FRANKLIN, State of, now Tennessee (q.v.). Twelve years after the Watauga Asso ciation was formed (1772), and when four counties west of the present North Carolina had been organized, with some 10,000 people, that State on request of Congress ceded the district to the United States, giving it two years to accept. The inhabitants, already ag grieved at having no Supreme Court or militia protection, and being left to fight the Indians and keep public order without help, and now, feeling abandoned to at least two years' an archy, decided to revolt, set tip a State, and ask Congress for admission. On 23 Aug. 1744 deputies from three counties met at Jonesboro, resolved on measures and issued an address to the people. Each county chose five represents tives, which met in convention at Jonesboro in November, but were unable to agree, and ad journed to 14 December. Meantime the alarmed North Carolina legislature established a Supreme Court and proper officers, and formed the Watauga militia into a brigade, commanded by the leader of the revolt, John Sevier. He advised the convention to accept this redress of their grievances; they refused and made him president of their meeting, drew up a constitu tion to be ratified by another convention the following November, and named the new State perhaps at first Frankland; if so, they soon changed it to Franklin, after the philosopher. A governor — Sevier — and a legislature were elected; courts established, sheriffs and jus tices appointed, etc. For the next three years there were two conflicting governments, each levying taxes, disallowing each other's official acts and making war on each other. The
North Carolina militia invaded the Franklin courthouse at Jonesboro, seized the papers and turned the judge and counsel outdoors; a Franklin mob did the same service to a North Carolina court ; the North Carolina commander took the papers by force from Sevier's house, and Sevier gathered a force and recaptured them from his opponent's house. At last, in 1788, the North Carolina party prevailed and put an end to Franklin; Sevier was carried off to Morganton, N. C., put into jail and later tried for high treason. While his trial was going on about a dozen of his followers entered the courtroom. Remaining unrecog nized they succeeded in attracting Sevier's at tention and, while one of them interrupted the proceedings by addressing the presiding judge, Sevier made his escape. Finally the North Carolina legislature sensibly passed an act of oblivion and made Sevier a senator, and in 1790 the lands were ceded to the United States. From 1790-96 they were known as the Terri tory South of the Ohio. In 1796 they became the State of Tennessee with John Sevier as the first governor. (See UNITED STATES — WEST WARD MOVEMENT). Consult Fitch, W. E., The Origin, Rise and Downfall of the State of Franklin, etc.' (in Order of the Founders and Patriots of America, New York Society Pub lication No. 25, New York 1910) ; Gilmore, J. R., The Rear-Guard of the Revolution' (New York 1886) ; id., (John Sevier as a Com monwealth-Builder' (New York 1887) ; Turner, F. M. (Life of General John Sevier> (New York 1910).