[email protected] wrote: > At 06:36 AM 01/16/2000 PST, you wrote: > >Hi, I read with interest your message about the births in the State of > >Franklin area. Could you tell me, between what years the S of Franklin > >existed? Do you have any info on the people who drew up the constitution for > >it? > -------------------------- > 1760 The Virginia Militia under the command of Major Andrew Lewis cut a > wagon road (called The Island Road) from Chilhowie, Virginia to the > Long Island of Holston. Here they built Fort Robinson (the second > British fort built on what is now Tennessee soil) just nearly opposite > the east end of the Long Island on the north bank of the Holston > River. > > 1763 End of the French and Indian War. France cedes area east of > Mississippi River, including what is now Tennessee, to British at > Treaty of Paris. Georgia Province now extends west to Mississippi > River, south to St. Mary's river. > > 1764 7 October 1763, King George III issued a proclamation prohibiting all > the provincial governors from granting lands, or issuing land > warrants, to be located upon any territory lying west of the > mountains, or west of the source of the Atlantic rivers. He further > prohibited any private citizen from purchasing land from the Indians. > > 1765 Jesse Duncan was killed and scalped by indians when he strayed away > from a scouting party near what is now Rocky Mount, Tennessee. He is > credited as being the first white man to die and be buried on what is > now Tennessee soil. > > 1769 William Bean of Virginia, believed to have been first permanent white > settler west of the Appalachians, builds a cabin on Boone's Creek, a > tributary of the Watauga River and started the first permanent white > settlement in what is now Tennessee. > > 1770 James Robertson, from Orange County, North Carolina moves to the > vicinity of Sycamore Shoals on the Watauga River. > > 1770 - 1771 Winter of 1770 into spring of 1771, there were only about 20 > families in the new Watauga settlement. > > 1770 Donelson does survey establishing the southern line of the boundry > between Indian lands and the Colonies. The fact that the Wataugans > were squatters on Indian land was very clear. They were ordered to > remove themselves by Alexander Cameron. They received permission to > stay until after the fall harvest. > > 1772 By spring of 1772 there were 70 - 80 family farms established in the > Watauga settlement. James Robertson and John Bean made a treaty with the > Indians to lease the land of all the country on the waters of the Watauga. > "Articles of Friendship" were signed and a ten year lease executed. > > 1772 May 1772, settlers in the Holston Valley form Watauga Association, > "written articles of association". One of earliest independent > governments west of Appalachians. A new settlement was created on the > Nollichucky River. > > 1775 20 June 1775, settlers in Fincastle County, Virginia which included > the North-of-Holston neghbors of the Wataugans, formed a Committie > of safety at Chiswell's mine. The Long Island and Carter's Valley was > then understood to be a part Of Virginia. This area would continue to > be administered by Virginia until a state line survey was run in > 1779. After the survey showed them to be part of North Carolina, it > was incorporated as Sullivan County, North Carolina. > > 1775 19 March 1775, Charles Robertson concludes the Wataugah Purchase in > which the Cherokee Indians deeded a large block of land to him on the > waters of the Holston and Wataugah Rivers. In the fall of the year > the Watauga Association met in joint convention and declared > themselves the Washington District. This brought the Nolichucky > settlements into the orbit of the Wautaugans and they thus chose the > patroit side in the American Revolution. > > 1776 Washington District annexed to North Carolina Feb. 27th. 1776. > > 1777 Washington District, North Carolina becomes Washington County, North > Carolina. Jonesborough is county seat and first town in what is now > Tennessee, chartered. > > 1778 Washington County, North Carolina Divided into two Counties. Sullivan > County was created from the North-of-Holston territory which, until the > state line survey of that year, had been administered by Virginia. (it was > Fincastle County to the Virginia Government) > > 1783 North Carolina legislature establishes Green County out of Washington > County lands. Western lands now have three counties (Washington, Sullivan > & Greene). Approximately 18,000 people living in these three counties. A > north Carolina Act was passed declaring the land south of the Tennessee > and Holston Rivers and south of the French Broad to the mouth of the Big > Pigeon was reserved for the Cherokee Indians. About 100 white families > were already living there. > > 1785 North Carolina cedes western lands to federal government, then repeals > act; settlers in area exasperated ; organize state of Franklin. 15 may > 1785 John Sevier issues proclamation announcing himself as Governor and > Captain General over the said state of Franklin. For four years there > would be dual government's in this area (1) North Carolina and (2) state > of Franklin. Each would register and record deed's, issue land grants, > issue marriage license and record marriages, etc., in effect perform all > the functions of government. > > The state of Franklin was formed with seven counties.Sullivan, > Washington, Greene, Sevier, Wayne, Spencer, and Caswell. Caswell was > formed from part of Greene Co., NC. It included all of what later became > Jefferson County. According to Ramsey, it may have "extended down the > French Broad and Holston to their confluence, and perhaps further west." > If this is the case, sections of Knox and Blount were part of Caswell. > This same area was also governed by NC as Hawkins County. Sevier County, > State of Franklin encompassed most of present day Sevier and all of Blount > "east of the ridge dividing the waters of Little River from those of the > Tennessee. (Ramsey, 295) At the same time, this area was governed by NC > as Greene County. > > 1786 Hawkins County established by North Carolina. Franklin State > Government was in existence, Called it Spencer County. > > 1786 Sullivan county established by North Carolina. Franklin State > Government called it part of Spencer County. > > 1786 The state of Franklin opened an entry takers office for lands south of > the French Broad and commenced to issue land grants. The land sold for > 40 shillings per 100 acres, 10 shillings to be paid at time of > purchase, with 2 years to pay the remainder. > > 1787 Hawkins County created out of part of Sullivan County. > > 1788 State of Franklin collapses. > > 1789 On 11 and 12 December 1789, North Carolina cedes her western > lands to the United States to help pay her Revolutionary War > debts. ; On 2 April 1790, the lands were accepted and signed > into law. On 26 May 1790 Congress organizes area into a > Territory and calls it " Territory of the United States, South of > the River Ohio". William Blount was named Governor and > superintendent of indian affairs by President George Washington. > Certain reservations as to the granting of land in the western > lands were reserved by North Carolina. Through the efforts of > John Sevier a clause was included granting pre-emption rights to > those settlers south of the French Broad and Holston Rivers, > should a land office be opened there. > > Initially, the territory was divided into two districts, > Washington and Mero. Washington District was in East Tennessee > and included Washington, Sullivan, Greene, and Hawkins.Mero > District was in Middle Tennessee and included Davidson, Sumner > and Tennessee Counties. In 1792 when Knox and Jefferson were > struck off from Greene and Hawkins, Hamilton District was created. > > 1792 Knox County, Tennessee established by proclamation on June 11, > 1792. Formed from Green and Hawkins Counties > > 1794 Sevier County established September 27, 1794 out of Jefferson > County lands. > > 1795 Blount County established July 11, 1795 out of Knox County lands > > 1796 Tennessee becomes 16th state, 1 June 1796; capital, Knox > > Webb and Whitehead/Whitted > http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/w/e/b/Jay-S-Webb/ --