Sevier/Jacob Brown/Tenn.

This is a complete copy of an article I found in a book in Madisonville Tenn.
The following is the complete article found in the library at Madisonville TN. A book on the histories of families of Monroe County. Hope this helps!

As early as 1772, Jacob Brown, with one or two other families from North Carolina, pitched tents upon the northern bank of the Nolachuckey River. Jacob was a small merchant, and for the goods that were carried to his new settlement upon a single packhorse, secured a lease of large tract of large tracts of this fertile country from the Cherokees.
This lease transferred into a purchase in 1775 when full authority was granted to Brown for the lands he had held since 1772. This deed covered lands on both sides of the Nolachuckey and as far west as Big limestone Creek, and "embraced much of the best land in Washington and Greene Counties."
(Taken in part from "Greenville" by Richard Harrison Doughty.

The Brown cemetery is located near the mouth of Cherokee Creek.June 28, 1785 is the oldest inscription date, but the graveyard is probably older. This graveyard is fenced in and is very well taken care of.Last gravemarker has the date of 1911 on it.This is the oldest marked Cemetery in Tennessee. A Monument stands to Jacob Brown, 1736-1785, founder of Brown's Settlement.

The following information received from Richard Kyker personal file, exerted from the history of Washington County Tenn., 1988. "Jacob Brown was born Dec. 11, 1736, place unknown. In 1760, he married Ruth Gordon, whose parents had received a land grant in 1751, which was very near the Brown's land.
Apparently Jacob and Ruth were seperated, she and her four sons living in South Carolina and Jacob went to Washington County Tennessee.When Jacob arrived in Tennessee he leased land from the Cherokee Indians and established a trading post and servedas gunsmith and blacksmith, skills which the Indians appreciated.There is no indication that Ruth or any of the children were here with him.
Later he purchased the land he had leased.Tradition has long held that the agreement took place under the "Brown Tree" on the bank of the Nolichucky Creek; however, court records show that it took place at John McDowell's house, Pleasant Garden, near the present day Morganton, North Carolina.Jacob's girl friend, Anne "Nancy" Henderson, who accompanied him to the Nolichucky area was present at the signing and described the meeting.Jacob tried to provide for her by giving her a life tenancy in his land, which was then to go to his youngest son, John, but she was not destined to keep it.
Jacob died from a hunting accident on June 28, 1785 and Ruth and her four sons came from South Carolina and claimed his estate, including the land deeded to Nancy Henderson.In 1802 Ruth won all of it."
Ruth Gordon Brown's grave is marked only with a field stone.
Jacob was very active in the development of the area.When the Watauga Association was formed in 1772, there was a court of five magistrates who functioned as the legislative body.The records have been lost, but such eminent Tennessee historians as Samuel Cole Williams and Robert Corlew have stated that Jacob Brown was probably one of the five. As Williams stated, "Brown's forcefulness and capacity entitled him that recognition"he and John Carter were the two Colonels under Major Jacob Wommack to insure the safety of the area.In 1776 he was one of the Committee of Thirteen, the legislative body, and , in that capacity, signed the petition sent to North Carolina in 1776 which resulted in the formation of Washington District in 1777.He was selected for the first Grand Jury in 1778, many of the cases being accusations of treason against Tories in the area.
Jacob was a Captain in the Washington DistrictCounty Militia, but was not called to active duty until 1780 when he served at the Battle of King's Mountain, commanding his company under John Sevier.His son, Jacob II (who was fighting in his cousin Gabriel's South Carolina Company) saw his father and joined his company.He and his son Jacob Jr. also were with Sevier at the Battle of Boyd's Creek, where he was referred to as Colonel.He was a Second Major in the Franklin Government (the short lived new state of Franklin).he would, undoubtedly, have served further if premature death had not stopped him.

Jacob was buried in the May Day community, where the DARdedicated a monument honoring him. It is said to be one of the oldest marked graves west of the Allegheny Mountains.A monument in King's Mountain National Military Park lists Captain Jacob Brown.

In 1887, businesses in the community were J.J.Brown's saw mill, tgeneral store and grist mill. The saw mill burned while the Browns still owned the property.Tan bark was hauled and sold to be used on the tanning of animal hides.Brown's General Store sold green coffee, sugar, calico and other materieals. The Grist Mill ground wheat and corn for a till, or share of the grain. When George Swingle purchased the Brown Mill in 1898, he substituted a turbine wheel for the old wooden wheel which had used since the mill's construction.The mill operated until approximately 1930.

(There was another Jacob Brown ( born Johan Jacob Braun)in Washington County Tennessee at the same time.He was a wagonmaker. born in Germany, son of Johan Stephan Christian Braun and Maria Eva Hamen. This Brown family arrived in Philidelphia Sept 9, 1738 on the ship "Glasgow". He is also recognised by the DAR because of his service of building and repairing wagons during the Rev. War.This Jacob and his wife Elizabeth had at least eleven children. Not to be confused with our Jacob Brown of the same county)

Mount Lebanon Presbyterian USA was organized in 1812 and Byrd Brown and Jacob Keicher were both members. In 1892 the church had an oyster and fruit supper witht the proceeds being used to light the church building.
Both the Byrd and Sam Brown houses were brick structures and were built by slave labor. After the Civil War a few of the blacks stayed in May Day community. Among them was "Uncle" Sydney Maverick, who was known as a very religious and well-respected community member. One of his favorite expressions remembered and handed down was, "I want to go to church to get my pitcher full."

MAY DAY, TENNESSEE
May Day, Tennessee, one of the oldest communities in Washington County, is located on the north side of the NolichuckyRiver in the 4th Civil District.this community is the site where Colonel Jacob Brown established the Nolichucky Settlement in 1771. it is also the location where, in 1788 John Sevier was arrested at the home of Ruth Gordon Brown (widow of Colonel Jacob Brown) and taken by the Tiptionitesto Morganton, North Carolina, to be tried for treason.
The Tennessee State Gazetteer and Business Directory, Vol 5, 1887 lists May Day as "a small settlement seven miles from Jonesburough, population 31, J. J. Brown, Postmaster."
Some of the houses in the community that are over one hundred years old, built in the 1800s are the Byrd Brown and the Samuel Brown houses, both descentants of Jacob Brown.Both are brick structures that were constructedby slave labor.
The name of propertyowners and other residents before 1900 wre Archer, bailey, Ball, Bayless, Berry, Booth, Brown, Bolton, Criselous, Keicher (Kyker), Love, Loyd, Maverick, May, McKee, Slygar (Sliger), and Swingle.
The grave marker of Jacob Brown says:"Jacob Brown1736-1785 Founder of Brown's Settlement"

A list of pensioners for the Rev. War and the War of 1812 was found in the vault in the Washington County, TN court house.It lists Jacob Brown, residing in Washington County, service from S. C. and N. C. .Also listed was George Brown, resident of Washington County TN, service from N. C.Pat Braswell