The story of the Cherokee people in Arkansas is a complex and compelling narrative of migration, adaptation, and resilience in the face of immense pressure. While legend and speculation sometimes cloud the historical record, focusing on documented events provides the clearest understanding of the Cherokee presence in this region. It’s important to note that this article explores the history of the Arkansas Cherokee Indians as it unfolded through verifiable accounts, avoiding unsubstantiated claims while acknowledging the richness of Cherokee oral traditions.
The latter half of the 18th century witnessed significant shifts in the geopolitical landscape of the American Southeast. Around 1775, the Chickamauga, a faction of the Cherokee known for their resistance to European encroachment, seized control of lead mines in Southeast Missouri from the French. Lead was a crucial resource for warfare, and this acquisition had far-reaching consequences. The Spanish, seeking to curtail French influence in Louisiana and establish a buffer zone on their western frontier, recognized the strategic importance of the Cherokee. They extended overtures to the Cherokee, encouraging them to relocate west of the Mississippi River into Spanish territory. The Spanish envisioned the Cherokee as a check on French expansion and a protective force for their own interests.
However, the Cherokee response to the Spanish invitation was not immediate. Many Chickamauga still harbored hopes of driving out settlers from their ancestral hunting grounds east of the Mississippi. This aspiration began to wane in 1785 with the signing of the Treaty of Hopewell. This treaty, a landmark agreement between the United States and the Cherokee Nation, stipulated that the Cherokee would be under the sole sovereignty of the United States. While some Chickamauga chiefs acquiesced to the treaty’s terms, others vehemently opposed relinquishing their autonomy and submitting to the "protection" of the nascent American government.
For a significant portion of the Cherokee population, the Treaty of Hopewell represented an unacceptable compromise. Rather than submit to the dictates of the United States, they chose to leave their traditional lands and seek new opportunities west of the Mississippi. The United States, however, almost immediately violated the terms of the treaty, failing to prevent the continued encroachment of settlers onto Cherokee lands. The perceived indifference of the American government to upholding its treaty obligations further fueled Cherokee disillusionment and prompted further westward migration.
One such individual deeply affected by the treaty’s perceived failure was Springfrog. Disgusted by the outcome, he led a group of Cherokee families west of the Mississippi River to settle in the Arkansas Territory, a region he had become familiar with through previous travels. This marked the beginning of a significant wave of voluntary removal of Cherokee Indians from their ancestral homelands in the east to the Arkansas Cherokee Indians territory, a process that would unfold over the next five decades.
The first documented Cherokee village in Arkansas was established in 1785 on the White River. This settlement was led by Dustu, also known as Chief Springfrog, a renowned ball player and a figure of considerable influence. Springfrog was a man of diverse talents, serving as both a scout and a friend to the naturalist James Audubon. Born in a cabin in Hamilton County, Tennessee, around 1754, Springfrog’s birthplace, known as Springfrog’s Cabin, remains a historical site today.
Around 1795, Chief Duwali, leader of Hiwasee Town in North Carolina, arrived in Arkansas and established a settlement along the St. Francis River. However, the Cherokee living in this area were forced to relocate in 1811 due to a devastating earthquake and subsequent flooding that caused the Mississippi River and its tributaries to flow in reverse. Duwali moved his people first to the White River and then to the south bank of the Arkansas River before ultimately relocating to Texas around 1819.
Around 1809, Talontuskee and Chief Takatoka led approximately 300 Cherokees to settle on the White River. Meanwhile, others, including Duwali, moved further south and west, establishing settlements south of the Arkansas River in what is now North Central Arkansas. Tahloteeskee, as he was sometimes known, was the uncle of George Guess (Sequoyah) and became the principal chief of the villages south of the Arkansas River around 1813.
This growing community of Cherokee also included Walter Webber, who arrived in the area around 1809. Webber later rose to prominence, becoming the third chief after 1824. His wife was the sister of Stand Watie, a prominent figure in the Cherokee Nation during the Civil War.
John Jolly, the brother of Talontuskee, emigrated to the Arkansas Territory in 1817 and assumed the role of chief around 1818. He played a significant role in the development of the Arkansas Cherokee Indians communities.
Tahchee, also known as Captain William Dutch, was an early "Old Settler," a term used to describe Cherokee who voluntarily migrated west before the forced removal of the 1830s. He was renowned for his military prowess in battles against the Osage and later served as a scout for the United States. Tahchee also acted as a spokesperson for the Indians during the councils leading up to the 1835 Camp Holmes Peace Treaty. He died in 1848, having been active in Western Cherokee politics and serving as third chief in Texas during his later years.
Alongside the Cherokee, other Native American groups, displaced by wars with white settlers in the east, also sought refuge in the Arkansas Territory. Among these were the Shawnee, who had previously allied with the Chickamauga in resisting white encroachment on Indian lands.
One notable Shawnee figure who joined the Cherokee in Arkansas was Peter Cornstalk, the son of the renowned Chief Cornstalk of the Great Shawnee Nation. Peter Cornstalk and his brother John were of mixed Chickamauga Cherokee and Shawnee ancestry through their mother. Peter Cornstalk eventually became the principal chief of the Cherokee living at the mouth of Spring Creek. This area also attracted numerous Shawnee, creating a diverse and vibrant community.
The presence of the Arkansas Cherokee Indians significantly shaped the region’s history. Their interactions with other tribes, the Spanish, the French, and the Americans created a complex tapestry of cultural exchange, political maneuvering, and ultimately, forced displacement. The story of the Cherokee in Arkansas serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience and adaptability of indigenous peoples in the face of adversity. Their legacy continues to resonate in the landscape and the collective memory of the region. The history of the Arkansas Cherokee Indians is a critical piece of American history, illustrating the complex interactions between Native American tribes and the expanding United States.