USA > Tennessee > Williamson County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc. Vol. 1 > Part 16
USA > Tennessee > Maury County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc. Vol. 1 > Part 16
USA > Tennessee > Rutherford County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc. Vol. 1 > Part 16
USA > Tennessee > Wilson County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc. Vol. 1 > Part 16
USA > Tennessee > Bedford County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc. Vol. 1 > Part 16
USA > Tennessee > Marshall County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc. Vol. 1 > Part 16
USA > Tennessee > History of Tennessee from the earliest time to the present , together with an historical and a biographical sketch of from twenty-five to thirty counties of east Tennessee, besides a valuable fund of notes, original observations, reminiscences, etc., etc. V. 1 > Part 16
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As to the general condition of affairs on the Cumberland the follow- ing description from Ramsey is probably as graphic and correct as can be composed: "As on the Watauga at its first settlement, so now here the colonists of Robertson were without any regularly organized government. The country was within the boundaries of Washington County, which extended to the Mississippi, perhaps the largest extent of territory ever embraced in a single county. But even here in the wilds of the Cum- berland, removed more than 600 miles from their seat of government, the
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people demonstrated again their adequacy to self-government. Soon after their arrival at the Bluff, the settlers appointed trustees, and signed a covenant obliging themselves to conform to the judgments and decisions of their officers, in whom they had invested the powers of government .* Those who signed the covenant had considerable advantages over those who did not; they were respectively allowed a tract of land, the quiet possession of which was guaranteed by the colony. Those who did not sign the covenant were considered as having no right to their lands, and could be dispossessed by a signer without any recourse. To the trustees were allowed in these days of primitive honesty and old-fashioned public spirit neither salaries nor fees. But to the clerk appointed by the trus- tees were given small perquisites as compensation for the expense of paper and stationery. The trustees were the executive of the colony. and had the whole government in their own hands; acting as the judi- ciary their decisions gave general satisfaction. To them were also com- mitted the functions of the sacerdotal office in the celebration of the rites of matrimony. The founder of the colony, Capt. James Robertson, as might have been expected. was one of the trustees and was the first who married a couple. These were Capt. Leiper and his wife. Mr. James Shaw was also a trustee, and married Edward Swanson to Mrs. Carvin. James Freeland to Mrs. Maxwell, Cornelius Riddle to Miss Jane Mul- herrin and John Tucker to Jenny Herrod, all in one day. The first child born in the country was John Saunders, since the sheriff of Montgomery County, and afterward killed on White River, Indiana, by the Indians. The second was Anna Wells. **
"Under the patriarchal form of government, by trustees selected on account of their experience, probity and firmness, the colony was planted, defended, governed and provided for several years, and the administration of justice and the protection of rights, though simple and a little irreg- ular, it is believed was as perfect and satisfactory as at any subsequent period in its history."
Approach to the Cumberland settlements previous to 1785 was gen- erally through the wilderness of Kentucky, but at the November session of the General Assembly of North Carolina for this year, it enacted a law providing for a force of 300 men to protect these settlements, and it was. made the duty of these soldiers or guards, to cut and clear a road from the lower end of Clinch Mountain to Nashville by the most eligible route. This road was to be at least ten feet wide and fit for the passage of wagons and carts. For the half of his first year's pay each private was allowed 400 acres of land, and for further services in the same pro-
* See chapter on Organization.
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portion. The officers were to be paid in a similar manner. The road was opened during the year, after which the route was more direct, and immense numbers of the more wealthy people of the Atlantic sections sought the Cumberland over it. But as the guards were overburdened in protecting the settlements from Indian incursions and attacks; the road cut by them was not sufficient for the purpose of the vast immigration now pouring into the country. A wider and more level road was de- manded, hence the road already cut was widened and another road was cut leading into it from Bledsoe's Lick. The field officers of the coun- ties were authorized and directed, when informed that a number of fam- ilies were at Cumberland Mountain waiting for an escort to conduct them to the Cumberland settlements, to raise militia guards, to consist of not more than fifty men to act as such escort. The expenses of these guards were to be defrayed by a poll tax which the county courts were authorized to levy. By the improvement in the roads and the protection provided for emi- grants, great accessions were constantly made to the Cumberland settle- ments for the next succeeding years. Large numbers of families would concentrate on the banks of the Clinch, and attended by the guard would pass through the wilderness with little apprehension of trouble from the Indians on the way, and the settlements thus constantly strengthened soon secured a foretaste of that final triumph over discouragements and disasters by which they had so long been enfeebled and depressed. They became better prepared to repel savage aggressions, and at length able themselves to carry on an offensive warfare against the Indians. In fact the population of Davidson County increased so rapidly that for the con- venience of the inhabitants living remote from Nashville, the seat of justice, it became necessary to divide the county and form a new one named Tennessee.
The records of Davidson County for the October term of 1787 con- tain a resolution that for the better furnishing of the troops now coming into the country under Maj. Evans with provisions, etc., one-fourth of the tax of the county should be paid in corn, two-fourths in beef, pork, bear meat and venison, one-eighth in salt, and one-eighth in money to defray the expense of moving the provisions from the place of collection to the troops. It was also provided that the price of corn should be 4 shillings per bushel, beef $5 per hundred weight, pork $8, good bear meat (without bones ) $8, venison 10 shillings per hundred weight, and salt $16 per bushel. With reference to the currency the court, at its next April term. appointed Robert Hays, Anthony Hart and John Hunter a committee of inspection, with authority to destroy such of the bills as they believed to be counterfeit. This action was taken subsequent to the refusal of Jesse
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Cain to receive the currency of the State, for which he was indicted by the grand jury April 7, 1787, but not punished. It will be noticed that the currency of the Cumberland was something to eat, while that of Franklin was something to wear.
In the State Gazette of North Carolina, under date of November 28, 1788, Col. Robertson published the following notice: "The new road from Campbell's Station to Nashville was opened on the 25th of Septem- ber, and the guard attended at that time to escort such persons as were ready to proceed to Nashville; that about sixty families had gone on, among whom were the widow and family of the late Gen. Davidson, and John McNairy, judge of the Superior Court; and that on the 1st day of October next, the guard would attend at the same place for the same purpose."
Not long after this the General Assembly of North Carolina estab- lished a provision store on the frontier of Hawkins County at the house of John Adair, for the reception of beef, pork, flour and corn for the use of the Cumberland Guard when called on to conduct these emigrant parties through the wilderness, and John Adair was appointed a commis- sioner for the purchase of these provisions. In payment for them he was authorized to issue certificates receivable by the sheriff in the District of Washington in part payment of the public taxes in the counties of that district, from whom they were to be received by the treasurer of the State. It was also provided that when any person, wounded in the for- mation and defense of the Cumberland settlements, was unable to pay the - expense of his treatment, the county courts should pass the accounts, and that accounts so passed should be received in payment of public taxes. The courts were also authorized to sell the several salt lieks, heretofore reserved, at which salt could be manufactured, and to declare the others vacant and subject to entry as other public lands. Two of the licks of the first description were to be retained for the use of Davidson Academy.
The year 1788 was distinguished by the deplorable adventure of Col. James Brown, a Revolutionary officer in the North Carolina line. He was immigrating to the Cumberland to take possession of the lands al- lotted to him for his military services during the Revolution. His family consisted of himself, wife, five sons, four daughters and several negroes. Two of his sons were young men. Besides his immediate family, Col. Brown's party consisted of J. Bays, John Flood, John and William Gen- try, and John Griffin. Being unwilling to expose his family to the dan- gers of an overland journey to the Cumberland, Col. Brown determined to go by water, following the famous example of Col. John Donelson, of eight years before. His boat was built on Holston, a short distance be-
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low Long Island. It was fortified by placing two-inch oak plank all around above the gunwales. These were pierced with port-holes at proper distances, and a swivel-gun was placed in the stern of the boat. By tak- ing these precautions he hoped to make the journey for his party safe, easy and pleasant. They embarked on the 4th of May, and on the 9th the party passed the Chickamauga towns about daybreak, and the Tuske- gee Island town a little after sunrise. At this place the head man, Cut- tey Otoy, and three other warriors, came on board and were kindly treated. Returning to the shore, they sent runners to Running Water Town and Nickajack to raise all the warriors they could to ascend the river and meet the boat. Not long after they had left the boat, Col. Brown's party saw a number of canoes ascending the river. evidently prepared to do mischief, if that were their intention. One of their number, John Vann, was a half-breed, and could speak English plainly. By pretending to be friendly, the Indians in the canoes came alongside Col. Brown's boat, boarded it, forced it to the shore, killed Col. Brown, and took all of the others prisoners. All of the men of the party were killed. Mrs. Brown and one daughter were retained prisoners for seventeen months; two of the daughters and one son were released about eleven months after their capture, and one little son was kept five years among the Creeks, at the end of which time he had forgotten the few English words he had learned at the time of his capture. The son of Col. Brown, released at the end of eleven months, was subsequently Col. Joseph Brown, of Maury County, Tenn. After his release, himself and other members of the family made a successful overland journey to the Cumberland, and settled about three miles below Nashville. Mrs. Brown was released through the aid of Col. McGilvery, the head man of the Creek nation, as was also one of her daughters. Few families suffered more from Indian atrocities than the Browns; Col. Brown, two sons, and three sons-in-law, were killed, another was shot in the right hand and cut about the wrist; another son, Joseph, and two daughters, were prisoners nearly a year; Mrs. Brown and another daughter were prisoners seventeen months, the former being driven on foot by the Creeks 200 miles, her feet blistered and suppu- rating, not being allowed time to take the gravel from her shoes; and a younger son was a prisoner five years. Gen. Sevier was at this time act- ively engaged in suppressing Indian hostilities, and it is to him credit is due for the exchange of prisoners effected. A full account of his opera- tions will be found in the chapter on Indian history.
Not long after the fall of the Franklin government in the spring of 1788, it became evident that North Carolina, although opposed to the existence of that anomaly, was at the same time exceedingly economical
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in the adoption of measures and in providing means for the welfare and protection of her western counties. This disposition on the part of the parent State soon revived the discontents and complaints of the western people, especially of those who had been in the Franklin revolt, and it soon became the general opinion on both sides of the Alleghany Moun- tains that a separation was not only the best policy for each but was also for the interest of both. The General Assembly acting upon this princi- ple passed an act for the purpose of ceding to the United States certain western lands therein described, and in conformity with one of the pro- visions of this act, North Carolina's United States Senators, Samuel Johnston and Benjamin Hawkins, on the 25th of February, 1790, exe- cuted a deed of the territory ceded to the United States. On the 2d of the following April, the United States Congress accepted the deed and what is now Tennessee ceased to be a part of North Carolina.
One of the few last legislative enactments of North Carolina respect- ing her western territory was one establishing Rogersville in Hawkins County, in 1789. This was the last town established by North Carolina in Tennessee.
Having thus traced some of the principal events in settlements of the territory now comprising the State of Tennessee, it is proper to pause and consider the condition of things at the time the final cession was made to, and accepted by, the Congress of the United States. The settle- ments were comprised in two bodies or communities. That in East Ten- nessee extended from the Virginia line on the east, southwest to the wa- ters of Little Tennessee, in the shape of a peninsula. Its length was about 150 miles, and its width from twenty-five to fifty. This narrow strip of inhabited country was bounded on the south by a constant suc- cession of mountains claimed and in part occupied by the Indians, on the west by territory occupied by them, and on the north and northwest by the Clinch and Cumberland Mountains. And the settlements within these limits were confined mainly to the valleys of the Holston, Nolli- chucky and the French Broad and Little Rivers below the mountains. All the rest of East Tennessee was occupied by Cherokee villages or their hunting grounds. In this portion of the State, comprising what was then Washington District, there were about 30,000 inhabitants.
. The other community was settled along the Cumberland River, and was almost entirely insulated from the community in East Tennessee. They were included in Mero District, and numbered about 7,000 inhabi- tants. The counties were Davidson, Tennessee and Sumner. Between these two sections thus distant from each other there was no direct and easy communication. By water the great obstacles were the rapids and
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Muscle Shoals of the Tennessee River, and the ascent of the Ohio and Cumberland, and between the two a mountain chain and a wilderness intervened which could not well be traversed without a military guard.
West of the Tennessee River lay the territory claimed but unoccupied by the Chickasaws. Much of it was covered by grants from North Caro- lina but as yet none of it had been settled by white people. It furnished a thoroughfare through which intercommunication was continued for a considerable period between northern and southern tribes of Indians, and foreign emissaries who sought to involve the settlements in difficulties with the tribes. Spaniards were also residing in the towns of the Creeks and Choctaws, who themselves had no valid claim to the lands. Such was the state of affairs when the cession was made, and when the terri- tory of the United States south of the Ohio River was organized. and when that accomplished gentleman, William Blount, of North Carolina, was appointed its governor by the President of the United States, George Washington.
An important transaction took place about this time with which sey- cral prominent citizens of Tennessee were connected either directly or indirectly. It was between the Legislature of the State of Georgia and the Tennessee Land Company. It would probably be very difficult to ascertain the names of all the members of this company, even if it were desirable so to do. The leading spirit, however, in the enterprise, was Zachariah Cox. Others who were either members of the company or in- terested in its operations were Matthias Maher, William Cox, James Hubbard. Peter Bryant, John Ruddle, Thomas Gilbert, John Strother, a Mr. Williams and a Mr. Gardiner, Gen. Sevier and Col. Donelson. The territory of Georgia then like that of North Carolina, extended westward to the Mississippi River, and the Legislature of that State con- sidering itself authorized by the constitution so to do, and thinking it would be to the interest of their State, sold large quantities of land in its western territory to different companies, among these being the Tennes- see Land Company. The tract of land thus purchased by this company lay upon the Great Bend of the Tennessee River and was bounded as follows: "Beginning at the mouth of Bear Creek, on the south bank of the Tennessee River; thence up the said creek to the most southern source thereof; thence due south to latitude thirty-four degrees and ten minutes; thence a due east course 120 miles; thence a due north course to the great Tennessee River; thence up the middle of said river to the north- ern boundary line of this State; thence a due west course along the said line to where it intersects the great Tennessee River below the Muscle Shoals; thence up the said river to the place of beginning." Within
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
these limits were contained 3,500,000 acres of land, and the stipulated price was $46,875. The act of the Legislature making this grant was passed December 21, 1789; $12,000 was to be paid down, and 242,000 acres were to be reserved to the citizens of Georgia. Of this land Gen. Sevier had "ten or twenty thousand acres at the mouth of Blue Water Creek, which empties into the Tennessee near the head of Muscle Shoals, the right to which he afterward relinquished to the United States for the privilege of entering 5,000 acres of other unappropriated public lands." *
In view of the course taken by the United States toward those who attempted to settle upon this purchase, this statement is somewhat con- fusing. Zachariah Cox and Thomas Carr, as agents of the company, soon took measures to effect this settlement. From their territory they issued a notice September 2, 1790, that they would embark a large armed force at the mouth of French Broad. But little attention was paid to them by Gov. Blount, as it was supposed they were unable to start the expedition. But about January 10, 1791, Cox and about twenty-five or thirty others arrived at the place of embarkation, and began to make preparations in earnest to go down the river. The President of the United States, hear- ing of the purchase and intended occupation of these lands, issued a proclamation forbidding the settlement, and declaring those who made such settlement would be entirely outside the protection of the United States. Upon the receipt of a letter from the Secretary of War, dated January 13, 1791, Gov. Blount dispatched Maj. White, of Hawkins County, to make known to the company the tenor of the proclamation, and to inform them that if they went to the Muscle Shoals the Indians would be immediately notified of it and be at liberty to act toward them as they might think proper, without offense to the United States; and to inform them also that if the Indians would permit them to settle, the United States would not.
This communication for a time intimidated the company, but upon considering that in February a force of about 300 men from Kentucky in- tended to make a settlement near the Yazoo, upon land bought by the Vir- ginia Yazoo Company, at the same time the Tennessee Company purchased their land, they determined to disregard the Federal prohibition and pro- ceed with their enterprise. Zachariah Cox, Col. Hubbard, Peter Bryant and about fifteen others embarked at the mouth of the Dumplin in a small boat and two canoes for the purpose of taking possession of the Tennes- see grant. With such a small party the enterprise of sailing down the river was hazardous in the extreme. Remembering the sad fate of Col.
* Putnam.
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Brown three years before, they proceeded down the river with the utmost caution. "Below the Suck- a small party of Indians came out in their canoes and hailed them. The same number of white men were sent out to meet them, advancing firmly with their rifles in their hands, but with orders not to fire till the last extremity. Their canoe floated down toward the Indians, who, observing their preparation for attack, withdrew and disappeared. A little further down night overtook the voyagers, and, when, from the dangers of navigation at night, it was proposed to steer to the shore, they saw upon the bank a row of fires, extending along the bottoms as far as they could see, and standing around them armed Indian warriors. They silenced their oars by pouring water upon the oar-pins, spoke not a word, but glided by as quietly as possible. * *
Ser- eral times next day the Indians tried by various artifices to decoy them to land. On one occasion three of them insisted, in English, to come and trade with them. After they had refused and passed by, 300 warriors rose out of ambush. * * * For three days and nights they did not land, but doubled on their oars, beating to the south side at night and to the middle of the river by day .*
Arriving at the Muscle Shoals Cox and his party built a block-house and other works of defense on an island. The Glass with about sixty Indians shortly afterward appeared, and informed the intruders that if they did not peacefully withdraw he would put them to death. Upon considering their defenseless condition as against a much superior force, they abandoned their works, which the Indians immediately reduced to ashes. Returning to Knoxville Cox and his associates were arrested upon a warrant by Judge Campbell to answer for their offense, but the indictments, two of which were sent to the grand jury, were not sustained as true bills. Thus Cox and his twenty young men from Georgia seemed to triumph over the Government, and were thereby encouraged to perse- vere in their attempt to settle at the Muscle Shoals. They soon found purchasers for many thousands of acres of land and made public declar- ation of their intention to make another attempt at settlement, and that they would do so with a great force drawn from Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. The time fixed upon for this grand movement was November, 1791, or as soon thereafter as their numbers could be collected. This movement, however, appears to have failed, and the failure was probably on account of the company's failure to comply with the terms of their purchase of the lands from Georgia.
For two or three years the matter remained in abeyance, but in 1794 the Legislature of Georgia passed another bill for the sale of the lands
*Ramsey.
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which was vetoed by the Governor in December of that year. In Janu- ary, 1795, a bill was passed which received the Governor's signature and became a law. Under this law an aggregate of 35,000,000 acres of land was sold to four companies, very nearly in proportion to the amounts paid by each company. The Georgia Company paid $250,000, the Georgia-Mississippi Company paid $155,000, the Upper Mississippi Company paid $35,000 and the Tennessee Land Company paid $60,000, the latter company receiving the same amount as under the first purchase in 1789. In August, 1795, a report was circulated that Cox and his associates intended making another attempt at the establishment of a settlement on the lands purchased from Georgia, and Gov. Blount recom- ยท mended a regular military force to prevent them. In January, 1796, some individuals arrived from Georgia for the purpose of making a pas- sage to the Muscle Shoals with the view of keeping possession there until a settlement could be established by the Tennessee Company. They gave out, however, that they were going to Natchez, and it was some time before the Governor could learn their true designs. On the 18th of February, 1796, he wrote a letter to the chiefs of Cherokees, informing them that about four weeks before that time a boat with many men had left Knoxville, ostensibly for Natchez, but really for the Muscle Shoals with the view of settling on the Great Bend of the Tennessee, and gave assurance to the chiefs that if such were the fact the United States would remove the intruders and that they, the Cherokees, need not be uneasy.
But the settlement under all of these purchases was effectually pre- vented by the action of the State of Georgia with reference to the sale of the lands, which is in itself a curious and interesting study. The entire populace of that State became intensely excited and most highly inflamed against the Legislature for selling the lands, and in 1796 the act by which the sale was made was repealed by a new Legislature elected for the purpose, by an overwhelming vote, on the ground of unconstitutionality and fraud, and the enrolled bill, passed January 7, 1795, was publicly and solemnly burned February 13, 1796, together with such portions of the records as could be destroyed without destroy- ing other and valuable portions. And it is matter of tradition that the fire was kindled by means of a sun glass, upon the theory that the infamy sought to be cast upon the fair fame of the State could only appropriately be obliterated by fire brought down from heaven.
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