Volume 13 , Issue 50

Native Americans - Researching The Trail of Tears

In last week's OkieLegacy Ezine we had an article concerning Cherokee Chief Redbird Smith and his connection and the Alva connections with the Brunsteter family and the OWL family. One of our regular readers emailed several items of interest concerning the Georgia Chapter of the Trail of Tears Association, in conjunction with the National Park Service dedicated to marking the trails. We will include that information in next week's OkieLegacy Ezine.

Bill Barker says, "The post resonated with me on several fronts. I currently live in Chattooga County, Georgia and am a member of the Georgia Chapter of The Trail of Tears Association, in conjunction with the National Park Service dedicated to marking the trails (There are eight). The Cherokees used to go to Indian Territory (Oklahoma) after the removal on May, 24, 1838. I am currently serving as the laison between the Chapter and the County, researching the trails, towns, and people in our county so markers can be placed.

"Our County is unique because it is the only County in Georgia where Sequoyah lived and while here he finished his syllabary and gave the first public demonstration of it at a Tribal Council meeting at the Chattooga Town Meeting house.

"Other than Chief Redbird Smith being a Cherokee, the Alva connections interested me since I knew the Brunsteter Family. The fact Earl's sister married into the Owl family was fascinating because I met a Cherokee Storyteller named Freeman Owle at the Chieftain's Museum (Home of Major Ridge) and he was a dead ringer for me. Chills went up my spine and the hair rose on the back of my neck! I asked him to have his picture taken with me and he consented, we were both wearing hats, when we removed our hats we discovered we were both bald, Freeman looked at me and remarked, 'I see we go to the same barber.'

"He's a Eastern Band Cherokee who lives in Cherokee, NC and is also a soapstone carver, his work is displayed at the Museum of the Cherokee at Cherokee. My oldest son is a geologist and is working to get Freeman a soapstone source."   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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