Giles County, Tennessee
Civil Districts, 1836
by Joyce McDonald
Giles County, TNGenWeb Researcher


See also
1836 Giles County Tax Lists


In 1836, by an Act of the Tennessee Assembly, every county was required to change from a system of militia companies ("beats") to civil districts, each of which was required to be roughly equal in population. Giles County was initially divided into seventeen equally populated civil districts* laid out by Commissioners James Patterson, Abel Wilson, James White, Homer Rainey and John W. Bodenhamer, who were also required to provide both a county map showing the new districts and a written description of each district.

What follows are both the descriptions of each Civil District and a reduced version of a surviving copy of the orginal map. The map (created by Fred Smoot, Coordinator of TNGenWeb's Maps Our Ancestors Followed, from a copy he obtained from the Tennessee State Library and Archives), is partially illegible, and is also missing a vertical strip down its center due to having been kept folded. For a larger version, see the Original 1836 Giles County Civil District Map (401K), and see also a Work Copy of the 1836 Giles County Civil District Map.


* On 3 Apr 1848, an 18th Civil District was created: "Upon application of a large and respectible portion of the citizens in the 4th Civil District ... a territory now a part of the 4th Districts and fractions taken from Districts 5 and 6 ... to be known as District 18." (Giles County, TN Court Minutes, p. 133, Giles County Miscellaneous Genealogical Notes by Janell McCann). In 1870, most of District 17 was annexed to Marshall County. See Giles County, TNGenWeb's Maps Our Ancestors Followed and The Evolution of Marshall County by Marshall Co, TNGenWeb Researcher Gary Wiles.


Giles County, Tennessee Civil Districts, 1836
Giles County, Tennessee Civil District Map, 1836
Graphic by Fred Smoot, Coordinator, The Maps Our Ancestors Followed
Click Map to View Larger Image (401k)


The commissioners' description of the new civil districts was:



GILES COUNTY CIVIL DISTRICTS
16 Jan 1836
District No. 1 - Begins at the southeast corner of Giles Co., the point of intersection of the southern boundary of Tennessee with the western boundary of Lincoln Co., running west with the state line to Elk River, thence up sd river to the Lincoln Co. line, thence south with that line to the beginning; elections to be held at John Menifee's.

District No. 2 - Begins at the mouth of Richland Creek, thence up sd creek to the Congressional Reservation line, thence south with sd line to Elk River, thence up sd river to the beginning; elections to be held at Lovel Cofman's.

District No. 3 - Begins at the southwest corner of No. 2 where the Congressional Reservation line strikes Elk River, thence north with sd line to the ridge dividing the waters falling into Richland Creek from those falling into Elk River, thence westward with the meanders of sd ridge to the road leading from Pulaski to Lamb's Ferry, striking the same at Bratton's Hill, thence with the Lamb's Ferry Road southward passing James Kimbro's to the west fork of Shoal Creek, thence down sd creek, to the south line of the state, thence east with the state line to the beginning; elections to be held at Hezekiah Jones'.

District No. 4 - Begins on Lamb's Ferry Road at Bratton's Hill, thence following the top of the ridge which divides the waters of Richland Creek, from the waters of Shoal and Sugar Creeks to the east line of Lawrence Co., thence south with the Lawrence line to the south state boundary, thence east with the state line to Shoal Creek, thence up sd creek with the boundary of No. 3 to the beginning; elections to be held at the Trough Spring belonging to William Parr on the Puncheon Camp Branch.

District No. 5 - Begins at the mouth of Weakley Creek, thence up sd creek to the mouth of Egnew's Creek, thence up that creek to the Florence Rd (leading from Pulaski to Florence intersecting the Military Rd at Hauls), thence with sd road to the top of the ridge that divides the waters of Egnew's Creek from the Herican [Hurricane] fork of Shoal Creek, thence south with sd ridge to the north boundary of No. 4, thence west with sd line to the Lawrence Co. line, thence north with the county line to the top of the ridge dividing the waters of Weakley Creek from the waters of Big Creek, thence east with the dividing ridge to the first bluff above the present residence of John H Rivers and on the west bank of Richland Creek called Ruff's Bluff, thence down Richland Creek to the beginning; elections to be held at the late residence of the widow Bodenhamer widow of the late Col. Bodenhamer.

District No. 6 - Begins at the northwest corner of No. 2 where the Congressional Reservation line crosses Richland Creek, thence south with sd line to the northeast corner of No. 3 on the top of the ridge which divides the waters that fall into Richland Creek from those falling directly into Elk River, thence west with the north lines of No. 3 & No. 4 so as to include all the head branches of Egnew's Creek, thence northwest along the top of the ridge which divides the waters of Egnew's Creek from the Hericane fork of Shoal's Creek to the Florence Road, thence east with the sd road to Egnew's Creek, thence down the creek to Weakley's Creek, thence down that creek to Richland Creek, thence down Richland Creek to the west boundary of the town of Pulaski, thence south with the Town Tract to its southwest corner, thence east with sd Town Tract to Richland Creek, thence down sd creek to the beginning; elections to be held at the late residence of John Flanegan at Cooper Town.

District No. 7 - Begins on Richland Creek at the upper end of Hick's Bluff, thence up sd creek to south boundary of the town of Pulaski, thence west with sd Town Tract to Richland Creek, thence up sd creek to the mouth of Pigeonroost Creek, thence up that creek to the road that leads from Pulaski to Big Creek passing by Kessel's shop, thence southeast with sd roads to the ridge dividing the waters falling into Pigeonroost from those falling into Clack's Branch, thence with the meanders of sd ridge so as to include all the waters of Clack's Branch, Pleasanton, Crooked Creek and Hick's spring branch to the beginning; elections to be held in the Courthouse in Pulaski.

District No. 8 - Begins at Indian Creek Meetinghouse on the road from Gordon's to upper Elkton, thence north with sd road to the top of the ridge dividing the waters of Indian Creek from those of Bradshaws, thence west with sd ridge to Pisgah Camp Ground, from thence along the road by Alexander McDonald's leading to Pulaski to the top of the ridge dividing the waters of Leatherwood Creek from those of Crooked Creek, thence southwest with the boundary of No. 7 to Hick's Bluff on Richland Creek, thence down sd creek to the Grassy ridge at the upper end of the old Intrenchment above Irish Town, thence east with the ridge to the road leading from Pulaski to upper Elkton, thence north with sd road to Scruggs'spring branch, thence eastward down sd branch (passing between the dwellings of Joseph F. Brown and David C. George) to a branch of Indian Creek that runs by Indian Creek Meeting House, thence north up sd branch to the beginning; elections to be held at John Nevill's on the road leading from Pulaski to upper Elkton.

Dist No. 9 - Begins at the mouth of Richland Creek and runs up sd creek to the Grassy Ridge at the upper end of the Old Intrenchment, the south boundary of #8, thence east with sd boundary to Indian Creek Meetinghouse on the Gordon Rd, thence north with sd road to the top of the ridge that divides the waters of Indian Creek from those of Bradshaws, thence south with sd ridge to a spur of the ridge that leads eastward between Nicholas R. Smith of Lincoln Co. & Willis McLaurin of Giles Co. along the top of sd spur to the Lincoln line, thence south with sd line to Elk River, thence down sd river to the beginning; elections to be held at James McCollum's Esqr.

District No. 10 - Begins at the northeast corner of #9, thence north with the Lincoln Co. line to the top of the ridge dividing the waters of Richland Creek from those of Bradshaw's, thence southwest with sd ridge including all the waters of Clock Creek above the road leading from Gordon's to Indian Creek Meetinghouse, thence with said road to the top of the ridge dividing the waters of Indian Creek from those of Bradshaw's, thence southeast with the boundary of #9 to the Lincoln Co. line at the beginning; elections to be held at Settles' between John Young's and Hardy Hightower's old place on the Fayetteville road.

District No. 11 - Begins at the northeast corner of #8, thence westward with sd boundary to the boundary of #7, thence north with sd boundary to the road leading from Pulaski to Shelbyville, thence east with sd road to the fork of the Herican Spring or McNeece road, thence north with the sd McNeece Road to the top of the ridge dividing the waters of Pigeonroost from those falling directly into Richland Creek, thence east with the dividing ridge to the Shelbyville Road near Capt. Thomas Graves', thence north with sd road to the forks of the road leading from Robert Gordon's to the Indian Creek Meetinghouse, thence south with sd road to the beginning; elections to be held at Littleberry Webb's near Zion Meetinghouse

District No. 12 - Begins at the north boundary of #7 at the Shelbyville road on top of the ridge dividing the waters of Crooked Creek from those of Pigeonroost being the northwest corner of #11, thence north with the west boundary of #11 to the top of the ridge dividing the waters of Pigeonroost from those that fall directly into Richland Creek, thence west with sd dividing ridge including the waters of Pigeonroost, Haywood and Lee's Branch & intersecting the upper Columbia road at the top of the ridge between Giles A Reynolds and John Campers, thence north with the Columbia road to Richland Creek, thence down sd creek to the northwest corner of #7 to the beginning; elections to be held at Thomas Neill's, late residence of Thomas B Haney.

District No. 13 - Begins at Ruff's Bluff on Richland Creek as described in #5, thence north with the boundary of #5 to the road leading up Dry Creek fork from Maria [Moriah] Meetinghouse to Camelsville [Campbellsville], thence north with sd road to James R Dickey's cotton gin, thence northeast with the Neighbourhood road, leading to the intersection of the Cunningham fork road with the Big Creek road leading from Pulaski to Campbellsville, thence north with Cunningham's fork road to its intersection with the road from Campbellsville to Shelbyville, thence east with the Shelbyville road to Big Creek, thence up sd creek to the point of a ridge dividing the waters of Brownlow's Branch from Big Creek and Grigsby's branch, thence up sd ridge including all the waters of Brownlow's Branch to the top of ridge dividing the waters of Big Creek from those of Lynn Creek, thence southeast with sd ridge to the first ridge that leads down to Lynn Creek north of Wm McCrary's, thence down Lynn Creek to its mouth, thence up Roberson's fork to the upper road leading from Pulaski to Columbia, thence south with sd road to Richland Creek, thence down sd creek to the beginning; elections to be held at Saml. E Tomlinson's.

District No 14 - Begins at the most northern northeast corner of No. 5, thence west with the northern boundary of No. 5 to the Lawrence County line, thence with sd line to the northwest corner of Giles County, thence east with the Elk ridge & Maury County line to the ridge dividing the waters of Big Creek from those of Lynn Creek, thence south with sd ridge to the northern boundary of No. 13, thence southwest with No. 13 to the beginning; elections to be held at Burgess Burket.

Dist No. 15 - Begins at the Ash Gap on top of the ridge dividing the waters of Roberson's Fork from those of Blue Creek and where the road leading from Robert Gordon's to Columbia Crosses sd ridge, thence west with sd ridge up to the east boundary of No. 13, thence northwest with sd boundary to the east boundary of No. 14, thence northwest with sd boundary to the Elk Ridge and Maury County line, thence east with sd line to the spur running south so as to include all the waters of the branch running through Daniel Usra's [Ussery's] field to Roberson's Fork, thence down sd creek to the Columbia road, thence southeast with sd road to the beginning; elections to be held at McCaul's old store.

District No. 16 - Begins at the northeast corner of No. 11 at the forks of the road -one leading to Pulaski, the other to Indian Creek Meeting House - running southwest to the east boundary of No. 12, thence northwest with sd boundary to the southern boundary of No. 15, thence east with sd boundary to the Ash Gap at the Columbia Rd, thence south with the road to the beginning; elections held at Thomas K Gordon's.

District No. 17 - Begins at the northeast corner of No. 10 at the Lincoln Co. line, thence west with sd line to the road leading from Gordon's to Indian Creek Meeting House and southeast corner of No. 16, thence north with No. 16 to the Ash gap, thence north with the east boundary of No. 15 to the Maury Co. line, thence east with sd line to the northeast corner of Giles Co. and northwest corner of Lincoln Co., thence south with the Lincoln Co. line to the beginning; elections to be held at Cunningham's Mill.

If in the preceding discription of boundaries, any residence should be so situated as to be immediately on the line of division described between two districts, the place of giting the usual drinking water of the family shall decide the District to which such residence shale pertain.

Jas. Patterson, Abel Wilson, Jas. White, Homer Rainey, John W. Bodenhamer
Commissioners
John Keenan
Notary
16 Jan 1836

Proofed by Joyce McDonald from Giles County Historical Society transcription. Words in [brackets] were added by Joyce.



Copyright 2001, Joyce McDonald (new content), Giles County Historical Society (original content) and TNGenNet, Inc. (format). Submitted by Joyce McDonald with the condition that the contents are not to be altered in any way without her express consent.

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