JohnDonelson

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Essential Question: How did John Donelson contribute to the Cumberland Settlement?

JohnDonelson,landspeculatorandearlysettlerofMiddleTennessee,ledover onehundredsettlersonatortuous water journeyto theCumberlandsettlementduringthewinter of1779-80.DonelsonwasoneoftheearliestsettlersofPittsylvaniaCounty,Virginia,althoughthe dateofhisarrivalin Virginiaisnotknown.Hisfatherandgrandfatherwereinvolvedin planting,commerce,andshipping.Aneducatedmanforhistime,Donelsonwas thesurveyorforPittsylvania Countyfrom1767to1779.Hewas amemberoftheHouseofBurgessesfrom1769to1774. In1771hewasappointedtosurveythe state lineandfoundthatthreesettlementsthoughttobein VirginiawereactuallywithintheboundariesofNorthCarolina.In1775hebecamecountylieutenant,withrank ofcolonel,andservedin campaignsagainsttheOverhillCherokees.As aresult ofDonelson'ssurveyoftheCherokeeline,heacquiredalargelandclaimwest ofthatlineandattendedtheCherokeetreatysigningatFortPatrickHenry,neartheLongIsland oftheHolston,in 1777.

RichardHendersonselectedDonelsonandJamesRobertsontoleadsettlersintothisCumberlandRiverregion.RobertsonmadeplansforanoverlandvoyagewhileDonelsonledanothergroupalongawater route.DonelsonandapproximatelythirtyfamiliesembarkedfromFortPatrickHenryonDecember22,1779.Theirboat, theAdventure,accommodatedseveral families,householdgoods, andsupplies necessarytosustainasettlementin anewland.AtthemouthoftheClinchRiver,anothergroupofemigrantsjoinedDonelson'sparty.Heledthisflotillaofthirtyorsocanoes,flatboats,anddugoutsonanexpeditiontraversingtheHolston,Tennessee,Ohio,andCumberlandRivers.

Thefleetcarriedalargenumberofwomenandchildren.Donelson'sownlargefamily,includinghiswifeRachelStockley,theirchildren,andapproximatelythirtyAfricanAmericanslaves,wereamongthetravelers.OneofDonelson's childrenwashisthirteen-year-olddaughterRachel,whowouldbecomethewifeof AndrewJackson.Othersin the partyincludedJamesRobertson'swife,Charlotte, andfiveoftheirelevenchildren.

Donelsonkeptanaccountofhishistoricjourneyand ofthehardships theyendured.OnDecember22hemadehisfirstentry inhis"JournalofaVoyage,intendedbyGod'spermission,in thegoodboatAdventure,fromFortPatrickHenry,onHolstonrivertotheFrenchSaltSpringsonCumberlandRiver." (1)Duringthefour-monthvoyage,thehardypioneers sufferedIndianattacks,asmallpoxoutbreak,hunger,exhaustion,extremecold,swiftcurrents,andtreacherousshoals.

OnApril24,1780,Donelson'spartyreachedtheend oftheirthousandmilejourneyandwerefinallyreunitedwithfamilyandfriendsattheBigSaltLick(nowNashville).WithinaweekofDonelson'sarrival,HendersonpreparedtheCumberlandCompact,ofwhichDonelsonwas thefifthsigner.

Donelson,hisfamily,andslavesmadecampatatract oflandalongtherichriverbottomofStonesRiver.Henamedthis siteCloverBottomandplantedcornandthefirstcottoncroptoberaisedin thearea.InJulytheStonesRiverflooded,completelycoveringthebottomlandswhereDonelsonhadplantedhiscornandcotton.This disaster, aswellasrecentreportsofIndianattacks in theCloverBottomsection,promptedDonelsontomovehisfamilytotherelativesafetyofnearbyMansker'sStation.

Oncethefloodwatersreceded,Donelsonlearnedthathiscornandcottoncrops atCloverBottomhadmaturedanddecidedtoattempttosavethem.Apartycomposed ofhisson,CaptainJohnDonelsonJr.,AbelGowerJr.,andseveralothers workedforseveraldaystoharvestthevaluablecrops. Aftergatheringthecorn, theGowerboatstarteddowntheriverandwas soon fireduponbya partyofChickamaugas.These attacksonthesettlements,alongwiththeserious shortageoffood,promptedDonelsonto removehisfamilyandslaves toamoresecurepositioninKentucky.

Donelsoncontinuedhisbusinessdealings,travelingfrequentlybetweenthelandsofKentucky,Virginia,andTennessee.WhilereturningfromVirginiaandKentuckyonbusinessin 1785,DonelsonlearnedthathisfamilyhadreturnedtotheCumberlandsettlement.OnhisjourneytoMansker's Station hewasfireduponanddiedalongthebanksoftheBarrenRiver.

Source:Anne-LeslieOwens,MiddleTennesseeStateUniversity.TennesseeEncyclopediaofHistoryandCulture.

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