Early History of Middle Tennessee

This is a great little book for those searching the middle Tennessee Counties contains names of many of the families who lived there, fights with Indians and forts that were built for their protection. Contains photos of individuals, homes and monuments.

The history of Tennessee, and especially that of our own section of the State, was long sadly neglected, and it is now with the greatest difficulty that many of the isolated facts of tradition may be woven into a continuous thread of history.

The failure of preceding generations to gather and record, first-handed, many of the stirring events of early times in the Cumberland Valley from those who participated in them., has increased the task of the historical writer of today. Only one other attempt has been made to write a history of Middle Tennessee and that was by Col. A. W. Putnam, of Nashville, in 1859. From this work I have gathered much valuable information as well as from Carr's Early Times, the histories of the State written by Judge Haywood, Dr. Ramsey, Mr. Phelan, Prof. McGee, Garrett and Goodpasture and others. I am also indebted to Imlay's Historical Works, Roosevelt's Winning of the West, and Washington Irving's account of Spanish travels.

Much of the latter-day traditions extant in both Sumner and Davidson Counties has been collected and harmonized and to the many sources from which this has been gathered I acknowledge myself indebted. Especially do I desire to express thanks to Dr. J. H. McNeilly, of Nashville, Dr. R. V. Foster, of Lebanon, and Col. Ruben T. Durrett, of Louisville, for the courtesies and help extended and many favors shown. Without the aid of these and of others who might be mentioned I should have fallen far short of the historical accuracy which I believe to be a characteristic of the forthcoming work:

For my own gratification as well as for that of coming generations, I have gathered the facts presented from every available source, and now give them to the public, trusting that they may both instruct and entertain,

Edward Albright.
Gallatin, Tenn., Jan. 15, 1909

• The Mound Builders

• First Indian Settlers

• Spanish Adventures

• Hunters and Traders

• Timothy Demenbreun

• Wallen, Boone, Callaway and Scraggins

• The Long Hunters

• Mansker's Party

• Thomas Sharp Spence

• Indian Tribes and Treaties

• First White Settlers

• James Robertson, Arrival at French Lick

• Location of Forts

• Donelson's Voyage

• Perils of The River

• End of the Voyage

• Compact of Government

• Events of 1780, Indian Warfare Begins

• Events Of 1780, Massacre at Renfroe's Station

• Events Of 1780, Clover Bottom Defeat

• Events of 1781, In Search Of Ammunition

• Events of 1781, Mrs. Dunham and Daughter Wounded

• Events Of 1782. David Hood Scalped

• Events of 1783. Forts Established In Sumner County

• Events of 1784, Militia Reorganized

• Events of 1785, Wm. Hall Arrives At Bledsoe's Lick

• Events of 1786, Population of Settlement Increases

• Events of 1787, Increase Of Immigration

• Events of 1787, The Cold Water Expedition

• Events of 1788, Attack on Bledsoe's Fort

• Events of 1789, Col. John Sevier Elected To Congress

• Events of 1790, Middle Tennessee Becomes Part Of The Western Territory

• Events of 1791, Alexander McGillivray, Trouble with the Cherokees

• Events of 1792, Indian Ravages

• Events Of 1792, Lieutenant Snoddy and Party

• Events of 1793, Major Evans And Party Attacked

• Events of 1794, The Territorial Assembly Meets

• Events of 1794, The Nickajack Expedition

• Events of 1705-1796, State Of Tennessee Organized

AHGP Tennessee

Source: Early History of Middle Tennessee, BY Edward Albright, Copyright, 1908, Brandon Printing Company, Nashville, Tennessee, 1909