Knox County TN Archives History - Books .....Founding Of Nashville - Chapter IV 1900 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/tn/tnfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com September 3, 2005, 4:22 am Book Title: Standard History Of Knoxville CHAPTER IV. FOUNDING OF KNOXVILLE. Date of Founding—Confusing Statements of Historians—Articles of Agreement Between Proprietor and Commissioners—Original Drawers of Lots—Act Establishing Knoxville—Blount's Arrival—Named in Honor of General Henry Knox—Reasons. KNOXVILLE was founded and named in 1791. The constitution of the United States had been in operation three years; Washington had been president two years; and William Blount had been governor of the territory south of the River Ohio one year. The year is significant as that which saw the passage of the first internal revenue bill, the establishment of the United States Bank, and the differentiation of two great political parties based on principles outlined and advocated respectively by Hamilton and Jefferson. February, 1792, has been accepted generally as the date of the establishment and laying off of Knoxville, but as to the exact time much confusion exists. The two oldest and most widely known historians of the state, Haywood and Ramsey, make contradictory statements, each in his own work. Speaking of the Knoxville Gazette, Haywood calls attention to the name and date of the paper, alleging, however, that "Knoxville was not laid off till February, 1792."* Farther on, citing the act of the territorial legislature establishing Knoxville, he says, "which had been laid off by Col. James White in the year 1791."+ Ramsey, speaking of the Gazette, says: "In February of the next year (1792) Knoxville was laid off by Col, White." yet farther on he says: "Some of the lots were sold in 1791, but no considerable improvement was commenced until February of 1792. when several small buildings were erected."** The semi-centennial of Knoxville was celebrated February 10. 1842, the date having been arbitrarily fixed. On this occasion the late Dr. Thomas W. Humes was the orator. In the appendix to his published address is a letter from Hugh Dunlap to E. G. Eastman, then editor of the Knoxville Argus, in which he says: "I am the only man, whom I know to be alive, who was living there when the lots were laid off. * * * In February, 1792, Col. Charles McClung surveyed the lots and laid off the town. I do not recollect on what day of the month. It excited no particular interest at the time."# * History of Tennessee. 272. + Page 336. ** Annals of Tennessee. 558. # Address. 91, 92. The oldest extant authorities on this subject are the Knoxville Gazette and the published acts of the territorial legislature. These say specifically and unequivocally that the town was laid out in 1791. As documents of historic importance and unique interest both are given in their entirety. The Gazette, in its issue of December 17, 1791, has this notice or advertisement: "Kxoxville, October 3, 1791. "Articles of agreement made and concluded on this third day of October, 1791, by and between James White, proprietor of the land laid off for the town of Knoxville, of the one part. and John Adair, Paul Cunningham, and George McNutt, commissioners appointed in behalf of the purchasers of the lots in the town of Knoxville, of the other part, all of Hawkins county and Territory of the United States of America South of the River Ohio. WITNESSETH that the said James White do bargain and sell to the subscribers for lots in the said town, 64 lots, each containing one-half acre square, reserving 8 lots which are not to be loted for. The said town to be loted for and drawn in a fair lottery by the said commissioners in behalf of the subscribers, on the third of October aforesaid; and further, the said James White doth hereby bind himself, his heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns to make or cause to< be made, a good and sufficient title for each lot to the person drawing- the same, as soon as payment is made, agreeable to the terms of sale of said lots. And we the commissioners aforesaid, do covenant and agree in behalf of the said purchasers, to superintend the drawing of the tickets for the said lots and that we will do equal justice between the parties, without fear or affection to any, whether present or absent. And the said James White doth agree that all the lands lying between the said town and the river, one pole in breadth along the river -bank excepted, and all the land between the town and the creek, as far as the southeast corner of Broad street, with a street thirty-three feet wide around the remainder of the town, shall be commons for the said town. And further that the lots for which payment hath not been made agreeable to the articles of sale of the said lots, shall be for the use of the said James White, he, when selling them, binding the purchasers to abide by the rules and regulations which shall be made by the aforesaid commissioners. And the said commissioners shall have power to act, and to regulate all matters respecting the said town, until an act of assembly shall be made for the rules and regulations thereof. And further, it is agreed that any person refusing to comply with the rules for building and other necessary expense, shall pay to the said commissioners a sum not exceeding five dollars for such refusal made. The fines shall be collected and applied to the use and benefit of said town. "In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands this third day of October. 1791. Teste: JAMES WHITE, CHARLES McCLUNG, JOHN ADAIR, JAMES COZBY. PAUL CUNNINGHAM, GEORGE McNUTT. James White. 1. James W. Lackey, 2. His Excellency William Blount, 3. James Armstrong, 4. William Davidson, 5. Andrew and J. Belfour, 6. John Hays, 7. Thomas Amis, 8. Jacob Brown. 9. James Knox, 10. James Richardson, 11. William Boyd, 12. Thomas Amis, 13. James Hodges, 14. Hon. Judge Anderson, 15. John Gehon, 16. Ignatius and J. Chisholm. 17. John Carter, 18. James Cozby, 19. Thomas King. 20. Rev. Mr. Carrick, 21. Jacob Carper, 22. John Love, 23. John Owens, 24. James Greenway, 25. Jacob Carper, 26. George Roulstone, 27. Reserved Lot, 28. Reserved Lot, 29. Andrew and J. Belfour. 30. John Rhea, 31. Matthew A. Atkinson, 32. Rev. Mr. Carrick, 33. John Stone, 34. Hon. Judge Campbell. 35. Reserved Lot, 36. Reserved Lot. 37. Samuel Hannah, 38. Jacob Carper, 39. George Roulstone, 40. Andrew Green, 41. John Adair, 42. William Lowry, 43. Nathaniel Cowan, 44. Samuel McGaughey. 45. William Henry, 46. William Cox, 47. John Chisholm, 48. John King, Sr., 49. Lewis Newhouse. 50. Peter McNamee. 51. Nicholas Perkins, 52. Daniel Hamblin, 53. John Hackett. 54. Jacob Carper, 55. Robert Legitt, 56. Adam Peck, 57. David Allison. 58. James and W. Lea, 59. John Troy, 60. William Small, 61. Hugh Fulton. 62. James Miller. 63. Thomas Smith, 64. "We, the commissioners, do certify that the above names are set opposite to the numbers agreeable to the lottery as they were drawn. "JOHN ADAIR, "PAUL CUNNINGHAM, "GEORGE McNUTT." "N. B.: Those persons who subscribed for lots are desired to pay the purchase money immediately, otherwise their subscription will be deemed void, and the lots disposed for the benefit of the proprietor." The act for establishing Knoxville was passed by the territorial legislature in September, 1794, and is as follows: "An act for establishing Knoxville, on the north bank of Holston, and immediately below the second creek that runs into Holston on the north side, below the mouth of French Broad river, and for appointing commissioners for the regulation thereof. "Whereas, In the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one it was found expedient to establish a town on the north bank of Holston, immediately below the second creek that runs into the north side of the same, below the mouth of French Broad, Governor Blount having determined to fix the seat of government on the said spot; and, whereas, a town was accordingly laid out by James White at the above described place, and called Knoxville, in honor of Major General Henry Knox, consisting of the necessary streets and sixty-four lots, numbered from one to sixty-four, as will more fully appear, reference being had to the plat of the said town. "Section I. Be it enacted by the governor, legislative council and house of representatives of the Territory of the United States of America South of the River Ohio, That a town be established on the above described spot of ground, which shall continue to be known as heretofore, by the name of Knoxville, in honor of Major General Knox, consisting of the necessary streets and sixty-four lots, from number one to sixty-four, agreeable to the plan of the said town, made in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one. "Sec. 2. And be it enacted, that Colonel James King, John Chisholm and Joseph Greer, Esquires. George Roulstone and Samuel Cowan be and hereby are appointed commissioners of the said town, with power to regulate the same, and, if necessary, with the consent of the proprietor, to enlarge it. "Sec. 3. And be it enacted, That a correct plan of the said town as originally laid off in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one, be made by the commissioners, and lodged in the office of the register of the county of Knox for the benefit of all persons concerned, with their names as commissioners subscribed thereto. And that it be the duty of the said commissioners to designate the first and second corners by the fixture of a stone or stones at each corner, at least eighteen inches in the ground and six above, and to use good care that the same be not removed or defaced."* That the lots drawn passed to the ownership of those whose names are opposite is evidenced by conveyances in the first volume of deeds in the office of the Register of Knox county. There one will see that James White on July 16, 1792, conveyed lots 21 and 33 to Samuel Carrick for the sum of eight dollars per lot. That building had begun in and about Knoxville in 1791 may be learned from a letter of Governor Blount to James Robertson, written from the house of William Cobb on January 2, 1792, wherein he says: "Mrs. Blount and two of my sons are here, and here we shall stay until the first of March and then move down to Knoxville. The reason we do not move sooner my houses there are not done." + The name Knoxville was applied to the place before it was laid off. Governor Blount, in a letter to James Robertson dated September 3, 1791, says: "I shall be living at Knoxville by the 10th of December at farthest."# That the destined position of the place was already recognized is shown by the fact that George Roulstone, while publishing the first issues of his paper at Rogersville, in 1791, called it the "Knoxville Gazette." The distinction of naming Knoxville in honor of General Henry Knox, Washington's Secretary of War, is ascribed by Phelan** to James White, by Marcus J. Wright ++ and by Roosevelt ## to William Blount. Whether the name was bestowed as an expression of gratitude for services rendered to his country or as a compliment to a cabinet officer may never be known, but the fact suggests an interesting bit of history which may offer some explanation. General Knox, the year before the administration of Governor Blount began, unqualifiedly and bitterly censured the settlers upon Cherokee lands. Touching their encroachments he expressed himself in vigorous language, characterizing the settlement of the lands as a gross violation of treaty rights, and suggesting the application of extreme penalties to uphold the authority of congress, which had been exposed to ridicule and contempt. He speaks of the "disgraceful violation of the treaty of Hopewell with the Cherokees as a direct and manifest contempt of the authority of the United States" and "of the lawless whites" who "render the promises of the government imbecile unless that government asserts its authority." He urges that a garrison of five hundred soldiers should be stationed within the territory assigned to the Indians to protect them against such ravages and encroachments as had been practised.* Later, in January, 1791, in communications to the president and laid before congress, General Knox, asserting that no partial measures would be adopted in dealing with the frontiers, said that favors granted to the other parts should likewise be granted to "the exposed parts of the Cumberland settlements, and the settlements lying upon, and between, the Holston and French Broad Rivers."+++ Relative to the frontiers. in the same communication he says: "The population of the lands lying along the Western waters is increasing rapidly. The inhabitants request and demand protection; if it be not granted, seeds of disgust will be sown; sentiments of separate interests will arise out of their local situation, which will be cherished either by insidious, domestic, or foreign emissaries. * Laws of the State of Tennessee published by George Roulstone, 39. + American Historical Magazine, Vol. I, 281. # American Historical Magazine, Vol. I, 192. ** History of Tennessee, 149. ++ Life and Services of William Blount, 12. ## Winning of the West, Vol. IV, 106. *** American State Papers. Indian Affairs, Vol. IV, 53, 54. +++ Same, 107. It, therefore, appears to be an important branch of the administration of the general government to afford the frontiers all reasonable protection, as well in their just rights as against their enemies."* Still later, on February 22, 1792, writing to Governor Blount, he says: "But, if the hostile Indians should, after having these (peaceful) intentions of the government laid fully before them, still persist in their depredations on the frontiers, it will be considered as the dictate of humanity to endeavor to punish, with exemplary severity, so incorrigible a race of men, in order to deter other tribes, in future, from a like conduct."+ * American State Papers. Indian Affairs. Vol. IV, 113. + Same, 252. It was not in keeping with the rugged, Scotch-Irish character of James White to be eager or disposed to name his town in honor of a man who had not refrained from the use of harsh language and opprobrious epithets in speaking of his settlement in common with others, whereas it was like the tactful course of William Blount to gain if possible the favor and consideration of the Secretary of War, and to bring him to a better understanding of the needs and difficulties of the Tennessee settlers. As Knoxville was founded and named in 1791, so it may be safe to maintain that the naming of it was the act of William Blount. Additional Comments: From: STANDARD HISTORY OF KNOXVILLE TENNESSEE WITH FULL OUTLINE OF THE NATURAL ADVANTAGES, EARLY SETTLEMENT, TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT, INDIAN TROUBLES, AND GENERAL AND PARTICULAR HISTORY OF THE CITY DOWN TO THE PRESENT TIME EDITED BY WILLIAM RULE GEORGE F. MELLEN, PH. D., AND J. WOOLDRIDGE COLLABORATORS PUBLISHED BY THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY CHICAGO 1900 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/tn/knox/history/1900/standard/founding2nms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/tnfiles/ File size: 16.5 Kb