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An American Family History
 

The Knob Creek Settlement
Washington County, Tennessee

 
East Tennessee is part of Appalachia. At the end of the French and Indian War, colonists began drifting into the area. In 1769, they first settled along the Watauga River. During the Revolution, the Overmountain Men defeated British loyalists at the Battle of Kings Mountain. The State of Franklin was formed in the 1780s, but never admitted to the Union.

Knob Creek was one of the earliest settlements in East Tennessee.

Peter and Elizabeth Range settled on Knob Creek in 1779.

The John Miller-Adam Sell house was built in 1788 on Knob Creek.

John Carr settled on Knob Creek in 1789.

In 1790 Rev. Samuel Doak and Hezikiah Balch organized the Hebron Church. The first elders were John Blair McMahan, Samuel Fain, and Adam Mitchell, Sr. The Hebron building was also used as a school house. Eventually the Hebron congregation left the log church on Knob Creek and moved to Jonesborough where they changed the name to the Jonesborough Presbyterian Church

Issac Hammer built a house on Knob Creek in 1793.

The Knob Creek Brethren Church was established in 1799. They first celebrated communion in in Michael Krouse's house. Deacon Joseph Bowman's home was built with removable panels in the two front rooms so that it could be used for church meetings.

Many families had mills on Knob Creek:

  • Joseph Bowman- three-story mill
  • Daniel Bowman - sawmill and a power
  • The Reeds -grist mill
  • George Miller - saw mill and a power mill for blacksmith shop
  • Henry Bashor - 1832
  • Bill Melvin - grist mill
  • Peter Range
  • John Edens
  • Buck Hale

 

Tennessee was admitted to the Union on June 1, 1796. It was initially part of North Carolina.

The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America and was ratified in 1789.
 

Sam
Reverend Samuel Doak
(1749–1830)
 
 

 

  
 

 

  
     
 

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©Roberta Tuller 2025
tuller.roberta@gmail.com
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