used in supplying the aforesaid troops, or for their pay or the purchase of ammunition or arms. SEC. 5. Be it enacted, That any sum the Governor may borrow under the provisions of this act, the revenue of this state shall be pledged to the lenders for the same, and the interest, and in the event the General Government do not pay the debts contracted by the Governor, at the next session of the Legislature of this state, a tax shall be laid on the taxable property of this state, sufficient to raise the sum and the interest thereon, which may be borrowed by the Governor. SEC. 6. Be it enacted, That the Governor's warrant on the Treasury of this state, for the sum or sums he may borrow and the interest thereon shall be sufficient and conclusive evidence of such debts, and shall entitle the lenders to draw interest, on the sum or sums by them advanced, from the time advanced until said sum or sums be repaid, and that the interest shall be paid half yearly agreeably to the rate of interest, mentioned in the second section of this act. TH. CLAIBORNE, Speaker of the House of Representatives. September 24, 1813. Speaker of the Senate. SKETCHES OF SEVIER AND ROBERTSON COUNTIES. [In 1880 the city of Nashville held a Centennial Exposition. It was decided, as one feature of the Exposition, to exhibit a series of sketches embracing the history of every county in the State. Letters were addressed to prominent citizens in each county, soliciting their co-operation. Although the response was by no means general, yet valuable information was obtained from several of the counties. Some of these county sketches, or histories, found their way into the archives of the Tennessee Historical Society. Among these the sketch of Sevier County has been selected for publication, not only on account of interesting information, but also on account of the letter of the author, Hon. W. L. Duggan, which shows the action of the State Legislature and of the County Court of Sevier. The sketch of Robertson County, the author of which is unknown, is selected, on account of interesting local information, and especially on account of the sketch which it contains of the Bell Witch. This remarkable episode of Tennessee history has well-nigh passed out of mind, and has not found a place in the annals of the State. From 1818 to 1835 the stories of the Bell Witch created great excitement in Robertson County, and throughout Middle Tennessee, The reader who may be interested in this remarkable hallucination is referred to a book entitled "An Authenticated History of the Bell Witch," by M. V. Ingram, published at Clarksville, Tenn., by W. P. Titus. Perhaps no other witchcraft hallucination ever gained currency in the State except the excitement in Fentress County, which occurred about 1837, and led to the only trial for witchcraft in Tennessee. Fortunately, the only trial for witchcraft in the State, although leading to conviction before the Justice of the Peace, resulted in the acquittal of the accused on appeal to the Circuit Court. These two county sketches are filed in the Archives of the Tennessee Historical Society, marked respectively, Box S1, No. 43, and Box R2, No. 142.] Nashville, Tenn., April, 1880. The County Court of Sevier County at its April term 1880, in pursuance of a Resolution adopted by the General Assembly of Tennessee, appointed the undersigned-together with D. W. Howard, Esq., and Dr. J. U. Hammer-to prepare a "succinct History" of Sevier County for the occasion of the Nashville Centennial. I have not had the assistance of Messrs Howard and Hammer in the prep aration of the History, nor have I had an opportunity to examine the early records of the county. The accompanying history embraces a recital of such important facts as I could obtain from the limited means at my command. Very Respectfully, 1880. W. L. DUGGAN. A Brief History of Sevier County, from its First Settlement and sources-Soil-Climate-Medici- THE FIRST SETTLEMENT of the territory which now forms Sevier County was made on Dumplin Creek a few miles north of French Broad River. This was shortly followed by settlements on Boyd's Creek and at different places on Little Pigeon River. SEVIER COUNTY WAS ESTABLISHED by the "Territorial Assembly," in 1794-was taken off of Jefferson-then called Caswell County. It was the tenth county established by the Territorial Government, and was named in honor of General John Sevier, the Governor of the "State of Franklin," and the first Governor of Tennessee. The county contains 660 square miles, or 442,400 acres, and is bounded: On the North, by Jefferson County; on the East, by Cocke County; on the South, by the North Carolina line; on the West, by Blount and Knox Counties. POPULATION. The first census of the County was taken in July, 1795, showing a population of a little more than 3,000. The subsequent censuses exhibit the following increase in population: In 1800 the population was near 3,400 "1810 " " 1820 " " " 1840 " "1850 " SEVIERVILLE, THE COUNTY SEAT, was located by Commissioners, duly authorized by the Legislature of 1794, at the Confluence of the West and main East Forks of Little Pigeon river. The first officers of the County were Samuel Newell, Chairman of the County Court; Samuel Wear, Clerk County Court; John Lowry, County Solicitor; Ambrose Arther, Sheriff; Thomas Buckingham, Collector. The first State Senator, John Clack; first Representatives, Spencer Clack and Sam'l Newell. It has been nearly 86 years since the establishment of Sevier County, during which time the solitude of the forest, or the wigwams of the savages, have given way to the enterprise and industry of an energetic people. "The County has been the land of hunters, soldiers and patriots. It has its stations, forts and battle grounds." Proud associations, coupled with many heroic struggles by her hardy pioneers, cluster around her early history, and her progress from those days of hazardous pioneer life to the present writing has been marked by an honorable and patriotic career. The unceasing toils and steady pursuits of civilized life have transformed this once rugged wilderness into a beautiful and productive agricultural region. SURFACE, SOIL AND CLIMATE. Extending from the Holston river on the North, to the State line on the top of the "Smoky Mountain," on the South, the County embraces the northern slope of said mountain and the smaller mountains adjoining, thus affording a variety of soil and a contrariety of surface, producing a delightful diversity of climate. The Southern portion of the County is mountainous and broken; the Northern and Western parts more level and productive. In the Southern part of the County are some of the most delightful and picturesque views to be found anywhere in the State, many of the loftiest peaks being more than a mile in height. RIVERS AND WATER POWERS. The three forks of Little Pigeon river, known as "East Fork," "Middle Fork" and "West Fork," have their sources in the mountainous parts of the County, and forming a final junction at Sevierville, flow nearly North to the French Broad river, which also flows through the County. The excellent and valuable water powers on these three forks of Little Pigeon, and on many of the largest Creeks, would be sufficient to run the machinery of all the manufactories of the State. The soil varies from the rich loam on the extensive bottoms on French Broad and Pigeon rivers, to the high and hilly lands which are admirably adapted to the production of fruits, tobacco, grasses and the cereals. Stock grazing is profitable in that part of the County adjoining North Carolina. IRON ORE exists in unlimited quantities and of excellent quality in different sections of the County. A Swedish company operated a furnace and "iron works" with much success on the East Fork of Little Pigeon, about the years 1835 to 1840. They finally abandoned the work on account of the cost of transportation. Many of the cooking vessels, kettles, &c., used by the citizens for many years, and many of which are yet good, were made of iron from these works. Also at "Pigeon Forge," on the West Fork, iron was produced for several years in abundance. These "iron banks" and many others throughout the County contain almost inexhaustible beds of iron ore. THE SILVER MINES in Greenbrier Cove, in the south-eastern part of the County, have attracted considerable attention for a year or two, and eastern capitalists are negotiating with the owners of the lands for a purchase or lease of the same. CHALYBEATE SPRINGS. The County affords some of the most valuable chalybeate springs to be found anywhere in the State. These springs are places of pleasant resort for hundreds during the hot summer months, and they possess effective medicinal properties. ROBERTSON COUNTY. Established April, 1796. Organized July 18, 1796. Upon the establishment of our State, in 1796, one of the three Counties which had been erected in the Cumberland Country by the Legislature of North Carolina, was called Tennessee. When the Convention appropriated the name of the County and gave it |