DeKalb County, Tennessee: History
DeKalb County was formed in 1837. It was the site of several saltpeter mines, the main ingredient of gunpowder obtained by leaching the earth from several local caves. Overall Cave was named for Abraham Overall who moved from Luray, Virginia, and settled near the present site of Liberty in 1805. He reportedly had many slaves and owned a large plantation on which Overall Cave is located. Two saltpeter leaching vats in the cave may date from the War of 1812, although this area was mined again during the Civil War. Other caves in DeKalb County that were mined for saltpeter include Avant Cave, located near Dowelltown, Indian Grave Point Cave, located in the Dry Creek Valley, and Temperance Saltpeter Cave, located near Temperance Hall.
Unlike most of generally pro-Confederate Middle Tennessee, DeKalb County was seriously divided during the Civil War. In Tennessee's Ordinance of Secession referendum on June 8, 1861, DeKalb County voted to secede only by a margin of 833 to 642, which constituted the smallest margin by any county voting to secede. Earlier on February 9, 1861, DeKalb County voters had voted against holding a secession convention by a margin of 1,009 to 336.