Highways and Roads - Historical Notes

The following is a listing of acts which once had some effect upon the county road system in Grainger County, but which are no longer operative.  Also referenced below is an act which repealed prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Private Acts of 1821, Chapter, 152, provided for the keeping in repair a part of a road leading from Bean’s Station in Grainger County to Kentucky that lies near Cumberland Gap on the Cumberland Mountain.
2. Private Acts of 1825, Chapter 325, appointed William Clark of Grainger County and George Williams of Hawkins County as additional commissioners of the Bean’s Station Turnpike.
3. Private Acts of 1835-36, Chapter 147, appointed Thomas Whiteside of Grainger County as a commissioner of the Bean’s Station Turnpike Road.
4. Acts of 1837-38, Chapter 45, appointed Nelson A. Senter of Grainger County as one of the commissioners of the Bean’s Station Turnpike Road and outlined their duties and responsibilities.
5. Acts of 1839-40, Chapter 92, provided that the next two commissioners of the Bean’s Station Turnpike be from Grainger County.
6. Acts of 1841-42, Chapter 190, appointed Charles McAnally and Hugh O. Taylor as commissioners of the Bean’s Station Turnpike and outlined their duties and responsibilities.
7. Acts of 1845-46, Chapter 139, authorized the commissioners of the Bean’s Station Turnpike Road to use the proceeds from the tolls to pay for the turnpike’s repairs in Grainger County.
8. Acts of 1847-48, Chapter 186, Section 7, authorized the building of a second toll in Grainger County for the Campbell and Anderson Turnpike Company.
9. Acts of 1849-50, Chapter 176, Section 3, authorized the citizens of Claiborne and Grainger counties to pass on the Bean Station Turnpike Road free of charge.
10. Acts of 1855-56, Chapter 36, repealed the law which had allowed the citizens of Grainger and Claiborne counties to pass the Bean Station Turnpike Road for free.
11. Public Acts of 1875, Chapter 44, amended the various acts in reference to the Bean Station and Cumberland Gap Turnpike Roads as they affected Grainger County.
12. Public Acts of 1879, Chapter 39, required that the toll of the Cumberland Gap Turnpike Road be leased out to the highest bidder whereupon the road was to be kept in good traveling order or the county court of Grainger County could terminate the lease.
13. Private Acts of 1919, Chapter 378, regulated the working and laying out of public roads in  Grainger County.  This act was amended by Private Acts of 1935, Chapter 506 and Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 147 respectively.
14. Private Acts of 1927, Chapter 443, provided for a system of good roads to regulate the laying out, working, changing, opening, closing and maintaining of public roads, culverts and ferries and bridges in Grainger County.
15. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 147, amended Private Acts of 1919, Chapter 378, by deleting sections 2 and 5.
16. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 366, created a road law for Grainger County which provided for the election of road commissioners, their duties and salary; created three road districts and permitted the road commissioners to work the county convicts or prisoners upon the various roads of the county.
17. Private Acts of 1939, Chapter 373, amended Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 366, by allowing women citizen to become candidates to serve as road commissioner and lowering the age of eligibility to 21 years.  In addition to other changes, the act increased the salary of the chairman and vice chairman of the road commissioner to $300.
18. Private Acts of 1945, Chapter 476, created a road law for Grainger County which included the election of a road superintendent, the fixing of his salary, bond, and manner of election, defined his duties, and prescribed his qualifications, fixed his term of office; permitted the road superintendent to work the county convicts or prisoners upon the various roads of Grainger County; and provided for the raising of funds for road purposes and the disbursement of the same in conjunction with all funds derived from the state or federal government.
19. Private Acts of 1947, Chapter 94, amended Private Acts of 1945, Chapter 476, by increasing the salary of the road superintendent from $1,200 to $1,800.
20. Private Acts of 1949, Chapter 820, amended Private Acts of 1945, Chapter 476, by eliminating the funds of the state gasoline tax to the road law.
21. Private Acts of 1953, Chapter 208, amended Private Acts of 1945, Chapter 476, by increasing the salary of the road superintendent to $2,400 per anum.
22. Private Acts of 1959, Chapter 60, amended Private Acts of 1945, Chapter 476, by increasing the salary of the secretary-bookkeeper to $100 per month.
23. Private Acts of 1963, Chapter 188, amended Private Acts of 1945, Chapter 476, by authorizing $125 per month to the superintendent as reimbursement for his expenses in carrying out the duties of his office.  In addition, this act further amended Private Acts of 1945, Chapter 476, by increasing the salary of the secretary-bookkeeper to $150 per month.
24. Private Acts of 1967-68, Chapter 105, amended Private Acts of 1945, Chapter 476, by providing $300 per month to the superintendent for the use of his car in conjunction with his duties as road superintendent.  Furthermore, the salary of the bookkeeper was increased to $300 per month.
25. Private Acts of 1967-68, Chapter 467, amended Private Acts of 1945, Chapter 476, by providing $200 per month to the superintendent for the use of his car in conjunction with his duties as road superintendent.  Furthermore, the salary of the bookkeeper was decreased to $200 per month.
26. Private Acts of 1974, Chapter 283, would have amended Private Acts of 1945, Chapter 476, but the act was not acted upon by local authorities prior to the publication of the 1974 Volume of Tennessee Private Acts.
27. Private Acts of 1979, Chapter 111, repealed Private Acts of 1945, Chapter 476 and all amendatory acts.