purchase. England was anxious to secure for her American subjects such titles from the Indians, little caring as to their real value. Her reason was self-evident. Spain claimed Middle Tennessee and Kentucky by right of the discov- eries of Columbus and the more recent expedition of De Soto. England having secured her title from those whom, for the time being, she chose to regard as the real owners, might thus assert her priority of right.
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At Fort Stanwix, New York, on November 5, 1768, the chiefs and head-men from seventeen tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy met Sir William Johnson, agent of the English government, for the purpose of arranging a treaty. This council resulted in a sale to England by the Northern Indians of their right. title and interest in and to all that region known as the Hunting Ground, the boundaries of which were the Ohio River on the north and the Tennessee River on the south. The above transaction is known in history as the treaty of Fort Stanwix, and constituted the first conveyance of the land now included in Middle Tennes- see. By its terms as they appear in the original document it was a warranty of title "so long as grass grows and water flows." The latter is until this day a favorite expression among the In- dians when indicating an indefinite lapse of time.
Because of this transfer by the Iroquois the southern tribes were greatly enraged, but did not at this time take action as a whole. Later, however, the Cherokees made a sale of their in- terest thereto in a manner as below related.
In the early colonial period, and even during the infancy of the republic, more than one man dreamed of a day when within the heart of North America he might found an empire over which he should sway the scepter and in which his will should be su- preme. Colonel Richard Henderson, of North Carolina, was one of these, though his plan of government was a modification of that above outlined. He had selected the Hunting Ground be- yond the mountains as the scene of his venture. Henderson was a man of ability and enterprise, and entered into his scheme with the best of intentions. To his colonists he would grant the right to make their own laws, retaining only in his hands the power of the governorship. However, a pretext for seizing upon the lands above indicated must first be obtained.
Therefore on March 17, 1775, Henderson, together with sey-
,
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eral business associates and a number of hunters, among the lat- ter being Daniel Boone, met the Cherokees at Sycamore Shoals on the Watauga River in East Tennessee. This meeting was for the purpose of arranging terms of purchase of the Cherokee in- terest in the lands above mentioned. Henderson was an able lawyer and well knew that any conveyance thus obtained would be little more than a quit-claim deed, but such a title would afford the desired excuse for entering thereupon.
At this conference were present about twelve hundred mem- bers of the tribe. After several days of consultation the Indians proposed a sale of all the lands lying between the Cumberland, Ohio and Kentucky Rivers, which tract comprised about seven- teen millions of acres. In return for this they agreed to accept goods to the value of fifty thousand dollars. Their proposition was promptly accepted, and the treaty signed on the part of the Cherokees by their chiefs, Oconostota, The Raven, and The Car- penter. Oconostota had previously made an eloquent speech in opposition to the sale thus made, but had finally accepted as his own the will of the majority. As the crowd dispersed the old chief took Boone by the hand and said: "Brother, we have sold to your people a fine country, but I believe they will have much trouble in settling it." In the light of after events these words were indeed the language of prophecy.
This transaction is known in history as the treaty of Sycamore Shoals. or Watauga. This tract, which of Middle Tennessee included only that part north of the Cumberland River, was called by Henderson the Transylvania Purchase, the word Transylvania meaning "beyond the mountains." Associating with himself eight other persons, Henderson organized the "Transylvania Company" for the purpose of carrying out his plans. However, the scheme was finally abandoned, as it was clearly in violation of the law of the land for a private citizen to purchase land from the Indians,
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a fact doubtless well known to Henderson. A number of the hunting and exploring parties mentioned in previous chapters had come to the Cumberland country under the patronage of the Transylvania Company. In 1780 the State of Virginia declared void the treaty of Sycamore Shoals. However, in order that a feud might be avoided with the large and influential following of Henderson the Virginia Legislature granted to him, in com- pensation for his trouble and expense, a fine body of land in Western Kentucky. This tract, twelve miles square, was located between Green River and the Ohio in the region surrounding Owensboro. At the time of the Transylvania purchase, no survey having actually been made, it was generally supposed that the Cumberland Valley was within the territory belonging to Virginia.
By right of title acquired from the Indians in the treaties above mentioned the early settlers came to inhabit Middle Ten- nessee.
CHAPTER XI.
FIRST SETTLERS.
Because of glowing accounts given by the hunters on their return from the French Lick country a number of colonists in East Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia decided to move thither and form a settlement. At a council of those interested, held at Watauga, it was decided that a company of men should first go over, clear land and raise a crop of corn, that their wives and children might have bread awaiting them when the removal should take place later on.
For this purpose a party set out from Watauga in the month of February, 1779. This band of hardy pioneers consisted of
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James Robertson, George Freeland, William Neely, Edward Swanson, James Hanly, Mark Robertson, Zachariah White, Wil- liam Overall, and a negro man whose name is unknown. James Robertson, the leader, had carefully selected his men, taking with him only suitable volunteers and experienced woodmen, all true and tried. After three weeks of hardships on their journey over the mountains and through the wilderness they reached the French Lick. A few days later they were joined by a small
BRIGADIER-GENERAL JAMES ROBERTSON " FATHER OF TENNESSEE"
company from the region of New River, Virginia. These were led by Kasper Mansker, with whom Robertson had doubtless been in correspondence before leaving Watauga. A body of land near the Sulphur Spring and now within the corporate limits of Nashville was selected as the site of the cornfield. This both parties united in clearing, planting and cultivating during the spring and summer which followed. Around it they built
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a rude fence for its protection against the wild animals that came daily to drink at the spring.
When at length the crop was laid by, Swanson, White and Overall were left to keep the buffalo out of the corn while the rest of the party returned to the settlement for their families. James Robertson, however, did not go with the latter, but made the journey homeward by way of Kaskaskia, Illinois. This pil- grimage was for the purpose of having an interview with General George Rogers Clark, a distinguished citizen and soldier of Vir- ginia, and pioneer in the settlement of Kentucky. The latter had founded the city of Louisville at the Falls of the Ohio in 1778, and was now quartered near Kaskaskia at the French fort he had recently captured.
As previously related, the boundary line between North Car- olina and Virginia, to which the territory included in Tennessee and Kentucky at this time respectively belonged, had not yet been fixed. Robertson believed that the country around French Lick was within the limits of Virginia. He also doubted the legality of the title thereto of Henderson's Transylvania Company. under whose patronage he and his fellow settlers had come. He had heard that General Clark, as the agent of Virginia. had for sale along the Cumberland certain land claims, called "cabin rights," which could be bought for a small sum. By the purchase of these he might insure himself and his fellow immigrants against future annoyance.
Just what information Robertson received during his visit is unknown to history. It is believed. however. that General Clark gave him assurance that French Lick was safely within the boundary of North Carolina, and that he would therefore need no favors from Virginia. At least that was the impression that soon thereafter prevailed among the colonists. Before leav- ing Kaskaskia. Robertson bought a drove of live stock, consisting
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of horses, mules and ponies. Finding some men who were going to East Tennessee, he offered them passage on the backs of his animals. The proposition was readily accepted, and soon this caravan was on its way to Watauga. the route being to Harrods- burg, Ky., and thence through Cumberland Gap. On reaching home Robertson found everything in readiness for an early re- moval to the new settlement.
By the middle of October a company of about 380 immigrants, gathered from all the settlements between Knoxville and New River. were ready to begin the journey.
It was arranged that they should go in two parties. The first . of these, led by James Robertson. and consisting of a majority of the men, should travel overland, and by an early arrival have everything in readiness for the coming of the second party. The latter. composed largely of the families of the first party, and commanded by Colonel John Donelson and Capt. John Blackmore, were to proceed by boats down the Tennessee River to the Ohio and thence up the Cumberland to French Lick.
It was agreed that after the arrival of the land party at the , new settlement some of their number should go down to the upper end of Muscle Shoals on the Tennessee River in North Alabama. There they would either await the coming of the voyagers under Donelson and Blackmore, or leave certain signs indicating whether or not it was considered safe for the river party to quit the boats and go from thence across the country to the French Lick. If this could be done, it would shorten the journey and also avoid the danger of running the shoals.
Colonel John Donelson, who is mentioned in connection with the above, was born in the year 1718, and was a native of Pittsyl- vania County, Virginia. He was by profession a surveyor, which vocation in that day was a mark of the highest educational at- tainment. From the same section of Virginia originally came
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the Robertsons, the Bledsoes, the Cartwrights and Hendersons, all of whom were untiring in their efforts to extend the limits of civilization across the western mountains. We shall learn much more of Colonel Donelson in subsequent chapters.
CHAPTER XII.
JAMES ROBERTSON. THE ARRIVAL AT FRENCH LICK.
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James Robertson, the leader of the expedition about to be described, and who from henceforth will play an important part in the Cumberland settlement, is called by some historians the "Father of Tennessee." With equal propriety he may be called the "Father of Middle Tennessee." He was born in Brunswick County, Virginia, June 28, 1742, and while yet a youth removed with his parents to Orange County. (now Wake County). North Carolina. In 1768 he married Miss Charlotte Reeves, of that State. Having heard and answered the alluring call of the West he journeyed in the spring of 1770 from North Carolina to the Holston River in East Tennessee. There he lent his aid to the Shelbys, Seviers and others in founding Watauga, the first col- ony west of the mountains. For nine years previous to his coming to the Cumberland he had heroically braved the dangers of the wilderness and suffered innumerable privations because of the ravages of hostile Indians, being exposed to the cruelties of these savage foes.
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