William Blount was an American senator who was born on Easter Sunday March 26, 1747 near Windsor, North Carolina. The Blount boys had very little formal education, which gave Jacob Blount’s father the idea to incorporate his boys into his business ventures of raising livestock, cotton, tobacco, producing turpentine, as well as the operation of the mill and horse racing track. By 1771, both Blount and his father enlisted as soldiers and fought for the British under Gov. William Tyron.
With the Revolution underway, in 1776 Blount and his father were appointed to the paymaster positions for the Continental Army. By 1779, Blount ran for New Bern State House Commons. His opponent won by slight margin, however, Blount was able to convince election officials voter fraud had occurred. In the weeks following, Blount ran for the seat again and he took his seat in the House of Commons in January 1781. He was quick to climb the political ladder, in 1781 he was elected as one of North Carolina’s four delegates to the Continental Congress. During 1783 &1784, he put into motion bills that would later be a vital part of Tennessee’s early history. Then, in 1786 Blount hurried to New York to take his seat in the Continental Congress, hoping to prevent endorsement of the Hopewell Treaty. That’s when in March 1787, Blount was chosen as one of five delegates to represent North Carolina at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
Throughout the 1780s & 1790s Blount and his brothers gradually bought up a huge amount of lands acquiring some 2.5 million acres throughout the western US. In hope of preventing France from shutting off American access to the Mississippi River, Blount and his friend, an Indian agent, fashioned a plan to gain control of Florida and Louisiana and in return give free access to both New Orleans and the Mississippi River to American merchants. In April 1797, a letter from Blount outlining the conspiracy was unexpectedly given to a War Department agent who in turn gave the letter to his superior. In late January 1799, determining the actions of Blount to be a crime, the then Tennessee Senator he was disbarred and instead of awaiting a long trial posted bail and fled to Tennessee.
Although Blount’s national reputation was tattered, he remained popular in Tennessee once he returned to Knoxville in 1798. In March of 1800, unfortunately a wide spread epidemic came barreling through Knoxville, and several of the Blount family members fell ill. It was while caring for his family that he was infected; on March 11th William started to experience the symptoms as well. After 10 short days, Blount departed this Earth on March 21, 1800. He was buried alongside his wife, Mary, at the First Presbyterian Church Cemetery a few blocks from his home in Knoxville. Fun fact; Blount County, Tennessee, is named after Blount, as is the town of Blountville, Tennessee.
With the Revolution underway, in 1776 Blount and his father were appointed to the paymaster positions for the Continental Army. By 1779, Blount ran for New Bern State House Commons. His opponent won by slight margin, however, Blount was able to convince election officials voter fraud had occurred. In the weeks following, Blount ran for the seat again and he took his seat in the House of Commons in January 1781. He was quick to climb the political ladder, in 1781 he was elected as one of North Carolina’s four delegates to the Continental Congress. During 1783 &1784, he put into motion bills that would later be a vital part of Tennessee’s early history. Then, in 1786 Blount hurried to New York to take his seat in the Continental Congress, hoping to prevent endorsement of the Hopewell Treaty. That’s when in March 1787, Blount was chosen as one of five delegates to represent North Carolina at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
Throughout the 1780s & 1790s Blount and his brothers gradually bought up a huge amount of lands acquiring some 2.5 million acres throughout the western US. In hope of preventing France from shutting off American access to the Mississippi River, Blount and his friend, an Indian agent, fashioned a plan to gain control of Florida and Louisiana and in return give free access to both New Orleans and the Mississippi River to American merchants. In April 1797, a letter from Blount outlining the conspiracy was unexpectedly given to a War Department agent who in turn gave the letter to his superior. In late January 1799, determining the actions of Blount to be a crime, the then Tennessee Senator he was disbarred and instead of awaiting a long trial posted bail and fled to Tennessee.
Although Blount’s national reputation was tattered, he remained popular in Tennessee once he returned to Knoxville in 1798. In March of 1800, unfortunately a wide spread epidemic came barreling through Knoxville, and several of the Blount family members fell ill. It was while caring for his family that he was infected; on March 11th William started to experience the symptoms as well. After 10 short days, Blount departed this Earth on March 21, 1800. He was buried alongside his wife, Mary, at the First Presbyterian Church Cemetery a few blocks from his home in Knoxville. Fun fact; Blount County, Tennessee, is named after Blount, as is the town of Blountville, Tennessee.
RSS Feed