The Lost State of Franklin with Jim Piecuch

Join us for the first of many lectures with the Historic House Museums of Knoxville commemorating America's 250th anniversary! Come see us at Marble Springs on August 21st at 6:30pm for free sweet treats and a free engaging lecture by Dr. Jim Piecuch as he explores one of the most fascinating chapters in East Tennessee history; the state of Franklin. Enjoy some Andy's Frozen Custard as this presentation dives into the people, background, and ultimate failure to create a new state following the American Revolution. Learn what motivated figures like John Sevier who believed East Tennessee should become America's 14th state!
Jim Piecuch earned B.A. and M.A. degrees at the University of New Hampshire and a Ph.D. in history from the College of William & Mary in Virginia. He is a former professor of history and the author of several books including South Carolina Provincials: Loyalists in British Service during the American Revolution; Seven Myths of the American Revolution; Three Peoples, One King: Loyalists, Indians, and Slaves in the Revolutionary South; biographies of Revolutionary officers John Eager Howard and Henry Lee, and Cavalry in the American Revolution. He has also published numerous articles and book chapters on colonial and Revolutionary history and worked as an editor on several historical encyclopedias. In 2025 he was awarded the Order of the Palmetto for his contributions to the study of South Carolina’s history.
Be on the lookout for more lectures at our fellow Historic House Museums of Knoxville in the coming months! This project was supported in part by the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial.