Preliminary Site Assessment, 2013 Marble Springs State Historic Site

Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee

December 2013

Preliminary Site Assessment 2013 Marble Springs State Historic Site

Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee

Prepared for: The Governor John Sevier Memorial Association and The Tennessee Historical Commission Prepared by: Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU Ginna Foster Cannon, Graduate Research Assistant Brad Eatherly, Graduate Research Assistant Ashley Poe, Graduate Research Assistant Jessica White, Heritage Area Fieldwork Preservationist Dr. Carroll Van West, Director

December 2013

TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements Marble Springs History Existing Conditions Overview o Exterior ! Smokehouse ! Building One ! Building Two ! Building Three ! Springhouse

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Needs Assessment Exterior: o Smokehouse 14 o Building One 15 o Building Two 19 ! Building Three.. 24 ! Springhouse/Overall Property.. 30 Interior Descriptions: Building One Building Two Needs Assessment Interior: Building One Building Two Interior Description: Building Three.. Needs Assessment Interior Building Three.. Furnishings: Building One. Needs Assessment. Building Two. 33 39 47 50 57 65 70 74 75

Needs Assessment. Building Three... Needs Assessment. Appendices: Appendix A... Appendix B... Appendix C...

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Acknowledgements
Located in Knox County, Marble Springs, the home of John Sevier was purchased by the state in 1941, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971, and has been operated by the Governor John Sevier Memorial Association since 1979. The nomination form for the National Register of Historic Places listed its primary significance as it being the only remaining home of Tennessees first governor, John Sevier, who occupies a place in importance second to none in the building of the state. Its date of significance was listed as the 1790s. Secondary significance is listed as architecture, typical of the style of the early Tennessee frontier which is rapidly disappearing. (See Appendix.) The Center for Historic Preservation gratefully acknowledges the hard work and discernment of the three MTSU pubic history graduate students Ginna Foster Cannon, Brad Eatherly and Ashley Poe and Jessica White, Heritage Area Fieldwork Coordinator who undertook the study under my guidance. Cannon, Eatherly, Poe, and White with the assistance of Dr. West, measured, photographed, and assessed the condition of principal historic buildings on the site (Smokehouse, Building One, Building Two, Building Three and the Springhouse) as well as inventoried the historically significant furnishings. Work on the project was broken up as follows: Eatherly documented and assessed the exteriors with Dr. West; Cannon documented and assessed the interiors with White: and Poe documented and assessed the interior furnishings with White. In future reports, we will recommend amending the nomination form and interpretation for the site to reflect recent findings. According to The Historical Dendroarchaeology of Two Log Structures at Marble Springs Historic Site, Knox County, Tennessee (2007) conducted by University of Tennessee, Building Two dates from the early to mid-1830s more than fifteen years after the death of John Sevier (See Appendix). This is the oldest building on the site. The revised significance of the site will be architectural (circa 1830s-1850s) for a farm in Tennessee on the eve of the Civil War. Secondary significance will be ascribed to the land being owned by John Sevier. Special thanks go to Mike Bell, curator at the Tennessee State Museum, for his generous assistance in evaluating the interior furnishings. We also thank Ethiel Garlington, current board chair of the Governor John Sevier Memorial Association and Ashleigh Oatts, Interim Director of Marble Springs for providing access to the site. Carroll Van West Director The Center for Historic Preservation

Marble Springs History

The Marble Springs entry in the Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture by Dr. Carroll Van West (last updated February 2011) provides a historical overview of the site. Marble Springs is a state historic site that documents the Knox County farmstead of General John Sevier, the first governor of the State of Tennessee. As a soldier in the Revolutionary War, Sevier received 640 acres from North Carolina in 1785; his property was located at the foot of Bays Mountain, where deposits of marble had been found as well as large springs. Thus, Sevier named his farm "Marble Springs." He established his farm residence before 1792, and he and his family periodically lived in this Knox County three-room log residence, as well as in a fine Knoxville dwelling, until his death in 1815. Three years later, the property was sold to James Dardis. Restoration efforts at Marble Springs date to 1941, when the state purchased the remaining original log residence and 40 acres. The John Sevier Memorial Commission directed the property's restoration with the assistance of the Tennessee Historical Commission. Since 1964 the John Sevier Memorial Commission, the Sevier Family Association, and the Sevier Community Club have promoted and maintained the site. In 1971 the property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Eight years later, in 1979, the Tennessee Historical Commission appointed the Governor John Sevier Memorial Association to manage and guide future restoration at Marble Springs. Source: http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entry.php?rec=833 Accessed November 25, 2013. Note: As part of future interpretive planning, a full history of the property, from 1790s to 1979, will be developed.

Overall Site
This report covers the principal historic buildings on the site shown below.

Exterior Elevation Descriptions

Smokehouse The smokehouse (12-3 x 12-2) is a single pen log structure that features a cantilevered gable roof, half-dovetail notching, limestone and Portland cement chinking, and a stacked limestone foundation. The roof is composed of cedar shingles and vertical wood planks enclose the eaves. The structure has a single entryway on the north faade. The building is not original to the property and it is unknown when it was brought to the property. The structure might not have always been interpreted as a smokehouse but perhaps also as a corncrib.

Figure 1-1: Front faade, facing west.

Figure 1-2: South elevation.

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Figure 1-3: North elevation. Building One The kitchen (18-3 x 13-11) is located to the east of the Main house and is connected by a breezeway. This single story log building features a cedar shingle gable roof, dovetail notching, a shed roof porch, limestone and Portland cement chinking, and log chimney. The south elevation features a central entryway and a six-light casement window on the southwest corner of the elevation. The west elevation features an exterior log chimney. The chimney has been fashioned out of hewn logs similar in fashion to those that comprise the rest of the cabin. As the chimney increases in height, the logs become much smaller. Limestone and Portland cement has been used for the chinking for the chimney. Historically, the chimney most likely would have been a "catted chimney." A "catted chimney" would have used stone or brick for the firebox while the stack and the exterior would have been made from a mixture of clay or mud and sticks. Because of the potential fire hazard involved, the chimney most likely would have been built leaning away from the main structure so that it could be easily pulled down if it caught on fire. The north elevation features a central entry door beneath a shed roof porch. This back porch typically would not have been a part of the structure and it is doubtful that Governor Sevier's original structure would have had one.

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Figure 1-4: Front facade. The kitchen is on the right.

Figure 1-5: East elevation.

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Figure 1-6: Northeast elevation

Figure 1-7: North elevation. Kitchen is in the center.

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Building Two The main house (22-3 x 18-0) is connected to the kitchen by a breezeway. This two story log building features a cedar shingle gable roof, half-square notching, and limestone and Portland cement chinking. The front faade features a single center entryway with a six-over-six single hung window on the southwest side. The east elevation features a six light casement window on the second floor. The north elevation features a single center entryway underneath a shed roof overhang. The west elevation includes an exterior stone chimney.

Figure 1-8: Front facade of the Main House, with breezeway on the right. Notice the sag in the roof of the Main House.

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Figure 1-9: North elevation. Main House on right.

Figure 1-10: West side elevation.

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Building Three The Walker Tavern (23-2 x 20-2) is located approximately 73 to the southeast of the main cabin. It is not original to the property and was moved to this site in 1987. This two-story log dwelling features a cedar shingle side gable roof, dovetail notching, a limestone block chimney, and limestone and Portland cement chinking. The front faade features an off centered entryway with two symmetrical six-over-six double hung windows on either side. The top floor features two three light awing windows. The west elevation features a centered single entryway and a small vent hatch on the top floor. The south elevation features an off-centered entryway with a centered six light awing window on the top floor and another small non-functioning entryway on the southeast side of the structure. The east elevation features an exterior stone chimney with a threeover-three double hung window to the left of the chimney.

Figure 1-11: North elevation. Notice the sag in the roof.

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Figure 1-12: West elevation

Figure 1-13: Southwest elevation.

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Figure 1-14: South elevation

Figure 1-15: East elevation.

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Springhouse The springhouse (9 x 9) is a single pen log structure featuring a cantilevered gabled roof, round log notching, limestone and Portland cement chinking and a stacked limestone foundation. The structure has a dual entryway on both the north and the south facades.

Figure 1-16: Front faade.

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Needs Assessment - Exterior

Smokehouse Portland cement has been added to the existing chinking. (Fig. 1-17) This needs to be addressed and performed in a historically accurate way.

Figure 1-17: Close-up of smoke house wall depicting the Portland cement used in the chinking and daubing process.

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Building One The roof is sagging in the middle on both the north and south elevations. The roof is made of wood shingles and several of them are warped. Portland cement has been used in the chinking. (Fig. 1-18) Carpenter bees have infested the wooden logs, causing significant damage. The logs on the front faade have also had significant charring. A window on the front facade is cracked and needs repair, along with the entire window needing a new layer of caulking. There are marble steps that lead to the front door of the building cemented together leaving an aesthetic that is not historic. The chimney, located on the east elevation, is not historically accurate. (Fig. 1-19) The construction of a catted chimney would be a long-term preservation project for the site. A lean-to porch has been added to the rear elevation that is not historically accurate to the time period. Two of the three logs supporting the porch are resting on stone that is not secure. (Figs. 1-20, 21) Drainage is also an issue where the supporting log rests on the stones. The overhang of the roof over the porch does not extend far enough out, which is causing the floorboard to deteriorate significantly. (Figs. 1-22, 23)

Figure 1-18: Portland cement

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Figure 1-19: Historically inaccurate chimney. A long-term project would include building a catted chimney.

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Figures 1-20, 21: Back porch support beams are not on solid footing.

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Figures 1-22, 23: The short overhang on the porch roof is causing damage to the floorboards.

24 Building Two There is a sag in the roof on both the north and south elevations. The Portland cement that has been used is retaining water in several places. (Fig. 1-24) This will need to be addressed. Several of the logs used for the house are severely deteriorated. Some of the joints at the corners of the house are reinforced by steel rods, which are causing the logs to warp. (Fig. 1-25) The ends of the logs where the rods are have been covered with a sealant that is wearing away and is not congruent with the rest of the structure. The windows need to be caulked. There are marble steps leading to the front door with a handrail that needs to be replaced. (Fig. 1-26) Some sort of temporary ramp at the front door should be used for wheelchair access. A boot scrape lies haphazardly near the front entryway and needs to be used in a historically accurate way or be removed. A breezeway in between the main cabin and the kitchen would not have been roofed. (Fig. 1-27) There is an overhang coming off the rear entryway, along with marble steps that have been cemented together. (Figs. 1-28, 29) These need to be removed. The chimney on the west elevation is historically inaccurate. (Fig. 1-30) A small planter is in disrepair by the chimney and needs to be removed. (Fig. 1-31)

Figure 1-24: Portland cement retaining water.

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Figure 1-25: Steel rods used to support joints are causing logs to warp.

Figure 1-26: Front steps cemented together.

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Figure 1-27: Roof covering the breezeway connecting the kitchen to the main house. Also note the large support log connecting the two buildings. It should be removed.

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Figures 1-28, 29: Back steps cemented together, overhang, and handrail that needs to be removed.

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Figure 1-30: Historically inaccurate chimney.

Figure 1-31: A small, broken planter is beside the chimney and should be removed.

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Building Three There is a sag in the roof on both the north and south elevation. The eaves of the roof do not extend far enough. (Fig. 1-32) Portland cement has been used for the chinking and needs to be replaced by more historically accurate material. (Fig. 1-33) The dovetails at several of the joints are deteriorating and can easily be broken by hand. (Fig. 1-34) The stone piers are cemented together creating an aesthetic that is not historic. (Fig. 1-35) The north elevation wall begins to lean out at the top. (Fig. 1-32) There is a broken window on the north elevation that needs to be replaced. (Fig. 1-36) A window on the west elevation is broken and needs repair. (Fig. 1-37) All windows need new caulking. The front, west side, and rear entryways are not compatible with the rest of the structure. (Fig. 1-38) Marble steps located on the front, west and rear entryways have been cemented together and need to be removed. A handrail by the marble steps at the rear entryway is loose and needs to be made sturdier. (Fig. 1-39)

Figure 1-32: The eaves do not extend out far enough. Also note that the top few logs of the north elevation are beginning to protrude outward.

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Figure 1-33: Portland cement on the Walker Tavern.

Figure 1-34: Deterioration of dovetails.

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Figure 1-35: Example of stone piers that have been cemented together.

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Figure 1-36: Broken window on north faade.

Figure 1-37: Broken window on east elevation.

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Figure 1-38: Example of the doors on the north, west, and south elevations that need to be replaced with something more historically accurate.

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Figure 1-39: Example of cemented marble steps with a handrail on the south elevation that needs to be replaced by something sturdier.

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Springhouse and Overall Property The springhouse is not made in the same fashion as the other structures on the property. A long-term goal would be to replace the springhouse with a structure that is more compatible. Appropriate fencing should be constructed to block off the spring and the creek that it runs into. (Figs: 1-40, 41) There is a rock wall lining the dugout portion of the ground that could be utilized as an interpretive feature. (Fig. 1-42) The pathway that leads to the springhouse is in severe need of being repaired. An old log bench atop the hill looking towards the springhouse should be removed. (Fig. 1-43) A painted barrel stands over a cistern in the middle of the property. Something more aesthetically pleasing and historically accurate should be placed here.

Figure 1-40: Fencing should extend to the edge of the springhouse.

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Figure 1-41: Fencing should be extended to block access to the creek.

Figure 1-42: Stone wall that could be used as an interpretive device.

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Figure 1-43: Old log bench.

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Interior Descriptions

Building One Building One, the kitchen, is a single-story log structure measuring 13 x 17-3. According to the National Register Nomination (1971), the original structure was destroyed by fire in 1929 and was rebuilt in 1963 using locally-sourced oak logs per the original dimensions. (Fig. 2-1) The floorboards are made of pine. (Fig. 2-2) The walls are split logs with mortar. The interior of the pitched roof is comprised of wooden planks, tarpaper and poplar beams. (Fig. 2-3) The north wall is bare save the 3 plank door leading to the shed-roof porch. (Fig. 2-4) A large stone fireplace and hearth is centered on the east wall. (Fig. 2-5) The chimney is composed of small heart of poplar logs and mortar. (Fig. 2-6) Gaps are visible on both the right and left sides. The south wall contains a six-light casement window. (Fig. 2-7) The window is framed on three sides by oak boards. There is a 3 plank door. (Fig. 2-8) The west wall is composed of split logs and mortar to the height of the rafters and then by wood planks. A triangular gap is visible where the west wall and roof meet. (Fig. 2-9)

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Figure 2-1: Interior shot

Figure 2-2: Floorboards

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Figure 2-3: Pitched ceiling and west wall and northwest corner.

Figure 2-4: Door on north wall.

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Figure 2-5: Notice gap between top of north wall and the roof.

Figure 2-6: Stone fireplace and hearth on east wall.

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Figure 2-7: Small hearth of poplar logs and mortar on the east wall.

Figure 2-8: Window located on south wall.

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Figure 2-9: Door on south wall

Figure 2-10: West wall shows a gap between the kitchen and breezeway.

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Building Two (John Sevier House) The National Register Nomination (January 1971) states, Of all the original log buildings, only the main cabin remains. This assertion is called into question in the University of Tennessee report titled The Historical Dendroarchaeology of Two Log Structures at the Marble Springs Historic Site, Knox County, Tennessee (April 2007) submitted to the Tennessee Historical Commission. Tree-ring dating suggests that the cabin was built in the early to mid-1830s; John Sevier died in 1815. The report suggests the cabin was likely built by a later tenant George Kirby. Archaeological and historical research by Charles H. Faulkner and others at the University of Tennessee further calls into question the authenticity of the cabin. The National Register Nomination states: Through the years various changes were made. In the 1930s, the exterior of the logs were covered with weatherboarding and a tin roof was put on the cabin. The interior walls were covered with pine ceiling boards In 1961 and 1962 work continued on repair and restoration on the main building, including replacing some of the logs, rebuilding of the stone chimney and fireplace, repairing the floor and joists, and chinking and daubing the logs. A new roof of hand-riven shingles from a large white oak on the place was put on the cabin. Building Two, interpreted as the John Sevier House, is a two-story log structure measuring 16-10 x 21-2. The second floor is accessible by a box-staircase (3-3 x 510) in the northwest corner. A closet is built under the staircase. The floorboards are pine and the rafters are made of pine poles. (Fig. 16) There is also a 3 door on the north wall. The east wall is composed on split logs and mortar. The door on the south wall measures 3 and parallels the door on the north wall. A 2-3 double hung six-over-six casement window on the south wall is the only source of direct light when the doors are closed. The west wall contains a large stone fireplace and hearth. The second floor is currently closed to the public and being used as a storage room. There is a single window located on the east wall.

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Figure 2-11: Floorboards

Figure 2-12: Rafters repairs visible

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Figure 2-13: Repairs are visible where the ceiling has been stabilized.

Figure 2-14: North wall and door. Staircase in the northwest corner with a closet beneath.

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Figure 2-15: North and east walls visible

Figure 2-16: Southeast corner

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Figure 2-17: West wall

Figure 2-18: Northwest corner showing box staircase, closet and fireplace hearth.

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Figure 2-19: Detail of split log mantle.

Figure 2-20: Second Floor north wall

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Figure 2-21: North wall alternate view with wooden railing that was used for exhibit purposes when the second floor was open to the public.

Figure 2-22: Second floor east wall with casement window.

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Figure 2-23: Southeast corner

Figure 2-24: Northwest corner

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NEEDS ASSESSMENT - INTERIOR

Building One The principal issues to be addressed are sealing the building and ridding it of pests. There is a triangle shaped gap between the wall and roof. This is a major conservation issue as the gap is large enough to allow both animals and pests. (Fig. 2-25) A wasp nest is visible on the pitched roof. (Fig. 2-26) There is another access point for vermin in north wall where wall and roof meet. (Fig. 2-27) Notice crack in upper right pane as well as gap between window frame and the wall. (Fig. 2-28). The chinking needs to be repaired on the chimney. There are several points of access that allow the infiltration of pests. These should be sealed to prevent further damage. The debris left behind by pests, such as wasp nests and bird guano, should be removed.. (Fig. 2-29)

Figure 2-25: A gap is visible between the top of the wall and the roof, and should be repaired.

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Figure 2-26: There is a wasp nest on the pitched roof.

Figure 2-27: Access point for vermin in north wall where wall and roof meet.

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Figure 2-28: Notice crack in upper right pane as well as gap between window frame and the wall

Figure 2-29: Notice gaps in chinking on the chimney.

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Building Two Overall, the first floor of Building Two is in good repair. Remnants of green paint are visible on the ceiling along the rafters. They appear to speak to the changes made to the interior during the twentieth century as discussed in the National Register Nomination. The paint should be removed or perhaps included into the interpretation of the building. A notable need is to close the gap between the doorframe and the south wall. Additional dubbing would fix the problem and keep out pests. Spider nests and webs have gathered on many furniture pieces, particularly the cradle. Cleaning is required, and proper insect traps placed to prevent further damage. The second floor is currently closed to the public. It is reasonable to assume this is due to safety concerns. A sign placed by Marble Springs staff states, For your safety, no guest beyond this point please. The primary safety concern appears to be the integrity of the floorboards and joist system. They appear weak in certain areas, particularly in the middle of the room. The stairs leading upstairs are also narrow and slippery from heavy traffic. This too is a potential safety issue. Animal droppings and dead pests cover portions of the stairs and floorboards. Lastly, numerous wasp nests are visible in the rafters. It is not clear if they are currently inhabited. In addition to safety concerns, there are other areas in need of repair. The chinking along the north wall leading up the stairs requires repair. A gap is visible between the window frame and the east wall. The planks on the west wall are damaged and should be inspected. It appears to be water damage that may indicate a leak in the roof or chimney. Or, it could be a result of the wall not being properly sealed, as small gaps are visible.

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Figure 2-30: Green paint visible on the ceiling along the rafters

Figure 2-31: Note the gap between doorframe and south wall.

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Figure 2-32: Second floor is currently used for storage.

Figure 2-33: Sign indicating safety concerns

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Figure 2-34: Narrow and slippery stairs Figure 2-35: Gaetano and dead pests are visible on the stairs and second floor.

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Figure 2-36: Gap between window and frame allows in pests. Figure 2-37: Gaps visible and damage to planks on west wall.

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Figure 2-38: Close up of damaged planks on the west wall.

Figure 2-39: Wasp nests are visible along the rafters.

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Figure 2-40: Chinking is in need of repair along staircase located in the northwest corner.

Figure 2-41: Close up of chinking on northwest wall

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Building Three

Interior Description
Building Three, the Walker Tavern, is a two-story log structure measuring 22 x 19-3. The National Register Nomination does not mention Building Three. This building was moved to the property in 1987 from a site near Walker Springs Road in western Knoxville. The floorboards are pine and the walls are split logs with mortar. The north wall contains two six-over-six double hung windows and an exterior door (3-2). The width of northwest window is slightly more narrow that of the northeast window (2-2 vs. 2-4). The non-standard size of the windows speaks to their age. A large stone fireplace and hearth are centered on the east wall. A single six-pane window (2-8) on the east wall provides additional light. The south wall contains a narrow nonfunctioning door (2-7) in the southeast corner; an exterior door (3) is aligned with the door on the north wall, and a staircase leading to the second floor. A closet is built under the staircase. The west wall contains a 3 exterior door. The second floor has an open floor plan. On the north wall are two three pane windows. The east wall has only one of the three pane windows, while the south wall has a three-over-three window. All of these windows are single pane. The window on the west wall has been boarded over with three wooden planks running horizontally, flanked by two planks vertically. Two brass hinges were installed at the top, and a pole leans against the middle. Like the first floor, the floorboards are pine. Joists and rafters are exposed in the ceiling.

Figure 3-1: Floorboards are pine.

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Figure 3-2: View northwest corner.

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Figure 3-3: View of Northeast corner and east wall

Figure 3-4: Fireplace detail

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Figure 3-5: View, southeast corner

Figure 3-6: View, southwest corner

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Figure 3-7: Southwest view

Figure 3-8: Staircase

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Figure 3-9: Stairs (Photo 0389)

Figure 3-10: Floorboards on the second floor

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Figure 3-11: North wall on second floor

Figure 3-12: East wall on second floor

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Figure 3-13: South wall on second floor

Figure 3-14: West wall on second floor

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NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Several windows need repair, as there are cracks in the panes. The cracks let in pests, including a live wasp on a windowsill. A major issue to be addressed is electrical. The electrical wires are strung along the beams using metal brackets. It appears as if they were improperly installed or improper size and watt bulbs have been in use. There is ample smoke damage from light bulbs. Newspaper and fire kindling are being stored in a large container to the side of the fireplace. These should be moved further away to mitigate the risk of fire damage. On the second floor, water damage is evident on the gables. The hand railing is weak and should be reinforced or replaced for safety concerns. The roof is also in need of repair, as there are holes and cracks that allow in pests and water.

Figure 3-15: Window on north wall

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Figure 3-16: Window on east wall

Figure 3-17: Spiderweb crack in a first floor windowpane.

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Figure 3-18: Wasp on window sill

Figure 3-19: First floor ceiling, showing the damage from the bulbs.

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Figure 3-20: Closer view of first floor ceiling. Note the metal brackets holding in the wire.

Figure 3-21: Closer view of the lighting system and metal brackets on the first floor.

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Furnishings
Building One Building One is interpreted as a kitchen. There is a mixture of antique and modern pieces in this space. The space has one key period piece (period furniture dating between 1790-1815), described and photographed below, as well as several reproduction and nonperiod pieces, which will be covered briefly. In the west corner of the room, a ladderback chair has been placed. A butter churn, a ladder-back chair, and a drop leaf table are located in the northwest corner. A pie safe sits against the north wall. In the northeast corner there is a large wooden unpainted chest, along with several iron pots. The andirons can be seen in the east wall fireplace. In the southeast corner is a small, light colored side table. Off centered in the room is a long wooden table, with various reproduction kitchen items on it (tea, mortar and pestle, spice jars, etc.). The key period piece is a cherry drop leaf side table, c. 1815-1825. This table is a Sheraton style piece, with a cylindrical foot. The foot is separated from the block leg by a ball and ring design.

Figure 1-1: Drop leaf side table with block legs, c. 1815-1825.

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Figure 1-1: View of the drop leaf table from the door of the kitchen.

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Figure 1-2: Close up of the legs of the Sheraton style drop leaf table. This image shows the damage to one of the legs, as well as the splitting on the upper part of the same leg.

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Figure 1-3: Closer view of the top of the Sheraton style drop leaf table, showing the damage near the hinge. A non-period piece of note is the unpainted chest, c. mid-1800s. This light wood (most likely birch or pine) chest is likely a blanket chest. Square nails are used on the front and sides, and there are two metal hinges holding on the lid. The side boards are shaped in a triangle to form the feet. The inside of the chest is divided by a wooden board place vertically.

Figure 1-4: Side of the mid-1800s unpainted chest.

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Figure 1-5: Closer view of the square nails on the unpainted chest.

Needs Assessment
Building One All pieces need conservation, and the Sheraton style drop leaf table and unpainted chest need restoration. The drop leaf table has damage to the top, to the legs, and sides. There are many splits and cracks, and the tabletop is stained as well. This drop leaf table is most likely the oldest piece of furniture on-site, and protection is needed to ensure this pieces future. Items such as a tea brick displayed on the long table near the center of the room may cause damage and should be removed from the table surface. The table is positioned directly beneath a window, and should be moved from direct sunlight. The mid-1800s wooden unpainted chest is used to store an older bowl that has been heavily damaged. This bowl needs to be removed from the container and stored properly. Openings allowing pest infiltration should be sealed to prevent further damage to furnishings.

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Figure 1-6: This damaged bowl is being stored inside the mid-1800s unpainted chest and should be removed for the protection of both items.

Figure 1-7: This photograph shows a gap between the lid and body of the unpainted chest. Gaps such as this should be sealed to prevent pest infiltration.

Figure 1-8: Metal items that are displayed on top of this unpainted chest have caused damage.

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Figure 1-9: This table is placed near a window and receives direct sunlight several hours a day. Pieces should not be displayed in direct sunlight to prevent damage.

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Building Two Building Two is interpreted as the Sevier cabin. There are no period pieces in this building. Here again, the room is open to guests to touch and move about as they please; the older pieces are easily opened to damage from this. The first floor has a fireplace on the west wall, next to the staircase. At the foot of the staircase is a small side table, as well as a cradle. On the south wall is a small sideboard with a ladderback chair in front. In the southeast corner is a sideboard, with a ladderback chair placed in front of it. This sideboard is decorated with a plate of faux fruit in the center, and a set of hurricane lamps on the left and right. In the center of the east wall is a large secretary desk, with the desk opened. In the northeast corner is a roundback chair, next to a large table with a silver tea set. On the south wall is a small sidetable, with a lace doily covering the top. This tabletop has much sun damage to it. A book cradle and candleholder are on the table. Next to this, under the window, is a large bench. The second level has a collection of assorted items, both antique and reproduction, including a Victorian bed frame, Civil War era table with spool-turned legs, and china set. Although there are no period (1790-1815) pieces in this building, there are several nineteenth century pieces, including a buffet, secretary desk, and cradle dating to the 1830s. There are several late nineteenth century pieces on both floors of the cabin as well, such as the roundback chair, Victorian bed frame, and spool-turned chair. The buffet is an American Empire piece made from cherry wood, c. 1830s. The piece has two serving side boards, spiral columns on the cabinets, and turned bun feet. The cabinet doors on each of the side boards have split in the middle. There is a typically American Empire style patera in the center of the piece, surrounded by two drawers with brass knobs. There are four drawers total on the piece: one on each side board and two in the middle. These four drawers have a lighter wood inlay .

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Figure 2-1 and Figure 2-2: These pictures show the crack to the middle of the left sideboard (left) and the right side board (right) of the cherry buffet.

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Figure 2-3: Sideboard, c. 1830s. This is done in the American Empire style from cherry. This piece requires conservation, as there are many splits and cracks on the piece. The right cabinet door will not open without force.

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Figure 2-4: Close up of the sideboard patera.

Figure 2-5: Brass mushroom-shaped knobs and carving on the left top section.

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Figure 2-6: Closer view of the spiral on the bottom portion of the buffet. Note the cracking in the corner, and damage just at the bottom of the turning.

Another piece of note is the c. 1830s secretary desk. This piece is also an American Empire, and made of cherry. Currently, staff interpret the piece as a wedding gift to John Sevier and his first wife, Sarah Hawkins in 1761. The secretary has an attached bookcase, and the desk is displayed as open. The doors to the bookcase remain closed, and one can see the papered inside of the bookcase. This paper has considerable damage to it, and is held to the inside by white tacks. The secretary has three drawers, and on either side, a ringed column leading down to a turnip foot.

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Figure 2-7:10 Secretary, c. 1830s. The piece goes from floor to ceiling, leaving no room whatsoever at the top.

Figure 2-8:11 Inside of bookshelf, lined with paper. Many of the glass panes have been replaced. Note that opening the door fully is impossible, as a crossbeam is blocking the door. The white tacks holding the paper in are also visible.

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Figure 2-9: This photograph shows how closely the secretary desk sits to the ceiling of the cabin.

Figure 2-10: The secretary fills the entire space from floor to ceiling, leaving no extra room. In this photo, the damage to the cornice is visible. Attempts at conservation have been made by using modern nails.

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Figure 2-11: Lower half of secretary, with desk open. Inkwells have been placed directly on the wood. The knobs are mushroom-shaped wooden knobs, and the rings of the supporting columns are intact.

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Figure 2-12: Closer view of the rings on the supporting columns.

A third piece of interest is the c. 1830s cradle. The cradle itself is very simply made with a slope upwards, cut round nails, and the piece rests on two cheese cutter rockers. The wood is possibly birch or white pine.

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Figure 2-13: Cradle, c. 1830-1850. This piece has a reproduction doll lying inside, and a large amount of spider eggs underneath. Cleaning and conservation are necessary in order to stop insect damage to the piece.

Figure 2-14: Close view of the cut nails of the cradle.

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Needs Assessment
Building Two Several pieces, including the secretary, buffet, and side table require restoration. The side-table is placed next to the door and near a window, and the sun damage to the top is evident. Although an embroidered doily covers it today, the damage from the past is evident.

Figure 2-15: Sun damage to the side-table (c. early 1900s) near the door of Building Two. In this photograph, the light coming in from the nearby window also shows. The secretary is tightly placed in Building Two; the top is less than a half-inch from the ceiling. The doors of the bookcase will not open in the space that it is in. An exposed beam blocks the doors. (Fig. 13) The paper inside of the secretary should be conserved immediately, to avoid silverfish and/or beetle damage. The cornice of the hutch has split, and at one point, a repair attempt was made with modern nails. This should be reversed and correctly restored. The upstairs of the cabin needs a great deal of attention. The upstairs flooring is weak and unstable, and yet the floor is littered with a mixture of contemporary and modern pieces, including china, pictures, a bed, a table, boxes, fire irons, a powder horn, a deer head, and a toilet chair. Many of these items are stacked together, placed on top of each other, or in an area where damage is imminent. These pieces should be separated, catalogued, and stored in order to stave off deterioration. The cloth stored in the room, including the rugs and large sheet, need to be removed, cleaned, and stored as well. The buffet sideboard on the first floor needs restoration. There are cracks and splits all over the piece, most severely on the top and the cabinet doors. Another side table, just to the side of the buffet, has significant damage to the top and legs. The leaf to this table leans against the wall in a corner. Repair is needed on this piece as well.

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Figure 2-16: This is the upstairs of Building Two. Note that pictures in frames are stacked together, and the space is shared by a large bed (c. late 1800s), farm equipment, and cardboard boxes. The spool-turned leg table dates to the Civil War era.

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Building Three Building Three is interpreted to as the Walker Tavern. All three buildings contain a mixture of 19th, 20th, and 21st century furnishings; however, this building relies on nonperiod (post-1815) and reproduction pieces the most. The downstairs area has a large table in the middle, and the room is decorated as a common space. Along the west wall was a pie safe with shelving on top. The stairs run along the south wall, and the west wall has the fireplace. The upstairs was decorated as a shared bedroom, with three beds along the north wall. The key pieces in this building are a mid to late 1800s pie safe, and one bed. The pie safe is in a very popular and simple design. It looks to be cherry, with very short legs and an arrow foot.

Figure 3-1: Full view of the mid to late 1800s pie safe, with a separate shelf placed on top.

Another key piece in building three is one of the three beds in the upstairs portion. Of the three beds, the oldest sits near the west wall. This is a c. 1825 rope bed, crudely made of walnut. The headboard is a simple H shaped piece, and the legs are rectangular pieces of wood. A rope supports the stuffed mattress that rests upon it.

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Figure 3-2: All three beds in the upstairs section of Building three are rope beds. This bed dates to c. 1825-1835.

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Needs Assessment
Building Three The pie safe on the first floor needs repair work and restoration. Metal and other items are being stored in the safe and could stain or damage the wood further. The metal punching is rusted and stained, and needs conservation. The upstairs is decorated with three beds of various ages, from both the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The beds sit underneath a damaged roof, and are exposed to water and sun. There is no protective roping to keep visitors from touching, leaning, or lying on the beds. It is recommended that either newer beds replaced the older pieces, or they be roped off to prevent damage from the public.

Figure 3-3: The three beds in the upstairs of Building three are placed in the open. Cracks in the wall can be seen to the left, and the beds are placed near an improperly sealed window.

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Appendix A National Register of Historic Places Nomination

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Appendix B THE HISTORICAL DENDROARCHAEOLOGY OF TWO LOG STRUCTURES AT THE MARBLE SPRINGS HISTORIC SITE, KNOX COUNTY, TENNESSEE, U.S.A.
TREE-RING RESEARCH, Vol. 65(1), 2009, pp. 2336

THE HISTORICAL DENDROARCHAEOLOGY OF TWO LOG STRUCTURES AT THE MARBLE SPRINGS HISTORIC SITE, KNOX COUNTY, TENNESSEE, U.S.A.
JESSICA D. SLAYTON1, MAGGIE R. STEVENS1, HENRI D. GRISSINO-MAYER1*, and CHARLES H. FAULKNER2
1

Laboratory of Tree-Ring Science, Department of Geography, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA Department of Anthropology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA

ABSTRACT
The Marble Springs homestead in south Knox County serves as a significant heritage site for the state of Tennessee because it was the final home of one of our nations most important founding statesmen and first governor of Tennessee (1796 to 1801, 1803 to 1809), John Sevier. Recent archaeological and historical research had called into question the authenticity of the original John Sevier log cabin located at the Marble Springs homestead. We used tree-ring dating to determine the year(s) of construction of the Governor John Sevier cabin and the adjacent Walker Springs log cabin (which had been relocated to the site later and has no ties to Gov. John Sevier) by first extracting cores from all accessible logs in the cabins and then evaluating the cutting dates of these logs. A nearby reference chronology at Norris Dam anchored the Gov. John Sevier cabin chronology from 1720 to 1834 and the Walker Springs cabin chronology from 1675 to 1826. The cutting dates obtained from six logs in the Gov. John Sevier cabin suggest construction of the cabin was completed sometime between late 1835 and early 1836. We were able to date cores from 29 logs from the Walker Springs cabin, which strongly support final construction between late 1827 to early 1828. Our dendrochronological analyses suggest that the cabin at Marble Springs long thought to be the original cabin occupied by Gov. John Sevier was instead likely built during the occupancy of the property by a later tenant, George Kirby, in the early to mid-1830s, well after the death of Sevier in 1815. Keywords: Tree rings, historical dendroarchaeology, Governor John Sevier, Marble Springs, Tennessee.

INTRODUCTION
The study of dendroarchaeology uses treering dating techniques to determine when a tree was harvested in order to derive the year or years of construction for a structure composed of wood or with wood incorporated (Bannister 1962; Dean 1978). The information from this type of analysis allows agencies charged with the care of historical structures to authenticate the historical significance and authenticity of a structure. These treering dating techniques are increasingly being used in the Southeastern U.S. to date the construction of historic structures (Bowers and Grashot 1976; Stahle 1979; Bortolot et al. 2001; Mann 2002;
* Corresponding author: grissino@utk.edu; Fax 865974-6025; Telephone 865-974-6029 Copyright 2009 by The Tree-Ring Society

Reding 2002; Wight and Grissino-Mayer 2004; Lewis et al. 2006; Grissino-Mayer and van de Gevel 2007). Such structures can be accurately dated with existing reference tree-ring chronologies that have been developed previously in the Southeast and housed in the International TreeRing Data Bank at the National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, North Carolina. In some cases, these studies have proven that accepted construction dates based on documentary evidence and oral tradition are inaccurate (Mann 2002; Grissino-Mayer and van de Gevel 2007). The tree-ring records from such structures are also valuable for extending existing chronologies further back in time to the 16th and 17th Centuries or perhaps earlier. This is accomplished by crossdating where matching, overlapping patterns of
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SLAYTON, STEVENS, GRISSINO-MAYER, and FAULKNER

Figure 1. The Governor John Sevier cabin (larger structure on the left), showing the doorway on the south entrance. The reconstructed kitchen is located to the right, separated from the main cabin by a narrow covered walkway.

narrow and wide rings from living trees are compared against progressively older pieces of wood (Fritts 1976; Baillie 1982). The unique temporal patterns of wide and narrow rings are essential for crossdating the samples of wood. The variability in ring widths is caused by changes in regional climate on a year-to-year basis so that the patterns are recorded in a similar pattern in the ring widths (Fritts 1976). Other sets of tree rings can then be dated by comparing them to the established reference chronology. The cabin located at the Marble Springs Historic Site (Figure 1) is believed to have been the home of Tennessees first governor, John Sevier (b. 1745, d. 1815). Sevier was the first and only governor of the short-lived State of Franklin (17851788), served as brigadier general of militia for the Washington District of the Territory South of the River Ohio (as Tennessee was known then), and then served as governor of Tennessee from 1796 to 1801, and again from 1803 to 1809. Governor John Sevier is thought to have acquired the Marble Springs property via a North Carolina land grant sometime around 1796 when he began to live there part-time. He named the site Marble Springs for the two year-round flowing springs on the property (Miller 2000; Barber 2005). Over the years, several buildings were located at the site, including the main cabin attached to a kitchen by a dogtrot (a covered passageway), a springhouse, a barn and crib, an ash hopper, a smokehouse, and four or five other cabins. Sevier himself is believed

to have made improvements to structures on the site during the years he spent at Marble Springs (Sevier 17901815). Local lore has recently questioned the legitimacy of the main structure at the Marble Springs homestead dating to the period of occupancy by Governor John Sevier. Although archaeological testing around the John Sevier cabin produced numerous artifacts that dated to the late 1700s, the cabin has been subject to a persistent rumor that the present building was not his [John Seviers] home at Marble Springs (Faberson and Faulkner 2005). Sevier himself never mentioned building the cabin (Barber 2005) and, for someone of Seviers national stature, the cabin is rather small and simplistic, even by the standards of 1800. Furthermore, Ramseys famous 1853 description of the secluded spot where stood the cabin of Governor Sevier (Ramsey 1853, p. 710) is actually describing a location far from the current Marble Springs homestead (Faberson and Faulkner 2005). To help settle this controversy, our goal was to determine the year(s) of construction for Gov. John Seviers cabin at the Marble Springs homestead to verify whether or not this cabin could indeed have been the home of Governor John Sevier. We used a well-established reference treering chronology that exists for the east Tennessee region to date the Gov. John Sevier cabin, but also took advantage of the tree-ring record in the wellpreserved oak logs found in another cabin located on the Marble Springs property. Called the Walker Springs cabin (Figure 2), this two-story structure was originally located in the western area of the city of Knoxville, Tennessee, near Walker Springs Road (Faulkner 1991). It was moved to its current location at Marble Springs in March 1987 and has no ties whatsoever to Gov. John Sevier. The logs in this cabin consist of oak timbers exclusively, many containing well over 100 tree rings.

METHODS Field Methods

We extracted 0.5 diameter cores from oak and pine logs in the Gov. John Sevier cabin with a

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Figure 2. The two-story Walker Springs cabin sits near the Governor John Sevier cabin, but was relocated to the Marble Springs Historic Site in 1987. View is of the north side. Note the differences in log sizes and their state of preservation in this cabin with logs in the Governor John Sevier cabin (Figure 1).

specially designed hollow, cylindrical drill bit attached to a hand drill (Figure 3). To assist the crossdating process, we also cored logs from all four walls and both levels of the Walker Springs cabin. Sample identifications were assigned to the cores, which consisted of an abbreviation for the building (JS or WS), the cardinal direction of orientation of the wall (N, S, E, or W), the log number (beginning with the bottom log 5 01), and sequential letters for each core extracted from the log (A through D). Each side of the cabin was sketched and all sampled locations indicated on the sketch. Whenever possible, each log was sampled both at the basal (bottom location on the tree trunk) and distal (upper location of the tree trunk) ends at a location with a smooth, intact, curved surface where the outermost rings were most likely to be preserved. At least two cores per log were taken to minimize the expected effects of intra-ring variability and also for replication should internal defects occur in one of the cores. Before coring, the outer surface of the target area was marked with permanent ink to verify that the outer rings had remained intact after coring. An appropriate angle and depth for coring was estimated by examining the end of the log and locating the tree pith. After the appropriate depth was reached, the core was extracted by dislodging the attached end of the core with a hooked, thin steel rod designed

Figure 3. Extracting a core from the Walker Springs cabin (east side, log WSE04, basal end) using an electric drill and the specially-designed hollow corer.

for that purpose. The extracted cores were then immediately glued onto wooden core mounts with the cells aligned vertically so that the wood surface could be sanded on a transverse plane. All relevant information about each sample was written on the core mount.

Laboratory Methods
The cores were sanded using progressively finer sandpaper, beginning with ISO P40-grit (425500 mm) and ending with ANSI 400-grit (20.636.0 mm) (Orvis and Grissino-Mayer 2002). The sanding process produced a surface on the wood that allowed the cellular structure of the tree rings to be visible under standard 103 magnification. All tree rings on each core were then marked by decades starting from the innermost complete ring (complete earlywood and latewood 5 ring number 1) to help with the measuring and crossdating procedures. Each 10th ring was marked with a single dot, every 50th ring with

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SLAYTON, STEVENS, GRISSINO-MAYER, and FAULKNER

two dots, and every hundredth ring with three dots (Stokes and Smiley 1968). The ring widths of each core were then measured to the nearest 0.001 mm using a Velmex measuring system and Measure J2X software. The measurement files created by this process were used for statistical crossdating.

Crossdating
The ring-width measurements for each core were then statistically crossdated to reference treering chronologies that already existed within the region. Reference chronologies were obtained from the International Tree-Ring Data Bank (IGBP PAGES/World Data Center for Paleoclimatology) in Asheville, North Carolina. We used the Norris Dam State Park (1633 to 1980) and Piney Creek Pocket Wilderness (1651 to 1982) reference chronologies (both white oak, Quercus alba L.) from eastern Tennessee to anchor the measurement series from the two structures in time (Duvick 1981, 1983). Of these two chronologies, the Norris Dam chronology proved the most useful. The chronology consists of 71 dated series with an excellent average inter-series correlation of 0.61 and an average mean sensitivity of 0.20. The undated measurements were compared one at a time to these reference chronologies using the computer program COFECHA (Holmes 1983; Grissino-Mayer 2001). COFECHA first removes age-related and other low-frequency trends through a three-step iterative process to ensure the year-to-year (i.e. high-frequency) trends are emphasized as these are necessary for successful crossdating. COFECHA then uses segmented time-series correlation techniques to crossdate the undated series against the reference chronologies. We tested 40-year segments of each measurement series lagged 20 years. Correlation coefficients were calculated for each segment as a measure of the strength of the relationship of that segment with other 40-year segments throughout the reference chronologies. For an undated series to be considered dated, the temporal placements suggested by COFECHA had to be systematic for all or most of the tested 40-year segments, i.e. most segments had to have the same date

adjustment (such as +1727). The correlation coefficients also had to be statistically significant (r $ 0.37, p , 0.01), although some erratic ring patterns caused the correlations for certain segments to fall below this critical threshold, which is common in dendrochronology, especially for eastern tree species. Notable marker rings were then identified and recorded to assist in the crossdating of other series via the list method (Phipps 1985; Yamaguchi 1991) and using scatter plots. The final placement of a series in time had to be both visually and statistically convincing (Grissino-Mayer 2001). Once dated against the reference chronologies, all series were combined into one measurement file and again tested using COFECHA to ensure crossdating accuracy internally among the series. COFECHA flagged low correlations (r , 0.37, p . 0.01) that required re-inspection. If the alternate position suggested by COFECHA was unrealistic (for example, a +9 adjustment when both 40-year segments on either side were dated correctly) or displayed a statistically significant correlation, the segment was kept at its original placement. Series that did not crossdate convincingly against either of the reference chronologies or with the crossdated individual series were temporarily put aside. We later attempted to crossdate them with the final crossdated tree-ring chronology created from each cabin. Two statistical descriptors were used to assess the quality of the crossdating. First, the average inter-series correlation calculated by COFECHA is an average of the correlation coefficients for each measurement series when correlated against the master chronology created from all the other dated series (Grissino-Mayer 2001). In general, an inter-series correlation of 0.40 or higher is desirable for consideration as a correctly dated series. Second, we used the average mean sensitivity, a measure of year-to-year variability, for all dated series. Because crossdating is a highfrequency process, high mean sensitivities (generally above 0.20 for southeastern tree species) facilitate the crossdating process. Low mean sensitivities result when the tree-ring series exhibit very little year-to-year variability. This lower amount of variability, known as complacency,

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occurs when trees experience little environmental stress. Mean sensitivity values around 0.20 are common for oak tree-ring patterns from the southeastern U.S. (DeWitt and Ames 1978).

Table 1. Statistics for oak cores from the Governor John Sevier Cabin. Begin Year 1739 1718 1734 1740 1738 1744 1766 1759 1723 1745 1746 1725 1751 1747 1740 1747 End Year * 1812 1813 1813 1804 1833 1814 1817 1820 1814 1829 1833 1834 1834 1818 1832 1833 Inter-series Correlation 0.42 0.40 0.65 0.81 0.70 0.77 0.45 0.52 0.73 0.47 0.70 0.70 0.67 0.60 0.81 0.79 0.64 Mean Sensitivity 0.18 0.24 0.22 0.27 0.23 0.23 0.18 0.18 0.23 0.20 0.18 0.26 0.19 0.25 0.19 0.20 0.22

Series JSE01A JSE01B JSE01C JSN03B JSN03C JSN03D JSN09C JSN09D JSS01A JSS01B JSS03A JSS03B JSS03D JSS03E JSW04B JSW04C

Establishing Cutting Dates for Logs

We examined the outermost dated ring on each core at high magnification and then assigned a symbol to determine the likely period of cutting (Bannister 1962; Nash 1999): B: bark is present, indicating the outer ring is fully intact (certainly a cutting date); r: outermost ring is continuous and intact around a smooth surface, but no bark is present (considered a cutting date); v: the date is within a few years of the cutting date, based on presence of sapwood; vv: impossible to determine how far the outer ring is from the true outer surface (no sapwood present and rings in the heartwood are likely missing). ++: a ring count was necessary for the outermost core section on a core with two sections separated by decay. We carefully inspected the completeness of the outermost ring by looking for complete formation of earlywood vessels in the oaks followed by complete formation of latewood with no earlywood vessels formed in the following year. The latewood and earlywood of prior rings guided us in assessing whether the outermost ring appeared completely formed. If a ring was completely formed, the tree was most likely cut during the trees dormant period after that year, a period spanning several months from the fall of one calendar year to the spring of the next. Because of the possibility of the tree having been cut in either of the two years in the cases of fullyformed outer rings, we assigned the cutting date based on the year of the complete outer ring, although the tree may have been cut the following year before growth resumed. Cores taken from dry seasoned wood are often brittle and the sapwood can be decayed considerably or riddled with insect galleries, causing the cores to be in two or more sections.

Average

*End Year represents the last measurable ring on the series. Many cores had additional rings on small detached segments that could be counted and added to obtain a more accurate harvest date.

We crossdated the rings on each core up to the gap, and then counted the number of rings in the outermost detached section of the core (which included the outermost ring and therefore the cutting date of the log) and added this ring number to the outermost crossdated ring on the innermost core section. For these cores, the outermost date was a terminus post quem, i.e. a year after which the log had been harvested for inclusion in the structure (Baillie 1995).

RESULTS
We extracted 31 cores from 11 oak logs and 7 cores from 5 pine logs in the John Sevier cabin, while 53 cores representing 31 oak logs were extracted from the Walker Springs cabin. The final oak chronology for the John Sevier cabin consisted of 16 oak cores representing 6 logs (Table 1). Although some crossdating was evident for the pine cores when compared to the oak reference chronologies, the matches were not conclusive enough to warrant assigning exact calendar years. For the Walker Springs log cabin, 48 cores were

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Appendix C
John Sevier entry in the Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture
By Robert E. Corlew , Middle Tennessee State University John Sevier, pioneer, soldier, statesman and a founder of the Republic, was Tennessee's first governor and one of its most illustrious citizens. Married and on his own at age sixteen, he was in the vanguard of frontier life and accomplishment from his late teenage years until his death. First and only governor of the aborted State of Franklin, six-term governor of Tennessee, and congressman for four terms from the eastern district, he was also a soldier of no mean accomplishment, having risen to the rank of general in the North Carolina militia. Born near the present town of New Market, Virginia, Sevier was the oldest of seven children of Valentine and Joanna Goad Sevier. His forebears--the Xaviers--were of Huguenot religious persuasion who had fled France for England, anglicized their name, and become prosperous farmers. By 1740 Valentine had arrived in Virginia and settled in the Shenandoah Valley on Smith's Creek. Not much is known of Sevier's early life. Educational opportunities were limited, but as a child he apparently learned to read and write; later his state papers and correspondence with Andrew Jackson and others exhibited a concise and direct style. Married in 1761 to Sarah Hawkins (1746-1780), a daughter of Joseph and Sarah Marlin Hawkins, the couple settled in the valley of his birth. There Sevier farmed, dealt in furs, speculated in land, ran a tavern, and fought Indians--along with raising an ever-increasing family. By 1773 he lived on the Holston River, but three years later he had moved to a farm on the Watauga River near the present town of Elizabethton. In the same year, North Carolina authorities created the Washington District, which included the Watauga settlements, and Sevier was sent to the Provincial Congress of North Carolina as representative. The Revolutionary War began in 1775, and in the following year Sevier was named a lieutenant colonel of the North Carolina militia and assigned first to protecting the frontier settlements. He fought elsewhere but was confined primarily to the South. The encounter for which he became best known was the battle of Kings Mountain (1780), in which he and his fellow frontiersmen fought Tories and British soldiers at a location just north of Spartanburg, South Carolina. The British, having met with only moderate success in the middle and northern colonies, had turned in late 1780 to the soft underbelly of the rebellious provinces where they prevailed without difficulty in Georgia. Then they moved northward without serious opposition. Major Patrick Ferguson, assigned to the command of the British left flank, viewed the western settlements with disdain. Overconfident, he ordered frontiersmen to lay down their arms and give allegiance to the Crown; otherwise, he wrote, he would march over the mountains, "hang . . . western leaders and lay the country waste with fire

110 and sword." Sevier and others, accepting the challenge, gathered at Sycamore Shoals late in September 1780, determined to engage Ferguson before he could reach Watauga. They soon found him on a narrow ridge in northwest South Carolina where he, with perhaps one thousand men, had ensconced himself, claiming that even "the Almighty" could not drive him off. But the backwoodsmen ascended the heights and assaulted him from both south and west, taking care to remain well camouflaged behind trees, logs, and rocks. Although forced to fall back several times, the westerners rallied each time, and, after about an hour of fighting, claimed victory. They had lost fewer than one hundred men while the British had lost three times that number, including Ferguson. The victory turned the British from the West and pushed Sevier forward as the foremost figure among the transmontane people. One of Sevier's biographers thought it "impossible to state just how great an influence this exerted upon his future political career." Several months before Kings Mountain, Sevier's wife of nearly twenty years died and was buried in an unmarked grave just outside Nolichucky Fort in Washington County. She and Sevier had raised ten children. Sevier later married Catherine ("Bonny Kate") Sherrill (1754-1838), whom he had rescued four years earlier during a surprise attack by the Cherokees. They reared eight children. Soon after the Revolution, Sevier became involved in a movement designed to secure separate statehood for the people living in Washington, Sullivan, and Greene Counties. The Continental Congress in 1780 had urged that lands claimed by North Carolina and Virginia should become states soon after hostilities might end. Thomas Jefferson had presented a plan whereby eighteen new states might be carved from the western territories. But North Carolina authorities objected vehemently when western leaders assembled in Jonesborough in August 1784 to make plans for statehood. When they chose Sevier as governor and drafted a constitution, claiming an "inalienable right" to form an independent state, Governor Alexander Martin threatened to "render the revolting territory not worth possessing" if North Carolina did not retain sovereignty over it. Attempts at conciliation divided the Franklin people into factions, and border warfare developed. Several men were killed or wounded, and two of Sevier's sons were captured, threatened, and held briefly. Sevier's term as governor of Franklin expired in the spring of 1788, and for all practical purposes the state came to an end. Sevier was arrested and charged with treason but never tried. Within less than a year he had taken an oath of allegiance to North Carolina and was elected to the state Senate. A few months later he was restored to his rank of brigadier general in the North Carolina militia. North Carolina permanently ceded its western lands to the central government in 1789, and in the following year President George Washington signed into law a measure for the governance of the region. Sevier probably was the choice of most of the western people for the post of territorial governor, but Washington appointed William Blount instead. Soon Sevier became a member of the Territorial Legislative Council--a group of five men provided for under the Congressional Ordinance of 1787 designed for the governance of territories. He was among those who urged Governor Blount to call the legislature into session to make plans for statehood as required under the ordinance. Blount complied, and early in 1796 leaders drafted a constitution and applied to Congress for admission.

111 After several weeks of debate--at times acrimonious, as Federalists and Anti-Federalists haggled over terms and reasons for admission--Congress recommended statehood, and President Washington signed into law a bill creating Tennessee as the sixteenth state. The new constitution had provided for a two-year term for governors with the right to serve "not . . . more than six years in any term of eight." The other qualifications to hold the office of governor were simple. One must be at least twenty-five years of age, possess a freehold of at least five hundred acres, and be a citizen for four years. Sevier met these requirements and became the only serious candidate. For months before the admissions bill was enacted, Tennesseans had been conducting affairs as though the state had been legally admitted to the Union. Elections were held in late February and legislators convened in late March. On March 29 they examined the returns of the gubernatorial race and determined that Sevier had won. On March 30 Sevier took the oath of office at Knoxville. In a brief inaugural address, he thanked voters for the confidence reposed in him and he pledged to discharge "with fidelity" the tasks of chief executive. A sixteen-gun salute ended the brief ceremonies. When Sevier became governor, the total population of the new state was only about 85,000, but by the end of his gubernatorial service it had increased to nearly 250,000. Although the office of governor was not considered a full-time task, still Sevier faced the usual problems which the foibles of human nature are sure to create. Indian problems were vexatious as any, and Sevier met them with characteristic vigor. The Tellico and Dearborn treaties, negotiated in 1805 and 1806 respectively, did much to clear Indian claims in both east and west, but the attitude and actions of the federal government in its strict policy of enforcement angered Tennesseans. Many disputes over military rank tried Sevier's patience. Free men between eighteen and fifty were subject to military duty, and they elected their own officers. But allegations of fraud permeated the contests in many of the counties and at all levels, and the governor-who issued the commissions--had to decide who had been legally and duly elected. Although Sevier apparently handled these matters as judiciously as he could, he was frequently criticized in many counties for allegedly selecting political friends and favorites. His disputes with Andrew Jackson over these and other matters led to considerable bitterness between the two. Indeed, Jackson's charges that Sevier was guilty of forgery and bribery in his procurement of lands brought challenges to duels and bitter words. Internal improvements such as wagon roads interested Sevier from his early days as governor. He also frequently mentioned a need for "the encouragement of education," and a measure chartering schools in most of the counties was enacted in 1806. Improving conditions in the state militia and the development of a better means of settling disputes over land titles were other matters of concern. In March, 1809--a few months before his final term ended--Sevier ran before the legislature for the U.S. Senate but was defeated by Judge Joseph Anderson. Later in that year, voters in Knox County sent him to the state Senate. Then, in 1811, he was elected to Congress. His advanced years and his unfamiliarity with federal procedures resulted in

112 his being an ineffective legislator on the national level, however. Sevier died on September 24, 1815, while on a mission to the Alabama territory where he had gone with U.S. troops to determine the proper location of the Creek boundary. He was buried on the eastern bank of the Tallapoosa River near Fort Decatur. Sevier was a product of the frontier and a hero to Tennesseans who understood and appreciated his varied career. When in 1887 his body was reinterred on the courthouse lawn in Knoxville, a monument was erected whose inscription well describes his life of public service: "John Sevier, pioneer, soldier, statesman, and one of the founders of the Republic; Governor of the State of Franklin; six times Governor of Tennessee; four times elected to Congress; a typical pioneer, who conquered the wilderness and fashioned the State; a protector and hero of Kings Mountain; fought thirty-five battles, won thirty-five victories; his Indian war cry, 'Here they are! Come on boys!'" Suggested Reading Carl S. Driver, John Sevier: Pioneer of the Old Southwest (1932). Source: http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entry.php?rec=1190 2013. Accessed November 25,