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Allreds vs. the Creek Nation
Overton County, TN
by: Linda Allred Cooper

This article is due to be published in Issue #51 of the Allred Family Newsletter

On page 57 of the book "Overton County, Tennessee Genealogical Records" compiled by Edythe Rucker Whitley, I found an interesting entry. A Legislative Petition had been filed on October 26, 1813 requesting permission to organize to fight the Indians. 119 men signed the petition including Solomon and William Allred, most likely descendants of the "original" Solomon.

The petition read:

(spelling as written in the petition)
To the Honourable The General Assembly of the State of Tennessee now in Session.........
The Petition of the subscribers, Inhabitants of the County of Overton, Humbly Sheweth, that they here Disposed. To have a part in the Present War with Britane Majesty's Savage Allies, Viz. The Creek Nation of Indians, and conceiving they can Render Greater Services to the United States as Mounted men than they could possibly do on foot, do Humbly Request that your Honourable Body Would pass a law authorizing, Colonal Stephen Copeland of Said County to Raise by Voluntary Inlistment a force of 500 Mounted men out of the 3d Judicial Circuit In Said State to March against the said Nation of Indians or other Tribes of the savage foe, and fight Them in theire own savage way, and act as Rangers and c, so long as it may appear necessary and allowed the same pay for theire services as other mounted men are allowed. In the services of the United States on Similar occasions. And that the Senators and Representatives in the Congress of the United States Be instructed to Cause the said Act when passed by your Honourable body to be sanctioned by the National Legislature & c. An your Petitioners shall ever pray & c.

Who were the Solomon and William Allred who signed the Petition? Harold G. Keisling tried to figure out who they were in 1992 when he submitted an article to the Overton County History Book Committee. This article was published (pages 179 -180) in the book "History of Overton County, TN" which is on file in the Overton County Library. Keisling wrote:

"Allred families came to Overton County prior to 1813. The exact year is not known, but a search of the early deeds would probably establish it as about 1810. A petition was drawn up in 1813 to raise an army to forcibly subdue the Creek Indians. This petition was submitted to the State of Tennessee on October 27, 1813. Two signees were Solomon Allred and William Allred.

The 1820 census shows Francis Allred, John Allred, Jonathan Allred and Solomon Allred in Overton County. The 1830 census shows eleven Allred families living in Overton County. The head of households listed are Solomon (roll 188), Robert (roll 204), William (roll 208), Solomon (roll 208 with no children), Solomon (roll 208 with young children), John (roll 208), Samuel (roll 208), Bailey (roll 209), Theofolis (roll 210), John (roll 210), Solomon (roll 210) and Jonathan (roll 211)."

Confused? Me too. All those men named the same thing. How can we tell which one is which? Keisling had the same problem, as he wrote in his article:

"Now it should be infinitely clear just who signed the 1813 Petition and who the Allreds are on the 1820 and the 1830 census. Solomon, the son of Solomon, and his brothers Phineas, Francis, and Theophilus with their families moved to Overton County. (Assumed by the count of Solomons on the 1830 census.)"

But, after listing the names of each of the Allred men's spouses and children, Keisling finally admitted he couldn't figure out which ones signed the Petition. He ended his article with the following question:

"Knowing all this, which Allreds do you think signed the 1813 Petition in Overton County?"

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