Note 51 — Chapter XXI
Reading edition
The first newspaper published in Western Tennessee was the Tennessee Gazette, begun in 1797; its name was changed to the Nashville Clarion, in 1800.
One of the acts of Robertson, founder of Nashville, was to secure from the North Carolina legislature, in 1785, a bill for the “promotion of learning in Davidson County.” A tract of land was granted, and the school organized as Davidson Academy; this became Cumberland College in 1806. The year of Michaux’s visit, a plan was made for the erection of a building, which was not completed until 1807, and now forms part of Vanderbilt University.
Michaux seems to be in error in calling Moses Fisk the president of this college; he solicited funds to keep the Academy in Nashville, but James Craighead was president until 1809.—Ed.