Treaty
with the Cherokee Treaty, 1806, signed by Chief Red Bird
A convention between the United
States and the Cherokee nation of Indians, concluded at the city
of Washington, on the seventh day of January, in the year one
thousand eight hundred and six.
Articles of a Convention made
between Henry Dearborn, secretary of war, being specially authorized
thereto by the President of the United States, and the undersigned
chiefs and head men of the Cherokee nation of Indians, duly authorized
and empowered by said nation.
ARTICLE 1. The undersigned chiefs
and head men of the Cherokee nation of Indians, for themselves
and in behalf of their nation, relinquish to the United States
all right, title, interest and claim, which they or their nation
have or ever had to all that tract of country which lies to the
northward of the river Tennessee and westward of a line to be
run from the upper part of the Chickasaw Old Fields, at the upper
point of an island, called Chickasaw island, on said river, to
the most easterly head waters of that branch of said Tennessee
river called Duck river, excepting the two following described
tracts, viz: one tract bounded southerly on the said Tennessee
river, at a place called the Muscle Shoals, westerly by a creek
called Te Kee, ta, no-eh or Cyprus creek, and easterly by Chu,
wa, lee, or Elk river or creek, and northerly by a line to be
drawn from a point on said Elk river ten miles on a direct line
from its mouth or junction with Tennessee river, to a point on
the said Cyprus Creek, ten miles on a direct line from its junction
with the Tennessee river.
The other tract is to be two miles
in width on the north side of Tennessee river, and to extend northerly
from that river three miles, and bounded as follows, viz: beginning
at the mouth of Spring Creek, and running up said creek three
miles on a straight line, thence westerly two miles at right angles
with the general course of said creek, thence southerly on a line
parallel with the general course of said creek to the Tennessee
river, thence up said river by its waters to the beginning: which
first reserved tract is to be considered the common property of
the Cherokees who now live on the same; including John D. Chesholm,
An-tow-we and Cheh Chub, and the other reserved tract on which
Moses Melton now lives, is to be considered the property of said
Melton and of Charles Hicks, in equal shares.
And the said chiefs and head men
also agree to relinquish to the United States all right or claim
which they or their nation have to what is called the Long Island
in Holston river.
ARTICLE 2. The said Henry Dearborn
on the part of the United States hereby stipulates and agrees
that in consideration of the relinquishment of title by the Cherokees,
as stated in the preceding article, the United States will pay
to the Cherokee nation two thousand dollars in money as soon as
this convention shall be duly ratified by the government of the
United States; and two thousand dollars in each of the four succeeding
years, amounting in the whole to ten thousand dollars; and that
a grist mill shall within one year from the date hereof, be built
in the Cherokee country, for the use of the nation, at such place
as shall be considered most convenient; that the said Cherokees
shall be furnished with a machine for cleaning cotton; and also,
that the old Cherokee chief, called the Black Fox, shall be paid
annually one hundred dollars by the United States during his life.
ARTICLE 3. It is also agreed on
the part of the United States, that the government thereof will
use its influence and best endeavors to prevail on the Chickasaw
nation of Indians to agree to the following boundary between that
nation and the Cherokees to the southward of the Tennessee river,
viz: beginning at the mouth of Caney Creek near the lower part
of the Muscle Shoals, and to run up said creek to its head, and
in a direct line from thence to the Flat Stone or Rock, the old
corner boundary.
But it is understood by the contracting
parties that the United States do not engage to have the aforesaid
line or boundary established, but only to endeavor to prevail
on the Chickasaw nation to consent to such a line as the boundary
between the two nations.
ARTICLE 4. It is further agreed
on the part of the United States that the claims which the Chickasaws
may have to the two tracts reserved by the first article of this
convention on the north side of the Tennessee river, shall be
settled by the United States in such manner as will be equitable,
and will secure to the Cherokees the title to the said reservations.
Done at the place, and on the
day and year first above written.
Henry Dearborn,
Double Head, his x mark,
James Vann, his x mark,
Tallotiskee, his x mark,
Chulioa, his x mark,
Sour Mush, his x mark,
Turtle at home, his x mark,
Katihu, his x mark,
John McLemore, his x mark,
Broom, his x mark,
John Jolly, his x mark,
John Lowry, his x mark,
Red
Bird, his x mark,
John Walker, his x mark,
Young Wolf, his x mark,
Skeuha, his x mark,
Sequechu, his x mark,
Wm. Showry, his x mark,
In presence of
Return J. Meigs,
Benjamin Hawkins,
Daniel Smith,
John Smith,
Andrew McClary,
John McClarey.
I certify the foregoing convention
has been faithfully interpreted.
Charles Hicks, Interpreter.