Some of the Inhabitants of
Crowson's Cove
in the Wear Valley of
Sevier County, Tennessee
before, at, and following the turn of the
Nineteenth Century



 
 


Return to the Isham Gwin Page         Return to the Genealogy Home Page

When you leave Sevierville, the county seat, head south on U.S. 441 toward Dollywood, Dolly Parten's famous and popular theme park in Pigeon Forge.  But look past the McDonalds and Wendys and WalMarts and Holiday Inns--and Dollywood--to the hills, the trees, and the gorgeous flora and fauna of the area.  Picture yourself among those settlers--Dolly's and Merle's and my ancestors--who saw this land for the first time in the late 1700's. And when you get to the right turn where U. S. 321 heads up the hollow to the west--can't be more than four or five miles--take it.

This is the mouth of Cove Creek Hollow, and coming up on the right in just a mile or two is Walden's Creek Road, where I turned off of 321 when I was there in the summer of 2003.  Funny.  If I'd been going this way a couple hundred years ago, that Walden's Creek sign wouldn't've been there, and I'd've kept going right on up 321 into the Wear Valley to Crowson's Cove. But I'll tell you about that in a minute.

Most of the folks listed below were rather firmly entrenched and settled-in before Tennessee became a state in 1796. Around 1807, the land they had claimed as their own, land they had cleared and farmed and homesteaded, became legally available to them in the form of land grants they could purchase for a dollar an acre.  Isham Gwin, my gggg-grandfather, finally got to buy his 249 acres in this way--in a place they'd all come to call Crowson's Cove.

But in the spring of 2003,  I knew none of this, and when school was out for the summer, I headed for east Tennessee to see if I could find out anything about this Grandpa Isham.  The only things I knew for sure were that his son, John Gwin, claimed to have been born in Tennessee and that he'd married his sweetheart, Jane Walker, in Blount County on 12 Apr 1812.

I waded through building after building and file after file of data for two days.  Finally on day three, my last there, at the Archives in Greeneville, Greene Co., TN, I "discovered" a reel of microfilm with a copy on it of the deed to Isham's grant.  That deed said right on it that Isham's land was in Crowson's Cove "on the waters of Walden's Creek," and when I turned off onto 321 and got to that sign, I figured I was "home".  Felt good to stand on or near where I thought my gggg-grandpa had stood and owned and farmed land.

After I got back to New Mexico, out of curiosity I learned how to draw a map of the property using the survey instructions listed in the deed.  And yet, even though I now could see the shape of the farm and knew that it was located "on the waters of Walden's Creek," I still didn't know exactly where on Walden's Creek Crowson's Cove and Grandpa Isham's land was.

Reading the deed again, I realized that some of Isham's neighbors were listed in it as owning adjoining property, and I decided on a plan. If I could get hold of the deeds for those properties, I could make maps of their farms, too. Then using the names of other neighbors who'd certainly be mentioned on their deeds, I could make even more maps, until--what? Well, I really didn't know for sure, but my hopes were that somewhere along the line, a clue would turn up that would allow me to know for certain where his farm had been, perhaps even leading me to his gravesite.

About that time my double-fourth cousin Barbara Ward joined the fun, and within days she had found those deeds at her hometown's LDS Family History Center!  She sent me copies, and we were off to the races, putting together plat maps of the Shields, Brickey, and Bennifield properties, posting them on the website as well. Then the well seemed to go dry, as it were, and it seemed that the project would grind to a halt.

Meanwhile, though, unbeknownst to either Barbara or me, longtime Sevier County researchers and historians George and Juanita Fox, who had been searching for years for the location of Crowson's Cove, made an interesting discovery. An old map of the area, made about 1830, clearly showed that many of the watercourses of Sevier and Blount counties had names different from what they're called today. This was about the time that many were renamed and today's labels were attached. What had been called this river was now called that river, and that one this. And then the gold mine: what is now called Cove Creek had once been Walden's Creek!  We were in the wrong hollow! This information, plus his finding of the deed for the "Meeting House" property adjoining that of Peter Brickey--"for the use of the Baptist Congregation in Wears' Cove", led them to the site of the church's graveyard where the first white settler in the valley (Aaron Crowson, for whom the cove is named) is buried. The local Baptist Association assured him that while the Wear's Cove Baptist Church had been gone for some years, the cemetery still marked the place where the people "came to meeting".

George had seen our work on our website, and he graciously made copies for us of all the Crowson's Cove deeds he could find. I came home from work one evening to find a wealth of deeds in an envelope from him. The result? Now the little project has turned into a plan to plot the plats of the entire cove.  So welcome to the workshop! I hope you can find something here to help you with your own quest.
 



 
No.
Purchaser
Gwin map
begun
Gwin map
done
On main
map
No. of
Acres
Seller/
Grantor
Adjoining Neighbors
Other Names
Have 
Deed?
Date of
Survey
Book--
Page
Surveyor
No. of
Steps
Have 
Plat Map?
Date of
Record
Book/
Page
Date
Assigned
01 Amerine, George no no no unk. unk. W. Lovelady, C. Coulter, P. Brickey, I. Gwin, C. Bennifield, K. Veach . . NO unk. unk. unk. unk. . NO unk. unk. . unk.
02 Baptist Congregation
by William Davis
yes yes yes 3.00 St. of TN P. Brickey, H. Haggard, C. Coulter . . yes 24 Mar 1807 ?--313 Mark Moore
7
. yes 11 May 1807 . . .
03 Beaty, Samuel no no no 91.50 St. of TN T. Steward, McMurry . . yes 29 Apr 1807 2--576 Mark Moore
17
. yes 25 May 1807 . . .
04 Bennifield, Charles yes yes yes 24.75 St. of TN I. Gwin, K. Veach . . yes 18 May 1807 2--693 Mark Moore
6
. yes 18 Jun 1807 . . .
05 Boze, Abednego yes yes yes 374.00 St. of TN W. Lovelady, K. Veach, J. Sims, J. Fryer, W. Davis, J. Thomas, . . yes 18 May 1807 2--718 Mark Moore
15
. yes 20 Jun 1807 . . .
06 Brickey, Peter yes yes yes 124.50 St. of TN H. Haggard, Bapt. Cong.,C. Coulter, Amerine, I Gwin, R. Shields, W. Hatcher . . yes 21 Mar 1807 4--15 unk.
16
. NO unk. . . .
07 Coulter, Charles yes yes yes 82.75 St. of TN P. Brickey, Bapt. Cong., Amerine,W. Lovelady . . yes 18 May 1807 unk. Mark Moore
8
. yes 30 Jun 1807 . . .
08 Crowson, Aaron yes no no 95.75 St. of TN W. Crowson, R. Crowson, H. Haggard, Brumley & Co. . . yes 26 Mar 1807 2--703 Mark Moore
10
. yes 18 Apr 1807 . . .
09 Crowson, Richard
see Kelly, John
no no no 146.25 St. of TN A. Crowson, M. Renfro, Parker, Walker, W. Crowson, K. Veach . . yes 27 Mar 1807 2--620 Mark Moore
6
. yes 12 May 1807 unk. . 8 Feb 1808
10 Crowson, William
see Haggard, Noah
no no no 150.00 St. of TN R. Shields, A. Crowson, H. Haggard, John Catlet, Peter Maples
Sam'l Wear
yes 18 May 1807 2--540 Mark Moore
17
yes 20 Jun 1807 unk. 14 Nov 1807
11 Davis, Parsons yes no no 233.75 St. of TN S. Richardson, J. Thomas, W. Davis . . yes 16 Mar 1807 unk. unk.
14
. NO unk. . . .
12 Denton, David yes yes no 59.25 Susannah Richardson, qv P. Davis John Hill, Wm. Gwin, Sam'l Wear . NO 16 Mar 1807 unk. Mark Moore
8
. yes 18 Apr 1807 . . .
13 Davis, William yes no no 167.25 St. of TN A. Boze, P. Davis, S. Parsons, . . yes 18 May 1807 unk. unk.
12
. NO unk. . . .
14 Fryer, John no no no unk. unk. unk. . . NO unk. unk. unk. unk. . NO unk. . . .
15 Giddin, James no no no 140.25 St. of TN John Giddin, Davidson and Moore, I. Giddin . . yes 18 Apr 1807 3--516 Mark Moore
18
. yes 11 May 1807 . . .
16 Gwin, Isham yes yes yes 249.00 St. of TN C. Bennifield, G. Amerine, P. Brickey, R. Shields . . yes 19 May 1807 4--31 Mark Moore
16
. yes 30 Jun 1807 . . .
17 Haggard, Henry no no no 180.00 St. of TN A. Crowson, (W?) Hatcher, W. Crowson none . yes 25 Mar 1807 2--497 Mark Moore
20
. yes 11 May 1807 unk. . unk.
18 Haggard, Henry no no no 81.75 St. of TN unk. unk. . NO unk. unk. Mark Moore
11
. yes 11 May 1807 unk. . unk.
19 Haggard, Noah no no no 150.00 Wm. Crowson, qv R. Shields, A. Crowson, H. Haggard, John Catlet, Peter Maples
Sam'l Wear
. yes 18 May 1807 2--540 Mark Moore
17
. yes 20 Jun 1807 unk. . 14 Nov 1807
20 Hatcher, William yes no no 160.25 St. of TN R. Shields, P. Brickey, H. Haggard, John Shields . yes 26 Mar 1807 #623 Mark Moore
19
. yes 11 May 1807 . . .
21 Johnson, Ezekiel yes yes no 87.50 John Fryer, qv John Fryer, Mary Renfro Archibald Johnston,
Richard Crowson
. yes 18 May 1807 2--422 Mark Moore
8
. yes 18 Jun 1807 unk. . 2 Jan 1808
22 Kelly, John no no no 146.25 Richard Crowson, qv A. Crowson, M. Renfro, Parker, Walker, W. Crowson, K. Veach . . yes 27 Mar 1807 2--620 Mark Moore
6
. yes 12 May 1807 unk. . 8 Feb 1808
23 Lovelady, William yes yes yes 176.00 St. of TN A. Boze, G. Amerine, C. Coulter, K. Veach none . yes 20 Mar 1807 #569 unk.
7
. NO unk. unk. . .unk.
24 Maddox, William yes yes yes 53.25 St. of TN J. Fryer, J. Sims, S. Parsons none . yes 18 Mar 1807 #596 Mark Moore
6
. yes 12 May 1807 unk. . .
INCOMPLETE... (especially this column) ...BELOW THIS LINE
25 McGhee, Jacob 93.75 Richard Shields . . . . . .
26 McLaughlin,
Alexander
no no no 52.50 St. of TN unk. none . NO unk. unk. Mark Moore
13
. NO 21 Aug 1807 unk.
27 Parsons, Samuel no no no unk. unk. Wm. Maddox unk. . NO unk. unk. unk. unk. . NO unk. unk. . unk.
28 Partin, Mildred . NO NO . .
29 Renfro Mary 59.25 . . yes . . . .
30 Renfro Mary . . NO . NO . . .
31 Richardson, Susannah
see Denton David
35.50 St. of TN P. Davis John Hill, Wm. Gwin, Sam'l Wear . yes 16 Mar 1807 . yes . . .
32 Shields, Richard . . . . . .
33 Shields, Richard . . .
34 Sims, Joshua . . . . . .
35 Thomas, Jonathan . . . . . .
36 Veach, Kinsey 85.50 Wm. Parker M. Partin, R. Crowson . . yes . NO . . .
37 Veach, Kinsey 129.75 C.Bennifield, J. Fryer, A. Boze, G. Amerine, W. Lovelady, J. Sims . . yes . NO . . .
.
 
Beaty, Samuel, 91.5 acres, bk. 2 p. 576-7
1. Beg at a red oak on Thomas Stewart's line thence with vacland n44e 6/50 to a white walnut
2. n21e 9/0 tas
3. n50e 18/85 to a poplar
4. s6w 10/58  to a poplar
5. s62e 30/0 to a sourwood
6. n43e 35/0 to a hickory
7. n71e 16/0 to a hickory
8. south 9/0  to a hickory
9. s49w 35/0 tas
10. s17w 3/0 to an elm
11. w/McMurray line s57w 15/0 to a rock
12. n56w 8/22 to a red oak
13. then w/vacland n22w 14/0 tas
14. n79w 18/33 to a white walnut
15. s85w 5/0 tas and white oak
16. s39w  10/0 tas
17. s80w 5/75 to the Beg
Boze, Abednego, 374 acres, bk. 2 p. 718
1. Beg at a stake w/ John Fryer, Jr., n37e 39/22 tas
2. n53w 72/26 to a red oak
3. s79w 40/0 tas
4. s57w 10/0 tas
5. s27e 14/81 to a hickory
6. then wi/Thomas' line n70e 5/0 to a hickory
7. s26e 10/0 tas
8. s70e 7/0 tas
9. n70e 11/0 to a red oak
10. s31e 17/0 to a black walnut
11. s39w 3/16 tas
12. s49e 2/0 tas
13. w/ Davis' line s60e 5/23 tas
14. s63e 6/0 tas
15. s60e 36/50 to the Beg
Charles Coulter 82.75 acres
Beg. on a rock corner to William Lovelady, running w/ vacland n5e 15/0 to a post oak,
then n15e 7/78 to a stake,
w/ Henry Haggard, s50e 4/70 to a white oak,
w/ Brickey, s45e 25/0 to a hickory,
s40e 8/63 to a post oak.
s46e 11/69 to a willow.
w/ William Amarine s41w 18/53 to a sycamore.
n46w 30/50 to the beginning.
Crowson, Aaron, 95.75 acres, bk. 2 p. 703
1. Beg at a white oak w/Wm. Crowson's line n74w 22/15 tas
2. w/Crowson and Henry Haggard n36e 25/0 tas
3. then w/Brumley and Co. s65e 4/75 to a maple
4. n23e 6/0 to a rock
5. n66w 3/25 tas
6. n36e 32/0 to a hickory
7. w/vacland n16e 21/15 tas
8. s58e 1/22 to a red oak
9. s8w 48/41 tas
10. w/ vacland and Richard Crowson s29w 33/60 to the Beg
 


Haggard, Henry, 180 acres, bk. 2 p. 497-8

1. Beg at a stake on Aaron Crowson's line thence n36e 55/0 to a hickory
2. n65w w/vacland 9/50 to a red oak
3. west 21/0 tas
4. s17w5/0 tas
5. s36w 5/0 tas
6. n42w 9/0 tas
7. north 13/0 tas
8. n14e 20/0 tas
9. n31w 11/50 to a hickory
10. s73w 2/0 to an Ivy
11. s17e 2/50 to a Laurel
12. s28w 13/0 tas
13. south 25/0 tas
14. s18e 6/50 tas
15. s67w 3/50 tas
16. s5e 7/7 to a Hazel on Hatcher's line
17. then w/his line n70e 10/0 to a walnut w/said Hatcher
18. s20e w/vacland 4/0
19. then w/Cove Creek 34/57 to a cherry w/ Wm. Crowson
20.  then w/said Crowson s61e 19/76 to the Beg.

Haggard, Noah, assignee of William Crowson, 150 acres, bk. 2 p. 540-1

1. Beg at a pine w/Richard Shields, thence w/ his line s43e 32/50 tas
2. then w/vacland n89e 9/0 tas
3. n12w 16/50 tas
4. n33w 29/86 tas
5. n29e 15/27 to a white oak with A. Crowson
6. tghen w/his line n74w 22/65 tas w/ H. Haggard
7. n36e 2/0 to a cherry tree
8. n61w 19/76 to Cove Creek
9. thence with the meanders of Cove Creek to a cherry tree corner w/Shields
10. s78e 10/22 to the Beg.
Johnson, Ezekiel, assignee of John Fryer, 87.5 acres--bk. 2p. 422
1. Beg at a poplar on Mary Renfro's line thence s87w 14/0 tas
2. n74w30/11 tas
3. n29e 7/0 tas
4. n49e 23/0 to a red oak
5. s67e 27/0 tas
6. s54e10/75 to a red oak w/Mary Renfro
7. then w/her line s36w 13/0 to a white oak
8. s70w 3/92 to the Beg
 
Kelly, John, assignee of Richard Crowson, 146.25 acres, bk. 2 p. 620
1. Beg at a red oak w/Aaron Crowson s85e w/vacland 34/45 tas w/Mary Renfro
2. w/Renfro: Parten and Walker s7w 57/50 tas
3.w/vacland n35w 38/27 to a hickory
4.n82w 5/0 tas
5.n58w 14/28 tas on Wm. Crowson's line
6.  w/said Irwin and William Crowson n29e 23/53 to the Beg
McGhee, Jacob, assignee of Richard Shields, 93.75 acres--bk. 2 p. 294-5
1. Beg at a stake w/ Wm. Hatcher running w/ vacland n5w 8/27 to a red oak
2. n19e 5/74 to a post oak
3. n75e7/6 to a hornbeam
4. s9w 4/50
5. w/Walden's Cr. as it meanders to a cherry tree w/ Wm. Crowson
6. w/Crowson s78e 10/22 to a pine
7. s43e 19/0 to a red oak
8. s8w 13/0 tas
9. s68e 7/50 tas
10. s9w 4/0 tas
11. n66w 12/50 to a locust
12. n36w (10?)/84
13. n60w (39?)/8 to a blackjack on Hatcher's line
14. w/Hatcher n58e 8/63 to a pine
15. n17w 13/7 to the Beg.
Renfro, Mary, 59.25 acres--bk.2 p. 337
1. Beg. aas w/Mary Renfro thence s59w 37/80 to a hickory
2. s26w (14?)/60 tas
3. n62w 2/75 to a hickory
4. s55w 8/91 tas
5. s67w 12/43 to a hickory
6. w/Walker's line s(7?)w 3/40 to a hickory
7. n85e 15/60 tas
8. n62w 2/75 to a hickory
9. s55w 8/91 tas
10. s67w (12?)/43
11. w/Walker's line s7w (_)/40 tas
12. s56e (6?)/81 tas
13. n76e (18?)/_
14. n62e 14/0 to a maple
15. n24w 14/50 to a red oak
16. n51w 7/47? to the Beg.
Sims, Joshua, assignee of John Fryer, 74.75 acres--Bk 2, p. 121
1. Beg. at a post oak w/ Madox on A Person's line and running w/ Madox n54w (27?)(77?)/0 to a white oak.
2. s37w 20/0 to a stake w/ Madox
3. then w/ A. Persons n61w 7/46
4. w/ Boze n37e 39/22 to a stake w/ Boze and K. Veach
5. w/ vacland s58e 24/0 to a stake
6. s11e 11/50 to a stake
7. s29w 12/20 to the Beg.