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In 1784 North Carolina offered to cede a part of their state to the federal government to help pay Revolutionary War debts. This land was located in what is now northeast Tennessee.
The new territory was called the State of Franklin (originally Frankland) and in 1785 came very close to being our 14th State. The vote in Congress fell just short of the 2/3 majority needed to accept a territory as a state. The vote was seven for statehood and two against. South Carolina had a split vote and North Carolina abstained since it was their territory.
Two well-known men associated with the history of northeast Tennessee were on opposite sides of the issue - John Sevier and John Tipton.
John Sevier served during the Revolutionary War and was a Colonel in charge of 240 of the 1000 Overmountain Men that won the Battle of Kings Mountain. In August 1784 he was elected Governor of the State of Franklin.
John Tipton was a Captain in the Virginia militia during the French and Indian War, served in the Virginia House of Delegates, and during the Revolutionary war was a Colonel in the Virginia militia. On May 15, 1784 he purchased 100 acres of land and built a 25'x30' home on what is now the Tipton-Haynes historic site in Johnson City, TN.
After Congress voted against statehood North Carolina rescinded their offer to cede the land. However, Governor John Sevier and The State of Franklin ignored North Carolina's sovereignty and continued their efforts to maintain statehood.
In 1786, after ignoring North Carolina's efforts to reconcile, North Carolina sent in troops under the command of Colonel John Tipton and reestablished its government.
For the next two years both governments were in place and competed for the loyalty of the citizens. In early 1788 Colonel Tipton persuaded a North Carolina sheriff to seize some of John Sevier's property for payment of back taxes which the sheriff took to Colonel Tipton's farm.
State of Franklin Governor Sevier led the Franklin militia to the Tipton farm to retrieve his property and what became known as the Battle of Franklin ensued. After three days Colonel Tipton's forces won the battle, routed Sevier's troops and captured two of his sons who were later released.
In August 1788 John Sevier was arrested for treason and transported to Morganton NC where he was arraigned and released on bond. He was never tried and in February 1789 swore an oath of allegiance to North Carolina.
Interestingly, in February 1790 the area became a new North Carolina congressional district and John Sevier was elected as its first representative to the United States Congress.
North Carolina again ceded the land to the United States and on June 1, 1796 Tennessee became the 16th state. John Sevier was its first governor and served two 6-year terms and John Tipton signed the Tennessee Constitution as the representative from Washington County.
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