Did Sparta, TN Almost Become the Capital of Tennessee?
All of us old-timers who grew up in White County, Tennessee, have heard the story about Sparta coming one vote short of becoming the capital of Tennessee. The story usually goes on to say that the needed vote was “sold” for a drink of whiskey. Well, here’s the LEGEND and the FACTS that can be known and documented about that story.
The Legend
Some years after the settlement of Sparta, there was an election held in the state legislature to select a permanent capital for the state. Many of the towns in East and Middle Tennessee were voted on. When it cam to the vote between Nashville and Sparta, that vote failed to be put on the House Journal. The legend goes that Sparta lacked only one vote of receiving enough to make it a capital, and that vote was sold for a drink of whiskey. Sam Turney at that time represented White County as senator and he worked for Sparta. The representative from White County was John Dearing, who, in the election, voted for Nashville. It is uncertain what influenced him to vote thus as it would be reasonable to expect one in that position to vote according to the wishes of his people and also for his home town. He has ever since been criticized for his action then.
The Facts
# 1 – The “new” 1834 Tennessee Constitution required a permanent capital site be chosen. In 1840, the issue of which Tennessee town or city would become the state capital did come to a vote.
# 2 – John W. Dearing was the representative for White County (Sparta) in the TN State House of Representatives. Sam Turney was the senator for White County (Sparta).
# 3 – On January 28, 1840, the Tennessee State Senate passed a resolution that the capital of Tennessee be moved from Nashville to Murfreesboro. The Senate attached the condition that the Governor and other officers be allowed to remain in Nashville until the meeting of the next (September, 1841) Legislature .
# 4 – The day after the Senate’s resolution was passed down to the House of Representatives, the House rejected the resolution specifically because of the attached condition.
# 5 – During these expressions of opposition, an amendment was offered to strike out Murfreesboro and insert Sparta as the new site for the State capital.
# 6 – When the vote was taken for this amended resolution, the representatives were evenly divided, which caused the Senate’s resolution to fail. One vote would have swung the resolution in favor of Sparta. This action was not the FINAL decision concerning the permanent site of the capital. Legislative maneuvering continued for a few days, which made the House’s action on January 29, 1840, meaningless. So, (as you will soon see) if Sparta had been favored in the resolution, it is very unlikely that Sparta would ended up being the state capital.
# 7 – The Speaker of the House quickly signed the Senate’s proposal and the presiding officers of the Senate followed with their final approval, which appeared at the time to make Murfreesboro the permanent state capital. Largely because of it’s proximity to the geographic center of Tennessee. The geographic center of Tennessee is located on Old Lascassas Pike, a half-mile from the campus of Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN.
Note: Sparta’s “first objective” was to be in the resolution from the House of Representatives. The next and final objective would have been for the Senate to accept the House’s resolution. However, the “Sparta resolution” never got out of the House, much less to the Senate.
# 8 – As it turns out, this January 29, 1840, action was negated by congressional maneuvering in the days to follow. On Friday, January 31, a resolution was introduced into the House, rescinding the resolution to Murfreesboro and fixing the seat of Government again at Nashville. Dearing, the Sparta-White County representative, opposed the resolution, but he was in the minority. The resolution was carried over to the Senate where the Sparta-White County senator, Sam Turney, was initially NOT in favor of it. After some more maneuvering, the resolution passed with Turney voting FOR the resolution, which made Nashville the state’s permanent capital.
The final vote in the Senate was 12 “yeas” (for Nashville) and 11 “nays” (against Nashville). According to the February 5, 1840 (Nashville) Republican Banner article: “This result was effected by Mr. Turney’s [Sparta-White County’s senator] changing his vote in favor of Nashville.”
Summary
Yes, the vote that eventually made Nashville the permanent capital of Tennessee came down to one vote and that vote was cast by Sparta-White County’s State senator, Sam Turney. However, at that point Sparta was NOT in the consideration, so it was not a Nashville vs. Sparta vote. Sparta-White County’s representative John Dearing, in the House, opposed Nashville. It was not Dearing’s vote that gave Nashville the win.
Regarding the influence of a “drink of alcohol,” that accusation is doubtful. Sam Turney was an eccentric character and often made controversial choices. He was a popular attorney and no doubt wealthy enough to purchase alcohol if and when he wanted.
The editor of the Nashville Republican Banner made this comment regarding Turney:
With this gentleman we have no affinities, personal or political; but it is due to him to say, that he only did at once and without hesitation, what others would have eventually done, had it been necessary. We know from undoubted information, that another Van Buren [the Democratic President, not the Tennessee County] Senator, whose personal and political integrity is above suspicion, was prepared to vote for Nashville, rather than compel the Governor and other Officers of State to trudge away to Murfreesborough.
The Republican Banner - Article After the Final Decision
The article from the “contemporary newspaper” mentioned above.
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Hon. Sam Turney was an unique character. He was one of the most successful lawyers ever at the Sparta Bar. He was original but very eccentric. He used to sit at a hotel and cut his own hair. When remonstrated with, he replied, ”I guess I know the shape of my own head.” There were no records of warrants and indictments kept in those days, Turney would eat the warrants, thus freeing his client. Once a counterfeiter was up for trial, Turney was his lawyer. Turney asked to see the five dollar bill presented in evidence. Talking and wrapping the bill around his finger he found a chance to put the bill into his mouth and at the same time took a good bill out of his vest pocket and substituted it for the counterfeit. Then he requested the Judge to send three men to the bank to see if it would pass. It did and his client went free. He won national fame for planning the escapade which prevented our State from having a United States Senator for two years. He and the actors with him became known as The Immortal Thirteen. Toward the end of his life he was baptized and became a Christian preacher. Great crowds came to the services whenever it was announced that he would preach. He was a soldier in the War of 1812 and when he died in Sparta in 1862, he was buried by a Convoy of Federal soldiers. Page 95 of The History of White County by Monroe Seals.
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