The Old Jail Museum was built in 1897. It not only preserves
features and equipment of the historic jail, but it displays many artifacts of the frontier, Civil War,
and other historic periods. The sturdy brick jail house served as the county jail for more than 75
years. It is located at 400 First Ave., N.E. just off the Court House Square. It is open mid-March
through mid-December. Call (615) 967-0524 or 967-0850.
Tims Ford State Park is an outstanding recreation area. The park was
developed along the banks of Tims Ford Lake, which was created after the construction of TVA's
Tims Ford Dam on the Elk River in 1970. With the coming of the lake, the community of Awalt
was flooded and many people were displaced from the lands of their fathers.
Davey stayed with his father in Jefferson County until the age of twelve. About that time he was
hired out to an old Dutchman by the name of Jacob SILER who was in the business of moving
cattle from Knox County to Rockbridge, Virginia.
On 12 Aug. 1806, Jefferson Co., TN, Davey married Mary "Polly" FINLAY and soon after
decided to go to the territory being settled on the Duck and Elk Rivers. He, Polly and their two
little boys left Jefferson County and moved to the head of Mulberry Creek in what was then
Lincoln Co., Tennessee. They lived there in the years 1809 and 1810.
He was living ten miles below Winchester, on Rattlesnake Spring Branch of Bean's Creek in
Franklin County, when the war broke out. Against the wishes of Polly, Davey went to Winchester
where the muster was being held and enlisted as a private in Capt. JONES' Tenn. Mounted
Riflemen. He was engaged in many battles.
Davey stayed in Franklin until the close of the war. Polly died in 1815 and is buried in the Polly
CROCKETT Cemetery in Franklin County. Davey married the second time, in 1816, to the
widow,Mrs. Elizabeth (PATTON) PATTON, daughter of Robert PATTON and widow of
James PATTON. There is a picture of a monument to Elizabeth at Acton,
TX.
In 1817 Davey moved his family to the territory that would soon be Lawrence County. His next
moves were to Obion County, Carroll County (later Gibson) and to Texas where he was killed at
the Alamo on 6 Mar. 1836.
His homeplace in Franklin County was named "Kentuck" and is marked by a well
standing in a field. The marker is on U.S. 64 at the road junction, 3.3 miles west of Belvidere,
Franklin County.
The Davy Crockett Highway leads to historic Falls Mill, which was
built in 1873. The century-old, 32-foot waterwheel is still used to power the antique milling
equipment. A country store, gift shop and a restored log cabin bed and breakfast also welcome
visitors. It is located off Highway 64, 12 miles west of Winchester near Old Salem. Call (615)
469-7161 for details.
Return to
Franklin County, Tennessee Genealogy
This page was created in July 1996 and last updated 11 October 1999. Copyright applies to all pages.

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