05/30/2026
This Week in History 1834 & 1836
Read below on how Joseph Vann felt about attending religious services and the Moravian’s perspective on the signing of the Treaty of New Echota.
This Week in History
[This transcription is from a historical record and is presented verbatim, it may include historical materials that may contain negative stereotypes or language reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place including terminology that may not be deemed appropriate today. No disrespect is ever intended by modern-day staff of the Chief Vann House Historic Site.]
1834
[Diary of the Cherokee Mission (on the Conasauga).]
Sun. June 1. The burial address for our blessed Sr. Anna Toosawallety, who fell asleep, was held in the home of her surviving widower 3 miles from Spring Place. I had spent the night at Vann’s and was happy to see that both Mrs. Vanns were preparing to go along to the services. Mr. Joseph Vann, who it is known never goes to religious services, was quite helpful to his wives and seemed to be happy that they wanted to go along. I said to him in the hope to move him to go as well, “On the great say of judgement you will perhaps want to excuse yourself by saying you never received an individual invitation to go to the service of the faithful. Therefore, I want to ask you to go along too.” “I cannot go,” was the answer, “but you have done your duty.”
We used the school vacation resulting from the measles to gather a supply of hay from the bush. About 3 miles from here is a small prairie where very nice grass grows [and] offers a good place for making hay.
1836
[Diary of the Cherokee Mission (on the Conasauga).]
Sun., May 29. Five or six people arrived here and attended a small edifying hour. In the afternoon we wanted to visit our friend and neighbor Capt. McNair, who is sick, but on the way my horse shied and threw me instantly onto the rocky ground. I received such a bad injury on my left hip from this that I had to stay in bed for a number of days.
June 2. The marriage of our friend Clement McNair to the single Sussanna Martin took place in Red Hill. Taken to this area by this event, I paid friend and colleague Doct. Butler a visit and spent the evening there to our mutual edification.
In the month of June we received the news through the public newspapers that the treaty concluded in New Echota last December between the Commissioner of the United States and a number of Cherokee Chiefs of the Cherokee Nation, according to which this country was sold for the sum of $5,600,00, and the Nation has committed itself to move to Arkansaw within two years, has been ratified by the President and the Senate of the United States. Thus the long drawn-out question of the staying or moving of this people is now decided. This news caused concern for some people that the Indians generally will not agree to this peacefully, since the aforementioned treaty was not negotiated by those Chiefs assigned by the Nation, but by a number of self-appointed head chiefs who essentially are just private people.
Since the southern Indian tribes, that is the Seminoles and Creeks, have already begun hostilities toward their white oppressors out of similar causes, one could presume that similar scenes of bloody revenge could take place here as well. In the meantime after a number of weeks it seems, contrary to all expectation, that the people have patiently submitted to their unavoidable fate and are willing to emigrate immediately to the far west. Among our Brethren and Sisters, many of the older and more reasonable house-fathers expressed their inclination to begin their journey to Arkansaw this fall.”
