Members of the Cherokee Nation inhabited the land south of the Hiwassee River when Tennessee became a state in 1796. It was not until the signing of the Treaty of New Echota on December 29, 1835 that the Cherokee Indians were forced to give up their remaining land to the United States Government. This treaty opened up land for the white man in this area known as the Ocoee District.
Although the treaty was to give the Indians two years to move off the land, most of the land was immediately occupied by white men.
According to Chapter no. 32 of the Private Acts of Tennessee passed February 10, 1836 as published in the book entitled "Reflections Past and Present" Bradley County was named in honor and to perpetuate the memory of Col. Edward Bradley. In this same official state document, Cleveland was to be the name of the county seat once the new government determined the location of where the town would be built.
Little is known about Col. Bradley other than he was a land owner in Davidson and Shelby Counties. Bradley was a horse enthusiast and built one of Nashville’s first horse racing tracks. We know that Bradley was good friends with President Andrew Jackson.
The first Bradley County court met on May 30, 1836 to call for an election to determine the site for the county seat which would be called Cleveland. Taylor’s Place, a favorite stopping place owned by Andrew Taylor won by one vote. The name, Taylor’s Place was changed to honor Col. Benjamin Cleveland, a Revolutionary War hero who had fought at King’s Mountain.
This land that we live and work on was once occupied by Cherokee Indians, it held names that were Indian, but white men prevailed and changed the names to honor it’s own.
Our area was established after a treaty with the Indians that was not enforced. Bradley county and Cleveland were named by the Tennessee General Assembly in a private act and were designated to be placed in the area known as the Ocoee District of South East Tennessee.
Cleveland and Bradley County are named after brave men who fought for freedom. They served heroically and as such were honored by the naming of Cleveland and Bradley County Tennessee.