Acts of 1807 Chapter 94

SECTION 1. That Williamson county shall be reduced to its constitutional limits (to wit:) Beginning three hundred and fifty nine chain (sic) south of the old Indian boundary line upon Duck river ridge, where Dickson county formerly cornered with the said county of Williamson; thence running south seventy six degrees east to Rutherford county line, and all that part lying north of said line shall be, and remain Williamson county.

SECTION 2. That all that section of country lying within the following described bounds, shall be, and is hereby made and constituted a new and distinct county by the name of MAURY. (viz.) Beginning at the above described point, it being the south west corner of Williamson county; thence south to the columbian road; thence with said road as it meanders, to a point where the Indian boundary line leaves the same; thence with said line to the dividing ridge that divides the waters of Duck river from those of Elk; thence with said ridge to a point three miles and fifty six chains and a half, east of the line of the congressional reservation as heretofore run and marked; thence north to Williamson county line; thence with said line to the beginning.

SECTION 3. That Joshua Williams, William Fryerson, Issac Roberts, John Lindsey, and Joseph Brown, are hereby appointed commissioners, who, or a majority of them, shall as soon as may be, fix on a place the most convenient on, or as near Duck river as the nature of the cause will admit of, for a court house, prison and stocks, for the use of said county of Maury; which place shall not exceed three miles from the centre east or west; and after agreeing on the place, they shall proceed to purchase or otherwise procure not less than one hundred acres of land for which they shall cause a deed or deeds to be made to themselves and their successors in office by general warranty, on which they shall cause a town to be laid off, with necessary streets and allies; neither of which streets shall be less than one hundred feet wide, reserving two acres as near the centre as may be, on which the court house, prison and stocks shall be erected, which town shall be none (sic) by the name of COLUMBIA.

SECTION 4. That where the town shall be thus laid off, the aforesaid commissioners are further required, to adversise (sic) for sale in the Nashville Gazette, or Impartial Review, to the highest bidder, at a credit of twelve months, one half of the lots so laid off, which shall be the nearest to the public square, giving sixty days previous notice, and shall take bonds with sufficient security to themselves and successors in office, and shall make titles to the purchasers in fee simple.

SECTION 5. That it shall be the further duty of the said commissioners, to contract with suitable workmen to build a court house, prison and stocks, and the monies arising from the sale of said lots, after paying for the land so purchased, shall be applied to pay for said court house, prison and stocks.

SECTION 6. That should the money arising from the sale of said lots, prove insufficient to pay for such public buildings, then in that case, a majority of the acting justices of the said county of Maury, shall in term time, have power, and are hereby authorized and required to lay an additional county tax, not exceeding twelve and one half cents on each hundred acres of land liable to taxation; twelve and one half cents on each white poll; twenty cents on each black poll; one dollar on each stud horse kept for covering mares; twenty five cents on each town lot, and five dollars on each merchant, peddlar or hawker: The said tax shall be laid from year to year until a sufficient sum shall be collected to pay for said public buildings; and shall be collected by the collector of the public taxes, on the same per cent. as other county taxes, and shall pay the same to the aforesaid commissioners, and be by them applied towards paying for the said public buildings, whose receipts shall be allowed in the settlement of his accounts.

SECTION 7. That before the said commissioners enter on the duties of their appointment, they shall enter into bond with sufficient security, payable to the governor for the time being, in the sum of six thousand dollars, for the faithful discharge of their duty as herein expressed; which bond shall be lodged in the office of the clerk of the said county of Maury.

SECTION 8. That so soon as the public buildings shall be completed, the aforesaid commissioners shall lay before the court of Maury county, a just and fair statement of all monies by them received, as well as those by them expended, with sufficient vouchers for the same, by virtue of their appointment, and the court shall make them reasonable compensation for their services: Provided, there shall be a majority of the acting justices of said county present when such allowance is made.

SECTION 9. That for the due administration of justice, that the court of pleas and quarter sessions shall be held in, and for the county of Maury, on the third Mondays in December, March, June, and September; and the justices for said county, shall hold the first court at the house where Joseph Brown now lives, near Lytle's creek, on the third Monday of December next; and all subsequent courts for said county, on the days above mentioned for holding courts therein, at the same place, until a court house be built in, and for said county; and then all causes, matters and things depending in said court, and all manner of process returnable to the same, shall be adjourned to such courthouse; and all courts held in, and for said county, shall be held by commission to said justices in the same manner and under the same rules and restrictions, and shall have and exercise the same powers and jurisdictions, as are, or shall be prescribed by, and for the courts of the several counties in this state.

SECTION 10. The said county of Maury be, and the same is hereby declared a part of Metro district, in the same manner, and for the purposes whatsoever, in as full and ample manner, as any county in this state, and shall send three jurors to the superior court of said district.

SECTION 11. That nothing herein contained, shall be so construed, as to prevent the sheriff or collector of the taxes of Williamson county, from collecting the same, within the limits of the said county of Maury, which are at this time due, in the same manner, as if this act had not been passed.

SECTION 12. That the said county of Maury be a part of the district for electing an elector to elect a president and vice president of the United States, for electing a governor, representative or representatives to congress, senator or senators and representatives in the general assembly, and field officers, to which it has heretofore belonged; and that the elections be held at the place for holding courts in said county, and shall be conducted under the same rules and regulations as established by law; and that the sheriff or deputy sheriff of the county of Maury, shall on the first Thursday and the succeeding day in March next, hold an election at the place above stated, for the purpose of electing the field officers of the militia for the said county of Maury; which election shall be conducted pursuant to the laws now in force and use for the election of field officers; and that the sheriff or returning officer, make a return in all cases of elections, agreeably to the laws now in force and use in this state, and shall observe the same rules and regulations in making returns and comparing votes, as are now observed in the electorial district composed of the counties of Williamson and Rutherford.

SECTION 13. That all section of country, lying immediately between the south boundary of the above described county, and the southern boundary of the state, be and remain a part of the said county, until otherwise provided for by law, except as herein expressed; that no tax shall be laid or collected, for the purpose of erecting a court house, prison and stocks for said county.

SECTION 14. The militia of the said county of Maury, shall constitute the twentyseventh regiment of the militia of the state.

SECTION 15. That James Gideon be, and he is hereby appointed to run and mark the dividing line between said counties of Williamson and Maury; for which service, he shall be entitled to the sum of two dollars per day; and it shall be the duty of said James Gideon to employ two chain-carriers and one marker, who shall be entitled to receive one dollar per day each, while engaged in said service; said surveyor, chain-carrier, and marker, to be paid in equal proportions by said counties of Williamson and Maury.

SECTION 16. That this act shall be in force from and after the fifteenth day of December next.

Passed: November 16, 1807.