Acts of 1809 (First Session) Chapter 51

1st. That the lines and boundaries of Bedford county shall be as follows, (to wit:) Beginning on the north east corner of Maury county, and running south with the eastern boundary line thereof to the extreme height of the ridge; dividing the waters of Duck river from the waters of Elk river; thence eastwardly on the extreme height of said ridge, to the present eastern boundary line of the said county of Bedford; thence north to the southern boundary line of Rutherford county; thence westwardly with the said line to the southern boundary line of Williamson county; and thence with the said line of Williamson to the beginning.

Sect. 2nd. That John Atkinson, William Woods, Bartlett Martin, Howel Dawdy, Daniel McKissick, be, and they are hereby appointed commissioners to fix on a place on Duck river, within two miles of the centre of said county on a line east and west at the farthest, and as much nearer the actual centre east and west, as a suitable situation can be procured; and the said commissioners shall purchase one hundred acres of land at the place which they may fix upon as aforesaid, and shall receive a title to the same in fee simple, to themselves and their successors in office, and shall lay off the said hundred acres of land into a town, to be known by the name of Shelbyville, reserving near the centre thereof a public square of two acres, on which the court-house and stocks shall be built, likewise reserving any other lot they may think proper, for the purpose of having a Jail built thereon, for the use of the said county of Bedford.

Sect. 3rd. That the said commissioners shall sell the lots of said town at public sale, on a credit of twelve months, giving due notice thereof in one of the public news-papers printed in Nashville, and shall take bond with sufficient securities from the purchasers of said lots, payable to themselves and successors in office, and shall make titles, in fee simple, to the respective purchasers of said lots.

Sect. 4th. That the proceeds of the sales of the lots aforesaid, shall be a fund in the hands of the said commissioners, for defraying the expenses incurred in the purchase of the tract of land on which the town above mentioned is directed to be laid off, also for defraying the expenses of building a court-house, prison and stocks.

Sect. 5th. That the said commissioners shall superintend the building of the said court-house, prison and stocks, and shall let the court-house to the lowest bidder, advertising the same sixty days in one of the news-papers printed in Nashville, setting forth the dimensions of which it is to consist, and the materials of which it is to be built, and shall take a bond with sufficient securities from the person to whom the said court-house is let, payable to themselves and successors in office, in the sum of ten thousand dollars, conditioned for the faithful performance of his contract, and if the proceeds of the sales of said lots is not sufficient for the purposes above mentioned, it shall be the duty of the county court of Bedford to lay a tax not exceeding the amount of state tax levied in said county, to be applied to the objects aforesaid, and to be continued until all arrearages are paid off.

Sect. 6th. That the said commissioners, before they enter on the duties of their appointment, shall give a bond in the sum of five thousand dollars each, payable to the chairman of the county court of Bedford, and his successors in office, for the use of said county, conditioned for the faithful performance of the trust reposed in them, and shall likewise take the following oath: I, A.B. do solemnly swear (or affirm) that as a commissioner to act for the county of Bedford, I will do equal and impartial justice to the citizens of said county, to the best of my skill and ability, So help me God---and the said bond shall be filed in the clerks office for the county of Bedford, and shall not be so construed as to make any one of the commissioners security for another.

Sec. 7th. That until the town above mentioned is laid off, the court of Bedford county shall be held at the dwelling house of Amos Balch, and all matters, causes and things, now depending in the county court of Bedford, shall be tried and determined at the house of the said Amos Balch, in the same manner as if they had been originally returnable to that place.

Sec. 8th. That a majority of the commissioners by this act appointed, shall in all cases be competent to perform the duties by this act assigned them, and if any one neglects or refuses to act, a majority of the justices of said county of Bedford, may appoint another in his place, and when the said commissioners shall have performed the duties above enjoined upon them, they shall lay before the county court of Bedford a full statement of all their proceedings, and the said county court shall make them a reasonable compensation for their services.

Sec. 9th. That this act shall be in force from and after the first day of January, in the year one thousand eight hundred and ten.