This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: Germanna Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.tennessee.counties.greene/9400.2.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: ************************* On 30 May 2007, katsulvan158 said: "Can you tell me when Greene County, North Carolina, became Greene County, Tennessee?" ************************* It's kind of complicated, and opinions differ, mainly due to semantics. Here's the history: 1776 - The Washington District of North Carolina was created. It contained all the area of present day Tennessee, except for the gain of the northern strip when the far western part of Virginia was surveyed during 1779 and 1780, and the gain of the western part of what was then Wilkes County, North Carolina, when the "State of Franklin" created Wayne County from Washington County (NC) and Wilkes County (NC). 1777 - Washington District of North Carolina became Washington County, North Carolina. 1783 - Greene County, North Carolina, created from Washington County, North Carolina. 1784 - The three eastern counties, Washington, Sullivan, and Greene, formed the provisional state of "State of Franklin" in a move to secede from North Carolina. 1785 - Greene County, North Carolina, loses part of its area to Caswell, Sevier, and Spencer Counties, due to new county formation by State of Franklin. At this time North Carolina still claimed all of what is now Tennessee as part of North Carolina, while at the same time all of its counties were functioning under a loose government of the State of Franklin. 1786 - North Carolina reconstitutes its governments for Washington, Sullivan, and Greene Counties, which function in parallel with the State of Franklin's governments in those counties. North Carolina did not recognize the counties formed by the State of Franklin from those three counties. 1787 - North Carolina's county governments gain supremacy over the State of Franklin's governments. 1788 - The State of Franklin and its counties cease to exist. 1790 - North Carolina cedes its western region (what is now the state of Tennessee). That area is reorganized as Territory South of the Ohio River". 1792 - Greene County loses some territory to Jefferson and Knox Counties. 1796 - Tennessee organized as a state. 1790-1796 - During this period, Greene County (and all other counties) "technically" did not belong to any state! Greene County's area in 1796 is essentially the same as its area today (except as explained below). 1835 - Northern part of Greene County, Tennessee, reorganized into a new county, Powell. Powell County was authorized but never organized. Greene County, Tennessee, regains that portion. 1885 - Greene gains a small area from Washington and Unicoi Counties, Tennessee. From 1885 on, the boundaries of Greene County, Tennessee, have not changed. So, to answer the question, Greene County became Greene County, Tennessee, in 1796; however, it ceased to be Greene County, North Carolina, in 1790. In other words, Greene County, North Carolina, became Greene County, Territory South of the Ohio River, in 1790; it became Greene County, Tennessee, in 1796. As to where Greene County records for the period 1784-1787 (while nominally part of State of Franklin), and for the period 1790-1796 (while part of Territory South of the Ohio River) were/are kept, I would look in Greene County, Tennessee, and in state archives in Tennessee and North Carolina. Sorry to be so long winded, but that area in present day Tennessee is sometimes difficult to research and I though a complete history of the area might help. Regards, George W. Durman Sarge Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.