Early Life: 1745-1775
John Sevier was born near the site of New Market in Rockingham County,
Virginia on September 23, 1745. His grandfather had been a French émigré
to London. His father Valentine had moved from London to Baltimore and
then to the Shenandoah Valley. Sevier attended school in Fredericksburg,
Virginia. He had stints in farming, trading, surveying which included
laying off what would become New Market and serving as a militia officer.
In 1761, Sevier married Sarah Hawkins. In 1773, Sevier and his family
moved with his brothers to the Holston River in what is now Tennessee.

Not long after, Sevier served as a Captain of militia under George
Washington in Lord Dunmore's War against the Indians in 1774. In 1776, he
signed a petition that requested North Carolina extend its authority to
over the Watauga and Holston settlements. These settlements were actually
on land granted to the Indians in treaties with the British. When the
petition was granted, he became a representative to the Provincial
Congress and then a Lt. Colonel of militia.

Revolutionary War: 1776-1781
In July 1776, Lt. Colonel Sevier was at the siege of Fort Watauga. In
1777, he was promoted to Colonel although he did not participate in the
Revolutionary War until 1780. Sometime during these years his wife Sarah
died, but in 1780, he married Catherine Sherrill. In September 1780, he
gathered 240 Over Mountain Men in response to threats made by Major
Patrick Ferguson.

Along with other militia bands, Sevier pursued Ferguson until they caught
and defeated him and his Tory force at King's Mountain.Following King's
Mountain, Sevier returned to Holston and became active in fighting
against the Cherokee Indians who were allied with the British. In 1781,
he again went east with men to support Maj. General Nathanael Greene and
Francis Marion, but whether he ever rendered the help before returning
home is debatable.

After the War: 1781-1826
Following the war, Sevier became involved in starting a colony at Muscle
Shoals. Back in his former home, the Hoston and its neighbor Watauga
settlements were pursuing seperate statehood. In March 1785, John Sevier
was elected governor of "the proclaimed" State of Franklin and used the
post to promote his Muscle Shoals project. In 1788, the State of Franklin
and the efforts behind it were declared illegal and Sevier's reputation
became that of a political meddler and fugitive, rather than an Indian
fighting hero.

In 1789 as the United States Constitution was being ratified, Sevier now
emerged as a Federalist and was elected to the state senate. He was then
pardoned and elected to the First Congress where he served from March 4,
1789 to March 3, 1791. He was elected the first governor of Tennessee,
serving from 1796 until 1801. He was again elected governor in 1803,
serving until 1809. He served in Congress from 1811 to 1815, during which
he served as an Indian Commissioner. He died in a tent on September 24,
1815, while negotiating with the Creek Indians in Alabama.

Time Line

1745
- John Sevier born in Rockingham County, Virginia.

1761
- John Sevier marries Sarah Hawkins.

1773
- John Sevier migrates to the Holston settlements in what is now
Tennessee.

1774
- John Sevier serves under George Washington in Lord Dunmore's War.

1776
- John Sevier becomes a Lt. Colonel of North Carolina militia.
July - John Sevier is present at the siege of Fort Watauga.

1777
- John Sevier is promoted to a Colonel of North Carolina militia.

1780
- John Sevier marries Catherine Sherrill.
October 7 - John Sevier shares command at the Battle of King's Mountain,
South Carolina.

1785
March - John Sevier is elected Governor of the State of Franklin.

1788
- John Sevier becomes a fugitive when the State of Franklin is declared
illegal.

1789
- John Sevier is elected to the North Carolina State Senate and pardoned.
March 4 - John Sevier begins serving in the First Congress and serves
until March 3, 1791.

1796
- John Sevier is elected the first Governor of Tennessee and serves until
1801.

1803
- John Sevier is elected to another term as Governor of Tennessee and
serves until 1809.

1811
- John Sevier again serves in Congress.

1815
September 24 - John Sevier dies near Fort Decatur, Alabama.



General John Sevier
a Brief Biography
From the Biographical Directory of the American Congress
"JOHN SEVIER, a Representative from North Carolina and from
Tennessee; born near Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, Virginia,
September 23, 1745; attended the common schools and the academy at
Fredericksburg, Virginia; moved with his brothers in 1773 and settled on
the Holston River, North Carolina (now Tennessee); captain of Colonial
Militia under Washington in Governor Dunmore's war against the Indians in
1773 and 1774; county clerk and district judge 1777-1789; received the
thanks fo the North Carolina Legislature for meritorious services at the
Battle of King's Mountain October 7, 1780; elected Governor of "the
proclaimed" State of Franklin in March 1785 and served for three years;
elected as a Democrat from North Carolina to the First Congress (March 4,
1789-March 3, 1791); appointed in 1791 as brigadier general of militia
for the Washington District of the Territory South of the Ohio; upon the
admission of Tennessee as a State into the Union was chosen Governor and
served from 1796 to 1801; and again from 1803 to 1809; appointed in
1798 as brigadier general of the Provisional Army; elected from
Tennessee to the Twelfth, Thirteenth, and Fourteenth Congresses and
served from March 4, 1811, until his death; appointed in 1815 asw one of
the commissioners to determine the boundary between Georgia and the Creek
territory in Alabama and served until his death, near Fort Decatur,
Alabama, September 24, 1815; interment at Fort Decatur, Alabama;
reinterment in 1889 in the courtyard at Knoxville, Tennessee, beneath a
monument erected in his honor."

General John Sevier
Born, September 23, 1745
Died September 24, 1815







Was first burried near Fort Decatur, AL. In 1897 his body was moved to
the courthouse lawn in Knoxville, TN. Was know as "Nolichucky Jack: and
was the First Governor of TN.
source: King's Mountain & Its Heros - by Lyman Draper
Col. John Sevier & his officers - pg 418/419/420/421/422 (parts of )





This is taken from Sevier Family History

According to an application for Revolutionary War benefits made by the
children of Col. John SEVIER (Certificate issued 31 May 1839), he had
married Catharine SHERRILL, as his second wife, on 14 Aug 1780 in East
Tennessee. He died on 24 Sep 1815, near Fort Decatur, Alabama, and she
died 02 Oct 1836 at Russellville, Franklin County, Alabama at about age
80 (born ca 1756). They also declared that their father had served as a
Col. in the North Carolina Line, was at both King's Mountain and several
Indian Campaigns against the Cherokees and the first Militia General of
the State of Tennessee and first Governor of the State. His children by
his second wife were shown as George Washington SEVIER (of Davidson Co,
TN in 1839), Samuel and Robert SEVIER, Elizabeth MCCLELLAND, Mary
OVERSTREET and Joanna (died 31 Jul 1823 in Overton Co, TN), and a
step-daughter, Mary GARLAND, who was still alive at the time Catherine
died. The Col.'s son, James, by his first wife, was aged 74 in 1838 and
living at Jonesborough [Jonesboro], Washington County, Tennessee, at
which time the latter declared that he had married about nine years after
his father had married his second wife, and that he had served in several
campaigns with his father

1. World Family Tree Vol. 2, Ed. 1, Tree #5531 Note: Brřderbund Software, Inc., World Family Tree Vol. 2, Ed. 1, Release date: November 29, 1995, Tree #5531, Date of Import: Feb 1, 2004. Date of Import: Feb 1, 2004
2. Genealogies by George Hale compiled 1992,
3. Sevier Family History,

1. Genealogies compiled by Brenda Keasling Dobbelaere 2004,
2. King's Mountain and Its Heros,

1. Genealogies compiled by Brenda Keasling Dobbelaere 2004,

1. Genealogies compiled by Brenda Keasling Dobbelaere 2004,

1. Genealogies compiled by Brenda Keasling Dobbelaere 2004,

1. Genealogies compiled by Brenda Keasling Dobbelaere 2004,

1. Genealogies compiled by Brenda Keasling Dobbelaere 2004,

1. Genealogies compiled by Brenda Keasling Dobbelaere 2004,

1. Genealogies compiled by Brenda Keasling Dobbelaere 2004,