David Vann (Georgia, January 1, 1800 – December 23, 1863) was a sub-chief of the Cherokee people. 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 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 VannRogers, the grandmother of Will Rogers. 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 of mixed-race ancestry, a businessman and planter in Georgia, Tennessee and Indian Territory. He owned plantations, many slaves, taverns, and steamboats. In 1837, 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, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sepa ...

. They turned to the Cherokees for assistance.

Major Ridge Major Ridge, The Ridge (and sometimes Pathkiller II) (c. 1771 – 22 June 1839) (also known as ''Nunnehidihi'', and later ''Ganundalegi'') was a Cherokee leader, a member of the tribal council, and a lawmaker. As a warrior, he fought in the ...

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 Mis ...

, 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 (c. 1778 – March 22, 1863) was a Muscogee Creek Indian chief, noted as a brilliant orator. He was a Speaker of the Upper Cre ...

, 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 or Occident 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 ...

, 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 ter ...

in 1835, leading to the

Cherokee removal Cherokee removal, part of the Trail of Tears, refers to the forced relocation between 1836 and 1839 of an estimated 16,000 members of the Cherokee Nation and 1,000–2,000 of their slaves; from their lands in Georgia, South Carolina, North Caroli ...

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

Cherokee Phoenix The ''Cherokee Phoenix'' ( chr, ᏣᎳᎩ ᏧᎴᎯᏌᏅᎯ, translit=Tsalagi Tsulehisanvhi) is the first newspaper published by Native Americans in the United States and the first published in a Native American language. The first issue was pu ...

, 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 The Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the United States Government for the relocation of Native Americans who held aboriginal title to their land as a sovereign ...

, 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 (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 eighteent ...

) in 1869. During the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

, Vann was killed by ' Pin Indians' (Cherokees who supported the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

) 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 Pre-statehood history of Oklahoma 1863 murders in the United States 19th-century Native Americans Native American people from Georgia (U.S. state) Civilians killed in the American Civil War