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The name "Clinch River" came from an early group of settlers. The story is that one of them fell in the fast-moving river, and that some in his party had to "clinch" hold of him tight to prevent him from drowning.


See footnote 23 in the related link.

Dr. Thomas Walker, in his journal of 1749-1750, mentions "Clinches River" named "from one Clinch a Hunter, who first found it."

The footnote 23 however relates an alternative theory postulated by Haywood, that "the river was named by a party of hunters: 'They named Clinch River and Clinch Mountain from the following circumstance. An Irishman was one of the company; in crossing the river he fell from the raft into it, and cried out clinch me, clinch me; meaning lay hold of me. The rest of the company unused to the phrase amused themselves at the expense of the Irishman and called the river Clinch.'"


So there you have it. The Clinch River was probably named after somebody named Clinch, and we don't know who he was, really.

Although, as I did, you will probably read and hear the other tradition ("clinch me!") as well. It's probably not true, but it's amusing, and as John Ford said, "when the legend becomes fact, print the legend."

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Q: How did Clinch River get its name?
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