And, whereas, said report being seen and understood by this General Assembly, the Senate concurring herein, and it appearing to the satisfaction of the House that a proper selection of the two illustrious sons of the State of Tennessee whose statues or effigies should be placed in the Statuary Hall, or Hall of Fame, in the Capitol at Washington, has been made and reported by said committee, towit: The names of John Sevier and Andrew Jackson; therefore:

Be it resolved by this General Assembly, the Senate concurring as aforesaid, That the action on the part of said committee be received, endorsed, ratified, and approved, and that the same be made and declared the act and purpose of this General Assembly; and

WHEREAS, it is not apparent what further steps should be taken at this time in this matter for want of proper information on the subject; therefore:

Be it further resolved, That a committee of three-towit: Col. George C. Porter, Robert T. Quarles and Judge Robert Ewing, members and representatives of the State Historical Society-be constituted and appointed, and that said committee is hereby authorized, instructed, and directed at a date as early as practicable, to ascertain what kind and character of material said statues or effigies should be, whether of marble or bronze, whether life or heroic size, etc., and what would be the actual or approximate cost, together with the placing of same in position in said Statuary Hall, and to make due return of their action in the premises to this General Assembly; and to this end,

Be it further resolved, That said committee be hereby authorized and empowered to make publication of this object and purpose, and to obtain such drawings, casts, and exhibits from artists, sculptors, and designers as may be of aid and benefit to said committee in procuring this information for this General Assembly.

Be it further resolved, That all further action herein be held up until the coming in of the said report.

CHAPTER 20.

John Sevier's Remains Brought Back to TennesseeAction of the Legislature-Discovery of the Place of Burial in Alabama -Ceremonies of Re

Interment at Knoxville-Mrs. Catherine

Sherrill Sevier-Her Grace.

On March 25th, 1889, the Legislature of Tennessee passed Joint Resolution Number 13, which was approved by Governor R. L. Taylor on April 1st, 1889, as follows:

BE IT RESOLVED by the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee that a joint Committee of three on the part of the Senate, and three on the part of the House, be appointed, whose duty it shall be to procure the removal of the remains of that illustrious and great man, ex-Governor John Sevier, from Alabama, and cause the same to be interred in the National Cemetery at Knoxville, Tennessee, and that five hundred dollars be appropriated for said purpose, said amount to be included in the General Appropriation Bill, and that said Committee be directed to open a private contribution or subscription list allowing any persons to subscribe such amounts as they see fit to be used by said Committee in the erection of a monument on the Captol grounds at Nashville to his memory. And that the Governor and Speaker of the Senate and the Speaker of the House shall be members of said Committee, by virtue of their office.

Adopted March 25, 1889.

B. J. Lea,
Speaker of the Senate.
W. L. Clapp,

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Approved April 1, 1889.

Robert L. Taylor,
Governor.

This resolution was never carried out precisely according to its provisions. Governor Sevier's remains were brought back to Tennessee, but they were interred in the courthouse yard at Knoxville, and a monument was erected, but it was over the remains there laid to rest; in all other respects the resolution was made effective.

ро

The indentification of the location of Governor Sevier's grave was made in December 1874, as shown by the correspondence that follows. It will be remembered that the Governor was in Alabama by appointment of President James Monroe on a mission connected with the Creek Indians, and that he died September 24th, 1815, and was buried at once the on east bank of the Tallapoosa River at an Indian village called Tuckabatchee, near Ft. Decatur in Macon County. The correspondence shows how the location of his grave was rescued from oblivion; and it also shows the long neglect of the people of Tennessee to bring bak to the State which he virtually founded the remains of one of the finest characters in history. It is hardly too much to say that if there had been no John Sevier there would have been no State of Tennessee, at least not for many years after the State came into existence.

COLONEL WILLIAM GARRETT TO DR. J. G. M. RAMSEY.

"The reading in your 'Annals of Tennessee' of the life and death and burial of Gov. John Sevier, one of the founders and the first Governor of my native State, induced me to seek for specific information as to his last resting place, that if possible and desired it might be identified.

"To this end I addressed to the Hon. Littleberry Strange, an old citizen of Macon Co. (which includes Fort Decatur, where Gov. Sevier was buried) and an ex-judge of the circuit court of this State -he was originally from North Carolina-asking for information which I had been advised he possessed.

"In reply I received from him a letter, a copy of which I enclose, which I reckon contains authentic information on the subject referred to. And I send this letter to you, that you as President of the Historical Society of Tennessee may make of it such use as you see fit: also that it may be filed among the archives of the Society.

"In this connection I will remark that Fort Decatur is some miles from Tuckabatchee Towns, on the opposite side of the Tallapoosa River, upon a high point, where the ridge juts into the river. The Montgomery R. R. to West Point passes around the point which makes the place easy of access.

"I will be most happy to co-operate in any way in any movement to identify the grave of Gov. Sevier, at this time, if it is desirable; and I shall be glad, in that event, to hear from you on the subject.