Davidson County Tennessee Land Warrants

In 1782, the Legislature of North Carolina enacted a law for the benefit of the officers and soldiers of North Carolina in the Revolutionary war. Lender this law Absalom Looney, Isaac Shelby and Anthony Bledsoe were appointed commissioners to lay off a tract of land to be held as a reservation for the military grants. Beginning at a point near where Elk River crosses the southern boundary, they ran a line fifty miles north, and thence due west to the Mississippi river, and declared all the land west and south of these lines the "Military Reservation." The Indians protested against this reservation, as it encroached upon their territory, and the officers and soldiers were dissatisfied with it.

The next year, 1783, the North Carolina Legislature amended the previous law, and established the boundaries of the military reservation by statute. Beginning at the point where Cumberland River crosses the Virginia line at its eastern crossing, the boundary ran due south fifty miles, thence due west to Tennessee River, thence with that river to the Virginia line, thence with that line to the beginning.

All lands within this rectangle not previously granted or occupied by actual settlers were reserved for military grants. The settlers who already occupied lands were entitled to the right of pre-emption.

In 1781 the general land offices were closed. In 1782 an act was passed relative to grants and pre-emptions in the military reservation, and a private act was passed in 1784, designating by name a large number of settlers entitled to the right of preemption. The act of April, 1784, declared void all entries made after May, 1784, except entries of land allowed the commissioners, agents and surveyors who extended the line of the military reservation, and the guards, hunters, chain carriers and markers who attended the commissioners

We give abstracts of a number of orders or warrants from Samuel Barton, entry taker for Davidson County, North Carolina, and later for the same county in the territory south of the river Ohio, addressed to the surveyor of said county authorizing and directing him to lay off and survey for the persons named the lands described therein. In many cases these descriptions refer to an entry and pre-emption made some years previously. The lands were within the limits of the military reservation, and the warrants seem to have been made in favor of those who fell within the operation of the exempting clause. Major Samuel Barton, besides being entry taker and justice of the peace, was the first named of five persons authorized by the General Assembly of North Carolina to establish the town of Nashville.

320 acres of land on Stone's River for Alexander Greer assignee of George Glas a soldier in the Commissioners' Guard to lay off the land granted the Continental line of this State. April 8 1784.

640 acres on Thompson's Creek for Danl. Dunham assignee of Ephraim McCrory assignee of James Bradley. April 15, 1784

320 acres on Arrington's Creek for William Edmonson a soldier in the Commissioner's Guard. May 5, 1784.

320 acres on Cumberland River for James Clendenan a soldier in the Commissioner's Guard. May 5, 1784.

640 acres for Zachariah Green on Station Camp Creek. May 6 1784

640 acres for John Dunken on Spencer's Creek. May 17 1784

640 acres Stewart's Creek for John Fulkison. May 21 1784

480 acres on Red River for William Davidson a corporal in the Commissioner's Guard. June 19 1784

320 acres on Richland Creek for William Fork assignee of James Gilkieson a soldier in the Commissioner's Guard. June 30 1784

640 acres on Stewart's Creek for John Cockrill. July 10 1784

640 acres on Skegg's Creek a branch of Big Barren River for Michael Castilio. July 13 1784

640 acres on Station Camp Creek for the heirs of John Calloway. July 22 1784

640 acres on Gaspare's Creek two miles below the old station on Bledsoe's Lick trace for John Grant assignee of Henry Ride. July 22 1784

640 acres on the first big creek above the mouth of Drake's Lick for the heirs of James Crutchfield. July 30 1784

320 acres on Bledsoe's Creek for Daniel Carlin assignee of Hugh Rogan a soldier in the Commissioner's Guard. August 7, 1784

640 acres on Stones' River for the heirs of John Evins. August 3, 1784

640 acres on Roaring River at the place where Crockett was killed Including a Hunter's Camp with a Spring for Phenis Cox. August 9, 1784

640 acres on Miller's Creek on the Sulphur Fork for Benjamin Dreak. August 10, 1784

640 acres on Stuart's Creek for the heirs of William Green. August 23, 1784

640 acres on Cumberland River above the mouth of Bledsoe's Creek for Jonathan Green. August 23, 1784

640 acres on the second Big Creek above Stone's River Station for Danl Chambers assignee of Robert Cartwright. August 27, 1784

640 acres on Cumberland River about a mile and a half from Jones Improvement down the river to include an old cabin made by William Stuart for Danl. Chambers. August 27, 1784

640 acres on the West side of Little Harpeth River about a mile and a half west from Sampson Sawyers Improvement for James Givens. August 27, 1784

640 acres on Little Harpeth River where the road from Johnson's Lick crosses, for William Griffen and Bartlett Sercy. August 27, 1784

640 acres on Cumberland and Stone's Rivers for William Dobbins assignee of Charles Taylor. October 3, 1784

640 acres on Goose Creek above Bledsoe's Lick for Stokley Donalson assignee of William Price. October 25, 1784

640 acres on Stewart's Creek for William Campbell. October 25, 1784

320 acres on Red River for Robert Gordon a soldier in the Commissioners Guard. October 27, 1784

320 acres on Cumberland River for Andrew Castleman assignee of Benjamin Castleman a soldier in the Commissioner's Guard.

640 acres on Cumberland River below Stuart's Creek for Lardner Clark assignee of Jacob McCarty assignee of Henry Sparrow. November 30, 1784

320 acres on Red River for Lardner Clark assignee of James Gibson a soldier in the Commissioners Guard. December 22, 1784

640 acres on Cumberland River for Lardner Clark assignee of John Gibson. December 22, 1784

To James Sanders Surveyor:

Sir: Please to destroy Two warrants in the name of John Gibson one for a preemption and one for a guard right and this shall be your warrant 22nd December 1784
Saml. Barton E. T.

640 acres on Richland Creek for William Cathey assignee of Peter Turney, assignee of Michael Lanick. December 27, 1784

640 acres on Stewarts Creek for William Campbell and George Cathey. December 27, 1784

320 acres on Mill Creek on the Buffalo Road that leads from the French Lick for Lardner Clark assignee of James Todd a soldier in the Guard. January 12, 1784

640 acres on Indian Creek for William Cocke assignee of John Barber assignee of John Hendricks. December 3, 1784

640 acres on Harpeth River joining Hugh Leeper's preemption; for William Cocke assignee of Even Baker. December 31, 1784

640 acres on Cumberland River at the mouth of Cedar Creek for James Green. December 31, 1784

640 acres on Thompson's Creek for John Elliott assignee of Danl. Dunham. January 8, 1785

320 acres on the forks of Hays' Creek for Lardner Clark assignee of Benjamin Castleman a soldier in the Commissioner's Guard, ______ 2nd 1785

320 acres on Station Camp Creek beginning at James Crocketts South East corner for Elmore Douglas assignee of George Blackemore. February 4, 1785

320 acres on Station Camp Creek adjoining Elmore Douglas' preemption for Robert Gordon a soldier in the Commissioner's Guard. Feby 4, 1785

640 acres on Cumberland River below the mouth of Sinking Creek for John Dunahoe assignee of Ebenezer Man. February 28, 1785

640 acres on Cumberland River above Red River adjoining a military claim located by Jonathan Dreak for John Deason. April 19, 1785

640 acres in the forks of Stones River and Cumberland beginning at the lower corner of the public land for John Donalson. May 6, 1785

640 acres on Drake's Creek for Lardner Clark assignee of Henry Wadkins. June 8, 1785

640 acres on Cumberland River joining the public survey of Drake's Lick, for James Crabtree assignee of John Brown assignee of Charles Bowen. June 24, 1785

640 acres on the Main Harpeth River beginning at Capt. Anthony Sharps' corner, for John Craig. June, 24 1785

640 acres on Bigg Harpeth beginning at John Donalson's corner for George Galespie assignee of Stephen Wray, assignee of William Bradshaw, assignee of George Scott. June 24 1785

640 acres on Arrington's Creek for James Elliott assignee of Sampson Wilson. June 24, 1785

640 acres on Big Harpeth beginning at Alexander Nelson's corner for William Elliott assignee of Ralph Wilson. June 24, 1785

320 acres on Harpeth Waters adjoining Drake's preemption, for John Elliott assignee of Sampson Williams a soldier in the Commissioner's Guard. June 24, 1785

640 acres on Cedar Lick Creek beginning at Sam Mosby's corner, for Aguila Carmack assignee of Martin Harden. June 4, 1785

640 acres on Goose Creek for the heirs of John Callaway. September 9, 1785

640 acres on the waters of Bledsoe's Creek to adjoin the lands of Roger Topp and David Wilson for James Lee a chain carrier. September 9, 1785

640 acres on Barton's Creek below the meat cribs, for Benjamin Drake. September 13, 1785

640 acres on the south side of the Cumberland River beginning about one mile below the second creek on the south side of Cumberland above the Virginia line for Lardner Clark and Adam Wicuff assignees of John Gibson. December 2, 1785

640 acres on the south side of Cumberland River one mile from Nealey's Pond, for Stockley Donaldson and William Terrell Lewis assignees of Morgan Ogburn. January 17, 1786

640 acres on Marrowbone including the Improvement late the property of James Ray taken by attachment at the suit of Stephen Ray, for Justinian Cartwright. March 30, 1787

640 acres on the North side of Little Harpeth as per entry No 473 June 7, 1783 for James Crockett assignee of Richard Gross. October 5, 1786

480 acres on Whites' Creek about one mile above Henry Turneys, as per entry No 532 July 17, 1784, for Alexander Caveat assignee of James Nowland a corporal in the Commissioners Guard. July 24, 1787

640 acres on Bledsoe's Creek beginning nearly a mile west of Deshea's preemption as assignee of Andrew Lucas, for Richard
Hogan. May 7, 1789

640 acres on Heaton's Station Creek including the improvement made by William Ellis as per entry No 591 August 23 1784 for Alexander Caveat assignee of the heirs of Geo. Bidwell assignee of the heirs of John Lumsden. May 7, 1789

640 acres on the south side of Cumberland on a branch of brown's creek on the south road including a spring and improvements about 5 miles from the French lick and a mile from an improvement that Saml. Barton claims and Improved in the year 1780 by Nicholas Gentry as per entry No. 243 February 6 1784; for John Gentry Heir of Nicholas Gentry September 16, 1789

Territory south of the River Ohio, Davidson County

640 acres in the forks of the second big creek above the mouth of Stone's River to John Donalson assignee originally of William Burgess as per entry No 573 entered August 12, 1784. December 12, 1792.

Davidson County
January 3, 1786
I do hereby certify that this day Robert Nelson came before me a Justice of the Peace for the said county and made oath that he would faithfully and truly execute the office of Deputy Surveyor in Davidson County without favor or partiality and agreeable to the Laws enacted by the Assembly of North Carolina. Sworn before me January 23, 1786
Saml. Barton

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