Location: 4 miles N of Benton at the place once known as the town of Columbus,
now known as Columbus farm.
Date established: 1820 or earlier. Earliest inscription is Nov. 27, 1820
By whom established: By Indians or earliest settlers of the town of Columbus.
Number of graves: Once was 800.
Acreage: 180 ft x 240 ft.
Condition: Bad
Date: January 29, 1940
Remarks: Dearborn's Treaty with the Cherokee, made in January 7, 1806, provided,
among other things, that a grist mill shall, within one year from date thereof,
be built in the Cherokee Country for the use of the nation, at such place as
shall be considered most convenient. The U.S. Government sent a German immigrant
named John Hildebrand, and the Indians agreed upon this place on the Conasauga
Creek. The natural town-site location of Columbus. The following Calhoun's
Treaty made February 27, 1819, caused the town of Columbus to become the
frontier town of Indian trade. Until 1838, Columbus retained its trade with the
Cherokees. When the Tennessee Legislature named a new county in honor of Gov.
James K. Polk, Columbus was named the county seat until the people of the county
could vote where the seat should be. Benton was selected to be the county seat
and the town of Columbus gradually became no more. The population has been
estimated to have been between 200 and 500 at Columbus town. There is no town
now. Where the town was, is the Ezekiel Dunn family cemetery in the back yard of
the Thomas Pannell old house, or on the west side of Conasauga Creek and North
side of the Hiwassee River, not far from the mouth of Conasauga Creek. The
cemetery is North of the old town site, on higher ground and possibly half a
mile away. It is now in timber. Two of the graves have been dug into of late,
that of stanuix Hard, son of william Hard, who died in 1820 and Col. Henry
Bradford, who was born the night that General Washington crossed the Deleware
and captured 1,000 Hessians. Rachel, the wife of Col. Bradford, was not
disturbed in her grave. Col. Henry Bradford was prominent in McMinn County, and
also served as a member of McMinn County Court for several years about 1830.
This section of Polk County North of the Hiwassee River was in McMinn before
Polk County was formed. The last one buried was a Bradford child. The cemetery
is in a bad condition. Two graves dug into were left open by the grave theives.