William Abraham Hicks (1769 - 1837?, age 68) became Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation in 1827 after being elected to succeed his older brother, Charles R. Hicks, the longtime Second Principal Chief who died on 20 January 1827, just two weeks after assuming office as Principal Chief. William served until October, 1828.

In 1832, he became a figurehead for the Cherokee Nation faction advocating a treaty for emigration west of the Mississippi River. In December 1833, members of the Treaty Party elected William Hicks as their Principal Chief (with John McIntosh as his assistant), though Major Ridge and son John Ridge were widely recognized as the true leaders of this faction. He died at Oothcaloga Creek, Georgia before the Removal at age 68.

Charles and William's parents are believed to be a Scottish trader named Nathan Hicks and Nan-Ye-Hi, a half-blood Cherokee woman, who was herself a child of a Swiss man named Jacob Conrad and a Cherokee wife. William married Sarah Bathia Foreman and had 14 children.

from: Wikipedia