Christy Martin: Land grants and early Tennessee settlement

Christy Martin examines the history of land acquisition in what is now Blount County, Tennessee, during the late 18th century. The area was initially part of North Carolina territory, which required settlers to go through a legal grant process to own land. The ownership of the land changed several times, passing from North Carolina to the State of Franklin, back to North Carolina, and then to the federal Southwest Territory before becoming a state. North Carolina established entry taker's offices to process land claims, where applicants paid fees based on acreage, with prices varying depending on the type of grant. The article notes that the price was the same regardless of the land's quality, whether it was valuable riverfront property or rocky mountainous terrain. After payment, a warrant was issued to a surveyor who created a plat and legal boundary description, which were then sent to the Secretary of State to issue the grant. Many of Blount County's earliest land grants were registered in other counties before Blount was officially formed. Some early settlers obtained property through military service, with North Carolina granting land to Continental Line soldiers and their heirs as payment for their war debts. Grants ranged from 228 acres for a private to 12,000 acres for a brigadier, with special allotments for high-ranking officers like General Nathaniel Green. However, the article highlights that land fraud was rampant during this period, with Secretary of State James Glasgow exploiting his position to assist speculators in obtaining land meant for veterans. The fraud became widely known by 1797, prompting North Carolina officials to intervene and require muster rolls to prove service. Many veterans eventually sold their land grants to others who chose to settle the land. One notable application was made in 1777 by Archibald Sloan, who requested land on the "north fork of Nine Mile Creek, includes the big spring on the warpath." The request was initially denied because the area was considered Native American territory at the time but was granted decades later. The article concludes by noting that many of those who received land grants only gained title to them in the 1800s, after Tennessee became a state and Blount was officially a county.

(Source：The Daily Times)