Abingdon in Washington County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Black's Fort

Site of Washington County's First Court January 28, 1777

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, October 23, 2022

1. Black's Fort Marker

Inscription.

Black's Fort. Site of Washington County's First Court January 28, 1777. Black's Fort History from History of Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786 Washington County 1777-1870 by Lewis Preston Summers. In 1760, what was to become Abingdon received its first name, Wolf Hills, from Daniel Boone after his hunting party was attacked by wolves from a nearby hill in the middle of the night. From 1765-1770, there was but one public road passing through the area: known as the Great Road, this path passed directly by Black's Fort., By 1774, Abingdon was settled by large numbers of people, and during this year Sinking Spring Church was built near the entrance gate of the present Sinking Spring Cemetery west of the town under the direction of the Rev. Charles Cummings, known as the ‘Fightin’ Parson’, and under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church., Captain Joseph Black, who settled on Eighteen Mile Creek just south of Mount Calm, erected a small fort with help from neighbors, near his residence for the protection of the community from attacks by the Indians. This fort was called “Black's Fort”, and was used until the summer of 1776., In the spring of 1776, the Cherokee, after twelve years of comparative peace and friendliness, decided to wage war against the settlers, and to drive them from the waters of the Holston and Clinch Rivers. In July, news was received that Dragging Canoe, a noted Indian chief, at the head of seven hundred Indian warriors, was marching upon the settlements. Every settler, with few exceptions, gathered their family and traveled for the older settlements., By the 20th of July, 1776, four hundred men, women and children, had assembled at Black's Fort and, at the suggestion of their leaders, were determined to build a substantial fort and contest the progress of the Indian invasion. During the construction, the battle of Long Island Flats was fought in Kingsport and resulted in an overwhelming victory for the settlers. Upon receipt of this news, Rev. Cummings suspended all work, assembled the multitude, and kneeling in prayer, thanked God for the deliverance of the people. When completed, Black's Fort was one of the best forts upon the frontiers., Small bands of Indians traveling through the area annoyed the settlers, killing them indiscriminately, burning their homes and driving them off their property. One party of Indians scalped a settler and left him for dead, another succeeded in killing and scalping Jacob Mongle, and a third party attacked Reverend Cummings, his Negro servant Job, Henry Creswell and James Piper The Indians succeeded in killing Henry Creswell whose grave became the first in Sinking Spring Cemetery., The County of Washington was established by an Act of the Assembly of Virginia in the fall of the year 1776, and by the provisions of the Act, Black's Fort was designated as the first place of meeting of the County Court of the new county. The time of the meeting was set for January 28, 1777., Tradition says there was a great contest between the citizens of the county as to the location of the county seat. Several factors decided the contest in favor of Black's Fort first, the fact that Black's Fort was directly upon the Great Road passing through this area, and secondly, because Dr. Thomas Walker, Joseph Black and Samuel Briggs agreed to give Washington County one hundred and twenty acres of land for the purpose of locating the town and assisting in financing the cost of the necessary public buildings, and in addition, Dr. Walker agreed to deed to the Trustees of the Town of Abingdon, for a nominal consideration, four hundred and eighty-four acres of land adjoining the one hundred and twenty above spoken of., There is no doubt the selection was a wise one, as the county seat was located as centrally as possible, especially in view of the boundary adjustment of the territory of Washington County as originally formed, by the formation of new counties by the General Assembly of Virginia, and the encroachments upon Virginia territory by the State of Tennessee., During the 1976 Washington County Bicentennial Celebrations, volunteers from the community performed in a production entitled, “The Fightin' Parson”, written by Alan Pickrell, a Professor of Drama at Emory and Henry College, which recreated many of the events of Black's Fort and the Rev. Charles Cummings story., Joseph Black – 1747-1821 Joseph Black was born in 1747 in Frederick County, Virginia. By 1770, in defiance of King George's 1763 Proclamation that settlers must stay out of the mountains, Black had settled at the crossing point of two great native trails, a logical location for a trade center, with access to the West and South., Black constructed a fort at this crossing in 1774 and in 1776 enlarged the fort. During these years, he became a leader in the Wolf Hills community and served as a captain with the Overmountain Men in the October 7, 1780 Battle of King's Mountain., With trails opened to the West and South, and the promise of land grants for Revolutionary War service, Captain Black, his wife, Elizabeth, their children and other Abingdon neighbors settled in present-day Blount County, Tennessee, where he erected another fort., In 1795, Captain Black served as a delegate to Tennessee's first Constitutional Convention, and was elected to the committee to draft the Tennessee Constitution. Captain Black continued to defend the new frontier and be a prominent leader until his death in 1821., Captain Joseph Black is buried in the Eusebia Cemetery in Blount County, Tennessee, where a plaque was placed, by the Daughters of the American Revolution, in appreciation for his service in the American Revolutionary War., The Draper Manuscripts About Lyman Copeland Draper: Lyman Copeland Draper (1815-1891) was a lifelong student of early American history. Although he was born and raised in upstate New York, Draper made it his life's work to recue from oblivion the history of the “heroes of the Revolution” in the South., With the support of Peter Remsen, his cousin's husband, Draper was able to pursue a variety of occupations that allowed him considerable time to gather reminiscences, documents and information for what was intended to be a series of volumes on the settlement and history of the “Trans-Allegheny West.” , Draper's research involved extensive field work and Draper took several research trips in the 1840s gathering materials for this propose volumes. After the death of Peter Remsen, Draper's need for regular employment led him to become the corresponding secretary of the recently organized State Historical Society of Wisconsin. Although he had somewhat less time to devote to his own historical researches, Draper's correspondence and collecting continued to his death.
His manuscript collection was bequeathed to the Wisconsin Historical Society. Further biographical information on Draper may be obtained from William B. Hesseltine's excellent biography, Pioneer Mission: The Story of Lyman Copeland Draper (Madison, Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1954)., Short biography courtesy of the Wisconsin Historical Society., Captions . (Left) T.C. Johnston, resided at 107 Water (now Park) Street, which can still be seen to the northwest from this location. Known as “The Portrait Painter,” some of Johnston's work can be found in the Tennessee Portrait Project in Nashville, Tennessee. . (Center) Only known map of the Black's Fort, drawn by T.C. Johnston. The original can be found in the Draper Manuscripts, compiled by Lyman Copeland Draper, located at the Wisconsin Historical Society in Madison, Wisconsin. This map shows the movements of the natives during the Battle of Black's Fort, July 4, 1776, as depicted by Johnston. Described on the map are: Black's Fort (where the reader now stands) Mont Calm as well as the maple trees lining the driveway (behind the reader); the roads leading northeast to Saltville, VA, west to Kingsport, TN and north to Russell County, VA; the original Sinking Spring Cemetery as well as the first grave in the cemetery, that of Henry Cresswell. . (Right) This plate, depicting what Black's Fort may have looked like, was hand-painted by local artist Miss Marcie Kelly (b. 1871, d. 1947) of Abingdon. The plate was owned by Catherine S. McConnell of Abingdon.

Black's Fort History
from History of Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786
Washington County 1777-1870
by
Lewis Preston Summers
In 1760, what was to become Abingdon received its first name, Wolf Hills, from Daniel Boone after his hunting party was attacked by wolves from a nearby hill in the middle of the night. From 1765-1770, there was but one public road passing through the area: known as the Great Road, this path passed directly by Black's Fort.

By 1774, Abingdon was settled by large numbers of people, and during this year Sinking Spring Church was built near the entrance gate of the present Sinking Spring Cemetery west of the town under the direction of the Rev. Charles Cummings, known as the ‘Fightin’ Parson’, and under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church.

Captain Joseph Black, who settled on Eighteen Mile Creek just south of Mount Calm, erected a small fort with help from neighbors, near his residence for the protection of the community from attacks by the Indians. This fort was called “Black's Fort”, and was used until the summer of 1776.

In the spring of 1776, the Cherokee, after twelve years of comparative peace and friendliness, decided to wage war against the settlers, and to drive them from the waters of the Holston and Clinch Rivers. In July, news was received

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that Dragging Canoe, a noted Indian chief, at the head of seven hundred Indian warriors, was marching upon the settlements. Every settler, with few exceptions, gathered their family and traveled for the older settlements.

By the 20th of July, 1776, four hundred men, women and children, had assembled at Black's Fort and, at the suggestion of their leaders, were determined to build a substantial fort and contest the progress of the Indian invasion. During the construction, the battle of Long Island Flats was fought in Kingsport and resulted in an overwhelming victory for the settlers. Upon receipt of this news, Rev. Cummings suspended all work, assembled the multitude, and kneeling in prayer, thanked God for the deliverance of the people. When completed, Black's Fort was one of the best forts upon the frontiers.

Small bands of Indians traveling through the area annoyed the settlers, killing them indiscriminately, burning their homes and driving them off their property. One party of Indians scalped a settler and left him for dead, another succeeded in killing and scalping Jacob Mongle, and a third party attacked Reverend Cummings, his Negro servant Job, Henry Creswell and James Piper The Indians succeeded in killing Henry Creswell whose grave became the first in Sinking Spring Cemetery.

The County of Washington was established by an Act of the Assembly of

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Virginia in the fall of the year 1776, and by the provisions of the Act, Black's Fort was designated as the first place of meeting of the County Court of the new county. The time of the meeting was set for January 28, 1777.

Tradition says there was a great contest between the citizens of the county as to the location of the county seat. Several factors decided the contest in favor of Black's Fort first, the fact that Black's Fort was directly upon the Great Road passing through this area, and secondly, because Dr. Thomas Walker, Joseph Black and Samuel Briggs agreed to give Washington County one hundred and twenty acres of land for the purpose of locating the town and assisting in financing the cost of the necessary public buildings, and in addition, Dr. Walker agreed to deed to the Trustees of the Town of Abingdon, for a nominal consideration, four hundred and eighty-four acres of land adjoining the one hundred and twenty above spoken of.

There is no doubt the selection was a wise one, as the county seat was located as centrally as possible, especially in view of the boundary adjustment of the territory of Washington County as originally formed, by the formation of new counties by the General Assembly of Virginia, and the encroachments upon Virginia territory by the State of Tennessee.

During the 1976 Washington County Bicentennial Celebrations, volunteers from the community performed in a production entitled, “The Fightin' Parson”, written by Alan Pickrell, a Professor of Drama at Emory & Henry College, which recreated many of the events of Black's Fort and the Rev. Charles Cummings story.

Joseph Black – 1747-1821
Joseph Black was born in 1747 in Frederick County, Virginia. By 1770, in defiance of King George's 1763 Proclamation that settlers must stay out of the mountains, Black had settled at the crossing point of two great native trails, a logical location for a trade center, with access to the West and South.

Black constructed a fort at this crossing in 1774 and in 1776 enlarged the fort. During these years, he became a leader in the Wolf Hills community and served as a captain with the Overmountain Men in the October 7, 1780 Battle of King's Mountain.

With trails opened to the West and South, and the promise of land grants for Revolutionary War service, Captain Black, his wife, Elizabeth, their children and other Abingdon neighbors settled in present-day Blount County, Tennessee, where he erected another fort.

In 1795, Captain Black served as a delegate to Tennessee's first Constitutional Convention, and was elected to the committee to draft the Tennessee Constitution. Captain Black continued to defend the new frontier and be a prominent leader until his death in 1821.

Captain Joseph Black is buried in the Eusebia Cemetery in Blount County, Tennessee, where a plaque was placed, by the Daughters of the American Revolution, in appreciation for his service in the American Revolutionary War.

The Draper Manuscripts
About Lyman Copeland Draper:
Lyman Copeland Draper (1815-1891) was a lifelong student of early American history. Although he was born and raised in upstate New York, Draper made it his life's work to recue from oblivion the history of the “heroes of the Revolution” in the South.

With the support of Peter Remsen, his cousin's husband, Draper was able to pursue a variety of occupations that allowed him considerable time to gather reminiscences, documents and information for what was intended to be a series of volumes on the settlement and history of the “Trans-Allegheny West.”

Draper's research involved extensive field work and Draper took several research trips in the 1840s gathering materials for this propose volumes. After the death of Peter Remsen, Draper's need for regular employment led him to become the corresponding secretary of the recently organized State Historical Society of Wisconsin. Although he had somewhat less time to devote to his own historical researches, Draper's correspondence and collecting continued to his death.

His manuscript collection was bequeathed to the Wisconsin Historical Society. Further biographical information on Draper may be obtained from William B. Hesseltine's excellent biography, Pioneer Mission: The Story of Lyman Copeland Draper (Madison, Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1954).

Short biography courtesy of the Wisconsin Historical Society.

Captions
• (Left) T.C. Johnston, resided at 107 Water (now Park) Street, which can still be seen to the northwest from this location. Known as “The Portrait Painter,” some of Johnston's work can be found in the Tennessee Portrait Project in Nashville, Tennessee.
• (Center) Only known map of the Black's Fort, drawn by T.C. Johnston. The original can be found in the Draper Manuscripts, compiled by Lyman Copeland Draper, located at the Wisconsin Historical Society in Madison, Wisconsin. This map shows the movements of the natives during the Battle of Black's Fort, July 4, 1776, as depicted by Johnston. Described on the map are: Black's Fort (where the reader now stands) Mont Calm as well as the maple trees lining the driveway (behind the reader); the roads leading northeast to Saltville, VA, west to Kingsport, TN and north to Russell County, VA; the original Sinking Spring Cemetery as well as the first grave in the cemetery, that of Henry Cresswell.
• (Right) This plate, depicting what Black's Fort may have looked like, was hand-painted by local artist Miss Marcie Kelly (b. 1871, d. 1947) of Abingdon. The plate was owned by Catherine S. McConnell of Abingdon.

Erected by County of Washington, VA • Town of Abingdon, VA • Historical Society of Washington County, VA.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Forts and Castles • Political Subdivisions • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical date for this entry is January 28, 1777.

Location. 36° 42.539′ N, 81° 58.274′ W. Marker is in Abingdon, Virginia, in Washington County. Marker is at the intersection of Green Spring Road and Gibson Street SE, on the right when traveling north on Green Spring Road. Marker is at the Virginia Creeper Trailhead. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 300 Green Spring Rd, Abingdon VA 24210, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Virginia Creeper (here, next to this marker); Landon Boyd (within shouting distance of this marker); Site of Black’s Fort (approx. 0.2 miles away); History of Barter Stage II (approx. 0.2 miles away); Marcella (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Crooked Road / Abingdon (approx. 0.2 miles away); Law Office (approx. 0.2 miles away); Governor John B. Floyd (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Abingdon.

Also see . . . Joseph Black Grave Eusebia Cemetery in Blount County, Tennessee.

Joseph Black, Sr. Born 2-22-1747, Frederick County, Virginia. Died 3-25-1825, Blount County, Tennessee. Married Jane. Mary Blount Chapter National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) placed marker in 1976.

(Submitted on May 16, 2023, by Carolyn Sanders of Plano, Texas.)

Credits. This page was last revised on May 27, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 10, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 416 times since then and 123 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on November 10, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

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