Memorial of the Inhabitants in the Cherokee Country (State Department Records. Ednorsed August 1819>) To the Honorable Secretary of War: Your petitioners viewint the calamitous situation in which many of our citizens are placed, owing to an Order recently published by the Agent for Indian affairs of the Cherokee Nation Ordering all Intruders on their land to remove by the first day of July 1819. Your petitionioners believing the same indulgence would be extended to them, as has been the constant practice to others in similar circumstances, induced them to settle on the lands lately ceded to the United States by the Cherokees, North of the Tennessee River, nor did the order ever make its formal appearance until the 19th of June of the present year leaving a removal impracticable, if not impossible to deprive them at this season of the year of their hard earnings in the Wilderness and thus leave them destitute where will your petitioners apply for bread to support their starving families? --its notorious that all improvements made by your petitioners add real value to the land -- this Order enforced, will involve at least one thousand families in total ruin.-- nor will the evil end here, your petitioners must subsist somewhere, they will thus become unwelcome guests to the frontier counties to beg (for they cannot buy) something for their little children. this measure if carried into operation will produce alarming effects -- The Indians on the North of Tennessee (RIcer) are not desirous of having the settlers driven off the land, those being few in number most of which have taken reservations and are good neighbors -- Your petitioners knowing the levity of their government and believing they will take our case into consideration will every pray. (There is a very long list of names, 4 pages, 3 columns. Following is only a very short list of names) Jesse Brock Robert Gaston M.D. Dixon Hercules Lewis (incorrectly transcribed as Henderson) William Brittain Peter Shelton William Lewis David Martin John Lewis [Endorsed - Memorial of the Inhabitants resident in the Cherokee country relative to the late order for their removal - Indian Office) August 1819] Following the above is 7 pages of Alabama residents on Cherokee land to be removed Many of the names listed are proven to be Cherokee inhabitants. Joyce Gaston Reece www.tennesseegenealogyresearch.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.8.7/830 - Release Date: 6/3/2007 12:47 PM