----- Original Message ----- From: <DRACULA21K@aol.com> To: <loudon@tngenweb.org> Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2000 1:18 AM Subject: Pathkiller > Hello Mitzi, > > I hope you saw the article in Sam Veneable's colomn last week. I am > enclosing a press release that is being sent out. We have sent up a bank > account to take donations for the plaque. > > My name is Kristy Newman Rochat from Knoxville,Knox County, Tennesseee. I > am researching the genealogy of my third great-grandfather, Cherokee Indian > Chief, PathKiller, of Loudon County, Tennessee. Of course, it was known as > Roane County when Chief PathKiller existed. > Back in 1819, Chief PathKiller once owned 640 acres of land with a ferry > on it, a reservation that PathKiller had acquired because of the Treaties of > 1817 and 1819. The area now is downtown Loudon,Tennessee PathKiller also > owned a storage house and a village that was on his land. PathKiller and his > family lived there peacefully and with the knowledge and promises from the > United States that he would gain citizenship and settle there permanently. > Many of his descendants lived and still live in Loudon. Such as the > families of Gardenhire,Eldridge,Carmichael,Blair and Browder, just to name a > few. On April 14,1819, there was a petition made up by the citizens of Roane > County on behalf of PathKiller . The citizens described PathKiller as being > honest,caring and hard working, fully deserving his American citizenship. > William Blair once described PathKiller as "I believe him to be an upright > and honest man." > Thanks are due to a fruitful visit with Chancellor Frank Williams III, > meeting with historian Darleen Trent,Bobbi Wright,historian and hostess of > the Carmichael Inn in Loudon and the help of the great people at the Old > Roane County Court House. Because of these fine and knowledgeable people, I > have discovered the original and typed court case files in regards to the > famous and long court battle between PathKiller vs. Hugh and Wiley Blair and > family. This court battle lasted thirty years and was the longest court > battle on record. > Even though the court awarded PathKiller to keep his reservation, the > court reversed it's decision and on February 28, 1821, PathKiller was > evicted from his land. The Sheriff of Roane County, John Brown, was ordered > to forcibly if need be evict PathKiller, family and plunder. Sheriff Brown > took them just outside the limits of his reservation and left them on a long > thin strip of land. PathKiller and family were broken hearted and reduced to > poverty. But, even then, PathKiller did not give in and admit defeat! > PathKiller fully intended to come back and appeal his case to the court once > again. He loved his land and fully expected to settle there again, relying on > the white man's previous promises of the Treaties of 1817 and 1819. > PathKiller had fought along side with Andrew Jackson during the Battle of > Horseshoe Bend in the War of 1812. The treatment he later received from the > United States was unwarranted and totally unjust. > During his days in Loudon ,PathKiller constantly acted as a peace maker > and negotiator between his Cherokee people and the white man. Since > PathKiller could only speak a little English, he called upon his wife, Sooky > Martin (a white woman) as his interpreter. > Peace and a safe and profitable coexistence between the Cherokee and the > white man was imperative and a necessity to PathKiller! He believed that both > societies could amicably exist together without losing honor or lives. > Now, I need your support in erecting a memorial plaque in honor of this > proud and noble Cherokee Indian Chief. As you can see, the importance of > erecting this plaque for PathKiller is way overdue. Please let PathKiller > join the ranks of other worthy settlers of this wonderful area, Loudon, > Tennessee. > My husband, Don, and I have set up a bank account at the Bank First in > Loudon,Tennessee with the notation of "PathKiller Funds". We are asking for > the good citizens to come to the need of this once great Cherokee Indian > Chief,PathKiller. We need to advertise this story of his great life and > collect much needed donations from the good people of Loudon (and Roane) > County,Tennessee. So, that we can indeed erect a memorial plaque in > PathKiller's honor at the Riverside Park. This is at the site of where > PathKiller's ferry once crossed over. > My third great-grandfather, Cherokee Indian Chief, PathKiller, deserves > to have his name added to Loudon's history,America's history and to the > history of all the Native American Indians' history. > > My sincere regards to the people of Tennessee, > > Kristy Newman Rochat > > Hope you can give me some exposure on the web site. Open to any suggestions. > We need to raise at least $600, preferrably $1200 to buy the sign outright. > The state will move it along quickly the more we pay. > > Thanks a bunch, > Kristy Newman Rochat >