When first split off of Knox County, Roane County was called Gallatin County in honor of Albert Gallatin, the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury.  It was quickly switched to Roane County to honor Archibald Roane, the second governor of Tennessee. 

 

Archibald Roane was a well-educated Pennsylvania-native who had served with George Washington during the American Revolution.  Roane made the Delaware Crossing with Washington in 1776 and was present at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown.  A lawyer, Roane enhanced his reputation when he became the tutor of Hugh Lawson White, son of the founder of Knoxville and a future presidential candidate.  

 

Roane was a member of the state constitutional convention in 1796, and was elected to succeed John Sevier as governor and served from 1801 through 1803.  He was the first governor to outlaw dueling and the first governor to use the Tennessee State Seal.  Roane used it on April 24, 1802, on a document ordering payment for the seal. 

 

During his term as governor, Roane served as trustee of Tennessee’s first three colleges:  Blount College, now the University of Tennessee; Greenville College, and Washington College. 

 

Some interesting facts:  Roane County has more shoreline than in any other East Tennessee county, with 783 miles on Watts Bar Lake, made up of the Tennessee, Clinch and Emory rivers.