The Origin and Boundary Changes of Decatur County, Tennessee

from the research of James H. Hanna

  • 1837 - to attach a part of Perry County to the county of Wayne
  • 1840 - to repeal an act, entitled "An act to attach a part of Perry County to the county of Wayne"
  • 1845 - to regulate the courts, etc., of Perry County, and to establish the county of Decatur, in honor of and to perpetuate the memory of Commodore Stephen Decatur of the United States navy
  • 1846 - to amend the act dividing Perry County, and the act attaching a portion of Wayne to Perry, and also to appoint commissioners to run the line between Decatur and Benton Counties, etc.
  • 1847 - to alter the line of Perry and Decatur Counties
  • 1849 - to alter the line between Henderson and Decatur Counties
  • 1852 - to change the line between the counties of Hardin and Decatur and for other purposes
  • 1856 - to change the line between the counties of White and Putnam, and for other purposes [change the line between Hardin and Decatur Counties]
  • 1869 - to amend section three of an act entitled "An ACT to change the line of Hawkins and Hancock Counties" [change the line between Wayne and Decatur Counties]
  • 1883 - to change the county line between the counties of Benton and Decatur

Reference:  The Land Laws of Tennessee by Henry D. Whitney

Click here to view a map that details these changes in the Decatur County lines.

1837 - CHAPTER 273

AN ACT to attach a part of Perry County to the county of Wayne.-Passed, Dec. 27.
[See map reference #1] Section 1. Be it enacted, etc., That all that part of Perry County, on the south side of Tennessee River, and on the east side of a line beginning on the south side of' said river, opposite the lower end of James' Island, and running a north or northern course so as to strike said river above Isaac West's, senior, shall be attached to the county of Wayne.

1840 - CHAPTER 80

AN ACT to repeal an act, entitled "An act to attach a part of Perry County to the county of Wayne," passed December 26, 1837.-Passed,Jan.27.
Section 1. Be it enacted, etc., That the above recited act is hereby repealed.
[See map reference #2] Sec. 2. That the part of the county of Perry as intended to be stricken off to Wayne County, shall be that part of the bend of the Tennessee River lying east of a due line north from David Roach's landing on said river.

1845 - CHAPTER 7

AN ACT to regulate the courts, etc., of Ferry County, and to establish the county of Decatur, in honor of and to perpetuate the memory of Commodore Stephen Decatur of the United States navy.-Passed, Nov. -.
Whereas, it has been satisfactorily made known to this General Assembly, that the county of Perry is divided by the Tennessee River, to the manifest inconvenience of a very large portion of its citizens, and that by attaching a portion of the county of Wayne to the county of Perry, there is sufficient territory within the requirements of the Constitution to divide said county by the river, and organize a new county on the west side of the river. Therefore,

[See map reference #3] Section 1. Be it enacted, etc., That all that part of the county of Perry, lying and being east of the Tennessee River together with that portion of Wayne, attached by this General Assembly to the county of Perry, shall be and remain the county of Perry aforesaid.

Sec. 11. That a new county be and is hereby established to be composed of all that part of Perry County lying on the west side of Tennessee River, to be known and distinguished by the name of Decatur County, in honor of and to perpetuate the memory of Commodore Stephen Decatur, of the United States navy, of whose services our nation should be proud, and whose memory should be revered.

Sec. 12. That the county or Decatur shall be bounded as follows, to-wit: Beginning on the west bank of Tennessee River, at tile lOW water mark, in the northeast corner; thence west with the line between Humphreys and Ferry, to its north~vest corner; thence south with the line between Perry, Carroll, Henderson and Hardin, to the Tennessee River, at its southwest corner; thence with the Tennessee River to its southeast corner, thence north with the line between Wayne and Perry, to the Tennessee River; thence north with the low water mark of Tennessee River, to the beginning.

[See map reference #4] Sec. 18. That this act shall take effect and go into operation from and after the first Thursday in March, 1846; Provided, that the counties of Wayne and Perry be not reduced below the constitutional amount of six hundred and twenty-five square miles. And provided, Decatur County contains the constitutional amount of three hundred and fifty square miles.

1846 - CHAPTER 62

AN ACT to amend the act dividing Perry County, and the act attaching a portion of Wayne to Perry, and also to appoint commissioners to run the line between Decatur and Benton Counties, etc.-Passed, Jan. 15.

[See map reference #5] Sec. 7. That the within described territory of the County of Henderson be attached to the County of Decatur as established by this Legislature [viz;] Beginning at the north-east corner of Henderson County, thence west two and one-half miles with the line between Carroll and Henderson Counties, thence south to the Hardin County line, thence east with the line between Hardin and Henderson Counties to Decatur County, thence north with the line between Decatur and Henderson Counties to the beginning.

Sec. 9. That nothing in this act shall be so construed as to reduce the county of Henderson to less than her constitutional limits; And provided further, that the counties of Decatur and Perry, be organized otherwise this amendment shall be null and void, so far as relates to the county of Henderson.

1847 - CHAPTER 15

AN ACT to alter the line of Perry and Decatur Counties.-Passed, Dec. 1.

Section 1. Be it enacted. etc. That the eastern boundary of Decatur County be extended to the low water mark on the east bank of Tennessee River.

[See map reference #6] Sec. 2. That the surveyors of Henderson and Decatur Counties, as soon as practicable after the passage of this act, be and they are hereby required to commence at the point where the county line crossed the road leading from Lexington to Perryville, previous to the act passed at the last General Assembly, attaching a portion of Henderson to Decatur, and run in a southwestwardly direction so as to strike the southern boundary of Henderson County, at a point that will leave Henderson County her constitutional limits; and all east of the line shall be and is hereby attached to the county of Decatur.

Sec. 3. [Provides that all the territory north of the road leading from Lexington to Perryville is a part of Henderson County, and that the sheriff shall collect and pay over all taxes north of said road to the trustee of Henderson County, and south of said road to the trustee of Decatur County.]

Sec. 5. [Provides for an election on the question whether they shall be thus attached to Decatur.]

1849 - CHAPTER 92

AN ACT to alter the line between Henderson and Decatur Counties.- Passed Nov. 8.

[See map reference #7] Section 1. Be it enacted, at., That the line between Henderson and Decatur Counties be so altered as to commence at the point designated in the act passed 19th of January, 1848,andrun in a southwestwardly direction, (so as not to approach Lexington nearer than twelve miles,) to the line known as the Brown line; thence south with that line to the Hardin County line; and the citizens east of that line to be entitled to all the rights and privileges, and subject to all the liabilites of other citizens of Decatur County.

1852 - CHAPTER 367

AN ACT to change the line between the counties of Hardin and Decatur and for other purposes.-Passed, Feb. 4.

[See map reference #8] Section 1. Be it enacted, etc., That the lines between the counties of Hardin and Decatur be changed as follows, to wit: Beginning at a point where the counties of Henderson, Hardin and Decatur join, running from thence with the Hardin County line to Doe Creek; thence down said creek to the Tennessee River; thence down said river to the south boundary line of Decatur County, and that all that part of Hardin County contained within the lines as herein designated, and, situated north and west of the Tennessee River, and below Doe Creek, be attached to the county of Decatur. [Not to reduce said county of Hardin below the constitutional limits.]

1856 - CHAPTER 173

AN ACT to change the line between the counties of White and Putnam, and for other purposes.-Passed, Feb. 25.

[See map reference #9] Sec. 4. That the lines between the counties of Hardin and Decatur be changed as follows, to wit Beginning at a point where the counties of Henderson, Hardin, and Decatur join; running from thence with the Hardin County line to Doe Creek; thence, down said creek to the Tennessee River; thence, down said river to the south boundary line of Decatur County; and all that part of Hardin County, contained within the lines as herein designated, and situated north and west of the Tennessee River, and below Doe Creek, be attached to the county of Decatur; and that all persons living within said bounds,-shall be entitled to all the rights and privileges, and subject to all the liabilities, of other citizens of the county of Decatur.

Sec. 5. That so much of an act passed Feb. 4, 1852, entitled "An act to change the line between the counties of Hardin and Decatur,"so far as it refers to the counties of Hardin and Decatur, be, and the same is hereby, repealed.

1869 - CHAPTER 86

AN ACT to amend section three of an act entitled "An act to change the line of Hawkins and Hancock Counties."-Passed. Feb. 19.

[See map reference #10] Sec. 6. That the county line between the counties of Wayne and Decatur be changed so as to include all that portion of Wayne County, lying west of the Tennessee River, in the county of Decatur, and this act to take effect from and after its passage.

1883 - CHAPTER 221

AN ACT to change the county line between the counties of Benton and Decatur.-Passed, March 29; approved, March 29.

[See map reference #11] Section 1. Be it enacted, etc., That the county line between Benton and Decatur counties shall be and the same is hereby so changed that the line of Benton County shall run from its north-east corner south, up Tennessee River about one mile, to a slough; thence west with the Bark Road, on a dividing ridge, to H. C. Walker's; thence north with the west boundary line of H. C. Walker's farm, across with the west boundary line of Alfred Tipitt's farm to the Benton line near Richard Odle's.

Sec. 2. That this act take effect from and after its passage, the public welfare requiring it.

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