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To the Hon. the Provincial Council of North-Carolina:
The humble petition of the inhabitants of Washington District, including the River
Wataugah, Nonachuckie, &c., in committee assembled, Humbly Sheweth, that about six
years ago, Col. Donelson, (in behalf of the Colony of Virginia,) held a Treaty with the
Cherokee Indians, in order to purchase the lands of the Western Frontiers; in
consequence of which Treaty, many of your petitioners settled on the lands of the
Wataugah, &c., expecting to be within the Virginia line, and consequently hold
their lands by their improvements as first settlers; but to their great disappointment,
when the line was run they were (contrary to their expectation) left out; finding
themselves thus disappointed, and being to inconveniently situated to move back, and
feeling an unwillingness to loose the labour bestowed on their plantations, they
applied to the Cherokee Indians, and leased the land for a term of ten years, before
the expiration of which term, it appeared that many persons of distinction were
actually making purchases forever; thus yielding a precedent, (supposing many of them,
who were gentlemen of the law, to be better judges of the constitution than we
were,) and considering the bad consequences it must be attended with, should the
reversion be purchased out of our hands, we next preceded to make a purchase of the
lands, reserving those in our possession in sufficient tracts for our own uses, and
resolving to dispose of the remainder for the good of th community. This purchase was
made and the lands acknowledged to us and our heirs forever, in an open treaty, in
Wataugah Old Fields; a deed being obtained from the Chiefs of the said Cherokee nation,
for themselves and their whole nation, conveying a fee simple right to the said lands,
to us and our heirs forever, which deed was for and in consideration of the sum of two
thousand pounds sterling (paid to them in goods,) for which consideration they
acknowledged themselves fully satisfied, contented and paid; and agreed for themselves
and their whole nation, their heirs, &c., forever to resign, warrant and defend the
said lands to us, and our heirs, &c., against themselves, their heirs, &c.
The purchase was no sooner made, than we were alarmed by the reports of the
present unhappy situation between Great Britain and America, on which report,
(taking the new united colonies for our guide,) we proceeded to choose a
committee, which was done unanimously by the consent of the people. This
committee (willing to become a party in the present unhappy contest) resolved
(which is now in our records) to adhere strictly to the rules and orders of
the Continental Congress, and in open committee acknowledged themselves indebted
to the united colonies their full portion of the Continental expense.
Finding ourselves on the Frontiers, and being apprehensive that, for the want
of a proper legislature, we might become shelter for such as endeavored to
defraud their creditors; considering also the necessity of recording Deeds,
Wills, and doing other public business, we, by consent of the people, formed
a court for the purposes above mentioned, taking (by desire of our constituents)
the Virginia laws for our guide, so near as the situation of affairs would
admit; this was intended for ourselves, and was done by the consent of every
individual, but wherever we had to deal with people out of our district, we
have ruled them to bail, to abide by our determinations, (which was, in fact,
leaving the matter of reference,) otherways we dismissed their suit, lest we
should in any way intrude on the legislature of the colonies. In short, we
have endeavored so strictly to do justice, that we have admitted common proof
against ourselves, on accounts, &c., from the colonies, without pretending a
right to require the Colony Seal.
We therefore trust that we shall be considered as we deserve, and not, as we
have (no doubt) been many times, represented, as a lawless mob. It is for this
very reason we can assure you that we petition; we now again repeat it, that
it is for want of proper authority to try and punish felons, we can only mention
to you murderers, horse thieves and robbers and are sorry to say that some of them
have escaped us for want of proper authority. We trust, however, that this
will not long be the case; and we again and again repeat it, that it is for
this reason we petition to this Honourable Assembly.
Above we have given you an extract of our proceedings, since our settling
on Wataugah, Nonachuckie, &c., in regard to our civil affairs. We have shown
you the causes of our first settling and the disappointments we have met with,
the reason of our lease and of our purchase, the manner in which we purchased,
and how we hold of the Indians in fee simple; the causes of our forming a
committee, and legality of its election; and same of our court and proceedings,
and our reasons for petitioning in regard to our Legislature.
We will now porceed to give you some account of our military establishments,
which were chosen agreeable to the rules established by convention, and officers
appointed by the committee. This being done we thought it proper to raise a
company on the District service, as our proportion, to act in the common cause
on the sea shore. A Company of fine riflemen were accordingly enlisted, and
put under Captain James Robertson, and were actually embodied, when we received
sundry letters and depositions, (copies of which we now enclose to you,) you
will readily judge that there was occasion for them in another place, where we
daily expected attack. We therefore thought proper to station them on our Frontiers,
in defence of the common cause, at the expense and risque of our own private
fortunes, till farther public orders, which we flatter ourselves will give no
offence. We have enclosed you sundry proceedings at the station where our men
now remain.
We shall now submit the whole to your candid and impartial judgement. We pray
your mature and deliberate consideration in our behalf, that you man annex us
to your Province, (whether as County, district, or other division,) in such
manner as may enable us to share in the glorious cause of Liberty; enforce our
laws under authority, and in every respect become the best members of society;
and for ourselves and constituents we hope, we may venture to assure you, that
we shall adhere strictly to your determinations, and that nothing will be lacking
or any thing neglected, that may add weight (in the civil or military
establishments) to the glorious cause in which we are now struggling, or
contribute to the welfare of our own or ages yet to come.
That you may strictly examine every part of this our Petition, and delay
no time in annexing us to your Province, in such a manner as your wisdom shall
direct, is the hearty prayer of those who, for themselves and constituents,
as in duty bound, shall ever pray.
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| John Carter, Chn | John Sevier | John Jones |
| Charles Roberdson | Jas. Smith | George Rusel |
| James Robertson | Jacob Brown | Jacob Womack |
| Zach Isbell | Wm. Bean | Robert Lucas |
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The above signers are members in Committee assembled. |
| | | Wm. Tatham, Clerk, P.T. |
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| | Jacob Womack | John Brown |
Adam Sherrell |
| Joseph Dunham | Jos. Brown |
Sam. Sherrell,jr |
| Rice Durroon | Job Bumper |
Sam. Sherrell,Sr |
| Edward Hopson | Isaac Wilson
| Ossa Rose |
| Lew. Bowyer, D. Atty | Richard Norton
| Henry Bates,jr |
| Joseph Buller | George Hutson
| Jos. Grimes |
Andw. Greer
his
| Thomas Simpson
Valentine Sevier
| Christopher Cunning-
ham, sen. |
| Joab X Mitchell |
| Joshua Barten,sr |
| mark | Jonathan Tipton
| Joud.Bostin, sen. |
| Robert Sevier
| Henry Bates, jun. |
| Gideon Morris | Drury Goodan
| Will'm Dod |
| Shadrach Morris | Richard Fletcher
| Groves Morris |
| William Crocket | Ellexander Greear
| Wm. Bates |
| Thos. Dedmon | Jos. Greear |
Rob't Mosely |
| David Hickey | Andrew Greear, jun.
| Ge. Hartt |
| Mark Mitchell | Teeler Nave
| Isaac Wilson |
| Hugh Blair | Lewis Jones |
Jno. Waddell |
| Elias Pebeer | John I. Cox |
Jarret Williams |
| Jos. Brown | John Cox, jr. |
Oldham Hightower |
| John Neave | Abraham Cox |
Abednago Hix |
| John Robinson | Emanuel Shote
| Charles McCartney |
Christopher Cunning-
ham | Thomas Houghton
Jos. Luske
| Frederick Vaughn |
| Jas. Easley | William Reeves
| Jos. McCartney |
| Ambrose Hodge | David Hughes
| Mark Robertson |
| Dan'l Morris | Landon Carter
| Joseph Calvit |
| Wm. Cox | John McCormick |
Joshua Houghton |
| James Easley | David Crocket
| John Chukinbeard |
| John Haile | Edward Cox |
James Cooper |
| Elijah Robertson | Tho's Hughes
| William Brokees |
| William Clark | Wm. Roberson
| Julius Robertson |
| his | Henry Siler
| John King |
| John X Dunham | Frederick Calvit
| Michael Hider |
| mark | John Moore
| John Davis |
| Wm. Overall | Wm. Newberry |
John Barley |
| Matt. Hawkins | |
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(Extracted from "The First American Frontier, The Annals of Tennessee to the End of The Eighteenth Century...," J.G.M. Ramsey, A.M., M.D.,
Lippincott, Grambo & Co., Philadelphia, 1853) |
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