Compiled by Steve Carson
Copyright 2002-2008 All Rights Reserved

The Allison Land Deal is named after David Allison of Philadelphia who held mortgages on thousands of acres of land in the Three Forks area of Bedford County. As far as we know this David Allison was not related to any of the Allisons who settled in Bedford County in the early 1800s. The land in question was originally surveyed for John Gray Blount and Thomas Blount of North Carolina. The Blounts sold the land to Norton Pryor who obtained mortgages from David Allison to pay for the purchase. The land consisted of eleven tracts of 5,000 acres each and one tract of 1,364 acres. Norton Pyror had these tracts re-surveyed in his name in June and July 1807 and February 1808. These surveys are recorded in the records of the Second Surveyor’s District of Tennessee as surveys 1-8, 53-55, and 187. In 1809, David Allison filed a suit to foreclose on the mortgages. The land was resold with James Patton and Andrew Erwin the eventual purchasers of major portions of it. An additional complication was that the original grants to the Blounts in some cases overlapped grants to other people. This is how a Bedford County Deed from Book J page 84 dated 27 March 1817 explains the land history of one of these 5,000 acre tracts: “… being Part of a 5000 acre tract of land which was granted by the state of North Carolina to John G. and Thomas Blount by patent # 212 and conveyed by them to David Allison, by the said Allison mortgaged to Norton Pryor, by said Norton Pryor conveyed to James Patton and Andrew Erwin…”

In 1811, a flaw in the original foreclosure proceedings was discovered. Another lawsuit followed and in 1823 a final settlement was reached whereby those who had purchased land in the area encompassed by the original grant all obtained clear title for a fee of 30 cents per acre, payable in three installments. This settlement is known as the “Allison Land Deal” and a set of mortgages record the transactions.  The land descriptions embedded in these mortgages provide a valuable description of the owners and/or occupiers of these tracts of land in 1823, describing the watercourses the lands were located on as well as the names of neighbors.  These mortgages are microfilmed by TSLA and are on the reel entitled “Land Book” that also contains the Bedford County TN Grant Book.

The land descriptions from each of the mortgages are transcribed and presented in Table 1.  One complete mortgage is also transcribed.  These mortgages were recorded on printed forms and there were several versions of the forms with some minor variations.  In a few cases the forms were filled out incorrectly, listing the names of the Trustees in the place where the land description should have been recorded.  In this case, the transcription says “[description omitted]” in the “Land description” column.

Here is the example mortgage:

TSLA, Bedford County Deeds, Land Book, page <illegible>, 27 September 1823

Margaret McMichael to Matt Martin et. al.

This indenture made this 27th day of September A. D. eighteen hundred and twenty three between Margaret McMichall <sic> of the County of Bedford and State of Tennessee of the one part and Matt Martin, John Davidson, William S. Watterson, Stephen Booth, Thomas H. Bernard and John Scott of the County and State aforesaid, of the other part. Witnessseth, that the said Margaret McMichall in consideration of the sum of fifty four dollars the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged he hath granted, bargained and sold, and by these presents doth grant, sell and convey unto the said Matt Martin, John Davidson, William S. Watterson, Stephen Booth, Thomas H. Bernard and John Scott their heirs and assigns forever a parcel of land lying in the County of Bedford and State aforesaid on Noah’s Fork of Duck River Whereon I now live containing one hundred and eighty acres adjoining the lands of Mrs. Nichols, James Nall, Richard Keele.

To have and to hold the said lot or premises of land with all and singular the rights, profits, hereditaments and appertanances of, and to the same belonging, or in any wise appertaining, to the proper use and behoof of them the said and Matt Martin, John Davidson, William S. Watterson, Stephen Booth, Thomas H. Bernard and John Scott and their heirs and assigns forever, and I the said Margaret McMichell bind myself, my heirs and assigns, and by these presents do warrant and forever defend the aforesaid premises or tract of land unto the said and Matt Martin, John Davidson, William S. Watterson, Stephen Booth, Thomas H. Bernard and John Scott and their heirs and assigns against the claims of all persons lawfully claiming the same:  Provided always that the said Margaret McMichell shall pay the said and Matt Martin, John Davidson, William S. Watterson, Stephen Booth, Thomas H. Bernard and John Scott Eighteen dollars, on or before the 1st of January 1825, and also Eighteen dollars on or before the 1st of January 1826, and a furthier <sic> sum of Eighteen dollars on or before the 1st of January 1827, with interest on the whole for the last three months which is due by bond from the said Margaret McMichael to the said Matt Martin, John Davidson, William S. Watterson, Stephen Booth, Thomas H. Bernard and John Scott and which this is intended to secure, bearing date 27th day of September 1823 and payable according to the dates aforementioned, which are sums that the said Matt Martin, John Davidson, William S. Watterson, Stephen Booth, Thomas H. Bernard and John Scott have this day become bound for payment of to James Jackson on their individual responsibility in a settlement made the 19th day of September 1823 between Andrew Jackson and James Jackson and Andrew Erwin, for the compromise of a suit commenced by Andrew Jackson, complainant, against Andrew Erwin and others, defendants.  Then this indenture is to be void and of no effect, otherwise to remain in full force and virtue, anything contained here to the contrary notwithstanding.  In testimony hereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal the day and year above written.

John McMichael for Margaret McMichael <signed>

Signed, Sealed and delivered in presence of A Erwin, Jr. and Rice F. Ross

State of Tennessee, Bedford County Court, October term 1824

I James McKisick, clerk of said court, do hereby certify the within mortgage was proven in open court upon the oaths of A. Erwin and Rice F. Ross, subscribing witnesses thereunto, and ordered to be so certified for registration. Given under my hand at office this 14th day of October 1824

James McKisick, Clerk

Recorded the 3rd February 1825

Edward Wade, Registrar