John Sevier's Journal

Vol. V
p245 January 1798.

Mon. 1 day of January 1798. a fine warm day — Genl. White & Major Elmholm set out for Georgia.

Tues. 2 warm & pleasant. pd. Wm. Ritchee towards Oats 12/.

Wed. 3 pleasant pd. P. Grinen 3/.

Thurs. 4 a rainy fore part of the day. wt. to Mr. McCains & staid all night.

Fry. 5 cloudy & cold — came home hard frost at night.

Sat. 6 Fair & pleasant day.

Sun. 7 ditto.

Mon. 8 ditto.

Tues. 9 ditto. P. Grinen 2/9.

Wed. 10 ditto.

Thur. 11 snowed in the night.

Fry. 12 clear & cold.

Sat. 13 warm pd. Wm. Ritchey 2 dols. 14 & Tho. N. Clarke 20 pr Washington.

Sun. 14 pleasant Chatty Sevier set out for his fathers.

Mond. 15 rained.

Tues. 16 fair & pleasant.

Wed. 17 ditto Pat Grinen 1 dollar.

Thur. 18 ditto.

Fry. 19 ditto.

Sat. 20 rained Jo Sevier set out for the nation.

Sun. 21 very cold & snowed.

Mon. 22 very cold & river very high.

Tues. 23 very cold.

Wed. 24 very cold.

Thur. 25 ditto.

Fry. 26 some more moderate.

Sat. 27 warm.

Sun. 28 warm.

Mon. 29 ditto. Sent the negroes to work plantation.

Tues. 30 ditto.

Wed. 31 ditto.

February 1798.

Thurs. 1 day of February 1798. Warm & pleasant.

Fry. 2nd. ditto. pd. Wm. Seawell 7 dols. Lent Colo. Seawell one dollar some time ago (paid since).

Sat. 3d. very pleasant pd. Wm. Ritchee 3 dollars 18/. for oats recd. some time ago.

 p246  Sun. 4 ditto.

Mon. 5 ditto.

Tues. 6 rained.

Wed. 7 rained a little.

Thurs. 8 cloudy & cold.

Fry. 9 cloudy — Pat Grinen 2 dollars.

Sat. 10 clear.

Sun. 11 ditto.

Mon. 12 ditto Pat Grinen 1/6.

Tues. 13 rained at night took tea at Mr. Duncans.

Wed.º 14 cloudy & cool at night. pd. Wm. Ritchee 2 dollars 12/.

Thur. 15 rained & snowed in the night. paid Delany the butcher 5 dols Give Joel Hancocke an order to Millers store for half bushel salt.

Fry. 16 snowed in morng.

Sat. 17 Cloudy & cold.

Sun. 18 rained & snowed in the night.

Mon. 19 rained in the morng. Set out in Co. with Mr. Davenport for Jonesbro. — Lodged at Mr. Hains that night — pd. expenses $4/6.

Tues. 20 Set out early lodged that night in Greenville —, paid Alex. Purdom 6 dollars towards an old acct.

Wed. 21 rained in morng. Staid in Greenville till 22nd. pd. 22/.

Thur. 22 Went to Capt. Gests & from there Salt Lick — staid all night at Capt. Gests.

Fry. 23 Went to plum Grove & staid all night.

Sat. 24 Went to Jonesbro. Staid all night. Rained in night.

Sun. 25 Went to Walter Kings.

Mon. 26 Staid at ditto.

Tues. 27 ditto — pleasant.

Wed. 28 ditto — ditto.

March 1798.

March 1 Thursday. Rained. — Saidº at ditto.

Fry. 2 rained. Staid at ditto.

Sat. 3 Cold & clear staid.

Sun. 4 clear went to Jonesbro & staid at Mr. Mays.

Mon. 5 Staid at Mr. Mays. Supr. Court began — Memo. furnished Walter King on Fryday last with 130 dollars for the use of the Iron Works (in silver dollars).

Tues. 6 Staid at Jonesbro — clear.

Wed. 7 ditto. Pleasant.

Thur. 8 ditto — ditto. See Fords C.

Fry. 9 ditto — ditto. See ditto.

 p247  Sat. 10 ditto See ditto rained.

Sun. 11 ditto — clear.

Mon. 12 clear Staid at Jonesbro.

Tues. 13 ditto — ditto.

Wed. 14 ditto — ditto.

Thur. 15 ditto — ditto — Went to plum Grove in Co. with Gen. Conway. — Staid all night — fine weather.

Fry. 16 Traveled to Greenville, staid all night — pd. 9/6. Fair weather.

Sat. 17 Travelled that day to Clarks staid all night. pd. 10/6.

Sun. 18 arrived at Knoxville in Co. with James Pain — fine weather.

Mon. rained & stormy.

Tues. 20 clear & cool.

Wed. 21 recd from H. Windle 665 dollars — clear.

Thur. 22 Went to Colo. Butlers camp Staid all night.

Fry. 23 rained Staid all night at Camp, with Colo. Butler.

Sat. 24, rained & snowed & very stormy. Came back to Knoxville in Co. with D. Claiborne & James pain.

Sun. 25 rained & snowed.

Mon. 26 clear & cool for the season. Memo. pd. for 41 Gallons of whiskee 30 doll. 75 Cts. at 75 cents pr. Gallon. Received from L. P. Sims 15 dollars. Recd. from Wm. Ritchee some time ago 100 dozen oats at 1/10. equal 9.1.8.º 1 Load of Hay. 1.10 To cash 15 dollars £4.10.

Tues. 27 fine day.

Wed. 28 ditto.

Thur. 29 cool.

Fry. 30 very warm. polly Sherrill (?) a ball at Gordons.

Sat. 31 very warm Mrs. Sevier went to her brother Johns.

April 1798.

Sun. 1 day of April warm rained great part of the night My negro boy bobb returned by A. Crozier.

Mon. 2 rained in morng. cleared up Mrs. Sevier returned.

Tues. 3 cool & light frost at night.

Wed. 4 cool & cloudy.

Thurs. 5 cool cloudy.

Fry. 6 very warm.

Sat. 7 very warm.

Mon. 9 I went to plantation very warm. — Knox county court began & Supr adjd.

Tues. 10 rained & very cool & windy.

Wed. 11 cleared up — cool. pd. David Stuart 60 dollars for 66  p248 Gals. whiskee had some time ago & sent to camp. pd. Charles McCoy for R. Campble 100 dollars.

Thur. 12 rained & very cool.

Fry. 13 very cold & snowed in the morning.

Sat. 14 cloudy & cold.

Sun. 15 cold & frost at night brother Joseph came to Knoxville.

Mon. 16 cold & light frost in night. James Sevier came to Knoxville.

Tues. 17 cool day.

Wed. 18 moved to Mr. Greenes lot.

Thurs. 19 more warm & pleasant.

Fry. 20 rained & hail.

Sat. 21 fair.

Sun. 22 clear & cool.

Mon. 23 warm.

Tues. 24 warm.

Wed. 25 fine rain.

Thur. 26 rained.

Fry. 27 light shower.

Sat. 28 some rain in morng.

Sun. 29 fine day.

Mon. 30 ditto — Jo Sevier J Campble Windle & McCoy set out for the Cherokee nation.

May 1798.

Tuesday the 1st day of May 1798 rained in morng. pd. Tho. N. Clarke ten dollars.

Wed. 2 warm & windy. Memo. Let Joseph Seveirº have 10 dols. Recd. from H Windle 30 dols. Sent to L. P. Sims 35 Gals. whiske in one cask & 24 in another, by Joseph Sevier — but Jo. was to have some out of the 24 gallon cask.

Thur. 3 very hot & dry.

Fry. 4 ditto.

Sat. 5 rained in the morning pd. Mrs. Ritchee 2 dollars. pd. Alex Cunningham for Ben Willson 2 dolls.

Sun. 6 dry & warm.

Mon. 7 rained.

Tues. 8 John Steele Colo. arrived escorted into the town by the light horse.

Wed. 9 very warm.

Thur. 10 Doctor Claiborne, Judge Campble & Major McIntosh Dined with us rained in the evening & great part of the night.

Fry. 11 rained in the morning.

Sat. 12 very cool day for time of the year.

 p249  Sun. 13 very cool also & cloudy.

Mon. 14 ditto.

Tues. 15 More warmer.º

Wed. 16 warm a ball at Gordons. rained at night.

Thur. 17 very warm rained in evening.

Fry. 18 some light rain in the morng. Colo. Walton arrived escorted into town by the light horse.

Saturday 19 very warm.

Sun. 20 ditto (escorted the commissrs out of town on their way to Belleanton (?) ).

Mon. 21 very warm ditto.

Tues. 22 ditto.

Wed. 23 ditto.

Thurs. 24 cloudy & some light rain.

Fry. 25 cloudy & cool.

Saturday 26 cool.

Sun. 27 cool & some rain.

Mon. 28 very cool for the Season.

Tues. 29 some warmer.

Wed. 30 warm.

Thurs. 31 very warm.

June 1798.

Fryday the first day of June V. warm.

Sat. 2 a fine rain in the afternoon. Memo. pd. Delaney the Butcher 4 dollars today 5 F. Crowns my amount he says is some more than £3 a fine day.

Sun. 3 Memo. pd. Beverly 2 Crowns towards payment for hauling a load of bacon from the point with Emmersons waggon.

Mon. 4 rained.

Tues. 5 ditto.

Wed. 6 rained in the night.

Thur 7 rained received from Mr. Windle 36 dols.

Fry. 8 rained.

Sat. 9 rained Mr. R. Campble came to town.

Sun. 10 rained HeAVILYº in morning & evening.

Mon. 11 rained in the morning.

Tues. 12 very warm.

Wed. 13 Sent to the post 100 dollar warrant for my serves to John Gass of Greene dated March 14, 1797. the same was enclosed in a letter of this day, to be left in the post office in Greenville. This day it rained.

Thurs. 14 rained.

Fry. 15 rained.

 p250  Sat. 16 rained.

Sun. 17 rained.

Mon. 18 rained.

Tues. 19 fair & very warm.

Wed. 20 went down the river to view Coxes boat, Mrs. Sevier, Mrs. Campble & Joanna went along — also Mr. G. Gordon his wife & sisters patsy & polly — returned & took tea at Mr. Gordons, and had a little hop​a — some rain in the evening.

Thur. 21 cloudy & foggy in the morng.

Fry. 22 clear, went to the plantatn. reaped early wheat yesterday.

Sat. 23 rained in afternoon.

Sun. 24 rained, went to meeting.

Mon. 25 rained in morng. Joseph Kitty & Washington set out for Tellico, Mr. Danl. Windle in Co.

Tues. 26 rained — reaped wheate.

Wed. 27 heavy rain.

Thur. 28 do. do. Washington & Windle retd. from Tellico.

Fry. 29 Danl. Windle set out for home — rained Settled with Butcher Delaney due him 4.12.4 pd. him 7 Crowns, 2.6.1. he owes 181s.º Bacon.

Sat. 30 Mr. & Mrs. Campble arrived fair day & very warm.

July 1798

Sun. 1 day. very warm.

Mon. 2 ditto.

Tues. 3 ditto.

Wed. 4 a ball at Gordons, a Frenchman robbed at night of large sum.

Thurs. 5 some rain.

Fry. 6 very warm, Fogg morng.

Sat. 7 Foggy morng.

Sun. 8 rained very heavy.

Mon. 9 clear & warm Knox county court began.

Tues. 10 very warm — myself Mrs. Sevier, & Miss Joanna took tea at Mr. Blounts.

Wed. 11 Myself Washington & toby set out for Tellico blockhouse to the treaty — staid that night at Maryville pd. expenses 12/.

Thu. 12 Arrived at Tellico 11 o'clock that day the treaty was adjourned until 3rd of September.

Fry. 13 Staid at Tellico — See, N.‑cy.

Sat. 14 set out for Knoxville, dined at Maryville pd. 6/. Came home after (?) (?)

Sun. 15th rained part of the day.

Mon. 16 rained — pd. Alex Purdem 5 dols.

 p251  Tues. 17 Some light showers.

Wed. 18 very warm.

Thurs. 19º cool & windy — Joseph Sevier set out from this place for Sullivan — carried a letter to W. King Colo. Harrison, Capt. Gest, & Majr. Sevier.

Fry. 20 warm & dry.

Sat. 21 ditto.

Sun. 22 ditto.

Mon. 23 ditto Gen. Sevier Colo. Sevier set for Springs I recd. a snuff box as compliment from (?)

Tues. 24 very warm Governor Blount his Lady, Miss Mary & Wm. took tea.

Wed. 25 Sent into the post office a letter from James White esq. to Gabriel Debrutz — Musht. (?) in Fayetteville No. Carolina Myself, Mrs. Sevier Mrs. Sparks & Miss Joanna took tea at Capt. Simerals — a very warm day.

Thur. 26 Foggy morning in this book a letter from Robertson.

Fry. 27 very warm & dry.

Sat. 28 very hot & dry in the day a light Shower in the night.

Sun. 29 warm in the day a heavy rain in the night.

Mon. 30 rained in the morning & cleared up.

Tues. 31 clear & some cooler.

August 1798.

Wed. 1 day of August clear & warm.

Thurs. 2 clear & some warmer Mrs. Sparks & Washington wt. to Mr. Kings.

Fry. 3 cloudy in the morning & a light shower about 12 o'clock Mrs. Sparks & Washington retd. from Kings.

Sat. 4 very hot.

Sun. 5 Mrs. Sparks set out for So. W. point My self & Mrs. Sevier accompanied her & Mrs. Blount part of the way as far as the sign of the Cross keys.

Mon. 6 very warm.

Tues. 7 ditto. a small shower in the evening.

Wed. 8 very warm.

Fry. 9 Foggy in the morning & some clouds Went to Mrs. Gordons Quilting.

Fry. 10 a fine shower in the evening.

Sat. 11 cloudy & rainy day — Messrs. John Waddle & Doctor May arrived from Cumberland.

Sun. 12 some rain.

Mon. 13 Fair & very warm.

Tues. 14 rain.

Wed. 15 ditto.

 p252  Thur. 16 ditto. Very heavy gusts Recd. from Wm. Claiborne 20 Dolls.

Fry. 17 light shower Major Elholm arrived.

Sat. 18 warm & dry.

Sun. 19 ditto.

Mon. 20 ditto.

Tues. 21st began to make brick.

Wed. 22 very hot & dry.

Thur. 23 ditto.

Fry. 24 pd. Delaney butcher 4 Crowns.

Sat. 25 very hot & dry.

Sun. 26 ditto.

Mon. 27 some light clouds & little rain in morng & very heavy in night.

Tues. 28 cloudy in morng Rained little in even.

Wed. 29 clear & windy.

Thur. 30 ditto.

Fry. 31 ditto.

September 1798.

Sat. 1 day of Sept. 1798 warm Myself, Mrs. Sevier, Joanna, Mrs. Campble & Betsy set out for So. W. pt. Dined at Mr. Millers & lodged that night at Mr. Sims.

Sun. 2 arrived early at the point Heavy rain about 12 o'clock.

Mon. 3 very cool for the season rained in the night.

Tues. 4 very cool for the season.

Wed. 5 cool & frost on the Cumberland Mts.

Thu. 6 ditto — ditto.

Fry. 7 ditto — ditto This day we all set out except Miss Joanna for Knoxville in Colo. Wm. Donaldson & Mrs. J. Donaldson — We tarryed all night at Millers the others wt. on to Colo. McClellans. — We lost our horses that night also Izzna. (?) Chism lost 3 of his.

Sat. 8 tarried all day & night at Mr. Millers. in the night our horses were sent back to us from Maj. G. Campbles cost a Crown.

Sun. 9 We set out for Knoxville Arrived three o'clock some rain that night & evening.

Mon. 10 very warm & some rain rained heavy in the night. Mrs. S. Donaldson arrived & tarried all night. (Recd. from my plana. 181s. Bacon.)

Tues. 11 rained in the morng. very warm.

Wed. 12 Sultry & dry.

Thur. 13 ditto.

Fry. 14 ditto.

Sat. 15 ditto.

 p253  Sun. 16 ditto Foggy morning.

Mon. 17 took tea at Claibornes.

Tues. 18 cloudy in morning & very warm.

Wed. 19 ditto.

Thurs. 20 ditto — Self & Majr. Claiborne set out for the treaty — some thunder & rain Lodged at Mary ville pd. Exp. 4/6.

Fry. 21 arrived at Tellico & dined with Colo. Butler.

Sat. 22 attended the treaty.132

Sun. 23 ditto.

Mon.º ditto.

Tues. 25 ditto.

Wed. 26 very cold & frost at night.

Thurs. 27 ditto — ditto.

Fry. 28 ditto — ditto.

Sat. 29 ditto — ditto.

Sun. 30 ditto — ditto. Set out in Co with Genl. White & Lodged at Bartlets on our way for Knoxville.

October 1798.

Mon. October 1, day we arrived in the morning at Knoxville.

Tues. 2 more warmerº & some clouds.

Wed. 3 dry & cool nights.º

Thu. 4 ditto.

Fry 5 ditto.

Sat. 6 ditto.

Su. 7 ditto.

Mon. 8 ditto lent Wal. King 1 dollar County court of Knox began.

Tues. 9 cool & very dry.

Wed. cool & some cloudy. Lent Mr. Sherrill 2 dollars He set out for home.

Thurs. 11 ditto. Yesterday my bro. Valentine came to Knoxville.133

Fry. 12th cool & cloudy in morning. Memo. Wm. Nelson went to on my plantation & Joel Hancocks time ceased in my employ.

 p254  Sat. 13 Went to a ball at Mr. Gordons.

Sun. 14 clear & warm.

Mon. 15 cloudy day.

Tues. 16 Fair & warm.

Wed. 17 warm, set out to Tennessee river lodged at Millers.

Thur. 18 Went to see a piece of my land on Tennessee river & returned that night & staid at Millers.

Fry. 19 rained in morning wt. down to S. W. point, tarried all night.

Sat. 20 clear day & staid at point.

Sun. 21 staid at point clear day.

Mon. 22 Staid at the point, rained heavy gust in the evening frost at night.

Tues. 23 clear & cool, set out with Son Washington, & lodged that night at Millers — light frost.

Wed. 24 Sit out early eat Brak. at Col. McClellans & arrived in Knoxville in evening (clear).

Thurs. 25 clear & cool.

Fry. 26 some rain frost at night.

Sat. 27 cool & cloudy frost at night.

Sun. 28 cloudy & very cool. Memo. recd from James Paine at So. W. point 4 dollars towards pay of thirty-three gallons of whiskee.

Mon. 29 cool & dry hard frost.

Tues. cloudy & cold snowed a little in the night — dined at Colo. Henlys with Capt. Henly & others.

Wed. 31 clear & cold, put a number of letters on the office for sundry persons at Boston & New York.

November 1798.

Thurs. 1 rained greater part of the day.

Fry. 2 rained chiefly all day. Sent Jim & Ned to the farm.

Sat. 3 cleared up & hard frost at night.

Sun. 4 hard frost at night.

Mon. 5 ditto. (Washington took ill).

Tues. 6 ditto.

Wed. 7 ditto pd. Ben Willson 6/.

Thurs. 8 clear & frost night.

Fry. 9 ditto.

Sat. 10 clear day & frost night.

Sun. 11 warm day & cloudy evening. Memo. Pd. Ben Willson 15 dollars for 6 head of hoggs — (5 barrows & 1 sow).

Mon. 12 very warm.

Tues. 13 ditto.

 p255  Wed. 14 ditto — Memo. Sold to Mrs. Hanging Mawd a negro wench Sall at 333⅓ dollars. Cr. by cas. 198 dollars 1 bay horse 70 dollars B. due — 65⅓ dollars. Memo. Paid butcher Delaney 15 dollars — 15 dols. to Buckkerº Miller 4 dollars Lent to Thos. Brown 8 dollars.

Thur. 15 warm & dry.

Fry. 16 ditto.

Sat. 17 ditto — ditto.

Sun. 18 rained in the night.

Mon. 19 clear & cloudyº frost.

Tues. 20 clear & cool day (Let Bacon have nice bay horse to work & Tho. N. Clark 9 Dollars) Lent Mrs. Linn 1 dollar. Memo. Recd. from Wm. Ritchee a steer, Butchered by Miller (the Wright), one Quater 62 one ditto 65 one ditto 65 one ditto 62. 524 ls. at 20/ pr. Hd. Wm. Harilson of Granger Hunted many years ago on Obias River, in the Co. with Jack & Will Bleavens. Hunted on Spring Creek & give it the name — It is a fork of Wolf river & empties into the same about 20 miles above a mouth & at it or near, there is a lick surveyed by Ro. King & sold by him to D. Ross.

Wed. 21 cool & clear.

Thur. 22 cloudy & cool.

Fry. 23 very cloudy & cold Memo. Sold unto Frans. Cuningham 150 acres of land on obias river, to be of the 1s 2d & 3r rate lands, (if better) he is to pay more in proportion — for which land I have recd. 2 horses, to wit a dun Stud 6 years old & a dark gray gelding the same age. Mrs. Linn Dr. to 3½ yds. at 18/ £3.3 1 doz buttons 4/6 . . . 4/6. 2 skeins thread 4 (Total £3.7.6.) 1 yd linen 4/4 Carried over £3.11.10 Credit by Washing 5 dozen pieces of linen at 4/ . . . £1.0.0.

Nov. Saturday 24th 1798 Cloudy in the morning.

Sun. 25 clear & pleasant.

Mon. 26 ditto.

Tues. 27 ditto.

Wed. 28 ditto — pd. Butcher Millers son 9/.

Thur. 29 dry & pleasant.

Fry. 30 ditto.

December 1798.

Sat. 1 day of december (pleasant).

Sun. 2 rained & high winds.

Mon. 3 the Assembly met very cold.

Tues. 4 cold & hard frost.

Wed. 5 cold & likely to snow pd. Roddy the ferryman 15s. 4d Snowed in the night 6 Inches deep.

Thur. 6 cloudy & cold.

Fry. 7 began to thaw & rain. Rained all night on Fryday.

Sat. 8th rained all day moderately — Memo. Brown took my bay horse to work in his waggon on Tues. the 20th of last month.

 p256  Sun. 9 cloudy & cool.

Mon. 10 turned cold & like for snow.

Tues. 11 clear & cold day.

Wed. 12 cloudy & more pleasant Cocke & Anderson elected Senators by the Assembly.​134 º

Thurs. 13 cold.

Fry. 14 ditto.

Sat. 15 ditto.

Sun. 16 more moderate.

Mon. 17 pleasant for the season.

Tues. 18 rained.

Wed. 19 cloudy.

Thur. 20 cleared up.

Fry. 21 cool.

Sat. 22 ditto.

Sun. 23 snowed at night 6 In. deep.

Mon. 24 some rain & hard freeze.

Tues. 25 more moderate a Great Ball at the House of Mr. Willson.

Wed. 26 some rain cleared in the evening. Recd from Tho. Brown an order from Butcher Miller for 8 dols.

Thurs. 27 Pleasant weather.

Fry. 28 ditto.

Sat. 29 rained.

Sun. 30 cloudy.

Mon. 31 cloudy & rained in the eveng.

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The Editor's Notes:

132 First Treaty of Tellico, or Walton's Treaty, made by George Walton and Thomas Butler, for the United States, with the Cherokees. This treaty contained stipulations for peace and friendship, with regulations for intercourse between the whites and Cherokees. It provided for cession by the Indians of lands just north of the Tennessee and Little Tennessee rivers and north and west of the Clinch River.

133 Col. Valentine Sevier was born in 1747 in Rockingham County, Virginia. He was a sergeant at the Battle of Point Pleasant, and commanded aº company in the Revolution, at Thicketty Fort, Cedar Springs, Musgrove's Mill, and King's Mountain. He moved to Red River, where Clarksville now stands. In 1792 three of his sons were killed by Indians. Col. Sevier died at Clarksville, Tenn., February 23, 1800. (See Heiskell's "Andrew Jackson and Early Tennessee History", pp206‑208.)

134 William Cocke and Joseph Anderson. Both served as senators until 1805.

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Thayer's Note:

a See the editor's note under Jul. 23, 1799.

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