Public Acts of 1865-66 (Ex. Sess.) Chapter 19

COMPILER'S NOTE:  Section One concerned Wayne County.

SECTION 2.  That a new county be, and the same is hereby, established, to be composed of fractions taken from the counties of Haywood, Madison, Gibson and Dyer, to be known and designated by the name of "Crockett County," in honor of and to perpetuate the memory of David Crockett, one of Tennessee's distinguished sons.

SECTION 3.  That the said county of Crockett shall be bounded as follows, to-wit:

Beginning at two walnut trees, a hickory and Spanish oak, on the edge of a bottom, and on the east side of the middle fork of Forked Deer River, bearing N.W. 18°, 32', 33", 12.01 miles from Jackson.  Thence runs S.W. 73½° 7-10 of a mile, to a poplar and maple; thence S.W. 68 3/4°, 122 P. to the river; thence the same course S.W. 198 P., to a small maple; thence S.W. 64°, 320 P., to a black oak bush, near to and on the south side of William Daffee's fence; thence S.W. 59¼°, 320 P. to a hickory; thence S.W. 54½°, 320 P. to post oak and black oak; thence S.W. 49 3/4°, 98 P. to the road that leads from Dyersburg to Jackson; thence on S.W. 222 P. to a black oak; thence S.W. 45°, 320 P. to a hickory; thence S.W. 40½°, 320 P. to a black-gum; thence S.W. 35½°, 320 P. to a beech and gum; thence S.W. 30 3/4°, 320 P. to two poplars; thence S.W. 26°, 88 P. to the road leading from Cherryville to Jackson; thence on S.W. 232 P. to an ash and elm; thence S.W. 21¼°, 320 P. to a sassafras and small holly, near the bank of the south fork of Forked Deer River; thence on across said river S.W. 16½°, 216 P. to a small hickory, at the edge of the highlands, bearing N.W. 7°, 18', 27", from Jackson 12 miles, 1/3 of a pole; thence N.W. 73 3/4°, 2 miles and 48 poles to two black oaks, near Chipman's fence, bearing N.E. 60°, 22', 30", 12.01 miles from Brownsville.  Thence N.W. 32°, 320 P. to an elm; thence N.W. 36 3/4°, 320 P. to a white oak, standing on the bank of the south fork of said river; thence N.W. 41½°, 320 P. to a stake in Thomasfield; thence N.W. 46¼°, 320 P. to a black oak; thence N.W. 51°, 320 P. to a forked poplar; thence N.W. 55 3/4°, 320 P. to two poplars, near E. J. Road's plantation; thence N.W. 60½°, 320 P. to two small hickories;  thence N.W. 65¼°, 320 P. to a stake in Esq. Fife's field; thence N.W. 70°, 320 P. to a peach tree in Randle Johnson's field; thence N.W. 74 3/4°, 320 P. to a white oak; thence N.W. 79½°, 320 P. to a sassafras and pointers; thence N.W. 84¼°, 320 P. to a dogwood; thence N.W. 89°, 320 P. to an elm and gum near White's fence; thence S.W. 86¼°, 320 P. to a maple, beyond the river; thence S.W. 81½°, 320 P. to two Tupelo gums; thence S.W. 76 3/4°, to a small white oak; thence S.W. 72°, 320 P. to a maple; thence S.W. 67½°, 120 P. to a small poplar at the edge of the high grounds; thence along the edge of the highland N.W. 35½°, 340 P. to a small elm; thence N.E. 6°, 240 P. to a maple; thence N.W. 35°, 569 3-25 of a pole to a sweet-gum; thence N.W. 55°, 90 P. to an elm; thence N.E. 16°, 518 P. to an elm; thence N.E. 40°, 176 7-25 P. to a stake; thence N.E. 8¼°, 1201 1-5 poles to the south fork of said river; thence down said river with the meanderings of the same 21 miles, to a stake on the N.E. bank of said river; thence N.E. 41°, to a stake on south bank of the north fork of the Forked Deer River; thence up the said river, with the meanderings thereof, to the mouth of the Little North Fork of the Forked Deer River; thence N.E. 85¼°, 2 miles and 182 10- 25 P. to a point bearing 79° N.W., 12.01 miles from Trenton.  Thence S.W. 8°, 320 P.; thence S.W. 3¼°, 320 P.; thence S.E. ½°, 320 poles; thence S.E. 6¼°, 320 P.; thence S.E. 11°, 320 poles; thence S.E. 15 3/4°, 320 poles; thence S.E. 20½°, 320 poles, thence S.E. 25¼°, 320 poles; thence S.E. 30°, 320 poles; thence S.E. 34 3/4°, 320 poles; thence S.E. 39½°, 320 poles; thence S.E. 44¼°, 320 poles; thence S.E. 49°, 320 poles; thence S.E. 53 3/4, 320 poles; thence S.E. 58½°, 320 poles; thence S.E. 63¼°, 320 poles; thence S.E. 68°, 320 poles; thence S.E. 72 3/4°, 320 poles; thence S.E. 77½°, 320 poles; thence S.E. 82¼°, 320 poles; thence S.E. 87°, 320 poles; thence N.E. 88¼°, 320 poles; thence N.E. 83½°, 320 poles, to a point bearing S.E. 8°, 52', 30", 12 miles from Trenton; thence S.E. 34°, 633 3-5 poles to the beginning, containing by estimation three hundred and fifty square miles.

SECTION 4.  That for the purpose of organizing the county of "Crockett," William A. Johnson, John L. Poston, H. R. Hall, Alfred Connelly, William Emmerson, William J. McFarland, William Poston and William Scales shall be, and they are hereby, appointed Commissioners on the part of the several fractions in which they reside, who shall, before entering upon the duties herein specified, take an oath before some Justice of the Peace, faithfully to discharge all the duties incumbent on them in this Act; and in all cases of vacancies which may occur among said Commissioners previous to the organization of the county court of said county of "Crockett," the same shall be filled by other Commissioners, and all vacancies occurring after the organization of such court, the vacancies so occurring shall be filled by the said county court.  A majority of said Commissioners shall constitute a Board competent to do all things herein enjoined on them.  They shall keep a regular record of all their proceedings as Commissioners, which shall be returned to the county court of said count of "Crockett" at its first session and the same shall be recorded by the clerk thereof on the records of said court, and they shall make such returns after the organization of said court as shall be directed thereby.

SECTION 5.  That the county site of said county of "Crockett" shall be established and located at such place as the Commissioners may select, where suitable lots upon which to erect public buildings shall have been donated for that purpose.  In making such selection said Commissioners shall have a due regard to the convenience of a majority of the citizens of said county.  The different courts for said county shall be held at such place in said town as said Commissioners may designate until a Court-house shall have been erected; and all writs and other process issuing from such courts shall be returnable to said place, and the courts for the said county of "Crockett" shall be under the same rules, regulations and restrictions, shall have, hold, exercise and possess the same powers and jurisdiction as prescribed by law for holding courts in other counties.  Said county shall be attached to the 16th Judicial Circuit, and the circuit court shall be held by the Judge of said circuit on the second Mondays of January, May and September, in each and every year, and the said county shall be attached to the 6th Chancery District, and the chancery courts for said county shall be held twice in each year, on the first Monday of February and August.

SECTION 6.  That all officers, civil and military, now holding office in said county, shall continue to hold their offices and exercise all powers and functions thereof until others are elected, as hereinafter provided.  Provided, that nothing in this Act contained shall deprive the counties from which the fractions have been taken from having, exercising and holding jurisdiction over the county of "Crockett," and the citizens thereof in as full and as ample a manner as they now have, until the election of county officers takes place as hereinafter provided.  Provided, further, that nothing herein contained shall prevent the above named counties from entering up judgments or the Sheriffs of said counties from selling under said judgments, any lands within the bounds of said county of "Crockett" for taxes, costs and charges until the county of "Crockett" is fully organized.

SECTION 7.  That the Commissioners appointed by this Act shall appoint such persons as they may think proper to open and hold the election for county officers for the said county of "Crockett," and such persons so appointed, shall have power to appoint deputies, clerks and judges, and by himself and deputies to administer all the necessary oaths, and do and perform all other duties now made the duty of other sheriffs, or officers holding similar elections, and it shall be the duty of such person so appointed together with his deputies to open and hold an election for county officers at such time as may be designated by the Commissioners, which election shall be held in each civil district in said county; and the officers so elected shall hold their offices until the next regular election for county officers in the other counties of the State.

SECTION 8.  That the citizens of "Crockett" county in all elections for Governor, Members of the General Assembly, Representatives in Congress and Electors for President and Vice President, shall vote with the counties from which they have been respectively stricken off until the next apportionment, agreeably to the provisions of the fifth section of the tenth Article of the Constitution.

SECTION 9.  That said Commissioners shall have power, and it shall be their duty, to appoint five suitable and well qualified individuals to divide said county in civil districts and designate the places for holding elections in said districts, and perform all the duties relative thereunto, which by the laws of the State such Commissioners are required to do.

SECTION 10.  That the Commissioners of "Crockett" county be, and they are hereby authorized to exercise all the powers conferred in this Act and such further powers as may be necessary and proper for the complete organization of said county.

SECTION 11.  That an Academy is hereby established in the said town of Cageville, or at the county seat of the said county of "Crockett," with all the rights and emoluments of other county Academies of the State, and the county court shall appoint Trustees as in other counties, and shall name the same.

SECTION 12.  That all laws in conflict with this Act be, and the same are hereby repealed.

Passed:  January 25, 1866.

COMPILER'S NOTE:  The remaining six (6) Sections of this Act did not concern Crockett County and are therefore omitted.