The Watauga Association
The Watauga Settlers The first settler in the Watauga Valley was a man named Captain William Bean, who moved to the remote location with his wife and their four children. There, they were miraculously able to cultivate a prosperous settlement known as "Bean's Station." (1) After this effort, many more settlements arose in the region, with settlers arriving with the same desires as Bean: land and prosperity, despite the potential for violent encounters with Indians, harsh winters, and isolation from society. The region grew quickly, as the result of what some historians call the "push-pull effect": either legal or financial difficulties pushed families out of their communities or the potential for economic prosperity pulled them into the region. (2) In 1772, the settlers formed a quasi-government – the Watauga Association – to deal with land affairs and to attempt to govern the rapidly expanding region. However, in 1776 as the backcountry settlers came to realize the gravity of the threat of Native American land claimants, insufficient legal and political systems, and ever-present revolutionary conflict, they submitted a formal request to be annexed to the North Carolina General Assembly. They were eventually formally recognized as Washington County, which was further split into three counties: Washington, Greene, and Sullivan. (3) These three counties eventually formed the boundaries of what became the State of Franklin. (4)
The Transition into the State of franklin By the time the Washington County region had organized itself into a quasi-government and held the first session of the Franklin Assembly, the frontier community had evolved into a hierarchical society led by the political and economic-focused elite. The leadership was strengthened by the consolidation of the power of these elites, as they amalgamated their military skills, land holdings, and business and entrepreneurial drives. However, even though the state was largely run elites, it was heavily dependent upon the support of the "yeoman farmer" aspect of the population, which dominated the region. This connection was maintained through land sales, feelings of marginalization from the rest of the country, and a vested interest in the development of an economy. (5)
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Fort Watauga In 1772, leaders in the Watauga settlement came together to establish their ideal free and independent community. Three years later, the largest private real estate transaction on our continent, the Transylvania Purchase, took place at this site, when Judge Richard Henderson negotiated an agreement with the Cherokee leaders. In reaction to this event, Fort Watauga (also known as Fort Caswell) was constructed in 1776 to protect the settlers from Cherokee attack. (6)
The siege on fort Caswell Some 150 to 200 Wataugan settlers crowded into Fort Caswell to take shelter from approaching Cherokee. Their sudden arrival surprised several women out milking cows, forcing them to rush to get back inside the fort. The initial Cherokee attack lasted about three hours, with both sides exchanging gunfire. When it became clear that they would be unable to take the fort, the Cherokee ended their assault but remained for a lengthy siege. After about two weeks, the Cherokee lifted the siege and retreated. (7)
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(1) Pat Alderman, The Overmountain Men (Johnson City, Tenn.: Overmountain Press, 1970), 13-14
(2) Max Dixon, The Wataugans: Tennessee in the Early Eighteenth Century (Johnson City, TN: Overmountain Press, 1989), [Page 5-6, 13].
(3) David C. Hsuing, Two Worlds in the Tennessee Mountains: Exploring the Origins of the Appalachian Stereotypes (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1997), [Page 68-69]
(4) Kevin T. Barksdale, The Lost State of Franklin: America's First Secession, New Directions in Southern History (Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, 2009), [Pages 19-21].
(5) Kevin T. Barksdale, The Lost State of Franklin [34-35].
(6) Max Dixon, The Wataugans: Tennessee in the Early Eighteenth Century [Pages 9-10]
(7) John Finger, Tennessee Frontiers: Three Regions in Transition (Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University Press, 2001), pp. 58-66.
(2) Max Dixon, The Wataugans: Tennessee in the Early Eighteenth Century (Johnson City, TN: Overmountain Press, 1989), [Page 5-6, 13].
(3) David C. Hsuing, Two Worlds in the Tennessee Mountains: Exploring the Origins of the Appalachian Stereotypes (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1997), [Page 68-69]
(4) Kevin T. Barksdale, The Lost State of Franklin: America's First Secession, New Directions in Southern History (Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, 2009), [Pages 19-21].
(5) Kevin T. Barksdale, The Lost State of Franklin [34-35].
(6) Max Dixon, The Wataugans: Tennessee in the Early Eighteenth Century [Pages 9-10]
(7) John Finger, Tennessee Frontiers: Three Regions in Transition (Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University Press, 2001), pp. 58-66.