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On Saturday, May 9, 2026, the Kings Mountain Chapter participated in the dedication of two Liberty Trees at the Old Deery Inn in Blountville, Tennessee. The event was held as part of the 250th Anniversary celebration of our Nation and the season opening of the Old Deery Inn. The trees were dedicated in honor of Capt. John Pemberton (1742–1819) and Col. Isaac Shelby (1750–1826).
Capt. John Pemberton formed a militia in late September 1780 to serve under Col. Isaac Shelby at the Battle of Kings Mountain. Volunteers mustered beneath a tree near the Virginia–Tennessee border on Pemberton’s property. Known as the Pemberton Oak, the tree became a historic landmark, providing shelter and serving as a muster ground for soldiers from several conflicts, including the War of 1812. Among those who gathered beneath its branches were frontier patriots whose actions helped turn the tide of the American Revolution.
The earliest known record of John Pemberton places him in Culpeper County, Virginia, where he purchased property in 1768. By 1781, he and his family had moved to Sullivan County, North Carolina, now Tennessee. On October 10, 1784, Pemberton received a North Carolina land grant of 306 acres on Little Sinking Creek in Sullivan County. He continued his military service after the Revolution and had attained the rank of colonel by 1788.
Col. Isaac Shelby, born December 11, 1750, in Hagerstown, Maryland, became one of the most significant frontier leaders of the American Revolution. After moving with his family to the area near present-day Bristol, Tennessee, Shelby gained experience as a militia officer, land surveyor, and frontier leader. During the Revolution, he helped lead patriot forces at Thickety Fort, Musgrove Mill, and Kings Mountain.
Shelby later served in the legislatures of Virginia and North Carolina before moving to Kentucky, where he became a leading advocate for statehood. In 1792, he was elected the first governor of Kentucky. He later returned to public service during the War of 1812, serving again as governor from 1812 to 1816. Isaac Shelby died on July 18, 1826.
Members of the Kings Mountain Color Guard participating in the ceremony were John Neth, Stephen Kirby, Rob Richmond, Ben Stonecypher (President of TNSSAR), and David Carr. Also in attendance were Sherrell Greene of the Stephen Holston Chapter and David Doan of the Watauga Chapter.
Capt. John Pemberton formed a militia in late September 1780 to serve under Col. Isaac Shelby at the Battle of Kings Mountain. Volunteers mustered beneath a tree near the Virginia–Tennessee border on Pemberton’s property. Known as the Pemberton Oak, the tree became a historic landmark, providing shelter and serving as a muster ground for soldiers from several conflicts, including the War of 1812. Among those who gathered beneath its branches were frontier patriots whose actions helped turn the tide of the American Revolution.
The earliest known record of John Pemberton places him in Culpeper County, Virginia, where he purchased property in 1768. By 1781, he and his family had moved to Sullivan County, North Carolina, now Tennessee. On October 10, 1784, Pemberton received a North Carolina land grant of 306 acres on Little Sinking Creek in Sullivan County. He continued his military service after the Revolution and had attained the rank of colonel by 1788.
Col. Isaac Shelby, born December 11, 1750, in Hagerstown, Maryland, became one of the most significant frontier leaders of the American Revolution. After moving with his family to the area near present-day Bristol, Tennessee, Shelby gained experience as a militia officer, land surveyor, and frontier leader. During the Revolution, he helped lead patriot forces at Thickety Fort, Musgrove Mill, and Kings Mountain.
Shelby later served in the legislatures of Virginia and North Carolina before moving to Kentucky, where he became a leading advocate for statehood. In 1792, he was elected the first governor of Kentucky. He later returned to public service during the War of 1812, serving again as governor from 1812 to 1816. Isaac Shelby died on July 18, 1826.
Members of the Kings Mountain Color Guard participating in the ceremony were John Neth, Stephen Kirby, Rob Richmond, Ben Stonecypher (President of TNSSAR), and David Carr. Also in attendance were Sherrell Greene of the Stephen Holston Chapter and David Doan of the Watauga Chapter.