(from the archived RCHC Web site)

Possibly contributed by Kenneth Dunlap, whose Web site is archived — click here. [no editing for grammar or spelling was done to the content below]

Hugh Dunlap lived, breathed, walked and talked, and once owned the present site of Rockwood and is entitled to a few pages in Roane County history.  His story is entwined with the Human families of Roane and Morgan Counties.

Letter About Early Knoxville

Hugh Dunlap was born November 5, 1769 in Londonderry, Ireland, the son of Harry Dunlap.  He and his brother William came to America at an early age.  Hugh started in business in Philadelphia.  In 1842, Hugh wrote a letter to E. G. Eastman, Editor of the Knoxville Argus in which he told of his first remembrances of Knoxville.

“I left Philadelphia with my goods in December of 1791, and did not reach Knoxville until about the first of Feb. 1792.  Samuel and Nathan Cowan had a store,  John Chisolm had a house of entertainment, and James McElwee (Capt. W. E. MeElwee‘s grandfather) lived there.  Governor Blount lived on Barbara Hill, a knoll below College Hill.  Lots sold for $8 each.  In 1793, the first government troops were stationed in Knoxville under Capt. Carr, a Rev. War officer.  He was succeeded by Lt. Ricard.  In 1793, Col. Christy who commanded the U.S. troops at Knoxville died and was buried with martial and Masonic honors on what is now College Hill.  Titus Ogden died the same year.  He was a merchant and paymaster to the troops and of the Indian annuities.  I was at the burial of both of them.  Col. King and myself were at the time, and for several years afterward, commissaries for all troops stationed in East Tennessee.” S – Hugh Dunlap

Hugh Takes a Wife

Thus, Hugh Dunlap opened the second store in Knoxville in February 1792.  In 1794, he married Susannah Harding Gilliam who was born May 19, 1775 in Henrico County, Virginia, and died January 6, 1859 in Shelby Co., Tennessee.  She was the daughter of Devereaux Gilliam of Buckingham County, Virginia who built Gilliam Station at the confluence of Holston and French Broad Rivers in 1785-8, and his wife Edith Ellis Gilliam, daughter of Capt. Charles Ellis of Red Hill, Amherst Co., Virginia.  Devereaux‘s daughter Elizabeth married (5-1-1794) George Roulstone, publisher of the Knoxville Gazette.  On May 25,1793, Thomas Gilliam and his son James were killed by the Indians on Bull Run Creek.  On January 28, 1797, Bezzel Human, Jr. of Knoxville married Winnieford Gilliam who was the widow of Thomas Gilliam.  Bazzel Human, Jr. was the progenitor of most, if not all, of the Human descendants in Morgan and Roane Counties. (Bazzel Human, Sr. died and left a large estate in Georgia.)

Knew James McElwee

No doubt, Dunlap would have known Rev. War soldier James McElwee who lived in Knoxville.  Most likely, McElwee would have bragged a little about his service under Col. Evan Shelby against the Chicamaugas [sic] in 1779 when they marched through Roane County and camped at Post Oak Springs.  How he helped to kill a big bear, and that Howell Doddy discovered a big lead deposit.  These stories may have kindled an interest in Dunlap for the Roane area.  The plot thickens.  Dunlap became indirectly involved in one of Stockley Donelson‘s land manipulations when he bought a 5,000-acre tract in Roane that had been granted to Donelson by North Carolina on warrant No. 209.  Warrant No. 209 is quite a story.

5,000 or 50,000 Acres?

Roane [Deed] Book C, p. 3, dated 12-20-1805, Josiah Danforth of Blount County sold to Hugh Dunlap of Knox for $700 a 5,000-A[cre] tract.  Beginning at 2 sycamores on Clinch River at the corner of Col. Glasgow‘s 6,000-acre survey, thence down Clinch to the Tenn. River, thence down the Tennessee to a stake at the mouth of Piney River, thence north 1,500 poles to the foot of Cumberland Mt. (Walden Ridge), thence east 6,000 poles along the Ridge, thence south to William Blount‘s 5,000 acre survey on Emery River (in front of DeArmonds Gap where Shelby had burned the Indian town), thence with Emery River to Glasgow‘s line, thence to the beginning. Being the said tract granted to Stockley Donelson on warrant No. 209 Jan. 4, 1795. Signed: Josiah Danforth

[from original] (note: Indian title to this tract was extinguished by the treaty of 1805.)

Roane [Deed] Book B, p. 66, shows the same tract of land conveyed by Donelson to Josiah Danforth in 1799.

The land enclosed in the bounds above would be much closer to 50,000 acres than to 5,000 acres if surveyed by today’s Engineers It would have extended from below White‘s Creek to DeArmonds Crossing, and include the present sites of Rockwood, Post Oak, Cardiff, Emory Gap, Harriman, Webster Pike, etc. The smaller figure was probably used for tax purposes, the larger bounds used when tracts were sold from it.  Of course, numerous lawsuits resulted.  Deed Book D, p. 278 dated 1812 includes an agreement whereby this tract described above would be divided with two-thirds of the tract to go to Dunlap, and one-third to Samuel Martin.  The dividing line was to be from the mouth of Caney Creek, up said Creek to Oven’s Spring, thence to the Mountain with Dunlap receiving the portion west of this line.

Dunlap Moves to Roane

Dunlap moved to Roane in 1809, and erected his home in present day Rockwood.  In addition to farming, Dunlap owned a tavern, bought and sold land and slaves, served as a Justice and member of the County Court (name appears in index more than 100 times between 1809 and 1812), and as a Trustee of Rittenhouse Academy. He was involved in many lawsuits; winning some, losing some.  Overall, he was active in community affairs as well as carrying on an extensive business operation.  Hugh Dunlap and his family were well respected in Roane County.

The Hugh Dunlap Family

Hugh and Susannah Gilliam Dunlap had 15 children as shown on grave stone.  Additional information on birth dates and spouses contributed by Ken Dunlap who adds:

The source of data on Hugh and Susannah‘s 15 children, is the monument in Paris, TN, Old City Cemetery which lists them.  I visited a couple of years ago and took some photos.

01. Edith Ellis “Eady” Dunlap (10 Apr 1795-1862) married John Kenneley
02. Richard G. Dunlap (1796–22 June 1841) see below
03. Hugh W. Dunlap (25 Feb 1798-1849) twin
04. William C. Dunlap (25 Feb 1798-1872) twin [unmar] served two terms in the U.S. Congress and he and his twin brother served as Judges in West Tennessee
05. Deveriaux Gilliam Dunlap (1800-1826) [unmar]
06. John H. Dunlap (17 Nov 1801-1874) married Mary [Marietta] E. Beauchamp. (Their daughter Susan married Gov. Porter)
07. Susannah H. Dunlap (1804-1823)
08. Charles G. Dunlap (1805-1827)
09. Ellen W. Dunlap (1807-1823)
10. Polly J. Dunlap (1809- ?)
11. James T. [Trimble] Dunlap (1810-1879) was comptroller of the treasury of Tennessee 1857-1861, married Jane Blount Tharpe, dau of William Allen Tharpe and Sarah Cooper mar 2 Aug. 1855, Martha (Johnnie) Spence, dau of Brent Spence and Elizabeth Shute, of Davidson Co., TN
12. Charlotte E. Dunlap (1812-1827)
13. Martha Jane Dunlap (8 Apr 1815-1862) married David Searcy Greer
14. Ripley Ellis Dunlap (21 Jan 1817-1881) married Ann Evans
15. Bethenia Ann Dunlap (23 Jan 1820-1839) married Col. Wm. Deering {per Ansearchin’ News, Summer 1977.}

Hugh Dunlap sent his boys to Ebenezer Academy in Knox County under Rev. Samuel G. Ramsey.  Three of his sons practiced law at one time or another in Roane County.  In 1825, Hugh moved his family to Paris, Tennessee, where he lived until his death October 10, 1846.  At least one of his sons [Richard] deserves further consideration.

Click here to read Kenneth Dunlap‘s biographical treatise on Richard G. Dunlap.

Source: Roots of Roane County, TN by Snyder E. Roberts, page 77- [sic]

Click here to read about Hugh Dunlap‘s association with the historic “Rockwood Oak.”