Source: "Ansearchin'" News, Vol. 11, No. 3 (July, 1964), pp. 123-124. No copyright infringement is intended by presenting this information here.
This information is very pertinent to Jefferson County because Greene was a parent county for much of present-day East Tennessee.
Transcribed by Jewel B. Standefer (Mrs. E. M.)
To the Honourable the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee now sitting in Knoxville. We your humble Petitioners, Citizens of Green County of State afores'd with the Prefference [sic] of Prospect beg leave to submit &lay before your Honourable body the Supreme power of this state, The [sic] grievances which we labour under, and hope that you in your wisdom will take the several complaints under your wise consideration and supply each of them as you in your wisdom may deem right. We your Memoralists finding it Extreamly [sic] difficult from the present Embarrassment abroad, to procure money for a support of meeting the public demand:
We hope that you in your wisdom will point out a way by which our Taxes may be reduced:
Your Petitioners are astonished when taking a view of the Acts passed since the year 1804: Raising of salaries session after session till at length some of our officers of Government has [sic] double the salary they had when we first became a state: and --- what alarms your petitioners more, is we believe that in the period of time our number of Taxable Inhabitants of the state are double the number than what they were when we first became a State, and we are of the opinion that it would be right for you in your wisdom to repeal every Act passed since the year 1804, giving larger salaries to the officers of Government of every description: On the whole there are many of your petitioners that are scarcely able to procure the common necessaries of life, although called upon --- yearly:
Your Memoralists further State that after t.urning(?) to the state land law and perusing it, we are of the opinion from the Expenses incur'd, & the dreadful effects it may produce in future upon those who have been Innocent purchasers from the state of North Carolina, when their Grants are found without vallid [sic] warrants annexed to them:
We learn from the 37th section of sd law a preference of two years is given to all who have purchased such grants to procure a vallid [sic] warrant to secure their land perhaps a 2d & 3d times, but when we read in the latter part of sd section we come to a proviso as follows - viz) provided nothing therein shall be so construed as to prohibit any person having a good & vallid [sic] warrant from laying it on the land, where we your petitioners are living on, and have paid the State of North Carolina for it long since:
And since have been your obedient subjects paying towards the support of Government yearly:
And we your petitioners discover that the day of preference is Elapsed on the 3d day of December next:
Is it possible that we should become a prey to the desperate speculator Turned out of doors to rove at large: or spend all we have, at a Suit of law trying Cavate, when in fact according to the land law we have no right at all, or at least many of us expect we must purchase more warrants at six times the value of them:
And many of your Men now are of the opinion that we have great reason to believe/when taking into view the Act of Congress granting unto the state of Tennessee power to make Titles on all Bonafide Claims/Congress has a reference precisely to the Session Act & Refers to it alone as a guide, but what has been the decision in Judging Claims, why truly we learn the claims which were long since declared Invallid [sic] by the Session Act are now judged to be good in the hands of the money'd men & speculators. Is is [sic] possible that we are to have no End to this dark & unknown measure. We therefore, hope that in as much as Congress in her Act in the 3d section has promised to purchase land West & South of sd line to satisfy good & Bonafide Claims that you in your wisdom would pass a law to compel all warrants to be laid in a given time within the present limits: so as to have an end to sacrafising our best Interests, and by an Act of yours make good all grants obtained from the State of North Carolina where a consideration has been paid & now in the hands of Innocent purchasers: And your petitioners further pray the replevening law to be continued as you in your wisdom may deem right, and your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray.
Levi Vail (Nail)
James Brown
James Goodin (Goodwin)
Jameson Anderson
Marley Brown
David Hartey
Joseph Carter, Jr.
Isaac Armitage
Henry Mangum
John McPheren
James McPherin, Sen.
John McUrry (McMurry)
Hezekiah Balch
Elijah Balch
David Farnsworth
Peter Harmon
Thomas Perry
Edward Joans (Jones)
John Ranner (Runner)
Peter Otinger
Grorg (George) Froshaver
Phillip Smedeler
John Froshaver, Sen.
F (Fridrick?) Gutshale
(illegible)
James Melloy
John Velte
Christian Coock [sic]
Michael Neave
Peter Ricker
Conrad Masenger
Solomon Van
Friuerick Rickert
George Vehs (Nehs)
John Vehs (Nehs), Jun.
John Vehs (Nehs), Sr.
Peter Minger, Sr.
Martin Lints
Abraham Peters
Jacob Ottinger
John Froshaver, Jun.
Andrew Steven
Blaggrove Hopper
Harris Hopper
James Hanna
David Reed
Charles Reed
Lenard Huff
John Kesterson
Lewis Curton
James Jackson
Umphrey Melone
John Burgar
Isaac Harmon
Daniel Coffman, Jr.
Harmon Coffman
Thomas Jones
Adam Byble
John Byble, Senr.
George Bible
Joseph Dunkin
James Davis
Levy Simon (?)
Zechariah Hurley
Nicholas Coffman
Alston Holder
James Holder
William Borren
Absalom Templeton
Samuel Jameson
Jacob Keller
Daniel Keller
David Keller
Benjamin Keller
Jacob Limeboagh (bragh)
William McPherson
Jacob Coffman
Isaac Davis
Jacob Bowman
Henry Bowman
Samuel Bowman
J. Dyke
Christian Dyke, Sen.
John Farnsworth
Christian Dyke, Jnr.
William Cannon
James Camill
Micoll Cobb
Abraham Burkit
Jas. Guthrie
Andrew McPherson
Andrew Singly (miley)
James Scott
Robert Smiley
Petar Rensar (?)
John Shaver
Clabon Dugger
Thomas McCamish, Senr.
Hugh Carter, Senr
Bazil Carter
Jesse Daves
John Coulson
Aaron Coppock
Samuel Gattis
Danioll Ragon
Petar Pilsanbarger
Owen Ragon
David Copeland
Hezekial Copeland
William S. Jones
Saml. Vance
James Ramsey
Henry Trobrough ( ? )
Henry Dyke, Sen.
Martin Baley
Samuel Lane
David Babb
Philop Baab, Jnr.
Hugh Carter, Jnr.
Isaac Justis
John Newman
Nathaniel Ledgerwood
John Hardin
Anthony Hoggatt
John Maltsberger
John Oren
Adam Faker (Fraker)
Thomas Loyd
James Jones
Michael Fraker
John Fraker
Henry French
William Hanna
Samuel Hanna
John Melone
Jonathan Evens
George Brown, Snr.
George Brown, Jnr.
William Hartly
Hugh Hartly
Thomas Fraiser
Benjamin Parker
Henry Randolph
George Jameson
George Barns
George Trobough
John Wright, Sen.
William Trobough
Evan Evens
James Trim
John Forse
John Wiston, Jr.
David Adams
Jacob Tronbauck (? Trobaugh?)
John Garris
Benj. Owen ( ?)
Thomas Mitchell
John Rigttsell (Pigttsell? Rightsell?)
Walter Clark
Francis Hig (setel?)
Jacob Vogal
John Otinger
Saml McNees
Benjamin Harriss (Harrison)
Frederick White
Samuel Ream
Jacob Temple (ton?)
William McGill
William Brittin
William Boyles
John Poage
Ellis Carter
James Williams
Charles Smith
John Bower
Frederick Smith
Jacob Smith
Michael Smith
Benjamin Smith
William Smith
Jonnson [sic] Anderson
Shannon Poage
Alxdr. Williams
John Carter, Jun.
Moses Johnston
Jesse Kerby
Thomas Page (?)
David Carter
Wm. Melone
Simon Perkins
R. Smith
Henry Myers
Thomas Smith
David Key
John Hartley
George Rinker
Philip Rinker
John Castile
James Park
Batson Reubel
John Hart, Jr.
John Hart, Senr.
John Grindstaff
Adam Land (?)
John Davies
John Blacksten
William Davis
George Boie
Benjamin Davis
The following wording appears on the jacket of the petition:
Wonderful praying
within
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
In Senate Oct. 20th 1809
Read referred to
the land committee
and sent to the
H. of Representatives
Luke Lea Clk
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
H. Rep. Oct. 20th 1809
Read & Repd
as above
A. W. Nelson, Clk
