December 21, 2005

You readers may remember that Sequoyah had been working on the new Cherokee alphabet. There was friction between the Eastern and Western Cherokee. The Eastern Cherokee thought Sequoyah was crazy to undertake the challenge of creating the Cherokee alphabet.

Sequoyah and his followers began an exodus from the Indian Nation in Oklahoma in 1838. This group developed into a large organization of "Old Settlers." The group traveled across Oklahoma and went across the Red River at Preston Crossing, which is north of the present town of Denison. The river crossing is only about 20 or 30 miles (as the crow flies) from Tioga, Onega and the Sandtown area. As the group traveled to Mexico, they lost small groups of people along the way.

It was at about this time in the late 1830's, that the tired and sick Cherokee families were leaving the large group of Cherokees and settling in the Tioga, Onega and Sandtown areas. Some of them established Mingo, the town of Watauga, and Saginaw.

The U.S. Army was after the group of Cherokee. The Cherokee group added some Kickapoo and Comanche Indians to increase their numbers against the U.S. Army. There were many Kickapoo Indians in the area west of Denton and on south through the Texas Hill Country. At the same time the Army was in pursuit of this large group, the Eastern Cherokees had a group of 46 chiefs and leaders who were in discussion on a treaty. The many Cherokee groups communicated via smoke signals with each other. The officials in Washington couldn’t understand how the Indians were receiving such current information all over the other states. These rapid communication efforts were taking place in the 1830's.

The large group traveled on down to the Rio Grand River and what is now Piedras Negra and the Zaragoza area of Mexico. The area of San Fernando is made up largely of descendants of Cherokees that stayed in the area after Sequoyah arrived and was buried in the area.

It was in 1839, that Sequoyah and his two sons who were still in retreat from the U.S. Army, sought out the cave that is currently located on the Rodriquiz Ranch. The cave was also the home for many rattlesnakes as well as Sequoyah. Sequoyah was able to talk to the snakes and became friends. He knew that his remaining days were few; he was sick. He wanted to leave his body in the cave of snakes. He knew this would prevent the future relocation of his body.

The Rodriquez Ranch is still in the same family of Cherokee-Mexicans as it was when Chief Sequoyah died in the cave. The ranch is made up of 5000 acres of land. It is a resort within itself. When we in the area several years ago, the large touring buses took us on a tour of the Fort, the warm spring of water, the cave and a tour of the working ranch in Mexico.

An army fort in ruins is still in existence near the cave on the ranch. The fort was occupied by both the dying Chief and the Mexican Army, just before the arrival of the U.S. Army.

Incidentally, I want to remind you that the alphabet that Sequoyah worked on all of the way to Mexico was quickly adopted by the Cherokee Schools and the simplification of the alphabet made the illiterate able to read very quickly. Progress was so fast in the different schools that it was quickly adopted by everyone.

Some of the families that I can think of from my memory who were part of the "Old Settlers" of the western Cherokees who settled in Onega are the Plunks, Cagles, Hollars, Daniels, Rogers, Turners, Hendersons and many more. The Byroms came to the area in about 1828 and were not travelers of the Sequoyah caravan.

I want to take a little time this season as we speak of the Great Spirit, and pray that we may feel the many good things that he provides and that there are good times ahead for us to share with each other.