Sullivan County

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In a book entitled "Historic Sullivan" on page 22 and 23, it reads: " The first account of permanent settlers was of those who came here in 1765. In the spring of this year John Sharp, Thomas Sharp and Thomas Henderson came from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, cleared some land and raised a crop of corn on the farm once owned by D.O. King in Holston Valley. In the fall at harvest they improvised cribs of poles and put up their corn. They returned to their homes in Pennsylvania, and in the spring of 1766, came back with their families only to find their previous season's crop almost totally destroyed by the wild animals that roamed at will during their absence. They settled upon three different tracts of land - the one later owned by King, another once owned by Gen. John R. Delaney and a third, formerly the property of Ireson Longacre. These farms were about five miles apart and all bordering upon the Holston River." From this can be concluded that a Thomas Henderson from PA was one of the first pioneers in TN.