Cherokee Indians from Georgia -R-
Raper, James B., age 41, and 9 children applied in the U. S. Court of Claims (1906-1910) from Ivy Log, Georgia. Children: Elisha (son), age 18, Georgia Ann (daughter), age 16, Alvin (son), age 14, Lon (son), age 12, Ivy Ann (daughter), age 10, Delia (daughter), age 8, Mary (daughter), age 7, Dovie (daughter), age 5, and Dessie (daughter), age 3. He is the brother of Cynthia Loudermilk. SEE William Raper .
Raper, William enrolled in 1851 on the Chapman Roll #1433.
Ratliff, Ricd.. A letter published in the Cherokee Phoenix and Indians Advocate, dated Wednesday, March 4, 1829. COOSA RIVER, IN TURKEY TOWN. C.N. 9th February, 1829. TO THE CHEROKEE PEOPLE. The undersigned in behalf of a long meeting, composed of the Citizens of Turkey Town, take the liberty of addressing you through the public journal of our Nation, on the subject of emigration to the west, to which the United States have their attention. The view we take of this measure, and the sentiments will take occasion to express, will be simple and plain, founded on truth as handed down to us by our ancestors. Limited in knowledge and possessing but a small share of experience, our apology in this attempt is in the interest we feel in everything that concerns the well being of our Nation. Our ancestors settled in this place at a period not now in our recollection. Here was sacred ground, and on this spot the Council-fire blazed with lustre, and here were the dwellings and seats of Kings and our beloved Chief!-- We speak of days when we lived in the hunter's state, and when our feet were swift in the track of game. General Washington, after having smoked the pipe of peace with our Chiefs, sent us word to discontiued the pusuit of vagrant habits and adopt those more susbstantial and become cultivators of the soil. His successors pursued, in regard to us, the same policy, and sent to us the same Talk from time to time -- that as game was precarious and liable to destruction, the bosom of the earth afforded means of subsistence, both infinite and inexhaustible. But time was not allowed us to experience the blessing of putting this recommendation to practice by interested wicked white men, who lived near to us, and who esteemed us a nuisance, because the Great Spirit had placed our habitations in a desirable County, and because they themselves had crossed the Big Water (the Ocean) and had become our neighbors. The bitter cup of adversity was filled to us on every side, by our ememies. Our safety was often endangered by intrigue and misreprensation of our character to the General Government; and it was not mental or natural disability that opposed itself to our advancement in civilization, but obstacles place in our way to reach it. The Indians were represented as incapable of learning the arts of cilivized life, and at the same time treated in in most uncivil manner. They were savagely revegenful, because they had the spirit to resent the murder of their friends & relations. They were rogues and thieves, because, not knowing the mother of legal processes to to obtain justice, and if they did, their oath decreed to non-availing, they retaliated in the same way. They were drunkards, because intoxicating liquors were introduced among them. They were disinclined to the study of books, because of some few superficially educated under bad instruction had betrayed their countrymen and had set bad examples. They were stubborn, because they loved the land that had been endeared to them as an inheritance of their fathers. This flood of inconsistency raged with violence over the heads of our Chiefs & swept with its waves, from under their feet, the earth, for which they had struggled for ages past. In this way our territory diminished, and our inheritance was circumbscribed to its present bounds. Our Chief displaced wonderful forbearance in this trials, and maintained the faith of treaties, with the United States, whose chief magistrate also exercised the spirit of paternal affection, and adhered to his engagements as pledged to us by treaties. With caution have we passed the strong shoals of opposition, and its mingled cruelties to the light of civiliztion. The sun has arise in our moral horizon is fast advancing to its meridan. We hail it with joy! Although a part of our nation have detached themselves from us, to follow the chase, in the western wilds, and we are invited to retrograte to savageism, with strong talks and inducements as bribes our appetite for our present enjoyments if is too strong to relinquish them because we have tasted their sweets and are contented. We have noticed the ancient ground of complaint founded on the ignorance of our ancestors and their fondness of the chase, and for the purposes of agriculture as having in possession too much land for their numbers. What is the language of objection at this time? The case is reversed, and we are now assaulted with menaces of expulsuion because we have unexpectedly become civilized and because we have formed and organized a constitutional government. It is too much for us now to be honest and virtuous and industrious because then are we capable of aspiring to the calls of Christians and Politicians which renders our attachment to the soil more strong and therefore more difficult to defend us of the possession. Disappointment inflicts on the mind of the avaricious whiteman; the mortification of delay, or the probability of the intended victim's excape from the snares laid for its destruction. It remains for us in this situation of the question, to act as free agents in choosing for ourselves to walk in the straight forward path of the impartial recommendations of Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe, as most congenial to our feelings and knowledge of the means calcaluated to promote our happiness. We hereby individually set our faces to the rising sun and turn our backs to its setting. As our ancestors revered the sepulchral monuments of the noble dead, we cherish the sacred of their repose as they lie under hillocks of clay, that cover them from our sight. If the country, to which we are directed to go is desirable and well watered, why is it so long a wilderness and a wasteland and uninhabited by respectable white people whose enterprise ere this, would have attended them to monopolize it from the poor and unfortunate of their fellow citizens as they have hitherto done? From correct information we have formed a bad opinion of the western country beyond the Mississippi. But if report was favorable to the fertility of the soil, if the running streams were as transparent as crystal, and silver fish abounded in their element in profusion we should still adhere to the purposes of spending the remnant of our lives on the soil that gave us birth and rendered deer from the nourishment we receive from its bosom. We take the liberty of acknowledging our obligations to Major Ridge for his attendance at our meeting and for an eloquent speech suitable for the occasion which he delivered at our request. MONEY HUNTER, his x mark. TAH-KA-HA-KEE, his x mark. SCATTERED, his x mark. KUNG-WAS-SOO-LAS-KEE, his x mk. KILLER, his mark. RICHD. RATLIFF, jr. his x mark. CRYING SNAKE, his x mark. RESURRECTION, his x mark. FOLLOWER, his x mark.
Rattling Goard, the murder of. "It appears to be a common thing with some editors of newspapers, where facts are concerned to favor the side where their interest lies. It is therefore natural that our first statements respecting the late murder, should have been somewhat mistrusted. We have, however, a rule which our sense of moral obligation enjoins on us as strictly to observe in our editorial as individual capacity-always to tell the truth. Thus far in our connection with the public, we have not been guilty of violating our rule. In regard therefore to what we have said respecting the murder alluded to above, we have no other story to tell, but to affirm our former statements. They are facts which cannot be disproved-no responsible person will give his name to the public and endeavor to prove them false. To what we have published theretofore we add the following: " Extract of a report made by JAS G. WILLIAMS to COL. HUGH MONTGOMERY relative to the murder of Rattling Gourd in the jail of Carrol County. CALHOUN, 4th March, 1830 . To Col. HUGH MONTGOMERY, Agent for the Cherokees East of the Mississippi. "SIR: In obedience to your order of the 8th ult. informing me that you had "Received information from Mr. John Ross that a difference of a serious and alarming nature has taken place between the Cherokees and whites in that quarter," and requesting me to proceed with as little delay as practicable to that neighborhood and endeavor by every means in my power to put a stop to them, &c. I have the honor to report that immediately on the receipt or your order I set out for Mr. Ross' and reached there on the Wednesday following. On my arrival at Mr. Ross', I learned from him that, in consequence of his having had some intruders of notorious characters removed who had taken possession of the improvements abandoned by the Emigrating Cherokees- that the Intruders had assembled together to the number of twenty five or thirty, and on the 5th February commenced pursuit of Major Ridge who commanded the party ordered out by Mr. Ross. The Ridge having fulfilled his orders on this day discharged his men at Cedar Town, and they had all returned to their respective homes, with the exception of Daniel Mills, Waggon, Rattling Goard [sic], and Chuwoyee, who remained. On the night of the same day the company of intruders came to the house where these four Cherokees were and finding them all in a state of intoxication, they seized upon and tied them. Chuwooyee, the last mentioned one, not understanding the cause of this confinement, and almost unable to stand from the effects of whiskey, refused to go, altho he was tied, upon this one of the whites struck him with his gun on the back part of the head, & three or four others commenced on him with Clubs &c. &c. After this barbarous treatment and finding that he was unable to walk, they threw him across a horse before one of their company and Marched off about a mile where they encamped for the night. After reaching the camp ground the man who had charge of him threw him from the horse upon the ground; and he was suffered to lie there exposed to the inclemency of a cold wet sleeting night without the least vestige of anything to protect him from the severity of the weather, but the few clothes he had on when taken prisoner. Early on the next morning he expired. The company started immediately afterwards with the other three for Carrolton in Carrol County, Georgia-on their way to Carrolton the two first mentioned, Mills and Waggon, effected their escape, though The Waggon in getting off received a severe wound in the breast with a butcher knife from the hands of Old Richard Philpot. The Rattling Goard[sic] they succeeded in putting in Jail. After getting all the information that was in my power to obtain relative to the murder of Chuwoyee, which is above stated- I repaired to Carrolton for the purpose of trying to release the Rattling Goard [sic], from his confinement- On my arrival at the Court House, I was informed that he had employed four counsellors- I waited on three of them- They informed me that if it could be made to appear to the satisfaction of the Judges of the inferior Court that the prisoner was not an officer of the company ordered out by Mr. Ross, but was only acting under the orders of the commanding officers, there would be no difficulty in having him discharged. To obtain the proof required agreeably to the opinion of his Lawyers, I had to return to the Nation, a distance of fifty miles from the Court House. While in the Nation for the purpose of getting the necessary proof I procured from Mr. John Ross, the volume of the Laws of the United States containing the law of 1802, commonly called the "Intercourse Law"- On my return the second time to Carrolton, I called upon John Roberson Esq. formally of Tennessee, and requested him to inform me of some Attorney that stood high at the Bar.- Mr. Roberson recommended Mr. John Ray. I employed Mr. Ray, and I have no doubt that it was owing to his argument and the laws of 1802 that the Court released the Rattling Goard[sic]. I herewith enclose you Mr. Ray's direction relative to the course to be pursued against those concerned with the murder of Chuwoyee, together with a list of the names of a part of the company charged with it,- also his account against the Government for his fee in the case of the Rattling Goard [sic]. After the Rattling Goard [sic] was discharged by the Hon. Court, I had an interview with Col. Fambough, the Attorney for the prosecution who agreed to suspend all further proceedings against the Ridge and his company for the present-of this I informed Mr. Ross and Ridge. For the want of funds I was unable to make any attempt towards arresting the party charged with the murder of Chuwoyee-Having been furnished with only fifteen dollars when I set out from the office. All the information that I was able to get relative to this unfortunate affair was derived from Mr. John Ross, and others, citizens of the Nation.- And I have no doubt, Sir, that it is a plain unvarnished statement of facts. While engaged in the above business, I hired Mr. William Jones to accompany me, for which I agreed to pay him one dollar per day for himself and horse, and to bear his expenses. Mr. Jones was with me fourteen days,-all of which is respectfully submitted. I have the honor to be, Very respectfully, Your Ob't Ser't , JAS. G. WILLIAMS Ref: Cherokee Phoenix and Indians' Advocate , published Wednesday, April 14, 1830.
Ray, Stephen.. "MARRIED At Oougallogee, by the Rev. J. I. Trott, Mr. Stephen Ray, to Miss Charlotte Adair, daughter of Samuel Adair, Sr. Ref: Cherokee Phoenix and Indians' Advocate, dated March 24, 1830.
Reeves, Delphina, age 18. (Daughter of William Gothard, lives in Carroll County to me by her father) William I. Reeves, son, age 1. Ref: 1851 Cherokee Census Claims, East of the Mississippi. David W. Siler Report.
Resurrection. A letter published in the Cherokee Phoenix and Indians' Advocate, dated Wednesday, March 4, 1829. " COOSA RIVER, IN TURKEY TOWN. C.N. 9th February, 1829. TO THE CHEROKEE PEOPLE. The undersigned in behalf of a long meeting, composed of the Citizens of Turkey Town, take the liberty of addressing you through the public journal of our Nation, on the subject of emigration to the west, to which the United States have their attention. The view we take of this measure, and the sentiments will take occasion to express, will be simple and plain, founded on truth as handed down to us by our ancestors. Limited in knowledge and possessing but a small share of experience, our apology in this attempt is in the interest we feel in everything that concerns the well being of our Nation. Our ancestors settled in this place at a period not now in our recollection. Here was sacred ground, and on this spot the Council-fire blazed with lustre, and here were the dwellings and seats of Kings and our beloved Chief!-- We speak of days when we lived in the hunter's state, and when our feet were swift in the track of game. General Washington, after having smoked the pipe of peace with our Chiefs, sent us word to discontiued the pusuit of vagrant habits and adopt those more susbstantial and become cultivators of the soil. His successors pursued, in regard to us, the same policy, and sent to us the same Talk from time to time -- that as game was precarious and liable to destruction, the bosom of the earth afforded means of subsistence, both infinite and inexhaustible. But time was not allowed us to experience the blessing of putting this recommendation to practice by interested wicked white men, who lived near to us, and who esteemed us a nuisance, because the Great Spirit had placed our habitations in a desirable County, and because they themselves had crossed the Big Water (the Ocean) and had become our neighbors. The bitter cup of adversity was filled to us on every side, by our ememies. Our safety was often endangered by intrigue and misreprensation of our character to the General Government; and it was not mental or natural disability that opposed itself to our advancement in civilization, but obstacles place in our way to reach it. The Indians were represented as incapable of learning the arts of cilivized life, and at the same time treated in in most uncivil manner. They were savagely revegenful, because they had the spirit to resent the murder of their friends & relations. They were rogues and thieves, because, not knowing the mother of legal processes to to obtain justice, and if they did, their oath decreed to non-availing, they retaliated in the same way. They were drunkards, because intoxicating liquors were introduced among them. They were disinclined to the study of books, because of some few superficially educated under bad instruction had betrayed their countrymen and had set bad examples. They were stubborn, because they loved the land that had been endeared to them as an inheritance of their fathers. This flood of inconsistency raged with violence over the heads of our Chiefs & swept with its waves, from under their feet, the earth, for which they had struggled for ages past. In this way our territory diminished, and our inheritance was circumbscribed to its present bounds. Our Chief displaced wonderful forbearance in this trials, and maintained the faith of treaties, with the United States, whose chief magistrate also exercised the spirit of paternal affection, and adhered to his engagements as pledged to us by treaties. With caution have we passed the strong shoals of opposition, and its mingled cruelties to the light of civiliztion. The sun has arise in our moral horizon is fast advancing to its meridan. We hail it with joy! Although a part of our nation have detached themselves from us, to follow the chase, in the western wilds, and we are invited to retrograte to savageism, with strong talks and inducements as bribes our appetite for our present enjoyments if is too strong to relinquish them because we have tasted their sweets and are contented. We have noticed the ancient ground of complaint founded on the ignorance of our ancestors and their fondness of the chase, and for the purposes of agriculture as having in possession too much land for their numbers. What is the language of objection at this time? The case is reversed, and we are now assaulted with menaces of expulsuion because we have unexpectedly become civilized and because we have formed and organized a constitutional government. It is too much for us now to be honest and virtuous and industrious because then are we capable of aspiring to the calls of Christians and Politicians which renders our attachment to the soil more strong and therefore more difficult to defend us of the possession. Disappointment inflicts on the mind of the avaricious whiteman; the mortification of delay, or the probability of the intended victim's excape from the snares laid for its destruction. It remains for us in this situation of the question, to act as free agents in choosing for ourselves to walk in the straight forward path of the impartial recommendations of Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe, as most congenial to our feelings and knowledge of the means calcaluated to promote our happiness. We hereby individually set our faces to the rising sun and turn our backs to its setting. As our ancestors revered the sepulchral monuments of the noble dead, we cherish the sacred of their repose as they lie under hillocks of clay, that cover them from our sight. If the country, to which we are directed to go is desirable and well watered, why is it so long a wilderness and a wasteland and uninhabited by respectable white people whose enterprise ere this, would have attended them to monopolize it from the poor and unfortunate of their fellow citizens as they have hitherto done? From correct information we have formed a bad opinion of the western country beyond the Mississippi. But if report was favorable to the fertility of the soil, if the running streams were as transparent as crystal, and silver fish abounded in their element in profusion we should still adhere to the purposes of spending the remnant of our lives on the soil that gave us birth and rendered deer from the nourishment we receive from its bosom. We take the liberty of acknowledging our obligations to Major Ridge for his attendance at our meeting and for an eloquent speech suitable for the occasion which he delivered at our request. MONEY HUNTER, his x mark. TAH-KA-HA-KEE, his x mark. SCATTERED, his x mark. KUNG-WAS-SOO-LAS-KEE, his x mk. KILLER, his mark. RICHD. RATLIFF, jr. his x mark. CRYING SNAKE, his x mark. RESURRECTION, his x mark. FOLLOWER, his x mark.
Ridge, Major led a group of Cherokee west in 1836, blazing the land route for future parties. He stopped at Nashville to visit his old friend, Andrew Jackson, now merely a citizen. Jackson warmly welcomed Ridge, with whom he met for nearly a day. This party contained mostly mixed-blood Cherokee who had been successful in business and could afford to move to present-day Oklahoma on their own. John Ridge stayed in Georgia, actually leading one of the final parties west. Other wealthy Cherokee managed to get out to Oklahoma in smaller groups or on their own, such as Joseph "Rich Joe" Vann, who went west on his own steamship.
Robbins, Johnson. SEE Walkingstick.
Rogers, Augustus L., age 57, filed his claim #400 (admitted) from Duluth, Georgia. (admitted). He was enrolled in 1851 by Chapman #1856; also his father #1848. Children: Rutha A. (daughter), age 14, James C. (son), age 11, and Robert C. (son), age 11.
Rogers, Henry, aged 27, mixed. Louisa Rogers, wife, aged 27, mixed. Ref: 1851 Siler Rolls. Forsyth County, Georgia.
Rogers, William Charles, Chief of the Cherokees, succeeding Chief Thomas M. Buffington.
Rogers, John, Captain, trader among the Cherokees, died in the boarding house of Mrs. Eugene A. Townsle in Washington, D. C. on 12 June 1846, and was buried in the National Cemetery. He was married to Elizabeth Coody (died 14 July 1842).
Rogers, Charles Coody, son of John Rogers, was born in Georgia in 1810 and who married (1) Elizabeth McCorkle, a white lady of Irish descent, and native of Arkansas. He married (2)Nannie Coker nee Patton, a widow. He married (3) Jennie Harlan. He lived most of his years in a home southeast of Claremore, later removing to the town of Skitook where he passed away in June 1885.
Rogers,George Waters, aged 25, mixed. (he was married to a white woman since the treaty) (He was the son on "Nolucky" John Rogers and Sally Cordery, Charlotte's sister) . SEE Cordery. Augustus Rogers, son, age 3, mixed. Labond Rogers, son, aged 2, mixed. Ref: 1851 Siler Rolls. Forsyth County, Georgia.
Rogers, Jackson, aged 25, mixed. Sarah Rogers, wife, aged 30, mixed. Laura Rogers, daughter, aged 6, mixed. Emily Cherokee Rogers, daughter, age 2, mixed. Frances Crawford Rogers, daughter, aged 1, mixed. Ref: 1851 Siler Rolls. Forsyth County, Georgia.
Rogers, John, Sr., aged 73, white. John Rogers, Jr., son, age 21, mixed. Ref: 1851 Siler Rolls. Forsyth County, Georgia.
Rogers, Robert, aged 47, mixed. Charles Rogers, son, aged 21, mixed. Gilbert Rogers, son, aged 18, mixed.. William Rogers, son, aged 16, mixed. John Howard Rogers, son, aged 13, mixed. Sarah E Rogers, daughter, aged 11, mixed. Robert Lea Rogers, son, aged 9, mixed. Ref: 1851 Siler Rolls. Forsyth County, Georgia.
Rogers, William Charles, son of Charles Coody Rogers and his wife, Elizabeth (McCorkle) Rogers, was born near Claremore on 13 December 1847. He lived near Skiatook, Oklahoma, where he died. In 1903, he was elected Chief.
Ross, John, Chief of the Cherokee, represented the tribe in Georgia. In early 1835 he and his group wanted to deed a portion of the land to the United States for an amount of money to be determined by Congress, with the rest of the property deeded to the Cherokee owners. The sticking point on the Ross deal was the requirement that the United States and the state of Georgia recognize Cherokee citizenship, including the right to vote and hold political office. Neither Georgia nor the United States would never agree to this. To compensate the Cherokee for their loss without retaining some land and living a normal life among the settlers, Ross came up with the figure of 20 million dollars, or about 25% of the value of the land if sold separately to each settler. For this amount 17,000 men, women and children would leave voluntarily and relocate to the Indian Territory, now the state of Oklahoma. This comes to a payment of just under $1200 per person. This is roughly $4.34 per acre (the going rate for similar, nearby land sold in the state of Georgia in 1835 was between $18.00 an acre and $25.00 an acre.) Ross enjoyed the backing of the Cherokee Nation, and both the original proposal (4.5 million dollars, land and citizenship) and the second proposal (20 million dollars) had been approved by the Cherokee council. A small group of radicals led by John Ridge and his cousin, Elias Boudinot negotiated the corrupt Treaty of New Echota, giving up Cherokee lands for pennies on the dollar ($1.085 dollars per acre, or about 5% of the value. It was declined. Ridge, John, Cherokee brave in 1800s. See Chief Vann.
John Ridge House, Rome, Ga. Rogers, John on 1835 Roll.
Rogers, William, aged 46, mixed. (He was married to a white woman since the treaty, Mary, Wm, Sarah, Elizabeth and John are her children) Henry Rogers, son, age 19, mixed. David Rogers, son, aged 17, mixed. Robert Rogers, son, aged 13, mixed. Mary Rogers, daughter, aged 11, mixed. William Rogers, son, aged 10, mixed. Sarah Rogers, daughter, aged 6, mixed. Elizabeth Rogers, daughters, aged 5, mixed. Augustus Rogers, son, aged 2, mixed. Ref: 1851 Siler Rolls. Forsyth County, Georgia.
Ross, William, General. "AN IMITATION INDIAN.- A person made his appearance in the city on Thursday last, dressed in the costume of an Indian, and calling himself "Gen. William Ross," which is engraved upon an apparently silver breast plate. He says his father is Daniel Ross, who is the Chief of the Cherokee Indians, and that he is an authorized agent of the nation. He states a number of particulars, concerning the Cherokees, and says he was educated at Wilmington, N.C. He speaks the English language fluently, especially when he forgets himself-says he knows a little French, is perfectly familiar with the Cherokee, & can converse some in Choctaw. His dress is, red inexpressibles of some thin material, with shoes, a gown of wide-stripped calico, a red ribbon and a considerable quantity of wax beads round his neck-handkerchief, a kind of open worked vandyke, a wig of black, coarse hair, an ordinary hat trimmed fantastically, and tin bracelets round his wrists. He is rather a small man, but with nothing of the true Indian in his form or gait.- Bunker Hill Aurora." Ref: Cherokee Phoenix, published on Wednesday, July 2, 1828
Rowe, Richard, aged 23, male,mixed. Ref: 1851 Siler Rolls. Cherokee County, Georgia.
Russell, William, age 26. (He is the son of Woody Russell). Payton Russell, son, age 4. Elizabeth Russell, daughter, age 2. Barsheba Russell, daughter, age 1. Ref: 1851 Cherokee Census Claims, East of the Mississippi. David W. Siler Report.
Russell, Woody, age 50. Barsheba Russell, wife, age 49. (She is the daughter of William Carter). Robert Russell, son, age 18. Eveline Russell, daughter, age 14. John Russell, son, age 12.