On October 25, 1805, the Treaty of Tellico ceded from the Cherokee Indians to the United States possession of 7,032 square miles of land in Tennessee and 1,086 square miles of land sought of the Cumberland River in what is now Bell, Whitley and McCreary Counties in Kentucky. As payment, the Cherokee received $14,000 in cash and goods and an annuity of $3,000. (Source: Clark, Dr. Thomas D., The Kentucky Encyclopedia, "Tellico Land Cessions.")

On December 20, 1800, the Kentucky General Assembly approved legislation “for settling and improving the vacant lands of the commonwealth.” Many of the patents in the Tellico and South of Green River Patent Series were authorized by the December 20, 1800 Act.​​

 

Disclaimer: The text of these Acts was entered manually; researchers should consult the published versions of the Virginia and Kentucky Acts for official use. Those Acts can be researched at the Kentucky History Center Library, the Department for Libraries and Archives, and the Supreme Court Law Library, all in Frankfort. Enrolled Bills and Governor's Journals (1792-1927) are available on microfilm at the Department for Libraries and Archives.

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