Major General Benjamin Lincoln

Lincoln County’s Name: A Revolutionary Tribute

When Lincoln County was formed in 1809, the Tennessee legislature wasn’t tipping its hat to Abraham Lincoln—he was still a 9-year-old farm kid in Kentucky with no speeches, stovepipe hat, or presidential beard to his name. Instead, they chose Major General Benjamin Lincoln, a Revolutionary War officer whose career was a masterclass in persistence, redemption, and taking the long way around to victory.

Lincoln began the war as a Massachusetts farmer and quickly rose through the ranks to become one of George Washington’s most trusted generals. In 1780, he faced what most would call a career-ending disaster—surrendering Charleston, South Carolina, to the British along with over 5,000 American troops. For many men, that would have been the end of their story (and maybe their appetite for public life).

But Lincoln wasn’t one to slink away quietly. By 1781, Washington had brought him back as second-in-command for the Siege of Yorktown. When British General Cornwallis refused to appear for the surrender, Washington sent Lincoln to accept the ceremonial sword—turning the sting of Charleston into one of the war’s most poetic reversals.

After the Revolution, Lincoln became the nation’s first U.S. Secretary of War, helped put down Shays’ Rebellion, and served as the Collector of the Port of Boston until his death in 1810. Naming the county after him was more than a polite nod—it was a salute to resilience, loyalty, and the idea that your biggest setback might just be the setup for your defining moment.

“We are now to depend upon ourselves.”

—General Benjamin Lincoln