June 28, 1843: The Jonesborough Whig and Independent Journal reported, âAs to the crowd in attendance here, on Monday, it is variously estimated â at from two to four thousand. Of one thing we are certain, to wit, that we never have seen as large a concourse of people in the town of Jonesborough. And the orators themselves, declared the assembly to be the largest they had addressed during the campaign.
Reading other articles in that issue of the newspaper, it is likely that the orators referred to were James Jones, who was the Governor of Tennessee during that time, and James Polk, who was Governor of Tennessee from 1839-1841. Polk later became President of the United States.