Whereas the commissioners appointed in pursuance of an act of the General Assembly of this State, passed at the last session, have agreed and pitched upon a site for a seat of Justice in McMinn county, as near the center thereof as an eligible site can be procured, and whereas the land upon which said seat of justice is placed is vacant and unappropriated, and quite poor and barren, being valuable only for the waters and timber; therefore; That the register of East Tennessee shall issue a grant for the one half of the following tract of land, viz: for the south-east quarter of section No. 28, and the north-west quarter section of section No. 34, in the fourth township in range first west of the meridian to the commissioners for the establishment of said seat of justice in said county and their successors in office, in trust for the use and benefit of said town forever, upon said commissioners producing to the said register and certificate of the said surveyor general that the said land is vacant and unappropriated, and that the same is poor, and valuable only for the water and timber upon the same; which said grant shall be perfected as other grants are perfected, and that the said town shall be called and known by the name of Athens; which said site is hereby established and made the permanent seat of justice for said county forever.
Passed: August 23, 1822.