Haywood County TNGenWeb

A TNGenWeb Land History Project, Co-authored by Carole Hammett and Fred Smoot, (Second Draft – Jun 2001) The authors’ research into Shelby’s Fort and the “mysterious” Squabble State began with several Revolutionary War pension affidavits:Revolutionary War veteran Nicholas COMBS of Perry Co, KY, b 1761-4, stated in his 17 Aug 1853 affidavit in support of the Revolutionary War pension application of John FIELDS, also of Perry, COMBS declared that “The old Block house known as Selby’s fort was in Wilkes…

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(6 Mar 1749/50 – 13 Jul 1750) A Record of His Travels in Present-day Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky Introduction From 1729 to 1749, the dividing line between Virginia and North Carolina was based on the 1728 survey “from the Sea to Peters Creek” by the Honorable William Byrd, William Dandridge and Richard Fitzwilliams, Commissioners, and Mr. Alexander Irvine and Mr. William Mayo, surveyors. During this period, white settlements on both sides of the line had already extended much further west…

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This report is a “work-in-progress,” and only just begun.” The authors particularly thank Russel/Washington Co, VA researcher Rhonda Robertson for her survey abstracts: “Washington County, VA Survey records abstracts, 1781-1797, pages 001-500,” submitted to the USGenWeb Archives 1999, copyright Rhonda Robertson. Some additional land records, including VA, NC and TN have been added here and more will be added over time. The 1749 Survey included a number of errors, including locating Laurel Creek on New River instead of the Holstein: Washington…

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This, the first Constitution of the State of Tennessee, was adopted on 6 February 1796, and became effective 1 June 1796 upon Tennessee’s admission by Congress to statehood : We the People of the territory of the United States south of the river Ohio, having the right of admission into the General Government as a member State thereof, consistent with the Constitution of the United States and the act of cession of the State of North Carolina, recognizing the ordinance for the…

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  Southwest Territory 1790-1796  Southwest Territory Boundaries        “ON the 25th of May, 1790, Congress passed a law for the government of the country south-west of the river Ohio. They declared that for the purposes of temporary government it should be one district, the inhabitants of which should enjoy all the privileges, benefits, and advantages set forth in the ordinance of the late Congress, made in July, 1787, for the government of the territory of the United States north-west of the…

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From The State Records of North Carolina, Vol. XXII, p. 714 HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON COUNTY State of Franklin, February 27, 1788 In a Council of the Officers to Secure the Rights of the Citizens in this State, and from Motives to Establish Peace and Good Order– It is our request to Colonel John Tipton, that he and the party now in his house surrender themselves to the discretion of the people of Franklin within thirty minutes from the arrival of the…

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From The State Records of North Carolina, Vol. XXII, p. 714 HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON COUNTY State of Franklin, February 27, 1788 In a Council of the Officers to Secure the Rights of the Citizens in this State, and from Motives to Establish Peace and Good Order– It is our request to Colonel John Tipton, that he and the party now in his house surrender themselves to the discretion of the people of Franklin within thirty minutes from the arrival of the…

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From The State Records of North Carolina, Vol. XXII, pp. 705-714 The Honourable, The General Assembly of North Carolina now sitting– The Inhabitants of the Western Country Humbly Sheweth: That it is with sincere concern we lament the unhappy disputes that have long subsisted between us and our Brethren on the Eastern side of the Mountains, respecting the Erecting a new Government. We beg leave to represent to your Honourable body, that from Acts passed in June 1784, ceding to…

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Chapter VI THE ACT OF CESSION OF TENNESSEE. As Congress was heavily in debt at the close of the Revolutionary War, North Carolina, in 1784, “voted to give Congress the twenty-nine million acres lying between the Allegheny mountains and the Mississippi river.”[1] This did not please the Watauga settlers, and a few months later the legislature of North Carolina withdrew its gift, and again took charge of its western land because it feared the land would not be used to…

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