Early History – Sullivan County Jail Timeline

Overcrowding & Expansion of the Sullivan County Jail - Early History

January 24 1783

Justices Petition to Build Jail and Stocks

To the Honorable the General Assembly of North Carolina now sitting The petition of the Justices of the County Court of Sullivan Humbly Showeth: That whereas the establishing and laying of a proper and suitable place for the Court house prison & stocks for the County of Sullivan aforesaid have not a yet been established and confirmed by any act of assembly for that purpose made and also that public justice may more fully be administered and distributed to individuals and the public at large, We therefore humbly pray that the said Court House prison and Stocks, may be Established to be built and Erected on the Lands of John Yancey, whereon and at which place, the said Court heretofore have been constantly held and as the Situation and Conveniency of the said place, renders it much more easy and Convenient than any other in said County. We Humbly pray and Trust that you will establish an order to be erected the Court House prison and stocks on the land afore mentioned. And we your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray Ye. John Anderson Gilbert Christian W. Wallace Samuel Smith A. Bledsoe John Hall

State Archives of NC: Gen. Assembly Records – That whereas the establishing and laying of a proper and suitable place for the Court house prison & stocks for the County of Sullivan aforesaid have not a yet been established… Read More

April 26 1783

Commission Appointed to Erect a Jail

A Bill to impower [empower] the Commissioners therein mentioned to erect and build a Goal [jail] & Stocks on the Lands of John Yancey whereon the Court House now stands, in Sullivan County. Whereas the plantation of the said John Yancey is found by experience very suitable and convenient for the holding of County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for the said County of Sullivan and Whereas the said John Yancey has at his own Cost & Charge built a good and sufficient Court House on the Land aforesaid and as there is no provision yet made, to defray the expense of building a prison & stocks in said County. Be it Enacted by the General Assembly of North Carolina and it is hereby enacted by the Authority of the same, that John Anderson, Moses Looney, John King be and are hereby appointed Commissioners for erecting and building a Gaol and Stocks on said land. And for the purpose of Contracting and agreeing with proper persons to complete the said prison and stocks, in such manner as they shall deem sufficient. And be it inacted [enacted] by the authority aforesaid, that a tax of six pence specie in every hundred pounds be laid on all taxable property in the said County of Sullivan and a Poll Tax of six pence specie on every person

State Archives of NC: Gen. Assembly Records – John Anderson, Moses Looney, John King be and are hereby appointed Commissioners for erecting and building a Gaol [jail] and Stocks on said land. And for the purpose of Contracting… Read More

November 8 1786

Insufficient Funds, County Jail Tax Passed

An Act to Empower the Several County Courts Therein Mentioned to Lay a Tax Annually, Not Exceeding Three Years, for the Purpose of Erecting or Repairing the Court House, Prison and Stocks in Each County When Necessary, and for Defraying the Contingent Charges of the County. Whereas the taxes heretofore levied in the counties of Sampson, Richmond, Johnston, Randolph, Hyde, Anson, Wayne, Martin Cambden, Guilford, Cumberland, Moore, Bladen, Davidson, Surry, Sullivan and Greene for the purposes above mentioned, have been found insufficient for the same: For remedy whereof, I. Be it Enacted by the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina, and it is hereby Enacted by the authority of the same, That the courts of the several counties herein before named, shall, and they are hereby authorised and empowered from and after the passing of this Act, to lay a tax annually, not exceeding the sum of three shillings current money on every poll, and one shilling on every hundred acres of land, and on each hundred pounds value of town lots with their improvements in their counties respectively, for the purpose of erecting, finishing or repairing such court house, prison or stocks, in any of the counties aforesaid, when the same may be found by the said court to be absolutely necessary, and for the purpose of defraying the contingent charges;

Public Acts of the NC General Assembly – An Act to Empower the Several County Courts Therein Mentioned to Lay a Tax Annually, Not Exceeding Three Years, for the Purpose of Erecting or Repairing the Court House, Prison and Stocks… Read More

December 18 1786

New Commission to Select Location of Prison & Stocks

An Act for Appointing the Place of Holding Courts of Pleas and Quarter Sessions in the County of Sullivan. Whereas the division of Sullivan county hath rendered the usual place of holding courts unequal in distance to a number of the inhabitants of said county: I. Be it Enacted by the General Assembly of North Carolina and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That Joseph Martin, James M'Neil, John Duncan, Evan Shelby, Samuel Smith, William King and John Scott, be appointed commissioners, and they are hereby empowered, or a majority of them, to fix upon the most centrical or convenient place to the inhabitants of said county, for building and erecting a court house, prison and stocks for the use of the same, and all subsequent courts shall be constantly held by the justices thereof, on the second Mondays in March, June, September and December, and the justices of the county of Sullivan are hereby authorised and empowered to hold the first court in the said county of Sullivan at the house of Joseph Cole, and that the justices for said county of Sullivan shall and may have full power and authority to adjourn themselves to any other convenient place in said county, until such time that a court house, prison and stocks shall be built for said county, and then all causes, matters and things depending in said court, and all manner of processes returnable to the same shall be adjourned to such court house.

State Archives of NC: Gen. Assembly Records – Commissioners… are hereby empowered… to fix upon the most centrical or convenient place to the inhabitants of said county, for building and erecting a court house, prison and stocks… Read More

November 3 1788

Commission Fails, is Replaced Once Again

An Act to Amend an Act, Entitled “An Act for Appointing the Place of Holding Courts of Pleas and Quarter Sessions in the county of Sullivan, and to Alter the Time for Holding the Superior Court for the District of Fayette. Whereas the commissioners appointed by the said Act have failed to assemble and fix upon the place for erecting a court-house, prison and stocks in said county, and to contract with workmen for building the same; in consequence of which great inconveniencies have arisen to the good citizens thereof. I. Be it Enacted by the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina, and it is hereby Enacted by the authority of the same, That Joseph Martin, Evan Shelby, Gilbert Christian, Robert Allison, George Vincent, Samuel Smith, John Dunkin and William King, Esquires, be and they are hereby appointed commissioners, and they are hereby impowered, or a majority of them, to fix on the most central or convenient place to the inhabitants of said county for building and erecting a court-house, prison and stocks for the use of the same; and the said commissioners, or a majority of them, are hereby authorised and impowered to contract with workmen to build the said court-house, prison and stocks; and the justices of the said county of Sullivan are hereby authorised to lay a tax on the inhabitants of said county, not exceeding one shilling on every poll, and four pence on every hundred acres of land in said county, for the purposes aforesaid.

Public Acts of the NC General Assembly – An Act to Amend an Act, Entitled “An Act for Appointing the Place of Holding Courts of Pleas and Quarter Sessions in the county of Sullivan, and to Alter the Time for Holding… Read More

September 6 1793

Blountville Land Granted for Jail

DEED TO BLOUNTVILLE. This indenture made this Eleventh day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & ninety two between James Brigham of the county of Sullivan & Territory of the United States South of the River Ohio of one part & John Anderson George Maxwell & Richd Gammon Commissioners of the county and territory aforesaid of the other part witnesseth the said James Brigham hath given to Sullivan county the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged hath and by these presents doth grant alien enfeof and conﬁrm unto the said commissioners or their successors heirs or assigns forever a certain tract or parcel of land containing thirty acres be the same more or less lying and being in the county of Sullivan Beginning at a white oak thence north sixty eight east forty poles to a stake thence south thirty ﬁve and a half East eight poles to a stake then south four West one hundred poles to a stake on said Brigham’s old line thence along the same West twenty eight poles to a stake thence a straight line to the beginning containing 30 acres of land to be vested in the aforesaid J ohn Anderson George Maxwell & Richard Gammon Esquires commissioners &c to erect a court House prison & stocks on for the Sd. county also to lay off the plan for a town for the beneﬁt of said county with all and singular the woods waters water courses proﬁts commodities hereditaments & appurtenances whatsoever to the Sd Tract of land belonging or appertaining and the reversion & reversions remainder remainders rents & issues thereof & all the estate right title interest property claim and demand of him the Sd. Jas. Brigham his heirs &c of in & the same & every part and parcel thereof in law or equity to have and to hold the sd thirty acres of Land with appurtenances unto the sd Commissioners or there successors heirs & assigns against the lawfull title claim & demand of all and every person or persons whatsoever shall & will warrant & forever defend these presents In witness whereof the sd James Brigham hath hereunto set his seal the day and year above written Signed sealed 3; delivered in the presence of } JAMES BRIGHAM (Seal) Sullivan County 1st day of December session 1792 Within deed was acknowledged in open court by Jas. Brigham Sept 6th day 1793 then Regs. MATHEW RHEA C. S. C.

Historic Sullivan – …30 acres of land to be vested in the aforesaid John Anderson George Maxwell & Richard Gammon Esquires commissioners &c to erect a court House prison & stocks on for the Sd. county… Read More