Nimrod Jarrett Smith

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Nimrod Jarrett Smith" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

Nimrod Jarrett Smith

Tsaladihi
Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
In office
1880–1891
Preceded by| Lloyd R. Welch
Succeeded by| Stillwell Saunooke
Personal details
Born| 1837
Died| (1893-08-02)August 2, 1893
Nationality| Cherokee
Military service
Allegiance|  Confederate States
Branch/service|  Confederate States Army
Years of service| 1861–1865 (CSA)
Rank|  First Sergeant
Battles/wars| American Civil War

Nimrod Jarrett Smith (1837–1893), also called Tsaladihi (from the Cherokee pronunciation of the name "Jarrett"),[1] was the fourth Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. He is credited with gaining approval by the North Carolina legislature for the band's incorporation as a legal entity, and for gaining federal recognition as an Indian tribe.

## Early life and education[edit]

He was born into a Cherokee family in 1837 located in western North Carolina, part of a band that remained in the state during and after the period of Indian Removal. Cherokee from most of the towns in the American Southeast were forced to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River.[citation needed]

His mother, of Cherokee descent, was married to Henry Smith, a Cherokee of mixed race who owned land along the Valley River. Henry Smith served as an interpreter and translator for Reverend Evan Jones at the old Valley town mission.[2] Henry Smith was one of the wealthiest men in the Eastern Cherokee Band (it was known in relation to the majority of the tribe that moved west.)

Nimrod Smith had many connections to other Cherokee leaders through his paternal grandmother, Sarah Susan Watie. He was the great-grandson of David Watie, making him the great-grand-nephew of Major Ridge, first cousin twice-removed of John Ridge, and the grand-nephew of Stand Watie and Elias Boudinot. As the Cherokee have a matrilineal kinship system, he would have been considered born into his mother's clan and generally taken his status from her. The tribe also was influenced by European-American patriarchal traditions.

## Career[edit]

During this period, the Cherokee remaining in North Carolina were treated as US and state citizens. They generally supported the Confederacy during the American Civil War. Nimrod Smith served the Confederacy as First Sergeant of B Company in the Cherokee Battalion of Thomas' Legion of Cherokee Indians and Highlanders, under the command of Principal Chief William Holland Thomas.[3]

A well-educated and well-spoken man, Smith was fluent in both Cherokee and English, having learned Cherokee as a second language. He was elected Principal Chief in 1880 upon the death of his immediate predecessor, Lloyd Welch. He exercised unprecedented power over and influence among the Eastern Cherokee. He worked actively to gain official U.S. government recognition for the band as a tribe under federal law and was successful.[4]

In 1887, Smith was host to ethnologist James Mooney during Mooney's first visit to the Eastern Band in western North Carolina. During that year, Mooney observed a Green Corn Dance; it was the last such ritual to be performed by the tribe for over a century.[4]

Jarrett Smith was an anti-assimilationist, fighting against acculturation into white American society. At the same time, he participated in a local chapter of the Freemasons, a fraternal society.[2] He is credited with gaining incorporation of the Eastern Band as a legal entity by the North Carolina legislature.

## Marriage and family[edit]

He married a white woman and they had two sons and three daughters who survived him.[2] They lived in Swain County. His descendants continued to be influential in the tribe.

He died on August 2, 1893, and was buried with Masonic honors at Yellow Hill.[2]

## References[edit]

1. ^ Powell, J. W. (1897–1898). "Glossary of Cherokee Words". Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology. Vol. 19, p. 1. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. p. 535.
2. ^ a b c d "CHIEF NIMROD JARRETT SMITH DEAD", Franklin Press, 9 August 1893, Vol. VII, No. 43, accessed 15 January 2016
3. ^ "Chief Nimrod Jarrett Smith". thomaslegion.net. Retrieved 2012-11-28.
4. ^ a b George Ellison, "Mooney’s efforts recorded Cherokee traditions" Archived 2006-12-18 at the Wayback Machine, The Smoky Mountain News, 11/7/01

## Further reading[edit]

* Report of Indian Commissioner, vol. I, pp. 680–681, 1891. 'From author's personal acquaintance'
* Zeigler and Grosscup, Heart of the Alleghenies, 1883, pp. 3&-39
* Agent J. L. Holmes, in Report of Indian Commissioner, 1885, p. 160
* Commissioner T. J. Morgan, Report of Indian Commissioner, 1892, p. 142

## External links[edit]

* Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (official site)
* Ellison, George (December 20, 2000). "Smith had memorable tenure as chief". Smoky Mountain News. Archived from the original on March 29, 2006.

* v
* t
* e

Principal Chiefs of the Cherokee

Early decentralized leaders
(pre-1794)|

* Outacite (d. 1729)
* Charitey Hagey of Tugaloo (1716–1721)
* Long Warrior of Tanasi (1729–1730)
* Wrosetasetow, "emperor" of the Cherokees until 1730
* Moytoy of Tellico (also known as Ama-edohi)
* Attakullakulla (1708/1711–1780)
* Amouskositte (1741–1753)
* Old Hop (1753–1756)
* Moytoy of Citico (1759–1761)
* Uka Ulah (d. 1761)
* Standing Turkey
* Otacity Ostenaco (ca. 1703–ca. 1780)
* Oconostota (also known as Ogan'sto', "Groundhog Sausage") (1778–1785)
* Savanukah of Chota (1781–1783)
* Old Tassel (or "Corntassel," "Tassel," Kaiyatahee) (1783–1788)
* Raven of Chota
* Little Turkey
* opposed by Hanging Maw (or Scolaguta) (served 1788–1794)

Chickamauga/Lower Cherokee
(1777–1809)|

* Dragging Canoe (1777–1792)
* John Watts (1792–1802)
* Doublehead, brother of Old Tassel served from 1802–1807
* The Glass, or Ta'gwadihi (1807–1809)

Cherokee Nation East
(1794–1839)|

* Little Turkey (1794–1801)
* Black Fox (1801–1811)
* Pathkiller (1811–1827)
* Big Tiger (1824–1828); principal chief of Whitepath's faction
* Charles R. Hicks (1827), de facto head of government from 1813
* William Hicks (1827–1828)
* John Ross (1828–1839)
* William Hicks (1833–1835)

Cherokee Nation West
(1810–1839)|

* The Bowl (1810–1813)
* Degadoga (1813–1817)
* Tahlonteeskee (1817–1819)
* John Jolly (1819–1838)
* John Looney (1838–1839)
* John Brown (1839)
* John Looney (1839)
* John Rogers (1839–1840)

Cherokee Nation in
Indian Territory (1839–1907)|

* John Ross (1839–1862)
* Thomas Pegg, acting principal chief of the Union Cherokee (1862–1863)
* Smith Christie, acting principal chief of the Union Cherokee (1863)
* Lewis Downing, acting principal chief of the Union Cherokee (1864–1866)
* Stand Watie, (1862–1866)
* John Ross (1866)
* William P. Ross (1866–1867)
* Lewis Downing (1867–1872)
* William P. Ross (1872–1875)
* Charles Thompson (1875–1879)
* Dennis Bushyhead (1879–1887)
* Joel B. Mayes (1887–1891)
* C. J. Harris (1891–1895)
* Samuel Houston Mayes (1895–1899)
* Thomas Buffington (1899–1903)
* William Rogers (1903–1905); deposed by the council
* Frank J. Boudinot (1905–1906); also president of the Keetoowah Nighthawk Society
* William Charles Rogers (1906)

United Keetoowah Band of
Cherokee Indians (1939–present)|

* John Hitcher (1939–1946)
* Jim Pickup (1946–1954)
* Jeff Tindle (1954–1960)
* Jim Pickup (1960–1967)
* William Glory (1967–1979)
* James L. Gordon (1979–1983)
* John Hair (1983–1991)
* John Ross (1991–1995)
* Jim Henson (1996–2000)
* Dallas Proctor (2000–2004)
* George Wickliffe (2005–2016)
* Joe Bunch (2016–present)

Cherokee Nation of
Oklahoma/Cherokee Nation
(1907–present)|

| Appointed|

* William C. Rogers (1907-1917)
* Charles J. Hunt (December 27, 1928)
* Oliver P. Brewer (May 26, 1931)
* William W. Hastings (January 22, 1936)
* J.B. Milam (1941–1949)
* W. W. Keeler (1949–1971)

|

Elected|

* W. W. Keeler (1971–1975)
* Ross Swimmer (1975–1985)
* Wilma Mankiller (1985–1995)
* Joe Byrd (1995–1999)
* Chad "Corntassel" Smith (1999–2011)
* S. Joe Crittenden (acting, 2011)
* Bill John Baker (2011–2019)
* Chuck Hoskin Jr. (2019–present)

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
(1824–present)|

* Yonaguska (1824–1839)
* Salonitah, or Flying Squirrel (1870–1875)
* Lloyd R. Welch (1875–1880)
* Nimrod Jarrett Smith (1880–1891)
* Stillwell Saunooke (1891–1895)
* Andy Standing Deer (1895–1899)
* Jesse Reed (1899–1903)
* Bird Saloloneeta, or Young Squirrel (1903–1907)
* John Goins Welch (1907–1911)
* Joseph A. Saunooke (1911–1915)
* David Blythe (1915–1919)
* Joseph A. Saunooke (1919–1923)
* Sampson Owl (1923–1927)
* John A. Tahquette (1927–1931)
* Jarret Blythe (1931–1947)
* Henry Bradley (1947–1951)
* Osley Bird Saunooke (1951–1955)
* Jarret Blythe (1955–1959)
* Olsey Bird Saunooke (1959–1963)
* Jarret Blythe (1963–1967)
* Walter Jackson (1967–1971)
* Noah Powell (1971–1973)
* John A. Crowe (1973–1983)
* Robert S. Youngdeer (1983–1987)
* Jonathan L. Taylor (1987–1995)
* Gerard Parker (1995)
* Joyce Dugan (1995–1999)
* Leon Jones (1999–2003)
* Michell Hicks (2003–2015)
* Patrick Lambert (2015–2017)
* Richard Sneed (2017–2023)
* Michell Hicks (2023–present)

* v
* t
* e

Cherokee

Tribes|

* Cherokee Nation
* Eastern Band
* United Keetoowah Band

Culture|

* Society
* National holiday
* Calendar
* Clans
* Chiefs
* Gadugi
* Ghigau
* Green Corn Ceremony
* Language
* history
* syllabary
* Cherokee (Unicode block)
* Cherokee Supplement (Unicode block)
* Cherokee Immersion School
* New Kituwah Academy
* Marbles
* Spiritual beliefs
* Moon-eyed people
* Ethnobotany
* Black drink
* Kanuchi
* Stomp dance
* Booger dance
* Flag of the Cherokee Nation

Legends|

* Ani Hyuntikwalaski
* Deer Woman
* Horned Serpent
* Moon-eyed people
* Nun'Yunu'Wi
* Nûñnë'hï
* Kâ'lanû Ahkyeli'skï
* U'tlun'ta
* Tsul 'Kalu

History|

* History
* timeline
* military
* Treaties
* Kituwa
* Ani-kutani
* skiagusta (rank)
* outacite (rank)
* Raven of Chota
* Wars
* Tribal Wars
* Battle of Taliwa
* Anglo-Cherokee War
* Siege of Fort Loudoun
* Battle of Echoee
* Cherokee War of 1776
* Cherokee–American wars
* Battle of Hightower
* Battle of Lindley's Fort
* Nickajack Expedition
* American Civil War
* 1st Cherokee Mounted Rifles
* Cherokee treaties
* Treaty of New Echota
* Treaty of Tellico
* Treaty of Turkeytown
* Treaty of Dewitt's Corner
* Treaty of Hard Labour
* Treaty of Lochaber
* Treaty of Hopewell
* Treaty of Holston
* Jackson and McMinn Treaty
* Transylvania Purchase
* Chickamauga Cherokee
* Overhill Cherokee
* Cherokee Phoenix
* Cherokee Nation (1794–1907)
* Removal
* Trail of Tears
* Indian Removal Act
* Cherokee descent
* Jacob Brown Grant Deeds
* Texas Cherokees

Organizations|

* Heritage Center
* Cherokee Preservation Foundation
* Warriors Society
* Original Keetoowah Society
* Keetoowah Nighthawk Society
* Youth Choir
* Heritage groups
* Cherokee Southwest Township
* Oconaluftee Indian Village
* Unto These Hills
* Education
* Female Seminary
* Male Seminary
* Cherokee Central Schools
* Cherokee High School
* Sequoyah Schools
* Sequoyah High School

Politics and law|

* Principal Chiefs
* Blood Law
* Slavery
* 1842 revolt
* freedmen controversy
* Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831)
* Worcester v. Georgia (1832)
* The Cherokee Tobacco case (1871)
* Cherokee Nation v. Leavitt (2005)
* Cherokee Commission
* Cherokee Strip
* in Kansas
* Sequoyah Constitutional Convention

Towns and
villages|

* Cherokee Towns (pre-Removal)
* Amoyeligunahita
* Brasstown
* Chatuga
* Chilhowee
* Chota
* Conasauga
* Cowee
* Coyotee
* Crowtown
* Dirt town
* Ducktown
* Etowah
* Frogtown
* Hiwassee
* Hiwassee Island
* Island town
* Isunigu
* Joara
* Keowee
* Kituwa
* Kulsetsiyi
* Long Swamp
* Mialoquo
* Nacoochee
* Nantahala
* NewEchota
* Nickajack
* Nikwasi
* Nununyi
* Ocoee
* Oconee
* Oostanaula
* Red Clay
* Settico
* Spike Bucktown
* Talisi
* Talulah
* Tanasi
* Tellico
* Tomassee
* Tomotley
* Toqua
* Toxoway
* Tsatanugi
* Tuckasegee
* Tugaloo
* Turkeytown
* Turtletown
* Tuskegee
* Running Water
* Titsohili
* Cherokee Nations
* Western Cherokee Nation
* Cherokee Nation
* Tahlequah
* Tahlonteeskee
* Eastern Band
* Cherokee
* Qualla Boundary

Landmarks and
memorial sites|

* Cherokee National Capitol
* Cherokee Removal Memorial Park
* Chieftains Museum
* First Cherokee Female Seminary Site
* Judaculla Rock
* Long Island
* John Ross House
* Ross's Landing
* Sequoyah's Cabin
* Tellico Blockhouse
* Trail of Tears State Park
* Brainerd Mission
* Rattlesnake Springs
* Fort Cass
* Red Clay State Historic Park
* Hair Conrad Cabin
* Nancy Ward Tomb
* Blythe Ferry
* Bussell Island
* Chief Vann House Historic Site
* Mantle Rock
* Museum of the Cherokee People
* Untokiasdiyi
* Standing Stone
* Stick Ball Grounds
* Cullasaja River
* Tuckasegee River
* Oconaluftee valley
* Oconaluftee River
* Abrams Creek
* Sycamore Shoals
* The Great Trading Path
* The Great War Path
* Hiwassee River Heritage Center
* Chatata
* Tuckaleechee
* Fort Smith Historic Site
* Port Royal State Park
* Five Civilized Tribes Museum
* Tlanusiyi
* Cherokee Path

People|

* Early leaders
* Moytoy of Tellico
* Attakullakulla
* Amouskositte
* Old Hop
* Moytoy of Citico
* Standing Turkey
* Outacite of Keowee
* Oconostota
* Savanukah
* Old Tassel
* Little Turkey
* Dragging Canoe
* Kunokeski
* Incalatanga
* Tagwadihi
* Cherokee Nation East (1794-1839)
* Enola
* Pathkiller
* Big Tiger
* Charles R. Hicks
* William Hicks
* John Ross
* Cherokee Nation West (1810-1839)
* The Bowl
* Degadoga
* Tahlonteeskee
* John Jolly
* Sam Houston
* John Looney
* John Rogers
* Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (1824-present)
* Yonaguska
* William Holland Thomas
* Tsaladihi
* Gerard Parker
* Joyce Dugan
* Patrick Lambert
* Richard Sneed
* Cherokee Nation in Indian Territory (1839–1907)
* Lewis Downing
* Degataga
* William P. Ross
* Utselata
* Dennis Bushyhead
* Joel B. Mayes
* Johnson Harris
* Samuel Houston Mayes
* Thomas Buffington
* William Charles Rogers
* Cherokee Nation (1975–present)
* J. B. Milam
* W. W. Keeler
* Ross Swimmer
* Wilma Mankiller
* Joe Byrd
* Chadwick "Corntassel" Smith
* Bill John Baker
* Chuck Hoskin, Jr.
* United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians (1939–present)
* James L. Gordon
* John W. Hair
* Other notable Cherokee
* Nancy Ward
* Tsali
* Tahlonteeskee (warrior)
* Turtle-at-Home
* Junaluska
* Goingsnake
* Elias Boudinot
* Wauhatchie
* James Vann
* David Vann
* Joseph Vann
* Bob Benge
* Nunnahitsunega
* Ned Christie
* John Martin
* Markwayne Mullin
* Yvette Herrell
* Sequoya
* Major Ridge
* Jenny McIntosh
* Sam Sixkiller
* Clement V. Rogers
* Redbird Smith
* Durbin Feeling
* Hastings Shade
* Kimberly Teehee

See also: Cherokee-language Wikipedia
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template