Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library

The Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library at the University of Georgia maintains a collection of more than 800 historic maps spanning nearly 500 years, from the sixteenth century through the early twentieth century. The collection provides a graphic resource upon which scholars can draw in re-discovering the minds and movements of early American explorers, revolutionary statesmen, cultural figures and politicians represented by the library's book and manuscript collections.

To see the online collection: Click Here.

Below is a map from the collection detailing possible routes for a proposed "National Road" connecting Washington, D.C. and New Orleans. The road was never built but note that one route would have taken it immediately south of Newman's Ridge.

Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site.

At the Tipton-Haynes historic site, eleven buildings tell a story of Tennessee's history from early settlement to the Civil War era. Contained within the large white house is the 25' x 35' log cabin of Col. John Tipton. The Tiptons enlarged the home and built a shed porch across the front of the house and built a separate kitchen. In the 1850s, Haynes changed the front porch to what is seen today and constructed his law office next to the house.

The outbuildings include a smokehouse, pigsty, loom house, still house, springhouse and the large log barn and corncrib from the Tipton period. In addition, there is the home of George Haynes, a slave with the Haynes family. Col. John Tipton is buried in the site's cemetery.

To visit: Click Here.

Heritage Alliance

Though the Heritage Alliance of Northwest Tennessee and Southwest Virginia only began in 2001, it actually has a much longer history. The present organization resulted from a merger of three previously existing organizations, each of which was dedicated to different aspects of historic preservation and heritage education. These organizations were the Jonesborough Civic Trust, the Jonesborough/Washington County History Museum, and the Historic Jonesborough Foundation. Each of these organizations dates back to the 1970s. The present Heritage Alliance, with headquarters in the historic Duncan House in Jonesborough, maintains important aspects of each of these prior organizations while increasing efficiency and avoiding duplication of effort. Our expanded mission now recognizes the role we play, not only in Jonesborough and Washington County, but also in the wider region.

To visit their new web site: Click Here.

Jonesborough, Tennessee

Founded in 1779, Jonesborough is Tennessee's oldest incorporated jurisdiction and is the County Seat of Washington County. Washington County was created in 1777 by Act of North Carolina as one of six counties on the western frontier in what later became the State of Tennessee. Frustrated with the lack of commitment from North Carolina to maintain and defend Jonesborough and other settlements, efforts were made to form a new state called the "State of Franklin" between 1784 and 1788. Jonesborough served as Franklin's temporary capital until a decision was reached to remain part of North Carolina.

When North Carolina ratified the new US Constitution in 1789, it ceded its western counties to the federal government and Jonesborough was placed under a territorial government. Finally statehood was achieved on June 1, 1796, when Tennessee was admitted as the sixteenth state of the Union following a close vote in Congress.

The Town of Jonesborough and surrounding Washington County were home to Andrew Jackson and many founding fathers of the State of Tennessee. Outstanding preservation efforts have made this Town one of the most authentic historic districts from the period 1790 to 1870 in the nation. Jonesborough is home to the International Storytelling Center that features numerous special events and festivals annually.

To learn more about Jonesborough: Click Here.

For Washington County History and Genealogy: Click Here and Click Here.

Ramsey's Annals of Tennessee

Ramsey's Annals of Tennessee to the End of the Eighteenth Century (1853), now online, is the history of Tennessee from its beginnings as "that part of North Carolina west of the mountains" until it became the sixteenth state in the Union. Ceded by North Carolina to the United States after the Revolutionary War, but not accepted by them, they adopted several forms of self-government. This is a story of their trials, their battles with the Native Americans who occupied the lands the pioneers coveted, and their ultimate statehood. Ramsey, Corresponding Secretary of the East Tennessee Historical and Antiquarian Society, drew much of his material from original sources. As history, the Annals are extremely readable. As a genealogical resource, Ramsey's contribution to the field is invaluable.

To read the Annals online: Click Here.

The State of Franklin

History of Western North Carolina
Chapter VI - The State of Franklin

By John Preston Arthur, 1914

THE ACT OF CESSION OF TENNESSEE. As Congress was heavily in debt at the close of the Revolutionary War, North Carolina, in 1784, "voted to give Congress the twenty-nine million acres lying between the Alleghany mountains and the Mississippi river." This did not please the Watauga settlers [For an explanation of the Watauga settlers: Click Here.], and a few months later the legislature of North Carolina withdrew its gift, and again took charge of its western land because it feared the land would not be used to pay the debts of Congress. These North Carolina law makers also "ordered judges to hold court in the western counties, arranged to enroll a brigade of soldiers, and appointed John Sevier to command it."

FRANKLIN. In August, 1784, a convention met at Jonesboro and formed a new State, with a constitution providing that lawyers, doctors and preachers should never be members of the legislature; but the people rejected it, and then adopted the constitution of North Carolina in November, 1785, at Greenville. They made a few changes in the North Carolina constitution, but called the State Franklin. John Sevier was elected governor and David Campbell judge of the Superior court. Greenville was made the capital. The first legislature met in 1785; Landon Carter was the Speaker of the Senate, and Thomas Talbot clerk. William Gage was Speaker of the House, and Thomas Chapman clerk. The Convention made treaties with the Indians, opened courts, organized new counties, and fixed taxes and officers salaries to be paid in money, corn, tobacco, whiskey, skins, etc., including everything in common use among the people.

To continue reading about Franklin: Click Here.

To see Franklin's statehood petition, with the names of all the signers: Click Here.

A 19th Century Slang Dictionary

Compiled & Edited by Craig Hadley

Humbug? Shecoonery? Useless truck or gum? Hornswoggling? Honey-fuggling? Not in this book, dear sir! I swan to mercy, a huckle- berry above anyone's persimmon. Some pumpkins, a caution, 100 percent certified by a Philadelfy lawyer. If not, dad-blame it, I'll hang up my fiddle, and you can sass me, knock me into a cocked hat, give me jesse, fix my flint, settle my hash, ride me out on a rail and have a conniption fit, you cussed scalawag. Now ain't that the beatingest language you ever did hear? Sure beats the Dutch! Pshaw! Do tell! Bully for you!

This is just a small example of the period slang of the 19th century which may appear in printed material and most especially in diaries and letters.

To peruse the dictionary: Click Here.

Note: This dictionary is not exhaustive, but it is fairly sizable, and it makes some effort to give an idea of when in the 19th century the various expressions were used. In some cases (a few of them rather surprising) the dictionary merely confirms that a slang word or phrase used today had the same meaning in the 19th century, which is also useful to know.