The Indians May Be Led, but Will Not Be Drove the Creek Nation's Struggle for Control

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The Indians May Be Led, but Will Not Be Drove the Creek Nation's Struggle for Control “THE INDIANS MAY BE LED,BUT WILL NOT BE DROVE” THE CREEK INDIANS STRUGGLE FOR CONTROL OF ITS OWN DESTINY, 1783-1794 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Science By William David Cummings In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Major Department: History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies March 2016 Fargo, North Dakota North Dakota State University Graduate School Title “THE INDIANS MAY BE LED,BUT WILL NOT BE DROVE” THE CREEK INDIANS STRUGGLE FOR CONTROL OF ITS OWN DESTINY, 1783-1794 By William David Cummings The Supervisory Committee certifies that this disquisition complies with North Dakota State University’s regulations and meets the accepted standards for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE: Thomas D. Isern Chair John Cox Mark Harvey Jo Ann Miller William Caraher Approved: March 30, 2016 John Cox Date Department Chair ABSTRACT History tends to portray the interactions between Euro-American settlers and native Indian Nations as one in which Euro-American settlers imposed dominance on the Indians. This work takes an in-depth look at the relationship between the Creek Nation and the Euro-American settlers of Georgia in the early years of the American republic and shows the Creeks in control of their own destiny, as well as the destiny of Georgia and the young republic. The core argument is that the nature of the Creek nation allowed them to maintain autonomy while affecting the physical development of the United States From Massachusetts to Carolina various Native American nations had tried to fend off Euro-American expansion but were forced off their land in short order. The Creek Nation considered Georgia and its settlers to be usurpers without valid claim to Indian land, and put forth a near impenetrable defense of their claim for over a decade. The Creeks steadfastly maintained their claim to the land between the Ogeechee River and the Oconee River, and declared war to enforce the boundary on their terms. In their struggle, primarily with the state of Georgia, new leaders emerged and new polities replaced old traditions. This was a significant accomplishment when one considers the lack of any form of political unity around which to take a stand against the expansionist plans of Georgia. This study will show that the Creeks succeeded because a common determination united the nation in its opposition to Georgia’s attempts to take their land, while its political disunity prevented any group less than the whole from negotiating effectively concerning their land. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS As with any endeavor of this magnitude I owe a great debt to many who have selflessly supported me. I wish to first thank my Committee who helped me understand that what is on the surface can be an illusion, and that deeper investigation exposes a more profound understanding of reality. To the research assistants at the Georgia Historical Society, The Georgia State Archives, the University of Georgia Library Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Collection, The Library of Congress, the University of Virginia Library, The International Center for Jefferson Studies, the Gilder-Lehrman Institute of American History, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. To my Advisor, Dr. Tom Isern who spent many hours directing me to look at different angles and to narrow my focus. To my family and friends who have put up with my eccentricities as I submerged myself in the research and writing of this document. And especially to my wife, Diana, who put up with long periods of absence, both while I was on the road, and while I disappeared into my office. iv PREFACE The Creek nation, in the last quarter of the eighteenth century, spread over most of the present-day states of Georgia and Alabama. Politically disunited, the nation was comprised of some one hundred towns, each of which operated fairly independently of the others. They did not all speak the same language, and there were distinct differences in culture and spiritual beliefs. Yet, they still considered themselves one nation, and shared many cultural elements that formed the basis of a common identity. Following the American Revolutionary War, during which many towns fought with the British, the newly formed state of Georgia made demands of land as reparations for damage done by Creeks during the war. The Creeks refused to cede the required land, and a group of towns declared war to prevent Georgia from taking it. This amplified the disunity between the towns over how to maintain control of their lands, some committing acts of war, while others tried to negotiate treaties. Yet, despite the changing positions of towns and leaders throughout the struggle, the Creeks shared one common motivator; they would not part with their land. They maintained this motivation with varying degrees of success for nearly sixty years. Two centuries later, while traveling across the Georgia back roads in 2004, I happened upon a historical marker placed in memory of the so-called “Trans-Oconee Republic,” a political entity created out of the convoluted Georgia political scene during the early republic era. Further investigation led me to the Oconee War. As I researched this war, I found plenty of mention, and plenty of documents, but no full treatment of the topic. I continued to read on these topics casually, but had other priorities. During this period of study I wrote a paper on the Lenape nation, also known as the Delaware nation, examining the relationship between that nation and the Euro-American v authorities from the colonial period through the nineteenth century. The Delaware were one of the largest and most powerful indigenous nations at the time of colonization, controlling the Delaware watershed and parts of the lower Hudson River Valley. It was they who sold Manhattan to Peter Minuit. From that point on the history of the Delaware is one of constant cessions of land to the colonists and the United States. They were the first Native American nation to sign a treaty with the United States. By the late twentieth century, tribal holdings were reduced to a single house on Barbara Street in Bartlesville, Oklahoma (which remains their only real property holding). Similarly, the histories of other Native American nations followed a similar suite. Like the Creek Nation, many fought to maintain control of their lands and their destiny. But virtually all others were forced off of their ancestral lands, or what they claimed as ancestral lands, within one or two decades. As I continued my studies, formal and informal, I came to realize that this story, the story of the war between the Creek Nation and Georgia during the first years of the American republic, was different, and had never been addressed fully. The Creek Nation was able to withstand the onslaught of settlers clamoring for extinguishment of their title for nearly sixty years. While nearly all of the Native Americans nations previously living in the northern states had their titles extinguished by 1840, the Creeks still controlled their land in western Georgia and nearly half of Alabama. Additionally, by the nature of the Creek actions to prevent further western expansion into their territory, they maintained a buffer so that the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations were still in control of most of their ancestral lands, as well. Indeed, the three tribes lands would be apportioned, and members of all three still held title nearly to the Civil War. vi I heard, more than once, that if the story hasn’t been told in two hundred years then maybe no one has thought it worth telling. My reaction to that line of thought is that this narrative forms the basis for understanding relations between Native Americans and Euro- Americans from the beginning of our country at least through end of the Plains Indian Wars. The precedents set on the frontier between Georgia and the Creek Nation cannot simply be over-looked. While this research focuses only on the years 1783-94, this particular confrontation would last for nearly five more decades. These events would lead, eventually, to the infamous Indian Removal Acts, and further, to the reservation system imposed on all Indian nations. Tribes had been forced off their lands before, in the north and east, and some had been virtually eradicated. But what happened in the Old Southwest in the 1780s was different in nature and outcome from what happened in the north. This conflict started the march toward removal and to reservations. Understanding what happened in Georgia, then, is just as important as understanding the conflicts in the Ohio River Region. The initial purpose of this study is to present the narrative of the events that occurred during the period presented. Subsequently, the narrative can be used as a basis for comparative study of Native American tactics in opposing Euro-American expansion, processes used in treaty-making, or long-term analysis of the development of social attitudes based on confrontational diplomacy. Discovering the narrative is the first step in understanding and presenting the historical truths from any period. In fact, trying to interpret or apply the lessons contained in an event without first establishing the narrative is, to borrow a term from homiletics, proof-texting, i.e., presenting an opinion, then finding texts to support that opinion. vii This leads to concerns about the nature of narrative. The same problems that can occur in proof-texting can occur in the creation of a narrative, especially when so much documentation must be omitted. Whereas some branches of historical study are plagued by a lack of documents, or documents whose veracity are highly suspect, the modern historian faces a flood of evidence that must be carefully considered and sifted, and editorial choices must be made.
Recommended publications
  • National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form
    NFS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 (3-82) Exp. 10-31-84 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service For NFS use only National Register of Historic Places received Inventory Nomination Form date entered See instructions in How to Complete National Register Forms Type all entries complete applicable sections 1. Name historic Creek National Capitol and or common Creek Council House 2. Location street & number Sixth S tree t Grand Ave . not for publication city, town Okmulgee __ vicinity of state Oklahoma code 40 county Okmulgee code HI 3. Classification Category Ownership Status Present Use X district public occupied agriculture museum building(s) private unoccupied commercial park structure both work in progress educational private residence site Public Acquisition Accessible entertainment religious object in process __ yes: restricted government scientific being considered yes: unrestricted industrial transportation no military other: 4. Owner of Property name City of Okmulgee (c/o Councilhouse Board current chairman: Cleo Wallace) (Ms. T.A. Sunshine King, Director, Creek Council House street & number ————————————————-———————————————————————Museum) city, town Okmulgee vicinity of state Oklahoma 5. Location of Legal Description courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. County Clerk street & number Okmulgee County Courthose city, town Okmulgee state Oklahoma 6, Representation in Existing Surveys tme_ has this property been determined eligible? yes ^ no date federal _ state __ county local depository for survey records city, town state 7. Description Condition Check one Check one __„ excellent __ deteriorated unaltered x original site .JC_ good . __ ruins X altered moved date __fair unexposed Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance The Creek National Capitol is located on a pleasantly landscaped square city block in downtown Okmulgee, Oklahoma.
    [Show full text]
  • The Biomolecular Archaeology of the Black Drink: Alkaloid Residue Analysis of Ilex Vomitoria on Experimental Vessels and Applications for Prehistoric Specimens
    The Biomolecular Archaeology of the Black Drink: Alkaloid Residue Analysis of Ilex vomitoria on Experimental Vessels and Applications for Prehistoric Specimens Paper presented at the 2011 Southeastern Archaeological Conference, Jacksonville, Florida Shannon Tushingham1*, Matthew Palumbo2, Charles H. McNutt3, and Ulla Anderson4 1Department of Anthropology, Washington State University’ 2Department of Biology, University of Florida; 3Department of Anthropology, University of Memphis; 4Department of Chemistry, UC Berkeley; *Corresponding Author: [email protected] ABSTRACT Early historic accounts document widespread use of a purgative known as “the black drink”, a caffeinated ceremonial tea famous for its use in purification rituals by elite males. The beverage was prepared from roasted leaves and twigs of yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria), an evergreen shrub native to the southeastern coastal plain. Prehistoric use is poorly understood but often associated with shell cups found in mortuary contexts and the SECC. Our work, designed to track ancient use of psychoactive plants via Gas Chromatography‐Mass Spectrometry, includes identification of medicinal tea biomarkers, experimentation with brewing black drink, and residue extraction from pottery/shell specimens. Sampling included preparing and extracting a range of experimental vessels which served different functions in black drink cooking and consumption (cooking vessels, clay and shell cups), with extractions taken directly from the vessels and from tea residue on vessel interiors. Our findings suggest that chemical changes occur through the cooking process, but the presence of the biomarker caffeine remains stable and correlated the experimental vessels to the Ilex vomitoria plant in all but one case. We also describe the non‐destructive method we developed where alkaloid residues can be extracted directly from the matrix of prehistoric shell cups and pottery vessels through a sonication process.
    [Show full text]
  • Kettle Creek Battlefield American Revolutionary War National Park Study
    Kettle Creek Battlefield American Revolutionary War National Park Study Remarks by N. Walker Chewning Chairman of the Board of the Kettle Creek Battlefield Association April 2, 2019 Good Afternoon! Why does the Kettle Creek Battlefield in Georgia during the American Revolution in 1779 deserve your attention? First: • As soon as most people hear “Georgia” they think of the Civil War. • That was an important conflict, but today we are focusing on the American Revolution: the war that led to the formation of the United States of America… • …and the War that has resulted in all of us being able to meet together- here- today. Second: • There were several American Revolutionary War engagements in the Colony of Georgia during the War for Independence… • … but the Battle of Kettle Creek was the only engagement the Patriots won in Georgia. Third: • The Kettle Creek Battlefield is ALSO A CEMETERY FOR SOLDIERS who died in that battle. • 18 graves have been located by cadaver dogs and verified by ground penetrating radar, archaeological studies of grave sites, and soil analysis. Fourth: • The Kettle Creek Battlefield is a pristine site: After the battle, the area returned to its agricultural roots. No development has been made to the currently-owned 252.5 acres in over 200 years. Fifth: • In 2019, the State of Georgia, the 13th American Colony, has NO American Revolutionary War National Parks. How did the American War for Independence come to Georgia? • The American Revolution began in Massachusetts in 1775. • Despite numerous battles to subdue the American Revolution in the Northern Colonies, by 1777, the war was at a stalemate.
    [Show full text]
  • PETITION Ror,RECOGNITION of the FLORIDA TRIBE Or EASTERN CREEK INDIANS
    'l PETITION rOR,RECOGNITION OF THE FLORIDA TRIBE or EASTERN CREEK INDIANS TH;: FLORIDA TRIBE OF EASTERN CREEK INDIANS and the Administra­ tive Council, THE NORTHWEST FLORIDA CREEK INDIAN COUNCIL brings this, thew petition to the DEPARTMENT Or THE INTERIOR OF THE FEDERAL GOVERN- MENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, and prays this honorable nation will honor their petition, which is a petition for recognition by this great nation that THE FLORIDA TRIBE OF EASTERN CREEK INDIANS is an Indian Tribe. In support of this plea for recognition THE FLORIDA TRIBE OF EASTERN CREEK INDIANS herewith avers: (1) THE FLORIDA TRIBE OF EASTERN CREEK INDIANS nor any of its members, is the subject of Congressional legislation which has expressly terminated or forbidden the Federal relationship sought. (2) The membership of THE FLORIDA TRIBE OF EASTERN CREEK INDIANS is composed principally of persons who are not members of any other North American Indian tribe. (3) A list of all known current members of THE FLORIDA TRIBE OF EASTERN CREEK INDIANS, based on the tribes acceptance of these members and the tribes own defined membership criteria is attached to this petition and made a part of it. SEE APPENDIX----- A The membership consists of individuals who are descendants of the CREEK NATION which existed in aboriginal times, using and occuping this present georgraphical location alone, and in conjunction with other people since that time. - l - MNF-PFD-V001-D0002 Page 1of4 (4) Attached herewith and made a part of this petition is the present governing Constitution of THE FLORIDA TRIBE OF EASTERN CREEKS INDIANS.
    [Show full text]
  • The SAR Colorguardsman
    The SAR Colorguardsman National Society, Sons of the American Revolution Vol. 5 No. 1 April 2016 Patriots Day Inside This Issue Commanders Message Reports from the Field - 11 Societies From the Vice-Commander Waxhaws and Machias Old Survivor of the Revolution Color Guard Commanders James Barham Jr Color Guard Events 2016 The SAR Colorguardsman Page 2 The purpose of this Commander’s Report Magazine is to o the National Color Guard members, my report for the half year starts provide in July 2015. My first act as Color Guard commander was at Point interesting TPleasant WVA. I had great time with the Color Guard from the near articles about the by states. My host for the 3 days was Steve Hart from WVA. Steve is from my Home town in Maryland. My second trip was to South Carolina to Kings Revolutionary War and Mountain. My host there was Mark Anthony we had members from North Car- information olina and South Carolina and from Georgia and Florida we had a great time at regarding the Kings Mountain. Went home for needed rest over 2000 miles on that trip. That activities of your chapter weekend was back in the car to VA and the Tomb of the Unknown. Went home to get with the MD Color Guard for a trip to Yorktown VA for Yorktown Day. and/or state color guards Went back home for events in MD for Nov. and Dec. Back to VA for the Battle of Great Bridge VA. In January I was back to SC for the Battle of Cowpens - again had a good time in SC.
    [Show full text]
  • Trailword.Pdf
    NPS Form 10-900-b OMB No. 1024-0018 (March 1992) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Form This form is used for documenting multiple property groups relating to one or several historic contexts. See instructions in How to Complete the Multiple Property Documentation Form (National Register Bulletin 16B). Complete each item by entering the requested information. For additional space, use continuation sheets (Form 10-900-a). Use a typewriter, word processor, or computer to complete all items. _X___ New Submission ____ Amended Submission ======================================================================================================= A. Name of Multiple Property Listing ======================================================================================================= Historic and Historical Archaeological Resources of the Cherokee Trail of Tears ======================================================================================================= B. Associated Historic Contexts ======================================================================================================= (Name each associated historic context, identifying theme, geographical area, and chronological period for each.) See Continuation Sheet ======================================================================================================= C. Form Prepared by =======================================================================================================
    [Show full text]
  • The Cherokee Removal and the Fourteenth Amendment
    MAGLIOCCA.DOC 07/07/04 1:37 PM Duke Law Journal VOLUME 53 DECEMBER 2003 NUMBER 3 THE CHEROKEE REMOVAL AND THE FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT GERARD N. MAGLIOCCA† ABSTRACT This Article recasts the original understanding of the Fourteenth Amendment by showing how its drafters were influenced by the events that culminated in The Trail of Tears. A fresh review of the primary sources reveals that the removal of the Cherokee Tribe by President Andrew Jackson was a seminal moment that sparked the growth of the abolitionist movement and then shaped its thought for the next three decades on issues ranging from religious freedom to the antidiscrimination principle. When these same leaders wrote the Fourteenth Amendment, they expressly invoked the Cherokee Removal and the Supreme Court’s opinion in Worcester v. Georgia as relevant guideposts for interpreting the new constitutional text. The Article concludes by probing how that forgotten bond could provide the springboard for a reconsideration of free exercise and equal protection doctrine once courts begin exploring the meaning of this Cherokee Paradigm of the Fourteenth Amendment. Copyright © 2003 by Gerard N. Magliocca. † Assistant Professor, Indiana University School of Law—Indianapolis. J.D., Yale Law School, 1998; B.A., Stanford University, 1995. Many thanks to Bruce Ackerman, Bill Bradford, Daniel Cole, Kenny Crews, Brian C. Kalt, Robert Katz, Mary Mitchell, Allison Moore, Amanda L. Tyler, George Wright, and the members of the Northwestern University School of Law Constitutional Colloquium for their insights. Special thanks to Michael C. Dorf, Gary Lawson, Sandy Levinson, and Michael Klarman, who provided generous comments even though we had never met.
    [Show full text]
  • Creating a Sense of Communityamong the Capital City Cherokees
    CREATING A SENSE OF COMMUNITYAMONG THE CAPITAL CITY CHEROKEES by Pamela Parks Tinker A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of George Mason University in Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts Interdisciplinary Studies Committee: ____________________________________ Director ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ Program Director ____________________________________ Dean, College of Humanities and Social Sciences Date:________________________________ Spring 2016 George Mason University Fairfax, VA Creating a Sense Of Community Among Capital City Cherokees A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Interdisciplinary Studies at George Mason University By Pamela Parks Tinker Bachelor of Science Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University 1975 Director: Meredith H. Lair, Professor Department of History Spring Semester 2016 George Mason University Fairfax, Virginia Copyright 2016 Pamela Parks Tinker All Rights Reserved ii Acknowledgements Thanks to the Capital City Cherokee Community for allowing me to study the formation of the community and for making time for personal interviews. I am grateful for the guidance offered by my Thesis Committee of three professors. Thesis Committee Chair, Professor Maria Dakake, also served as my advisor over a period of years in planning a course of study that truly has been interdisciplinary. It has been a joyful situation to be admitted to a variety of history, religion and spirituality, folklore, ethnographic writing, and research courses under the umbrella of one Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies program. Much of the inspiration for this thesis occurred at George Mason University in Professor Debra Lattanzi Shutika’s Folklore class on “Sense of Place” in which the world of Ethnography opened up for me.
    [Show full text]
  • State Judicial Profiles by County 2019-2020
    ALWAYS KNOW WHAT LIES AHEAD STATE JUDICIAL PROFILES BY COUNTY 2019-2020 PREPARED BY THE MEMBER FIRMS OF ® ® USLAW NETWORK STATE JUDICIAL PROFILE BY COUNTY USLAW is your home field advantage. The home field advantage comes from knowing and understanding the venue in a way that allows a competitive advantage – a truism in both sports and business. Jurisdictional awareness is a key ingredient to successfully operating throughout the United States and abroad. Knowing the local rules, the judge, and the local business and legal environment provides our firms’ clients this advantage. USLAW NETWORK bring this advantage to its member firms’ clients with the strength and power of a national presence combined with the understanding of a respected local firm. In order to best serve clients, USLAW NETWORK biennially updates its county- by-county jurisdictional profile, including key court decisions and results that change the legal landscape in various states. The document is supported by the common consensus of member firm lawyers whose understanding of each jurisdiction is based on personal experience and opinion. Please remember that the state county-by-county comparisons are in-state comparisons and not comparisons between states. There are a multitude of factors that go into such subjective observations that can only be developed over years of experience and participation. We are pleased on behalf of USLAW NETWORK to provide you with this jurisdictional snapshot. The information here is a great starter for discussion with the local USLAW member firm on how you can succeed in any jurisdiction. This conversation supplements the snapshot because as we all know as with many things in life, jurisdictions can change quickly.
    [Show full text]
  • Challenge Bowl 2020
    Notice: study guide will be updated after the December general election. Sponsored by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Challenge Bowl 2020 High School Study Guide Sponsored by the Challenge Bowl 2020 Muscogee (Creek) Nation Table of Contents A Struggle To Survive ................................................................................................................................ 3-4 1. Muscogee History ......................................................................................................... 5-30 2. Muscogee Forced Removal ........................................................................................... 31-50 3. Muscogee Customs & Traditions .................................................................................. 51-62 4. Branches of Government .............................................................................................. 63-76 5. Muscogee Royalty ........................................................................................................ 77-79 6. Muscogee (Creek) Nation Seal ...................................................................................... 80-81 7. Belvin Hill Scholarship .................................................................................................. 82-83 8. Wilbur Chebon Gouge Honors Team ............................................................................. 84-85 9. Chronicles of Oklahoma ............................................................................................... 86-97 10. Legends & Stories ......................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Roots and Routes
    1 ROOTS AND ROUTES The journey embarked upon by Black Loyalists destined for the Baha- mas was not marked by a rupture from their past experiences in colonial America, but rather reflected a continuity shaped by conditions of en- slavement and their entry into a British colony as persons of color. Like West African victims of the transatlantic slave trade, Black Loyalists arriv- ing in the Bahamas did not come as a tabula rasa, but rather brought with them various ideas aboutproof religion, land, politics, and even freedom. Thus, upon arrival in the Bahamas the lessons of the Revolutionary War were appropriated and reinterpreted by Black Loyalist men and women in a va- riety of ways, often with varying consequences. Such complex transmuta- tions within the Bahamas invite an analytical approach that examines the roots of such thought as it emerged out of the social and political world of colonial British North America. A brief examination of leading Black Loyalists in the Bahamas demon- strates that the world they lived in was indelibly shaped by the world they left behind. Prince Williams’ remarkable story began in colonial Georgia where he was born free, but was later “cheated out of his freedom and sold to an American.”1 Although his slave owner is never mentioned by name, Williams’ account reveals that he was forced to serve “this man” when “the British troops came to Georgia.” Taking advantage of the chaos of the American Revolution, Williams, in an act of self-assertion, escaped to the British side in order to claim freedom as a Black Loyalist.
    [Show full text]
  • United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma Hosts Keetoowah Cherokee Language Classes Throughout the Tribal Jurisdictional Area on an Ongoing Basis
    OKLAHOMA INDIAN TRIBE EDUCATION GUIDE United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma (Oklahoma Social Studies Standards, OSDE) Tribe: United Keetoowah (ki-tu’-wa ) Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma Tribal website(s): www.keetoowahcherokee.org 1. Migration/movement/forced removal Oklahoma History C3 Standard 2.3 “Integrate visual and textual evidence to explain the reasons for and trace the migrations of Native American peoples including the Five Tribes into present-day Oklahoma, the Indian Removal Act of 1830, and tribal resistance to the forced relocations.” Oklahoma History C3 Standard 2.7 “Compare and contrast multiple points of view to evaluate the impact of the Dawes Act which resulted in the loss of tribal communal lands and the redistribution of lands by various means including land runs as typified by the Unassigned Lands and the Cherokee Outlet, lotteries, and tribal allotments.” Original Homeland Archeologists say that Keetoowah/Cherokee families began migrating to a new home in Arkansas by the late 1790's. A Cherokee delegation requested the President divide the upper towns, whose people wanted to establish a regular government, from the lower towns who wanted to continue living traditionally. On January 9, 1809, the President of the United States allowed the lower towns to send an exploring party to find suitable lands on the Arkansas and White Rivers. Seven of the most trusted men explored locations both in what is now Western Arkansas and also Northeastern Oklahoma. The people of the lower towns desired to remove across the Mississippi to this area, onto vacant lands within the United States so that they might continue the traditional Cherokee life.
    [Show full text]