In 1836, by order of the Tennessee General Assembly, all Tennessee counties were divided into Civil Districts, which replaced Militia Companies for administration. The document below contains the detailed description of Grainger County’s Civil Districts.

Note: The text below was machine-converted from a printed transcription of the original, so errors are likely. Although this is a transcript of a transcript, we hope you will be able to locate your ancestors in a particular section of the county in the late 1830’s.

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In compliance with an Act of the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee We James Salling, Thomas McBroom and William Clarke being a majority of the commissioners appointed by the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee to lay off the County of Grainger into Districts. We therefore, having been duly sworn by Charles McAnally one of the Justices of the peace in and for the Said County do report and Say that we have laid off the Said County into fifteen Districts and that they are numbered and bounded as follows[:]

1st The line of the first District to begin at William Chainies [sic] at the Jefferson County line thence with the South Road to Holston River at Coffmans ford thence up the Said River to the Hawkins County line thence with the county line to the Corner thence with the Jefferson County line to the beginning the Election to be held at the papermill.

2nd The line of the Second District to begin at William Chainies [sic] at the Jefferson County line thence with the Said line to the panther Spring thence down panther Creek to Holston River thence up the said River to Coffmans ford thence with the South Road to the beginning the Election to be held at Maj. Joseph Noes.

3rd The line of the third District to begin at the mouth of Jacob Noe’s mill branch thence up the Said Branch to the head thence a direct course to the top of the big Ridge at the Little gap thence up the top of the big ridge to the Hawkins County line thence with the Said line to Holston River thence down the Said River to the beginning the Election to be held at David Counts’s.

4th The line of the fourth District to begin at the lower end of the Horse Shoe on Holston River thence with the horse Shoe Road to where it Intersects the Road leading from Mazes’s ford to Rutledge thence with the Said Road to Jesse Hodges thence a’ direct line to the top of the big Ridge So as to include John Daniel thence with the top of the big Ridge up to the Little gap thence a direct line to the head of Jacob Noe’s mill branch thence down the Said branch to Holston River thence down the said River to the beginning the Election to be held at Maze’s mill.

5th The line of the fifth District to begin at Combs’s ferry on Holston River thence with the Combs ferry Road to the top of the Richland Nobs thence up the Said Nobs against Jesse Hodges thence a direct line to the Road at Jesse Hodges thence with the Said Road to the lower end of the horse Shoe on Holston River thence down the Said River to the beginning the Election to be held at Dickson Smith’s.

6th The line of the Sixth District to begin at the mouth of Edward West’s Spring branch thence up the said branch to the head thence up the holler with Quillar Mitchel’s Spring branch thence a direct line to Thomas Davis’s so as to include the said Davis thence a direct line to the top of the Richland Nobs passing Joshua Hinchie’s thence up the top of the Richland Nobs to the Combs Ferry Road thence with the said Road to Holston River thence down the said River to the beginning the Election to be held at Thomas West’s Esqr.

7th The line of the Seventh District to begin at the mouth of Perrin’s mill branch thence up the Said branch and Perrin’s mill holler to the top of the Richland Nobs thence up the top of the Said Nobs to Joshua Hinchy’s so as to include the said Hinchy thence passing Thomas Davis thence with Quillar Mitchel’s Spring branch to Holston River thence down the Said River to the beginning the Election to be held at Evan Harris’s Old Place.

8th The line of the Eighth District to begin at the Knox County line on Holston River thence with the Said line to the Crooked Runn Nobs thence up the Said Nobs to Clinch mountain thence up the top of the Said mountain to the Road at Elkin’s gap thence down the falling-water branch to Richland Creek thence a direct line to the top of the Richland nobs thence a direct line to the head of Perrin’s mill holler So as to include the house where Robert Gains lived thence down the Said mill holler to Holston River thence down the Said River to the beginning the Election to be held at Plains Cross roades.

9th The line of the ninth District to begin on the top of the big Ridge at the Hawkins County line thence with the Said line to the top of Clinch mountain thence down the top of the said mountain against where Nicholas Counts, Senr., now lives thence a direct line to the top of the big ridge against the said Countses thence up the top of the big ridge to the beginning the Election to be held at Beans Station.

10th The line of the Tenth District to begin on the top of the big Ridge against where Nicholas Counts senr now lives thence a direct line to the top of Clinch mountain so as to include the Said Counts thence down the top of Clinch mountain to the Road at Atkins’s gap thence down the fall water branch to Richland Creek thence a direct line to the top of the Richland Nobs thence up the top of the Said nobs to the beginning the Election to be held at Col A Fulkerson’s.

11th The line of the Eleventh District to begin on Clinch River at the lower end of the Griffet old place thence a direct line to the top of Clinch mountain against Abner Dotsons so as to include Isaac Bullen, John Farrier, and the said Dotson thence up the top of Clinch mountain to the Hawkins County line thence with the said line to Clinch River thence down the said River to the beginning the Election to be held at Andrew McGinnis’s.

12th The line of the twelfth District to begin at the mouth of Adam Idols Spring branch on the Clinch River thence a direct line to Williams’s Creek at Odell’s mill so as to include the said Creek to Smith Stranges so as to include the said Strange thence with the Road passing Martin Cleveland’s to the Vally Road thence a direct line to the top of Clinch mountain against the said Cleveland’s thence up the top of the said mountain against Abner Dotson’s thence a direct line to the lower end of the Griffet Old place on Clinch River passing Abner Dotson, John Farmer’s, and Isaac Bullen’s thence down the said River to the beginning the Election to be held at Benjamin Lewis’s.

13th The line of the thirteenth District to begin at the mouth of Dotson’s Creek on Clinch River thence up the said Creek so as to include Joab Capps, David Yadin Junr on the top of Hinds’s Ridge thence a direct line to the Road passing above George W Vittitoes so as to include Joseph Smith thence with the said Road to the head of the branch passing down by the Widow Vittitoe’s thence down the said branch to Flat Creek thence a direct line to the top of Clinch Mountain against the Powder Spring Gap meeting house thence with the top of the said mountain up against Martin Cleveland’s thence with the Road passing the said Cleveland’s to Williams’s Creek at Smith Strange’s thence withe the said Creek to Odell’s mill thence a direct line to the mouth of Adam Idol’s spring branch on Clinch River thence down the said River to the beginning the Election to be held at Joseph Smith’s mill.

14th The line of the fourteenth District to begin on the top of the Comb ridge at the Knox County line thence with the Said line to the Crooked Runn Nobs thence up the top of the said Nobs to Clinch Mountain thence up the top of the said mountain against the Powder Spring Gap meeting house thence a direct line to the mouth of the branch passing the Widow Vittitoe’s so as to include Thomas Dennis thence up the said branch to the head thence with the road passing George W. Vittitoe’s so as to include the said Vittitoe thence a direct line to the top of Comb ridge against the said Vittitoe’s thence down the top of the said ridge to the beginning the Election to be held at Stephen Frost’s.

15th The line of the fifteenth District to begin at the Anderson County line on Clinch River thence with the said line and the Knox County line to the top of the Comb Ridge thence up the top of the said Ridge against Joseph Smith’s thence a direct line to Dotson’s Creek passing Joseph Smith’s, David Yadin Junr, and Joab Capps thence down the said creek to Clinch River thence down the said River to the beginning the Election to be held at Robert Huddleston’s.

Given under our hands this third day of February 1836

Jas Salling

Thos McBroom

W Clark

Commissioners