January 17, 2010, Mike West, The Murfreesboro Post
Rucker Farm, site of Alvin C. York VA, failed by one vote margin.
Did you know that the site of the Alvin C. York VA Hospital was the site of one of Rutherford County’s earliest settlers? Did you know that land was nearly picked as county seat? It only lost by one vote. The name Thomas Rucker was listed on a deed dated 1797. The deed, recorded in Davidson County, listed Rucker as a citizen of Virginia.
Rucker’s property was located on Stones River adjacent to 5,000 acres owned by Isaac Shelby, a famous land developer who later was governor of Kentucky. In 1801, Rucker purchased Shelby’s plot, which had been awarded him by North Carolina for his services as a land commissioner. At the time, that area was a part of Wilson County. But even before purchasing Shelby’s land, Rucker built what was the areas first gristmill in 1799.
The legacy of the Rucker property shows how Rutherford County was established. Originally, most of what was to become Rutherford County was part of Davidson County, which was established in 1783. Originally, Davidson included most of the northern half of what was to become Middle Tennessee. In 1786, the Tennessee General Assembly split Sumner and Tennessee counties out of Davidson. Tennessee was later split into Robertson and Montgomery counties. At that point, much of what is now eastern Rutherford County was part of Sumner County. A 1798 legislative act made the main West Fork of Stones River the dividing point between Sumner and Davidson counties. The following year (1799) Wilson County was formed including what would soon become the eastern part of Rutherford. But in 1801, the Legislature returned a portion of that land to Davidson County. For example, Black Fox Camp, an early settlement, moved from Wilson to Davidson. Rutherford County was established by the state on Oct. 25, 1803, taking land from Williamson County as well as Davidson.
Originally, Rutherford’s southern boundary extended all the way to the Alabama territory, but in 1807, Bedford County was established setting the southern boundary of Rutherford at about its current location. Confused?
Before 1803, the various parts of Rutherford County had been under jurisdiction of Davidson, Sumner, Wilson and Williamson counties. So where did Rutherford County get its name? It was named in honor of Gen. Griffith Rutherford, a Scot who was born in Ireland in 1731. Its not known when he moved to North Carolina, but records show him marrying there in 1754.
By the end of the Revolutionary War, he had developed a national reputation as a leader and fighter. Rutherford County, N.C., and its county seat, Rutherfordtown, are named in his honor. Like many leaders of that period, Rutherford was active in the land business. The year 1784 found him actively surveying land for North Carolina in what would become Middle Tennessee. He later owned land in Sumner, Maury, Davidson, Williamson and Dyer counties. After disposing of his land in North Carolina, Rutherford moved his family to Sumner County. By 1793, Tennessee had sufficient population to establish a territory. The names of 10 men were submitted to President George Washington for a legislative council. Rutherford, a personal friend of the president, was named chairman of the body. Washington presented Rutherford a silver snuffbox in recognition of his military service.
Rutherford died in 1805 in Sumner County, the year after the Rutherford County Court held its first session at the home of Thomas Rucker. At the meeting, Rucker, James Sharp, Col. John Thompson, Peter Legrand, John Howell, Charles Ready and John Hill were administered the oath of office by William Nash, a member of the Davidson County Court. Nash, who operated a store at Jefferson, then resigned his Davidson County seat and joined the Rutherford County Court. Later that same year (1804), the county court selected Jefferson at the forks of Stones River to serve as the seat of local government. A log courthouse and jail were constructed by 1806.
But by 1811, Rutherford County’s southern and eastern parts had developed to the point Jefferson was no longer the county’s population center. The Tennessee General Assembly appointed a committee consisting of Charles Ready, Hugh Robertson, Hans Hamilton, James Armstrong, Owen Edwards, Jesse Brashear and John Thomson Sr. to determine a permanent seat of government. Up for consideration were land owned by William Lytle, Thomas Rucker, Black Fox Camp and Charles Ready. After wining and dining, the selection was narrowed to the Rucker and Lytle properties. By a four to three vote, the Lytle offer was selected and Murfreesboro was born.