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Click here to view the Foreword and Table of Contents of the book Tennessee Land: Its Early History and Laws.
Tennessee Land: Its Early History & Laws
Foreword
This book was written as an introduction to Tennessee's land history and laws for historians
and genealogists. Our grand state is unique for many reasons. Students of Tennessee history
recognize this, but most are unaware of the state's unusual land laws and historic
transactions.
Tennessee is considered a "metes and bounds" state. However, a large portion of it was also set apart in townships and ranges as in public-land states. Tennessee litigated its boundaries
with neighboring states until the mid-19th Century. North Carolina and
Virginia both claimed portions of Tennessee prior to its statehood. Its eastern lands made up
the largest part of the short-lived State of Franklin. Tennessee had to honor North
Carolina's unresolved land grants for many years following statehood, and Tennessee was
unable to grant its own lands for the first ten years of its existence.
Tennessee land was the basis of the worst land fraud scheme in the history of the United
States.
Land historian Fred Smoot wrote, "Why doesn't Tennessee today have a usable system of
land division and identification? Apathy, misunderstanding, and poorly trained deputy
surveyors have all played a part." Land was pioneer Tennesseans' most valuable asset. Its
ownership and transfer had social, political, and economic ramifications at every level.
Modern researchers must have a solid foundation in Tennessee's land history and early laws
before they will be able to understand the actions of historic Tennesseans.
Billie won First Place in the Journals category of the Council of Genealogical Columnists
1997 Excellence-in-Writing Competition. She won Second Place in the same competition in
1996. The East Tennessee Historical Society presented Billie with its 1997 History in
the Media award for her work to promote Tennessee history and genealogy on the
Internet.
Contents |
Chapter 1: Land Transactions in Colonial
"Tennessee"
- Opening the Lands West of the Alleghenies
- Colonial Boundary Issues
- Early Surveys and Settlement
- Early Treaties with Native Americans
Chapter 2: Private Land Development &
Speculation
- Transylvania Company's Purchase
- Additional Activity at Sycamore Shoals
Chapter 3: Land as Incentive or Payment for Military
Service
- Federal Level
- State Level
- North Carolina
Chapter 4: Development of Non-Military
Lands
- Treaty of the Long Island in the Holston
- Washington District and County
- Western Lands and Westward Migration
- The Non-Military Grant Process
Chapter 5: "Land Grab" Act of
1783
Chapter 6: The Region in
Transition
- North Carolina's First Cession to the U. S.
- Treaty of Hopewell
- State of Franklin
- North Carolina's Second Cession to the U. S.
- Territory of the United States South of the River Ohio
- Treaty of the Holston
Chapter 7: Tennessee as a State
- State Boundary Issues
- Kentucky
- Virginia
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- North Carolina
- Georgia
- North Carolina and Tennessee Reach Settlement; School Lands Appropriated
- Ceded Lands and the Federal Government
- Pre-Emption Rights
- Tennessee's Land Offices
- West Tennessee Lands
- School Lands
- Act of 1821 to Limit Time for Registering Grants
- Acts of 1823 Governing "Available" Lands
- Civil Districts in Tennessee Counties
- Location of Land Records
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Chapter 8: Land Grant Fraud in Tennessee
Chapter 9: An Introduction to Tennessee's Confusing
Historic Land Laws
- Intestate Succession
- Lineal Descendants
- Collateral Kindred
- Ascendants
- Testate Decedents
- Dower Right
- "Courts of Competent Jurisdiction"
- Other Anomalies and Points of Interest
- Duplicate Registration
- Transcription of Records
- Chancery Deed
- Probate of Deeds
- Land Grants
- Quitclaim
- Adverse Possession
- Race [to the Courthouse] State
- Transfers of Land by Females
- Time Requirements
- Property Settled in Consideration of Marriage
- Disaster Recovery
- New Counties
- Indices Required
- Statutes of Limitation
- Judgments by State of Franklin Courts
Bibliography
Suggestions for Continued Research
Index
Maps
- Boundary Lines of Important Surveys and Indian Treaties
- Locations of First "Tennessee" Settlements (1772-1779)
- Boundaries of the Treaty of Long Island, 1777
- Primary Jurisdiction of Washington County After Its Establishment in 1777
- Land Claims of Colonies & Private Interests, circa 1750
- North Carolina's "Tennessee" Counties in 1783
- Counties of the State of Franklin, circa 1786-1788
- North Carolina's "Tennessee" Counties, 1786
- Counties of the Southwest Territory, 1792
- Boundaries of Major Tennessee Land Districts
- Tennessee's Surveyors' Districts
Tables
- Allowed Amounts for Military Grants
- Military Grants for Service in Creek Wars
- Some Recipients of Large Amounts of Tennessee Land
- Individuals Accused in Glasgow Land Fraud
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