Early Governors' Papers

[?] M^r Cocke Gillespie

30 March 1796

Cumberland . . . 6 Knox . . . . . 3 Hawkins . . . . 2 Sullivan . . . . 2 Washington . . 1 Greene - 1 Jefferson - 2 Sevier - - - 1 Blount - - - 1

His Excellency Governor John Sevier

make a worthy & usefull [sic] member of your society - give him good advice & treat him as my friend. he will be yours: & I trust you will have pleasure in finding him gratefull [sic] for your attentions - if he should settle in the neighbourhood of Blount - Cocke - White - or stockley Donaldson be so good as to request their attentions to him which will oblige

Your friend

J. Parker

Gov^r Sevier

3 Springs June 2^nd 1816.

Dear Sir

From Reynoldsburgh M^r Dickson Esq^r & myself wrote you jointly and inclosed a plate of the road, that we have lately surveyed - When we arrived in the Nation the Cheifs were collecting in a grand counsel, principally occasi= =oned by a letter received from the Cheif of the Cherokee Nation inviting a deputation from the Chickasaw Choctaw Creek & Cherokee Nations to meet at turkey town on the 27^th Ult. (I believe was the time) in order to settle their boundaries &c - I attended as a spectator, the Agent Colo Cocke produced a letter from the secretary of War; making propositions for the purchase of the lands belonging to that Nation North of the Tennessee River; they appeared much dissatisfyd with that part of the letter that wished a purchase I think the proposition would have been better rec^d had they not been so much dissatisfyd with the line run by Gen^l Coffee dividing their lands from those of the Creeks obtained by Gen^l Jackson's treaty, In council they had two depositions read which the agent had obtained (I believe Perry and M^cGee) which as well as I recollect proves that the line ought to be run from a small creek above the Mussel shoals, to flat rock (o stone) thence to the head of Black Warrior and down that stream - The secretarys letter ^stating that if Gen^l Coffees line was not correct, it should be corrected appeared to give satisfaction - I applied individually to some of the Cheifs relative to the Saline on lands they appeared very averse to leaving or selling, saying

which he merited. our toasts and addresses were not only words, but full of fire. I am sorry that they were quite as much so. I lament that we could not, or did not express our admiration of the merit of our man, without the censure of others.

I understand that General Cocke is a candidate for Congress. Eaton is about to answer his pamphlet. I hope that he will give him all that he merits. if so, he sertainly [sic] will receive his third check in his road to Congress.

Should you have leisure I would be glad to hear from you.

I remain Dear Sir yours sincerely Rufus Morgan