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The Beloved Chiefs from Turkeytown, Chief Little Turkey, Part 2, his family.

15 Tuesday Apr 2025

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Little Turkey is not his name. “Kanitta” is Little Turkey’s name.  Major John Norton spelled Little Turkey’s name in his journal as “Kenneteagh”. This is a phonetic spelling of the name. Norton gives this explanation, “or as the interpreter improperly translated his name, The Little Turkey.” (Journal of Major John Norton pages 132-133 of the journal 1809-1810, Hathitrust.org). Little Turkey’s names also appear as Kennitea and Kungnitla.1  

Norton does not provide the proper translation or true interpretation, nor does anyone else. The translation of “Kenneteagh” is not Little Turkey. However, “the Little Turkey” is how his name will be recorded in history. Michael Wren (Board member of Trail of Tears Association) asked several “Cherokee Talkers” what Kenneteagh would translate to. They all state the name was unknown but may translate as “Fawn Killer.”

Family

We learn a lot of Little Turkey’s family from the journal of Major John Norton, 1816. He was also a Mohawk Chief and Major in the British Army during the War of 1812. Major John Norton tells of his father who is a full-blood Cherokee being rescued and captured. The Toronto Champlain Society printed his journal in its entirety in 1970 with an introduction (explanations) by Carl F. Klinck and James L. Talman. Major John Norton was a Mohawk chief in Canada. However, he was raised in Scotland by his father and a British soldier. The soldier was present at the attack and destruction of the Kuwoki Town (Keowee) in 1760. John’s father was a boy who was rescued from a fire and taken by an unnamed British soldier. 2

Courtesy of His Grace the Duke of Northumberland
MAJOR JOHN NORTON
Portrait by Thomas Phillips, R.A., Syon House, Brentford3

In 1809 Major Norton set out on a journey to find his family to pay honor to his father’s people. He met Turtle-at-Home and became friends. Turtle-at-Home is the son of Attakullatulla (Chief of the nation 1760-1775) he told Major Norton they would find his family. He escorted him to Estanaula. The elders there knew of his father’s story. The old chiefs told him that his father’s sister lived in Creek-Path (present-day Guntersville, Alabama). She was the widow of Kenniteagh, also known as Little Turkey. When he met his aunt at the Creek Path she explains the story and introduced him to his relatives.4

“In the mean time, the good old lady related the scene in which her brother was taken from her: she said, that she saw the officer rescue him after he had been scorched, on which account he was taken away in a wagon—and they were separated.”5

On page xxiv of the publication, her family is explained by Carl F. Klinck and James L. Talman in this way. His aunt (unnamed in the journal) was the sister of his father. “My father’s sister” (page 117 of the journal) was married to Little Turkey (Kennitea). Little Turkey, a “Head Chief of the nation, who has been dead some years”, is stated by Norton as a brother of Black Fox (Innoligh or Enoli).

“The next day, my cousin conducted me to visit his elder brother, his sister and uncle Innoligh, the leading Chief at present.” (page 118 of the journal) His aunt and Chief Little Turkey have these children whom he met. An elder son, Aquo-tague, and an elder daughter, Tah-neh. She changed her name to Naomi when she was baptized and became a Christian (born about 1770). A younger son unnamed described as “my cousin” (born about 1780), and a daughter (born about 1785). A grandson, son of Tah-neh, (born about 1793).

Did you catch this? “The next day, my cousin conducted me to visit his elder brother, his sister and uncle Innoligh, the leading Chief at present.” (page 118 of the journal).

Brothers?

Chief Little Turkey and Black Fox (Innoligh) are brothers! If the children of Little Turkey introduce Norton to Chief Black Fox. Then Norton references Black Fox as their uncle.6 Then Little Turkey and Black Fox are brothers. Norton was raised as a Scott/English he would refer to familiar terms as the Scottish people would. Listing Innoligh as Little Turkey children’s uncle. Norton states Innoligh and Little Turkey have at least the same father. This is the only reference to this. If so, they must have different mothers. The Badger will refer to Black Fox as his nephew (Grand Council Meeting June 1792, page 273). If true, culturally Badger’s sister is Black Fox’s mother.7 But, she is not Little Turkey’s mother. Badger is listed in the Grand Council meeting in June 1792 as “the beloved man of the Southern division.” (page 271)8 This indicates that the Badger is from one of the Southern towns. Is he from Seneca or Keowee? Black Fox (Innoligh) is living in Creek Path when he meets John Norton. He will also die there. Black Fox will have his own post, more info to come. Lots of speculation. Yet, lots of concurring information.

The towns on the headwaters of the Savanna River

The towns on the headwaters of the Savanna River are very important towns to the Cherokee Nation. They don’t get much attention.

These towns and their people date back in time. In 1762 a delegation from the Cherokee Nation went to London England. The Southern towns are a project for a later time.

The person in the middle labeled as #3 is Chief Ostenaco.9 Osgenaco was the War Chief or Red Chief for the Cherokee Nation. He was on the expeditionary party to London England with Henry Timberlake in 1762. The expeditionary party consisted of Lieutenant Henry Timberlake, Sergeant Thomas Sumter, John McCormack (an interpreter), and an unnamed servant. They arrived in the Overhill Cherokee town of Tomotley on December 20, 1761. Ostenaco, one of the leading men in the town, greeted them. He was visiting from Keowee.10 Reminder Chief Little Turkey’s wife and Maj. Norton’s father is from Keowee.

Family moves to Creek Path

After Little Turkey’s death in 1802, his family moved to Creek Path. They settled near old family friend John Thompson. He was one of Little Turkey’s interpreters.  John Thompson is listed as a bosom friend to Little Turkey (ASP, IA Vol. 1, page 432) Thompson’s final residence before removing west is near the Creek Path and he operated a large plantation. We see John Thompson escort Maj. John Norton to Creek Path from Oostanaula, page 117 of Norton’s journal. Little Turkey’s family moved to the West (Arkansas) around 1819. 

Street, Oliver Day, Map of Marshall County, Alabama, hand-drawn, 1900, unpublished. https://alabamamaps.ua.edu/historicalmaps/counties/marshall/marshall.html

Notice Brown or Thompson Creek in the above map of Marshall County, Alabama. It is in the vicinity where Chief Little Turkey’s family lived before moving West. Brown is Rev. John Brown who was the Mission Teacher/Preacher for Creek Path also marked on the map. Modern-day this is under Lake Guntersville.

Daughter Tah-nee

We learn about Little Turkey’s daughter Tah-neh (Dah-nee) or Naomi and her children from various sources. Wa-ka or Peggy Whitekiller, the daughter of Tah-neh and her husband Whitemankiller Watts. Peggy tells us about the family in her 1842 Canadian Claim (Claim book 1 #86). They abandoned property in the old nation and immigrated to the Arkansas territory with John Rogers in the year 1819.  

“My mother lived on the improvements when we emigrated. She was married to Girth Jolly. I lived with them. We all came together to live in this country. Mother died fifteen years ago . . . I have one full sister. We live together. Neither of us are married. My sister is a widow. I have never been married. The property claimed for (us) belongs to me and my sister equally. Her name is Wattie or Betsy Girt. She has another claim. I was about 19 years of age when we emigrated. The improvements belong to my mother . . . We left soon after the treaty of 1816 and removed to Creek Path where we borrowed a place which we left when we started to this country. Don’t know whether my mother or step-father was ever paid any thing for improvement now claimed . . . My own father’s name was White-killer he died when I was about five years old. I now live on Salisaw 4 miles above mouth in Illinois.“

         A witness of this claim; Stinking Fish, states; 

“I knew the mother of Peggy Whitekiller in the Old Nation. Her name Dah-nee. She was widow of White-man-Killer and . . . wife of Girth Jolly . . . I lived about one quarter mile from her when she removed.” 

         The timeline has Peggy being born about 1800. She is 16 when they move to Creek-Path (1816). She is about 19 when they move west (1819). This timeline also shows her mother (Dah-nee) dying in 1827. Dwight Mission records, page 23, has her death on 31 March 1825. (Dwight Mission records provided by Jack Baker) Rev. Washburn in his book states the family emigrated in 1823-24. 11 The strong evidence from other reports and writings agrees with Peggy’s claim about their moves.12   

“Her Indian name was Tah-nee.  She was full blood, daughter of a considerable chief and warrior . . . She migrated to this country in 1819, then wife of Girth, son of John Jolly, head chief of this division of the Cherokees.”

The 1819 Emigration rolls include a “Dany of Will’s Town with 3 in the family.” They emigrate West in 1819. Girth Jolly is not named nor is he on the rolls.

One last child of Tah-neh, she adopts a son and the name given to him is Timothy Dwight.13 

Little Turkey’s daughter Tah-neh (Naomi) and her elder son are buried in the old Dwight Mission cemetery. Their graves are near the parents of the beloved Cathern Brown, Reverend John and Sarah Brown.14  Browns are from Creek Path. Cathern was a teacher at the Creek Path Mission. She died at her home in Creek Path and is buried there. But, who else is buried in the original Dwight Mission cemetery? The cemetery is just about abandoned. The cemetery sits on a hill. It’s at a closed RV park. This RV park also owns the cemetery land. Mission RV Park is at 229 Mission Drive, Russellville, AR 72802. The location of the mission is underwater of the lake.

Historic Marker near Russellville Ar. on the west bank of the Illinois Bayou and about four miles from the Arkansas River. 
Journal of Major John Norton, introduction pages xxiv-xxvii, of the journal 1809-1810, Hathitrust. pg xxiv, 1809-1810, Hathitrust.org, https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b3611053&view=1up&seq=32

To Conclude

Little Turkey made his statement at the Nation’s Council meeting in October 1800. The Moravian missionaries Steiner and Schweintz were invited to attend. They recorded the meeting in their journal. This Council meeting was held at Estanaula (Oostanaula). This statement by Little Turkey was made at the close of the meeting. This was the time when the Council allowed a mission school to be built. The school was established at James Vann’s and (John) McDonald’s property. Mr. Vann had just donated property on his place. Spring Place, North West Georgia.

“You my warriors have grown up under my supervision. I have counseled you to treat the white people with caution, and now you are enjoying the happy results. You will know well how to use for the well-being of our Nation the addresses made in our meeting this time. We live in peace, and it makes me happy to see the chiefs of both halves of the Nation together in unity and friendship.” 15

Next post. The Beloved Chiefs from Turkeytown, Black Fox

  1. Journal of Major John Norton, introduction pages xxiv-xxvii, of the journal 1809-1810, Hathitrust.org; the latter spelling Cherokee Phoenix, 3rdDecember 1831 page 2 column 2a, http://www.wcu.edu/library/Digitalcollection/CherokeePhoenix/Vol4/no21/cherokee-phoenix-page2-2a.html ↩︎
  2. Journal of Major John Norton, introduction pages xxiv-xxvii, and pages 112-118 of the journal 1809-1810, Hathitrust.org ↩︎
  3. Ibid ↩︎
  4. Ibid ↩︎
  5. Ibid ↩︎
  6. Ibid ↩︎
  7. American state papers : Documents, legislative and executive, of the Congress of the United States / Selected and edited under the authority of Congress Indian affairs v. 1 1832, pages 271-273, 26 June – 1 July 1792) HathiTrust Digital Library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.35112103282408&seq=279&q1=turkey+town ↩︎
  8. Ibid ↩︎
  9. File:/collections/the-memoirs-of-lieut-henry-timberlake-1765/Three Cherokee.jpg ↩︎
  10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostenaco ↩︎
  11. Reminiscences of the Indians, by the Rev. Cephas Washburn, A. M., pages 147, 158-159 ↩︎
  12. Reel 740, frames 257-259 (Kutsche #3006) story of Naomi, American Board of Commission Foreign Missions (ABC-FM), 18.3.1 Vol 6, Item 81. ↩︎
  13. Dwight Journal September 1824, page 22, Kutsche #3012 ↩︎
  14. Reminiscences of the Indians, by the Rev. Cephas Washburn, A. M., pages 147, 158-159)  (Note as to who is Cathern Brown; she is educated at the Brainerd Mission and is the first female teacher of the Creek-Path Mission. ↩︎
  15. page 212; Records of the Moravians Among the Cherokee, Early Contact and the Establishment of the First Mission, 1752-1802, Volume 1, C. Daniel Crews, Richard W. Starbuck, Editors; Cherokee National Press, Tahlequah, Oklahoma, 2010, Cherokee National Historical Society, Inc ↩︎

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding;
 in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3; 5-6 CSV

The Beloved Chiefs from Turkeytown, Chief Little Turkey

02 Wednesday Apr 2025

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In what we can consider the first chapter. It is called “Uncovering the History of Turkeytown.” We learn where the original town was located. We also learn when it was established. Established between the dates of 1782-1788. It is located from modern-day Fitts Ferry on the Coosa River, Etowah County, Alabama. It stretches to Turkeytown Creek a mile and a half North of this ferry. Chief Little Turkey settled on modern-day Coats’ Bend Road at Turkeytown Creek. Chief Pathkiller settled at Fitts Ferry living on the Eastside in modern-day Alford’s Bend. Their helper Boot lived on the Old US 411 at Turkeytown Creek. Now a new chapter.

Chapter II, “the great beloved man of the whole nation“

He is  known as “the great beloved man of the whole nation.” The Chiefs of the Cherokee Nation were referred to as “King” or “Principal Chief” by the Europeans. The Cherokee People called their Chief the “Beloved Man of the whole nation.” Four men from Turkey’s Town will be the Principal Chief (Beloved Man of the whole Nation). Each one will be a post or more than one. The content on some is more than others. First is Chief Little Turkey.

There is very little information about Chief Little Turkey before he becomes the leader of the Cherokee Nation.  His birth year of about 1732 is estimated from his death notification, March 1, 1802.

Journal of Occurrences in the Cherokee Agency in 1802 to Return J. Meigs to the Secretary of War,(Fold3.com of ancestry.com).  

“March (on the first of the month) Little Turkey the King or principal Chief of the Cherokee died at Wills town appears to be about 70 years of Age.”

We learn from the “Journal of the Grand Cherokee National Council” in Estanaula, Tuesday, 26th June 1792. The location where Little Turkey is from and possibly where he grew up. Seneca (Seneca, South Carolinia). Little Turkey is reported as present and has the title of “great beloved man of the whole nation.” On Thursday that week, Little Nephew, a warrior from Running Water, presents his “talk” before the Council.

Little Nephew then delivered the sentiments of the whole, in the following words: The warriors of my nation went ambassadors to Congress. They have returned: but every thing is not to our satisfaction. The warriors from this part of the nation said but little. Eskaqua, from the other river, took the business off their hands. I came from the Running Water to Hiwassee, and from that to the Hanging Maw’s. I mentioned to the nation that I have sent five beloved fires, of five towns, and their talks. At that time, I put on my belt and tied up my things, to start from here to Seneca. I desired them to think of that place, the Little Turkey’s old Town, and the coals of fire which are yet to be seen there; and that I expected an answer to my talk, but have got none. I desired Nontuaka to mention that the white people were on our land, and that I hoped they would be removed, and give our young fellows more room to hunt. . .   1           

Little Nephew states that Little Turkey’s old village is Seneca. Seneca (Sinica, Sennekaw, Esseneca), this town was one of the original lower towns of the Cherokee nation. (Not to be confused with the “Five Lower Towns” on the Tennessee River.) Seneca is on the Keowee River a few miles north of the Tugalo River junction. Seneca is where the Hopewell Treaty of 1785 was signed. Hopewell is the plantation home of General Andrew Pickens. The present-day location is Clemson University and Lake Hartwell, Seneca, and Clemson, South Carolina. There was an American Revolution battle there at the end of July 1776. It was one of the first battles after the Declaration of Independence of the new United States of America. A book by Nadia Dean contains the best account of the battle on July 31st and August 1st, 1776. It is titled A Demand of Blood: The Cherokee War of 1776. Colonel Andrew Williamson of the South Carolina Continental Army burned Seneca. The town was restored after the Continental Army moved north. Fort Russel was built there.  The Town is all but abandoned after the Hopewell Treaty in 1785 and the cession of land.2 The town of Little Turkey’s wife, Keowee, and Fort Prince George are a few miles north of Seneca.

A portion of Mouzon’s Map 1771; Mouzon, H. and Robert Sayer and John Bennett, (1775) An Accurate map of North and South Carolina with their Indian frontiers, shewing in a district manner all the mountains, rivers, swamps, bays, creeks, harbours, sandbanks, and soundings on the coast; with the roads and Indians paths as well as the boundaries, or provincial lines, the several towns and other divisions of lands in both provinces, London, printed for Robt. Sayer and J. Bennett retrieval from the Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/item/74692510/

Beloved Man

As stated the Cherokee used the term “the Beloved Man”.  The Europeans used King or Emperor.  Just when did Chief Little Turkey become the Beloved Man of the nation is a debated one. Around 1788, he aligns himself with Chickamauga Chiefs after the settlement of his town. Yet, he is not truly a Chickamauga war Chief. As the Cherokee wars progressed, he remained a traditional Peace Chief. In March of 1789, Little Turkey, along with Hanging Maw and Dragging Canoe, writes to Governor Samuel Johnson. They seek arrangements for another peace treaty similar to the 1785 Hopewell treaty. 

At a general meeting held at the Little Turkey’s Town or otherwise called new Sinekaw in the Cherokee Nation   Present the Chicamagies Chiefs   March 10th 1789 . . . that you are willing to adjust and rectify the dispute between your people and our own __ to establish a lasting peace in our hearts desire . . .

                                        Little Turkey   Hanging Maw   Dragging Canoe 3 

Muskogee Times-Democrat Muskogee, Oklahoma, 29 June 1904, Wed, page 1 Newspaper.com

We see Mr. Starr has Chief Little Turkey as chief up to 1801, as we had just learned Little Turkey dies in 1802. Also, notice that Blackfox follows him as Chief of the Nation.  He is elected in August 1802. Also Chief Pathkiller died in January 1827 not 1828.

Journal of Occurrences in the Cherokee Agency in 1802 Return J. Meigs to the Secretary of War, next page after Chief Little Turkey’s death notice. August 1802, (Fold3.com of ancestry.com)
 

The nation’s leader, Chief Corntassel, was murdered in 1788 in what would become Tennessee. After this event, the nation looked to Little Turkey. They referred to him as the Beloved Man. The nation did not have a formal system of government and new leadership would emerge. The nation as a whole would look to Little Turkey as the “Beloved Man” along with Hanging Maw. The foreign governments would look to Little Turkey and Hanging Maw as the leaders of the nation. Hanging Maw was one of the leaders from the Valley towns. He opposed Little Turkey as the “Beloved Man” until around 1792. It was then that Little Turkey was recognized as the leader of the nation. He became “the great beloved man of the whole nation”. 

Peace Chief

As the Beloved Man of the Nation Little Turkey strove for peace. Little Turkey did manage assistance from Spain for the protection of the nation working through John McDonald and Mr. William Panton a “merchant of great business of Pensacola”.  Mr. McDonald lives and operates a trading post in Turkey’s town during this time. Mr. Panton and Mr. McDonald align John Watts and Bloody Fellow (Nontuaka) up with Governor O’Neal of Spain for arms and munitions. McDonald will set up a commissary in Turkey’s Town to store goods. McDonald served as a double agent. He served with the British and with Spain. 4

Minutes of information given to Governor Blount by James Carey, one of the interpreters of the United States, in the Cherokee Nation. November 1782  

. . .Mr. Panton, during his stay in the nation, made the house of his countryman, McDonald, his head quarters, from whence they together paid a visit to the Little Turkey, and spent several days, Mr. McDonald acting as interpreter between Mr. Panton and the Turkey. . . Panton invited the Turkey to visit Governor O’Neal; assured him that the Governor would give him arms and ammunition at Pensacola. . .would supply the nation with goods much cheaper than they had heretofore purchased them.5

Peace and unity are the Little Turkey’s demeanor throughout his tenure as ‘Principal Chief”. It has been stated by historians in the past that Little Turkey launched hostile attacks from Turkey’s Town. He did get frustrated with the “five Lower towns on the Big River.” He turned them over to the mercy of Gov Blount. 

Now I will let you know, and tell you the truth, which I am sorry and ashamed for to tell you, of their proceedings and bad conduct; you may be assured it is not lies, I now tell you . . . the eight day of this month they are determined to go to war, all the five lower town on the Big river (Tennessee River); they have and will make war by themselves; you may be assured and believe me, it is not the consent of the whole nation, nor no part of it only them five towns they agree amongst themselves.

Now you know where the bad people live; both you and your people may know where the good and bad live. Now, I desire you and all your people not to come to war against no other towns but them five lower towns on the Big river, that made war against you.6

Little Turkey aligns himself with Chiefs like Double Head, Dragging Canoe, and John Watts. However, his overwhelming demeanor is of peace. Little Turkey and his settlement are referred to as the point of peace for the nation. We see this in a letter of Gov. Blount to the Secretary of War, 3 November 1794.

“Should General Logan desist from his attack on the Lower towns, I am of opinion the appointment of Mr. Dinsmore to reside in the nation will have happy effect; but I would advise that his general residence should be in Will’s town in preference of the Turkey’s. My reasons are, the Turkey’s is, and has been, one of the most peaceable towns in the nation, .” 7

Beloved Town

Another striving point of Little Turkey is a central “Beloved town.” This town would become the “Principal town” (Capital of the nation). From the start of his tenure, Little Turkey looks to Estanaula (Ustinaire, Oos-ta-nau-la) as the “Beloved town.” This happens even during the opposition of Hanging Maw. The nation presses for the “Grand Councils” to be held there.

A talk from the head-men and warriors of the Cherokee nation at a meeting held at Ustinaire, the beloved town, 20th November, 1788.8

The town of Estanaula will lead to the formation of New Echota. This is just north of present-day Calhoun Georgia. This became the Capital of the Nation in 1825. However, it remained so only until Georgia passed a law on all the land for the state of Georgia. The Capital will move to Chattooga Town (just north of Gaylesville, Cherokee County, Alabama.) Then to Red Clay town in Tennessee.

Missionaries

Little Turkey is involved in bringing missionaries to the nation. In the report of Steiner and Schweinitz written in “Early Travels in the Tennessee Country” we read; 

As early as July 1, 1796, President John Wheelock, of Dartmouth, was endeavoring to persuade the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, of Scotland, that funds could be wisely used in a Cherokee mission. In 1799, (Moses) Fisk, in Tennessee after a visit to New England, was cooperating with Wheelock; and interviewed Capt. Edw. Butler then in military command in the Cherokee nation. Butler wrote to Little Turkey, the principal chief, in July: A number of good men to the eastward have formed a plan to have a number of your young men taught our language and to read and write without putting them to any expense . . .    

Mr. Fisk had not been further in the Indian country than Toka, on the Tennessee, and had thereafter transferred further attention to the matter to him. He had advised to begin the school at the garrison and to teach the Indians English; had, also, written to Little Turkey, the Head Chief of the Cherokee, in reference to the matter and received a favorable answer from him. 9

This leads to the Moravian Mission at Spring Place in 1801. The Moravian Church worked with Little Turkey at a “Talk” held at Oostanaula in May 1801 to protect the missionaries. James Vann purchases property for the mission. In June 1801, a hut is built on the Brown plantation near his house. “Springplace”; two miles east of the Connesauga River, two and one-half miles south from Vann’s, seven miles south of Sumach Town, sixteen miles north of Oostanaula and on the road which leads from Oostanaula to Tellico.  This is in modern-day Murray County Georgia also known as Springplace. 10

Treaties

Little Turkey is involved with treaties, how many are not known? It appears that he only signed one treaty. He did not sign the 1791 treaty at Holston, he sent a representative named Boot.11 The Boot would become an important leader in Turkey’s Town. He is very good friends with Little Turkey, Blackfox and Pathkiller. He is their Creek interpreter. Little Turkey signed the treaty near the block house at Tellico. This treaty was known as the Treaty of Tellico. It was signed in October 1798. The interpreter listed his name as “Kanitta or Little Turkey”. 

We see that Little Turkey is not his name? Kanitta? Does that translate to “Little Turkey”? We will explore this in the next post along with his family.

Our next post. The Beloved Chiefs from Turkeytown, Chief Little Turkey, Part 2, his family.

  1. American state papers : Documents, legislative and executive, of the Congress of the United States / Selected and edited under the authority of Congress Indian affairs v. 1 1832, pages 271-273, 26 June – 1 July 1792) HathiTrust Digital Library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.35112103282408&seq=279&q1=turkey+town ↩︎
  2. A Demand of Blood: The Cherokee War of 1776 by Nadia Dean. This book is published by Valley River Press, January 2012.  Chapter 13; pages 142-157. ↩︎
  3. Document NCU16 in the Papers of the War Department 1784-1800, Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media, George Mason University, wardepartmentpapers.org  ↩︎
  4. John McDonald of Chickamauga: Double Agent, Jeff Bishop, http://trailofthetrail.blogspot.com/2010/10/john-mcdonald-double-agent-of.html ↩︎
  5. American state papers : Documents, legislative and executive, of the Congress of the United States / Selected and edited under the authority of Congress Indian affairs v. 1 1832 pages 327-329, 3 November 1792 HathiTrust Digital Library, https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.35112103282408&seq=335&q1=turkey+town ↩︎
  6. American state papers : Documents, legislative and executive, of the Congress of the United States / Selected and edited under the authority of Congress Indian affairs v. 1 1832 pages 276-278, 2 September 1792, letter from Little Turkey to Gov. Blount, https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.35112103282408&seq=284&q1=turkey+town ↩︎
  7. American state papers : Documents, legislative and executive, of the Congress of the United States / Selected and edited under the authority of Congress Indian affairs v. 1 1832 pages 531-532, https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.35112103282408&seq=539&q1=turkey+town ↩︎
  8. American state papers : Documents, legislative and executive, of the Congress of the United States / Selected and edited under the authority of Congress Indian affairs v. 1 1832 pages 45-46, https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.35112103282408&seq=53&q1=turkey+town ↩︎
  9. Early Travels in the Tennessee Country, 1540-1800: with introductions, annotations and index / by Samuel Cole Williams. Page; 458, 467, Hathitrust.org ↩︎
  10. History of the Moravian Mission Among Southern Indian Tribes of the United States, by The Rev. Edmund Schwarze, Ph.D., Pastor Calvary Moravian Church, Winston Salem, N.C. Transaction of the Moravian Historical Society, Special Series, Vol. 1. Bethlehem Pa, Tunes Publishing Co. 1923, pages 61-65, ↩︎
  11. American state papers : Documents, legislative and executive, of the Congress of the United States / Selected and edited under the authority of Congress Indian affairs v. 1 1832, pages 276, https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.35112103282408&seq=284&q1=turkey+town ↩︎

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding;
 in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3; 5-6 CSV

Uncovering the History of Turkeytown, Establishment, A Timeline

18 Tuesday Mar 2025

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When did Chief Little Turkey move to this location? Was there a reason for choosing this place?

A 1961 undated Civil War Centennial Edition of Gadsden Times, article; “Indians Lore Abound in Turkey’s Town Area,” by Elbert Watson1

“It was founded about 1770 by a minor Cherokee Chieftain, Little Turkey.”

“The Turkeytown Story”, a booklet written by the Turkeytown Methodist Church 1953, Etowah County, Alabama, sold as a fundraiser to help finance their new church building, they state on page 3;2

There was a day, in 1770, when Turkeytown was the thriving Capital of the Cherokee Indian Nation. It was ruled by the iron hand of the great Cherokee Chieftain “The Turkey.”

Oliver Day Street “The Indians of Marshall County Alabama”;3

About 1777, Wills’ Town was established by the Cherokee. . .about the same time Turkey Town was built by them on the Coosa river opposite the present site of Centre, Cherokee County, Alabama. (“Pickett’s History of Alabama”, vol I, page 163; Royce in the 5th Annual Report Bureau of Ethnology, Map 8)

Where did this 1770 information come from? What is the source? Albert James Pickett’s History of Alabama is listed in Mr. Street’s Marshall County Alabama history. Is that the source?

Will’s Town and Turkey Town—important Cherokee establishments. The former was
named for a half breed called Red-headed Will. At these towns lived the British
Superintendent, (the celebrated Col. Campbell,) before and during the Revolutionary
War*. * Indian Affairs, vol. 1, pp 264-269.4

Historical Society Commission wrote a History of Alabama for the Governor in 1900. In this report, they list two different Turkey’s Town. One is a Cherokee Village and one is a Creek Village. They state it was “Founded about 1770.”5

Mrs. Stewart Cherokee County History. It was founded about 1770, and was considerable size and importance. Turkey Town was established some time prior to 1770 and was one of the most important Cherokee establishments. Col. Campbell the noted British soldier and superintendent lived here at times during the Revolution.6

The confusion about the location and the fact that it is Cherokee town has been proven in the earlier post. Now to settle the confusion on when. Where did 1770 come from? There is NO SOURCE or REFERENCE to 1770 by any of the early historians or writers. Is it a guess, a speculation, I believe or what. No one gives a clue to why they used this date. The only thing I can find as a possible reference is Albert Pickett’s statement of “Colonel Campbell.”

Will’s Town and Turkey Town—important Cherokee establishments. The former was named for a half breed called Red-headed Will. At these towns lived the British Superintendent, (the celebrated Col. Campbell,) before and during the Revolutionary War*.7

* Indian Affairs, vol. 1, pp 264-269.

An extensive search for Colonel Campbell results in very little information. There is no
information showing he was the agent assigned to the Cherokee during the American
Revolution. The agent assigned to the Cherokee during that time was Alexander Cameron. He was appointed by Colonel John Stuart. Cameron answered to Royal Governor Joseph Martin. Hugh McCall’s “History of Georgia”8 Alexander Cameron died on 27 September 1781. John Graham replaced him. At this time, Alexander Campbell became his Chief Deputy Superintendent, notes from the 9th Circle blog; Chuck Hamilton.9

This appears to be the only reference. If Alexander Campbell is Col Campbell, he became the agent in the latter part of 1781. It is during this time frame that the Revolutionary War is coming to an end and is all but over.10 So one could say that Campbell is the agent during the American Revolutionary War. But the timeline is at the end of 1781. This is NOT 1770 or close to it.

1770 is Wrong

Wikipedia has this for a timeline or date on settlement. Turkeytown was settled in 1788. The town was established by Little Turkey during the Cherokee–American wars as a refuge for him and his people from the hostilities then being engaged in between the Cherokee and the American frontiersmen.11 Wikipedia has a lot of mixed info on Turkey’s Town. However, this date might be the closest to being correct. Wikipedia does not have a reference or source to the date.

Are there any references to give us a better timeline?

The Cherokee-American wars, along with the signing of the Hopewell Treaty in November 178512. This is the most likely reason for Little Turkey and the people of Seneca to move from their homeland. We have proven that Little Turkey was from Seneca. “When a Name is Not a Name” post. The lower towns on the headwaters of the Savannah River were given up in the treaty. After that, the people started moving.

Little Turkey does align himself with the Chickamauga Chiefs that are a part of the Cherokee-American wars. Dragging Canoe, and Hanging Maw. This letter is written for Chiefs, Little Turkey, Hanging Maw, and Dragging Canoe. The letter is intended for Governor Samuel Johnson in 1789 (Governor of the State of North Carolina). The context of this letter is to seek arrangements for another peace treaty. This treaty should be similar to the 1785 Hopewell treaty or adhere to that treaty.

At a general meeting held at the Little Turkey’s Town or otherwise called new Sinekaw in the Cherokee Nation Present the Chicamagies Chiefs March 10th 1789 . . . that you are willing to adjust and rectify the dispute between your people and our own __ to establish a lasting peace in our hearts desire . . .

Little Turkey Hanging Maw Dragging Canoe13

No Turkey’s Town until after 1782

We can now start a timeline for the settlement of Turkey’s Town. After 1782, before 1788.

From the American State Papers; Indian Affairs Vol 1; page 431; Letters, with their several enclosures, from Governor (Wm) Blount to the Secretary of War. (Henry Knox);
Knoxville, January 14, 1793
(fourth paragraph) At the beginning, and previous to the late Revolution, the Cherokees lived in towns, either on the head waters of the Savannah River or on the Tennessee, above the mouth of Holston. . . .That, in the year 1776 General Williamson marched an army from South Carolina, and destroyed the towns on the Keowee and Tugelo, among them old Seneca, a very principal one, and erected fort Rutledge on its ruins. . . . The Cherokees being thus burnt out of their towns, and by these treaties (1st Long Island 1777 and Long Island of the Holston 1781) very much curtailed in their hunting grounds to the eastward and northward, shortly began to erect new towns, lower down the Tennessee, and on the waters of the Mobile River. The most bold and active part settled on a creek called
Chickamauga, 100 miles below the mouth of Holston. . . . In the year 1782 they
abandoned Chickamauga creek, believing it was infested with witches; some returned to
the old towns, others went lower down the Tennessee, 40 miles, and laid the foundation
of the five towns, now generally called the five Lower towns on the Tennessee. . .14

A very similar reference is documented in a Nashville Newspaper in 1816.

That at the time of Christian’s campaign in 1776, there were no Cherokee towns on the Tennessee below the mouth of the Holston, and that the lowest belonging to the nation was on the Hiwassee.

That the peace which followed the campaign of 1776 was protested against by the Dragging Canoe, a Chief of note, who in consequence of his dissent from the rest of the national council, descended the river, with his adherents in the winter of ’76 & ’77, and settled at Chickmawga, where he continued the war, attacking almost every boat which descended the river, until the spring of 1779, when a party of whites commanded perhaps by one of the Shelby’s, beat him off, and destroyed his town. That after the destruction of Chickmawga the Cherokee made their first settlement at Nickajack and Running Water, and to the south west at Turkey Town and Will’s Town.

That these settlements were made with the permission of the Creeks, is a fact, so notorious, that it is unnecessary to give evidence in support of it. It was a subject of negotiation between the two tribes and we have it on the most respectable authority, that at every national council, which has been held in the Creek Nation, the Cherokee, have been reminded of the grant by which they held the country between the Highwassee and the Creek Path.

A friend has furnished us with the words of a Creek talk which was sent, to the Cherokee about five years ago. He is confident it is very little variant even in words, from the preceding messages, which had followed each other from ’79 to that time. It is as follows:

“The White people have drove you off your land, and you come on our land, as you must live, we let you stay, but you know that the land is our land; and we let you live on it.15

The above references state there are no Cherokee Towns or Villages in what would become Alabama until after 1782. The movements and treaties prove Turkey’s Town was not establish until after 1785. It may have been settled then during 1786. This does not mean that Cherokee people did not live in what would become Alabama, but no towns or villages.

Other references.

General John Coffee was the surveyor of Alabama. He states this in his report and explanation on the boundary line between the Creek and Cherokee. The report is dated 1829, December 30, in Florence, Alabama, to John H. Eaton.

There is abundance of evidence shewing that the Cherokees had the South bank of Hightown river fifty years ago at the old Hightown town, and that they extended their settlements out from that town, as well down as up the river. Turkey town was settled 40 years ago, and the old red Creek Town upwards of forty years since, and various other villages and settlements were made and occupied on all the waters that run into the Hightown and Coosa rivers above Turkey town 30 to 40 forty years ago and have ever since been in the constant occupancy of the Cherokees without any evidence to shew the Creeks ever set up any claim to any of the waters of those rivers above Turkey Town except the statement of 29 Creek chiefs and warriors given to me in 1816 in the absence of the Cherokees. By that statement they said many years since, and during the revolutionary war, they loaned the Cherokees land from their old line, the junction of Estanala & Hightown down to Wills Creek, and that the Cherokees had lived on it ever since and had not been reclaimed by the Creek. .16

A portion of the map Sketch of the Disputed Country Between the State of Georgia and the
Cherokee Nation, Record Group 75, Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1793-1999, Series,
Central Map Files, 1824-1962, National Archives Catalog, General John Coffee.

From “The Cherokee Phoenix” Published June 19, 1830 Page 2 Column 1a-2b

The undersigned came into the Cherokee Nation in the year 1785-and opened a store at Stecoe in the Lookout Valley and there married the daughter of Mr. John M’Donald, and about the year 1788, he removed together with his father in-law and their families to Turkey Town, and continued trade with the Cherokees. The Little Turkey was the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation and resided in that town-and that the Cherokees had considerable settlements from the mouth of Will’s Creek, up the Coosa River on both sides of said river,

Head of Coosa, Cherokee Nation, December 10th, 1829. DANIEL ROSS.17

“The Cherokee Phoenix” Published May 29, 1830 Page 4 Column 1b-3b.

Old Red Bank, Cherokee Nation Southside Hightower,
10th December 1829
John Wright, a white man married to a Cherokee wife, states that he came into this
nation when a boy-he does not know his age correctly, but he thinks he was about
twelve years of age. . . Turkey Town on the Coosa river is the lowest down the river
where there has been any Cherokee settlements that he knew of, they settled that place
on both sides of the river about forty years- since. . .18

These references lead to a timeline of 1788 to 1789. The above letter from Turkey’s Town, though, has a date of March 1789. So, the timeline would be before 1789.

Conclusion

The 1770s dates are not supported by any reference. The date of settlement is somewhere between 1782 and 1788. My thoughts are 1786-87. This is based on the movements of the people and the Cherokee-American Wars.

Little Turkey was looking for a safe place to settle his New Seneca. Did he meet up with someone to show him that safe place? Chief Little Turkey’s Creek interpreter is Boot (Chulioa). Rev Daniel Butrick stated he was “full blood Cherokee raised by the Creek”. Did he guide Little Turkey to a safe place on the trading route (Hightown Pass) along the Coosa River? Was it safe to settle there?

There is a track of land lying on Wills Creek and between that creek and the Coosa River on the West side of the latter, and north of the Treaty line of Fort Jackson which they may be prevailed upon to part with, in treating for which they are willing to discuss and settle the subject of the boundary between them and the Cherokee. They however contend that their present boundary with the Cherokee is by the Suwannee path where it leaves the Western line of Jackson County to the old town on the Chatahotchie River and from thence by a drift line to the Mouth of a certain water course called by them, Little River where it unites with the Coosa. They have furnished me with a copy of certain question put by the Creeks to an old Cherokee Chief and the Cherokee Interpreter (who was their mutual Interpreter on the first settlement of the Cherokee in the Creek Country) . . . 19

The above notation is from Acting Secretary of War George Graham to Creek Agent David B. Mitchell, 31 October 1817. It is explaining the Creek boundary. The letter is recorded in Alabama Territory, Territory papers, page 183-84. The above is a footnote.

This statement is about Little Turkey and Boot. They have furnished me with a copy of certain question put by the Creeks to an old Cherokee Chief and the Cherokee Interpreter (who was their mutual Interpreter on the first settlement of the Cherokee in the Creek Country). Boot showed Little Turkey a safe place to settle. Boot died at his home in Turkey’s Town in 1827 as noted by his son Laugh at Mush.

What is next? The Beloved Chiefs from Turkeytown, Chief Little Turkey.

  1. 1961 undated “Civil War Centennial Edition of Gadsden Times”: Copy in possession of the writer. ↩︎
  2. “The Turkeytown Story”: Turkeytown Methodist Church: Mrs. Eva McCarver, Miss. Imelda Anderson, and Reverend Jack Dillard: 1955. Copy in possession of the writer. ↩︎
  3. “The Alabama Historical Society, Montgomery, Alabama, Reprint No. 8”: XII The Indians of Marshall County, Alabama, Montgomery, Alabama, 1904, page 206: Oliver Day Street, Guntersville, Alabama: Google Books eBook: page 185. ↩︎
  4. “History of Alabama and Incidentally Georgia and Mississippi From Earliest Period”: Albert James Pickett: Volume 1: Charleston North Carolina: McKee and James: 1851: Google Books eBook: Public Domain. ↩︎
  5. Publication of the Alabama Historical Society Miscellaneous Collection: “Report of the Alabama Historical Commission to the Governor of the State of Alabama December 1, 1900”: Edited by Thomas McAdory Owens, Chairman: Montgomery Alabama: 1901: Google Books eBook: Public Domain. ↩︎
  6. “Cherokee County History 1836-1956 Volume 1”: Mrs. Frank Ross Stewart: Centre, Alabama:1956. Gadsden Public Library. Page 204, and 214 ↩︎
  7. “History of Alabama and Incidentally Georgia and Mississippi From Earliest Period”: Albert James Pickett: Volume 1: Charleston North Carolina: McKee and James: 1851: Google Books eBook: Public Domain. Page 163 ↩︎
  8. “The History of Georgia Containing a Brief Sketch of The Most Remarkable Events Up to Present Day”: Captain Hugh McCall in Two Volumes: Vol 1: Savannah, Seymour and Williams: 1811: Page 365: Google Books eBook: Public Domain. ↩︎
  9. 08 August 2011 Cherokee-American Wars (1775-1795), Notes from the Ninth Circle, Chuck Hamilton, https://notesfromtheninthcircle.blogspot.com/2011/08/chickamauga-wars-17761794.html ↩︎
  10. https://www.nps.gov/subjects/americanrevolution/timeline.htm ↩︎
  11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkeytown_(Cherokee_town) ↩︎
  12. Clemson University; Clemson.edu; The Hopewell Plantation; The Hopewell Treaties; https://www.clemson.edu/about/history/properties/hopewell/hopewelltreaties.
    html#:~:text=Hopewell%20Treaty%20Site&text=Three%20hundred%20yards%20northwest%20of,America%20and%20the%20Cherokee%20Nation. ↩︎
  13. Document NCU16 in the Papers of the War Department 1784-1800, Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media, George Mason University, wardepartmentpapers.org. ↩︎
  14. A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 – 1875, American State Papers, Senate, 3rd Congress, 1st Session, Indian Affairs: Volume 1, page 431, https://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/ampage ↩︎
  15. National Banner and Nashville Whig (Nashville, Tennessee, 25 June 1816, page 3), The Indian Treaty. A reprint from the Knoxville Gazette. Newspaper.com ↩︎
  16. Digital Library of Georgia: Treaty of Hopewell: Galileo, Georgia Virtual Library: Coffee, John, 1772-1833. “Report of General John Coffee on the boundary line between the Creeks and Cherokees, 1829, Dec. 30, Florence, Alabama [to] John H. Eaton / Jo[h]n Coffee.” 1829-12-30. March 11, 2021.
    https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_tcc697#item. ↩︎
  17. CHEROKEE PHOENIX, Issue 31, November 11, 1829
    https://www.wcu.edu/library/DigitalCollections/CherokeePhoenix/Vol2/no31/. ↩︎
  18. Ibid ↩︎
  19. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015010692468&seq=208 page 183-184 ↩︎

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding;
 in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3; 5-6 CSV

Uncovering the History of Turkeytown, Pathkiller’s Ferry.

04 Tuesday Mar 2025

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In the last post, we proved that Chief Pathkiller lived in Turkey’s Town. He had a ferry on the Coosa River. We saw that a fort was built around his residence. His wife Peggy would keep this ferry. His children would live on the property on both sides of the Coosa River. All of this is in Etowah County, Alabama, Near Gaston School on US 411 North. It confirms the original location of Turkey’s Town.

New Improvement

This post explains Chief Pathkiller move. “One mile south of present day Centre.” We learn of a new wife and an illegal sale of part of his estate. Additionally, let’s look at the dispute between the Garrett Family and John Ridge. John Ridge acquired most of Chief Pathkiller’s estate at the Centre, Alabama location. Uncovering the History of Turkeytown, Pathkiller’s Ferry.

The affidavit of James Lasley. “The grandfather of this claimant Anna Pathkiller being the person who made the first improvement and kept it and held it legally as his according to the Law and usage til about the year 1815 ”

What happens? Did Peggy send him packing? Did he abandon the family? What was going on in history at this time?

Influx of White People

Chief Pathkiller became the “King” or Principle Chief in 1811 after Black Fox’s death. The Creek war ended in 1814. During that time, “Friendly Creek” was living at Chief Pathkiller’s cabin. A “fort” was built around it. A treaty ratification took place at Turkey’s Town in October 1816. The US Army, under the command of Maj Gen. Andrew Jackson, came to sign this treaty. (The 1816 Turkey Town Treaty is a post later.) The US government signed treaties in 1817 and 1819.

The Creek War brought the US Army, that was made up of Tennessee Volunteers. There were mixed families in the Cherokee people. They have married white people. But now, it must have felt like an invasion of strangers taking everything. Friendly Creeks living in the front yard. The yard had been fortified. Two years later, more soldiers. Andrew Jackson came with an escort for the treaty signed in 1816. The 1816 treaty strongly talks about moving the whole nation West of the Mississippi River. Is this more than Peggy wanted?

Oo-loo-cha, the New Wife

It is the custom of the Cherokee people that the female controls the marriage. Peggy might have dissolved the marriage. We do not have a clue as to what happened. We do know that the separation happened between 1815 and the Treaty of 1819. His daughter Nelly told James Lasley about 1815. (See Lasley’s statement above.) Hammer, the son of Oo-loo-cha, stated 1819, see below.

Al 19 4th Board of MD, Vol 1, pages, 13-14,45,189-190-191, Ahamah #24 Claim

“after the treaty of 1819, she married Path-killer the chief of the nation, abandoned her reservation and removed with him to Turkey-town.”

The above two selections of Hammer’s 1846 claim are based on his mother’s reservation. Chief Pathkiller married Oo-loo-cha just after the 1819 treaty.1 Hammer’s father is Fawn Killer, and he died before 1819.

The claim by Hammer is on the estate or improvements last held by Pathkiller. This is the ferry and property at Terrapin  Creek today’s Centre, Alabama. Hammer sold part of this estate to a white man named Robert Brown.

Michael Wren discovered a file box on Pathkiller. This was in the collection of Penelope Allen Johnson. It was located at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. There were several folders about a dispute in the Cherokee District Court at Chattooga. This court was located just Northeast of today’s Gaylesville, Alabama. By Cherokee law, to settle disputes between the people, it was done in the Cherokee district court.

Tah-ka-ha-kee & Crying Snake vs Robt Brown

Plaintiffs witness May 26th 1830 

Ahnoah Deposeth and saith that she was living in the neighborhood of Gunters Landing when her uncle the Bears Meat told her that the Pathkiller wanted her the Deponent to come and live where the Pathkiller was clearing a place on the Couse River on the West Bank at Pathkillers Ferry so called; the Pathkiller told her that he would get some young men to build some houses, and bout one year after the Pathkiler brought the Hammer there with his mother the Pathkillers wife. 

How long did the Pathkiller settle at the ferry? Ans; He lived there until he died.  Did he ever move opposite? Ans; No  Did he die where he was clearing? Ans; He died at the house.  Which side of the river did the Pathkiller die? Ans On the East side2 

We learn a lot from this court case. This notation from the witness Ahnoah tells us she is the granddaughter of Pathkiller. She was living near Gunter’s Landing or Creek Path. She calls Bear Meat her uncle. This indicates that her mother is Bear Meat’s sister. Proven by Cherokee custom. Bear Meat is the son of Pathkiller by an unknown wife.3

Chief Pathkiller had a house built for her. She stated he died in his house on the east side of the River. This was at his (New) Ferry.

The two people bring this case to court are Tah-ka-ha-kee and Crying Snake. Tah-ka-ha-kee is the son of Pathkiller by an unknown wife. Is he the brother of Bear Meat? Crying Snake is the son of Nancy, Chief Pathkiller and Peggy’s daughter. Crying Snake produced a note. Principal Chief John Ross stated in this note that Pathkiller had willed the improvements at this location to Crying Snake. Neither one of them had a copy of the will.

This is to certify that the Path Killer some short  time prior to the death of my Grand Father was at my house where I lived near the Look Out Mountain, and got me to write a will for him respecting his ferry and possessions on the Coosa River which as well as my memory serves me was a follows – That after his Death his Grand Son Crying Snake should inherit his ferry and possession and that in case he the said Crying Snake should think it proper to receive Ahamah and associate him in interest with him that it should be discretionary with himself, so to do but that the Crying Snake should stand foremost and do as may appear best to himself – Given under my hand at the Head of Coosa this 16th day of Feby 1830.                                        /s/ John Ross 

Chattooga court house, Cherokee Nation, May 25th 1830

I do hereby certify the Def____  the l_____ as ea____ in t_____ to my hand Robert Field, Clk CC4

This case settled in Crying Snake’s favor.

RECORD BOOK OF THE CHEROKEE SUPREME COURT October Term 1830

[PAGE 72]

Crying Snake Vs Robert Brown}}}Treppes to try the right to a certain field at Pathkillers Ferry on the West side of the river.

The Court find for the plaintiff, Crying Snake, the field in dispute.

Witnesses attendanceM. McIntosh14 days$10.50
 John Ratliff17 days12.75
 Anohy1612.00
 James Lasley1511.25
 Quakey32.25
 Qakey21.50
 Kenah64.50
 Kah-lo-ne-sky32.25

Friday 27th (October 1826) The Court met according to adjournment.  Present &C5

Pathkiller started a new improvement, according to the court case. This improvement held a ferry and a farm on both sides of the Coosa River at Terrapin Creek. He lived on the east side and had a house built for his granddaughter Ahnoah. She stated in testimony that she was married to Hammer at one time. She said that her grandfather Chief Pathkiller died in his house on the east side of the river. Cherokee custom, he would be buried on-site at his death. So, Chief Pathkiler is buried at this location. He had a new wife named Oo-loo-cha.

John Ridge and the Ferry

“Alabama Collection Camps, Forts, Emigrating Depots and Travel Routes Used During the Cherokee Removal of 1838-1839,” Chapter 8, Michael Wren wrote;

After Pathkiller’s death, controlling interest in the ferry was acquired by John Ridge while some members of Pathkiller’s family continued to hold a minority interest. John Ridge employed a white man named William Childers to operate the ferry. It is likely that William Childers was the source of the name Childersville.6

In 1832, St Clair County authorized Emanuel M. Zimmerman to establish a ferry on the Coosa River. 7 Zimmerman assigned that right to John H. Garrett. Garrett used that right to dispossess Ridge and Company their ferry on the Coosa River.8 (The footnote contains lots of additional information.)

In a letter Benjamin Curry to Governor Gayle of AL dated January 21, 1835., William Childers and John Ridge complained about Garrett building on the property.

“General John H Garrett came with an armed force and is now building a dewilling house in the yard of one of Ridges’s tenets between the Indian dwelling and his little patch separated by a distance not under sixty feet.“9

Charles C. Royce Map section showing Turkey Town, earlier cited.

The Garrett family confiscating this property created great confusion as to the location of Turkey’s Town. Along with the above map, the historians became confused on where Turkey’s Town was located. This was not part of Turkey’s Town until after 1819 and Chief Pathkiller establishing a new ferry and resident.

John Ridge would surrender this property under the 1835 New Echota Treaty.

John H Garrett and his wife Mary would patent purchase this property.10 This is the site that Charles C. Royce and James Mooney would site as Turkey’s Town. The Garrett family tradition states they were on this property in 1816. William H Garrett was the oldest son of John H Garrett and Mary Hall Garrett. He stated this in a bio for the state of Alabama. He said he was born “22 February 1819 near Hamburg, Edgefield County, South Carolina.” John H Garrett is on the 1830 St Clair County, Alabama Census. In St Clair County court records he is listed as a Justice of the Peace. He will become a Major in the Alabama Militia by 1835. He died in 1841 while serving the Alabama Legislature in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Garrett family still owns this property today.

Conclusion/Confusion

Confusion. A lot of info in the past three posts. Review them. Chief Pathkiller had two ferries. His first ferry is the location of today’s Fitts Ferry in Etowah County, Ala. He separated from his wife, Peggy, and left those improvements to her and the children. He married a new wife named Ooo-loo-cha. He began a new improvement and ferry, which is now today’s Garrett’s Ferry in Centre, Alabama. He did not move or start the new improvements until after 1819 in what is now Centre, Alabama.

Four posts to tell you where the original village of New Seneca, Turkey’s Town is located. The original village is in Etowah County, Alabama. See the maps below.

Original Survey 1838. 11 The plotted sites on the above map were done by Jeffrey Sauls. The post office site is the second site for the PO. The post office was established in 1834 at James C. Street’s, he was the Postmaster. John G. Means became the Postmaster in 1835. The above plotted site is the 1835 site. 12

Here is a modern-day map of the same area from Google Maps. Labeling by Jeffrey Sauls.

By the time of the Trail of Tears, 1839, Turkey’s Town began just below Gadsden. Will’s Creek empties into the Coosa River there. It would stretch to Centre, Alabama. The Trail of Tears will have its own post, and I will explain this 25 miles of Turkey’s Town.

Uncovering the History of Turkeytown, Establishment, A Timeline, the Next Post. When did Chief Little Turkey move to this location?

  1. The treaty of 1819 reaffirmed the treaty of 1817. It was signed 27 February 1819. https://treaties.okstate.edu/treaties/treaty-with-the-cherokee-1819-0177 ↩︎
  2. Penelope Allen Johnson Collection, University Tennessee Knoxville, Series V, Box 1, FOLDER 201 ↩︎
  3. Bearmeat served in the Creek War 1813-14 and was a scout for General Cocke. Cocke wrote a letter commending Bearmeat as he is referred to as “the son of the old Path Killer.” Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries, Telamon Cuyler Collection, Box: 77, Folder: 30, Document: 02.  Major Robert Searcy in a letter to Gen. John Coffee commends Bearmeat as well; “the son of the Path Killer king & principle Chief of their nation”. Fold3 Ancestry.com, Correspondence and Miscellaneous Records; page 271-274, Records of the Cherokee Indians Agency in Tennessee 1801-1835, Record Group 75, National Archive ↩︎
  4. Tennessee Cherokee Collection, Box 4, Folder 3.    Microfilm Collection 815, Reel 1, frames 1020-1021.   Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville TN.  ↩︎
  5. Cherokee Supreme Court Record Book page 72, Tennessee Cherokee Collection, Box 3, Folder 10, Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville TN. ↩︎
  6. COOSA RIVER #6 Township 10 South, Range 9 East, Section 28, Pathkiller’s Ferry / Ridge’s Ferry / Childers’ Ferry / Garrett’s Ferry page 242, Chapter 8 Topography of the Removal Routes Ferry Crossings on Major Rivers and Tributaries, By Michael Wren, Alabama Collection Camps, Forts, Emigrating Depots and Travel Routes Used During the Cherokee Removal of 1838-1839, https://www.nps.gov/trte/learn/historyculture/upload/Alabama-Collections-Camps-Forts-Depots-and-Routes-508.pdf ↩︎
  7. St. Clair County AL County Court Minute Book (1828-1834) page 173-174 “Ordered by the Court that Emanuel M. Zimerman be authorized to Establish a ferry on the Coosa River at what is now known by the name of Pathkillers ferry where Childers now lives…” on page 180 is states “that Emanuel M. Zimmerman be authorized to Establish a keep a ferry on Coosa river below Heners Island and above Childers ferry and below Mulkeys fery…” The Alabama Legislature on January 12, 1832 authorized Garrett to “open a road” near his farm on the Coosa River and directed the Circuit Court of St. Clair County to grant Garrett a license to keep a ferry. ↩︎
  8. Letter to John Ridge March 13, 1835 from William Childers about Garrett and his efforts at taking the ferry and Ridges forward of the letter to the Secretary of War on March 13, 1835. Benjamin Currey’s letter to CC Clay dated January 20, 1835 and the Letter of Benjamin Curry to Governor Gayle of AL dated January 21, 1835. National Archives Microfilm Publication M234, roll 76, frames 476-483; Letters Received by the Office of Indian Affairs, 1824-1881; Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75; National Archives – Southeast Region, Morrow, GA. The Childers letter mentions that “Garret is here on the other side of the River has got Large double houses bilt and has taken them old houses that Pathkiller ust to Lie in and made kitchens of them”. The legal and military wrangling between Ridge and Garrett over control of this ferry is documented in
    Fourth Board Claim #2 (Heirs of John Ridge vs. the United States); Claims Papers, 1846-1847, of the Fourth Board of Cherokee Commissioners, Entry 250; Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75; National Archives Building, Washington DC. See also Minute Docket 1 pages 4, 56-62; Minutes of the Fourth Board of Cherokee Commissioners, Entry 249; Records of
    the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. The early Court Records of Cherokee County Alabama were all lost in a series of courthouse fires. The Fourth Board Claim file contains a copy of the court record. Legal Notice was printed in The Jacksonville Republican, Jacksonville AL, Issue of November 2, 1837, Volume 1, No 42, pg 3, column 4. “Cherokee County, Circuit Court, October Term 1837, John H. Garrett vs. John Ridge and William
    Childress. In Chancery.” {Note the Legal advertisement ran until January 1838.} See also Letter dated August 12, 1837 from John Wool to General Dunlap in American State Papers, Military Affairs Volume 7, page 551. See also US Serial Set, Series 315, 25th Congress – 2nd Session, Senate Document 120, pp 26, 357-358, 728-729. ↩︎
  9. Ibid ↩︎
  10. Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office Records, Eastern States Office, Springfield, VA. Pre-emption Certificate 6,698 for John H. Garrett of Cherokee County, Alabama, was issued June 1 1845 for the northeast part and the fraction “A” of fractional Section 28 in Township 10 of Range 9 East. Pre-emption Certificate #6,694 for Mary Garrett of Cherokee County was issued on June 1, 1845 for the southwest part of the northeast quarter of fractional Section 28 in Township 10 of Range 9 East. Pre-emption Certificate #6,699 for Mary Garrett as assignee of Charles S. Legatt was issued June 1, 1845 for the southeast quarter of fractional Section 28 in Township 10 of Range 9 East, all in the District of Lands subject to Sale at Lebanon Alabama.
    http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch/ ↩︎
  11. Survey of Township 11 South of Range 7 East, of the Huntsville (AL) Meridian, Section 9. Plat certified April 20, 1840, by James W. Weakley, Surveyor General of the public lands in Alabama. Samuel Bigham, Deputy Surveyor.http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/SurveySearch/ ↩︎
  12. U. S. Appointments of Postmasters 1832-1971, ancestry.com ↩︎

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding;
 in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3; 5-6 CSV

Uncovering the History of Turkeytown, Location By the People of Turkey’s Town,

12 Wednesday Feb 2025

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First, a look at what Historian Mrs. Margaret Stewart, in her Cherokee County History Volume 1 (published 1958), stated on page 204. This is about where Chief Little Turkey lived. 

What do the Cherokee people say? What do the people who interacted with the Cherokee people in Dah-noo-wey-ye (Turkey’s Place) say about the location?

“Turkey Town named for noted Chief “The Turkey” and located in the bend of the Coosa River opposite to and one mile south of the town of Centre. It was founded about 1770, and was considerable size and importance. It is marked on the Royce’s Map (1884) opposite the influx of Terrapin Creek. Chief Turkey lived on the east side of Turkey Creek on what later became the Sims farm. By some Indian agents and traders, the town was called New Seneca.” 

We need to handle this Sims farm and the statements about this before we get to the Cherokee people. It adds too much to the confusion.

Where is this Sims’ farm? You will not find a Sims farm on the West side of the Coosa River opposite Centre Alabama. No Turkey Creek as well. Mrs. Stewart’s reference to the Sim’s farm is a newspaper article from the Gadsden Daily Times News dated 10 October 1899.

Newspaper.com The Gadsden Times-News
Gadsden, Alabama • Tue, Oct 10, 1899 Page 1

The location of this farm is in Etowah County, Alabama. The Sims’ farm is Richard G. Sims. In 1875, R. G. Sims purchased the property from Dr. Walter Baskin. Dr. Baskin had purchased the farm from the estate of Abraham Whorton. Abraham Whorton purchased it in November of 1840. Sims paid taxes on 152 acres in Section 16 of Township 11 & Range 7. This included the Eastern half of the NE and SE quarters. He paid these taxes through 1895. Richard Sims died on August 8, 1893. His wife, Catherine Sevilla Sims, and son, Robert B. Sims, sold this farm to Erastus Darrow in 1903. Mr. Darrow gifts this farm to Amanda McMahan. This is on Coats’ Bend Road, the south side of Turkeytown Creek. The border is Coats’ Bend Road to the Coosa River. The Northern border is Turkeytown Creek.1 2 (A map is at the end of this post.) Uncle Si Daniel is Josiah M. Daniel. He was Sheriff of Cherokee County from 1863-1869. (Coosa River News, page 3, 15 January 1892.) He lived in Leesburg, Cherokee County, Alabama.

It seems that Mrs. Stewart is contradicting herself. Is Turkey’s Town one mile south of Centre, Alabama? Or is it in Etowah County, Alabama at Turkeytown Creek on the Sims’ Farm?

What do the Cherokee people say?

A more precise location of Turkey’s Town is noted by Chief Charles R. Hicks. He is Chief Pathkiller’s second. A second is like the Vice-President of the Cherokee Nation.

After the Creek Indian War of 1813-1814, the Cherokee people sought compensation. They filed for reimbursement from the United States for their losses during the war. From 1814 War Claims;

Sept 29th 1814 I have entered this claim of the friendly Creeks who live above Turkey town and they had moved into the Path Killers fort when the army under Genl White went to the Hillibees and the army lay the best part of two days at Coosahatchee and the hogs which was killed by the vollunteers and Cherokees I cannot pretend to say the exact number but great many was killed and there corn and large quantities of pumkin taken. both white and red made use of it. Ch Hicks.            On the Coosahatchee No. 82 10 miles South of (Fort) Armstrong and 20 miles above Turkey’s Town. 3  

Chief Hicks noted Coosahatchee location that is 10 miles South of Fort Armstrong. It is also 20 miles North (above) of Turkey town. The location of Fort Armstrong was located by archaeologists in 2017. This location is on Alabama Power Company property. Today, this would be on “Pruitt’s Island, Cherokee County, Alabama. This is the location of Fort Armstrong’s Ferry, which became Sewell’s Ferry. Today, this is mostly under the water of Weiss Lake. Travel ten miles South using the original roads you come to Coosahatchee. These roads are plotted on the original survey maps of 1838. This will place you at “Coloma” on Terrapin Creek. The below 1917 Cherokee County Road Map. It shows wagon roads and trails. I have plotted Armstrong’s ferry. Each numbered square is a 1-mile square. You can see where “10 miles South of Armstrong” would be.

http://cartweb.geography.ua.edu/lizardtech/iserv/calcrgn?cat=North%20America%20and%20United%20States&item=States//Alabama//Counties//cherokee//Cherokee1917a.sid&wid=1000&hei=900&props=item(Name,Description),cat(Name,Description)&style=simple/view-dhtml.xsl

Traveling Southwest/west on original roads will place you at today’s Fitts Ferry (Kay’s Ferry), Coosa River, in Etowah County, Alabama. This is the site of Pathkiller’s residence and fort.

John LaTourette’s 1835 Map of Alabama titled An Accurate Map of the State of Alabama and West Florida, published in Mobile Alabama 1838. http://cartweb.geography.ua.edu/lizardtech/iserv/calcrgn?cat=North%20America%20and%20United%20States&item=States/Alabama/LatouretteSheet02.sid&wid=1000&hei=900&props=item(Name,Description),cat(Name,Description)&style=simple/view-dhtml.xsl

Chief Hicks’ location does not agree with James Mooney or Charles Royce. Turkey’s Town has to be 20 miles south of Centre, Alabama. On the above map, Centre, Alabama, is Childersville Ferry and the plot of “Court House.” This is a large distance from Childerville Ferry (Garrett’s Ferry). This notation of Chief Hick’s also would eliminate the tri-river location, as Don Naylor and Bob Minnix noted in 1993. See the earlier post on the traditional location. The Chattooga, Little River, and Coosa Rivers intersections are North and West of Fort Armstrong. This can not be Turkey’s Town.

Chief Hicks has stated that Turkey’s Town is much further South of Centre, Alabama, than what the Historians have stated. Did you review John Coffee’s and Royce’s maps? Just a note on General Coffee’s map: Terrapin Creek is listed as Rocky R.

Mission Teacher/Preacher, 1822, Tells Us the Location

A person deeply connected to the Cherokee people in Wills’ Town and Turkey’s Town is Reverend Daniel Butrick.

Reverend Daniel Butrick was the mission pastor and teacher. He was assigned to Willstown Mission. His assignment came from the Brainerd Mission (Presbyterian Church, American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions).

Rev. Daniel Sabin Butrick (or Buttrick) (August 25, 1789 – June 8, 1851) was commissioned in 1817 as a minister of the Word of God, in the service of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM). His subsequent 25 years were marked with personal failure and relational conflict as he sought to realize his mission to the Cherokee Nation, although his recorded observations concerning the Cherokee removal crisis and Trail of Tears established a legacy. His decision to champion Christian salvation over political advocacy resulted in the creation of an invaluable resource on Indian culture. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

In Butrick’s report to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, Thirteenth Annual Meeting in 1822, page 44; 

From the journal, which Mr. Butrick kept, a few extracts will be made, and a summary will be given at the close. “19. Rode to the Boot’s, in Turkey-town, twenty-five miles. [This place is the residence of Path-killer, the king, or first beloved man, of the Cherokee nation. Mr. Hicks is the second beloved man.] 4

The information can be expounded on by what he wrote in his personal journal in January 1822. Assisting him was John Arch a converted Cherokee to Christianity, Butrick’s interpreter.

Set off for Wa-sa-si’s, but hearing he was not at home returned [to Browns], took our leave & rode to br. Brister’s 16 miles.  18 Jan 1822

Rode to the Boots in Turkey Town 25 miles.  This man I believe is some like a prince regent.  He attends to business when the king is absent or in ill health, and is his Creek interpreter.      19 Jan 18225

Brown is John Brown, a Pastor and Teacher with the ABCFM at Creek Path, which is now Guntersville, Alabama. Brister’s refers to Warwick Bristow. He settled in a valley that was given the name of Bristow’s Cove. Etowah County, Alabama, has a road named Bristow Cove Road and a stream by the same name. This is now the Aurora Community of Northwest Etowah County on Etowah County road 179. 1829, a post office was established under the name Brister’s Cove at Brister’s store. In 1830, the Brister’s Cove Post Office became the Aurora Post Office.6 If you travel on today’s roads, the distance is 26 miles. It is from Aurora at Bristow Cove Creek to Turkeytown Creek on Old US 411.

After spending most of the day with the Boot and his wife Rev. Daniel Butrick states in his journal on January 23rd, 1822, page 145; 

Road 28-30 miles to the Widow Broom’s near Tas-ty-gi Creek.7  

We can plot the Widow Broom’s location from the journal of L. V. Bierce; Travels in the South Land 1822-1823, pages 91-93.

April 3. Struck our tents and went two miles to Widow Broomes, a half bread who keeps a tavern. One mile from Broomes crossed the Chatooga, a narrow but deep stream over which is a very good Indian ferry. Eight miles from the ferry we crossed the Ecwomisteba or Little River, five miles from which we crossed yellow River. About a mile from the road up the latter river a natural curiosity worthy of notice. It is a perpendicular rock near two hundred feet high, in appearance having windows, doors and other appendages of a castle of the “lands of aulden time”. Viewed from the road, and time forbid a closer inspection, it is subline. The river falls nighty feet perpendicular over rock. It is on Mount lookout, the main branch of the Apalachian Chain. Five miles from Yellow Creek we encamped.  21m8

Bierce has described Yellow Creek Falls in Cherokee County, Alabama, on County Road 273. Start at today’s Yellow Creek and Yellow Creek Falls. Travel along Cherokee County Road 273 till it ends. Then head south on US 411. The route leads to Turkeytown Creek in Etowah County. If you use the old roads as much as they exist, it is 16 miles by automobile. You should add the 13 miles from the Widow Broomes to Yellow Creek, as stated by Bierce. This makes a total of 29 miles. “Road 28-30 miles to the Widow Broom’s“

This again places Turkey’s Town in Etowah County, Alabama.

In both directions, you place Boot and family at today’s Turkeytown Creek.  The heart of Turkey’s Town is on Turkeytown Creek. If the historians are correct, Chief Little Turkey lived on the east road (Coats’ Bend Road). Statement by Uncle Si Daniel in the 1899 Gadsden paper noted above. The Boot lived on the west road (Old US 411) at Turkeytown Creek.

Another note made by Rev Butrick is the Council House was one mile from the Boot. It is one mile in distance between Coats’ Bend Road and Old US 411. This would place the Council House on Coats’ Bend Road.

We accompanied our two fathers the Path Killer i.e. the king, and the Boot, to the council house about one mile distant.  The council house consists of three roofs supported by crotches, each roof perhaps 30 feet long, built in this order viz; (drawing inserted) with a fire in the middle of the yard, and one immediately before each house. Here we found perhaps 100 dear immortals, precious sons and daughters of the forest.  Perfect order and decency were maintained in every part of this assembly as far as we could judge.9

Council House as drawn by Rev Butrick.

Did they place the council house near the Chief? Did Chief Little Turkey live near the Council House? Chief Little Turkey was not at home when he died. He died in March 1802 in Will’s Town. He is buried there.

Journal of Occurrences in the Cherokee Agency in 1802 to Return J. Meigs to the Secretary of War, (Fold3.com of ancestry.com).  

Conclusion

Chief Little Turkey lived on the East Road (Coats’ Bend Rd) near the Council House and Turkeytown Creek. The Boot lived on the West Road (Old US 411) near Turkeytown Creek. The heart of Turkey’s Town is along this creek.

Uncle Si appears to be correct. “Turkeytown is four miles long, has two main streets, railroad running right between them. One street and creek running across about the center of the town. October 1899.

Original Survey 183810 The plotted sites on the above map were done by Jeffrey Sauls. The post office site is the second site for the PO. The post office was established in 1834 at James C. Street, he was the Postmaster. John G. Means became the Postmaster in 1835. The above site is the 1835 site.11

These accounts are provided by the People of Turkey’s Town.

Location, By Chief Pathkiller’s family, is the next post in Uncovering the History of Turkeytown. 

Pathkiller’s family has lots to say about this. They will confirm the original site of Turkey’s Town, Pathkiller’s residence and fort. They will reveal that Pathkiller had two different ferries. He lived in the above-plotted area with his family. He left when he moved north around 1819. He also took a new wife at that time. By doing this, Peggy, his former wife, will take possession of the improvements at his first ferry. The next post is significant to Uncovering the History of Turkeytown.

  1. Etowah County Land Plat records, Historic Plats, Etowah County Commission web site, https://etowahcounty.org/historic-plats/ Etowah County Abstract Company, 314 Chestnut Street, Gadsden, Alabama, ledger book information of said property ↩︎
  2. Will of Richard G. Sims from probate records of Etowah County Alabama 1893 found at FamilySearch.com https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9RRL-S34L?wc=MXRW-ZP6%3A314244401%2C317480301%26cc%3D1978117&cc=1978117&i=18 ↩︎
  3. Cherokee Claims War of 1812, List #82 Frame 121, Pathkiller Claim; NARA Microfilm M574 [Special Files of the Bureau of Indian Affairs].  Roll 17, Special File 104 [Claims for losses suffered by Cherokee Indians, particularly during the War of 1812]. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS5F-17GB-L?i=6&cat=362686 Digital image 129.  ↩︎
  4. Report of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, Thirteenth Annual Meeting 1822, page 44, Daniel Butrick, Yale University, https://findit.library.yale.edu/catalog/digcoll:445026.  ↩︎
  5. Report of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, Thirteenth Annual Meeting 1822, page 47, Daniel Butrick, Yale University, https://findit.library.yale.edu/catalog/digcoll:445026 ↩︎
  6. U. S. Appointments of Postmasters 1832-1971, ancestry.com. ↩︎
  7. Mission Among Us, the Cherokee Journal, February – August, 1823, by Reverend Daniel Butrick, The Missionary Herald, January, 1824, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. https://archive.org/details/missionamongcher00butr.  ↩︎
  8. “Travels in the South Land 1822-1823”, pages 91-93. The Journal of Lucius Verus Bierce. Gadsden Public Library.  ↩︎
  9. Mission Among Us, the Cherokee Journal, February – August, 1823, by Reverend Daniel Butrick, The Missionary Herald, January, 1824, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. https://archive.org/details/missionamongcher00butr. Pages 143-144. ↩︎
  10. Survey of Township 11 South of Range 7 East, of the Huntsville (AL) Meridian, Section 9. Plat certified April 20, 1840, by James W. Weakley, Surveyor General of the public lands in Alabama. Samuel Bigham, Deputy Surveyor.http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/SurveySearch/.  ↩︎
  11. U. S. Appointments of Postmasters 1832-1971, ancestry.com ↩︎

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding;
 in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3; 5-6 CSV

Uncovering the History of Turkeytown, Traditional Location

21 Tuesday Jan 2025

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“The Southern Indians . . .the records of their history are records by whites and are marred by prejudices and misunderstandings . . .”  R. S. Cotterill, The Southern Indian, Preface. 

Traditional histories

Traditional histories of white people create confusion about the location. Let’s look at the statements about 3 different places for Turkey’s Town. I will explain the timeline for establishment in its own post later.

Location one.

One mile south of the town of Centre on the west side of the Coosa.

August 7, 1936; Cardon’s History Cherokee. Front page, Coosa River News, first column five paragraphs down;

“Turkey Town was established some time prior to 1770, and was one of the most important of Cherokee establishments. It is here that Col. Campbell, the noted British soldier and superintendent, lived at times during and after the Revolutionary War. Turkey Town was located about one mile from Centre on the west side of the Coosa River, not far from the mouth of Terrapin Creek. This fact is attested to by all of the authorities on the subject, and is shown on a half a dozen maps owned by the writer, dating from 1817 to 1835. The old Indian Trail or ‘Creek Path’ running from Creek Path Town, now Guntersville, crossed the river at Turkey Town, where after the turn of the 19th Century, Pathkiller, King of the Cherokee, operated a ferry.”1

Mr. Cardon does not give a citation except for “all of the authorities.” He would also cite C. C. Royce’s 1884 Map. The information on the location did it come from James Mooney and Royce’s map? Did it come from the Alabama Historical Society?

James Mooney’s book Myths of The Cherokee and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees states;

Gun’-di’-gaduhun’yi (abbreviated Gun’digadu’hun)- “Turkey’s settlement” (gu’nu’, turkey), so called from the chief, Turkey or the Little Turkey, upon the west bank of Coosa river, opposite the present Center, in Cherokee county, Alabama.2

Charles C. Royce served with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Ethnology. He was an author and businessman. He confused people with his placement of Turkey’s Town on his “Land Cession Map” by calling it a “Creek” Village.3 https://www.geographicus.com/P/ctgy&Category_Code=roycecharlesc

This created confusion in a report to the Governor of the state of Alabama. The Governor of Alabama requested a report from the Historical Commission. It was printed on December 1, 1900, and copyrighted in 1921. The report provides two Turkey Towns, both at the same location.4

Page 418; Creek Indian Town and Villages, Chapter IV;

Turkey Town, an Upper Creek Village, is marked on Royce’s map (1884) on the western shore Coosa River opposite the influx of Terrapin Creek, from the Southeast and also opposite the recent town of Centre.

Page 420; Chapter V Cherokee Towns and Villages in Alabama;

Turkey Town. Founded about 1770, and situated in the bend of the Coosa river opposite the town of Centre in Cherokee County. It was a place of great importance in the Nation and was named for one of its most noted Chiefs “The Turkey”, here under this chief’s lead originated many of hostile expeditions against the white settlers of Tennessee and Kentucky. -see Pickets History of Alabama Vol. 1 page 163.

These notations in this 1900 report are the sources for Mr. Cardon and historians later.

A reference noted above; see Pickets History of Alabama Vol. 1, page 163. This reference does not give any information on the location of Turkey’s town.

Albert Pickett’s “History of Alabama and incidentally of Georgia and Mississippi, from the earliest period”. On page 163 Mr. Pickett writes;

Will’s Town and Turkey Town—important Cherokee establish. The former was named for a half breed called Red-headed Will. At these towns lived the British Superintendent, (the celebrated Col. Campbell,) before and during the Revolutionary War. . . 

Cherokee County History written by Mrs. Margaret Stewart repeats these notes. 1956 Cherokee County History Volume 1, page 204;

“Turkey Town named for noted Chief “The Turkey” and located in the bend of the Coosa River opposite to and one mile south of the town of Centre. It was founded about 1770, and was considerable size and importance. It is marked on the Royce’s Map (1884) opposite the influx of Terrapin Creek. Chief Turkey lived on the east side of Turkey Creek on what later became the Sims farm. By some Indian agents and traders, the town was called New Seneca.”

page 214;

“Turkey Town was established some time prior to 1770 and was one of the most important Cherokee establishments. Col. Campbell the noted British soldier and superintendent lived here at times during the Revolution. Turkey Town was located one mile from Centre on the west side of the Coosa not far from the mouth of Terrapin Creek. The old Indian Trail or Creek Path crossed the river at Turkey Town, and Pathkiller had a ferry here.”5

Location two.

Turkey’s Town from Gadsden to Centre, Alabama.

Another location for the town is described in a History of Etowah County, Alabama. During the centennial of Etowah County Alabama in 1968 a committee was formed to write a history of the county. “History of Etowah County Alabama; Part I, A History of Etowah County, Alabama by Elbert L. Watson.”6

page 9, Chapter I, Etowah County; An Ancient Homeland;

Chief Little Turkey and his followers located their village, Turkey’s Town, along the northern bank of the Coosa River in an extremely fertile and productive area of the Coosa Valley. Actually, Turkey’s Town, or Turkeytown, as it was later called, was more an area instead of a village, since it extended from just south of Centre to below Gadsden where the Coosa River and Big Wills Creek formed the Cherokee boundary line.

The third location.

99.1 percent underwater of Weiss Lake in the area of LIttle River, Chattooga River, Coosa River.

A third location was noted in 1993. The Turkeytown Association of Cherokee held an Intertribal “Pow Wow” next door to Gaston High School, Etowah County, Alabama. Cherokee County Herald September 15, 1993, the front-page headline is; “Cherokee Indians celebrate at the wrong place? Alabama historian and researcher Don Naylor says YES”; written by the editor Paul W. Dale. He states;

“Turkeytown is actually located some miles from where the festival organizers have laid claim to a site they contend is where a Pow wow was held some 150 years ago. The truth is the truth and you cannot bend it.” Naylor is listed as a historian that researcher who primarily hunts Creek Indian history and artifacts throughout the Cherokee County area. “Turkeytown is now 99.1 percent under water of Weiss Lake.” Bob Minnix of the Cherokee County Historical Museum in Centre. “Turkeytown is actually located in the area of Little River, Chattooga, Coosa.”7

(As of note, I was a board member of the Turkeytown Association of the Cherokee. This was an educational group to promote Cherokee and Turkeytown history.)

If you look at Wikipedia, you will get all three locations.
Much of the original site of Turkeytown is now underwater, due to the impoundment of the Coosa River which formed Weiss Lake. The present-day community of Turkey Town in Etowah County, Alabama is fewer than ten miles southwest of Centre, Alabama and near the original site of the town.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkeytown_(Cherokee_town)

Oliver Day Street “The Indians of Marshall County Alabama”;

About 1777, Wills’ Town was established by the Cherokee. . .about the same time Turkey Town was built by them on the Coosa river opposite the present site of Centre, Cherokee County, Alabama. 

(reference is “Pickett’s History of Alabama”, vol I, page 163; Royce in the 5th Annual Report Bureau of Ethnology, Map 8) 8

Mr. Street’s statements are like those of many other local histories and state historians who repeat the same information.

Conclusion

So, where is the original site for Turkey’s Town? With the above, there is no conclusion. With the above, there is confusion. Three locations? Spread from today’s Gadsden to Centre, Alabama?

The correct location is where? Where is this noted “Sim’s farm, east of the creek”? Where Chief Turkey lived. Are all the places part of Turkey’s Town?

What do the Cherokee people say? What do the people who interacted with Cherokee people in Dah-noo-wey-ye say about the location?

Next time, we will start looking at those sources. Till then, study Gen. John Coffee’s map.9 Compare it to Royce’s map above.

  1. “Coosa River News”: Friday 7 August 1936: Page 2: Gadsden Public Library, Genealogical and History Library: Microfilm. ↩︎
  2. Myths of The Cherokee and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees by James Mooney from the 19th and 7th Annual Reports B. A. E. published in 1900 and reproduced 1982, page 521, “Glossary of Cherokee Words. ↩︎
  3. Map of the former territorial limits of the Cherokee “Nation of Indians;” Map showing the territory originally assigned Cherokee “Nation of Indians.” Published 1884, author C.C. Royce. Library of Congress. ↩︎
  4. Publication of the Alabama Historical Society Miscellaneous Collection: “Report of the Alabama Historical Commission to the Governor of the State of Alabama December 1, 1900”: Edited by Thomas McAdory Owens, Chairman: Montgomery Alabama: 1901: Google Books eBook: Public Domain. ↩︎
  5. “Cherokee County History 1836-1956 Volume 1”: Mrs. Frank Ross Stewart: Centre, Alabama:1956. Gadsden Public Library. ↩︎
  6. “A History of Etowah County, Alabama”: 1968: Etowah County Centennial Committee: Woodrow J. Stephens, Joe Barnes, Jerry B. Jones, Juanita Miller, and Elbert L. Watson; Gadsden, Alabama: Roberts and Son: Birmingham, Alabama. Copy in possession of the writer. ↩︎
  7. “Cherokee County Herald September 15, 1993”: Editor Paul W. Dale: Front page: Copy in possession of the writer. ↩︎
  8.  “The Alabama Historical Society, Montgomery, Alabama, Reprint No. 8”: XII The Indians of Marshall County, Alabama, Montgomery, Alabama, 1904, page 206: Oliver Day Street, Guntersville, Alabama: Google Books eBook: page 185. ↩︎
  9. A piece of the map, Sketch of the Disputed Country Between the State of Georgia and the
    Cherokee Nation. Record Group 75, Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1793-1999, Series,
    Central Map Files, 1824-1962, National Archives Catalog, General John Coffee. ↩︎

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding;
 in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3: 5-6 CSV

Uncovering the History of Turkeytown, Intro, When a Name is Not a Name Name

07 Tuesday Jan 2025

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Intro

Uncovering the history of Turkeytown. My goal is to give a voice to the Cherokee people who live in New Seneca, Turkey’s Town. I aim to clear up misunderstandings about when and where Turkeytown was located. I want to create a timeline of the settlement by Chief Little Turkey. I will examine the significance of this village. We will look at the impact on the Cherokee Nation, the United States, and the state of Alabama. I will introduce you to the connections between the Cherokee people and modern-day communities. These communities and cities were directly formed out of Turkey’s Town.

 Mr. R. S. Cotterill states in the Preface of his book, The Southern Indians; “The Southern Indians . . .the records of their history are records by whites and are marred by prejudices and misunderstandings . . . The writer finishes his task with no boast that his portrayal has been precise or his account complete. He hopes he has moved at least a little toward the goal of depicting Indian history as it was.” I, too, do not claim to be precise or complete. Instead, I aim to be as correct as the records allow. The voices of the Cherokee need not be silent. The records they have left behind tell their story. I will try to piece together their records to tell this story.

Historians have debated Turkey’s Town location and when it was settled for almost 100 years. Searching every document or record with references to Turkey’s Town is impossible. As more information is digitized and placed on the internet, it becomes available in libraries and archives. Thus, one must search through as much as possible.

I am very grateful to Michael Wren for his support in my research. He is a Board Member of the National Trail of Tears. He shared documents he had found in the National Archives, the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and other sites. These invaluable documents and others that I have found become the base for piecing the story together. It allows the voice of the Cherokee to speak. It allows the people who interacted with them to talk. It allows for a more precise story.

In this post, we will look at the real name of the town. New Seneca Turkey’s Town was named by Chief Little Turkey.

When a name is not a name

 Gun’-di’-gaduhun’yi (abbreviated Gun’digadu’hun)- “Turkey’s settlement” (gu’nu’, turkey), so called from the chief, Turkey or the Little Turkey, upon the west bank of Coosa river, opposite present-day Centre, in Cherokee county, Alabama.” (Myths of The Cherokee and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees, James Mooney the 19th and 7th Annual reports B. A. E. published in 1900 and reproduced 1982, page 521, Glossary of Cherokee Words). Mr. Mooney appears to be the standard for the location and name of Turkey’s Town. He is quoted by many websites and many historians. He presents a good argument. Who is he?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

James Mooney (February 10, 1861 – December 22, 1921) was an American ethnographer who lived for several years among the Cherokee. Known as “The Indian Man”, he conducted major studies of Southeastern Indians, as well as of tribes on the Great Plains.[2] He did ethnographic studies of the Ghost Dance, a spiritual movement among various Native American culture groups, after Sitting Bull‘s death in 1890. His works on the Cherokee include The Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees (1891), and Myths of the Cherokee (1900). All were published by the US Bureau of American Ethnology, within the Smithsonian Institution.

What do the Cherokee people say? What did they call the place?

The Cherokee people who lived in Turkey’s Town tell the history differently. We will start uncovering the history of Turkeytown by looking at the name as told by the Cherokee.

The treaty of 1830 established the “Indian Removal Act.” The 1835 treaty resulted in Trail of Tears, the forced removal of the Cherokee people. The Cherokee people filed claims for payment with the United States for what they left behind. They are referred to as Validation/Spoliation Claims. You can find the 1838 and 1842 claims at the National Trail of Tears web site.

In some of the 1842 validation/spoliation claims, the names Dah-noo-wey-ye, Tah-noo-wey-ye, and Nah-te-kay-ye is used for Turkey Town. These names are interchangeable, and the word translates to “Turkey’s Place.” (Reference, the late Hastings Shade, Cherokee Talker/teacher, Oklahoma. Interview with Michael Wren. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hastings_Shade?wprov=sfti1) An example of this is in this 1842 claim by Susannah. It is located on the National Trail of Tears Association’s website. This is the link; https://totclaims.com/directory-1842_claims/east_residence/dah-noo-wey-ye-or-turkey-town-chattooga-dist/

As we see, Turkey Town is the name used by the Cherokee people. Many historians have stated that the village/town was named for “Chief Little Turkey.” This is true, but Turkey Town is a reference, not the name. The name Turkeytown is not the name of the village. Turkey’s Town is a reference used by the US Government, the Spanish, and other Indigenous People. This reference would become the name. When a name is not a name. Chief Little Turkey called his new town, New Seneca.

“At a general meeting held at the Turkeys Town or otherwise called New Sinekaw in the Cherokee Nation Present the Chicomagies Chiefs March 10th 1789“

A letter written for Chiefs, Little Turkey, Hanging Maw, and Dragging Canoe. The letter is intended for Governor Samuel Johnson in 1789 (Governor of North Carolina). The letter seeks arrangements for another peace treaty. The new treaty is to be akin to the 1785 Hopewell treaty, or we should adhere to that treaty. The Hopewell Treaty was signed by the Cherokee Nation and the United States in November 1785. That signing took place at the Hopewell Plantation. Modern-day, this plantation house is on the property of Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina. The above clip is from a copy of the letter transcribed for Chiefs Little Turkey, Hanging Maw, and Dragging Canoe. The document NCU16 is in the Papers of the War Department 1784-1800. Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media, George Mason University, wardepartmentpapers.org.

If there is a “New Seneca,” then there must be an “Old Seneca.” The Cherokee town of Seneca is across the Keohwee River from the Hopewell Plantation. Present-day this is Seneca, South Carolina. This Old Seneca was the home of Chief Little Turkey. When Chief Little Turkey was the “Beloved Headman of the whole Nation,” he called for a grand council meeting. This meeting took place at Estanaula on Tuesday, 26th June 1792. Below is a statement from Little Nephew, a warrior from the Running Water Town, at this meeting.

“I put on my belt and tied up my things, to start from here to Seneca. I desired them to think of that place, the Little Turkey’s old Town, and the coals of fire which are yet to be seen there;”

Little Turkey named his new town after his old town. The transcription of the Grand Council meeting is available. It is found in the Library of Congress: American State Papers: Indian Affairs: Volume 1: Pages 271-273. Below is a copy of the opening statement.

“Present, the Little Turkey, great beloved man of the whole nation; the Badger, the beloved man of the Southern division; the Hanging Maw, beloved man of the Northern division; the Boot, the Black Fox, the Cabin, Path Killer, head-men of Turkey’s town.”

The above opening statement mentions that the headmen of Turkey’s Town are in attendance. These headmen are the only ones named referring to a town. They are significant to the Cherokee Nation and New Seneca, Turkey’s Town. Blackfox and Path Killer will become Principal Chiefs of the Nation. We will explore these men in their own posts.

“The Little Turkey’s old town.” Seneca is shown on the map below.

The 1771 map above shows Seneca, spelled Sennekaw. A portion of “Mouzon’s Map 1771; Mouzon, H. and Robert Sayer and John Bennett, (1775) An Accurate map of North and South Carolina with their Indian frontiers, shewing in a district manner all the mountains, rivers, swamps, bays, creeks, harbours, sandbanks, and soundings on the coast; with the roads and Indians paths as well as the boundaries, or provincial lines, the several towns and other divisions of lands in both provinces, London, printed for Robt. Sayer and J. Bennett” from the Library of Congress. hpps://www.loc.gov/item/74692510/

The Map is showing what would be the present-day Georgia/South Carolina border. Seneca and Clemson, South Carolina, are in the area shown on the map as Sennekaw and Old Keohwee. (A special note, Chief Little Turkey’s wife is from Keohwee. To be explained later in its own post.)

Another confirmation on the name comes from John McDonald, Chief John Ross’ maternal grandfather, stated. “By the loyal part of the Nation, I mean those that continued friendly to the English during the late American War and who have since thrown themselves, under the protection of his Cotholick Majesty—they compose the lower part of the nation, and comprehends nine towns including Villages, viz. Turnip Mountain town, TurkiesTown, or New Seneca—Wills Town—Lookout Mountain—Chickamoga, but now the Running Water, Necojackie, Long Island—Craw & Wassatie the last five are Situated on the Cherokee or Tennnessie River. . .“ (Letter of John McDonald to Henery White, Governor & Commander in Chief in Pensacola West Florida, August 17, 1794. Google Books, eBook. Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the year 1945 in four volumes. Volume IV, Spain in the Mississippi Valley, 1765-1794. Edited by Lawrence Kinnaird, Part III Problems of Frontier Defense 1765-1794, page 336.)

John McDonald and the family moved to Turkey’s Town about 1788, as his son-in-law Daniel Ross stated. During their time living in Turkey’s Town, John Ross was born. John Ross would become the “Principle Chief” of the Nation in 1827.

There are other documents as dictated by Chief Little Turkey from New Seneca. Example web link; https://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20211105005929/https://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName=007/llsp007.db&recNum=4

Conclusion.

The name of this village is New Seneca. It was referred to as Turkey’s Town.

The name New Seneca evolved into Turkey’s Town, Turkey Town, and then modern-day Turkeytown. When a name is not a name, we start this journey. Uncovering the History of Turkeytown or Dah-noo-wey-ye.

Next time, we will look at where Turkeytown is located. James Mooney stated it is one mile South of Centre, Alabama, on the West bank of the Coosa River. Historians have stated the town is underwater near Cedar Bluff, Alabama. Others the town may be in Etowah County, Alabama, at Turkeytown Creek.

Where is the physical location? We need to hear the Cherokee people. What do they say?

Next post 21 January 2025. Uncovering the History of Turkeytown, Traditional Location.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding;
 in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3; 5-6 CSV