David Vann (Georgia, January 1, 1800 – December 23, 1863) was a sub-chief of the

Cherokee people The Cherokee (; , or ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, they were concentrated in their homelands, in towns along river valleys of what is now southwestern ...

. He was a skilled negotiator with the United States government on behalf of the Cherokee and Creek peoples. Vann was elected treasurer of the

Cherokee Nation The Cherokee Nation ( or ) is the largest of three list of federally recognized tribes, federally recognized tribes of Cherokees in the United States. It includes people descended from members of the Cherokee Nation (1794–1907), Old Cheroke ...

in 1839, 1843, 1847 and 1851.

Early life and family

David Vann was the second son of Avery Vann and wife Margaret McSwainVann. He was the brother of Joseph "Teaultlo" Vann and Sallie ee VannRogers, the grandmother of

Will Rogers William Penn Adair Rogers (November 4, 1879 – August 15, 1935) was an American vaudeville performer, actor, and humorous social commentator. He was born as a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, in the Indian Territory (now part of Oklahoma ...

. He was the nephew of the Cherokee chief James Vann; and the first cousin of Cherokee leader and businessman,

Joseph Vann Joseph H. Vann (11 February 1798 – 23 October 1844) was a Cherokee leader, a businessman and planter in Georgia, Tennessee and Indian Territory. He owned plantations, many slaves, taverns, and steamboats. In 1837, he moved with several h ...

Negotiator

Work with the Creeks

In the fall of 1825, the Creeks decided they needed experienced negotiators to present their case against expulsion from their lands in the

Southeast The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, Radius, radially arrayed compass directions (or Azimuth#In navigation, azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A ''compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, ...

. They turned to the Cherokees for assistance. Major Ridge recommended that the Creeks retain David Vann and

John Ridge John Ridge, born ''Skah-tle-loh-skee'' (ᏍᎦᏞᎶᏍᎩ, Yellow Bird) ( – 22 June 1839), was from a prominent family of the Cherokee Nation, then located in present-day Georgia. He went to Cornwall, Connecticut, to study at the Foreign ...

, both well educated and fluent in English, to help them prepare for the meeting with General Edmund Pendleton Gaines. They prepared a speech for the Creek chief,

Opothleyahola Opothleyahola (also spelled Opothle Yohola, Opothleyoholo, Hu-pui-hilth Yahola, Hopoeitheyohola, and Hopere Yahvlv, – March 22, 1863) was a Muscogee Creek Indian chief, noted as a brilliant orator. He was a Speaker of the Upper Creek Co ...

, to be made at the Gaines meeting. The speech won the support of General Gaines, but the Creek delegation insisted on meeting directly with Gaines' superiors in Washington, D. C. Since none of the Creeks were fluent in English, they wanted to include Ridge and Vann in their delegation. Gaines told them that President Adams would not negotiate Creek affairs with Cherokee. As a compromise, the two men were included, each carrying the title of secretary, rather than negotiator.Langguth, p. 59. After the agreements were concluded, Ridge and Vann had their portraits painted by noted artist

Charles Bird King Charles Bird King (September 26, 1785 – March 18, 1862) was an American portrait artist, best known for his portrayals of significant Native American leaders and tribesmen. His style incorporated Dutch influences, which can be seen most promi ...

Work with the Cherokees

Vann was a member of the Cherokee Treaty Party, a political entity that supported negotiation with the United States for the voluntary emigration of the Cherokee people to the

West West is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some Romance langu ...

, in order to secure their rights. Its leaders signed the

Treaty of New Echota The Treaty of New Echota was a treaty signed on December 29, 1835, in New Echota, Georgia, by officials of the United States government and representatives of a minority Cherokee political faction, the Treaty Party. The treaty established terms ...

in 1835, leading to the

Cherokee removal The Cherokee removal (May 25, 18381839), part of the Indian removal, refers to the forced displacement of an estimated 15,500 Cherokees and 1,500 African-American slaves from the U.S. states of Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama to ...

in 1838-1839. Elijah Hicks, son of Chief William Hicks and editor of the

Cherokee Phoenix The ''Cherokee Phoenix'' () is the first Native_American_newspapers, newspaper published by Native Americans in the United States and the first published in a Native American language. The first issue was published in English and Cherokee on Febr ...

, presented a petition to the National Council calling for the impeachment of the Ridges and David Vann. The council members did not vote to proceed with impeachment, but the charges were not withdrawn. Politically, this left the status of Vann and the Ridges in limbo.Langguth, p. 220. After the Cherokees removed to

Indian Territory Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the Federal government of the United States, United States government for the relocation of Native Americans in the United States, ...

, David Vann became assistant principal chief of the Cherokee Nation.Sturgis, Amy H.; ''The Trail of Tears and Indian Removal''; (2007).

Personal life and death

David Vann and his first wife, Jennie Chambers, had two children. He and his second wife, Martha McNair, had seven children. Vann's daughter, Mary Delilah Vann, married

Joel B. Mayes Joel Bryan Mayes (''Tsa-wa Gak-ski'', in Cherokee) (1833 – 1891) was Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. Early life and education Mayes was born on October 2, 1833, in present-day Carterville, Bartow County, Georgia to the former Nancy ...

(later

Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation 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 ...

) in 1869. During the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, Vann was killed by ' Pin Indians' (Cherokees who supported the Union) in 1863.

Legacy

Vanns Branch in Alabama is named after him.

References

Sources

* Langguth, A. J. ''Driven West: Andrew Jackson and the Trail of Tears to the Civil War''. New York, Simon & Schuster. 2010. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Vann, David 1800 births 1863 deaths Cherokee Nation politicians (1794–1907) Murdered Native American people D Native American tribal government officials in Indian Territory People murdered in 1863 19th-century Native American politicians Native American people from Georgia (U.S. state) Civilians killed in the American Civil War