Acts of 1786 Chapter 34

That from and after the passing of this act, the said county of Sullivan be divided in the following manner: beginning where the boundary line between the Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of North Carolina crosses the North Fork of Holston River; thence down said Fork to its junction with the main Holston River; thence across said river due south to the top of Bayes Mountain; thence along the top of said mountain and the top of the dividing ridge between the waters of Holston River and French Broad River to its junction with Holston River; thence down said river Holston to its junction with the Tennessee river; thence down the same river to the Suck where said river runs through Cumberland Mountain; thence along the top of said mountain to the aforesaid boundary line; thence along the said line to the beginning; that all that part of Sullivan county on the east side of the North Fork of Holston river shall continue and remain a district county by the name of Sullivan, and all that other part which lies west of said North Fork of Holston shall thenceforth be erected into a new and distinct county by the name of Hawkins.