In a message dated 3/9/2005 11:01:28 P.M. Central Standard Time, MSMARSHA-D-request@rootsweb.com writes: I'd like to know..............if possible............. what drew people to the area before 1857 Farming land!! Pure and simple. The land had been stolen/purchased from the natives and a lot of it bought by land speculators. To those families back east, read E. and Middle Tenn, GA, SC, etc., the land was plentiful and rich. This becomes obvious when you look at the number of slave holding that existed in this county in 1850- 1860! Ron