Sneedville, Tennessee

History

Settlement began in the 1790s, following the American Revolutionary War, as migrants moved into the area from the Piedmont frontiers of Virginia and North Carolina. Such migrants had formed families in colonial Virginia. Among them was a multi-racial group of settlers who became known as Melungeons. They have been documented as having primarily European and sub-Saharan African ancestry. They also have a lesser amount of Native American heritage.

The county historical society asserts that French traders noted encountering the Melungeons in the late 1600s in the area that is now east Tennessee. Such early settlement is not supported by the research of Edward Price, a cultural geographer who wrote a 1950 dissertation on the Melungeons; Dr. Virginia DeMarce, a professional genealogist; and Paul Heinegg, a genealogist; each of whom has documented the migration of ancestors of the first families known as Melungeon from Virginia and North Carolina in the late eighteenth century.

When Hancock County was formed from parts of Hawkins and Claiborne counties in the 1840s, Greasy Rock was chosen as the county seat. The city was renamed in honor of William Henry Sneed (1812–1869), a Confederate and attorney from Knoxville who helped legally defend the new county when several residents sued in an attempt to block its creation.

From the 19th to early 20th century, Sneedville grew modestly as the county seat and central hub in a fairly isolated region of Appalachia. Development was typical of rural Tennessee communities—largely agricultural with small local businesses and services.

Geography

Sneedville is located at (36.532062, -83.214140).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.3 sqmi, all land. The Clinch River passes within the city limits.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification, Sneedville has a humid subtropical climate, typical for Tennessee. The plant hardiness zone is 6b.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,282 people, 573 households, and 369 families residing in the town.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 1,387 people living in the city. 97.4% were White, 0.6% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.1% Asian and 1.7% of two or more races. 0.3% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,257 people, 527 households, and 310 families living in the city. The population density was 551.0 PD/sqmi. There were 593 housing units at an average density of 259.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.69% White, 0.64% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.72% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.24% of the population. Melungeons, a so-called "tri-racial isolate", are also present in this area, especially in the Vardy Valley, on the other side of Newman's Ridge.

There were 527 households, out of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.2% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.0% were non-families. 38.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.77.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 18.4% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $13,281, and the median income for a family was $20,208. Males had a median income of $20,500 versus $15,461 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,173. About 32.9% of families and 36.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 46.9% of those under age 18 and 28.4% of those age 65 or over.

In 2010, Sneedville had the 10th-lowest median household income of all places in the United States with a population over 1,000.

Arts and culture

Museums and related points of interest

The Hancock County Tennessee Historical and Genealogical Society is a non-profit organization located in the Old County Jail. The organization provides access to archival material related to the community and maintains a small museum displaying aspects of traditional mountain life, such as was practiced by the Melungeons. They publish a bi-yearly newsletter called Our Mountain Heritage for members of the society.

Education

There is one school district in the county, Hancock County School District.

Schools in Sneedville include Hancock County Middle/High School and Hancock County Elementary School.

Infrastructure

Hancock County Hospital, which opened in 2005, is located in Sneedville.

Tourism

Sneedville lacks in its massive commercial tourist hub, despite being a quiet rural town rich in natural beauty, history and quiet-country charm. The surrounding Appalachian foothills and rivers provide excellent opportunities for outdoor recreation, with activities for hiking, fishing, canoeing and back-road exploration. The scenic Sipsey and Clinch valleys are especially popular with nature lovers.

Notable people

• Charlie Johns - tobacco farmer, received national attention when he married his 9-year-old neighbor in Sneedville, where he lived on a 50-acre property
• Doyle Lawson — musician, lived in Sneedville as a child
• Jimmy Martin — musician; born in Sneedville, dubbed "King of Bluegrass" and inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor
• Morgan Wallen — multi-platinum country music artist
• Eunice Winstead - 9-year-old girl from Sneedville who received national notoriety when she became the child bride of her adult neighbor Charlie Johns

References

References

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7. Will Thomas Hale and Dixon L. Merritt, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=ZzkVAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22greasy+rock%22+sneedville&pg=PA794 A History of Tennessee and Tennesseans, Vol. 3]'' (Lewis Publishing Co., 1913), p. 794.
8. (2008). "Historical Hancock County". Hancock County Tennessee Historical and Genealogical Society.
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