WILLIS and FIKE FAMILIES
OF ROANE COUNTY, TN
From: "Roots of Roane County, TN" by Snyder E. Roberts, page 149
SETTLERS ALONG EMERY RIVER: WILLIS, FIKE
TWO LARGE NORTH CAROLINA GRANTS
Two large NC land grants played an important part in the early settlement of the Emory section of Roane County. A brief outline of these two grants may be helpful in unraveling land ownership and chains of title. These two grants were for 5,000 acres each, or for approximately 16 square miles for the two, and extended from the mouth of Emory River, past Swan Pond, across Emory River to DeArmond Gap in Walden Ridge to the north.
THE BLOUNT GRANT
One of these grants was issued by NC to William Blount (later Territorial Governor) in 1787 on warrant No. 427 dated October 23, 1783. It was recorded in Knox Book F, p. 242 in 1799, but was not registered in Roane (D.p.7) until February 29, 1812. William Blount (died 1800) sold this tract to Hugh Williamson of New York who sold the tract to Willie Blount (William's half-brother who was later Governor of Tennessee) in 1799 (D, p.1). This tract was bounded on the north by the foot of Walden Ridge at DeArmond Gap, and extended south across Emory River to a joint line with the James Glasgow 5,000 acre tract. Col. Evan Shelby's troops burned an Indian town in 1779 on a site which subsequently a part of the Blount tract. According to Capt. McElwee, William Edgemon, Rev. War soldier, later lived on the town site, and in 11910, it was the home of Rev. J. H. Denton. Willie Blount sold early parts from the 5,000 acre tract to JAMES ROBINSON, JOSEPH ROBINSON, WILLIAM BOWERS, MICHAEL WILSON, and others. In 1818, Governor Willie Blount still owned 22,325 acres of the original tract.
THE GLASGOW GRANT
The second 5,000 acre grant was issued by NC to James Glasgow on warrant No. 24 in 1789. It was surveyed by John Hackett, and registered in Roane (Book D, p 215) and in 1813. The Glasgow tract included the mouth of Emory River, most of Swan Pond, and adjoined the Blount tract on the north. James Glasgow, Sr. (Secretary of State for NC) never lived on this tract, but his son, James Glasgow, Jr., lived there for many years. In 1807, James Jr. sold (B.p 308) 1,000 acres to WILLIAM TERRILL LEWIS, and later James Glasow Williams seems to have acquired the remainder of the tract. The late registration of the deeds for these tracts, conflicting small grants, and possibly various lease agreements add to the uncertainty of early land titles in the Emory area.