The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-07-16

To THE KNOXVILLE TRIBUNE:

KNOXVILLE, Tenn, July AT the
request of some of your readers who
were interested in the account in the
TRIBUNE of the recent visit to Old
Fort Loudon, l send herewith few
memoranda OF a late trip to another
spot of great interest in the early his
tory OF East Tennessee, viz the scene
of the downfall OF the estate OF Frank
land" At this spot, in the early part
of 1888, that short rebellious State came
to sudden end by the defeat OF the
followers of Governor Sewer, by the
forces of the North Carolina Sheriff of
Washington county, John Upton.
The following extract from Hildreth's
History Of the United States (Vol. 3,
PIP 539-540), presents brief summary
OF the transaction:
"The State of Frankland, organized
in despite of the authority of North
Carolina in the district West of the
Mountains, had maintained its exis-
tence and struggled for the admins
tration during the whole sf the year
1887. Some countenance had been re-
ceived from the Georgians, who wish
ed to engage the Franklanders in an
expected war with the Creeks but the
partisans of North Carolina had con-
stantly grown stronger and stronger.
Early in the present year, Upton,
their leader, had brought matters to a
crisis by causing the slaves of Cover
nor Sewer to be seized, during his alb
sence, on an execution issued against
him by one of the County Courts act
ing under the authority OF North Car
olina. The slaves, for safe keeping,
were carried to Tipton's house, which
Sewer presently beleagured with
hundred and fifty men and small
piece of cannon. Upton, with some
fifteen friends hastily assembled, stood
on his defence and after siege of a
day or two, just as Sewers men were
preparing to rush to the assault, he
was Unexpectedly relieved by strong
party which had mustered for his as
sistance. Seized with sudden panic,
Sewers party fled and dispersed. Sew
eral persons were wounded, and one
or two killed in this affray. Sewers
two sons were taken prisoners, and it
was not without difficulty that Upton
was dissuaded from hanging them on
the spot. Sewer fled to the frontier
where he had many partisans, and
where a war with the Cherokees had
lately broken out. With his flight the
State of Frankland expired"
Such is the story in brief. Hay
wood and Ramsey, in their respective
works on the History Of Tennessee,
narrate these events with greter cir
cumstantiality and far greater inter
est. To the interesting scene of this
conflict, and this death of the State OF
Frankland, in company with the am
ateur artist, Mr.. Sam. ID. Simcox, OF
Knoxville, / paid visit. Going from
Knoxville to Johnson City by railway
we walked two miles in Southeastern
ly direction and came to this noted To-
cality, approaching 1t along the old
road from Jonesboro, over which the
irate Sewer and his followers had
marched. We had the pleasure Of
meeting the courteous and agreebls
Mr., s.. w ,Simerly near his home, hs
being the owner of the historic spoI
at which Upton and his adherenti
fortified themselves to resist the onsei
of SEWER and his followers. We saw 1
very large chincapin tree near tn,
house at which tree Sewer, made hi
headquarters; and beyond, the sprini
that supplied water to the beseiget
Tiptonites. Very near to the spring
rises small nhillock of fragmentar,
limestone rocks which served SEWER
men for breast-work from which the,
could fire on Tipton's men when the!
emerged from the house ThelTiptOl
party was thus cut off from a suppl,
of water and tradition tells that tn,
artifce OF sending woman to tn
spring for water became 30 annoying
to the Sevierites that one of them pu
a stop to her services by shooting he
: in the eshouldcr-infiicting dangerou
. and disabling wound, but not a MOI
tai one. Mr.. Simcox succeeded in sc
curing excellent photographs of thi
historic house--of the chincapin tire
the spring-the naturalbreast-work
close by, and many other objects ofir
> terest. Only hundred yards fror
this spring is the spot where Danit
! Boone fixed his seli-made cabin j
the wilderness the year in which h
made the famous inscription on til
beech-tree a few miles away"D ID. Boo
. killed bar on tree in the year, 1850
D Mr.. Simcox also obtained good pht
tograph ofapicturesque limestone eli
" near the base of Buffalo Mountain
quarter of mile from Mr.. Simerly
house, In the cliff is large orifiC
frov,o v,b;ob Y1o,,rS fnupfh a oOrt;uun,