202 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 196 



Arrangements were immediately made by the Chiefs and Headmen 

 to select a suitable locality for a Mission Station. A school was soon 

 put into operation, [^^] and Hicks, Ross, Lowrey P°] and many other 

 influential men immediately availed themselves of the privilege of 

 sending their children to a Christian School. In 1804, Presbyterian 

 Missionaries [^^] were sent to the Cherokee Nation, and in a short 

 time several Mission Stations were located in different parts of the 

 Nation, Schools were established and Churches organized. But many 

 of the people still adhered to the old ways, would have nothing to do 

 with the Missionaries, and ignored all their efforts made for educating 

 and civilizing the Indians. 



At their dances and ball-plays, whiskey was brought in and freely 

 used ; very often the gatherings were broken up by drunken quarrels, 

 and sometimes by brutal murder. 



However, the most influential persons, who were followed by the 

 greater part of the Nation, anxious to secure educational advantages 

 for their children, made great exertions to assist the Missionaries in 

 building houses, and providing things necessary for their comfort 

 while working among them. 



In 1817 the Station at Brainerd [^^] was begun and the school put 

 into successful operation. And in a few years several other Mission 

 Stations were established, and the schools well attended and pros- 

 perous. The Baptist ['^ and Methodist [^*] also had Mission Stations 

 among the Cherokees. As a Nation, they were now prepared to 

 receive the Gospel, brought to them by the Missionaries. 



Many were converted, among others, Hicks, ['^ who was then 

 Principal Chief, Lowrey and his wife, Rising-fawn, Sleeping-Rabit, 

 Mr. John Brown, the father of Catherine and David [^^] of whom so 

 much was written at the time by the Missionaries, and a great many 

 more. The Missionaries were greatly loved by the Cherokees, who 

 had by this time received such an impetus towards Christianity and 

 Civilization that it was impossible for them to return to barbarism. 



6» Springplace Mission was dedicated on July 13, 1801 (Schwarze, 1923, p. 65). Rev. John Gambold 

 (1760-1827) and his wife Anna Rosina (1762-1821) came to Springplace in October 1805 (Starr, 1921, pp. 82-83). 



'0 Charles Hicks (1767-1827), Assistant Principal Chief (1817-27), Principal Chief for 13 days prior to his 

 death; John Ross (1790-1866), Principal Chief (1827-66). 



'' The Presb3^erian missionary Rev. Gideon Blackburn began work on the Hiwassee River In 1803 

 (Schwarze, 1923, p. 79). 



" Brainerd Mission was established on Chickamauga Creek in 1817 (Starr, 1921, p. 248). 



'3 The Valley Town Baptist Mission was established by Rev. Humphrey Posey in 1820 (ibid.). 



'< Methodist work among the Cherokee began with the evangehcal efforts of Rev. Richard Neely in 1822 

 (Ibid., p. 259). 



" Hicks was converted to Christianity m 1812, prior to his Incumbency either as Assistant Principal 

 Chief or Principal Chief (Schwarze, 1923, pp. 180-181). 



" As may be seen in several issues of the "Cherokee Phoenix," Rising Fawn was an officeholder from 

 Hickory Log District. Sleeping-Rabbit and John Brown were tribal leaders associated with Wills Valley in 

 Alabama (Walker, 1931, pp. 175, 311). David Brown has been discussed. His sister, the saintly Catherine 

 (1800?-22) was, so to speak, the Cherokee Katerl Tekakwltha. Her moving story is told by Rufus Ander- 

 son (1825). 



