The beginnings of
Claiborne County came with the Boundaries Creation of the County Acts of
1801. The Clinch River, where Hawkins and Grainger lines cross, became
the first boundary. The line followed the north bank of the Clinch River
as it does today to a point opposite where the Knox and Grainger line strikes
the said river. That part of Knox later became Union. The line then ran
north, forty five degrees west, to the Kentucky state line. Then east along
the Kentucky line to where the Virginia state line strikes Tennessee, being
the Cumberland Gap of today. Then east with the Virginia-Tennessee line
to a point from which a direct line to the beginning, would leave six hundred
twenty-five square miles in the county of Hawkins.
There were several other changes that took place through the years until the county is what it is today. The most dramatic changes came in 1806 when parts of Claiborne and Anderson were given to form Campbell County, and again in 1844 when Hancock was formed from parts of Claiborne and Hawkins. The last dramatic change took place in 1850 when Union County was formed from Claiborne, Grainger, Campbell, Anderson and Knox Counties.
Subj: [TNCLAIBO-L]
First Districts of Claiborne County, TN.
Date: 7/20/99 10:19:55 PM
Eastern Daylight Time
From: bgood@newageinter.net
(Steve and Barb)
To: TNCLAIBO-L@rootsweb.com
Hi. Hey, this may help
some of you using the early census that shows
districts.
This first layout of CLAIBORNE
County districts was used in some of the
early ones. Remember,
UNION and HANCOCK were not formed yet, and CLAIBORNE
lost some of it's land to
these two counties later.
Hope this helps someone,
Steve
----------
Tazewell, Tennessee
Claiborne County
January 25th 1836
In pursuance of an act of the general Assembly of the state aforesaid and
passed on the third
day of Dec'r, 1835.
Authorising the laying off the several counties in thes tate into convenient
dis
tricts for the purpose
of Electing Justices of the peace Constables and other officers of the
County and State
Aforesaid Therefore we
the commissioners appointed by A Joint Resolution of botyh Houses of the
General Assembly of the state aforesaid passed on the eleventh day of December
1835 Having met in the Town of Tazewell in the county afore said
on the day and state above Written and having been sworn according to Law
did proceed to lay off said Cty into twelve districts in the manner and
form herein.
And hereafter
described . .
District N 1st
Known by the name of
the Clearfork District
Beginning on the Corner
of the said Claiborne and Campbell County lines and on the state line then
with the said state line to the dividing Ridge which divides the Waters
of the Clearfork of Cumberland River and the the Waters of Yellow Creek
then with said dividing Ridge to the top of Cumberland Mountain then with
the main top of sd mountain to the Campbell County line then with sd line
to the place of Begining And that the place of Holding Election in
said District shall be at the House of James Parrott on the Clearfork
District N 2nd
Known by the name of
the Speedwell District
Beginning on the topof
Cumberland Mountain where the
Claiborne and Cmapbell
County lines Crosses the same and Corner to N1 then with said lines to
the Powels River then up said River to where the lot line of the letter
D Crosses the same then with the sd line of Hendersons Grant to the top
of Cumberland Mountain and with the top of sd Mountain to the place of
Beginning.
And that the place for
Holding Elections in said District shall be at the House of James Rogers.
District N 3rd
Known by the name of
Old Town District.
Beginning on the North
Bank of Powels River on the Lot line of the letter D in Hendersons Grant
and Corner to district N2nd then runing up said River to mouth of Gap Creek
then up said Creek to the Bridge above Summa,s Mill then up the Branch
or Hollow so as to in clude Mark Shumates and out at the Head of said Hollow
a direct line to the top of
Cumberland Mountain then
with the same to the state line with said line to the Corner of District
N1 and with the line of the same to the top of Cumberland Mountain then
with the Main top of sd. Mountain to the said lot line of the letter D
and then with the line of said lot line of the lot line of the letter D
to the Begining and that the place
for Holding Elections
in said District shall be at the House of Boston Graves.
District N4
Known by the name of
the Cumberland Gap District
Beginning at the mouth
of Gap Creek on the North band of Powels River then up said River to the
mouth of the Canoe Branch then up said Branch or Hollow and out at the
Head of the same then to the Machine Branch and with the same to the state
line then with the state line to the line of District N3rd and with the
place for Holding Elections in said District
shall be at the John
Wallen Brick House on the Ky stage Road.
District N5th
Known by the name of
the Robcamp District
Beginning at the mouth
of the Canoe Branch on the North Bank of Powels River then up said River
opposite the mouth of Russells Creek then up said creek to the mouth of
the Ceder fork then up said fork to the Head of the same then so
as to cross Wallens Ridge
at the Hendersons Gap then so as to incluse Francis Patterson to the top
of Powels Mountain then up the same to a point opposite the mouth of little
Mulberry Creek then to the same then down Big Mulberry to the Mouth of
the same then up Wallen Ridge opposite to Wm. Bailz old place then so as
to include the same to the state
line then with the state
line to the corner of District N4 then with the same to the Beginning
And that the place for
Holding the Elections in said Dirstict shall be at the House of John Rialey
District N6th
Lnown by the name of
the Mulberry Gap District
Beginning on the top
of the Powels Mountain and Corner of District N5th then runing with said
Mountains so as to incluse Thos King boart? on BlackWater to the Hwkins
County line then with said line to the state and with the state line to
the Corner of N5th then with the lines of the same to the place of the
Beginning
And that the place for
the Holding Elections in said District shall be at the House of Abner Hatfield.
District 7th
Known by the name of
hte Brier Creek District
Beginning on the Hawkins
Cty line and Corner to District N6th and runing thence with said line to
Clinch River then down said River so as to include Robert Grissoms? the
so as to include George Barnard and Michael Pearson to the Corner of District
N5th on the top of the Powels Mountain then to the Corner of District N6th
then to the Beginning.
And that the place for
Holding Elections in said District shall be at the House of the Widow Maden
District N8th
Known by the name of
Cycamore District
Beginning on Clinch River
on the Corner of District N7th Below Robert Grissoms then down said River
to the Road leaving Royal Jinnings ford on Clinch River then with said
Road to the top of Wallens Ridge then with the said Ridgte to Hendersons
Gap to the line District N5th then with the said line to the Corner
of District N5th District
N7th on the top of Powels Mountain then with the line of District N7 to
the Beginning
And that the place of
Holding Elections in said District shall be at Jacob Shultz store on Big
Cycamore Creek
District N9th
Known by the name of
the Tazewell District
Beginning on the top
of Wallens Ridge in Hender sons Gap and Corner to District N8th & N5
then down Ceder fork and Russels Creek with the line of District N5th to
Powels River then down sd River to the mouth of the Lonesome Valley then
up said Valley so as to incluse George Treece Samuel Cloud
and Richard Harper to
the top of the dividing Ridge Between the waters of Barren & Straight
Creeks and with said Ridge so as to incluse Wm Bullard and Mill and then
a direction to the extream Highth of Wallens Ridge then to where
Jennings Road Crosses
the same and and Corner to District N8th then with the top of siad Ridge
to the Beginning
And that the place of
Holding Elections in said District shall be at the Court House in the town
of Tazwell
District N10th
Known by the name of
the Lone Mountain District
Beginning on Clinch River
on Jennings Road and corner to N8th then down siad River to the mouth of
straight Creek then up sd Creek to the mouth of Mays Mill Branch then up
the same to the the dividing Ridge between the waters of Straight Creek
and Barren Creek and with the top of sd Ridge to the line of N9th then
with the same to
Jinnings Road on Wallens
Ridge and Corner to N8th & N9th and with said Road to the Beginning
And that the Place for
Holding Elections in said District shall be at the House of the Rev. Samuel
McBee.
District N11th
Known by the name of
the Sand Lick District
Beginning on Powels River
at the mouth of the lonesome Valley and Corner to District N9th then with
the line of sd Distrcit N9th to the top of the dividing Ridge dividing
the waters of Straight Creek & Barren Creek to the line of District
N10th then with the top of said Ridge to Mays Mill Branch then with the
same to straight Creek then with said Creek to Clinch River then down sd.
River to the mough of little Barren Creek then up said Creek to the Head
of the same
and the A Direct line
to Powels River so as to include James Queens on sd River and then with
the said River to the place of Beginning.
And that the place for
Holding in said District shall be at the House of Elijah Harp.
District 12st
Known by the name of the Big Valley District.
Beginning at the mouth
of little Barren Creek on Clinch River then Runing down sd River to the
Campbell County line the with the said County line to Powels River then
up said River to the Corner of Distrcit N11th then with said line
to the Head of little
Barrne Creek then down sd Creek to the Beginning and that the palce for
Holding Elections in said Distrcit shall be at the House of Henry Sharp
Sr.
Given under our Hands
this 28th day of January 1836
Wm. Rogers
Walter Evans
Elijah Jones
Jas. Overton
(Commissioners for Claiborne Cty. Tennessee)
Here's a useful link for location of certain terrain
features of any location in the US.
Geographic
Names Information System Online Data Base Query Form
From the U. S. Census Bureau
U. S. Gazateer
maps and statistics!!!
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