Finding Aid: Eastern Band Cherokee Papers
Institution: Thomas Gilcrease Library and Archive
Language of Material: English
Description: 26 items
Period covered: 1752 - 1907
Collection summary derived from "Guidebook to Manuscripts", 1969: The Eastern Band of Cherokees were those who, under the leadership of John Ross, did not subscribe to the treaty of New Echota (1835) and had to be removed by force to the Western lands.
However, there had been emigration to the West as early as 1810 by groups who wished to leave Georgia and the term "Western Cherokees" was applied to this group as well as to later emigrants. The papers in the Gilcrease files labeled "Eastern Band" generally apply to any Cherokees who were living in the East instead of the West before emigration.
One document, dated 1752, is a bill to "The Publick of South Carolina" by Thomas Nightingale for the pasturage of Indian horses. Other papers in the 1750's are about supplying Indians with entertainment and food. In 1795 the Governor issued an order to William Blount for clothes for two Indians, and in 1797 a bill to the U. S. Government from Anthony Foster for goods delivered to Cherokees " . . . in consequence of two Indians being killed ... " is included.
Also contained in the collection is an 1872 document concerning the choice of John Ross as attorney for the Eastern Cherokees and a copy of the minutes of a meeting of the Council, October, 1876. There is a handwritten list of names called "Roll A" of certain Eastern Cherokees. Included as well is Elijah Hicks' marriage license, dated June, 1829.
Background: Staff, interns, and volunteers of the Thomas Gilcrease Library and Archive have contributed to the organization and maintenance of the files since the collection passed to the City of Tulsa in the 1950s. The Gilcrease Foundation acquired these materials before 1964 and is housed in the Helmerich Center for American Research (HCAR). The library currently receives most materials through community donation, board members, artists and the acquisition of manuscript collections.
Restrictions: Please, contact the Rights and Reproduction Department for information on publishing or reproducing materials included in these records. Permission will be granted by the Gilcrease Museum as the owner of the physical materials, and does not imply permission from the copyright holder. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all necessary permissions from the copyright holder.
http://gilcrease.utulsa.edu/Visit/During-Your-Visit/Policies/Reproductio...
Availability: This collection is open for use by appointment only at the Helmerich Center for American Research (HCAR). Contact the Library at 918-631-6441 or renee-harvey@utulsa.edu in advance to inquire if materials exist pertaining to your research interests.
Arrangement | Title | Description | Date |
---|---|---|---|
John Howard Payne, Folder 2 | Bill of Thomas Nightingale to the Public of South Carolina for services rendered |
Bill of Thomas Nightingale to the Public of South Carolina for services rendered |
January 28, 1754 |
John Howard Payne, Folder 3 | Bill of William McKelvey to the Public for services rendered |
Bill of William McKelvey to the public for services rendered |
May 15 and 17, 1755 |
John Howard Payne, Folder 4 | Order by William Pinckney, Governor of South Carolina |
Order by William. Pinckney, Governor of South Carolina requesting citizens to provide subsistence to the Cherokee headmen returning from the meeting in Charles Town. |
May 24, 1755 |
John Howard Payne, Folder 5 | Bill of James McKelvey to the Public for services |
Bill of James McKelvey to the Public for services rendered to the Cherokee Indians on their journey to Charles Town. |
January 15, 1756 |
John Howard Payne, Folder 7 | Letter from William Blount to Colonel David Henley |
Letter from William. Blount to Colonel David Henley concerning clothing for Thomas Blount and Edward Wilkerson, two Cherokee youth who are to attend Blount College. |
December 8, 1795 |
John Howard Payne, Folder 8 | Order by James Robertson to A. Foster for delivery of articles to the Cherokee Indians |
Order by James Robertson to A. Foster. For delivery of articles to the Cherokee Indians |
November 29, 1797 |
John Howard Payne, Folder 9 | Order by James Robertson to A. Foster for the delivery of a rifle to Cherokee Indians |
Order by James Robertson to A. Foster for the delivery of a rifle to Cherokee Indians |
November 29, 1797 |
John Howard Payne, Folder 11 | Order by James Robertson to A. Foster to deliver certain articles to the Cherokees |
Order by James Robertson to A. Foster to deliver certain articles to the Cherokees |
December 28, 1797 |
John Howard Payne, Folder 12 | Order by James Robertson to A. Foster to deliver certain articles to the Cherokees |
Order by James Robertson to A. Foster to deliver certain articles to the Cherokees |
December 29, 1797 |
John Howard Payne, Folder 13 | Order by James Robertson to Anthony Foster to deliver certain articles to the Cherokees |
Order by James Robertson to Anthony Foster to deliver certain articles to the Cherokees |
circa 1797 |
John Howard Payne, Folder 14 | Bill by Foster to the United States |
Bill by Foster to the United States for goods delivered to the Cherokees after two were killed by whites on Stones River. This was attested to by A. Lewis and Francis B. Sappington. |
January 30, 1798 |
John Howard Payne, Folder 15 | Bill by A. Foster to the United States |
Bill by A. Foster to the United States for a rifle delivered to the Cherokees. Attested to by James D. and Francis B. Sappington. |
January 30, 1798 |
John Howard Payne, Folder 17 | Letter from J. W. A. Sanford to his Excellency George R. Gilmer |
Letter from J. W. A. Sanford to his Excellency George R. Gilmer referring to an inquiry into the ancestry of certain chiefs, crimes of ancestors, and assertion that Georgia should not permit descendants to establish an independent government within its borders. |
August 10, 1831 |
John Howard Payne, Folder 19 | A bank note for $5.00 from the Miners and Planters Bank of Murphy, North Carolina |
A bank note for $5.00 from the Miners and Planters Bank of Murphy, North Carolina |
September 1, 1860 |
John Howard Payne, Folder 20 | Resolution of Council authorizing John Ross to engage a person to prosecute treaty claims of Eastern Cherokees |
Resolution of Council authorizing John Ross to engage a person to prosecute treaty claims of Eastern Cherokees and approved by John Ross, Principal Chief, whose name is signed in English and in Cherokee. |
October 9, 1872 |
John Howard Payne, Folder 21 | Minutes of meetings of the Grand Annual Council of the Eastern Band of the Cherokees |
Copy of minutes of meetings of the Grand Annual Council of the Eastern Bank of the Cherokees |
October 2 - 4, 1876 |
John Howard Payne, Folder 22 | English translation of notice written in Cherokee syllabary |
Notice written in the Cherokee syllabary, with English translation, from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs regarding expense of moving from the old country to the new country per the Treaty of 1846 at New Echota. |
October 25, 1906 |
Notice written in the Cherokee syllabary |
Notice written in the Cherokee syllabary |
October 25, 1906 | |
John Howard Payne, Folder 23 | Contract between Wash Swimmer and J. Henry Dick |
Contract between Wash Swimmer and J. Henry Dick on behalf of the Eastern Cherokees and D. M. Wheelock for Wheelock to represent the Band before the Court of Claims and the Interior Department to secure distribution of funds arising from 1905 and 1906 decisions. |
April 3, 1907 |
John Howard Payne, Folder 24 | Document written in the Cherokee syllabary |
Manuscript written in the Cherokee syllabary. A note to Reverend Thomas McLenore, Stillwell, describes the manuscript as "account of North Carolina emigrants in unknown hand said to have been written by a Cherokee who lived near Bunch, Okla". |
early 20th century |