This David Parkhill was also in Roane County. David Parkhill son of
Nathaniel Parkhill. David 4 Parkhill, (Nathaniel 3, Robert 2, Hugh 1), b. May
10,1774, Williamstown, Berkshire Co. Massachusetts, was assumed by many that he had
died early but rather but there are indications that he left Massachusetts and
was in Colonel Thomas Butlers 5th Pennsylvania Regiment which came to
Southwest Point near what is now Kingston, Tennessee. If David were in the Regiment
at age 17 or 18 that would place him at the years of 1791 or 1792. David
Parkhill was with the Indian Agency and troops later at the Hiwassee Garrison. At
that time the conflict between the early settlers and the Indians, coupled
with the notorious outlaws that preyed upon travelers along rivers and
wilderness roads, made travel extremely perilous during the 1790’s and early 1800’s.
As late as 1794 William Blount, Governor of the Territory south of the River
Ohio, wrote General James Robertson and in closing advised the latter than the
couriers who carried the letter were “to be allowed the usual price, fifty
dollars,” for the service. In 1792 a blockhouse post for territorial milita
troops under the command of General John Sevier was established at Fort Southwest
Point, where the present town of Kingston, Tennessee is located. Hostilities
between the settlers and the Indians resulted in the militia troops being
replaced by a Pennsylvania regiment of Federal troops under the command of
Colonel Thomas Butler in 1797. In 1801 Colonel Return Johnathan Meigs was appointed
to fill the combined positions of the Military Agent for the Federal troops
in Tennessee and Principal Agent to the Cherokee Nations. Meigs’ headquarters
for filling these dutings was at Southwest Point from 1801 until 1807, when
the garrison and Indian agency were moved farther in the Cherokee territory to
the Hiwassee River. Military activities at Southwest Point began in 1792 with
the establishment of a blockhouse post for territorial militia troops under
the command of General John Sevier who later became the first Govenor of
Tennessee. During the 1790's, most of the many settlers traveling to the Nashville
area passed Southwest Point, and parties of such travelers were often
accompanied along the Cumberland Road by guards supplied from the militia post.
Subsiding hostilities with the Indians contributed to a change in the role
played by Southwest Point, and by 1797 the militia had been replaced by Federal
troops under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Butler. From this point
on until the removal period, the federal troops preserved the peace primarily
be preventing illegal settlers on the remaining Cherokee lands. In 1794 a
detachment of federal troops (stationed initially at Knoxville) was assigned to a
blockhouse post at Southwest Point. These earliest federal soldiers in the
Southwest Territory were identified as belonging to the 12th Company of the 3rd
Sub Legion. (MHS; 1793-1794)
From 1792 to 1796, the army of the United States was known as
the Legion of the United States and was initially composed of four divisions:
Dragoons, Rifles, Artillery and Infantry. A separate Corps of Artillerists and
Engineers was created in 1794 and by mid 1798 was composed of 1st and 2nd
Regiments of Artillerists and Engineers.
The legion was designed specifically for frontier warfare and
had a high proportion of riflemen and light infantry that were usually
distinguishable by their caps. Some of these caps (probably constructed similar to
those worn in the revolution) were made of leather while others were cut probably
from older felt cocked hats and had a visor with an upright front or flap
with colored bindings around the edges. There would have been a horse or cowtail
mane on the crest of the cap along with a plume and turban (colored cloth)
around the bottom edge.
Fort Southwest Point was constructed in 1797 to accommodate a large
number of troops. It was located in Kingston, Tn. overlooking the Clinch and
Tennessee Rivers. At its peak there were 625 soldiers stationed at Fort
Southwest Point. It became the headquarters for federal troops in Tennessee under
the command of Colonel David Henley, as agent of war. The U. S. government’s
shift to a protectionist role with the Cherokee was seen in how the troops
carried their role as peacekeepers. Their escort service across Cherokee territory
became less to protect the travelers from attack by the Cherokee and more to
ensure the travelers did not illegally settle on Cherokee owned lands. In
addition, the troops began to further protect Cherokee rights by forcibly removing
white settlers who had illegally settled on Cherokee lands.
Several treaties with the Cherokee were negotiated and signed here at Fort
Southwest Point. The Treaty of Tellico was negotiated at the fort but was
signed at the Tellico Blockhouse. Roane County’s first post office was located at
Fort Southwest Point. The first Indian school was also located at the fort
site to teach the Indian children how to speak English.
One significant primary source of historical information
concerning the fort that has become available in recent years is the published
English translation of the 1797 journal of Louis Philippe. The translated journal
(Philippe 1977:101), when put into context with other primary sources that
are now known, makes it clear that Fort Southwest Point was in a different
location than the earlier Southwest Point Blockhouse, and that the fort was
undergoing construction in May of 1797, at its present site.
The first two commanding officers at Fort Southwest Point were Captain Wade
and Captain Sparks but were stationed in Knoxville at the time. On February 6,
1797 Captain Sparks and Captain Wade made a public declaration that they would
begin fulfilling their duty to remove settlers from the Indian lands
according to the terms of the 1796 trade and intercourse act.
Return Jonathan Meigs arrived at Fort Southwest Point in 1801 to serve as
both Military Agent for the federal troops in Tennessee and Indian Agent to the
Cherokees through the United States War Department.
1802 the fort continued to serve as Colonel Meigs base of operations and
as Cherokee Indian agency. It was a place where goods were distributed, not
only to the Cherokees, but to passing groups from other Indian tribes as well.
1803 four soldiers from Fort Southwest Point were chosen to accompany
Lewis and Clark on their expedition. Eight soldiers were originally chosen for
this expedition but the other four did not meet the necessary qualifications
needed for it.
1804 had Captain Howell Cobb arriving as commanding officer of the fort.
1805 Colonel Meigs spent most of his time in negotiating the purchase of
Cherokee lands.
1806 a major reduction of troops at Fort Southwest Point had occurred
and was clearly reflected by a reduction in the reduction in the number of
purchases required to sustain the garrison’s needs.
In 1807 Colonel Meigs moved his headquarters from Fort Southwest Point
to take over the Hiwassee garrison. He moved the Indian agency to the Hiawassee
location also.
Fort Southwest Point's role in the peaceful coexistence with the Cherokees
was doubly enhanced in 1801 when Colonel Return Jonathan Meigs was appointed to
fill the combined positions of Military Agent for the Federal troops in
Tennessee and Principal Agent to the Cherokee Nation. Meig's base of operations for
filling these duties was Southwest Point from 1801 until 1807.
BLOUNT COUNTY, TENNESSEE COUNTY COURT RECORDS BOOK 1, 1795-1804
#298 At a court of Pleas & quarter Sessions begun & held for the County
of Blunt at the Court House in Maryville on the fourth Monday of Febry 1802.
Present
Joseph Black Andw Thompson &
James Houston Joseph Tedford
Wm Burk Esqr. Returned the following Venire Facias executed on the following
person Viz. …David Parkhill
#300 Tuesday 23rd Feb. 1802
Met according to adjornment
Present
Wm Lowry Archbd Cowan
Joseph Black Esqrs.
Traverse Jury Natt Ewing, John Houston, Wm. Glass, John Simons, Wm. Gaut,
Jonathan Harris, David Parkhill, James Moor, Thomas Little, Thos. Moreson, Robert
Thompson, James Houston, David Craig, David Caldwell
#365 Wm McCullock who ws bound in recognizance for a Breach of the peace
fined in twenty five cents.
Adjorned till tomorrow 9 oclock
Saturday 26 November 1802
Met According to adornment
Present
Andw Thompson & Andw Bogle
Wm Lowray Esqrs
Justices to take in lists of taxable property.
Parkhills Company Daniel Behham
Later that year on November 26, 1802 Parkhill’s Company listed in court
records to take in lists of taxable property. The next recorded account of David
Parkhill is in the journal of the Hiwassee Garrison.
Found in the MINUTE DOCKET C COURT OF PLEAS AND QUARTER SESSIONS, JULY 1813-
JULY 1815, abstracted and translated by Betty Broyles is the following:
Tuesday the 25th January 1814
(page 33) On bench: Fine, David, and Long.
James Elliott VS David Parkell [sic] (Case No. 385)- Came the parties by
their attornies and a jury …, which finds the defendant not guilty of the
trespass, mentioned in the declaration. Plantiff is to take nothing and defendant to
recover his costs from plantiff.
(page 132)
Sheriff to summon the following to attend as jurors at September Term of
Circuit Court: Charles Ryan, Edward Cox, Robert Bell, David Parkhill…
According to the Deed Books A, B, C, D, E of Rhea County, Tennessee, David
Parkhill made several land transactions between 1814 and 1819. On March 20, 1814
David purchased Lot No.1 in the Town of Washington in Rhea, County for
$30.00. It seems that he was a small time land speculator and became quite an
entrepreneur at it.
Sorry about the Parkhill information, but there was a Robert Bell and a
David Craig mentioned in with what I had.