Petition of citizens to the Legislature
to settle the boundary between Perry and Humphrey County
1822 or 1823
Contributed by: Robbie Burnett
The following petitions can be found on microfilm at the Tennessee State Library and Archives in Nashville, Tennessee. The original petitions are also available.
Petition of the Citizens of the Counties of Perry and Humphreys
To the honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Tennessee
The Petition of the Subscribers, Citizens of the Counties of Perry and Humphreys respectfully showeth unto you Honorable Body:
That you petitioners are at present, and have been, during the last two years, labouring under all the disadvantages resulting from the unsettled state of the boundaries of their respective Counties. That no improvements, having any relation to the public regulation of the first named county especially, can commence, or progress whilst the line continues in the uncertain state, in which, they are at present. They would represent, to you Honorable Body, that, from the present Southern boundary line of Humphreys County, to the Seat of Justice is nearly twenty-five miles: between which line and division (?) there is an extensive range of mountains, considered (?) by Nature, to perpetual sterility. Should the line above named, continue to form the boundary of Humphreys County, of the South, and of Perry County, on the North the Citizens, living South and West of Duck River, will labour under the most insupportable inconvenience, in traversing a desolate county for several miles, before they reach any settlements connected with the place where they must perform all their public business. They humbly conceive that the finger of Nature has pointed out the of ____ aims above____ the legitimate boundary between the two Counties. When they consider in addition to this, that, Humphreys County will be twenty-six miles in breadth, from North to South ____ ___ ___ ___ as hereafter suggested, the prayer of their petition. The affect produced on the County of Perry would be giving it and extent of about twenty-five miles from North to South, and locating the Seat Of Justice on the Tennessee River, a matter of vital importance to the interest of that County.
At Present there is not a public road leading to Reyoldsburg, the section of Humphreys County South of Duck River, as little is that part of the County regarded in the public affairs of that County. Your petitioners, therefore pray your Honorable Body, that, a law may be passed, appointing commissioners in each County to ___ out and mart a Boundary between them, Beginning at the ___ Shoals on Duck River, thence running West, till it strikes the dividing ridge between Robert’s Branch and Blue Creek, thence with Waid ridge to Tennessee River, thence West so far as may be necessary to intersect a line bounding Humphreys County on the West and giving it the Constitutional limits. And your Petitioners further pray, that commissioners may be appointment to ___ on a site for a Seat of Justice for the County of Perry.
And your Petitioners, as in Duty bound shall ever pray.
Valentine D. Barry
James Denson
William S. Brill
Jesse Holland
Nathaniel Dickerson
W. Jarman
D.C. Fleming
Amos Collier
Lewis Welch
Charles L. Brodery(?)
Wm. Welch
Mark Stanly
John Welch
James Doherty, Jr
Henry Welch
Robert (?) Knight
James Allen
William Crice (?)
Rich Allen
George Brady
William Dunahoe(?)
Henry Yar_____
____Dill
written circa 1822 or 1823