160 MYTHS OF THE CHEEOKEE [eth.a.nn.19 



a neglected huiid hardly known in the councils of the tribe. In his 

 many-sided capacity he strilvingly resembles another white man promi- 

 nent in Cherokee history, General Sam Houston. 



Thomas was born in the year 180.5 on Raccoon creek, about two miles 

 from Waynesville in North Carolina. His father, who was related to 

 President Zachary Taylor, came of a Welsh family which had immi- 

 grated to Virginia at an early period, while on his mother's side he 

 was descended from a Maryland family of Revolutionary stock. He 

 was an only and posthumous child, his father having been accidentally 

 drowned a short time l)efore the lioy was born. Being unusually 

 bright for his age, he was engaged when only twelve j'ears old to 

 tend an Indian trading store on Soco creek, in the present Jackson 

 county, owned by Felix Walker, son of the Congressman of the same 

 name who made a national reputation by " talking for Buncouibe."' 

 The store was on the south side of the creek, about a mile above the 

 now abandoned Macedonia mission, within the present reservation, and 

 was a branch of a larger establishment which Walker himself kept at 

 Waynesville. The trade was chiefly in skins and ginseng, or " sang," 

 the latter for shipment to China, where it was said to be worth its 

 weight in silver. This trade was very profitable, as the price to the 

 Indians was but ten cents per pound in merchandise for the green root, 

 whereas it now lirings seventy-five cents in cash upon the reservation, 

 the supply steadily dinunishiiig with every year. The contract was 

 for three years' service for a total compensation of one hundred dollars 

 and expenses, but Walker devoted so much of his attention to law 

 studies that the Waynesville store was finally closed for debt, and at 

 the end of his contract term .young Thomas was obliged to accept a 

 lot of second-hand law books in lieu of other payment. How well he 

 made use of them is evident from his subseijucnt service in the state 

 senate and in other official capacities. 



Soon after entering upon his duties he attracted the notice of Yon- 

 aguska, or Drowning-bear (Ya'na-guii'ski, "' Bear-drowning-him"). the 

 acknowledged chief of all the Cherokee then living on the waters of 

 Tuckasegee and Oconaluftee — the old Kituhwa country. On learning 

 that the boy had neither father nor brother, the old chief formally 

 adopted him as his son, and as such he was thenceforth recognized in 

 the tribe under the name of Wil-Usdi', or '•Little Will," he being of 

 small stature even in mature age. From his Indian friends, particu- 

 larly a boy of the same age who was his companion in the store, he 

 learned the language as well as a white man has ever learned it, so that 

 in his declining years it dwelt in memory more strongly than his 

 mother tongue. After the invention of the Cherokee alphabet, he 

 learned also to read and write the language. 



In 1819 the lands on Tuckasegee and its branches were sold Ijv the 



