Law Enforcement - Historical Notes

Jails and Prisoners

The following act once affected jails and prisoners in Blount County, but is no longer operative.

1. Acts of 1839-40, Chapter 124, authorized the Blount County Court, if they deemed it appropriate, to pay James Glass, the former jailor of that county, the sum of $130.00 which had been advanced by him for the recapture and surrender of two felons by the name of Estep who had escaped from the Blount County jail.

Militia

Those acts once affecting Blount County, which related to the militia and to other law enforcement agencies other than the sheriff, are mentioned below in chronological order.  Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Acts of 1803, Chapter 1, set the date for the annual drill of the twelfth regiment, the county militia of Blount County, on the second Thursday in October of each year.
2. Acts of 1815, Chapter 119, was a general militia law for the state, and it specified that the Blount County militia would form the twelfth regiment.
3. Public Acts of 1819, Chapter 68, revised and amended the militia laws of the state.  The militia of Blount County composed the thirty third regiment of the third brigade and held regimental musters on the fourth Saturday of October.
4. Private Acts of 1825, Chapter 175, authorized the citizens in Cade's Cove to form a company of militia, which would be excused from attending battalion and general musters of the Blount County militia for a period of two years, beginning January, 1826.  This act was amended by Private Acts of 1827, Chapter 122, to excuse indefinitely the Cade's Cove militia company from attending musters.
5. Public Acts of 1825, Chapter 69, revised and amended the militia laws of the state.  The militia of Blount County composed the twelfth regiment and held a regimental muster on the third Thursday of October as a member of the third brigade.
6. Private Acts of 1831, Chapter 269, ended the attendance of the East Tennessee Highlanders  in Blount County from regimental and battalion musters and court martials.
7. Public Acts of 1835-36, Chapter 21, divided the militia of the state into companies, battalion, regiments, brigades and divisions.  The militia of Blount County composed the twentieth and twenty first regiment.
8. Acts of 1837-38, Chapter 157, amended the militia laws of the state.  Blount and Knox counties composed the fifth brigade, while the date for the annual militia drill was set on the Tuesday and Wednesday following the first Friday and Saturday in September of each year for the militia of Blount County.
9. Acts of 1839-40, Chapter 56, revised and amended the militia laws of the state.  The militia of Blount County composed the twentieth and twenty-first regiments and was a member of the fifth brigade.
10. Acts of 1845-46, Chapter 142, authorized Montgomery McTeer to collect the public arms which were distributed to the East Tennessee Highlanders in Blount County, and to return and deposit said public arms with the proper authorities at Knoxville.
11. Public Acts of 1861, Chapter 1, revised the militia laws of the state.  The militia of Blount County composed the twentieth and twenty-first regiments which were part of the fifth brigade.

Offenses

The following is a listing of acts which once had some effect upon offenses in Blount County, but which are no longer operative.  Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Private Acts of 1949, Chapter 589, relative to the possession, storage, use, manufacture and sale of pyrotechnics, was repealed by Private Acts of 2018, Chapter 53.

Sheriff

The following acts have no current effect but are included here for reference purposes since they once applied to the Blount County Sheriff's Office.  Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Private Acts of 1925, Chapter 25, provided that the sheriff of Blount County was to receive an annual salary of at least $2,500, but after filing with the county court clerk a semi-annual statement of all the fees received by his office, he could retain any fees in excess of his salary.  This act was first amended by Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 768, to provide that the sheriff could appoint four deputies, who were to be full-time employees.  The first and second deputies were to be paid an annual salary of $600 plus all the fees they collected, while the third and fourth deputies were to receive $300 per year in addition to fees.  Two years later, the 1937 amendment was itself amended by Private Acts of 1939, Chapter 331, to provide that all four deputies appointed by the Blount County Sheriff as provided above, were to be paid $100 per month in addition to all their fees.  Private Acts of 1947, Chapter 295, amended the 1925 act by providing that the sheriff could appoint six full-time deputies.  The chief deputy was to be paid a monthly salary of $200 in addition to all fees, while the other five deputies were to receive $150 monthly in addition to fees.  All of these acts were repealed by Private Acts of 1957, Chapter 378.
2. Private Acts of 1927, Chapter 730, provided that all workhouse bond was to be received and collected by the criminal court clerk.  This was amended by Private Acts of 1929, Chapter 720, which provided that every workhouse bond had to contain an agreement to pay a 15% attorney's fee for its collection.