Pigeon Forge in Sevier County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Colonel Samuel Wear Memorial

Photographed by Marcia Nelson

1. Colonel Samuel Wear Memorial

Inscription. Colonel Samuel Wear - Born 1753 Died - April 3, 1817 - Pioneer - Soldier of four wars - Colonial, Revolution, Indian, 1812 - One of the heroes of Kings Mountain and a founder of the State of Franklin

Erected 1925 by Descendants of Colonel Samuel Wear.

Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Patriots & Patriotism • Settlements & Settlers • War, US Revolutionary. A significant historical date for this entry is April 3, 1817.

Location. 35° 48.422′ N, 83° 34.994′ W. Memorial is in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, in Sevier County. It is on Library Drive west of Garland Harmon Drive, on the right when traveling west. American flag marks location of Wear Memorial behind the Pigeon Forge Public Library. Touch for map. Memorial is at or near this postal address: 2456 Library Dr, Pigeon Forge TN 37863, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this memorial is in East Tennessee

and in the Great Smoky Mountains.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

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the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

the State of Franklin,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Fort Wear (within shouting distance of this marker); Wear's Fort (approx. 0.3 miles away); Henderson Springs Resort (approx. half a mile away); Shiloh Church (approx. 0.6 miles away); a different marker also named Shiloh Church (approx. 0.6 miles away); Pine Grove Rural Community (approx. 0.7 miles away); Titanic’s Center Anchor (approx. one mile away); Early Pigeon Forge (approx. 2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pigeon Forge.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Titanic Eternal Flame (was approx. one mile away but has been permanently removed).

More about this memorial. The Colonel Samuel Wear Memorial, dedicated in 1925, was funded by Wear descendants and donors. The memorial sits in the heart of Fort Wear Cemetery just behind the

Colonel Samuel Wear Grave and Memorial Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Marcia Nelson

2. Colonel Samuel Wear Grave and Memorial Marker

Pigeon Forge Public Library. It is joined by a marker placed by the Tennessee Society of the Sons of the Revolution listing the nineteen people known to be buried there including Colonel Wear, Overmountain Men, Wear's beloved farm overseer Frank and several family members.

Another marker placed by the TSSR is dedicated to John Gilliland a Revolutionary soldier who also fought at the Battle of King's Mountain. Gilliland was wounded three times at the King's Mountain fight. After being shot, he identified the British Commander Patrick Ferguson and fired his gun. The flint gun misfired but he pointed out Ferguson to his father-in-law Robert Young who then fired the shot that knocked Ferguson out of his saddle causing his boot spur to get caught in the stirrup. Ferguson was then shot six more times. Gilliland was instrumental in the creation of the State of Franklin, part of the First Families of Tennessee, friend of the Sevier family and who donated 50 acres for the nearby city of Newport, Tennessee.

In 1976, the Spencer Clack Chapter (Sevier County) of the Daughters of the American Revolution chose the Wear Memorial site as its Bicentennial

Colonel Samuel Wear Grave and Memorial image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Marcia Nelson

3. Colonel Samuel Wear Grave and Memorial

project and renovated the area. It is maintained by the City of Pigeon Forge.

Regarding Colonel Samuel Wear Memorial. Colonel Samuel Wear was a veteran of four wars: Colonial, Revolutionary, Indian and the War of 1812. He served alongside John Sevier (who lent his name to Sevier County and became the first governor of Tennessee) as one of the Overmountain Men from the famous Battle of Kings Mountain in 1780. The Colonel built Fort Wear (adding a home later) very near the site of this marker as a place of protection for settlers in the disputed territory. Colonel Wear was the first county clerk of Sevier County while the area was part of the State of Franklin and continuing into Tennessee's statehood in 1796. Wear was one of the constitutional delegates who helped draft the State of Tennessee's constitution right here at Fort Wear. Thomas Jefferson said of the Tennessee State Constitution that it was the "least imperfect and most republican of the state constitutions".

Photographed by Marcia Nelson

4. Colonel Samuel Wear Memorial

Tennessee Society Sons of the Revolution engraved marker of all known people laid to rest in Fort Wear Cemetery.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 9, 2024. It was originally submitted on September 26, 2024, by Marcia Nelson of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 1,342 times since then and 132 times this year. Last updated on October 8, 2024, by Marcia Nelson of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Photos: 1. submitted on October 8, 2024, by Marcia Nelson of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. 2. submitted on September 26, 2024, by Marcia Nelson of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. 3. submitted on September 27, 2024, by Marcia Nelson of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. 4. submitted on October 8, 2024, by Marcia Nelson of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.

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