Rural Mount

By Blake Wylie - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,Link

Alexander Outlaw was born in Duplin County North Carolina in 1738. He received a classical education, was admitted to the bar and began the practice in his native county. In 1783, he moved to Greene County, North Carolina and settled in that portion which is now Jefferson County, Tennessee. He seems to have shared the general opinion that the Cession Act of North Carolina of 1784 made it necessary for the settlers in the ceded territory to erect a government of their own, and he therefore took an active part in the formation of the State of Franklin. He was in the Convention of August 1784 and in 1785 and again in 1786 was one of the commissioners of the State of Franklin to negotiate with the Cherokee Indians. His associates in 1785 were John Sevier and Daniel Kennedy and in 1786 William Cocke, Samuel Weir, Henry Conway, and Thomas Ingles. (Source:Tennessee: The Volunteer State, Volume 2 1769-1923, John Trotwood Moore, Austin Powers Foster, S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1923, p.200 )

In 1796 Alexander Outlaw represented Jefferson County in the Constitutional Convention, among his colleagues being Joseph Anderson and Archibald Roane. He was an active member of the Convention and was highly esteemed by his associates. He represented Jefferson County in the first General Assembly and, in 1799 was elected to the State Senate from Cocke and Jefferson Counties, and was made Speaker. In 1801, he was returned to the Senate by the same counties. It should be mentioned also that he represented the new and short lived County of Caswell in the Legislature of the State of Franklin.

He had four daughters and one son. These daughters were married to four well known men of that time to wit:

Judge Joseph Anderson married Only Patience Outlaw

Her dowry was a large tract of land on the Nolichucky River where Judge Anderson built a home—"Soldier's Rest."
Soldier's Rest was an adjoining plantation and sister to Rural Mount. It was
demolished for the present American Enka Plant. (from application for National Register for Historic sites)

Joseph Hamilton, married Penelope Smith Outlaw

("A native of Virginia, where he was admitted to the bar; moved to Hawkins County, 1784, and subsequently became a prominent lawyer in Tennessee (Caldwell, Bench and Bar, Tenn., pp. 77-82).") 
Rural Mount is thought to have been built as a gift to his daughter, Penelope and her husband Joseph Hamilton. 

Judge David Campbell married Elizabeth Outlaw

Paul McDermott and Dolly Outlaw

From Paul McDermott and his wife was descended the wife of JB Cooke of Chattanooga former Judge of the Supreme Court of Tennessee from

TG Outlaw a prominent and worthy citizen of Mobile Alabama is believed to be the present head of the direct line Alexander Outlaw died in October, 1825 He was one of the best and purest as well as one of the ablest men of his time in Tennessee. His social position thorough education and high character gave him prominence and influence and his entire career was marked by genuine and unselfish patriotism. No man in our early history left a better reputation and none more faithfully endeavored to discharge his duties as a man and as a citizen. (Source:Sketches of the Bench and Bar of Tennessee

By Joshua William Caldwell. Ogden brothers & Company, printers, 1898, pp 65-66)



Tennessee State Supreme Court Case: Link