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A bullet, chewing gum, a Notary Seal, a peanut shell, pencils, pins and paper clips, a razor blade, seeds, stamps, and the strings used to tie together some of Washington
An important part of Northeast Tennessee’s early frontier history can now be seen at the Washington County Department of Records Management and Archives.
They threw quite a party in Jonesborough last week. Thousands of people brought their lawn chairs to witness a neat bit of history unfold in Tennesseeâs Oldest Town. Gov. Bill Lee and Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett came to Jonesborough Tuesday evening to kick off a celebration of the 225th anniversary of Tennessee becoming the nationâs 16 state. Equally important, the two state officials finally returned a copy of Washington Countyâs first collection of property records, known as Deed Book A, which had been sent to Nashville as part of the stateâs Centennial and International Exposition held in 1897.
A centuries-old copy of the first property transactions of European settlers in what would become our Washington County, Tennessee, is finally back home, and weâre glad to have it. The hand-transcribed copy of Deed Book A was sent to Nashville during an 1897 Tennessee centennial celebration as an artifact from Washington County to represent the areaâs rich history. After the celebration, the state, considering the book to be state property, moved it to the state Library and Archives in Nashville, where it stayed until this week. According to local historians and officials, however, the important historical record was only loaned to the state for the centennial. They launched a campaign to have it returned to the county and, with our state representatives pleading our case, the state capitulated.
The Jonesborough Board of Mayor and Aldermen on Monday denied a special event permit request from Tennessee Hills Distillery to host a series of âBike Nightsâ after several residents complained of noise coming from the distillery on weekends. The board voted to deny Tennessee Hills Distilleryâs request for eight âBike Nightâ permits. The events would have been held the second and fourth Thursday of every month from May-August. The board said they will work to create a more defined noise ordinance. Distillery Owner Stephen Callahan is a town alderman, but was not present at Mondayâs meeting. Callahan could not immediately be reached for comment following the boardâs decision.
A historic copy of Washington Countyâs first property records is being returned to Jonesborough. The Tennessee secretary of stateâs office said this week it is returning an irreplaceable copy of Washington Countyâs first property deed book, known as âDeed Book A.â The document was sent to Nashville in 1897 as part of the countyâs contribution to the Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition. âWe are excited that it is coming back,â Washington County Archivist Ned Irwin said Tuesday. Plans are being made for Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett to deliver the copy of Deed Book A to the Washington County Courthouse on June 1, which will also mark the 225th anniversary of Tennesseeâs statehood.
On a September day in 1799, Frederick Stearns was found guilty of perjury. As punishment, his ears were nailed to a pillory in Jonesborough, cut off, and left there until sunset. âThey didnât take crime lightly,â said Donna Cox Briggs, archive assistant at the Washington County Department of Records Management and Archives. The record of Stearnsâ sentence is housed at the department in Jonesborough. The department stores various historic records from Washington County, such as marriage records, wills and probate records and court records. The archives have documents from as early as 1771, before the establishment of Washington County, to as recently as the 1960s.
Washington County commissioners are being asked to lend their voices to calls for the state to return a vital historic document to Jonesborough, as well as approve a key payment-in-lieu agreement with an existing county manufacturer at their meeting today. Commissioners, who will meet electronically at 6 p.m., are also expected to vote on a resolution expressing Washington Countyâs support of an ongoing state lawsuit against three named manufacturers of prescription opioid drugs. The resolution also names the county as an official plaintiff in the lawsuit and specifies that 1st Judicial District Attorney General Ken Baldwin will continue as the countyâs lawyer in the case.
Washington County commissioners are being asked to back efforts to return an important piece of the countyâs history to Jonesborough. Ned Irwin, Washington Countyâs archivist, said the county is working to retrieve its very first property deed book, âDeed Book A,â which was sent to Nashville in 1897 as part of its contribution to the Tennessee Centennial Celebration. The deed book was eventually moved to the Tennessee State Library and Archives, where it remains today. The historical document is a 1830s copy of Washington Countyâs original deed book, which was created between 1717 and 1782. âIt is a Washington County record, and should be returned to Washington County,â Irwin told members of the countyâs Health, Education and Welfare Committee on Thursday.