Transcribed by Elena Hamann, Sewanee—The University of the South
“The United States
To Deer in the Water Dr
(or Ah-hah-wi-keh-hah)
For an improvement, abandoned, & property lost in the Old Nation near New Echota, Georgia in consequence of being forced to remove by the U.S. Troops
Emigrated in Jack Bells Detachment in 1838 to wit[:]
4 ½ Acres of land [and] fenced $10 $45-00
2 Dwelling houses – $30 $15 – [4]5-00
5 Saws $25- +1 Ax $2-50 27-50
1 p[air] cards $1-50 + 40lbs-Cotton $2- 3-50
1 Iron wedge $75c[ents] + 3 Pots $4-$2$ 2 50 9-25
3 lb wool $1 50- + 2- bushels corn $15-0 16-50
1 Wooden Bucket $-75[¢] 3 weeding Hoes $2.25-3-00
1 Keeler – 75[¢], + 1 Feather Bed $10- 10-75
1 Table $2.50- + 2 rifle Gun $15 each 32-50
$203 00
Statement of Claimant Examined On oath states as follows. I am a ful[l] blooded Cherokee and now live on Lees Creek and Emigrated from the place above stated the field and house that I have hear [sic] charge[d] was not Valued to me as I had cleared and [?] the house after the [sic] Valuaing agent, had Valued my other improvements so this place was not valued at-all— and was compelled to leave it as the U States Troops took me and took me to a place called new Echota[.] they kept us their[sic] some two or three days and from their, they took us to Ross Landing and their they they Kept us one night and then they put us aboard a boat and brought us on to Tuscumbia and their I broke away and went back to the nation and was taken & carried to at Calhoun, and their I was kept in Camps again, and was kept in camps untill we left for this country— the saws & household furniture was left in the place that I was taken from, [and] I did not sell any of the things that I have hear charge[d] as I was not allowed to sell any thing as I was forced off by the United States Troops and was kept by them until they put me aboard of the boat and when I got as far down as Tuscumbia I ran away and went back to the old nation and before we had got verry far into the nation we was taken again and put into camps and were kept their untill we were forced of[f] the second time[.] the two guns was taken from me by the U.S. Troops so the whole is a total loss to me
Sworn + subscribed to before me 8th March 1842
G.W. Gunter Deer in the Water or Ah hah we keh kah his X mark
Special Cl[erk] on claims for Skin Bayou District
Statement of Oo wah sat, ee, testimony Examined on oath states as follows— and am a ful[l] Blooded Cherokee and live on Lees Creek and Emigrated from about seven miles from New Echota in the old nation Georgia and am well acquainted with Claimant as we was close neighbours in the old nation— knows that Claimant has a small field but dont know how many acres was in the field- and it was not valued as it was in cleared after the Treaty of 1835—as he had to clear and this field and put up the house as the Georgians had taken his old pl former place which was Valued to him (Claimant). Knows that Claimant was taken by the United States and troops I was I was also taken when claimant was taken and we were marching along and I did not see the Claimant have any thing with him—this made me believe that Claimant had left every[thing] that he had took about the house[.] also knows that Claimant had several thing[s] about the house but do not what kind know how much or what kind he had left I know that claimant had some hogs as I had had seen some at his house but do not know how many[.] also knows that claimant had two rifle gun and the knows that the troops had Taken his guns as he saw them while they were marching us along and also after we got to …New Echota I saw the guns in the possession of the Troops. This makes me believe that claimant did not sell any of his things as he was Taken by the U.S. Troops—and knows that claimant did not sell any thing before he was Taken. and so it was a total loss to Claimant
Sworn & subscribed to before me 8th March 1842 Oo wah sot tee his X mark
GW Gunter Special Cl[erk] on Claims for Skin Bayou Dist[rict]
No- 243
Deer in the water
Emigrated in 1838
Losses sustained in 1838
Claim $203-00”