Many of the early deeds of Claiborne
County and some surrounding areas include explicit
references to lots in the Henderson Grant. North Carolina
granted 200,000 acres hugging the Powell and Clinch
Rivers which was subdivided and sold off into lots.
The map below shows those lots, and a transcription
of the North Carolina land grant is also included; both
are courtesy of Steve Smith. Click the map for a larger
version.
The land was granted to Richard Henderson and Others
pursant to an Act of the North Carolina Assembly in
1783 and recorded as land grant number 714 in book 89,
page 155. A survey of the land, number 995, was entered
5 December 1795 in Hawkins County, of which Claiborne
was a part at the time. At the time of the original
grant, what would become Tennessee was still North Carolina.
In 1795, the area that would become known as Tennessee
the next year was the Territory Southwest of the Ohio
River.
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
7/4 To All To Whom these Presents Shall Come
Greeting
Know Ye that We pursuant to an Act of the General
Assembly of Said State Begun and held at New
Bern on the eighteenth Day of April in the Year
of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred and
eighty three Intitled an Act to Vast certain Lands
in
Richard Henderson and others have given and granted
and by these presents do give and grant to the
Heirs and
Assigns or Divisees of Richard Henderson deceased
Thomas Hart John Williams the Heirs and Assigns
or
Divisees of William Johnston Deceased James Hog
the
Heirs and Assigns or divisees of David Hart deceased
Sen. Hendley Bullock the heirs and assigns or
divisees of Nathaniel Hart deceased the heirs
and
assigns or divisees of John Luttrell To Landon
Carter heir of John Carter deceased his heirs
and
assigns forever and to the heirs and divisees
of
Robert Lucas a tract of land containing two
hundred thousand acres Lying and being in our
County of Hawkins on Powells and Clinch Rivers
and
to be held by them in Manner and form following
Begining at a red oak and poplar on the South
Side
of Powells River in a hollow above the Mouth of
town
Creek Runing then North forty five degrees West
crossing
Powells River a bent of Town Creek and a forke
of the
Same several times twelve hundred and eighty poles
to two Ceaders Marked A on a high Spur of Cumberland
Mountain under a high Clift thence along Said
Mountain South forty five Degrees West crossing
town
Creek three hundred and twenty poles to a white
Oak then North forty five degrees, West eighty
poles
to a white Oak and dogwood then South forty five
degrees West four hundred and forty poles to a
black
Walnut Marked B the Same Course two hundred poles
to a red oak hicory and Black Walnut then North
forty
five degrees West eighty poles to a hicory in
a hollow
then South fifty four degrees West five hundred
(and
----------
and ten poles to a white oak and dogwood Marked
C on the west side of a branch then the same course
six hundred and twenty poles to a stake and
chesnut oak Marked D on the side of the Mountain
Six hundred and Sixty Six poles to a stake and
Black oak on Said Cumberland Mountain Marked
E three hundred and Sixty poles to a stake then
South twenty Six degrees West three hundred
poles to a hicory and locust on the Side of the
Mountain Marked F thence the Same course
Six hundred poles to a stake and ash Marked
G on the mountain five hundred and Sixty
poles to a hicory and white oak Marked H in a
little Cove two hundred and Sixty poles crossing
little Cove Creek to two poplars on a spur of
the
Mountain thence South fifty two degrees West
two hundred poles to a sowerwood Marked I. on
the
top of a spur then the Same course four hundred
and fifteen poles to a red oak and white oak marked
K four hundred and five poles to a red oak and
white oak Marked L on a thicket of Bushes on
the East side of MoCoys Creek four hundred poles
crossing said Creek at twenty poles to a dogwood
and Chesnut marked M. on the West side of a
large Branch three hundred and ninety five poles
to a dogwood and hicory marked N. two hundred
and twenty poles crossing a small Creek to
two Sowerwoods and a Maple then South
forty five degrees West two hundred and thirty
poles to a red Oak on the Topp of a hill marked
O.
then the same Course four hundred and twenty
poles to a red Oak in a small hollow Marked P.
Six hundred poles crossing Indian Creek to a
forked Poplar and dogwood marked Q One
thousand and ten poles to a water Oak then South
eighty poles to a hicory and Walnut then South
twelve degrees West ninety six Poles to three
hicory and a Black Oak then South forty
--------
two degrees East two hundred and fifty four poles
to a
hicory then North eighty eight degrees East fifteen
hundred and eighty poles cross big Cove Creek
to two
dogwoods and white oak Marked A in a deep hollow
then the Same course Eight hundred and thirty
poles cross indian Creek to a white Oak and
Sassafras on the South Side of a deep hollow marked
P Seven hundred poles crossing Clinch River to
two poplars and a post oak marked o. on the South
West side of Clinch River twenty two poles from
the Same above the mouth of Powells river then
South forty five degrees West three hundred
and ten poles to two Black Oaks and a red oak
Marked B then the Sames courses four hundred and
thirty poles crossing Clinch River to two Pines
marked
C four hundred and thirty poles crossing Clinch
River twice to two pines and a black oak marked
D. four hundred and thirty poles cross Indian
Creek
to a large pine Marked E four hundred and
thirty poles to a red oak and Black oak Marked
F on the top of a high knob on the East Side
of Coal Creek four hundred and thirty poles cross
Said Creek to a hicory and white oak Marked
G. in the gap of a small ridge four hundred and
thirty poles to a large poplar marked H. on the
South Side of Wallings ridge on an Indian path
four hundred and thirty poles crossing over the
top Said ridge to three pines and a Chesnut
Oak Marked I. about half way down the same
then four hundred poles to a Stake then South
forty five degrees East four thousand poles
crossing Clinch River and Bull run to a red oak
on the North Side of Beaver dam Creek then
North forty five degrees East crossing a bent
of
Said Creek at the Beaver dam Shreng (?) four hundred
poles to a red oake Marked I on the North Side
of the
Creek then the Same course four hundred and
thirty poles to three post oaks Saplins Marked
------------
H four hundred and thirty poles to a black oak
Saplen Marked G four hundred and thirty poles
to a stake and post oak Marked F. four hundred
and thirty poles to a post oak Marked E. four
hundred and thirty poles to a black oak and pine
Marked D four hundred and thirty poles crossing
a small Creek to a white oak and black oak
Marked C four hundred and thirty poles to a black
Oak and pine on the East side of a branch
Marked B four hundred and thirty poles
to a red oak white oak pine and walnut on the
North East Side of a large Branch Marked A
thence North forty five degrees West crossing
Bull
Run and hines Creek two thousand poles to two
Black oaks and a pine marked A then the Same
course one thousand Seven hundred and fifty
poles crossing a forke of Hines Creek and Clinch
River to an Ash and cucumber tree on the North
Bank of Said River then North forty Seven
degrees East two hundred and fifteen poles to
a black gum Marked N. then the Same course
three hundred and ninety five poles crossing clinch
River twice to a chesnut Oak Marked M on a dividing
Ridge Between Powells and Clinch rivers then along
Said Ridge four hundred poles to a bunch of
Chesnuts trees Marked L four hundred and five
poles to a pine Marked K four hundred and
fifteen poles to a black oak on the North Side
of
Said Ridge Marked I four hundred and thirty
poles to a large white oak on a rich flat ridge
Marked H four hundred and ninety five poles
crossing at the forke of a small Creek to a black
oak
and Chesnut Oak Marked G five hundred and
twenty poles to a black oak and post oak Marked
F Six hundred and ten poles to a white oak Marked
E in the South Side of a Rich Bottom Near a
cain Brake Six hundred and thirty five poles
thro the Said Cain Brake cross a small Creek
-----------
to two hicorys on the top of a ridg Marked D
Six hundred
and ninety poles crossing Powells River twice
to a white oak
in a deep hollow Marked C Seven hundred and twenty
five poles cross a small Creek to a red oak on
the South
Side of a knob under a Clift of Rocks Marked B
then
Seven hundred and Sixty poles cross a Creek and
Powells
River twice to the Beginning --- As by the plat
hereunto Annexed doth appear together with all
woods
waters mines minerals hereditaments and appertances
to the Said Land Belonging or Appurtaining To
hold
unto the Said Landon Carter Heir of John Carter
his heirs and assigns forever and to Heirs or
divisees
of Robert Lucas Ten thousand acres parcel of the
said
two hundred thousand acres laid of at the lower
end thereof and the remainder in the following
man-
ner to wit one eighth part thereof to Richard
Hen-
derson his heirs and assigns or divisees. one
eighth
part thereof to Thomas Hart his heirs and assigns
or divisees. one eighth part thereof to John Williams
his heirs and assigns or divisees. one eighth
part
thereof to William Johnston his heirs and assigns
or
divisees. one eighth part to James Hog his heirs
and
assigns or divisees. One sixteenth part thereof
to
David Hart his heirs and assigns or divisees.
one sixteenth
part thereof to Leonard Henly Bullock his heirs
and
assigns or divisees. one eighth part thereof to
the
heirs and assigns or divisees of Nathaniel Hart,
deceased and one eighth part thereof to the heirs
and
assigns or divisees of John Luttrell deceased
To hold
to them their heirs assigns or divisees respectively
for-
ever according to the aforesaid proportion in
severally
as tenants in common and not as Join tenants
Yielding and paying &C dated the 5th day of
December
