Mississippi Territory Petition

The Mississippi Territory was a vast area of land. The petition shown here only deals with individuals that were on the Elk River that was to become Giles County, TN. The U.S. Government survey that was initially done resulted in the petition and it took several more surveys and years to legitimize those individuals property claims in Giles County. This petition is the only known document relating to the individuals who settled the area. The vast majority who signed the petition stayed in Giles County and show up in other contributions to the Giles County web page.

A few of the signers show up later in Limestone County, AL, bordering Giles County, TN, on the south; but their land, when the final survey was done, crossed over both counties and both states. So, some that had been taxed by Giles County were now being taxed by Limestone County. All but one of the McKenny's (McKinney's) who signed the petition, stayed in Giles County. James McKenny (McKinney) who signed the petition was on the Giles County 1812 taxes, but after more surveys were done, the surveys put his land in Elk County, AL, that was formed May 24, 1817. Elk County was later renamed Limestone County, February 6, 1818. James McKinney didn't move, the survey line moved, and after paying taxes in Giles County he started paying taxes in Limestone County.

The other McKenny's and Caldwell's that signed the petition are known to be related to James McKinney and his wife Delila Caldwell McKinney of Limestone County, AL.