- Collection:
- Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842
- Title:
- [Letter] 1839 Apr. 22, Washington City, D.C. [to] Gideon F. Harris [?] and Cherokee friends, Cherokee County, N[orth] C[arolina] / W[illia]m H. Thomas
- Creator:
- Thomas, William Holland, 1805-1893
- Publisher:
- Manuscript held by the Special Collections Library, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, MS-2058 William Holland Thomas Collection, box 1, folder 1, document wt003.
- Date of Original:
- 1839-04-22
- Subject:
- Cherokee Indians--Government relations
Cherokee Indians--Relocation
Poinsett, Joel Roberts, 1779-1851 - Location:
- United States, North Carolina, 35.50069, -80.00032
- Medium:
- letters (correspondence)
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- text/html
image/jpeg - Description:
- This is a letter, dated April 22, 1839, from William Holland Thomas to Gideon F. Harris (?) and Cherokee friends. Thomas writes that he has met with Secretary of War Joel R. Poinsett regarding a number of Cherokees who wish to remain in North Carolina until they decide to remove West and request an allowance for subsistence for removal if they decide to emigrate. Thomas says that the Secretary of War grants their request to remain as long as the Cherokees conduct themselves well.
Digital image and encoded transcription of an original manuscript, scanned, transcribed and encoded by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Libraries in 2001, as part of GALILEO, funded in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. - Local Identifier:
- wt003
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_wt003
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_wt003#item
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_wt003/presentation/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [title of item], MS-2058 William Holland Thomas Collection, Special Collections Library, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, presented in the Digital Library of Georgia
- Extent:
- 2 pages/leaves
- Holding Institution:
- University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Special Collections
- Rights:
-
Page: [1]
Washington City DC
22 April 1839
Dear Sir,
This day I had an interview with the Hon [Honorable] J R Poinsett Secretary of War. I informed him that the Cherokees who had been lying out in the mountains had come in settled down on states land and wished to be permited [permitted] to remain until they should make it their choice to go west and in the event of their desiring to remove west at a subsequent period they wished to be provided with removal and subsistence allowance. He replied the Department was disposed to leave them to the freedom of their own choice and under the control of the state in which they resided and as to the removal and subsistence allowance it would be furnished provided they wish to remove
The business acted on by the Board of Commissioners Mr. Poinsett informs me Cannot be taken up before the middle of next month in consequence of the absence of Mr. Crawford Commissioner of Indian Affairs who has to review the business and report to the Secretary of War this upon before the Department can act on it. The only objection I have to this course is the delay it will occasion I am inclined
Page: [2] 3
to think the claimants will not be injured by it in any other respect. I am in good health and I am in hopes I have a sufficient stock of patience to last me until this business is disposed of. Mr. Churchwell is here but designs leaving for home in a few days and will leave his business for me to attend to. Johnson Rogers is also here and since his arrival has married a girl by the name of [unclear text: Mount ] who resided in this city Johnson speaks of going west in a few days. I will write you occasionally and let you know how the business is progressing. Please inform Mrs. Welch and such of my Cherokee friends as you may see the particulars of this letter say to them the Department is willing for the few Cherokees remaining East to continue there but only on condition they conduct themselves well bad conduct dissipation &c [et cetera] might change the intention of the Department.
very respectfully your obt svt [obedient servant]
[Signed] Wm. [William] H. Thomas
Mr. Gideon F. [unclear text: Harris ] & Cherokee friends Cherokee County NC