William Bean was born December 9, 1721, in St. Stephens Parish, Northumberland County, Virginia of William Bean Sr. and Margaret Hatton Bean.[4] In 1744, Bean married Lydia Russell of Northumberland County (b. September 29, 1726).[5] William was of Scottish descent, and Lydia was of English descent.[6]
Settlement in the Watauga AssociationEdit
In 1762, Bean set camp close to the junction of Boone's Creek and the Watauga River, near present-day Johnson City during a longhunting excursion with fellow pioneers and friends Daniel Boone and Richard Callaway, on behalf of Richard Henderson, a land surveyor who played an important role in the early settlement of Tennessee.[7][8] In 1769, he constructed a cabin at this site and relocate his family. Shortly after the cabin's completion, Lydia Bean gave birth to a son, Russell Bean, who would be historically accepted as the first European American born in present-day Tennessee.[9] The Bean family encountered aggressive confrontations with the inhabiting Cherokee tribes, and found distaste in the growing popularity of the Watauga Association. Nevertheless, William Bean pursued a career in politics and be elected as a commissioner of the Watauga Association in 1772, serving a crucial role in the absorption of the settlement into the state of North Carolina by 1775.[2]
American Revolution and establishment of Bean StationEdit
The view of the German Creek valley as seen from Clinch Mountain
In 1775, William Bean collaborated with Daniel Boone on a new longhunting excursion, as Bean wanted to move west with the Watauga Association gaining popularity, and Boone was wanting to expand his Wilderness Road southward towards the Great Indian Warpath. The duo crossed the gap on top of Clinch Mountain after traversing the Powell and Clinch rivers in present-day Claiborne and Grainger counties in Tennessee. After surveying the valley below, Bean and Boone descended the southward slope of Clinch Mountain and set camp along the German Creek tributary of the Holston River and the Great Indian Warpath. Finding appreciation for the vast wildlife, timber, fertile soil, and access to navigable waters, Bean chose this site as the permanent site of his new home and to establish a community with Boone planning to extend the Wilderness Road to the campsite location.[10]
During the Revolutionary War, Bean served as a captain for the Virginia militia, and was awarded over 3,000 acres in the German Creek valley where he surveyed and camped at previously with Boone in 1776. In the same year, Bean constructed a four-room cabin with the assistance of his sons. The cabin served as his family's home, and as an inn for prospective settlers, fur traders, and longhunters, named Bean Station, establishing the first reportedly permanent settled community in present-day Tennessee.[1]
In May 1782, Bean died of unknown causes at the age of 60 in his cabin at Bean Station.[2]
Bean’s settlement of Bean Station grew substantially following his death in 1782. By 1787, Bean’s sons constructed a fort, blacksmiths shop, and a trading outpost at the community’s crossroads of the Wilderness Road and the Great Indian Warpath.[10][11]
Bean Station emerged as an important stopover, due to its strategic location on the crossroads of present day U.S. Route 25E and U.S. Route 11W, between Washington, D.C., and New Orleans for early travelers through Tennessee into the 18th century.[12][13]
The town and cabin established by Bean were lost following the flooding of the Holston River valley for the construction of the Cherokee Dam by the Tennessee Valley Authority in 1942. Bean Station unofficially relocated to the new crossroads of US 25E and US 11W, and incorporated into a town in 1996.[14]
ReferencesEdit
^ abClouse, Allie (May 27, 2021). "From Davy to Dolly: 225 years (and more) of Tennessee's storied history". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
^ abcdTuller, Roberta (2020). "William Bean". An American Family History. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
^ abCoffey, Ken (October 19, 2012). . Grainger County Historic Society. Thomas Daugherty. Archived from the original on March 20, 2018. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
^Barksdale, Kevin (July 11, 2014). The Lost State of Franklin: America's First Secession(E-book). University Press of Kentucky. p. 19. ISBN9780813150093. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
^Lane, Ida M. (December 1, 1929). "Once The Teeming Crossroads Of The Wilderness, Bean Station Now Lapsed Into Village Peace". Knoxville News Sentinel. p. 23. Retrieved November 7, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^Coffey, Ken. . Town of Bean Station. Archived from the original on July 24, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
Further readingEdit
Carolyn Sakowski; Touring the East Tennessee Backroads; J.F. Blair, pub.; Winston-Salem, N.C.; 1993; pp. 86–87.
August 29, 2023
william, bean, this, article, about, american, pioneer, other, uses, disambiguation, december, 1721, 1782, american, pioneer, longhunter, commissioner, watauga, association, accepted, historians, first, permanent, european, american, settler, tennessee, tennes. This article is about the American pioneer For other uses see William Bean disambiguation William Bean December 9 1721 May 1782 was an American pioneer longhunter and Commissioner of the Watauga Association He is accepted by historians as the first permanent European American settler of Tennessee 3 William BeanTennessee Historical Commission marker placed near the William Bean Cabin site in present day Johnson CityBornWilliam Bean 1721 12 09 December 9 1721St Stephens Parish Northumberland County VirginiaDiedMay 1782 aged 60 Bean s Station Washington County North CarolinaNationalityAmericanOccupation s Longhunter soldier pioneer politicianKnown forbeing the reported first permanent European American settler and founding the first permanent European American settlement of Tennessee 1 TitleCommissioner Watauga Association 2 Term1772 April 1775PredecessorOffice establishedSuccessorOffice dissolvedSpouseLydia Russell m 1744 died 1788 wbr Children6ParentsWilliam Bean father Margaret Hatton Bean mother Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Settlement in the Watauga Association 1 2 American Revolution and establishment of Bean Station 2 Death and legacy 3 References 4 Further readingBiography EditWilliam Bean was born December 9 1721 in St Stephens Parish Northumberland County Virginia of William Bean Sr and Margaret Hatton Bean 4 In 1744 Bean married Lydia Russell of Northumberland County b September 29 1726 5 William was of Scottish descent and Lydia was of English descent 6 Settlement in the Watauga Association Edit In 1762 Bean set camp close to the junction of Boone s Creek and the Watauga River near present day Johnson City during a longhunting excursion with fellow pioneers and friends Daniel Boone and Richard Callaway on behalf of Richard Henderson a land surveyor who played an important role in the early settlement of Tennessee 7 8 In 1769 he constructed a cabin at this site and relocate his family Shortly after the cabin s completion Lydia Bean gave birth to a son Russell Bean who would be historically accepted as the first European American born in present day Tennessee 9 The Bean family encountered aggressive confrontations with the inhabiting Cherokee tribes and found distaste in the growing popularity of the Watauga Association Nevertheless William Bean pursued a career in politics and be elected as a commissioner of the Watauga Association in 1772 serving a crucial role in the absorption of the settlement into the state of North Carolina by 1775 2 American Revolution and establishment of Bean Station Edit The view of the German Creek valley as seen from Clinch MountainIn 1775 William Bean collaborated with Daniel Boone on a new longhunting excursion as Bean wanted to move west with the Watauga Association gaining popularity and Boone was wanting to expand his Wilderness Road southward towards the Great Indian Warpath The duo crossed the gap on top of Clinch Mountain after traversing the Powell and Clinch rivers in present day Claiborne and Grainger counties in Tennessee After surveying the valley below Bean and Boone descended the southward slope of Clinch Mountain and set camp along the German Creek tributary of the Holston River and the Great Indian Warpath Finding appreciation for the vast wildlife timber fertile soil and access to navigable waters Bean chose this site as the permanent site of his new home and to establish a community with Boone planning to extend the Wilderness Road to the campsite location 10 During the Revolutionary War Bean served as a captain for the Virginia militia and was awarded over 3 000 acres in the German Creek valley where he surveyed and camped at previously with Boone in 1776 In the same year Bean constructed a four room cabin with the assistance of his sons The cabin served as his family s home and as an inn for prospective settlers fur traders and longhunters named Bean Station establishing the first reportedly permanent settled community in present day Tennessee 1 In 1780 Bean served in his position of captain in the Battle of Kings Mountain 2 Death and legacy EditIn May 1782 Bean died of unknown causes at the age of 60 in his cabin at Bean Station 2 Bean s settlement of Bean Station grew substantially following his death in 1782 By 1787 Bean s sons constructed a fort blacksmiths shop and a trading outpost at the community s crossroads of the Wilderness Road and the Great Indian Warpath 10 11 Bean Station emerged as an important stopover due to its strategic location on the crossroads of present day U S Route 25E and U S Route 11W between Washington D C and New Orleans for early travelers through Tennessee into the 18th century 12 13 The town and cabin established by Bean were lost following the flooding of the Holston River valley for the construction of the Cherokee Dam by the Tennessee Valley Authority in 1942 Bean Station unofficially relocated to the new crossroads of US 25E and US 11W and incorporated into a town in 1996 14 References Edit a b Clouse Allie May 27 2021 From Davy to Dolly 225 years and more of Tennessee s storied history Knoxville News Sentinel Retrieved June 1 2021 a b c d Tuller Roberta 2020 William Bean An American Family History Retrieved June 1 2021 Lambert A J WILLIAM BEAN REV L WAR PDF Retrieved June 30 2020 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link William Bean Find a Grave Retrieved June 1 2021 Larry Kraus Children of William Bean c 1700 1780 William Bean I Genealogy larkcom us Retrieved May 14 2015 Grady J A 1973 William Bean Pioneer of Tennessee and His Descendants Grady Retrieved May 14 2015 Ramsey The Annals of Tennessee 66 69 Hamer Tennessee A History 64 William Bean s Cabin 1A5 Tennessee Historical sign waymarking com Retrieved May 14 2015 a b Coffey Ken October 19 2012 The First Family of Tennessee Grainger County Historic Society Thomas Daugherty Archived from the original on March 20 2018 Retrieved August 20 2020 Barksdale Kevin July 11 2014 The Lost State of Franklin America s First Secession E book University Press of Kentucky p 19 ISBN 9780813150093 Retrieved December 3 2020 Brown Fred 2005 Marking Time Paperback University of Tennessee Press pp 99 101 ISBN 9781572333307 Retrieved October 17 2020 Lane Ida M December 1 1929 Once The Teeming Crossroads Of The Wilderness Bean Station Now Lapsed Into Village Peace Knoxville News Sentinel p 23 Retrieved November 7 2020 via Newspapers com Coffey Ken History of Bean Station Town of Bean Station Archived from the original on July 24 2015 Retrieved July 23 2015 Further reading EditCarolyn Sakowski Touring the East Tennessee Backroads J F Blair pub Winston Salem N C 1993 pp 86 87 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Bean amp oldid 1172061378, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
