Boundary line between the Cherokees and Creeks

Cherokee Phoenix and Indians' Advocate
Saturday June 19, 1830
Vol. III, no. 9
Page 2, col. 1a-2b

DOCUMENTS
Relating to the boundary line between the Cherokees and Creeks.
[Continued]
HEAD OF COOSA, 21st Dec. 1829.

Capt. David M'Nair states that he has lived in the Cherokee Nation since the year 1800. When I first came to the country the Cherokee Indians were settled on the south side of Hightower and Coosa Rivers, and on all the waters thereof, from Turkey Town up to the head of that river. They were also then living at Sawanah Old Town on Chattahoochy. I was at the house of Col. Rhode Easly who lived at the High Shoals of the Apalachee, on the east side of the river, about the year 1803; he then informed me that he had a cow-pen on the west side of Apalachy, some 6 or 8 miles from where he lived, on the Cherokee lands, that they permitted him to keep them on their land,- I heard the Cherokees say the same, that they permitted Col. Easly and his cattle on their land- I never knew of any line between the two Nations until the line was made from Buzzard Roost to Will's Creek. I never heard of the Creek Indian claiming any land on the waters of Hightower River, nor anywhere the Cherokees had settlements on the same. I have heard them speak of their boundary being south of all their settlements.

DAVID M'NAIR
Sworn to and subscribed before me, the same day above written.
JOHN RIDGE Clerk
National Council, Cherokee Nation.

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HEAD OF COOSA, 21st Dec. 1829.

Clem Van, aged eighty two year, says, he came into the Cherokee Nation about fifty years ago and has lived here ever since- he states that in the summer of the year 1806 there was a general council of the Creek Nation held at Tucbabachy Town on the Tallapoosa River. There were a number of Cherokees who attended, and I went with them. I do not know whether or not they were sent there by a council of the Nation, but there were several leading men of the Cherokees among them--there were at the Council Indians from the Choctaws and Chickasaws-all seemed to be there to hear what was done and said at the council. The Cherokees & Creeks agreed upon a line to divide the lands of the two nations which was as follows as nearly as I can recollect.--To Begin at Vann's store on the Oakmalga, called the Alcovy, and to run westwardly to the mouth of a little river which runs into the Chatahoochy on the west side, thence up that stream to the forks, then to take a ridge that run on to the head of Tarrapin Creek, which runs into Coosa River above Turkey Town, and thence to the flat rock and long leaf pine. I never knew of any other line between the two nations, until I heard of the line from Buzzard Roost to Will's Creek, nor I never heard of the Creek Indians claiming any land on the Coosa or Hightower Rivers above the Turkeys Town, but the Cherokees have had quiet and peaceable possession of it ever since I knew the country, which has been fifty years.
his
CLEM x VANN
mark

Sworn to and subscribed before me the same day above written.

JOHN RIDGE, Clerk
National Council, Cherokee Nation.

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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, previous to that time also all along up the Etowah and on the Chattahoochy Rivers--and that the nearest Creek settlements to the Turkey Town was the Eufale Town, a distance of about sixty miles from Turkey Town; and that he has lived in the Cherokee Nation ever since--and that his father in-law Mr. M'Donald, and himself in past years have been as familiar with the affairs of the Cherokee Nation as any other white man living in it, having usually attended their treaties and General Councils; and at no time to his knowledge or belief, have the Cherokees ever acknowledged a boundary between them and the Creeks, north of the line established in 1821 between two nations, but that the Cherokees did claim to the south of that line under the impression, that a straight line drawn from their most southern corner boundary in Georgia, to the southwestern corner of their claim, would run considerably south of the line from Buzzard Roost to Coosa River opposite to the mouth of Will's Creek. It is understood and believed that in agreeing to this line, the Creeks did not loose any land but that the Cherokees did concede a part of what has always been considered their just claim.

Head of Coosa, Cherokee Nation, December 10th, 1829.

DANIEL ROSS.

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The statement made herewith that the Eufale Towns being the nearest Creek settlements to the Turkey Town when I removed to that place is in reference to the permanent settlements on Towns of the Creeks, there being hunting camps of Creeks on Tarrapin Creek, a branch of the Coosa River on the south side. The privilege of hunting on the lands of each other being mutually permitted by both nations--and that the Creek Villages which are now to be found at Fifes, Cedar Town &c. have all been settled since I removed to Turkey Town.

DANIEL ROSS.
Head of Coosa Dec. 21, 1829.

The whole of this sworn to and subscribed before me, this 21st of Dec. 1829.
JOHN RIDGE, Clerk
N.C.C.Nation