Where Admiral Farragut Was Born

From the biography of the Admiral's biological father, Major George Farragut:

"On December 9, 1796, Farragut bought from Stokely Donelson six hundred and forty acres on the north bank of the Holston River. Later, in 1805, he executed a mortgage for a part of this land, and set forth in the mortgage deed that his dwelling house was on part of the tract. His residence was at a place called Stony Point which was afterwards known as Low's Ferry. There, (and not, as is usually supposed, at Campbell's Station), Admiral David Glasgow Farragut was born. Major George Farragut, so far as the records show, never owned land at Campbell's Station. In the records of the county court of Knox County for April session, 1797, it appears that license was granted Maj. Farragut to 'keep a public ferry at his own landing on Holston River at the place called Stony Point.' Campbell's Station was the nearest settlement to Stony Point, and the only place which could be shown on a map. This is probably why Admiral Farragut himself later referred to Campbell's Station as his birthplace. To speak of Stony Point, otherwise Low's Ferry, which was about four miles distant from Campbell's Station, would convey no idea to a person not familiar with the neighborhood. The mistake may be accounted for by a tradition, which has currency in Knox County, that there was once, near Low's Ferry, a camp-ground connected in some way with the name of Campbell, and prob- ably owned or operated by members of that family."

March 2011 Visit

March 2011 Visit