Jacob Lonas House, TN 169 (Middlebrook Pike) and Old Weisgarber Road, Knoxville, TN (Pic from Google Streetview accessed 12/20/2010)

Jacob Lonas House, TN 169 (Middlebrook Pike) and Old Weisgarber Road, Knoxville, TN (Pic from Microsoft Bing Maps accessed 12/20/2010)

Jacob Lonas built this house in 1858.  This residence became a Tennessee frontier museum; a long rifle used in the Battle of King’s Mountain hung on the wall; a grandfather’s clock, bought about 1775, kept time; an old sea-shell trumpet, used in calling men from the fields at mealtime and as a warning signal against Indian marauders, was another prized relic.  A cedar chest with a secret drawer, that was long forgotten, contained documents dated 1791 and 1795.  Among the books were a pocket-size military dictionary, published in London in 1702, and several Bibles printed in Germany.  One of these Bibles, which contained a picture of Martin Luther, was believed to have been printed shortly after his death.