What do we know about the origins of Cherokee Chief Doublehead?

Question

Thomas H Troxel’s 1958 Legion of the Lost Mine claims that Doublehead was born about 1750 in what is now Somerset, Kentucky. He does not name a father. This work has been shown to have MANY false claims about the family and people associated (mythically or otherwise) with Doublehead.

Some sources claim that he was born about 1744 and son of “Great Eagle”.

• Wikipedia entry for Doublehead (which has citation problems) says “It is thought that Doublehead's father was Great Eagle (or Willenewa)”.

• Tankersley (2005) says without citing his sources for the specific claim: “Doublehead was born in McCreary County, Kentucky, son of Wilenawa (Great Eagle), grandson of Moytoy, and great-grandson of Amatoya Moytoy—a fourth generation Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.” This work by Tankersley has been demonstrated to have many errors. 

Answer 1

While much has been written about Doublehead, going back to documents from the time of his life and death, none of these identify Doublehead’s origins or parents. 

While he first shows up in historical records in the 1770s, there is no contemporaneous record of place of birth, date, or parents. All are later speculations, predominantly created after the middle of the 20th century.

Knowing where he lived, when he first shows up in records, and who his relatives were make a late 1740s Tellico area birth probable.

Probable siblings based on references in various documents and histories:

• Old Tassel

• Pumpkin Boy

• Sequeechee

• ‘Wurteh’, wife of white trader John Watts

• Nani/Nancy

Thank you Kathie Forbes and Jeanie Roberts for your research.

Comments

We have a profile that represents *generally* the mother of Doublehead and his siblings who may or may not have the same mother.  The profile is used to connect Doublehead to his known siblings. 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Cherokee-94