MOUNDS ON FLYNN'S CREEK, JACKSON COUNTY, TENNESSEE.
By Joshua Haite, Sr., of Jackson County, Tenn.
The valley in which these mounds are situated is on the east bank of Flynn's Creek, which empties into the Cumberland River, and is 3 miles above the mouth of the creek and 1 mile south of the river. The valley is 4 miles west of Gainesboro', the county seat, and near the center of a section of country that abounds in mounds and graves. This valley which is full of these graves, contains near 100 acres, and is the site of the village called Flynn's Lick. There are five limestone springs, one sulphur spring, and a salt spring. From the number of mounds of earth, stone, and shell, it is evident that it has been a large town and a place of note among the inhabitants of that day. A further reason is that the valley is easily approached from every direction. The valley is full of graves, placed as close as they can be in the ground. It has been in cultivation sixty-five years. Before it was cleared it was covered with a dense forest of trees, some of which are from 4 to 6 feet in diameter. Even on the tops of these mounds trees were standing (of the oak and poplar species) measuring 4 and 5 feet in diameter. At the time the valley was cleared it was not known that there were any graves there.
The graves are of all sizes, varying from 18 inches to 6 feet in length and the usual size in width. The coffins are made of slate-rock slabs (which now seems to be plentiful 4 miles up the creek, where there is a large quarry), and are generally neatly polished. The bones and pottery are now found from 18 to 20 inches below the surface of the ground. The coffins are constructed in the following manner: They first placed on the bottom of the grave one or two slabs of slate-work neatly polished and jointed closely together in the middle when they had to use two of them; they next placed one at the head and one at the foot of the grave; then they set up one or two, as the case required, on edge on both sides, neatly fitted together in the middle and at the ends, which forms a box. They next took one or two pieces, as the size of the coffin demanded, neatly polished and jointed together in the middle and at the ends, and placed them on for the lid, projecting on all sides from 2 to 4 inches. Occasionally we find a grave where they have used limestone instead of slate rock.
On the east side of the creek, about 100 yards from its bank, is the grand earthen mound, which is larger and higher than any of the others in the valley. All the graves as a general rule face this grand mound; but occasionally, owing to the rock in the ground, this rule is varied and the direction changed, showing that closeness or compactness was their leading idea.
The mounds referred to in this valley and vicinity are composed both of earth and stone, and are found on both sides of the creek. The
