State of Franklin

For the former administrative district of Canada's Northwest Territories, see District of Franklin. For the city in Tennessee, see Franklin, Tennessee.

Free Republic of Franklin (Frankland) Extra-Legal States and Territories Historic Regions of the United States ← 1784–1788 → Flag State of Franklin superimposed over the map of Tennessee Capital Provisional Jonesborough, Aug 1784-Dec 1785 Permanent Greeneville, Dec 1785-1788 36°10′N 82°49′W Government Organized extra-legal territory Leadership President/Governor Col. John Sevier Dec 1784-1788 Speaker of the Senate Landon Carter Dec 1784-1788 Speaker of the House Aug 1784-Jun 1785 William Cage Speaker of the House, Jun 1785-1788 Col. Joseph Hardin History  - North Carolina cedes Washington District (Tennessee) to Federal Government April 1784  - Secedes from North Carolina and blocks Federal Government claims; Franklin proclaimed August 23 1784  - Petition for Frankland statehood sent to Congress May 16, 1785  - Provisional name changed back to Franklin Dec 24, 1785  - Disbanded; and re-acquired by North Carolina March–September 1788

The State of Franklin, known also as the Free Republic of Franklin or the State of Frankland (the latter being the name submitted to the Continental Congress when it considered the territory's application for statehood), was an unrecognized autonomous United States territory created in 1784 from part of the territory west of the Appalachian Mountains that had been offered, by North Carolina, as a cession to the federal government (to help pay off debts related to the American Revolutionary War). Its first capital was Jonesborough. Later, the area legally became, once again, part of North Carolina. Franklin encompassed what ultimately comprised a large share of the Tennessee Eastern Division of the Southwest Territory. Franklin was never admitted into the United States — falling two votes short for admission. The extra-legal state existed for only about four and a half years, ostensibly as a republic, before largely being abandoned.

After the summer of 1785, the government of Franklin (which was by then based in Greeneville), ruled as a "parallel government" running alongside (but not harmoniously with) a re-established North Carolina bureaucracy. The creation of Franklin is novel, in that it resulted from both a cession (an offering from North Carolina to Congress) and a secession (seceding from North Carolina, when its offer was not acted upon, and the original cession was rescinded).

Cession and rescindment

Franklin's support

As Congress was heavily in debt at the close of the Revolutionary War, the state of North Carolina voted, in April, 1784, "to give Congress the 29,000,000 acres (117,000 km²) lying between the Allegheny Mountains" (as the entire Appalachian range was then called) "and the Mississippi river." The cession had a stipulation that Congress would have to accept responsibility for the area within two years. This act effectively left the western settlers of North Carolina to deal with the Cherokee of the area, many of whom had not yet made peace with the new nation. These developments did not please the settlers who had gained a foothold on the western Cumberland River (at Fort Nashborough, now Nashville) or the Watauga Association settlers, who had earlier formed the Washington District of North Carolina. Some of the inhabitants feared that the cash-starved Congress might sell the territory to a foreign power such as France or Spain.

North Carolina's reluctance

A few months later, fearing the land would not be used for its intended purpose (paying the debts of Congress), and the loss of economic opportunities, a newly elected North Carolina Legislature rescinded the offer of cession. It claimed the remote western district. The North Carolina lawmakers ordered judges to hold court in the western counties and arranged to enroll a brigade of soldiers, appointing John Sevier to command it.

Secessionist movement

The spirit of the American Revolution was still very much a part of the frontier world view. Increasing dissatisfaction with the government of North Carolina led to the frontiersmen's calls to establish a separate, secure and independent state. On August 23, 1784, delegates from the North Carolina counties of Washington (which at the time included present day Carter County), Sullivan, Spencer (now Hawkins County) and Greene —all counties in present-day Tennessee —convened in the town of Jonesborough and declared the lands independent of the State of North Carolina. Leaders were duly elected. John Sevier reluctantly became governor, Landon Carter Speaker of the Senate, William Cage Speaker of the House of Representatives and David Campbell Judge of the Superior Court. Thomas Talbot served as Senate clerk, while Thomas Chapman served as clerk of the House. The delegates were called to a constitutional convention in December of that year. They drafted a constitution that excluded lawyers, doctors and preachers as candidates for election to the legislature; it was defeated in a referendum. The area continued to operate under the North Carolina state constitution.

Attempt at statehood

On May 16, 1785, a delegation submitted a petition for statehood to the Continental Congress. Seven states voted to admit what would have been the 14th federal state under the proposed name "Frankland". The number of states voting in favor of statehood, however, fell short of the two-thirds majority required under the Articles of Confederation. Late the following month, the government convened to address their options and to replace the vacancy at Speaker of the House, which had been held by William Cage. They elected Joseph Hardin to the position of Speaker of the House. To curry favor for their cause, delegation leaders changed the official name back to "Franklin" (ostensibly after Benjamin Franklin). They tried to persuade him to support their cause. Franklin refused, writing:

“

I am sensible of the honor which your Excellencey and your council do me, but being in Europe when your State was formed I am too little acquainted with the circumstances to be able to offer you anything just now that may be of importance, since everything material that regards your welfare will doubtless have occurred to yourselves. ...I will endeavor to inform myself more perfectly of your affairs by inquiry and searching the records of Congress and if anything should occur to me that I think may be useful to you, you shall hear from me thereupon. —Franklin's letter to Governor John Sevier, 1787

”

Independent republic

Replica of the Capitol of the State of Franklin in Greeneville, Tennessee

After the failed statehood attempt, still at odds with North Carolina over taxation and protection issues, Franklin operated as a de facto independent republic. Up to this point, the government had been assembling at Jonesborough, blocks from the North Carolina seat of government. Because of this, Greeneville was declared the new capital. The first legislature met there in December 1785. At Greeneville, the delegates adopted a permanent constitution, known as the "Holston Constitution", modeled on that of North Carolina.

The new legislature made treaties with the Indian tribes in the area (with few exceptions, the most notable being the Chickamauga Cherokee). It opened courts, incorporated and annexed five new counties (see map below), and fixed taxes and officers' salaries. Barter was the economic system de jure, with anything in common use among the people allowed in payment to settle debts, including federal or foreign money, corn, tobacco, apple brandy, and skins (Sevier was often paid in deer hides). Citizens were granted a two-year reprieve on paying taxes, but the lack of hard currency and economic infrastructure slowed development and often created confusion.

The year 1786 was the beginning of the end of the small state. Because it had shunned North Carolina's claims of sovereignty over it, Franklin did not have the benefit of either the national army or the North Carolina militia. North Carolina offered to waive all back taxes if Franklin would reunite with its government. When this offer was rejected, North Carolina moved in with troops —under the leadership of Col. John Tipton —and re-established its own courts, jails and government at Jonesboro. The two rival administrations competed side by side for a couple of years. Loyalties were divided among local residents. In 1788 Sevier's supporters and those of Tipton fought a small battle at Col. Tipton's farm. (The property has been preserved as the Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site in Johnson City, Tennessee).

During the Chickamauga Wars, in late March 1788, the Chickamauga Cherokee, Chickasaw and others collectively began to attack white American settlements in Franklin. Sevier sought a loan from the Spanish government, and along with James White (who was later found to be a paid agent of Spain's), attempted to place Franklin under Spanish rule. Opposed to any foreign nation gaining a foothold in Franklin, North Carolina officials arrested Sevier in August 1788. Sevier's supporters freed him from the local jail. In February 1789, Sevier and the last holdouts of "Lesser Franklin" (what they called the area they had retreated to, which was south of the French Broad River) swore oaths of allegiance to North Carolina after turning themselves in. North Carolina sent their militia to aid in driving out the Cherokee and Chickasw. They simply asked Sevier to swear the oath of allegiance to North Carolina.

In the last session of the Franklin legislature, John Sevier proposed to commission a Franklin state flag, but it was never designed.

Transition to Tennessee

As of 1789, the government of the State of Franklin had collapsed entirely and the territory was firmly back under the control of North Carolina. Sevier was elected in 1790 to the North Carolina legislature to represent the region. Soon thereafter, the state once again ceded the area that would soon become Tennessee to the national government to form the Southwest Territory. John Sevier became Tennessee's first governor, and John Tipton signed the Tennessee Constitution as the representative from Washington County.

Legacy

Many businesses in the State of Franklin use that name to keep the legacy alive, such as the "State of Franklin Bank", a bank based in Johnson City, Tennessee. One of the main thoroughfares in Johnson City is named "State of Franklin Road", which runs next to East Tennessee State University.

The State of Franklin was mentioned in the History channel documentary special How the States Got Their Shapes as a one of the many "ghost states" of America.

In law school examinations and occasionally even state bar tests a fictional State of Franklin, named in honor of the historic one, is used as a Placeholder name for a generic state, often the one in which the property of Blackacre is located. This way state law variations do not complicate the theoretical legal issues arising from the property disputes. By convention Blackacre is located in Acre County, Franklin.

In fiction

• The novel The Cumberland Rifles by Noel B. Gerson takes place in the State of Franklin.
• The novel The Canebreak Men by Cameron Judd details events related to the founding and the history of the State of Franklin.
• The State of Franklin is briefly mentioned in Lee Smith's novel On Agate Hill (2006) (paperback edition, page 226-227).
• The State of Franklin is briefly mentioned in Charles Frazier's novel "thirteen moons" (2007).
• In the fantasy novel American Gods by Neil Gaiman, Johnny Appleseed describes the State of Franklin as the home of the last remaining Thunderbirds.
• The alternative history novel Joyleg by Ward Moore and Avram Davidson depicts an independent State of Franklin in the twentieth century, having somehow escaped the notice of the federal government for nearly 200 years. The novel skewers politicians and the media.

Notable Franklinites

• William Cocke (1748–August 22, 1828) American lawyer, pioneer, and statesman.
• David "Davy" Crockett (August 17, 1786–March 6, 1836) Famed frontiersman and statesman, born in Greene County
• Samuel Doak (1749–1830) Presbyterian minister, pioneer, founded earliest schools and churches in East Tennessee. Delegate to the "Lost State" of Franklin which convened in Greeneville.
• Col. Joseph Hardin (1734–1801) Speaker of the House for the State of Franklin; trustee of Greeneville (now Tusculum) College.
• Col. John Sevier Chief-executive of Franklin; first governor of Tennessee.
• James White (1747–August 14, 1821) American pioneer and soldier who founded Knoxville, Tennessee.

See also

• Historic regions of the United States
• List of United States territories that failed to become states

References

• Appleby, Joyce Oldham; Alan Brinkley, James M. McPherson (2000, 2009). The American Journey. Columbus, OH: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill. ISBN 9780078777134. 
• Barksdale, Kevin T. (2008). The Lost State of Franklin: America's First Secession. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 9780813125213. 
• Gerson, Noel B. (1968). Franklin: America's "Lost State". New York: Crowell-Collier. OCLC 228843. 
• Landrum, J. B. O. (1959). Colonial and Revolutionary History of Upper South Carolina. South Carolina heritage series, no. 1.. Spartanburg, SC: Reprint Co. OCLC 3521908. 
• Williams, Samuel Cole; Carl S. Driver (1974). History of the Lost State of Franklin. Johnson City, TN: Overmountain. ISBN 9780879913489. 
• Roosevelt, Theodore (1898). The Winning of the West, Vol III. www.gutenberg.org/files/11943/11943-8.txt: Review of Reviews, Co.. OCLC EBook#11943. 

External links

• "The civil and political history of the state of Tennessee from its earliest settlement up to the year 1796, including the boundaries of the state"
• State of Franklin in FamilySearch Research Wiki
• A History of Hawkins County, Tennessee
• The Tipton-Haynes historic site
• Educational article on Franklin
• History of Western North Carolina
• Johnson's Depot: The History of Johnson City, Tennessee
• Chapter IV., The State of Franklin, in The Annals of Tennessee to the End of the Eighteenth Century by J. G. M. Ramsey, 1853.
• Map of Cumberland and Franklin, in The Annals of Tennessee to the End of the Eighteenth Century by J. G. M. Ramsey, 1853.
• NPR Interview with Michael Toomey of the East Tennessee Historical Society
• John Baez's Essay on Franklin