The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-01
TENNESSEE HAS
 BIRTHDAY TODAY State Has Done Full Duty In
 Every War LONG LIST OF NOBLE MEN Only Two Cities in America Have More Educational Institutions Than
 NashVlle-storles of Fa.
 nous state's History.
LONG LIST OF NOBLE MEN
BY FREDERIC j. HAskiN.


 Tennessee, the first state formed from territory owned by the federal govern ment, and the sixteenth state In the union, was admitted on June l, 179d. The Yolun- teer state is, therefore, one hundred and eleven years old today, It's story is one of the most interesting of the many thrill ing stories of the states. The WatRuga association formed by the pioneers of the first permanent Anglo7Ameriean Hottle- ment in Tennessee, was the first free government i'm North America. According to Theodore Roosevelt these pioneers, by the articles of 1772. were the first men of American birth to establish free and Independent community on the continent; they outlined, in advance. the nations work
 It was from Watauga in East Tennessee that the pioneers who settled In Kentucky went forth, and this fact gives Tennessee the honor fo being the first of the states west of the Appalachians to be founded by Anglo-American people The Watauga settlement was followed by many others as 1t had been preceded few years by Been's station. Gen. Evan Shelby was one of these early pioneers. He was great woodsman and lover of free insti- tutlons. His son Isaac Shelby later dis tinguished himself at Kings mountain, and was the first governor of Kentucky. John Seyier was there, as was also James Roberston honored by the title the Father of Tennessee
 When the war for American indepen- denee broke out the Tennesseans were quick to act, and In 1775, more than a year before the formal declartion of h. dependence, the Tennessee settlements united themselves as an independent gov ernment under the name of the Washlngton district. This was the first geographical division in the United States to be named for George Washington, and that name was given before the United States had came into separate existence. The name IS preserved in Washington country, Ten nessee, which still remains although much reduced in area. Within the present boun- daries of this county the first college west of the Appalachans were erected by the sturdy Scotch Presbyterians, and Washington college is stin In operation. In this county was published the first newspaper to openly advocate abolition of slavery, as early as 1920. The court house at Jonesbofo is a museum of American historical relies which cannot be equall9d save by the great collections of the his- torcal societies.
 James Robertson who had commanded Fort Watauga when the Indian attacks were repulsed, decided to settle the rich country In the valley of the Cumberland which hunters and scouts had spoken of so fairly. With seven other pioneers and a negro, Robertson reached the site of Nashville, which they named Nash borough in honor of General Nash of the revolutionary army in 1779. They planted corn, left few men and returned to Watauga for their families The next winter Robertson returned with over two hundred settlers and began building houses and making ready for their fam files, who were coming by river.
 This fotilla of thirty or forty small boats were commanded by Col John Donelson. It left Fort Patrick Henry on Holston river, came into the Tennessee river, descended that stream to its mouth at what is now Paducan, Ky, went up the Ohio ten miles to the mouth of the