Introduction: John BROWN is said to be the father of our Nancy BROWN who married my second great grandfather Stephen SHELTON (b 1809). All I have on him are family stories; but I keep searching for more. Some in the family feel this is the John BROWN who was once a chief of the Cherokee Old Settlers. WE HAVE NO PROOF he is ours; ONLY FAMILY STORIES. Our John married Nancy about 1810.
John BROWN was born in 1793. He is the "son of Colonel Richard BROWN who is son of John BROWN Sr. by his first wife. This John BROWN was Catharine's nephew. Several sources referred to Richard BROWN having a son named John. A missionary letter referred to Chief John BROWN, son of Col. Dick BROWN." On the Register of Persons Who Wish Reservations in 1817, John signed for Reservation #57 and listed his home as the late residence of his father Col. Richard BROWN. On 4 Nov 1818 Catharine BOWN was brought to Brainerd by her father & brother Alexander. From the journal entry of this day we learn that the John BROWN, son of Richard, attended Brainerd. "John would be glad to return to school but the late death of his father had brought great care upon him in business to which he must attend." (CATH) John's father, Richard, died 26 Jan 1818.
"Since 1827 the names of the elected (Old Settler) principal chiefs and secondary chiefs were recorded but a listing of them is difficult to come by… " (Ancient Cherokee Rulers) A list of the chiefs of the Arkansas Cherokee shows John BOWLES, TAKATOKA & John JOLLY up to 1828. John BROWN became one of the three Old Settler chiefs in the west along with John LOONEY and John JOLLY. He served as "second chief" or second in command to Chief JOLLY & became chief after JOLLY died at Webber Falls in Dec 1838. He was head of the Old Settlers at the time the eastern Chief John ROSS arrived from the Trail of Tears in 1838.
On 3 Jun 1839 over 6,000 Cherokee assembled at the Takotoka Camp Ground in the new homeland, four miles northeast of present-day Tahlequah & Chief John BROWN graciously welcomed the Ross Party. Some parts of BROWN's speech, however, offended ROSS. He felt the Old Settlers had not properly acknowledged that the newer emigrants already had a constitution & a government. In effect he felt BROWN was asking the (previously) eastern Cherokee to give up their government for his. "What seemed generous to the western Cherokee left the majority to be governed by the minority." (After the Trail of Tears by William G. McLoughlin) On 10 Jun 1839 John ROSS explained to John BROWN and the other chiefs of the Old Settlers that they could not accept their terms.
"In new elections that spring (1839), John BROWN, son of former Old Nation Chief Richard BROWN, was named principal chief while John LOONEY and John ROGERS were selected as second and third chiefs, respectively." (Cherokee Nation - Reunion & Conflict) Chief John Brown's reign did not last very long. On 10 Nov 1839 the Old Settlers stated they denied any recognition of ROSS' authority. Next BROWN was deposed by ROSS. John BROWN, who had been principal chief of the western Cherokee when the Ross Party arrived, became so discouraged about the future of his people that he left for Mexico with his family and some friends. In Mexico he would see about joining the refugee Texas Cherokees there." Back in Arkansas, the Tahlontesicee council was held by those Old Settlers who refused to accept the new Ross government. John Rogers was elected the new principal chief. It seems a civil war was beginning among the Cherokee.
In 1844 a three-man commission was sent to the Cherokee by President James K. POLK. By then John BROWN had returned from Mexico. He was present at the meeting, along with 286 Old Settlers and 179 Treaty Party Members. John ROSS was invited but declined.
Sheila Gibson ~ SpiritHawk
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