Cocke County, Tennessee
Early Settlers of the Old 12th District

The following is a list of early settlers who lived “on the waters of” Cosby and Groundhog Creeks, creeks that are mostly in what was the old 12th district of Cocke County. This list comes from land entries on Tennessee State Library and Archives (TSLA) microfilm #36. The label on the copy of the film I have says the land entries are on the second item on the film; they are on the third item. It also gives dates of April 1874 to June 1898. These may be the years that the original book was copied or families brought the originals to be re-recorded. The actual dates of the land entries are 1824 to about 1831, making them some of the earliest surviving records of Cocke County.

The original land entries were surveys and included drawings as well as descriptions. The drawings were not copied into the new book. The verbal descriptions often included reference to neighbors. And there were always two names at the left bottom of the description. I believe these were witnesses or attestors. I think they were also neighbors.

I have abstracted the page numbers, landowners’ names, dates they made the entries, any reference to neighbors, and the attestors names. Most of the landowners lived “on the waters” of Cosby Creek; I specifically mention those that lived on Groundhog Creek.

Submitted by: Bruce Price

Name	Page #	Entry Date	Comments
Isaac Burlison	37	04/08/1824	Holloway Giles, Green's line Holloway Giles Wm. Green
James Baxter	41	04/08/1824	Henry Valentine Robert McGaha
Holloway Giles	42	04/08/1824	with Burlison's conditional line James Burlison William Valentine
Frances Green	42	04/08/1824	with Valentine's line; with Burlison's line Willliam Green Henry Valentine
John Giles	77	04/08/1824	with Samuel McGaha Holloway Giles Samuel McGaha
Phillip Jenkins	101	08/04/1824	Groundhog Creek Jesse Jenkins Joel Jenkins
Phillip Jenkins	102	06/19/1824	Groundhog Creek Jesse Jenkins Joel Jenkins
Jonathan Denton	109	07/02/1824	corner to John Allen Samuel Denton John Roberts
Abraham Lillard	110	08/24/1824	William Willhight's line Robert Gilliland John Wood
Abraham Lillard	128	08/27/1824	William Willhight's line Thornton Wood John Wood
John Wood	129	08/16/1824	William Willhight's line Thornton Wood Abraham Lillard
Abraham Denton	130	07/05/1824	Joseph Huff's line; corner to John Allen; corner to Lillard John Lillard David Hicks
Thornton Wood	139	04/24/1824	transferred to him by William Willhight; corner to John Weaver; corner to Samuel Broyels A. Lillard B. Thos. Brint
Wm. Gilliland	139	08/05/1824	corner to Robert Gilliland; corner to John Denton James Lillard David Lewis
John Sutton	140	06/30/1824	James Phillips John Rains
Jonas Phillips	141	07/03/1824	Wm. Smith Wm. Harper
Martha Denton	153	12/20/1824	James Fuller Jas. Pagett
James Baxter	178	07/05/1824	corner to Jesse Giles Jesse Giles Wm. Valentine
Holloway Giles	217	01/10/1826	Wm. Valentine Wm. Coleman
James Baxter	218	01/02/1826	J. Green Jesse Giles
Robert McGaha	282	01/02/1826	to McMahan's turnpike Francis Green William Green
John Allen	283	07/05/1824	corner to Joseph Shults; corner to Denton Abraham Denton John Allen
Jesse Coleman	300	04/07/1826	near Jonas Phillips line; to J. Runions Nathaniel Mattox J. Phillips
Nathaniel Mattox	301	01/02/1826	James Garrett ?Pettis? Pretty
Nathaniel Mattox	302	01/02/1826	Nathaniel Mattox Jas. Phillips
Joseph Runion	303	11/26/1827	W. Adams old line; William Gilliland conditional line William Gilliland George Robinson
Wm. Gilliland	307	01/10/1828	Jos. Runion Jno. Runnions Robt. Dennis
Isaac Burlison	311	04/07/1826	corner to Giles John Runnion Jas. Phillips
Henry Miller	317	03/26/1828	Groundhog Creek John Sutton Augustine Jenkins
Wm. Green	317	06/28/1826	Groundhog Creek John Sutton Augustine Jenkins
John & George Runion	325	06/05/1828	Isaac Burlison entry Joseph Phillips John Banks
Robert McGaha	328	10/18/1828	Groundhog Creek Henry Miller John Sutton
George McNabb	334	02/25/1828	James Garrett John Runion
John Jenkins	353	07/09/1827	corner to Phillip Jenkins John Sutton R. Jenkins
James Baxter	357	02/27/1826	to Gillis corner Jesse Gills Geo. Green?
James Baxter	374	1828	John Baxter Francis Green
Thomas Jenkins	374	07/20/????	(surveyed 12/03/1828) Groundhog Creek
James Garrett	375	08/11/1826	near John Sutton; near Pearey's line John Runion Wm. Broyles
Jeremiah Jenkins	406	10/16/1830	Joseph Runion's line
Joseph Runion	409	05/26/1830	Jenkins corner
David McMahan	411	11/06/1830