FROM FRONTIER TO PLANTATION IN TENNESSEE A STUDY IN FRONTIER DEMOCRACY BY THOMAS PERKINS ABERNETHY RICHMOND ALUMNI ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF HISTORY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA CHAPEL HILL THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS 1932 TO FREDERICK JACKSON TURNER PREFACE narrative histories of the United States give but a fragmentary idea of the development of Jl democracy in this country. This is due primarily to the fact that our Federal system is a government of limited powers, and its activities touch the lives of the people at only a few points. Narrative histories of the individual states, on the other hand, have ordinarily dealt with local politics in a local way. Science is studied by the examination of specimens, and general truths are discovered through the investiga tion of typical forms. History has been studied mainly by national units, and the field is too broad to allow of minute examination. It would seem, therefore, that the study of a single state, not with an eye to its local politics but concentrating on its development as a com munity, should throw new light upon die growth of our democracy. For the purposes of such a study, Tennessee offers unique advantages. It was the first state to undergo the territorial status, and was without precedent to guide it on its way. Its boundaries include the earliest organized transmontane settlements. The frontiersmen planting these settlements were therefore shackled neither by powerful precedent, nor crystallized opinion, nor petri fied institutions in developing their community life. Not only were these settlements planted under striking con ditions, but they were established under famous leaders. Certainly the frontier history ofno western state is richer or more significant than that of Tennessee. It is also important for the purposes of this study that x PREFACE the forms of economic life to be found during the ante bellum period were varied. The state was a part of the West and a part of the South. Its eastern section had a self-sustaining, small-farmer population. Its Cumberland basin was largely a grain-growing, stock-raising area, while its western section was, in all respects, a part of the cotton kingdom. It therefore affords a rare oppor tunity to study the political effects of these several types of agricultural economy. Land was in the early days the chief form of wealth in the United States, and Tennessee is almost unique among western states in having had a land problem of her own. The laws passed in disposing of the public domain constitute the most significant economic legisla tion with which the state government had to deal, and through such legislation may be tested the living pulse of the body politic. We have been accustomed, in studying our history, to pay too much attention to what the politicians have said and too little to what they have done. It is possibly accidental, yet no less significant, that Tennessee furnished far more than her due share of the leaders of that western democracy which grew in importance so astoundingly between the outbreak of the Revolution and the War of Secession. The activities of these men in the politics of the state give its history an importance and a significance which it would otherwise lack. Taken together these factors render Tennessee an admirable spedimen for such a type study as that which is here presented. Periods of changing conditions have beengiven special attention static periods have been passed more rapidly in review. PREFACE xi An expression of appreciation is due to Professor Ulrich B. Phillips, of Yale University, for valuable suggestions, and to Professor J. B. Sanders, of the University of Alabama, for a critical reading of the manuscript. It is fitting that I should acknowledge here my indebtedness to Ida Robertson Abernethy, my wife, who edited and typed the entire work. THOMAS PERKINS ABERNETHY THE UNIVERSITY OP VIRGINIA DECEMBER, 1931 TABLfe OF CONTENTS PREFAClE IX I. WATAUGA i II...

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

"FROM FRONTIER TO PLANTATION IN TENNESSEE" is the classic book by UVa professor of history Thomas Perkins Abernethy about the formative years of Tennessee and its early political leadership. Now republished in a quality paperback without underlines and distracting stray marks NOTE: only in the "Quid Pro Books" edition, showing the colorful cover], it has been Digitally Remastered to restore missing parts of words, cleaner text, and more consistently legible footnotes.

Abernethy studied a time when Tennessee was the original Wild West and a laboratory for U.S. expansion and repopulation-the first new state born out of a territory. Answering the idealized histories that had uncritically praised the democracticizing effects of the Frontier in American history, Abernethy discusses such leaders as William Blount, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson, and William Carroll (the latter two seen as more the proponents of democracy than was Jackson, who by this time was a wealthy landowner, not the common man). Legends like Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett, and scores of land squatters and magnates, figure colorfully into the account. It was the political elites and land grabbers who ruled Tennessee from the time of the Revolution to the Civil War, not the pioneers, trappers, and farmers. Even Representative David Crockett's efforts to secure land for the common man led to a breach with Andrew Jackson, and he was largely run out of town to the Alamo. Jackson is less a hero than a human, especially when compared to his image in adoring biographies that existed at the time of this book and since: "The Arch-democrat-to-be was quite willing to make others pay for his mistakes."

The book's current relevance extends even to regions other than Tennessee and the early U.S. South, as the author captures a pattern of settlement-and the momentum from territory to statehood-that has informed much research into, and curiosity about, other frontiers in transition.

Part of the "History and Heroes" Series by Quid Pro Books, an independent academic press.

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone

FROM FRONTIER TO PLANTATION IN TENNESSEE A STUDY IN FRONTIER DEMOCRACY BY THOMAS PERKINS ABERNETHY RICHMOND ALUMNI ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF HISTORY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA CHAPEL HILL THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS 1932 TO FREDERICK JACKSON TURNER PREFACE narrative histories of the United States give but a fragmentary idea of the development of Jl democracy in this country. This is due primarily to the fact that our Federal system is a government of limited powers, and its activities touch the lives of the people at only a few points. Narrative histories of the individual states, on the other hand, have ordinarily dealt with local politics in a local way. Science is studied by the examination of specimens, and general truths are discovered through the investiga tion of typical forms. History has been studied mainly by national units, and the field is too broad to allow of minute examination. It would seem, therefore, that the study of a single state, not with an eye to its local politics but concentrating on its development as a com munity, should throw new light upon die growth of our democracy. For the purposes of such a study, Tennessee offers unique advantages. It was the first state to undergo the territorial status, and was without precedent to guide it on its way. Its boundaries include the earliest organized transmontane settlements. The frontiersmen planting these settlements were therefore shackled neither by powerful precedent, nor crystallized opinion, nor petri fied institutions in developing their community life. Not only were these settlements planted under striking con ditions, but they were established under famous leaders. Certainly the frontier history ofno western state is richer or more significant than that of Tennessee. It is also important for the purposes of this study that x PREFACE the forms of economic life to be found during the ante bellum period were varied. The state was a part of the West and a part of the South. Its eastern section had a self-sustaining, small-farmer population. Its Cumberland basin was largely a grain-growing, stock-raising area, while its western section was, in all respects, a part of the cotton kingdom. It therefore affords a rare oppor tunity to study the political effects of these several types of agricultural economy. Land was in the early days the chief form of wealth in the United States, and Tennessee is almost unique among western states in having had a land problem of her own. The laws passed in disposing of the public domain constitute the most significant economic legisla tion with which the state government had to deal, and through such legislation may be tested the living pulse of the body politic. We have been accustomed, in studying our history, to pay too much attention to what the politicians have said and too little to what they have done. It is possibly accidental, yet no less significant, that Tennessee furnished far more than her due share of the leaders of that western democracy which grew in importance so astoundingly between the outbreak of the Revolution and the War of Secession. The activities of these men in the politics of the state give its history an importance and a significance which it would otherwise lack. Taken together these factors render Tennessee an admirable spedimen for such a type study as that which is here presented. Periods of changing conditions have beengiven special attention static periods have been passed more rapidly in review. PREFACE xi An expression of appreciation is due to Professor Ulrich B. Phillips, of Yale University, for valuable suggestions, and to Professor J. B. Sanders, of the University of Alabama, for a critical reading of the manuscript. It is fitting that I should acknowledge here my indebtedness to Ida Robertson Abernethy, my wife, who edited and typed the entire work. THOMAS PERKINS ABERNETHY THE UNIVERSITY OP VIRGINIA DECEMBER, 1931 TABLfe OF CONTENTS PREFAClE IX I. WATAUGA i II...