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Boundaries - Historical Notes

Tennessee Code Annotated
Tennessee Attorney General Opinions

The following is a summary of acts which authorized boundary changes for Wayne County.

  1. Acts of 1819, Chapter 149, stated that all that part of the territory north of Wayne County and south of Hickman County is hereby annexed to Wayne County and shall in all respects be governed by the same laws as the other portions of Wayne County.
  2. Acts of 1822, Chapter 96, provided that the described territory north of Wayne County and south of Hickman County shall be a part of Wayne County and Section 4 required the County Courts of Wayne and Lawrence Counties to appoint Commissioners to run and mark the line between those two counties.
  3. Acts of 1833, Chapter 127, made the island in the Tennessee River near the mouth of the Beech Creek a part of Wayne County.
  4. Acts of 1837-38, Chapter 85, stated that the island in the Tennessee River by the name of "Two Sisters Island" be and is hereby detached to and made a part of Wayne County's Civil District #2.
  5. Acts of 1837-38, Chapter 273, stated that all that part of Perry County on the south side of the Tennessee river, and on the east side of a line beginning on the south side of the said river, opposite the lower end of James' Island, and running a north or northern course so as to strike the said river above Issac West, Senior's place shall be attached to and become a part of Wayne County. All this part of the area shall be attached to the Civil District of Wayne County which include the town of Carrollville, and the citizens shall enjoy the same privileges as other citizens of Wayne County. This Act was repealed by Acts of 1839-40, Chapter 80.
  6. Acts of 1839-40, Chapter 80, stated that the part of Perry County which was intended to be stricken off to Wayne County shall be that part of the bend of the Tennessee River lying east of a due line north from David Roach's Landing on the said River.
  7. Acts of 1847-48, Chapter 15, provided that the Surveyor of Perry County and the Surveyor of Wayne County be required to examine the line between Wayne and Perry Counties, and, if it approaches at any point nearer to Waynesboro than 12 miles, then the said Surveyors shall so alter the line as to prevent it approaching nearer than the 12 miles. The Surveyors would be paid by their respective counties what their services are reasonably worth.
  8. Acts of 1847-48, Chapter 80, changed the boundaries between Wayne and Lawrence Counties so as to include the lands of William Hollis in Lawrence County, commencing where the north boundary line of the lands of William Hollis crosses the county line, thence west with the north boundary line to the northwest corner, thence south with the west boundary line to the southwest corner, and thence east to the original county line.
  9. Acts of 1851-52, Chapter 55, changed the lines between Wayne and Lawrence Counties commencing on the State line between Tennessee and Alabama in the middle of the channel of Shoal Creek and run up the said creek with the middle of the channel to the mouth of Holly Creek; thence up Holly Creek with its meanders to the original line between Wayne and Lawrence Counties, thence north with said line as before.
  10. Acts of 1851-52, Chapter 220, rearranged the boundary with Perry County beginning at a point on Buffalo Hill on the present line running on the dividing ridge between Beech and White Oak Creeks, to the northwest point of the said ridge; thence north forty five west to the Tennessee River; thence up the said River with its meanders to the lower end of Beech Creek Island; thence crossing said River so as to strike the line dividing the Counties of Wayne and Decatur. Perry County, however, shall not be reduced below its constitutional limits.
  11. Acts of 1855-56, Chapter 159, amended Acts of 1851-52, Chapter 220, by establishing the line dividing Wayne and Perry Counties as beginning at a point on the Tennessee River west of the northwest corner of a tract of land owned by D. W. Carroll and lying on the Tennessee River, and immediately below the mouth of Beech Creek; then to the northeast corner of said tract, running thence to the northeasterly direction to the nearest point of the dividing ridge between Beech and White Oak Creeks to the line fixed by the Act which this Act amends; thence east with that said line to the beginning.
  12. Acts of 1857-58, Chapter 129, Section 4, moved the lands and residence of Soloman H. Baker out of Hardin County and into Wayne County, and the line, as changed, shall be run and marked by the Surveyor at the expense of the parties involved herein.
  13. Acts of 1859-60, Chapter 100, Section 4, changed the lines, between Wayne and Perry Counties so as to include wholly within Wayne County the lands belonging to W. M. Lofferty and D. W. Carroll, but Perry County shall not be reduced below its constitutional limits.
  14. Acts of 1859-60, Chapter 135, Section 9, moved the land and residence of James C. Hollins out of Wayne County and into Lawrence County.
  15. Acts of 1865-66, Chapter 76, Section 4, detached the home and the lands of William Hollis and Jasper Hollis from Lawrence County and attached them to Wayne County.
  16. Acts of 1866-67, Chapter 28, Section 3, transferred the house and the land belonging to William H. Brown out of Hardin County and into Wayne County.
  17. Acts of 1867-68, Chapter 13, changed the lines between Wayne and Lawrence Counties so that all the lands of the following would be included wholly within Lawrence County: John D. Wade, G. R. Reynolds, Jesse Bradley, Henry Mourton, James Wade, R. Hamm, Isaac Mourton, John W. Mourton, Alex G. Mourton, W. B. Richardson, William Johnson, Matthew Johnson, Robert Johnson, W. B. Smith, Edmund Smith, W. C. McDougal and James Liles. Section 4 of this same Act moved the lands of William H. Brown back to Hardin County from Wayne County.
  18. Acts of 1868-69, Chapter 31, stated that so much of the territory of Maury, Hickman, Lawrence, Wayne, and Perry Counties as was taken from them to form Lewis County is hereby reattached to the county from whence it was taken. This Act was repealed by Acts of 1869-70, Chapter 30.
  19. Acts of 1868-69, Chapter 36, included all that portion of Wayne County lying west of the Tennessee River in Decatur County.
  20. Acts of 1877, Chapter 62, changed the lines between Wayne and Lawrence Counties so that the farm and residence of N. F. Morrow was included wholly within Lawrence County, and provided that Wayne County is not reduced below lawful limits.
  21. Acts of 1887, Chapter 204, moved all the properties belonging to John Bromley and James V. Gallaher out of Lawrence County and into Wayne County.
  22. Acts of 1891, Chapter 150, reported that doubts had arisen concerning the boundary lines between Wayne County and Perry County at certain points which has caused the residents of both counties some trouble and inconvenience. This Act directs the County Courts of each county to appoint three competent men as a commission to settle these doubts who will be paid by the county appointing them. The survey shall begin at the established corner of Wayne and Lewis Counties and proceed westward as far as may be necessary.
  23. Acts of 1895, Chapter 174, transferred the farms belonging to Mrs. H. A. Mauldin, Mrs. Mary Hamer, and J. C. Whittaker, out of Perry County and placed all of them in Wayne County.
  24. Private Acts of 1915, Chapter 683, changed the boundary lines between Wayne and Perry Counties so that the farms belonging to J. L. Phillips, Mrs. Sallie Phillips, W. S. Stone, John J. Brumly, J. E. Baston, S. T. Kittrell, Mrs. Ed Pope, and F. M. Thomason, were all included wholly within the Flatwoods School District of Wayne County.
  25. Private Acts of 1923, Chapter 632, rearranged the dividing lines between Wayne County and Lawrence County to the extent that that part of the farm of J. Monroe Carson, now lying within the confines of Wayne County, shall hereafter be a part of Lawrence County thus causing all of Carson's farm to lie within Lawrence County.