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1798

This webpage reproduces a section of
The Journal

of
John Sevier

published in Vols. V and VI
of the Tennessee Historical Magazine,
1919‑1920

The text is in the public domain.

This page has been carefully proofread
and I believe it to be free of errors.
If you find a mistake though, please let me know!

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1800
This site is not affiliated with the US Military Academy.

John Sevier's Journal

Vol. V
p256
January 1799.

Tues. January 1 day 1799 a Fine morning. & pleasant day rained in the night a ball in the eveng. at Mr. Gordons paid S. D. Carrick 4 dols. pr. White & Wilkinson.

Wed. 2 Cloudy & some light rain.

Thurs. 3 Cloudy & cool, went myself & family to Capt. Croziers wedg. held at Mr. Arthur Croziers.

Fry. 4 rained & snowed in the night.º

Sat. 5 very cold.

Sun. 6 very cold the Assembly adjourned. Capt. Sparks arrived in evng.

Mon. 7 very cold — the federal Court began W. King arrived.

Tues. 8 Cloudy & more moderate. Lent to Colo. Hubbert two dollars.

Wed. 9th cloudy & light rain. Myself & Capt. Sparks brak. at D. Claberns.

 p257  Thur. 10 clear.

Fry. 11 ditto.

Sat. 12 Cloudy some rain & warm.

Sun. 13 some cooler & clear. Walter King set out for home.

Mon. 14 cloudy & warm Knox court began.

Tues. 15 rained a little.

Wed. 16 cloudy & like for rain.

Thur. 17 cloudy & warm for the season.

Fry. 18 some rain in the evening Capt Sparks went to the point.

Sat. 19 clear & cooll p. Antony the tailor 6 dollars.

Sun. 20 clear & little cooler.

Mon. 21 clear & cool. Took tea at Campbles.

Tues. 22 Cloudy & some rain.

Wed. 23 rainy day. Mr. Campble set out for Kentucky.

Thur. 24 rained & thundered.

F. 25 rained & thundered.

Sat. 26 very heavy rain & some thunder. Wm. Nelson & Tobee arrived with 19 fat hoggs & 1 beef from my plantation in Washington.

Sun. 27 rained.

Mon. 28 cleared up.

Tues. 29 cold & hard frost Took supper at Mrs. Campbells.

Wed. 30 Fair & Pleasant.

Thur. 31 ditto.

February 1799.

Fry. 1 day February rained & I went to Carters mill in Co. with Doctor Claiborne. Recd. on 31 January a Gray & bay horses from Seth Mansfield for which I am to give him 1 Hundred of Land. Memo. I am to convey unto Peter Ernay 100 acres of Ld when he pays me 197 dollars for which I have his two notes one for 97 & one for 100, dated 31 January 1799. the 97 payable the first day of May next, the other in 18 mo. from that day. Memo. Tho. Brown bought from (me) a bay horse on the 19th January at 90 dollars, 20 to be pd. in one month, and 20 in one after & the rest in work.

Sat. 2 Rained, heavily all day. Cowans negro got drowned.

Sun. 3 clear & cool Dined at Doct. Claibornes.

Mon. 4 clear & pleasant.

Tues. 5 Hard frost at night & clear day.

Wed. 6 pleasant, I went to the plantation. Staid all night & returned next day had a violent tooº & ear ache.

Thur. 7 Went to a Ball given Genl. Smith at Somervilles. It rained in the night.º

Fryday 8 rained in the morning. Memo. Recd. from Doctor Powell the West Indian mango. it is to be plantedº in the ground, & covered  p258 in the winter it may be eaten like cucumber & makes an excellent pickle — it will last after being planted some years. — recd. from Anderson Ashburn as a present, a peper tree, it requires 12 or 14 years age before it bears Memo. Bought from Barkley 50 Bushls. of corn paid him the 14th ½ in Mr. Nichols store, the rest in cash.

Sat. 9 cloudy.

Sun. 10 Fair & cool.

Mon. 11 ditto.

Tues. 12 ditto.

Wed. 13 ditto.

Thur. 14 ditto.

Fry. 15 ditto.

Sat. 16 rained & snowed in eveng. Capt. Sparks set out in Canoe for point.

Sun. 17 cloudy & cold in the morng.

Mon. 18 more pleasant.

Tues. 19 hard frost at night.

Wed. 20 some warmer.

Thurs. 21 cloudy & cool.

Fry. 22 cloudy & snowed at night 2 Inches deep.

Sat. 23 Judge Jackson,​135 Denizen, Grant & several others spent the eveng. at my house. D. Barry among others — very cold.

Sun. 24 very cold.

Mon. 25 some warmer snowed in night. Doctor Hampstead came to town.

Tues. 26 cold rainy day, (yesterday I paid John Crozier 10 dollars & Bradley the Bricklayer 5). Memo. I am to let John Erwin have one acresº of land near So. W. point, to be laid off by Capt. Sparks & Alexander Erwin, and to fix the price I have received 60 dollars in part payment & he is to pay me two Hundred the ensuing fall.

Wed. 27 Cloudy in morning & windy, some warmer. Memo. Give Mrs. Judah Miller an order to Capt. Croziers store for 8 dollars.

Thurs. 28 rained heavily all day & thundered & lightened.

March 1799.

Fryday 1 of March 1799 Cloudy & windy & also cool Hung up our meat to smoake.

Sat. 2 very cold.

Sun. 3 ditto.

Mon. 4 ditto.

Tues. 5 ditto hard frost.

Wed. 6 cloudy in the evening & Some light rain in the night.

 p259  Thur. 7 fine morng.

Fry. 8th ditto.

Sat. 9 Wm. Sherrill & James Paine arrived (rained).

Sun. 10 clear & cold.

Mon. 11 clear & cold.

Tues. 12 very cold & windy.

Wed. 13 rained a little in the day.

Fry. 15º rained some in morng. Cleared up in the night (& Frost).

Sat. 16 clear & cold.

Sun. 17 ditto.

Mon. 18 more moderate wt. to a ball at Loves tavern.

Tues. 19 pleasant day.

Wed. 20 cloudy & rained heavily in the evening & night, Capt. Butler arrived from Philadelphia & also the Indians.

Thurs. 21 Cloudy & warm — paid Delaney the Butcher 2 dollars 12/. (The son of Colo. Ramsey died).

Fry. 22 a snowy morng. & turned colder than yesterday.

Sat. 23 hard frost & cold that night.

Sun. 24 cool & dry.

Mon. 25 Supr. Court began, (Fair).

Tues. 2 more pleasant.

Wed. 27 warmer & clear pd. Mr. Purdom 5 dollars.

Thurs. 28 pleasant day.

Fry. 29 ditto.

Sat. 30 pleasant day.

Sun. 31 ditto.

April 1799.

Mon. 1 day of April some rain.

Tues. 2 cool & frost at night.

Wed. 3 ditto — ditto — ditto.

Thurs. 4 cloudy & cool in morng. & like for snow.

Fry. 5 clear & cool.

Sat. 6 ditto.

Sun. 7 ditto.

Mon. 8 rained I took sick in afternoon.

Tues. 9 Snowed in the morng. & frost at night.

Wed. 10 & frost at night. Cont. to be sick.

Thurs. 11 cloudy morning. Let Adam Meek esquire have a sorrel Horse at 100 dollars £30 in part pay of the mills seat on flat Creek, — also let him have a warrant on the treasurer payable 1st Sep. next for 67 dollars.

 p260  Fry. 12 warm & pleasant.

Sat. 13 ditto.

Sun. 14 ditto some light rain Mrs. Sparks came to town.

Mon. 15 warm day.

Tues. 16 warm & some rain at night.

Wed. 17 a rainy day. I went to Tho. Browns.

Thurs. 18 clear & cooler.

Fry. 19 warm began to make brick mortar.

Sat. 20 warm & fair.

Sun. 21 rained.

Mon. 22 cloudy.

Tues. 23 began to make Bricks pd. butcher Delaney 3 dollrs.

Wed. 24 clear & warm.

Thurs. 25 Give Mrs. Field an order to Capt. Croziers for 19/ on acct. of John Miller. Let John Miller have 30 ls. of bacon at Sundry times. Let him have Cr. with James Pain at Simerals store for 30/. Messrs. Miller have had bacon at Sundry times also Cr. in Capt. John Croziers store — had a middling of bacon at one time. Memo. Robert Reynolds red.º of Walter King pr. my order some time ago 1136 ls. Castings.

Fry. 26 rained about 1 o'clock moderately.

Sat. 27 rained.

Sun. 28 rained.

Mon. 29 clear in the day & rained at night.

Tues. 30 rained.

May 1799.

Wed. 1 day of May rained.

Thurs. 2 cleared up & light frost.

Fry. 3 very cool & light frost.

Sat. 4 cool & light frost Anderson the B. layer set off home.

Sun. 5 some warmer — B. Brown set out for Cumberland.

Mon 6th warm day James Anderson Dr. to cash some time ago to purchase powder & brimstone 4/6; To cash when going home 7/3 pd. Mrs. Thompson in Arthur Croziers store for youº 18/. To an order on Wm. Joab for 25 or 30 dollars if paid. Memo. paid Mr. Pery the mason 2 dollars — 12/. Paid Mr. Roddy ferryman let Wm. Nelson have 1 dollar to purchase seed corn Memo. Let Mr. Joseph Greer have a Wart. on the Treasurer of 150 dollars at 10 pr. Ct. discount the same is for payment of last years rent.

Tues. 7 warm & like for rain & did in the night.

Wed. 8 rained in the morning.

Thur. 9 very warm & cloudy in the morning. Memo. paid for James Anderson B. Layer 3 dollars to Young the tavern keeper (some time ago) Negro Jack wt. today to help plant corn at the plantation.

 p261  Fry. 10 rained.

Sat. 11 ditto.

Sun. 12 clear & hott.

Mon. 13 ditto.

Tues. 14 ditto.

Wed. 15 rained.

Thur. 16 very cool.

Fry. 17 rained.

Sat. 18 very cool & light frost at night.

Sun. 19 cool.

Mon. 20 clear & cool.

Tues. 21 ditto. Went to the farm in Co. with Doctor Claiborne.136

Wed. 22 very warm.

Thur. 23 ditto.

Fry. 24 rained & some hail with loud thunder & lightning.

Sat. 25 clear, let Mr. Pery the mason have an order on John Crozier for 10 dollars £3.

Sun. 26 very warm.

Mon. 27 ditto.

Tues. 28 ditto.

Wed. 29 ditto.

Thur. 30 a hard hail, gust, the stones as large as hen eggs.

Fry. 31 very cool morng.

June 1799.

Sat. 1 day of June — fair weather.

Sun. 2 warm & little rain in evening.

Mon. 3 clear & warm.

Tues. 4 ditto.

Wed. 5 rained early in the morning. Cleared up warm.

Thur. 6 clear & cool.

Fry. 7 ditto.

Sat. 8 ditto (Gen. Gordon retd. from obias river Mrs. Donaldson).

Sun. 9 very cool morng for the season.

Mon. 10 very warm.

Tues. 11 ditto.

Wed. 12 warm & dry.

Thurs. 13 ditto.

Fry. 14 ditto.

 p262  Sat. 15 ditto.

Sun. 16 ditto.

Mon. 17 I recd. a sprain in my back, & caused me to be E. M. (?). very dry, began to burn bricks. Memo. Gave an order to Mr. Spery (the mason) to John Crozier for 4 dollars, also let him have 17½ ls. bacon at 9d.

Tues. 18 very dry & hot myself very ill but some better.

Wed. 19 ditto — ditto.

Thurs. 20 myself some better still warm & dry.

Fry. 21 ditto — ditto. B. Brown retd. from Mero.

Sat. 22 ditto — ditto B. Brown set off for home.

Sun. 23 Some thunder & some clouds — very hot & dry. Memo. Let John Miller have 37 ls flour a few days ago.

Mon. 24 very warm & a little shower in the eveng.

Tues. 25 very hot & dry.

Wed. 26 ditto.

Thurs. 27 Fine shower.

Fry. 28 very warm.

Sat. 29 ditto.

Sun. 30 ditto.

July 1799.

Mon. 1 day of July very warm Federal Court began.

Tues. 2 ditto.

Wed. 3 ditto.

Thur. 4 ditto, went to public diner at Somervilles.

Fry. 5 very hot.

Sat. 6 ditto — let Mr. Spery have 1 dollar (The mason).

Sun. 7 Small shower in the day & good rain in the night.

Mon. 8 rained, began to cradle Oats​137 at the farm. County Court of Knox began.

Tues. 9 warm & dry. Myself unwell & kept my bed part of the day. let James Anderson have 22 ls. beef, & at sundry times 46 ls. flour.

Wed. 10 very hot & dry.

Thur. 11 ditto.

Fry. 12 ditto.

Sat. 13 ditto.

 p263  Sun. 14 very warm & dry.

Mon. 15 fine shower in the morning.

Tues. 16 cloudy & sultry day.

Wed. 17 a light shower in eveng.

Thurs. 18 ditto fine rain.

Fry. 19 dry & hot.

Sat. 20 rained in the night.

Sun. 21 cloudy & sultry.

Mon. 22 clear & sultry.

Tues. 23 ditto, went to a hop​138 at Mrs. Millers.

Wed. 24 went to The Browns a light rain.

Thurs. 25 Very warm & dry.

Fry. 26 ditto. A light shower in the eveng. — Mrs. Judge Campble & Mrs. Vandyek &c. took tea.

Sat. 27 Cloudy morning — Give Jas. Amdersonº an order Jno. Crozier for 15/.

Sun. 28 very hot & dry.

Mon. 29 ditto.

Tues. 30 ditto.

Wed. 31 ditto.

August 1799.

Thurs. 1 day of August, the day of the General elections.​139 A fine Shower & gust of rain.

Fry. 2 day a fine rain.

Sat. 3 a light rain.

Sun. 4 much cooler (Red. of Dr. Fronier (?) 14 dollars).

Mon. 5 a little rain. Pd. Wm. Nelson pr wife 27/ in Captain Croziers store, (a little rain) John Miller 1 dollar paid Val.º Sevier.

Tues. 6 very warm went with the family to a ball at Mr. Loves tavern.

Wed. 7 ditto.

Thurs. 8th ditto.

Fry. 9 rained.

Sat. 10 Light shower.

Sun. 11 Fair.

Mon. 12 ditto.

Tues. 13 cloudy & rained in the night.

 p264  Wed. 14 cloudy morning. Memo. Thomas Robbins set in for a month 3rd August with himself & three horses at 28 dolls. has since lost two days to the above date.

Thurs. 15 rained, Mrs. Sevier wt. to the plantation.

Fry. 16 went to the plantation. Rained.

Sat. 17 rained.

Sun. 18 rained.

Mon. 19 came home from the plantation.

Tues. 20 rained.

Wed. 21 cloudy & light rain.

Th. 22 light rain.

Fry. 23 very hot.

Sat. 24 ditto & dry.

Sun. 25 wt to the plantation. Very hot. Mrs. Sevier & the girls retd.

Mon. 20 very warm. Attended at Loves tavern to give in depot between Love & Hodgson Donilson.

Tues. 27 very hot. sit out for obias river. Recd. from Theopiles Campble 10 dols. Lodged that night at Lows. Mill 12 miles.

Wed. 28, sit out & lodged at Little Emmery 24 miles.

Thurs. 29 Lodged 10 miles beyond Bigg emmery — 25 miles.

Fry. 30 Lodged in Donilson Cove 25 miles.

Vol. VI
p18
Sat. 31. Sit out & lodged at Mr. McDonalds on Wolf River 16 miles.

September, 1799.

Sun. 1 day of Sept. wt. 6 miles to Stocktons in the valley of same name, lodged there all night.

Mon. 2 returned to Mr. McDonalds. Rained heavily in the night. Staid there the next day being tuesday.

Wed. 4º Set out & travelled to obias​140 River, Lodged on the bank.

Thur. 5 went down to the river to the salt lick — 12 miles, lodged near the same.

Fry. 6 went to Casey, Sprowles, & Irons. Lodged at the latter (rained).

Sat. 7 went through my lands & returned near obias river through the barrens.

Sun. 8 returned to McDonalds.

Mon. 9 set out for home. Lodged near Wolf river.

Tues. 10 travell 35 miles & lodged 12 miles from Emmery.141

Wed. travelled 35 miles & lodged near bigg poplar creek.

Thur. 12 arrived at Knoxville in the eveng. Found all well.

Fry. 13 Went to farm​142 with Mrs. Sevier.

Sat. 14 Staid at the farm Rained.

Sun. 15 returned to Knoxville.

Mon. 16 the Assembly​143 met (rained).

Tues. 17 rained.

Wed. 18 A committee from both Houses, notified that they had convened & of my re-election (very cloudy day).

Thurs. 19 Dry & hot.

Fry. 20 ditto.

Sat. 21 ditto.

Sun. 22 ditto.

Mon. 23 ditto.

Tues. 24 very hot day.

Wed. 25 ditto.

Thur. 26 ditto.

 p19  Fry. 27 ditto (a ball at Loves).

Sat. 28 very warm & dry.

Sun. 29 ditto.

Mon. 30 ditto.

October, 1799.

Tues. 1 day of October. very dry.

Wed. 2 ditto.

Thur. 3 ditto.

Fry. 4 clear & warm.

Sat. 5 ditto.

Sun. 6 ditto.

Mon. 7 rained.

Tues. 8 rained, pd. Butcher Miller 7 dol.

Wed. 9 rained, sold unto Jos. Anderson & made conveyance 1‑2 of 500 tract at the Hackberry bottom for 1000 dollars. He has paid in cash 51 dollars, accepted a draft in favour of Thos. Humes for 300, to pay David Deaderick 36, which I owed Carson of Washington for plows. He has given two notes, one of 80 dollars & one of 33 payable one Jany. next, and one of 500 payable first of November (in all 1000 D.).

Thurs. 10 day rained & cool.

Fry. 11 rained.

Sat. 12 clear & warm.

Sun. 13 myself Mrs. Sevier Mrs. Donaldson & Campble & Colo'ls Lewis,​144 Weakly, Scott, Rutledge, Mr. Kenedy, Dickson & some others went to the Farm, (it rained in the evening. Myself & Mrs. Sevier tarried all night).

Mon. 14 rained all day & night.

Tues. 15 rained in morng. Myself very sick all day & night.

Wed. 16 cleared up & we came home to Knoxville, John Sherrill & wife came on visit.

Thur. 17 frost at night (white).

Fry. 18 light frost.

Sat. 19 warm for the season.

Sun. 20 ditto.

Mon. 21 ditto.

Tues. 22 ditto.

Wed. 23 dry & warm.

Thur. 24 ditto, pd. Tho. Cummins 5 Dols.

 p20  Fry. 25 ditto pd. Tho. Cummins 2 1‑2 dollars in Humes store, 15.

Sat. 26 doctor Fronier died. & the assembly adjourned, 12 o'clock at night.

Sun. 27 Burried Doctor Fronier.

Mon. 28 dry & warm for season. Give John Miller order on Humes store for 10 dollars, his mother Eleven dollars.

Tues. 29 let John Livingstone have 1 dollar.

Wed. 30 dry & pleasant. Let John Andersons Jim have 1 dollar to purchase salt. Pd. Childers one dollar for shoe mending. Recd. of Asael Rawlings 5 dollars, I lent him some time ago. lent to old Mrs. Stout 7‑6. Give Mrs. Nelson order on Humes store for Linen for shirt & overhauls. Give Hindman 1 dollar towards repairing schoolhouse. Put into the hands of W. C. C. Claiborne for collection a note on John Anderson for 33 dollars dated October 9 payable in three months.

Thurs. 31 clear & warm.

November, 1799.

Fry. 1 day of November dry day.

Sat. 2 Cloudy, Phillip Delaney (butcher) 6 Cart loads of brick batts 6 dollars. 3 loads more since.

Sun. 3 Large white frost at night.

Mon. 4 very cool, some frost at night.

Tues. 5 cloudy.

Wed. 6 rained in evening.

Thurs. 7 rained in the night.

Fry. 8 rainy day, spent the evening at Mr. Campbles.

Sat. 9 cool.

Sun. 10 ditto.

Mon. 11 ditto.

Tues. 12 more moderate.

Wed. 13 warm & pleasant.

Thur. 14 ditto.

Fry. 15 ditto.

Sat. 16 ditto.

Sun. 17 rained & turned cooler.

Monday 18 Lodged at Widow Whites, a cold night & hard frost.

Tues. 19 cold day took Brakt. at Maburys. & returned to Knoxville.

Wed. 20 cold day & frost at night.

Thur. 21 more moderate.

Thur. 21 more moderate.

Fry. 22 went to the farm (warm).

Sat. 23 very pleasant day.

Sun. 24 ditto & rained at night.

 p21  Mon. 25 cool & clear day — let John Livingstone 3 quarts of salt. Bought of Charles Whitson 2 pr of fore Gears 1 Collar a stretcher 2 Bridles & 2 fore swingle trees at 2 dollars. Recd. them on 21 Inst.

Tues. 26 clear & pleasant.

Wed. 27 cold & snowed at night.

Thur. 28 snowed in morning Genl. muster.

Fry. 29 cold & hard frost.

Sat. 30 clear & cold, turned cloudy in the night took tea at Mrs. Campbles. Richd. Campble 2 Fine B. Door Locks 48/. 1 pr. polished candle snuffers 6/.

December, 1799.

Sunday 1 day rained & freezed all day & excessively cold for the time.

Mon. 2 very cold day, till toward evng. then turned warm.

Tues. 3 a fine day.

Wed. 4 ditto — ditto, but rained in the night.

Thurs. 5 fine drizling rainy day Let Tho. Robbins have two orders on Mr. Humes. 1 for 15/ & the other for 5/. Let Bennett Banges pr. order have one brick trowel at 6/.

Fry. 6 self & Mrs. Sevier & Betsy went to Plantation. Cloudy.

Sat. 7 Fair day & cold night.

Sun. 8 very clear retunedº home.

Mon. 9 very beautiful day. let Wm. Medlock have at sundry times 6 1‑2 bushls. of corn & leather for two prs. shoes. Memo. let Doctor Claiborne have a warrant on the treasurer for 50 dollars. James Anderson three & half bushels of corn at sundry times.

Tues. 10 very Beautiful day rained at night. Memo. let John Miller have an order on Wm. Nelson for 20 Bls. Corn. Rec. of John Irons some time ago in part pay for land 1 sorrel horse at 100 dollars 2 oxen at 60 3 steers at 30.

Wed. 11 rained all day & very cold.

Thur. 12 ditto. Mrs. R. Campble Pater Campble, Liut. Waddlington & Major Grant spent the eveng. also Mrs. Campble.

Fry. 13 fine day.

Sat. 14 fine day.

Sat. 14º ditto the river very full.

Sun. 15 pleasant day.

Mon. 16 cloudy & some little rain pd. Mr. Dougless in Humes store per James Anderson order 15/. Sent to Mrs. Jesse Bounds pr. negro Jim 1 stock lock (?)

Tues. 17 rained — give Jno. Robins brother an order to Mr. Humes for 3 dolls.

Wed. 18 rained. Went to farm.

Thurs. 19 rained.

Fry. 20 cloudy day.

 p22  Sat. 21 rained at intervals.

Sun. 22 Fair day returned home from the plantation.

Mon. 23 clear & fine day.

Tues. 24 ditto.

Wed. 25 (Christmas) Fine day went to a bal at R. Campbles.

Th. 26 a fine day. Memo. Paid John Dearmond in cash 10 dollars & an order on Humes store for 5 dollars more.

Fry. 27 fine day . . . spent the evening at Mr. Loves. Fun. with several T. M. brothers.

Sat. 28 morning & cloudy day.

Sun. 29 dined at Mr. Campbles rained & snowed all day.

Mon. 30 snow was 6 inches deep & snowed in the morning, very cold, cleared up in the evening.

Tues. 31 clear & windy, snowed. Sent Mr. Thomas Humes Judge Andersons note for 80 dollars, dated 9th October 1799 payable in 3 months. The printer Mr. Willson​145 married to the Widow Johnson.


The Editor's Notes:

135 Andrew Jackson was then a judge of the Superior Court of Law and Equity. He had resigned from the United States Senate in October, 1798, being succeeded by Daniel Smith.

[decorative delimiter]

136 Doctor Claiborne was a brother of Hon. W. C. C. Claiborne.

[decorative delimiter]

137 "Cradle oats." Probably the earliest mention of the cradle for reaping grain to be found. The cradle was used with oats because it was left on the ground to dry before binding. It was laid on the ground by the fingers and blade of the cradle, called "swathing." From 1850 to 1860 the cradle was used for wheat also, the heel of the cradle being brought up to the left hip and the "cut" of wheat "gripped," as it was called, by the fingers and laid on the ground for binders just behind the cradlers. D.

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138 Calling a dance a "hop" shows Gov. Sevier to have been socially "up to snuff."

Thayer's Note: Non-Americans, and even Americans of the younger generation, will probably not recognize the word, which continues to float in and out of use, never quite making it into standard English: in the 1950's, it was in widespread use to mean an informal dance for young people; and although in those days the word was maybe most often heard as "sock hop", where for comfort or to spare gym floors, the kids would take off their shoes, Sevier's diary, with other 18c sources, shows clearly that sock hop derives from hop and not the other way around (despite what you may read on a well-known cult website out there). The Oxford English Dictionary traces the first instance of hop to England, 1731: "Read's Weekly Jrnl. 9 Jan., Near an hundred people of both sexes . . . dancing to the musick of two sorry fiddles . . . it was called a three-penny hop." A later citation given by the OED, almost exactly contemporaneous with Sevier's three uses of the word (the others: Jun. 20, 1798 and Jul. 30, 1800), underscores the trendiness of the term: "1797 Sporting Mag. X.73 The most famous Dancing Assembly, or, as it is vulgarly called, the genteelest Hop, that ever was known in London."

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139 At this election — August 1, 1799 — Sevier was elected governor for the third time.

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140 Obey River.

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141 Emory River. Formed in Morgan County by the confluence of several creeks and flows southeastwardly into the Clinch River near Kingston.

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142 Sevier was now living in Knox County, but the exact date of his removal thither is not clear from this journal.

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143 Third General Assembly. Alexander Outlaw, speaker of the Senate; William Dickson, speaker of the House. Dickson represented the Mero District in Congress, 1803‑1807.

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144 Joel Lewis and Robert Weakley, senators from Davidson; George Rutledge, senator from Sullivan; William Dickson, of Davidson, speaker of the House. There were two representatives named Scott — James Scott, of Blount, and John Scott, of Sullivan. The governor was entertaining some of his legislative friends. For a description of this country home, six miles south of Knoxville, see Heiskell's Andrew Jackson and Early Tennessee History, 1st Ed., page 198.

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145 George Wilson, married December 31, 1799, to Margery Johnson (nee Greer) of Watauga. She died in 1812 and he then married her niece, Matilda George Greer. Wilson was born in the District of Columbia in 1778 and died in Nashville in 1848. In 1804 he succeeded George Roulstone as editor of the Knoxville Gazette. He moved to Nashville in 1818 and established the Nashville Gazette. He was an ardent friend of Jackson. He was Grand Master of Tennessee Masons in 1840. See biographical sketch by Dr. J. T. Mc Gill, Tennessee Historical Magazine, Vol. 4, p157.


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