A TERRITORY THAT DID NOT BECOME A STATE
Brenda Kellow
July 17, 2011
On the Fourth while resting between preparing for the cookout and fireworks, I relaxed in front of the TV. The History HD channel featured a series about our country. It was about how 48 states got their borders, How the States Got Their Shapes. In talking about Tennessee, the narrator discussed the lost state of Franklin. I thought you might like to read something about it. The series also mentioned the Conch Republic and explained how Key West wanted to secede and become the Conch Republic, but it was more tongue and cheek than reality. The history of the Bear Flag Republic was correct historically as was that of Texas. I’ll cover more on the latter three states another time, but for now the topic is Franklin.
Northeast Tennessee lays claim to a portion of our history that is almost lost to us today. This area of Tennessee has green pastures and rolling hills surrounded on its fringes by mountains. Only a few people are aware of it; however, clues sometimes surface that mystify this highlighted portion of our heritage.
Sometimes, while searching a census, a researcher may run across a person’s state of birth abbreviated as ‘FR.’ Such is the case of Davy Crockett. He was born in a log cabin along the Nolichucky River in 1786. However, we commonly think of Crockett’s birthplace as being Tennessee, not as the ‘lost state of Franklin.’
Actually, Franklin never became a state, but the movement for statehood in making Franklin the fourteenth in the union developed further than any other attempt at attaining statehood. Its leaders formed a de facto government that functioned with a legislative, executive and judicial government. They waged war and negotiated treaties. Franklin functioned between 1784 and 1788, had a population of 25,000 distributed between what is today Sullivan, Washington, Wayne, Greene, Caswell, Spencer, Sevier, and Blunt Counties in Tennessee with Greenville as the capital.
As of 1789, the government of the State of Franklin had collapsed entirely and the territory was firmly back under the control of North Carolina. John Sevier was elected in 1790 to the North Carolina legislature to represent the region. Soon thereafter, the state once again ceded the area that would soon become Tennessee to the national government to form the Southwest Territory. John Sevier became Tennessee's first governor, and John Tipton signed the Tennessee Constitution as the representative from Washington County. Sevier also proposed to commission a flag, but that never came about.
The people of Franklin were mostly young Scots Irish, Irish, German, French Huguenot, and Welsh who came from Virginia and North Carolina. The enterprising families came to this region along the Cumberland River because of its cheap land, and the fact that it bordered the already developing, busy, bounty lands for NC’s revolutionary soldiers. Franklin produced many fine leaders. One such person is Col. John Sevier who became the first governor of Tennessee. Others are David “Davy” Crockett, Col. Joseph Hardin.
To learn more about Franklin and other territories that failed to become states, surf for topics such as Chickamauga Wars, historic regions of the United States, list of United States territories that failed to become states, and the Melungeon people who populated the area. To read publications or eBooks about Franklin visit our local library and Google “books on lost state of franklin.”
GERMAN GENEALOGY SOCIETY: This society invites any person interested in researching their Germanic heritage to join the German Genealogy Group and share experiences with those who range from beginners to professional genealogists. Their site, www.germangenealogygroup.com/Default.htm, says they “work together in assisting our members find their ‘roots’ by providing help sessions, finding aids, lectures, mentoring, a monthly newsletter, translation services, an extensive CD and book lending library and a forum to meet and discuss research problems and solutions.” I want to thank Joanne Corney, Legacy Family Tree Users Group, for this valuable resource.
Brenda Kellow has a bachelor's degree in history, teaches, and lectures on genealogy. Before retiring to publish her family’s histories in 2007, Brenda held certification as a Certified Genealogist and as a Certified Genealogical Instructor. Send reunion announcements, books to review, and genealogy queries to: [email protected].
Northeast Tennessee lays claim to a portion of our history that is almost lost to us today. This area of Tennessee has green pastures and rolling hills surrounded on its fringes by mountains. Only a few people are aware of it; however, clues sometimes surface that mystify this highlighted portion of our heritage.
Sometimes, while searching a census, a researcher may run across a person’s state of birth abbreviated as ‘FR.’ Such is the case of Davy Crockett. He was born in a log cabin along the Nolichucky River in 1786. However, we commonly think of Crockett’s birthplace as being Tennessee, not as the ‘lost state of Franklin.’
Actually, Franklin never became a state, but the movement for statehood in making Franklin the fourteenth in the union developed further than any other attempt at attaining statehood. Its leaders formed a de facto government that functioned with a legislative, executive and judicial government. They waged war and negotiated treaties. Franklin functioned between 1784 and 1788, had a population of 25,000 distributed between what is today Sullivan, Washington, Wayne, Greene, Caswell, Spencer, Sevier, and Blunt Counties in Tennessee with Greenville as the capital.
As of 1789, the government of the State of Franklin had collapsed entirely and the territory was firmly back under the control of North Carolina. John Sevier was elected in 1790 to the North Carolina legislature to represent the region. Soon thereafter, the state once again ceded the area that would soon become Tennessee to the national government to form the Southwest Territory. John Sevier became Tennessee's first governor, and John Tipton signed the Tennessee Constitution as the representative from Washington County. Sevier also proposed to commission a flag, but that never came about.
The people of Franklin were mostly young Scots Irish, Irish, German, French Huguenot, and Welsh who came from Virginia and North Carolina. The enterprising families came to this region along the Cumberland River because of its cheap land, and the fact that it bordered the already developing, busy, bounty lands for NC’s revolutionary soldiers. Franklin produced many fine leaders. One such person is Col. John Sevier who became the first governor of Tennessee. Others are David “Davy” Crockett, Col. Joseph Hardin.
To learn more about Franklin and other territories that failed to become states, surf for topics such as Chickamauga Wars, historic regions of the United States, list of United States territories that failed to become states, and the Melungeon people who populated the area. To read publications or eBooks about Franklin visit our local library and Google “books on lost state of franklin.”
GERMAN GENEALOGY SOCIETY: This society invites any person interested in researching their Germanic heritage to join the German Genealogy Group and share experiences with those who range from beginners to professional genealogists. Their site, www.germangenealogygroup.com/Default.htm, says they “work together in assisting our members find their ‘roots’ by providing help sessions, finding aids, lectures, mentoring, a monthly newsletter, translation services, an extensive CD and book lending library and a forum to meet and discuss research problems and solutions.” I want to thank Joanne Corney, Legacy Family Tree Users Group, for this valuable resource.
Brenda Kellow has a bachelor's degree in history, teaches, and lectures on genealogy. Before retiring to publish her family’s histories in 2007, Brenda held certification as a Certified Genealogist and as a Certified Genealogical Instructor. Send reunion announcements, books to review, and genealogy queries to: [email protected].