| Oconostota was Cherokee. Join: Native Americans Project Discuss: native_americans |
Nothing is known of Oconostota’s early life. His parents are unknown. He was born about 1710 in the Overhill area of the Cherokee Nation (estimated from age of about 73 at his death in 1783).[1]
Little is known of his family; his wife is mentioned in historical records, in 1777 he asked a nephew, Savanooka the Raven of Chota, to speak for him,[2] and in 1782 he asked to resign as chief and name his son, Tukeesee, in his place.[3]
Tukeesee is his only known child. A wikipedia entry for William Hicks claims, without source, that Oconastota had a daughter Jennie Ani'-Ya'-'Wa:
Similarly, a previous version of this profile claimed, citing only the highly unreliable "Family Data Collection," that he had a daughter Prudence Staley. There is no proof of such a daughter and she has been detached.
Also known as:
Oconostota first appears in the historical record in 1736, welcoming the French to the Overhill towns.[5]
Some accounts[citation needed] state incorrectly that he went to England with Cuming in 1730, and he is sometimes confused with another chief called "Ostenaco," a contemporary who went to England with Timberlake in 1762.
By 1740, Oconostota was the Great Warrior of Chota, or war chief of the Overhill towns.[6] He was the leader at the Battle of Taliwa, in 1755, where Nan-ye-hi (Nancy Ward) earned her title of War Woman.[7] After Old Hop’s death in 1760, Oconostota and Attakullakulla became the primary leaders of the Cherokee. Oconostota had a lengthy and important military career, and was a signer of several treaties, including Hard Labour in 1768, Lochaber in 1770, the Henderson Purchase (Sycamore Shoals) of 1775, and the peace treaty of 1777. [8] A man named John Reid described the three chiefs who signed the Sycamore Shoals treaty as ‘all drunk’ and stated further that both Oconostota’s wife and interpreter James Vann were so upset by the treaty that they tried to keep the chiefs from signing it.[9] [10]
Another side of Oconostota was seen in 1759 when missionary William Richardson arrived in the Cherokee Nation. Richardson offered to set up schools for the Cherokee children. Oconostota supported Richardson’s plan, but others did not and Richardson soon left.[11]
William Martin (son of Joseph) recorded that Oconostota and Nancy Ward spent the winter of 1782-83 with their friend, Indian Agent Joseph Martin. William said of Oconostota: “I am of the opinion that Oconostota was one of the noblest and best of human kind.” In the spring Oconostota asked Joseph Martin to take him home to Chota, where he died and was buried.[12] An archaeological dig in 1969 (prior to the creation of the Tellico Reservoir) uncovered a grave and skeleton believed to be Oconostota. The remains were returned to the Cherokee and reinterred near Chota in 1987.[13]
See also:
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Featured National Park champion connections: Oconostota is 19 degrees from Theodore Roosevelt, 25 degrees from Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger, 19 degrees from George Catlin, 17 degrees from Marjory Douglas, 24 degrees from Sueko Embrey, 18 degrees from George Grinnell, 29 degrees from Anton Kröller, 21 degrees from Stephen Mather, 28 degrees from Kara McKean, 18 degrees from John Muir, 21 degrees from Victoria Hanover and 27 degrees from Charles Young on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.
C > Cherokee > Oconastota Cherokee
Categories: Cherokee | Cherokee Chiefs
Also, I do have matches to the supposed siblings of Oconostota not just Jennie Conrad's descendants. While this not a Y or mitochondrial DNA match (impossible to get) it is an autosomal connection to individuals purported to be in his family. But, I understand autosomal matches are not enough proof for Wikitree. Thanks again for your response.
edited by Tammy Duncan
Oconostota was cared for by Joseph Martin and his Cherokee partner, Nancy Ward's daughter Betsy, at the end of his life, so it's unlikely that he had any living daughters at that time.
edited by Kathie (Parks) Forbes
I understand that the Cherokee were matrilineal as were most Native Americans. But Cherokee children do have biological fathers even if the tribe did not consider them to be a relative.
Additionally, it is highly likely he had more than one wife and a few children. Those descendants are walking around today. I am not willing to discount autosomal DNA matches as a source of potential relationship to a person or persons.
I respect that you are of an opinion that the scant bit of historical information we have about Oconostota is the only way relationship can be determined or denied. I just do not agree with that approach. I have found through my own research on other lines that historical documentation can become fiction with DNA.
Certainly, proving relationship to any Native American male would be difficult if the only way is Y or mitochondrial DNA. In fact, I believe I read in a thread that these types of DNA evidence would to be the only acceptable evidence to prove Jennie Conrad's relationship to Oconostota for Wikitree barring the discovery of new historical documentation. Therefore, it is highly unlikely anyone will ever be a proven descendant of Oconostota.
EDIT: woops. Wait. How is William Hicks associated with Oconosta? I'm getting confused.
Also, it would be great to add the info about Jennie to her profile.
I'm really liking how this profile is developing. A next step would be to add links to the profiles of the people mentioned in it.