Columbus encounters the  Americas

1492

Native American tribes live along Tennessee’s rivers

1540

DeSoto and his army cross the Mississippi River at the Indian village of Chisca, now the  site of Memphis

1584

Queen Elizabeth grants Sir Walter Raleigh first land patent to lands in the Americas;  present site of Tennessee is included in grant

1665

Charles II grants Edward Earl, Lord Craven, Lord Ashley Cooper, Sir William Berkeley, et al all the country from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean between 36° 30’ and 29° north latitude.  Tennessee was included.

Colony of Jamestown is established

1607

Pilgrims come to Massachusetts

1619

1673

James Needham and Gabriel Arthur are the 1st Englishmen to enter Tennessee.

1682

Fort Prudhomne built by La Salle on Chickasaw Bluffs, now Memphis, near the mouth of the Hatchie River.

1692

Martin Chartier, one of La Salle’s men, after a stay with Shawnees of Cumberland Valley, travels from French Lick up the Cumberland River and overland to Virginia.

1714

M. Charleville, the French trader from Crozat’s colony at New Orleans, built a  store “on a mound on the west side of the Cumberland River, near French Lick, in the Shawnee country,” near present site of Nashville.

1711

Eleazer Wigon, English trader, establishes trade with Overhill Cherokees.

1715

Cherokees and Chickasaws drive Shawnees out of Tennessee country.

1730

Attakullakulla to England

1739

French build Fort Assumption at site of Memphis.

1742

James Robertson is born, June 28, in Brunswick County, Virginia.  (died in 1814)

1745

John Sevier is born, September 23, in Shenandoah County, Virginia.  (died in 1815)

1747

Governor William Blount, Territorial Governor of Tennessee is born in North Carolina.

1748

Dr. Walker, of Virginia and party penetrate Tennessee, and give the name of Cumberland to the mountains and river, in honor of the Royal Duke of England.

1755

Battle of Taliwa (Nancy Ward)

1756

Treaty with the Cherokees allowing the establishment of forts on Indian lands in Tennessee, made by Governor Dobbs, of North Carolina.

1757

Fort Loudon, first fort in East Tennessee, at the junction of the Tellico and Little Tennessee Rivers, is built by the English under General Andrew Lewis during the French and Indian War.

1758

Fort Chissel, on New River, and Fort Long Island, on Holston River, built by Colonel Byrd.  Stephen Holston, of Virginia, came to Tennessee and gave the name to Holston River.

Rev. John Martin establishes Presbyterian mission at Fort Loudon.

1760

Garrison at Fort Loudon massacred by the Indians

Daniel Boone, being a member of Walker’s expedition, left the following inscription on a beech on Boone’s Creeik, not far from Jonesboro:  “D. Boon cilled A BAR on tree in The year 1760.”

Timothy Demonbruen visits Nashville

1761

Colonel Grant burns Indian town of Etchoe

First permanent settlement of Anglo-Americans on the Watauga River in this year

1762

Wallen’s expedition traversed as far as the Cumberland River, and gave the name to Walden’s Ridge.

Treat of Paris ends French and Indian War

1763

Treaty of Paris ends the French and Indian War.  England is given the sovreignty of the region east of the Mississippi River.

            King George III issues the Proclamation of 1763

1764

Daniel Boone and Samuel Calloway came as hunters for “Henderson’s Company” to the Cumberland Mountain

            Henry Scoggins fixed the first Anglo-American station, called Mansker’s Lick, west of the Cumberland Mountains in Tennessee

1766

land included Indians cede in Tennessee to King  George III

            Colonel James, Joshua Horton, Uriah Stone, and William Baker of Carlisle, Pennsylvania with a Negro slave belonging to Horton, explore to Nashville, and name Stone’s River after Stone

1767

Andrew Jackson born, March 15, at the Waxhaw settlement, South Carolina (died 1845)

1768

Treaty of Stanwix with the Six Nations passed Tennessee to the King of England

Hard Labor Treaty  - extends the Tryon Mountain line

1769

William  and Lydia Bean built cabin at the junction of the Watauga River and Boone’s Creek;  Russell Bean, first white child, is born in Tennessee

            Company of Virginians, under Abraham Bledsoe and Casper Mansker come to Nashville;  see immense herds of buffalo and other game.

1770

Carter’s Valley, now Rogersville, settled

            General James Robertson comes to Tennessee;  settles on the Watauga River

            Colonel James Knox leads a hunting and exploring party as far west as the mouth of the Cumberland

Lockaber Treaty signed by the Cherokee

1771

Jacob Brown opens store on the Nolichucky River at Fort Gillespie

            Casper Mansker established a station on Station Camp Creek, in Sumner County.

Battle of Alamance -  May 16

James Robertson moves family across mountains from North Carolina

1772

Watauga Association is formed

Robertson & Boone lease  Watauga area from Indians

Council at  Sycamore Shoals on the Watauga, Richard Henderson & Indians

Henderson purchases land between Kentucky & Cumberland Rivers

Presbyterian Church established at Watauga, Rev. Charles Cummins

1774

Captain Evan Shelby & 50 Tennesseans participate as “volunteers” in Battle of Point Pleasant or Kanawha

Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence - Adopted in NC

1775

Battles of Lexington and Concord

NC Provincial Congress  agrees to bear part of expense of the continental army

Wataugans compel Brown’s or Nolichucky settlement (Tories) to take the oath of fidelity to the revolutionary cause

Treaty of Sycamore Shoals

NC Provincial Congress passes resolutions in favor of United Colonies declaring independence from Britain

1776

Petition filed at Raleigh asking that the Watauga settlement be annexed to North Carolina under the name of the “Washington District” - August 22

Declaration of Independence signed - July 4

J. Seviere, J. Carter, J. Haile, J. Womack, & C. Robertson elected delegates to the Provicial Congress of NC as delegates from Washington District (pop. 600)

Battle of Island Flats - July 20; Cherokee War - May-June, 1776

Old Abraham attacks Watauga - July 21

Dragging Canoe moves South toward Chattanooga (chickamaugas)

Thomas Sharpe Spencer lives in hollow of sycamore tree at Bledsoe’s Lick, now Castalian Springs and makes a crop

1777

Court of Common Pleas & Quarter Sessions provided for Washington District;  becomes Washington Co., with boundary of Mississippi River;  taken off of Burke & Wilkes counties, NC

1778

French trading post erected ath the Bluff, now Nashville

First plantation at Bledsoe’s Lick

Jonesboro, first town in Tennessee, established by NC

1779

First Baptist Church in state established by Tidence Lane on Buffalo Ridge

Sullivan Co. established;  Isaac Shelby appointed to command the militia

James Robertson to Middle Tennessee; arrives Dec., 25, 1779

John Donelson voyage to Middle Tennessee, Dec. 22 - April 24, 1780

Col. Henderson, Dr. Thomas Walker, Gen. Daniel Smith, Wm. P. Smith - appointed commissioners to extend Jefferson & Fry lines between Virginia & NC

1780

Donelson Party arrives in Middle Tennessee - April 24

Cumberland Compact signed - May 1;  fort on the bluffs named Nashborough

John Sevier (Washington Co.) with 100 & Isaac Shelby  (Sullivan Co.) with 200 Tennesseans join the Revolutionary army as volunteers; troops assemble at Sycamore Shoals - Sept. 25

Battle of King’s Mountain - October 7

1781

Battle of the Bluffs - April 2

John Sevier becomes a member of the NC legislature

1782

NC legislature passes act allowing  Cumberland settlers  rights to  buy sell western lands

Military Reservation Act

Davidson Academy established - Thomas Craighead

Treaty of Paris ends American Revolution

1783

Greene Co. established

Davidson County - October 16;  James Robertson - 1st representative to NC legislature

First Methodist circuit preacher comes to Holston Circuit

1784

North Carolina cedes western lands to the U. S. government - June 2

NC cedes land west of Appalachians to U. S.  - April

1784

Convention of Washington, Greene, & Sullivan Counties meets at Jonesboroough to hold constitutional convention to form a state

NC rescinds cession of western lands -

Nashville established;  Andrew Jackson appointed Judge of Superior Court of Law & Equity of Davidson Co. by NC - July 4

2nd convention at Jonesborough;  John Sevier, Pres;  Constitution formed, new state is named Franklin;  John Sevier is appointed Brigadier-General by NC

North Carolina rescinds cession of western lands

1785

First legislature meets at Jonesborough;  John Sevier is elected Governor by legislature;  legislature creates Spencer Co. (now Hawkins), Caswell (now Jefferson) & Sevier counties

Franklin legislature responds to NC - March 27, 1785;  Greeneville Convention adopts Constitution of the State of Franklin;  Greeneville to be the capital of Franklin

North Carolina’s Governor Martin responds to Franklin legislature - April 25

Treaty of Hopewell - November

1786

Washington Co. elects John Tipton, Senator, & James Stuart and Richard White  representatives to NC legislature

dual courts set up in Franklin;  both NC & Franklin attempt to collect taxes; 

William Cocke - sent on a mission by Franklin to NC;  NC still continues to recognize the sovereignty of the new state

NC establishes Sumner and Hawkins counties

J. Robertson & Daniel Hays chosen Representatives from Davidson Co. to NC legislature

Treaty of Coyatee - August

emergence of strong Anti-Franklin group led by J. Tipton

Establishment of White’s Fort

Constitutional Convention meets in Philadelphia

1787

NC passes act of amnesty & pardon for all connected with the government of the state of Franklin

Evan Shelby elected Governor of Franklin - August

Knoxville settled

Constitution is Ratified

1788

Franklin ceases to exist - February 1

NC licenses A. Jackson, John McNairy, David Allison, Archibald Roane, & Joseph Hamilton  to practice law

John Sevier corresponds with Spanish diplomatic representative in Florida

John Sevier denied right to hold office in NC;  slaves seized

Tennessee County is established including what is now Montgomery, Robertson, &  Stewart counties

NC passes a law “to encourage the building of iron-works” by exempting them from taxation for 10 years, and granting them a bounty of 3000 acres of vacant land

John Sevier peacefully surrenders to North Carolina

George Washington becomes first President

1789

John Sevier is elected to Congress from westernmost district of NC which includes all of Tennessee

Mero District established, composed of Davidson, Sumner, & and Tennessee counties

North Carolina  legislature ratifies U. S. Constitution - Nov,

Memorandum of Concessions of Westerners

NC legislature passes act ceding to US all territory of which Tennessee is composed - Dec. 12, 1789

John Sevier - elected Senator from Greene Co. to NC legislature

1790

Congress accepts NC’s cession fo western lands - April 2, May 26

Congress passes an act for government of the Territory South of the Ohio River (Tennessee)

William Blount appointed Governor of the Territory - Dec. 15, 1790