BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT 1883 - 1884
SECRETARY OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
J. W. POWELL
WASHING-TON
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
1887
Page 142
They are settled nearly in an east and west course about 140 miles in length from the lower
towns, where Fort Prince George stands, to the late unfortunate Fort Loudon. The natives make two divisions of their country, which they term ‘Ayrate’ and ‘ Otarre, the one signifying “low” and the other ‘mountainous.”
OLD CHEROKEE TOWNS
It is perhaps impossible to give a complete list of the old Cherokee towns and their location; but in 1755 the authorities of South Carolina, in remodeling the old and prescribing new regulations for the government of the Indian trade, divided the whole Cherokee country into six hunting districts, viz: ·
1. Over Hill Towns - Great Tellico, Chatugee, Tennessee, Chote, Toqua, Sittiquo, and Talasste.
2. Valley Towns - Euforsee, Conastee, Little Telliquo, Cotocanahut, Nayowee, Tomatly, and Chewohe.
3. Middle Towns - Joree, Watoge, Nuckasee.
Page 143
4. Keowee Towns – Keowee, Tricentee, Echoee, Torsee, Cowee, Torsalla, Coweeshee, and Elejoy
5. Out Towns – Tucharechee, Kittowa, Conontoroy, Steecoy, Oustanale, and Tuckasegee.
6. Lower towns – Tomassee, Oustestee, Cheowie, Estatoie, Tosawa, Keowee, and Oustanalle.
About twenty years later, Bartram, who transversed the country, gives the names of forty-three Cherokee towns and villages then existing and unhabited (sic) as follows
1. Echoe On the Tanase east of the Jore Mountains
2. Nucasse On the Tanase east of the Jore Mountains
3. Whatoga On the Tanase east of the Jore Mountains
4. Cowe On the Tanase east of the Jore Mountains
5. Ticoloosa Inland, on the branches of the Tanase
6. Jore
7. Conisca
8. Nowe
9. Tomothle On the Tanase over the Jore Mountains
10. Noewe
11. Tellico
12. Clennuse
13. Ocunnolufte
14. Chewe
15. Quanuse
16. Tellowe
17. Tellico Inland towns on the branches of the Tanase and other waters over the Jobe
18. Chatuga
19. Hiwasse
20. Chewase
21. Nuauba
22. Tallase Overhill towns on the Tanase or Cherokee River
23. Chelowe
24. Sette
25. Chote, Great
26. Joco
27. Tahasse
28. Tamahle
29. Tuckege
30. Big Island
31. Nilaque
32. Niowe
33. Ninica Lower towns east of the mountains on the Savanna or Keowe River
34. Keowe
35. Kulsage
36. Tugilo Lower towns east of the mountains on Tugli River
37. Estotowe
38. Qualatche Lower towns on Flint River
39. Chote
40. Estotowe, Great Towns on waters of other rivers
41. Allagae
42. Jore
43. Naeoche
Monzon’s map of 1771 gives the names of several Lower Cherokee towns not already mentioned. Among these may be enumerated, on the Tugalco River and its branches, Turruraw, Nayowee, Tetohe, Chagee, Tussee, Chicherohe, Echay, and Takwashnaw; on the Keowee, New Keowee, and Quacoretche; and on the Seneca, Aconuee.
Page 151
Becoming persuaded, however, that this creek was infested with witches they abandoned it in
1782, and built lower down the Tennessee the towns usually called “The Five Lower Towns on the Tennessee.” These towns were named respectively Running Water, Nickajack, Long Island
Village, Crow Town, and Lookout Mountain Town. From thence marauding parties were wont
to issue in their operations against the rapidly encroaching settlements."
Page 164
In the mean time an increased spirit of hostility had become manifest among the Cherokees and
Creeks, the five lower towns of the former having declared war, and an Indian invasion of the frontier seemed imminent.
Page 171
The general tranquillity enjoyed after that date seems to have been occasioned by the wholesome discipline administered to the tribes north west of the Ohio by General Wayne, in his victory of
August 20, 1794, and as a result of the expedition of Major Ore, with his command of Tennesseeans and Kentuckians, in September of the same year, against the Lower Towns of the
Cherokees, wherein two of those towns, Running Water and Nickajack, were destroyed."
Page 234
Respecting the Cherokee treaty of July 8, 1817, the committee say that some time previous to its conclusion the Cherokees had represented to the President that their upper and lower towns wished to separate; that the Upper Cherokees desired to be confined to a smaller section of country and to engage in the pursuits of agriculture and civilized life; that the Lower Cherokees preferred continuing the hunter's life, and, owing to the scarcity of game in their own country, proposed to exchange it for land on the west of the Mississippi River; that to carry into effect these wishes of the Indians the treaty of 1817 was held, and the United States then had it in their power to have so far complied with their contract with Georgia as to have extinguished the title of the Cherokees to most of their lands within the limits of that State; that this could readily have been done, for the reason that the Upper Cherokees resided beyond the boundaries of Georgia, and had expressed a desire to retain lands on the Hiwassee River, in Tennessee, whilst the Lower Cherokees, who were desirous of emigrating west, mostly resided in the former State. But, in spite of this opportunity, the United States had purchased an inconsiderable tract of country in Georgia and a very considerable one in Tennessee, apparently in opposition to the wishes of the Indians, the interests of Georgia, and of good faith in themselves.