SWatie@aol.com wrote:Yes, it's that Andrew Ross (who signed the Treaty of New Echota) I was asking about. I hadn't read the Conley book, yet. He's loose with the facts. Stand Watie and John Ridge were in DC with the Ross delegation when the Treaty was signed in Dec. 1835. Only on March 1, 1836, at the request of a 2nd Committee of 20 who went to DC to oversee the completion of the treaty, did John Ridge & Stand Watie sign. They were asked because they were indeed leaders. It was no surprise that John Ross was treated rudely; he had come to the brink time and time again to sign a treaty. He would not because he knew people would die for signing it. He also wanted payment for his reservation of 640 acres or so he received for signing away tribal land in 1819---so did Edward & Samuel Gunter.So did others. In fact, it doesn't say that Schermerhorn declared that he would sign a treaty in CWY Nation; not Washington, DC because the US grew tired of paying Ross delegations expenses when they would not negotiate in good faith. My husband spoke to Conley years ago when he started this effort. Conley indicated he would not be disfavorable to John Ross....so we have yet another partial CWY history. Thanks, Donna --------------------------------- Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page