Vann, James, 1762?-1809

p. 46. Vann, the wealthiest of the Upper Town chiefs, was the son of a white trader and a Cherokee. He had inherited his father's trading post near Springplace, Georgia, and expanded his father's business by opening a second store in the Alabama area of the nation. Bilingual and the owner of several dozen black slaves, Vann cultivated a large plantation near his home (which he called Diamond Hill).... Neither Hicks nor Vann knew or cared much about Christianity, but both believed that the Cherokees would benefit from schools. Vann belonged to that group of mixed bloods who resented the whiteman's claim to intellectual and spiritual superiority and were opposed to attempts to spread Christianity.

p. 46. Vann, the wealthiest of the Upper Town chiefs, was the son of a white trader and a Cherokee. He had inherited his father's trading post near Springplace, Georgia, and expanded his father's business by opening a second store in the Alabama area of the nation. Bilingual and the owner of several dozen black slaves, Vann cultivated a large plantation near his home (which he called Diamond Hill).... Neither Hicks nor Vann knew or cared much about Christianity, but both believed that the Cherokees would benefit from schools. Vann belonged to that group of mixed bloods who resented the whiteman's claim to intellectual and spiritual superiority and were opposed to attempts to spread Christianity.

p. 46. Vann, the wealthiest of the Upper Town chiefs, was the son of a white trader and a Cherokee. He had inherited his father's trading post near Springplace, Georgia, and expanded his father's business by opening a second store in the Alabama area of the nation. Bilingual and the owner of several dozen black slaves, Vann cultivated a large plantation near his home (which he called Diamond Hill).... Neither Hicks nor Vann knew or cared much about Christianity, but both believed that the Cherokees would benefit from schools. Vann belonged to that group of mixed bloods who resented the whiteman's claim to intellectual and spiritual superiority and were opposed to attempts to spread Christianity.

James Vann (c. 1762–64 – February 19, 1809) was an influential Cherokee leader, one of the triumvirate with Major Ridge and Charles R. Hicks, who led the Upper Towns of East Tennessee and North Georgia. He was the son of Wah-Li Vann (a mixed-race Cherokee woman), and Indian trader Joseph John Vann. He was born into his mother's Wild Potato clan (also called Blind Savannah clan).

Vann was among the younger leaders of the Cherokee who thought its people needed to acculturate to deal with the European Americans and the United States government. He encouraged the Moravians to establish a mission school on Cherokee land, and became a wealthy planter and slaveholder.

p. 46. Vann, the wealthiest of the Upper Town chiefs, was the son of a white trader and a Cherokee. He had inherited his father's trading post near Springplace, Georgia, and expanded his father's business by opening a second store in the Alabama area of the nation. Bilingual and the owner of several dozen black slaves, Vann cultivated a large plantation near his home (which he called Diamond Hill).... Neither Hicks nor Vann knew or cared much about Christianity, but both believed that the Cherokees would benefit from schools. Vann belonged to that group of mixed bloods who resented the whiteman's claim to intellectual and spiritual superiority and were opposed to attempts to spread Christianity.

p. 46. Vann, the wealthiest of the Upper Town chiefs, was the son of a white trader and a Cherokee. He had inherited his father's trading post near Springplace, Georgia, and expanded his father's business by opening a second store in the Alabama area of the nation. Bilingual and the owner of several dozen black slaves, Vann cultivated a large plantation near his home (which he called Diamond Hill).... Neither Hicks nor Vann knew or cared much about Christianity, but both believed that the Cherokees would benefit from schools. Vann belonged to that group of mixed bloods who resented the whiteman's claim to intellectual and spiritual superiority and were opposed to attempts to spread Christianity.

During the 1790s, James Vann became a Cherokee Indian leader and wealthy businessman. He established the largest and most prosperous plantation in the Cherokee Nation, covering 1,000 acres of what is now Murray County. In 1804 he completed construction of a beautiful 2 ½ story brick home that was the most elegant in the Cherokee Nation. After Vann was murdered in 1809, his son Joseph inherited the mansion and plantation. Joseph was also a Cherokee leader and became even more wealthy than his father.

In the 1830s almost the entire Cherokee Nation was forced west by state and federal troops on the infamous Trail of Tears. The Vann family lost their elegant home, rebuilding in the Cherokee Territory of Oklahoma. Today the Vann House survives as Georgia’s best-preserved historic Cherokee Indian home.

During the 1790s, James Vann became a Cherokee Indian leader and wealthy businessman. He established the largest and most prosperous plantation in the Cherokee Nation, covering 1,000 acres of what is now Murray County. In 1804 he completed construction of a beautiful 2 ½ story brick home that was the most elegant in the Cherokee Nation. After Vann was murdered in 1809, his son Joseph inherited the mansion and plantation. Joseph was also a Cherokee leader and became even more wealthy than his father.

In the 1830s almost the entire Cherokee Nation was forced west by state and federal troops on the infamous Trail of Tears. The Vann family lost their elegant home, rebuilding in the Cherokee Territory of Oklahoma. Today the Vann House survives as Georgia’s best-preserved historic Cherokee Indian home.

During the 1790s, James Vann became a Cherokee Indian leader and wealthy businessman. He established the largest and most prosperous plantation in the Cherokee Nation, covering 1,000 acres of what is now Murray County. In 1804 he completed construction of a beautiful 2 ½ story brick home that was the most elegant in the Cherokee Nation. After Vann was murdered in 1809, his son Joseph inherited the mansion and plantation. Joseph was also a Cherokee leader and became even more wealthy than his father.

In the 1830s almost the entire Cherokee Nation was forced west by state and federal troops on the infamous Trail of Tears. The Vann family lost their elegant home, rebuilding in the Cherokee Territory of Oklahoma. Today the Vann House survives as Georgia’s best-preserved historic Cherokee Indian home.

p. 46. Vann, the wealthiest of the Upper Town chiefs, was the son of a white trader and a Cherokee. He had inherited his father's trading post near Springplace, Georgia, and expanded his father's business by opening a second store in the Alabama area of the nation. Bilingual and the owner of several dozen black slaves, Vann cultivated a large plantation near his home (which he called Diamond Hill).... Neither Hicks nor Vann knew or cared much about Christianity, but both believed that the Cherokees would benefit from schools. Vann belonged to that group of mixed bloods who resented the whiteman's claim to intellectual and spiritual superiority and were opposed to attempts to spread Christianity.

p. 46. Vann, the wealthiest of the Upper Town chiefs, was the son of a white trader and a Cherokee. He had inherited his father's trading post near Springplace, Georgia, and expanded his father's business by opening a second store in the Alabama area of the nation. Bilingual and the owner of several dozen black slaves, Vann cultivated a large plantation near his home (which he called Diamond Hill).... Neither Hicks nor Vann knew or cared much about Christianity, but both believed that the Cherokees would benefit from schools. Vann belonged to that group of mixed bloods who resented the whiteman's claim to intellectual and spiritual superiority and were opposed to attempts to spread Christianity.

During the 1790s, James Vann became a Cherokee Indian leader and wealthy businessman. He established the largest and most prosperous plantation in the Cherokee Nation, covering 1,000 acres of what is now Murray County. In 1804 he completed construction of a beautiful 2 ½ story brick home that was the most elegant in the Cherokee Nation. After Vann was murdered in 1809, his son Joseph inherited the mansion and plantation. Joseph was also a Cherokee leader and became even more wealthy than his father.

In the 1830s almost the entire Cherokee Nation was forced west by state and federal troops on the infamous Trail of Tears. The Vann family lost their elegant home, rebuilding in the Cherokee Territory of Oklahoma. Today the Vann House survives as Georgia’s best-preserved historic Cherokee Indian home.