Southwest Territory

In 1776, the District of Washington was formed from lands in the west of North Carolina.  At the time, this area was governed as part of North Carolina.  The county of Sullivan was carved out of this area in 1779.  In 1784, Sullivan County and two adjacent counties formed the short-lived "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_Franklin State of Franklin]" in a move to secede from North Carolina. In the next year four more counties were created in Franklin, and by 1788 the State of Franklin became defunct.  In 1790 the counties that had made up Franklin were all ceded to the Federal government by North Carolina. (See the North Carolina formation maps [http://www.mynorthcarolinagenealogy.com/nc_maps/nc_cf.htm here].)  In 1790 these counties were re-organized into the "Territory South of the Ohio River", Tennessee was not admitted as a state until 1796. (See the Tennessee formation maps [http://www.mytennesseegenealogy.com/tn_maps/tn_cf.htm here].)  The area became more frequently known as the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Territory Southwest Territory].

In 1776, the District of Washington was formed from lands in the west of North Carolina.  At the time, this area was governed as part of North Carolina.  The county of Sullivan was carved out of this area in 1779.  In 1784, Sullivan County and two adjacent counties formed the short-lived "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_Franklin State of Franklin]" in a move to secede from North Carolina. In the next year four more counties were created in Franklin, and by 1788 the State of Franklin became defunct.  In 1790 the counties that had made up Franklin were all ceded to the Federal government by North Carolina. (See the North Carolina formation maps [http://www.mynorthcarolinagenealogy.com/nc_maps/nc_cf.htm here].)  In 1790 these counties were re-organized into the "Territory South of the Ohio River", Tennessee was not admitted as a state until 1796. (See the Tennessee formation maps [http://www.mytennesseegenealogy.com/tn_maps/tn_cf.htm here].)  The area became more frequently known as the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Territory Southwest Territory].