The Latimers - Person Sheet
The Latimers - Person Sheet
NameSEVIER, Gov. John 
Birth Date23 Sep 1745
Birth PlaceAugusta County, Virginia
Death Date24 Sep 1815 Age: 70
Death PlaceMarble Springs, Knox County, Tennessee
FatherSEVIER, Valentine (1702-1803)
MotherGoad, Joanna (1723-1773)
Misc. Notes
John Sevier was an American soldier, frontiersman, and politician, and one of the founding fathers of the State of Tennessee. He played a leading role in Tennessee's pre-statehood period, both militarily and politically, and he was elected the state's first governor in 1796.
He served as a colonel of the Washington District Regiment in the Battle of Kings Mountain in 1780, and he commanded the frontier militia in dozens of battles against the Cherokee in the 1780s and 1790s.
"About 1771, John Sevier visited the Holston country carrying some goods with him for trade, and repeated the visit in 1772. Later in 1773, John removed his family to the Holston country & first located in the Keywood settlement, on the north shore of Holston, half a dozen miles from the Shelbys. Before his removal from VA, he had been commissioned a Captain by Gov. Dunmore.”
“He was at Watauga Fort, when attacked, July 21, 1776. - At day break, when there was a large number of people gathered there, and the women were outside milking the cows, a large body of Cherokees fired on the milkers; but they all fortunately escaped to the fort. Among the young girls, thus engaged, was Catharine Sherrill, who, when she reached the gate, found it shut; but equal to the emergency, she threw her bonnet over the pickets and then clambered over herself, and, as she jumped within, was caught in the arms of John Sevier - her future husband. "
“An attack on the fort ensued, during which Capt. Sevier thought he killed one of the Indians. A man stole out of the stockade at night, went to the Holston, when a large party marched to the relief of the beleaguered garrison. It was because the people refused to join and cooperate with the enemies of their country that the savages were instigated to murder them, destroy their crops and improvements and drive off their cattle and horses.”
“John Sevier was among the foremost in the defense of the Watauga and Nolachucky settlements. He had been elected Clerk of the first self-constituted court in 1775 and in 1776 he was chosen one of the representatives of the united settlements to the North Carolina Convention at Halifax and took his seat, securing the establishment of the district of Washington.”
“Hastening back home, he reached there in season to serve on Christian's expedition against the Cherokees at the head of a fine company of riflemen and also, at Col. Christian's request, he acted as a spy during the campaign. He continued his services, till the conclusion of the treaty at Long Island of Holston in July 1777. In the Fall of that year, he was appointed Lieutenant Col. for Washington County. During the period 1777-1779 the Indians, Tories and horse thieves required Col. Sevier's constant vigilance. “
"In the summer of 1780, he was left in defense of the settlements, while Maj. Charles Robertson led the Watauga troops on the campaign in SC. During their absence, Aug 14, having sometime previously lost his wife, he was married to Miss Catharine Sherrill. “
“His gallant services at King's Mountain cannot be too highly extolled. December 16, following, he defeated the Cherokees at Boyd's creek, killing 13 and taking all their baggage, and then joined Col. Arthur Campbell on an expedition against the hostile Indian towns. On the 3rd of February, 1781, he was made a full Colonel and in March, he led a successful foray against the Middle Cherokee Settlements, killing about thirty of their warriors, capturing 9 prisoners, burning 6 towns and bringing off about 200 horses. Having been appointed by General Greene, one of the Commissioners, to hold a treaty with the Indians, a conference took place with the Cherokees at the Long Island of Holston in July, Colonel Sevier and Major Martin attending, but without any permanent results.
“In the autumn of this year, Col. Sevier served under Generals Greene and Marion in South Carolina and in 1782, he carried on a campaign against the Cherokees. In November 1784, he was appointed Brig. Gen., which he declined because of his leadership in the effort to establish the republic of Franklin. During the period of 1784 to 1788, he was made its Governor and defender. He was apprehended by the North Carolina authorities, on a charge of rebellion against the State and conveyed to Morganton, where he was rescued by a party of his friends and returning home,(An account of the rescue from Harper's New Monthly Magazine, 1885) he had a campaign against the Indians. As the East Tennesseans were divided in sentiment, the Franklin Republic, after a turbulent career of some four years, ceased to exist. In 1789, General Sevier was chosen a member of the Legislature of North Carolinas, when an act of oblivion was passed and he was re-installed as Brig. Gen. In 17980-81, he was elected to represent the East Tennessee district of North Carolina in Congaree. when Tennessee was organized into a Territory, he appointed by Present Washington a Brig Gen in the militia and he continued to protect the frontier settlements, carrying on the Hightower campaign against the Cherokees in 1793. In 1798 he was made a General in the provisional army. On the organization of state government in 1796, General Sevier was chosen the first Governed successive re-elections was continued in that one office till 1801. In 1802, he served as a Commissioner in running the boundary line between Tennessee and Virginia. He again served as Governor from 1803 to 1809 and then a term in the State Senate. He was chosen to a seat in Congress in 1811, serving during the war, on the important committee on military affairs, until 1815 when President Madison appointed him one of the Commissioners, to ascertain the boundary of the Creek territory and died while on that service, in camp, on the east side of the Tallapoosa, near Fort Decatur, Alabama, September 24, 1851, closing a busy, useful life at the age of 70 years.
As a proof of the love and veneration of his neighbors and friends, while absent in the Creek Country, they had again elected him to Congress without opposition. In the language of the distinguished Hugh L. White, who had served under him in the old Indian wars, 'General Sevier was considered in his day, among the most gallant, patriotic, and useful men in the country where he lived. Valentine Sevier, son of Valentine Sevier and Joanna Goad, was born in what is now Rockingham County, Virginia about 1747 and settled at an early period in East Tennessee. He was a Sergeant and one fo the spies at the battle of Point Pleasant where, says Isaac Shelby, he was distinguished for vigilance, activity and bravery.
He subsequently served in the Indian wars in East Tennessee and commanded a company at Thicketty Fort, Cedar Springs, Musgrove's Mill and King's Mountain. He was the first Sheriff of Washington County, a justice of the court and rose in the militia to the rank of a Colonel. He removed to the mouth of Red River on Cumberland, now Clarksville, where he was attacked by Indians November 11, 1794, killing and wounding several of his family. After long suffering from chronic rheumatism, he died at Clarksville, February 23, 1800 in his 53rd year.
His widow survived until 1844 in the 101st year. His younger brother, Robert Sevier, who also commanded a company at King's Mountain and was mortally wounded in the conflict, was previously much engaged in ridding the Watauga and Nolichucky region of Tories and horse thieves.
" He was chosen to a seat in Congress in 1811 serving during the war, on the important committee on military affairs, till, 1815, when Pres. Madison appointed him one of the Commissioners to ascertain the boundary of the Creek territory; and died while on that service, in camp, on the east side of the Tallapoosa, near Fort Decatur, AL, Sep 24, 1815 closing a busy useful life at the age of 70 yrs. "
He served as a colonel of the Washington District Regiment in the Battle of Kings Mountain in 1780, and he commanded the frontier militia in dozens of battles against the Cherokee in the 1780s and 1790s.
"About 1771, John Sevier visited the Holston country carrying some goods with him for trade, and repeated the visit in 1772. Later in 1773, John removed his family to the Holston country & first located in the Keywood settlement, on the north shore of Holston, half a dozen miles from the Shelbys. Before his removal from VA, he had been commissioned a Captain by Gov. Dunmore.”
“He was at Watauga Fort, when attacked, July 21, 1776. - At day break, when there was a large number of people gathered there, and the women were outside milking the cows, a large body of Cherokees fired on the milkers; but they all fortunately escaped to the fort. Among the young girls, thus engaged, was Catharine Sherrill, who, when she reached the gate, found it shut; but equal to the emergency, she threw her bonnet over the pickets and then clambered over herself, and, as she jumped within, was caught in the arms of John Sevier - her future husband. "
“An attack on the fort ensued, during which Capt. Sevier thought he killed one of the Indians. A man stole out of the stockade at night, went to the Holston, when a large party marched to the relief of the beleaguered garrison. It was because the people refused to join and cooperate with the enemies of their country that the savages were instigated to murder them, destroy their crops and improvements and drive off their cattle and horses.”
“John Sevier was among the foremost in the defense of the Watauga and Nolachucky settlements. He had been elected Clerk of the first self-constituted court in 1775 and in 1776 he was chosen one of the representatives of the united settlements to the North Carolina Convention at Halifax and took his seat, securing the establishment of the district of Washington.”
“Hastening back home, he reached there in season to serve on Christian's expedition against the Cherokees at the head of a fine company of riflemen and also, at Col. Christian's request, he acted as a spy during the campaign. He continued his services, till the conclusion of the treaty at Long Island of Holston in July 1777. In the Fall of that year, he was appointed Lieutenant Col. for Washington County. During the period 1777-1779 the Indians, Tories and horse thieves required Col. Sevier's constant vigilance. “
"In the summer of 1780, he was left in defense of the settlements, while Maj. Charles Robertson led the Watauga troops on the campaign in SC. During their absence, Aug 14, having sometime previously lost his wife, he was married to Miss Catharine Sherrill. “
“His gallant services at King's Mountain cannot be too highly extolled. December 16, following, he defeated the Cherokees at Boyd's creek, killing 13 and taking all their baggage, and then joined Col. Arthur Campbell on an expedition against the hostile Indian towns. On the 3rd of February, 1781, he was made a full Colonel and in March, he led a successful foray against the Middle Cherokee Settlements, killing about thirty of their warriors, capturing 9 prisoners, burning 6 towns and bringing off about 200 horses. Having been appointed by General Greene, one of the Commissioners, to hold a treaty with the Indians, a conference took place with the Cherokees at the Long Island of Holston in July, Colonel Sevier and Major Martin attending, but without any permanent results.
“In the autumn of this year, Col. Sevier served under Generals Greene and Marion in South Carolina and in 1782, he carried on a campaign against the Cherokees. In November 1784, he was appointed Brig. Gen., which he declined because of his leadership in the effort to establish the republic of Franklin. During the period of 1784 to 1788, he was made its Governor and defender. He was apprehended by the North Carolina authorities, on a charge of rebellion against the State and conveyed to Morganton, where he was rescued by a party of his friends and returning home,(An account of the rescue from Harper's New Monthly Magazine, 1885) he had a campaign against the Indians. As the East Tennesseans were divided in sentiment, the Franklin Republic, after a turbulent career of some four years, ceased to exist. In 1789, General Sevier was chosen a member of the Legislature of North Carolinas, when an act of oblivion was passed and he was re-installed as Brig. Gen. In 17980-81, he was elected to represent the East Tennessee district of North Carolina in Congaree. when Tennessee was organized into a Territory, he appointed by Present Washington a Brig Gen in the militia and he continued to protect the frontier settlements, carrying on the Hightower campaign against the Cherokees in 1793. In 1798 he was made a General in the provisional army. On the organization of state government in 1796, General Sevier was chosen the first Governed successive re-elections was continued in that one office till 1801. In 1802, he served as a Commissioner in running the boundary line between Tennessee and Virginia. He again served as Governor from 1803 to 1809 and then a term in the State Senate. He was chosen to a seat in Congress in 1811, serving during the war, on the important committee on military affairs, until 1815 when President Madison appointed him one of the Commissioners, to ascertain the boundary of the Creek territory and died while on that service, in camp, on the east side of the Tallapoosa, near Fort Decatur, Alabama, September 24, 1851, closing a busy, useful life at the age of 70 years.
As a proof of the love and veneration of his neighbors and friends, while absent in the Creek Country, they had again elected him to Congress without opposition. In the language of the distinguished Hugh L. White, who had served under him in the old Indian wars, 'General Sevier was considered in his day, among the most gallant, patriotic, and useful men in the country where he lived. Valentine Sevier, son of Valentine Sevier and Joanna Goad, was born in what is now Rockingham County, Virginia about 1747 and settled at an early period in East Tennessee. He was a Sergeant and one fo the spies at the battle of Point Pleasant where, says Isaac Shelby, he was distinguished for vigilance, activity and bravery.
He subsequently served in the Indian wars in East Tennessee and commanded a company at Thicketty Fort, Cedar Springs, Musgrove's Mill and King's Mountain. He was the first Sheriff of Washington County, a justice of the court and rose in the militia to the rank of a Colonel. He removed to the mouth of Red River on Cumberland, now Clarksville, where he was attacked by Indians November 11, 1794, killing and wounding several of his family. After long suffering from chronic rheumatism, he died at Clarksville, February 23, 1800 in his 53rd year.
His widow survived until 1844 in the 101st year. His younger brother, Robert Sevier, who also commanded a company at King's Mountain and was mortally wounded in the conflict, was previously much engaged in ridding the Watauga and Nolichucky region of Tories and horse thieves.
" He was chosen to a seat in Congress in 1811 serving during the war, on the important committee on military affairs, till, 1815, when Pres. Madison appointed him one of the Commissioners to ascertain the boundary of the Creek territory; and died while on that service, in camp, on the east side of the Tallapoosa, near Fort Decatur, AL, Sep 24, 1815 closing a busy useful life at the age of 70 yrs. "