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1777 Petition of the North of Holston Men

The Petition of a Number of Inhabitants in the lower Parts of Washington County humbly Sheweth that your Petitioners were greatly Injured in the Division of Fincastle in the year 1776 by the manner in which the line was directed to be run, but on hearing that the Inhabitants of Montgomery and some part of the upper end of this County had Petitioned this Honourable House for an alteration of said Line, and pointed out a new one equally just and Convenient to both Counties, and which we highly approved of, and made no Doubt, from the Justice of their Petition, would be Granted, we therefore rested in hopes that their Grievances and ours would be Redressed at the same time, which alone prevented us from joining them in their Petition. But now we find that only a small part of their Petition was Granted, and we are left to Labour under nearly the same Grievances as we formerly did, especially as the Court House is fixed in a place not above thirty miles from the Upper Line of the County and not twelve miles from the Boundary between this State and North Carolina, and from the Court House to the lower end of the County that is now inhabited is more than seventy miles. But had the line been fixed as petitioned for by the People of Montgomery, the County from the Indian Boundary on Holston to the seven Miles ford of said River would not be more than ninety miles long and by fixing the Court house in the Center equal Justice would be done to all, which we humbly presume all have a right to, and which alone we expect or hope for from this Honourable House. For as the case stands now, we cannot expect to have the Court house in the Center of the Inhabitants, nor within many miles of it, as our Representative in 1776 recommended Persons for Magistrates who lived mostly above the middle of the County and too much under his Influence, who placed the Court house where it now is, and had the Bill so framed that there is no appeal from their Judgment in this matter, and this was done at a Time when many of your Petitioners, and most pf the Principal People in both Counties were engaged on the Cherokee Expedition, and therefore had no opportunity to prevent such measures as were carried on by our said Representative; by shewing the Injustice, Design, and Impropriety of them. It is with Reluctance we give this Honourable House any Trouble in this matter but observing in so many Instances your Care and attention to the Rights of the People of this State, and your Readiness to enquire into and redress all just Grievances, we your Petitioners are therefore encouraged to Pray that our Case may be taken into your serious Consideration, that the Line may be fixed and settled between the two Counties in the manner Prayed for in the Petitions from Montgomery and some of the Inhabitants of this County at the Last Sessions; and that the Order of this Court for fixing the Court House at Black's Fort may be set aside, and such Methods fallen upon to have it set more in the Center of the County as you in your Wisdom may think best. And your Petitioners as in duty bound shall ever Pray &c.

Saml Scott Jas Thompson* George Scott Evan Shelby Junr Thomas South pleasant Lockett James Campbell James Trenor Thos Carter Alexr McFarland Alexr Douglass Thos Campbell Mathew Moses Geo Moses Joshua Boucher Jos Boucher Jonathan Jennings Alexr Ritchie Lewis Green Rawley Duncan Lewis Green Junr John Blakemore Andrew Davis Saml Ritchie

William Duncan James Duncan James Green Josiah Payne George Payne Matthew Payne William Carre Isaac Randoll George Randoll Patrick Wall Richart Davis John Montgomery Juner William Galespe John Miler galley Semore Conerod Miller Robt Stuart John Downning John Holladay Geo: Hartt Senr* Thomas Fowler Abraham Bledsoe James Clendennen John Clendennen

Jas Williams Phillip Williams Hen[r]y Roberts Alexr Grant Daved Roberts William Roberts Jas Elliott* Wm Elliott Archibald fitcher Perron Ely John Long Willm Head Isaac Labo Wm Young John Wilson Jonathan Douglass* John Long* Andrew Cowan John Caseday Thos Cawood John Cawood Snr* John Cawood Jnr James Berry Cornelius Riddle

Ezekiel Smith John Shelby David Shelby Danl Morris Geo: Hartt Junr Wm Blevins James Blevins Abrm Blevins John Blevins Jnr Jonathan Douglas Jnr David Webb William Hicks* Mashack Hicks ABednego Hicks William Hicks Juner Samuel Smith George Little John Cox Senr Jno Drake Edward Cox* John Cox Junr Thos Hambleton Benjm Drake Thos Cox Jonathan Drake Isaac Drake Shederick Moris Grove Moris george Coplen John Williams William Wodloe Zachariah Cross*

Edw: Bond John Lathim William Blanton

John Burk John Tye Samuel Underwood Thomas Prather Joseph Wright George Webb John webb Jonathan webb* Benjamin webb Jno Malone Snr Geo. Malone John Malone Junr William Malone John Hambleton* Joseph Hawkins Nathaniel Hawkins Aaro Hawkins mathias Hawkins Nicoles Hawkins Abraham Cross Elisha Cross Tho. Phillips Joseph Cole Solomon Cole Giddian Morris John Crocket* Wm Crocket David Crocket David Crocket Wm Ingram* David Hughes Ralph Fleming Thos Hughes Saml Hughes Robert Culwell Eemon werren

Wollery Bealor Jacob Bealor* John Bealor* Geo: Bealor Joseph Bealor Ulius Hickes William Beatey Saml Forkny Danl Millar Adw Beaty Bussell Fras Fugit Robert Barent Richard Higgin Danl McCormack John McCormack Thomas McCormack John Daugherty Abraham Crabtree* Jacob Crabtree Joshua McCormick Edwd Douglass Peter Lee Halbert McCluer John McCluer Thomas Smith Charles Scott Nathan Smith James Smith Sam Smith Tillman Smith

Isaac Bledsoe* David machan David Steil* John Hollis Joshua Hollis John Steil George Steil Robert Steil James Steil Senr James Steil Junr Samll Kerr* Joseph Kinkead* David Kinkead John Johnson John Donahough David Adair Walter Johnson Benjamin luney* David Maxwell Seigr Geo Maxwell* Jesse Maxwell David Maxwell Jur James Brigham* Peter Looney Robert Gray James Gray Hugh Crawford John Crawford William Inglis John Teeters

Robert Looney John Looney Steven renfrow Senr* John Renfrow Steven Renfrow Junr Samuel Looney James Cain John Clark Richard gamon* ABraham Mclalan Richard Burk Gilbert Karr Thomas King Jas B Meredith John Craig Allex Diver John Diver John Dunlop Moses Cavet Alexander Cavet William Young Mathew Hare Jessye Adams William Jennings William Hambleton Michal Looney* Ephraim Grymes Alexr Hambleton James Blythe James Hambleton Senr James Hambleton Jnr Archibald McNiel Henry Ramsey David Grymes Solomon Whight William Ramsey

John Adams Micajah Adams Jonathan Adams Daniel Hoggan Wm Anderson Wm McMullin John Kearns Robert Gilliland William Craig Arthur Galbreath Vallentin Bop Robert Williams Peter Morrison* Alexr Mahan John Campbell Thoms Ramsey David Looney John [X] White Conrod Henninger Henry Henninger Michal Henninger John Gre[y] [torn] John Rork John Gilliland Thos Bird Jno Norrice Will Bird Richard Stents Daniel Hinone John South John South Jnr

W. Williams John Williams Jacob Jung Aberham Jung John Shelby jr George Broocks* Samuel [X] Wilson* James Fulkerson John Carmack* Edward Morgin Jacob Fleener Cornelos Carmack Philip Mazen Aadam Fleener Michael Fleener John Fleener Adan yung Nicholas Fleener Jasper Fleener

Christopher fonckhouser Robin handerson John handerson John yous John fonckhouser Henry grimes Christopher fonckhouser jr. peter yous Roben Smidh Cornelos Carmack senor William Carmack Lewis pills John Robinson William Smith William Henderson Rich Canoor Henery [X] Morris Vinson Hobs Joel Hobs Zekle Hobs William Blanton John [X] Bennins Andrew Goff page portwood Senier page portwood Juner

Evan Shelby* thomis [X] portwood John oins Peter Mombaim Bahrents Hergelrots Hen. Harklerode* John McSwain James Shelbey* Garrett [X] fitzgerrell Junr James Sprols James Inglish Isaac Shelby*

John Blanton Moses Shelby Samuel Martin Henry Rice* Nicholas Edwards Elijah Robertson* Frederick Calvit* J[ames] Robertson* Joab Mitchel* John M[   ]er [       ] [      ]ill [       ] Mitchel

John Robertson Jno Honeycut* Edward Hogan Druriah [X] Shaner Mark Robertson* Scarbrough Rees Abraham Sturgin Jno Michael Smithpeter Huberd Rees Abraham Stodghill James Freeland John Green George Freeland Thomas Caldwell* Joseph Martin

Thomas Fletcher Moses Winters* Robert Patterson* Josiah Ramsy Görg Müller Charles Rice William Patterson John Patterson John Harriss James Harriss Thomas Hinson Willm Hinson Garret Fitzgerald Thomas Williams Amos Winters William Ramsey

Jno Blakemore* John Livingston William Gill Robert Killgore David Russell Micall Henagar Wm Davison James Davison Joseph Davison John Tate William Tate James Davison Jnr Jonathan Wood Obadiah Terrell* David Edwards Jess Cane James Carr Kasper Manscoe* George Manscoe Wiliam Livingston Pettar Livingston Robert Tate

Demsey Ward George Ward Junr George Ward William Wood James Linn James Kelly Nathaniel Hicks Jacob Hoffman John Jacobs Thomas Bailey John Bailey William Mitchel Solomon White James Paterson Isaac Linsey Henry Hickey Stephen Holt David Evans Charles Fielden Peter Turney Henry Turney Palser Rouse

John Robison Joseph Hatfield Jas Cauthron Danl M[  ]gle John Keewood George Gobble Abraham Newland George Halfacre Saml Bell Moses Keewood Danell Davison Richard Price*

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Source: Prentice Price, editor, "Two Petitions to Virginia Officials from the North of Holson Men, 1776-1777," in East Tennessee Historical Society Publication 21, 103-110.

Last updated: Wednesday, September 24, 2003

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