The first explorations into the four county area was made by Captain Jonathan Drake and Colonel Samuel Barton. During the fall of 1783 these two set out on foot from the French Lick Station [present day Nashville] walking through thick heavy foliage and into the Indian territory. They were followed shortly thereafter by a group that was headed by Alexander Greer of East Tennessee. The land that was available at this time was through "The Land - Grab Act of 1783-1784". The Land - Grab Act of 1783 - 1784 made land available in Southern Middle Tennessee from basically south of present day Nashville to the present day Alabama State Line. The western boundary was the Tennessee River and the Cumberland Mountain area was the eastern boundary. To the North of the Nashville area was the North Carolina Military Reservation. Bobby Prosser prossergenealogy@comcast.net