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List of Principal Chiefs of the Cherokee

Principal Chief is today the title of the chief executives of the Cherokee Nation, of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, the three federally recognized tribes of Cherokee. In the eighteenth century, when the people were primarily organized by clans and towns, they would appoint a leader for negotiations with the Europeans. They called him Uku, or "First Beloved Man".

"Cherokee Chiefs" redirects here. For the high school team, see Cherokee High School (Tennessee).

The title of "Principal Chief" was created in 1794, when the Cherokee began to formalize a more centralized political structure. They founded the original Cherokee Nation. The Cherokee Nation–East adopted a written constitution in 1827, creating a government with three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The Principal Chief was elected by the National Council, which was the legislature of the Nation. The Cherokee Nation–West adopted a similar constitution in 1833. In 1839 most of the reunited nation was reunited in Indian Territory, after forced removal from the Southeast. There they adopted one constitution. In 1868, the Eastern Band of Cherokee, made up of those who had managed to remain primarily in the homelands of North Carolina, created a separate and distinct constitution and formalized the position of Principal Chief. The position had existed in the east since the time of Yonaguska. Their descendants make up the members of the federally recognized Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians today, referred to as the EBCI.


In 1906, the US government dismantled the Cherokee Nation's governmental structure under the Dawes Act (except for allowing the tribe to retain limited authority to deal with remaining land issues, a provision that lasted until June 1914). This act also provided for the allotment of communal lands and extinguishing of Cherokee land title in preparation for admission of Oklahoma as a state in 1907.[1] Following passage of the federal Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 and the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act of 1936, the Keetoowah Nighthawk Society organized in 1939 as the United Keetoowah Band. The Bureau of Indian Affairs approved their constitution in 1940.


The United States President began appointing a Principal Chief for the non-UKB Cherokee in 1941. In 1975, these Cherokee drafted their constitution as the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, which was ratified on June 26, 1976.[2] In 1999, they approved several changes to the constitution, including the removal of the qualifying phrase "of Oklahoma" from their name, leaving it simply "Cherokee Nation".

(d. 1729), peace chief, signed a 1720 treaty with Governor Nicholson; outacite is his title rather than his given name[5]

Outacite

of Tugaloo (1716–1721)

Charitey Hagey

of Tanasi (1729–1730)

Long Warrior

"emperor" of the Cherokee until 1730;[4] his given name was Ama-edohi or "water-goer",[6] and he served as a trade commissioner[7]

Wrosetasetow

(also known as Ama-edohi);[4] (d. 1741),[8] declared "emperor" by British emissary, Alexander Cuming, from 1730[9] until 1741[7]

Moytoy of Tellico

(or "Little Carpenter", also spelled Ada-gal'kala, Attacullaculla, Oukou-naka)[5] (1708/1711[9]–1780[10]), "white" peace chief from Echota[5] recognized as primary chief by the British,[11] or "president of the nation" from 1762 to 1778[7]

Attakullakulla

(or Ammouskossittee, Amascossite, Ammonscossittee, Amosgasite, "Dreadfulwater")[8] of Great Tellico (b. ca. 1728), served as "emperor" 1741–1753,[8] son of Moytoy

Amouskositte

(or Guhna-gadoga,[11] Kanagatucko, and "Standing Turkey")[11](1753–1756),[11] war chief from Echota; either Ammouskossitte's uncle[7] or father.[5]

Old Hop

(or Amo-adaw-ehi), war chief during the Anglo-Cherokee War (1759–1761), nephew of the Moytoy of Tellico.[5]

Moytoy of Citico

(also Ukah Ulah)[7] (d. 1761), "emperor;" nephew of Old Hop,[11]

Uka Ulah

(or Cunne Shote), traveled to England in 1762 with Henry Timberlake[3][12]

Standing Turkey

(ca. 1703–ca. 1780) (also known as "Judd's Friend",[5] Outacity, Outassite, Outacite, Outassatah, Wootasite, Wrosetasetow,[13] Ostenaco, Outassete,[14] Scyacust Ukah); he met Anglo-American emissary Henry Timberlake when the latter went to Overhill country, and traveled with him to England in 1762[15]

Outacite of Keowee

(also known as Ogan'sto', "Groundhog Sausage") (1712–1781), red war chief of Echota;[16] served entire tribe 1778–1785[7]

Oconostota

of Chota (1781–1783)

Savanukah

(or "Corntassel," "Tassel," Kaiyatahee) (d. 1788),[5] peace chief from Echota,[5] served 1783–1788[7]

Old Tassel

(or Colonah), war chief; nephew of Oconostota[5]

Raven of Chota

Little Turkey

[7]

(1794–1801)

Little Turkey

(1801–1811)

Black Fox

Pathkiller

Big Tiger

(1827), de facto head of government from 1813

Charles R. Hicks

(1827–1828)

William Hicks

John Ross

William Hicks

Little Turkey was elected First Beloved Man of the Cherokee (the council seat of which was shifted south to Ustanali (later known as New Echota), near what is now Calhoun, Georgia) in the aftermath of the assassination by frontiersmen of Corntassel (also called Cornsilk) and several other leaders. Hanging Maw of Coyatee, listed above, claimed the title as his right by tradition, as he was the headman of the Upper Towns. Many Cherokee and the US government recognized him as Principal Chief. Little Turkey was finally recognized as "Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation" by all the towns after the end of the Cherokee–American wars, when the Cherokee established their first nominal national government.

(1810–1813)

The Bowl

(1813–1817)

Degadoga

(1817–1819)

Tahlonteeskee

(1819–1838)

John Jolly

(1838–1839)

John Looney

(1839)

John Brown

(1839)

John Looney

(1839–1840)

John Rogers

Originally settling along the St. Francis and White rivers in what was classified first as Spanish Louisiana and later Arkansas Territory after the United States acquired it, the Western Cherokee eventually migrated to Indian Territory in 1828 after the Treaty of Washington. They named their capital there Tahlontiskee. John Jolly died while the Latecomers were arriving, and John Looney succeeded him automatically. Looney was deposed by the council and replaced with Brown; his supporters wanted to put the Cherokee Nation West in a better position vis-a-vis the Ross party of Cherokee Nation East.


The removal of the eastern Cherokee Territory took place in 1839. It was followed by the executions in June 1839 of Major Ridge, John Ridge, and Elias Boudinot (Treaty party members who had aligned with the Old Settlers). At that time, the council deposed Brown, replacing him with Looney. A sizable faction of the Old Settlers refused to recognize Looney and elected Rogers in his stead, but their efforts to maintain autonomy petered out the next year.

(1824–1839)

Yonaguska

or Flying Squirrel (1870–1875)

Salonitah

(1875–1880)

Lloyd R. Welch

(1880–1891)

Nimrod Jarrett Smith

(1891–1895)

Stillwell Saunooke

(1895–1899)

Andy Standing Deer

(1899–1903)

Jesse Reed

or Young Squirrel (1903–1907)

Bird Saloloneeta

(1907–1911)

John Goins Welch

(1911–1915)

Joseph A. Saunooke

(1915–1919)

David Blythe

(1919–1923)

Joseph A. Saunooke

(1923–1927)

Sampson Owl

(1927–1931)

John A. Tahquette

(1931–1947)

Jarret Blythe

(1947–1951)

Henry Bradley

(1955–1959)

Jarret Blythe

(1951–1955)

Osley Bird Saunooke

Jarret Blythe (1955–1959)

Olsey Bird Saunooke (1959–1963)

Jarret Blythe (1963–1967)

(1967–1971)

Walter Jackson

(1971–1973)

Noah Powell

(1973–1983)

John A. Crowe

(1983–1987)

Robert S. Youngdeer

(1987–1995)

Jonathan L. Taylor

(1995)

Gerard Parker

(1995–1999)

Joyce Dugan

Leon Jones (1999–2003)

(2003–2015)

Michell Hicks

(2015-2017)

Patrick Lambert

(2017–2023)

Richard Sneed

(2023-present)

Michell Hicks

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is made up of descendants of Cherokee primarily from along the Oconaluftee River in Western North Carolina, in today's Cherokee County. The band formed after the treaties of 1817 and 1819 were made between the Cherokee Nation East and the US government; they were outside the former territory. They were later joined by Utsala's band from the Nantahala River in western North Carolina, and those few from the Valley Towns who managed to remain in 1838 following Indian Removal of most of the Cherokee to Indian Territory.


Principal chiefs:


Two principal chiefs of the tribe have been impeached since the late 20th century: Jonathan L. Taylor in 1995 and Patrick Lambert in 2017.[17]

John Ross

Thomas Pegg

(1862–1866)

Stand Watie

(1866–1867)

William P. Ross

Lewis Downing (1867–1872)

William P. Ross (1872–1875)

(1875–1879)

Charles Thompson

(1879–1887)

Dennis Bushyhead

(1887–1891)

Joel B. Mayes

(1891–1895)

C. J. Harris

(1895–1899)

Samuel Houston Mayes

(1899–1903)

Thomas Buffington

(1903–1905); deposed by the council

William Rogers

(1905–1906); also president of the Keetoowah Nighthawk Society

Frank J. Boudinot

(1906)

William Charles Rogers

After removal of the eastern Cherokee to Indian Territory on the Trail of Tears, they created a new constitution to unify the former Eastern Cherokee with the Western Cherokee. This allowed for direct election of the Principal Chief. Though a holdout minority of the Old Settlers elected John Rogers as their principal chief, his government never gained further support and soon faded away.


The John Ross faction abandoned the established capital of Tahlontiskee and built Tahlequah instead. During the Civil War, the Nation voted to support the Confederacy, and Ross acquiesced for a time. In 1862, however, he and many of his supporters fled to Washington, DC. At that time Stand Watie, serving as a Confederate officer, was elected Principal Chief by a portion of the Nation. The remaining Ross group never supported Watie's election, though, and lived apart under their own officials.

(1907–1917)

William C. Rogers

(1939–1946)

John Hitcher

(1946–1954)

Jim Pickup

(1954–1960)

Jeff Tindle

Jim Pickup (1960–1967)

(1967–1979)

William Glory

(1979–1983)

James L. Gordon

(1983–1991)

John Hair

(1991–1995)

John Ross

(1996–2000)

Jim Henson

2000–2004

Dallas Proctor

2005–2016

George Wickliffe

2016–present

Joe Bunch

The UKB Cherokee are descendants primarily of Old Settlers who organized under the federal Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 and the state Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act of 1936. They ratified their constitution and bylaws and were recognized by the federal government in 1950.

Junaluska

Mount Tabor Indian Community

Brown, John P. Old Frontiers. Kingsport: Southern Publishers, 1938.

. The Cherokee Nation: A History. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2008.

Conley, Robert J

Conley, Robert J. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2007. ISBN 978-0826339515.

A Cherokee Encyclopedia.

Hoig, Stanley. The Cherokees and Their Chiefs: In the Wake of Empire. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press, 1998.

Cherokee Renascence in the New Republic. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1992.

McLoughlin, William G.

Mooney, James. Myths of the Cherokee and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokee (1900). Reprint: Nashville: Charles and Randy Elder-Booksellers, 1982.

Moore, John Trotwood and Austin P. Foster. Tennessee, The Volunteer State, 1769–1923, Vol. 1. Chicago: S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1923.

Morand, Anne, Kevin Smith, Daniel C. Swan, Sarah Erwin. Treasures of Gilcrease: Selections from the Permanent Collection. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2005.  978-0806199566.

ISBN

Timberlake, Henry and Duane King. University of North Carolina Press, 2007. ISBN 978-0807831267.

The Memoirs of Lt. Henry Timberlake: The Story of a Soldier, Adventurer, and Emissary to the Cherokees, 1756–1765.

Wilkins, Thurman. Cherokee Tragedy: The Ridge Family and the Decimation of a People. New York: Macmillan Company, 1970.