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119-477: Sevierville ( / s ə ˈ v ɪər v ɪ l / sə- VEER -vil ) is a city in and the county seat of Sevier County, Tennessee , United States, located in eastern Tennessee . The population was 17,889 at the 2020 United States Census . Native Americans of the Woodland period were among the first human inhabitants of what is now Sevierville. They arrived circa 200 A.D. Between 1200 and 1500 A.D., during

238-531: A Superior Court and Sheriff (as an officer of the court ), both located in a designated "shire town". Bennington County, Vermont has two shire towns; the court for "North Shire" is in the shire town Manchester , and the Sheriff for the county and court for "South Shire" are in the shire town Bennington. In 2024, Connecticut , which had not defined their counties for anything but statistical, historical and weather warning purposes since 1960, along with ending

357-832: A coal-fired power plant operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority near Rogersville , a railroad classification yard operated by Norfolk Southern in east Knox County, and a dormitory at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville . The Knoxville-based Bonny Kate Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution is named for Sevier's wife, Catherine Sherrill. The later Bonny Kate Elementary in South Knoxville

476-410: A county seat may be an independent city surrounded by, but not part of, the county of which it is the administrative center; for example, Fairfax City is both the county seat of Fairfax County, Virginia and completely surrounded by Fairfax County, but the city is politically independent of the county. When the county seat is in the independent city, government offices such as the courthouse may be in

595-667: A county was the magistrate , who oversaw both the day-to-day operations of the county as well as civil and criminal cases. The current number of counties mostly resembled that of the later years of the Qing dynasty . Changes of location and names of counties in Chinese history have been a major field of research in Chinese historical geography, especially from the 1960s to the 1980s. There are 1,355 counties in Mainland China out of

714-472: A crude road that followed the banks of the French Broad. This new road gave Tennessee's cattle drovers greater access to markets along the east coast. In 1820, a stagecoach road connected Sevierville with Maryville to the west. Sevierville's status as a county seat along these early roads helped it grow. By 1833, the town had a population of 150, including two doctors, two carpenters, a tanner, two tailors,

833-515: A duel, which he accepted. The duel was to take place at Southwest Point , but Sevier's wagon stalled at Campbell's Station en route to the duel. As Jackson returned to Knoxville, he encounted Sevier's entourage. The two men loudly exchanged insults, and Sevier's horse ran away, carrying his pistols. Jackson pointed his pistol at Sevier, who hid behind a tree. Sevier's son pointed his pistol at Jackson, and Jackson's second pointed his pistol at Sevier's son. Members of both parties managed to resolve

952-638: A farm, trading post, and tavern at the confluence of the West Fork and the Little Pigeon River. He was joined shortly thereafter by Spencer Clack (1740–1832) and James McMahan, and a community known as "Forks of the Little Pigeon" developed around them. In 1789, Reverend Richard Wood (1756–1831) established Forks-of-the-River Baptist Church, which reported a congregation of 22 in 1790. By 1795, the congregation had 94 members. Sevier County

1071-534: A fourth consecutive term as governor, Sevier sought support in 1809 from the state legislature for one of the state's U.S. Senate seats, but the legislature chose Joseph Anderson . (Popular election of senators did not happen until after a constitutional amendment in the early 20th century.) Sevier ran for the Knox County seat in the Tennessee State Senate , winning easily. In 1811, Sevier

1190-538: A fourth consecutive term in both instances. His political career was marked by a growing rivalry with rising politician Andrew Jackson , which nearly culminated in a duel in 1803. After his last term as governor, Sevier was elected to three terms in the United States House of Representatives from Tennessee, serving from 1811 until his death in 1815. Sevier was born in 1745 in Augusta County in

1309-611: A large number of cabins available as short term rentals in Sevierville. In 2004, Sevierville established a Tourism Development Zone (TDZ) of 3 square miles (7.8 km) to improve the central business district, funded by $ 150 million in bond sales between 2004 and 2008 (equivalent to $ 227 million in 2023). Sales tax revenues received from businesses in the TDZ are earmarked for bond payments, while property taxes are often rebated to help developers pay for their development projects in

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1428-601: A life of farming. Some sources suggest Sevier served as a captain in the Virginia colonial militia, under George Washington , in Lord Dunmore's War in 1773 and 1774. In the early 1770s, Sevier and his brother Valentine began making trips to various settlements on the trans-Appalachian frontier, in what is now northeastern Tennessee. In late 1773, Sevier moved his family to the Carter Valley settlements along

1547-696: A marble pipe, glass beads, pottery, and engraved objects. At the time of this first excavation, the mound was located on a farm owned by the McMahan family, and was thus given the name "McMahan Indian Mound." By the early 18th century, the Cherokee controlled much of the Tennessee side of the Smokies and had established a series of settlements along the Little Tennessee River . A section of

1666-494: A number of men from Washington County, led by John Tipton , remained loyal to North Carolina. As a result, two parallel governments were operating in Tennessee. Both elected public officials. Relations between the two governments were initially cordial, though a rivalry developed between Sevier and Tipton. As North Carolina and Franklin competed for the loyalties of the residents of the area, Sevier became involved in intrigues with Georgia to gain control of Cherokee lands in what

1785-574: A prominent role in Sevierville's post-war construction boom. Buckner designed a number of houses in the Sevierville area over a 40-year period, 15 of which are still standing. Dockery's contributions include the New Salem Baptist Church in 1886 and the Sevier County Courthouse in 1896, both of which are still standing. By the 1880s, Sevierville was growing rapidly, as was the population of Sevier County. In 1887,

1904-492: A shoemaker, three stores, a hatter, two taverns, and two mills. Distilleries were popular means of supplemental income. By 1850, John Chandler's distillery was producing 6,000 gallons of whiskey per year. A notable late arrival in Sevierville was Dr. Robert H. Hodsden (1806–1864), who was an attending physician for the Trail of Tears . In 1846, Hodsden began construction on a plantation near Fair Garden, just outside Sevierville to

2023-676: A state historic site associated with Sevier and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Numerous municipal and civic entities are named in honor of Sevier. These include Sevier County, Tennessee , and its county seat, Sevierville ; Governor John Sevier Highway in South Knoxville ; John Sevier Middle School in Kingsport ; and John Sevier Elementary School in Maryville . Other entities named for him include

2142-581: A total of 2,851 county-level divisions. In Taiwan , the first counties were first established in 1661 by the Kingdom of Tungning . The later ruler Qing empire inherited this type of administrative divisions. With the increase of Han Chinese population in Taiwan, the number of counties also grew by time. By the end of Qing era, there were 11 counties in Taiwan. Protestant missionaries in China first romanized

2261-437: A tract of land near the mouth of Boyd's Creek and built a ferry near the site of the old ford. In 1798, he sold the farm to John Brabson, and it became known as Brabson's Ferry Plantation . In the early 1790s, Thomas Buckingham established a large farm between Boyd's Creek and Sevierville. He went on to become the county's first sheriff. In the early 19th century, Timothy Chandler and his son, John Chandler (1786–1875), established

2380-454: A vigilante group known as the "Whitecaps" was formed to rid Sevier County of vice. The group wore white hoods to conceal their identities and used Ku Klux Klan -like tactics, although they were not considered a racist entity. The Whitecaps initially threatened women accused of prostitution, and the group began launching nightly attacks in the mid-1890s. In 1893, Sevierville physician J.A. Henderson took over an anti-Whitecap group, which he renamed

2499-598: Is a section of Middle Township , an incorporated municipality. In some states, often those that were among the original Thirteen Colonies , county seats include or formerly included "Court House" as part of their name, such as Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia . Most counties have only one county seat. However, some counties in Alabama , Arkansas , Georgia , Iowa , Kentucky , Massachusetts , Mississippi , Missouri , New Hampshire , New York , and Vermont have two or more county seats, usually located on opposite sides of

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2618-825: Is now northern Alabama. He had taken out claims on several thousand acres of land. He also considered an alliance with Spain , whose Governor Esteban Rodríguez Miró tried to sway Sevier, but the American eventually abandoned that idea. In June 1785, Sevier negotiated the Treaty of Dumplin Creek, in which the Cherokee gave up claims to lands south of the French Broad River as far as the Little River – Little Tennessee River divide. The following year, he negotiated

2737-539: The Colony of Virginia , near the present-day town of New Market (Sevier's birthplace is now part of modern-day Rockingham County ). John Sevier was the oldest of seven children of Valentine Sevier and Joanna Goad. His father, who was of Spanish ancestry (the surname Sevier was an anglicization of the Portuguese Xavier ), had immigrated from England to Baltimore in 1740 and gradually made his way to

2856-561: The Continental Congress and eager to be rid of an expensive and unprofitable district, ceded its lands west of the Appalachian Mountains to the federal government. However, Congress did not immediately accept the lands, creating a vacuum of power in what is now Tennessee. In August 1784, Sevier served as president of a convention held at Jonesborough with the aim of establishing a new state. In March of

2975-530: The Dallas phase of the Mississippian period , a group of Native Americans established McMahan Mound Site , a relatively large village centered on a platform mound and surrounded by a palisade just above the confluence of the West Fork and the Little Pigeon River. This mound was approximately 16 feet (5 m) high and 240 feet (73 m) across. An excavation in 1881 unearthed burial sites, arrowheads,

3094-602: The Great Indian Warpath forked at the mouth of Boyd's Creek, just north of Sevierville. The main branch crossed the French Broad and continued along Dumplin Creek to the Nolichucky basin in northeastern Tennessee. The other branch, known as the Tuckaleechee and Southeastern Trail, turned south along the West Fork of the Little Pigeon River. This second branch forked again at modern-day Pigeon Forge, with

3213-723: The Holston River . Three years later, he relocated further south to the Watauga settlements, in what is now Elizabethton, Tennessee . The Wataugans had leased their lands from the Cherokee in 1772 and had formed a fledgling government known as the Watauga Association . Sevier was appointed clerk of the Association's five-man court in 1775 and was elected to the court in 1776. The Royal Proclamation of 1763 forbade English settlement on Indian lands west of

3332-538: The James Park House . He completed only the foundation, however, before relocating to Marble Springs , a plantation he owned in South Knoxville. A log cabin still standing at this site has been attributed to Sevier. But a dendrochronological analysis of the cabin's logs, conducted by the University of Tennessee, suggests the cabin was built well after his death. Marble Springs has been designated as

3451-608: The Nolichucky Valley . After receiving word of an impending Cherokee invasion from Nancy Ward , the Nolichucky settlers fled to Fort Caswell, and Sevier soon followed. The Cherokee attacks began in mid-July 1776. Dragging Canoe went north to attack the Holston settlements, while a detachment led by Old Abraham of Chilhowee invaded the Watauga settlements. On July 21, Old Abraham's forces reached Fort Caswell, which

3570-621: The Overhill country by William Christian in October 1776. The Wataugans sent five delegates, among them Sevier, to North Carolina's constitutional convention in November 1776. The new constitution created the "District of Washington," which included most of modern Tennessee. The new district elected Sevier to one of its two seats in the state's House of Representatives. The district became Washington County, North Carolina in 1777. Sevier

3689-752: The People's Republic of China . Xian have existed since the Warring States period and were set up nationwide by the Qin dynasty . The number of counties in China proper gradually increased from dynasty to dynasty. As Qin Shi Huang reorganized the counties after his unification, there were about 1,000. Under the Eastern Han dynasty , the number of counties increased to above 1,000. About 1400 existed when

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3808-681: The Revolutionary War , the Cherokee, who had aligned themselves with the British, launched sporadic attacks against the sparse settlements in the Tennessee Valley. In December 1780, Col. John Sevier , fresh off a victory against the British at King's Mountain , launched a punitive expedition against the Cherokee. Sevier defeated the Cherokee at the Battle of Boyd's Creek and proceeded to destroy several Cherokee settlements along

3927-542: The Sui dynasty abolished the commandery level (郡 jùn), which was the level just above counties, and demoted some commanderies to counties. In Imperial China, the county was a significant administrative unit because it marked the lowest level of the imperial bureaucratic structure; in other words, it was the lowest level that the government reached. Government below the county level was often undertaken through informal non-bureaucratic means, varying between dynasties. The head of

4046-597: The Tennessee Valley , Sevierville has long acted as a nexus between Knoxville to the north and the Appalachian towns in the mountains to the south. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is located approximately ten miles south of Sevierville. Due to its hilly terrain and the relatively poor roads of 19th-century Sevier County, a number of smaller communities developed independently along the outskirts of Sevierville. These include Harrisburg and Fair Garden to

4165-522: The United States , a county is an administrative or political subdivision of a state that consists of a geographic area with specific boundaries and usually some level of governmental authority. The city, town, or populated place that houses county government is known as the seat of its county. Generally, the county legislature, county courthouse, sheriff's department headquarters, hall of records, jail and correctional facility are located in

4284-538: The Wheatlands plantation in Boyd's Creek. As towns situated along the French Broad are connected via waterway to New Orleans , flatboat trade flourished along the river in the early 19th century. In 1793, James Hubbert, who lived along Dumplin Creek, established Hubbert's Flat Landing to trade with flatboats moving up and down the river. In the early 19th century, Knoxville and Asheville were connected via Route 17,

4403-710: The Whig Party in the 1830s, and most were Unionists during the Civil War. Following the war, majority-white East Tennessee remained one of the South's few predominantly white Republican regions into the early 20th century. In the 1770s, Sevier established a plantation, Mount Pleasant, along the Nolichucky River south of Jonesborough. This site inspired his nickname, "Nolichucky Jack." He moved to Knoxville in 1797, where he began construction of what later became

4522-411: The provinces of Ontario , Quebec , New Brunswick , Prince Edward Island , and Nova Scotia have counties as an administrative division of government below the provincial level, and thus county seats. In the provinces of Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia the term "shire town" is used in place of county seat. County seats in China are the administrative centers of the counties in

4641-541: The " Nine Mile Creek Massacre ". In response, Sevier invaded and destroyed several Cherokee towns in the Little Tennessee Valley . Several Cherokee leaders met with Sevier under a flag of truce to discuss peace. But John Kirke, a member of the murdered family, attacked the delegation and killed several chiefs, including Old Tassel and Old Abraham of Chilhowee. The Cherokee were enraged, resulting in new supporters for Dragging Canoe in his resistance to

4760-560: The "Blue Bills." The two vigilante groups clashed at Henderson Springs in 1894, with deaths occurring on both sides. In 1896, the Whitecaps' murder of a young Sevierville couple led to widespread outrage, and in 1898, the Tennessee State Legislature banned "extra-legal conspiracies" and vigilante groups. Due to this measure and the efforts of Sevier County Deputy Sheriff Thomas Davis, the Whitecaps largely vanished by

4879-495: The Appalachian Mountains. As the Watauga settlements were in Cherokee territory, the British colonial officials considered them illegal. In March 1775, the settlers purchased the lands from the Cherokee, with Sevier listed as a witness to the agreement. The British refused to recognize the purchase, however, and continued to demand that the settlers leave. A band of Cherokee led by Dragging Canoe disagreed with

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4998-571: The Chickamauga River, settlers called them the "Chickamauga" Cherokee, but they were never a separate tribe. Sevier defeated a small force near Lookout Mountain , and destroyed several Cherokee villages along the Coosa River . Chief Oconostota helped negotiate peace between the newly founded America and the Cherokee people, bringing an end to the battles between the two nations. In June 1784, North Carolina, bowing to pressure, from

5117-645: The European Americans. Following the Battle of Franklin, support for Sevier and the State of Franklin collapsed among settlers in areas north of the French Broad River. North Carolina Governor Samuel Johnston issued a warrant for his arrest in July 1788. In October, after Sevier attacked David Deaderick, a Jonesborough store owner, for refusing to sell him liquor, Tipton and his men captured

5236-472: The Little Tennessee. A temporary truce secured by James White in 1783 led to an influx of Euro-American settlers in the French Broad valley. Hugh Henry (1756–1838) erected a small fort near the mouth of Dumplin Creek in 1782 known as Henry's Station. He was joined the following year by Samuel Newell (1754–1841), who established Newell's Station along Boyd's Creek, and Joshua Gist, who settled near

5355-524: The Loyalists surrendered shortly afterward. Sevier's brother, Captain Robert Sevier, was mortally wounded in the battle. Upon returning from Kings Mountain, Sevier was told by Nancy Ward of an impending Cherokee attack. He organized a 300-man force and marched south. On December 16, 1780, he routed a Cherokee force at the Battle of Boyd's Creek, near modern Sevierville . A few days later, he

5474-418: The Parkway in Sevier County, Sevierville has reaped the benefits of the burgeoning tourism industry brought on by the development of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. As of 2004, nearly 50 percent of businesses based in Sevierville were linked to tourism. For example, there are more than 2,000 hotel and motel rooms in the city that generate more than $ 500,000 in hotel-motel tax revenues each year. There are

5593-428: The Sevierville, Tennessee, Micropolitan Statistical Area , which includes all of Sevier County, and is part of the Knoxville-Sevierville-La Follette Combined Statistical Area . As of the 2020 United States census , there were 17,889 people, 6,026 households, and 3,949 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 United States Census , Sevierville had 14,807 people, 5,979 households, and 3,706 families residing in

5712-427: The Southwest Territory council, a body that operated similar to that of a state senate. That same year, he was appointed to the first board of trustees of Blount College, the forerunner of the University of Tennessee . In 1796, the Southwest Territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Tennessee. Sevier missed the state's constitutional convention while serving on the territorial council in Washington, but he

5831-468: The TDZ. East Tennessee Radio Group owns and operates the Sevierville area's primary local radio stations, WPFT -FM 106.3 and FM 105.5. Also, WWST -FM 102.1, a Top 40 music station serving the Knoxville market, is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to Sevierville. The following are located in the Kodak area of North Sevierville: Sevierville is served by the Sevier County public school system. The educational system consists of

5950-435: The Treaty of Coyatee, which extended the boundary to the Little Tennessee River. The State of Franklin created three new counties (modern Cocke , Sevier , and Blount counties). The United States Senate never ratified these treaties, however, as required to make them legal between a tribe and the government. The fate of the European-American settlers who moved into these areas remained in limbo for years. In February 1788,

6069-447: The U.S. Census Bureau, the median income for a household in Sevierville was $ 37,784, and the median income for a family was $ 39,840. Males had a median income of $ 32,404 versus $ 29,172 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 21,779. About 18.7% of families and 23.3% of the population were living below the poverty line , including 34.8% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or older. Like other towns situated along

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6188-481: The Union forces were victorious, they were later forced to retreat due to lack of supplies. A state of general anarchy ensued that continued until the end of the war. On October 30, 1864, Sevierville resident Terressa McCown wrote in her diary: The robbers have come at last, they robbed my husband of his pocketbook, money and papers and pocket knife. Times get worse everyday. We know not what will come next. I feel this morning like nothing but destruction awaits us. At

6307-458: The West ) and Samuel Cole Williams ( History of the Lost State of Franklin ), added a more objective perspective to accounts of this period. Several historians argue that the rivalry between John Sevier and Andrew Jackson was the root of the factionalism that divided East Tennessee and the rest of the state in subsequent decades. But the sections were also divided by their geography, land characteristics, and settlement patterns. East Tennessee

6426-527: The association's successor, the Washington District . Following the Battle of Kings Mountain, he led an invasion that destroyed several Cherokee towns in northern Georgia. In the 1780s, he served as the only governor of the State of Franklin , an early attempt at statehood by the trans-Appalachian settlers. He was brigadier general of the Southwest Territory militia during the early 1790s. Sevier served six two-year terms as Tennessee's governor: from 1796 until 1801, and from 1803 to 1809. Term limits prevented

6545-509: The back country and Shenandoah Valley . One of his brothers, Valentine Sevier , became a frontiersman, Revolutionary War officer, and the builder of the Sevier Station frontier outpost. Sevier's father worked variously as a tavern keeper, fur trader , and land speculator; young John pursued similar work. At an early age he opened his own tavern, and he helped found New Market. The town claims Sevier as its founder. In 1761 at age 16, Sevier married Sarah Hawkins and initially settled into

6664-489: The cession of Tennessee had taken place. Sevier was permitted to serve out his term although he no longer represented an existing North Carolina district. In the fall of 1793, following a Cherokee attack on Cavett's Station west of Knoxville , Sevier led the territorial militia south into Georgia to their base territory. He defeated a Cherokee force at the Battle of Hightower and destroyed several villages. The following year, President George Washington appointed Sevier to

6783-418: The church. He never served as an elder. "His last wife was a member," wrote Ramsey, "but he was Gullis-like and cared for none of these things." In 1815, Sevier died in the Alabama Territory while conducting a survey of lands which Jackson had recently acquired from the Creek tribe (Muscogee) through the Treaty of Fort Jackson . He was buried along the Tallapoosa River near Fort Decatur . In 1889, at

6902-423: The city. The population density was 613.5 inhabitants per square mile (236.9/km). There were 7,764 housing units at an average density of 321.7 per square mile (124.2/km). The racial makeup of the city was 88.9% White , 1.5% African American , 0.6% Native American , 1.3% Asian , 0% Pacific Islander , 6.1% from other races , and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race accounted for 10.3% of

7021-432: The county seat is the entire county. Ellicott City , the county seat of Howard County, Maryland , is the largest unincorporated county seat in the United States, followed by Towson , the county seat of Baltimore County, Maryland . Likewise, some county seats may not be incorporated in their own right, but are located within incorporated municipalities. For example, Cape May Court House, New Jersey , though unincorporated,

7140-491: The county seat, though some functions (such as highway maintenance, which usually requires a large garage for vehicles, along with asphalt and salt storage facilities) may also be located or conducted in other parts of the county, especially if it is geographically large. A county seat is usually an incorporated municipality . The exceptions include the county seats of counties that have no incorporated municipalities within their borders, such as Arlington County, Virginia , where

7259-420: The county. Examples include Harrison County, Mississippi , which has both Biloxi and Gulfport as county seats, and Hinds County, Mississippi , which has both Raymond and the state capital of Jackson . The practice of multiple county seat towns dates from the days when travel was difficult. There have been few efforts to eliminate the two-seat arrangement, since a county seat is a source of civic pride for

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7378-409: The courthouse and named Dolly Parton Parkway after her. Much of Cormac McCarthy 's 1973 novel Child of God takes place in Sevierville and the surrounding area. Sevierville is located along the Little Pigeon River which is formed by the confluence of its East Fork and Middle Fork, both of which flow down from their sources high in the Great Smoky Mountains . Five miles (8 km) downstream to

7497-420: The creek's mouth. Other early forts in the area included Willson's Station at the confluence of the East and Middle Fork of the Little Pigeon and Wear's Fort at the junction of the Southeastern and Tuckaleechee Trail and Indian Gap Trail. The Cherokee signed away all rights to what is now Sevier County in the 1785 Treaty of Dumplin Creek , which was negotiated at Henry's Station. In 1783, Isaac Thomas established

7616-470: The east and Catlettsburg and Boyd's Creek to the north. In addition, the United States Postal Service associates the name "Sevierville" with ZIP codes for much of Sevier County, including some of the town of Pittman Center and other geographically extensive areas located outside Sevierville's city limits. Several major state and federal highways intersect in Sevierville. U.S. Route 441 , commonly called "The Parkway," connects Sevierville with Knoxville to

7735-416: The east. Known as Rose Glen , this plantation was worth $ 28,000 in 1860, making it one of the most valuable in the county. In 1856, a fire swept through Sevierville, burning a recently constructed courthouse, 41 houses, and several shops in the downtown area. The county lost nearly all of the vital records of its early settlers. Slavery was not common in Sevier County, although it did occur, especially at

7854-413: The end of the century. After a fire destroyed much of the downtown area in 1900, businesses shifted from the old town square at Main Street to the new Sevierville Commercial District, viz. Court Avenue and Bruce Street, which centered on the new courthouse. The town incorporated in 1901. In 1910, Indiana entrepreneur William J. Oliver finished work on the Knoxville, Sevierville and Eastern Railroad, which

7973-459: The following public institutions: Sevierville is also home to the following private institutions: In addition to the preceding institutions, Sevierville is home to the Sevier County satellite campus of Walters State Community College , based in Morristown, Tennessee . King University , based in Bristol, Tennessee , also operates a satellite campus in Sevierville at the Walters State Community College location. County seat In Canada ,

8092-443: The following year, he was elected governor of the proposed state, which was named "Franklin" in honor of Benjamin Franklin . In October 1784, North Carolina rescinded the cession and reasserted its claim to the Tennessee region. Sevier initially supported this, in part because he was offered a promotion to brigadier general, but he was persuaded by William Cocke to remain with the Franklinites. Though Sevier had popular support,

8211-413: The frontier militia in dozens of battles against the Cherokee in the 1780s and 1790s. Sevier settled in the Tennessee Valley frontier in the 1770s. In 1776, he was elected one of five magistrates of the Watauga Association and helped defend Fort Watauga against an assault by the Cherokee. At the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War , he was chosen as a member of the Committee of Safety for

8330-402: The governor demanded the office's documents, Sevier blocked their transfer. Jackson concluded that Sevier was somehow involved in the scandal. Sevier was a Freemason , and, while in office as governor, he helped establish the first Masonic lodge in East Tennessee. Tennessee Lodge #2 in Knoxville received its charter from the Grand Lodge of North Carolina on November 30, 1800, and John Sevier

8449-437: The incident before bloodshed took place. In 1804, Sevier helped William C. C. Claiborne get appointed governor of the newly acquired Louisiana Territory , a position which Jackson had sought. Jackson supported Roane in the state's gubernatorial election in 1805, but Sevier won with nearly two-thirds of the vote. Sevier's last campaign for governor was in 1807, when he defeated William Cocke. Barred by term limits from

8568-625: The independent city under an agreement, such as in Albemarle , or may in be enclaves of the county surrounded by the independent city, such as in Fairfax . Others, such as Prince William , have the courthouse in an enclave surrounded by the independent city and have the county government, the Board of Supervisors, in a different part of the county, far from the county seat. The following counties have their county seat in an independent city: Bedford

8687-533: The large plantations along the French Broad River. Even before the American Civil War , Sevierville – a hotbed of abolitionist activity – was home to a relatively large community of free African-Americans. In 1861, only 3.8% of the residents of Sevier County voted in favor of secession from the Union. In late 1861, a pro-secession speech delivered by Henry Foote sparked an angry response in Sevierville and

8806-404: The leader. He was sent to Morganton, North Carolina , to stand trial for treason. He was released by Burke County Sheriff William Morrison (a Kings Mountain veteran), before the trial began. In January 1789, Sevier defeated a large Cherokee invasion led by John Watts at the Battle of Flint Creek near Jonesborough. In February 1789, Sevier took the oath of allegiance to North Carolina. He

8925-516: The main trail turning east en route to Little River and the other branch, known as Indian Gap Trail, crossing the crest of the Smokies to the south and descending into the Oconaluftee area of North Carolina. The various Cherokee trails crossing Sevier County brought the first Euro-American traders and settlers to the area. European long hunters and traders arrived in the Sevierville area in

9044-613: The march home on New Year's Day. In February 1781, Sevier was commissioned as colonel-commandant of the Washington County militia, following the death of John Carter. Shortly afterward, he embarked on an expedition against the Cherokee Middle Towns, which lay on the other side of the mountains in the vicinity of modern Bryson City, North Carolina . Emerging from the mountains in March, his 150-man force took

9163-518: The march, Sevier obtained a loan from John Adair, putting up his own property as collateral. The combined force departed across the mountains on September 26, eventually linking up with the remnants of McDowell's men. On October 7, the Overmountain Men caught up with and surrounded Ferguson, who had entrenched his Loyalist forces atop Kings Mountain , near the present-day North Carolina-South Carolina border. Sevier's men comprised part of

9282-419: The mid-18th century. Isaac Thomas (c. 1735–1818), the most notable of these early traders, was well respected by the Cherokee and may have lived at the Overhill town of Chota at one time. Europeans like Thomas were mainly in the area in search of animal furs, which they exchanged for manufactured goods. As settlers began to trickle into East Tennessee, relations with the Cherokee began to turn hostile. During

9401-697: The militia: the vote ended in a tie, and Roane chose Jackson. When Sevier announced his candidacy for governor in 1803, Roane and Jackson publicized documents acquired from the Nashville land office scandal and accused Sevier of bribery. Their efforts to smear Sevier were unsuccessful, however, and the popular Sevier easily defeated Roane in the election. Following his inauguration, Sevier encountered Jackson in Knoxville. They had an argument during which Sevier accused Jackson of adultery in his marriage to Rachel Donelson . An enraged Jackson challenged Sevier to

9520-598: The mountains and "lay waste the country with fire and sword." Sevier and Sullivan County militia colonel Isaac Shelby agreed to raise armies and march across the mountains to engage Ferguson. On September 25, 1780, the Overmountain Men , as they came to be called, gathered at Sycamore Shoals to prepare for the march. This force consisted of 240 Washington County militia commanded by Sevier, 240 Sullivan County militia commanded by Shelby, and 400 Virginians commanded by William Campbell . To provide funds for

9639-465: The north and the national park and Cherokee, North Carolina , to the south. The Sevierville section of U.S. 441 has been named "Forks-of-the-River Parkway." State Route 66 , also called Winfield Dunn Parkway, connects Sevierville with Interstate 40 to the north. U.S. Route 411 traverses Sevierville from east to west, connecting Sevierville with Blount and Cocke counties. State Route 416 connects Sevierville with Pittman Center and U.S. Route 321 at

9758-492: The park boundary to the southeast. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 24.24 square miles (62.8 km), of which 24.14 square miles (62.5 km) is land and 0.11 square miles (0.28 km) (0.45%) is water. There are several neighborhoods located within Sevierville, offering different lifestyles and retail opportunities: Sevierville is the principal city of

9877-465: The petition, but later historians reject this). The Wataugans then petitioned North Carolina. Fearing an invasion by Dragging Canoe, who was receiving arms from the British, the Overmountain settlers built Fort Caswell (commonly called Fort Watauga) to guard the Watauga settlements, and Eaton's Station to guard the Holston settlements. Sevier had begun building Fort Lee to guard settlements in

9996-432: The population. Of the 5,979 households, 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals living alone, and 15% of those living alone were 65 years of age or older. The average household size

10115-431: The position of major-general of the state militia but Sevier threw his support behind George Conway. Jackson learned that Sevier had referred to him as a "poor pitiful petty fogging lawyer" in private correspondence. In 1797, Jackson, then serving as a U.S. Senator, learned that fraud had taken place in the 1780s at what was then North Carolina's Nashville land office. He notified the governor of North Carolina. When

10234-577: The rebel soldiers so often threatened to take my life that I cannot particularize. They were always after me because of my Union sentiments. After Confederate General James Longstreet failed to retake Knoxville in the Battle of Fort Sanders , Union and Confederate forces quickly initiated a series of maneuvers to gain control of the strategic fords along the French Broad, culminating in an engagement near Hodsden's farm at Fair Garden in January 1864. Although

10353-485: The request of Governor Robert Love Taylor , Sevier's remains were re-interred in the Knox County Courthouse lawn in Knoxville. A monument was placed on the grave in 1893, in a ceremony that included a speech by historian Oliver Perry Temple . In 1922, the remains of his second wife, Catherine Sherill, were re-interred next to Sevier's. A monument recognizing his first wife, Sarah Hawkins, was placed at

10472-482: The rivalry between Sevier and Tipton came to a head, in what became known as the "Battle of Franklin." While Sevier was campaigning against the Cherokee, Tipton ordered some of Sevier's slaves to be seized for taxes supposedly owed to North Carolina. In response, Sevier led 150 militia to Tipton's farm , which was defended by about 45 loyalists supporting North Carolina. Both sides demanded the other surrender, and briefly exchanged gunfire. On February 29, two days after

10591-563: The siege began, loyalist reinforcements from Sullivan County arrived on the scene and scattered the Franklinites. Sevier retreated, though not before two men were killed. Two of Sevier's sons and other Franklin supporters were captured, but all were subsequently released. In the summer of 1788, several Kirke family settlers were killed by renegade Cherokee warriors, in Blount County, in what became known by European Americans as

10710-607: The site in 1946. In his book, The Lost State of Franklin , Kevin Barksdale says that Sevier was driven, at least in part, by a desire to acquire his own land claims in the trans-Appalachian region. For many East Tennesseans, he represented "rugged individualism, regional exceptionalism, and civic dignity." For nearly a century after his death, historians such as Ramsey and Oliver Perry Temple heaped unconditional praise upon Sevier and romanticized various events in his life. Later authors, such as Theodore Roosevelt ( Winning of

10829-567: The south flank, along with the forces of Campbell and McDowell. Patriot forces initially failed to break through the Loyalist lines, but the frontier sharpshooters gradually decimated the American Loyalist ranks. At the height of the battle, Sevier and Campbell charged the high point of the Loyalist position, giving the Overmountain men a foothold atop the mountain. Ferguson was killed while trying to break through Sevier's line, and

10948-777: The state's area, has no borough government or borough seat. One borough, the Lake and Peninsula Borough , has its borough seat located in another borough, namely King Salmon in Bristol Bay Borough . In Louisiana , which is divided into parishes rather than counties, county seats are referred to as "parish seats". In New England , counties have served mainly as dividing lines for the states' judicial systems. Rhode Island has no county level of government and thus no county seats, and Massachusetts has dissolved many but not all of its county governments. In Vermont , Massachusetts , and Maine county government consists only of

11067-580: The term as hien . When Taiwan became a Japanese colony in 1895, the hierarchy of divisions also incorporated into the Japanese system in the period when Taiwan was under Japanese rule. By September 1945, Taiwan was divided into 8 prefectures ( 州 and 廳 ), which remained after the Republic of China took over. There are 13 county seats in Taiwan, which function as county-administered cities , urban townships , or rural townships . In most of

11186-563: The territory from North Carolina, of what is now the state of Tennessee, to the federal government. To administer the new cession, Congress created the Southwest Territory in the spring of 1790; it was administered under the Northwest Ordinance . Sevier was appointed brigadier general of the territorial militia. William Blount , a fellow land speculator and North Carolina politician, was appointed governor of

11305-536: The territory. In June 1791, Blount negotiated the Treaty of Holston , which resolved the land disputes with the Cherokee created by the Treaty of Dumplin Creek. Just before the cession, the territory was designated as North Carolina's 5th congressional district . Sevier was elected to represent it in the first Congress. By the time he arrived in New York City, where the new government was temporarily situated,

11424-522: The town had four general stores, two groceries, a jeweler, a sawmill, and two hotels. It was also home to the Sevierville Lumber Company, which was established to harvest trees in the area. Tourists also started to trickle into Sevier County, drawn by the reported health-restoring qualities of mountain springs. Resorts sprang up throughout the county, with Seaton Springs and Henderson Springs located just south of Sevierville. In 1892,

11543-416: The towns involved, along with providing employment opportunities. There are 33 counties with multiple county seats in 11 states: Alaska is divided into boroughs rather than counties; the county seat in these case is referred to as the "borough seat"; this includes six consolidated city-borough governments (one of which is styled as a "municipality"). The Unorganized Borough, Alaska , which covers 49% of

11662-813: The tribe's sale of communal lands, and began making threats against the settlers. With the outbreak of the American Revolution , in April 1775, the Wataugans, most of whom were sympathetic to the Patriot cause, organized the Washington District and formed a 13-member Committee of Safety . The committee, which included Sevier, submitted the "Watauga Petition" to Virginia in the spring of 1776, formally asking to be annexed, but Virginia refused. (Historian J. G. M. Ramsey suggested Sevier wrote

11781-544: The use of county seats in particular, will fully transition with the permission of the United States Census Bureau to a system of councils of government for the purposes of boundary definition and as county equivalents. Two counties in South Dakota , Oglala Lakota and Todd , have their county seat and government services centered in a neighboring county. Their county-level services are provided by Fall River County and Tripp County , respectively. In Virginia ,

11900-438: The village of Tuckasegee by surprise, killing about 50 and capturing several other Cherokee. Facing little opposition, he proceeded to destroy about 15 villages before returning home. In September 1782, Sevier set out on an expedition against Dragging Canoe and his band of Cherokee, who had become concentrated in a string of villages in northern Georgia and Alabama . Because Dragging Canoe's band had earlier been settled near

12019-469: The war's end, most of the county's few remaining Confederate sympathizers, most notably members of the Brabson family, were forced to flee. Sevierville recovered quickly from the war, with a number of new houses and businesses being built in the 1870s. Two members of the town's African-American community — house builder Lewis Buckner (1856–1924) and brickmason Isaac Dockery (1832–1910) — played

12138-528: The war, even after Union forces under Ambrose Burnside occupied Knoxville in September 1863. Sevierville, situated at a major crossroads south of Knoxville, suffered consistent harassment, looting, and confiscation of property by both Union and Confederate forces moving through the town in 1863 and 1864. Vance Newman, a Union recruiting officer living in Sevierville at the time, later recalled: A guard of rebel soldiers in 1864 threatened to burn my house, and

12257-596: The west, the Little Pigeon absorbs its West Fork before turning north and flowing for another five miles (8 km) to its mouth along the French Broad River . Sevierville is centered on the stretch of land between these two junctions of the East and Middle Fork and the West Fork, known traditionally as Forks-of-the-Pigeon or Forks-of-the-River. Situated in an area where the Foothills of the Great Smokies give way to

12376-445: Was 2.35, and the average family size was 2.9. The population consisted of 24.4% of individuals under the age of 20, 7.2% from 20 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 24% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.3 males. According to 2012–2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates conducted by

12495-555: Was Sevier County's first standard gauge rail line. Known as the Smoky Mountain Railroad , this line offered passenger service between Knoxville and Sevierville until 1962. With the opening of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 1934, tens of thousands of tourists began passing through Sevierville, which was situated about halfway between the park and Knoxville. U.S. 441, initially known as Smoky Mountain Highway,

12614-595: Was an American soldier, frontiersman, and politician, and one of the founding fathers of the State of Tennessee . A member of the Democratic-Republican Party , he played a leading role in Tennessee's pre-statehood period, both militarily and politically, and he was elected the state's first governor in 1796. He served as a colonel of the Washington District Regiment in the Battle of Kings Mountain in 1780, and he commanded

12733-532: Was an independent city from 1968 to 2013, while also being the county seat of Bedford County . Bedford reverted to an incorporated town, and remains the county seat, though is now part of the county. The state with the most counties is Texas, with 254, and the state with the fewest counties is Delaware, with 3. John Sevier North Carolina militia (1781–1783) State of Franklin Militia (1784–1788) John Sevier (September 23, 1745 – September 24, 1815)

12852-536: Was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the new county's Washington County Regiment of militia. Following the British victory, at the Battle of Camden , in August 1780, a detachment of Loyalists , under Major Patrick Ferguson , was dispatched to suppress Patriot activity in the mountains. After routing a small force, under Charles McDowell , Ferguson sent a message to the Overmountain settlements, warning them that if they refused to lay down their arms, he would march over

12971-409: Was built in 1796. According to local legend, court was held in a flea-infested abandoned stable before its construction. The lore suggests that irritated lawyers paid an unknown person a bottle of whiskey to burn down the stable, forcing the new county to build an actual courthouse. As the county grew, several large farms were established in the fertile Boyd's Creek area. In 1792, Andrew Evans purchased

13090-404: Was completed to Sevierville in 1934 and later extended to North Carolina. Entertainer Dolly Parton was born in Sevierville in 1946. Her Parton ancestors had migrated to Greenbrier sometime around 1850 and later moved to Locust Ridge (near Pittman Center), where Parton was born, after the establishment of the national park. In more recent years, the town erected a statue of Parton on the lawn of

13209-545: Was created in 1794 and named after John Sevier . At a meeting at Thomas' house the following year, the Forks-of-the-Little-Pigeon area was chosen as the county seat and renamed "Sevierville." James McMahan donated a 25-acre (100,000 m) tract of land for erecting a town square. This tract was parceled out into lots of 0.5 acres (2,000 m) that purchasers were required to build brick, framed, or stone structures on. The first Sevier County Courthouse

13328-493: Was dominated by yeoman farmers who generally owned few slaves. Middle Tennessee had numerous planters and slaveowners, who cultivated commodity crops such as tobacco and hemp based on the labor of enslaved African Americans. West Tennessee, along the lowlands of the Mississippi River, became dominated by large cotton plantations and planters who held numerous slaves. East Tennessee voters gradually developed support for

13447-529: Was elected the new state's first governor. Sevier made the acquisition of Indian lands a priority. He consistently urged Congress and the Secretary of War (then responsible for relations with Native American tribes) to negotiate new treaties to that end, to extinguish Indian land claims and promote European-American settlement. During his first term as governor, Sevier developed a rivalry with rising politician Andrew Jackson . In 1796, Jackson campaigned for

13566-560: Was elected to the U.S. Congress for the state's 2nd district . Sevier was a strong supporter of the War of 1812 . President James Madison offered him a command in the army, but Sevier turned it down. According to the early Tennessee historian Dr. J.G.M. Ramsey , Sevier attended the Lebanon In The Fork Presbyterian Church east of Knoxville with members of his family, but he was not a formal member of

13685-553: Was followed by a series of explosive anti-secession speeches. The following year, pro-Union Knoxville newspaper editor Parson Brownlow gave a rousing anti-secession speech in Sevierville en route to a hideout in Wears Valley . Brownlow's audience remained gathered throughout the night after a rumor spread that Confederate forces were approaching. Union supporters in Sevier County were harassed and threatened throughout

13804-451: Was garrisoned by 75 militia commanded by John Carter, with Sevier and James Robertson as subordinates. Catherine Sherrill, Sevier's future wife, failed to make it into the fort before the gate was locked, but Sevier managed to reach over the palisades and pull her to safety. The fort's garrison beat back the Cherokee assault, and after a two-week siege, Old Abraham retreated. The Cherokee eventually sued for peace following an invasion of

13923-407: Was its first Worshipful Master . Tennessee Lodge was the second Masonic lodge within the state of Tennessee, the first being St. Tammany Lodge #1, chartered in Nashville in 1796. After Sevier's third (two-year) term as governor, term limits prevented him from seeking a fourth consecutive term. Archibald Roane was elected as his replacement. Both Sevier and Jackson campaigned for major-general of

14042-467: Was joined by a contingent of Virginia militia led by Arthur Campbell , and the combined forces continued south, occupying the Cherokee town of Chota on December 25. They captured and burned Cherokee towns of Chilhowee and Tallassee three days later. Sevier and Campbell proceeded as far as the Hiwassee River , where they burned the villages of Great Hiwassee and Chestoee , before beginning

14161-729: Was pardoned by North Carolina Governor Alexander Martin and elected to the North Carolina State Senate . When the senate convened the Fayetteville Convention in November 1789, Sevier was a delegate from Greene County and worked to gain the North Carolina's ratification of the U.S. Constitution . After it was ratified on November 23, Sevier helped engineer a second cession act, which passed with little opposition in December. This transferred

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