Aftermath of the wars Chickamauga Cherokee

the primary areas of operations during chickamauga wars, showing more prominent settlements of war , postwar lower towns in lower left quarter

for decade or more after end of hostilities, northern section of upper towns had own council , acknowledged top headman of overhill towns leader. gradually had move south due ceding of land united states.

john mcdonald returned old home on chickamauga river, across old chickamauga town, , lived there until selling in 1816. purchased boston-based american board of commissioners foreign missions use brainerd mission, served both church (named baptist church of christ @ chickamauga) , school offering academic , vocational training. daughter, mollie mcdonald, , son-in-law, daniel ross, developed farm , trading post near old village of chatanuga (tsatanugi) days of wars. settled near them sons lewis , andrew ross, , number of daughters. son john ross, born @ turkey town, later rose become principal chief, guiding cherokee through indian removals of 1830s , relocation indian territory west of mississippi river.

the majority of lower cherokee remained in towns inhabited in 1794, known lower towns, seat @ willstown. leaders john watts, bloody fellow, doublehead, black fox, pathkiller, dick justice, glass, tahlonteeskee (brother of doublehead); nephew john jolly (ahuludiski, adoptive father of sam houston); john brown (owner of brown s tavern, brown s landing, , brown s ferry, judge of chickamauga district of young cherokee nation); young dragging canoe, richard fields, , red-headed weber, whom titsohili called willstown, among others. former warriors of lower towns dominated political affairs of nation next twenty years. more conservative leaders of upper towns, adopting many elements of assimilation keeping many of old ways possible.

roughly speaking, lower towns south , southwest of hiwassee river along tennessee down north border of muscogee nation, , west of conasauga , ustanali in georgia, while upper towns north , east of hiwassee , between chattahoochee river , conasauga. latter approximately same area later amohee, chickamauga, , chattooga districts of cherokee nation east.

also traditional settlements of cherokee in highlands of western north carolina, had become known hill towns, seat @ quallatown. similarly, lowland valley towns, seat @ tuskquitee, more traditional, upper town of etowah. notable both being inhabited full-bloods (as many cherokee of other towns of mixed race identified cherokee) , being largest town in cherokee nation. overhill towns remaining along little tennessee remained more or less autonomous, , kept seat @ chota.

all 5 regions had own councils. these more important people nominal nation council until reorganization in 1810, took place after national council held year @ willstown.

peacetime leaders of lower towns

john watts remained head of council of lower cherokee @ willstown until death in 1802. afterward, doublehead, member of triumvirate, moved position , held until death in 1807. assassinated ridge, alexander saunders (best friend james vann), , john rogers. latter white former trader had first come west dragging canoe in 1777. 1802 considered member of nation, , allowed sit on council. succeeded on council glass, assistant principal chief of nation black fox. glass head of lower towns council until unification council of 1810.

the ridge (ganundalegi), formerly known pathkiller (nunnehidihi), illustration history of indian tribes of north america.

by time john norton (a mohawk of cherokee , scottish ancestry) visited area in 1809–1810, many of formerly militant cherokee of lower towns among assimilated members. james vann, instance, became major planter, holding more 100 african-american slaves, , 1 of wealthiest men east of mississippi. norton became personal friend of turtle-at-home john walker, jr., , glass, of whom involved in business , commerce. @ time of norton s visit, turtle-at-home owned ferry landing on federal road between nashville, tennessee , athens, georgia, lived @ nickajack. community had expanded down tennessee across north, eclipsing running water.

when georgia , government increased pressure cherokee nation cede lands , remove west of mississippi river, such leaders of lower towns tahlonteeskee, degadoga, john jolly, richard fields, john brown, bob mclemore, john rogers, young dragging canoe, george guess (tsiskwaya, or sequoyah) , tatsi (aka captain dutch) forerunners. believing removal inevitable in face of settlers greed, wanted try best lands , settlements possible. moved followers arkansas territory, establishing later became known cherokee nation west. next moved indian territory following 1828 treaty between leaders , government. called old settlers in indian territory , lived there decade before remainder of cherokee forced join them.

likewise, remaining leaders of lower towns proved strongest advocates of voluntary westward emigration, in bitterly opposed former warriors , sons led upper towns. such leaders major ridge (as ridge had been known since military service during creek , first seminole wars), son john ridge, nephews elias boudinot , stand watie, came believe needed try negotiate best deal federal government, believed removal happen. other emigration advocates john walker, jr., david vann, , andrew ross (brother of principal chief john ross). agreed treaty of new echota in 1835, resulted in cherokee removal in 1838–1839.