Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1897-01-27
PIONEER DAYS IN TENNESSEE.
Our History Made Resplendent by valorous
Sires, Whose Names Tan Be Recalled
by a Glance at the Map.

old settlers who were among the path
finders of this section, and whose
intrepidity and valor history will ever
chisel on the granite pages of time. says
the Philadelphia Times.
Middle Tennessee, then called Cum
berland, did not begin to be settled till
about ITO, ten years after the settling
OF East Tennessee. The inhabitants of
the Watauga settlements continued
under the control Of their com mission.
ers for number Of years. Shortly
after they arrived in the country they
made treaty with the Indians and
leased the lands in ordersso ,avoid hos
tilities; although at that time the near.
est Cherokee town was on the banks of
Little Tennessee. Not long after the
advent of the settlers upon the Wa.
tauga, settlements were made on the
Holston and Nolachucky Rivers, and
in Carter's Valley, some distance above
the spot where Rogersville is now stu
ated. In the year l772 man by the
name of Jacob Brown established a
small store on the Nolachucky, and
Parker & Carter opened mercantile
establishment in Carter's Valley, the
latter being subsequently, robbed by
the Indians. These were the first bust.
ness houses of which there is any
record in the State of Tennessee. The
Indians, however, we're generally peac.
able and the settlers were, not very
much afraid of them.
A rupture was narrowly averted at
horse race in the Watauga Valley,
when man named Crabtree, from
Wolf Hills, Va, near where Abingdon
is now, is said to have killed an Indian,
The settlers we're much alarmed about
this, and James Robertson, afterwards
Gen. Robertson, made'a iournay to the
Cherokee towns, explained matters
and stopped fight aud probably
massacre.
Peace and quietness reigned in the
colony till 1774. In this year the
Shawnees made campaign into the
country and penetrated as far as that
point of the territory now known as
Sullivan County. In July of that year
the Governor of Virginia sent out an
expedition under the command of Col
Lewis, and on this inform alton reach.
ing the new colony. Capt Evan Shelby
raised a volunteer compa. SS.of over
fifty men, among whom ss.zxe the
SEWERS aiId Robeftsons. fsRving joined
the Lewis army at Greenbrier Flats in
September, the army marched to the
mouth of the Great Kanawha, where
they arrived in October. On October
10 Sergt. James Robertson and Sergt.
Valentine Sewer, while hunting, dis.
covered body of Indians stealthily
marching upon the nnsuspecting pro.
vincials. The two sergeants opened fire
ON the onemy and by so doing alarmed
the camp. A hot engagement followed,
which lasted all day and occasioned
to the white force loss of 1850 men,
killed and wounded, and the Indians
lost about the same mum ber. At the
time of this fight the first Congress of
the United States was in sessisn, and
the news of the victory of the white
forces over the Indians was reported
to the House and there was great re-
joicing. 1t is said that in this fight
the Indians had 800 braves, com posed
of Shawnees, Delawares and Mingoes.
AS the news of the victory spread
abroad it inspired intending settlers
with confidence, and in the fall of 1774
the Cherokees ceded portion of their
lands to a company composed of Rich
ard Henderson and others. A chief
named Oconostoto objected to ceding
any land, and showed very hostile
attitude. In few days afterwards
Boyd and Daggett, two Virginians,
were killed at the mouth of the Hol-
ston, on creek, now called Boyd's
Creek.
About this time Alexander Cameron,
the British agent, then residing among
the Indians, is said to have urged them
to make war upon the Holston settle
ment. but there Is no proof that he did
so. Anyway, in June, 1778, a formid.
able invasion of these settlements was
planned and carried into execution,
with the hope of driving whites QUITO
the country. 1t appears that half
breed named Nancy Wards relative
of Oconostoto's, heard OF the proposed
massacre and warned the whites, who
soon mobilized about 900 men. On
June % battle vas fought and the
white forces drove the Indians back
and inflicted loss upon Them in killed
and wounded of fully fifty men, while
the whites only lost oneman, Rufus
Hart, killed, and twenty three wound.
ed, among whom was William Mitch
ell, who died few weektlater. Upon
the same day the Indians under the
command of old Abram, Of Chilhowee,
attacked the fort at Wahuga, where
Capt. Robertson was in command, and
Capt. afterwards Gov. Sevier) was
one of his aides.
A portion OF the settlersdid not have
time to reach the fort before the enemy
was upon them, and William Moore
and Mrs. Beene were takn prisoners.
Moore, it is said, was burned at the