Biography

Richard was Cherokee.
Richard Fields Jr. was born around 1771 to Richard Fields and Susannah Emory in the old Cherokee Nation East. According to Emmet Starr's History of the Cherokee Indians, he was married to Jennie Buffington, Elizabeth Hicks, Nancy Brown Timberlake, and an unknown Grapp. [1] He died in 1827 in Texas. Not much information has been found about his early years, other than his parentage and siblings.

His activity was first noted in 1801 as an emissary of the Cherokee Council to United States agents in Tennessee. He later appeared as an interpreter at the Council House treaty council in the Chickasaw country. Information has been offered that Richard fought during the last stages of the Revolutionary war, but so far no true documentation has been found. It is known that he fought with the Cherokee Regiment, under General Andrew Jackson, against the Creek indian "Red Sticks", during the war of 1812. During this time he served as captain of a unit of Cherokee auxiliaries attached to Jacksons army. Richard Fields Jr. was called both a warrior and a diplomat. He was also called friend by some, and enemy by others, and in the end was betrayed by some of his own people when Chief Duwali ordered his execution in 1827. At some point, during this time, Fields was elected to the position of War Chief for the tribe. All diplomatic functions were carried out by the "War Society", and the War Chief conducted all foreign relations."

"In November 1822, the tribal council sent Richard Fields and twenty-two other men to San Antonio to meet with Lieutenant Governor of the Provicne of Tejas, Jose Felix Trespalacios, in order to obtain land from the Spanish for his people. On November 8, 1822 Trespalacios provided the Cherokees with an eight-part "Articles of Agreement" between the Cherokee and the Republic of Mexico. This agreement provided the Cherokee with land, in return for their help in stemming the evergrowing numbers of Anglos pouring into the Mexican frontiers. Trespalacios sent Fields and a delegation of eight others on to Mexico City to seek an audience with Emperor Iturbide, who was to make the final approval of the agreement.

While the delegation was in Mexico City the Mexican government of Iturbide was overthrown and Mexico obtained its freedom from Spanish rule. In June of 1823 the new government ordered the Cherokee delegation back to Texas with orders that no more Cherokee would be allowed into Mexico until government affairs were settled.

In order to appease the Cherokee, Chief Duwali was made a lieutenant colonel in the Mexican Army and was appointed as administrator for all of the American Indians of East Texas. It was also during this time that Peter Ellis Bean was appointed by the Mexican government as Indian Agent for all of East Texas.

On his return to Texas, Fields began forming alliances with the other Indian tribes of East Texas, and urged others in the United States to join them. News of this alliance reached the new Mexican Government and caused much interest. The government tried to counter the Cherokees influence with the other tribes, and brought pressure to Chief Duwali to disavow Fields.

At this time a white man named John Dunn Hunter entered the picture. Hunter had reputedly been raised by the Cherokee and had several children by a Cherokee woman. Because he was known by the Texas Cherokee, he was easily accepted into the tribe. Dunn Hunter allied himself to Richard Fields and together the two men made plans to form a new Indian power alliance in the weakened Mexico left over by the turmoil of revolution.

Peace Chief Gvdawali,"Hard Mush" ordered the two men to stop treating with the other U.S. tribes. But in 1826 Fields and Hunter made an alliance with a group of Anglo settlers. This alliance was the beginning of the Fredonian Rebellion.

The Rebellion was, however, doomed to failure. Fields and Hunter had gone against the approval of the tribal council.

Because of their breech of Tribal Law, and to prove to the Mexican Government that the Cherokee were loyal, and had not allied themselves to the two men and the anglos, the tribal council ordered the execution of the two men. Cherokee Tribal Law required death for any violation of law and the sentence of death was final.

Fields tried to escape to Louisiana to join his father and brother, but he was caught and killed on the Texas side of the Sabine river near Nacodoches. Being caught on the Texas side held no weight on the execution of Fields, as the warriors would just as willingly crossed over into the United States to carry out their orders."[2]

1794 The majority of the Lower Cherokee remained in the towns they inhabited in 1794, known as the Lower Towns, with their seat at Willstown. Their leaders were John Watts, Bloody Fellow, Doublehead, Black Fox, Pathkiller, Dick Justice, The Glass, Tahlonteeskee (brother of Doublehead); his nephew John Jolly (Ahuludiski, who was the adoptive father of Sam Houston); John Brown (owner of Brown's Tavern, Brown's Landing, and Brown's Ferry, as well as judge of the Chickamauga District of the young Cherokee Nation); Young Dragging Canoe, Richard Fields, and red-headed Will Weber, for whom Titsohili was called Willstown, among others. The former warriors of the Lower Towns dominated the political affairs of the Nation for the next twenty years. They were more conservative than leaders of the Upper Towns, adopting many elements of assimilation but keeping as many of the old ways as possible

1799 In 1799, Brother Steiner, a representative of the Moravian Brethren, met with Richard Fields at Tellico Blockhouse. Fields was a Lower Cherokee who had previously served as a warrior. Steiner hired him as guide and interpreter, as the missionary had been sent south by the Brethren to scout for an appropriate location for a mission and school in the Nation. It was ultimately located at Spring Place, on land donated by James Vann, who supported gaining some European-American education for his people. On one occasion, Steiner asked his guide, "What kind of people are the Chickamauga?" Fields laughed, then replied, "They are Cherokee, and we know no difference." Neither the Chickamauga nor other Cherokee considered them to be distinct from the overall 18th-century Cherokee peoples.

1801 He is an emissary of the Cherokee Council to United States agents in Tennessee. He later appeared as an interpreter at the Council House treaty council in the Chickasaw country.

1812 He fought with the Cherokee Regiment, under General Andrew Jackson, against the Creek indian "Red Sticks", during the war of 1812. During this time he served as captain of a unit of Cherokee auxiliaries attached to Gen. Andrew Jackson's army.

September 19, 1812 He appeared as an interpreter on September 19, 1812, at the Council House treaty council in the Chickasaw country.

1820 Fields appeared in Texas around 1820, at about the time Chief Bowl brought the Cherokees into the region; he was leader of one of several Cherokee villages in East Texasqv. Because of his skill and experience in diplomacy, Fields was chosen by the Cherokee intervillage council to negotiate a Spanish land grant for his people.

1821 - 1827 Richard Fields was Chief of the Texas Cherokees from 1821 until his death in 1827

8 November 1822 In late 1822 Chief Richard Fields led a delegation to San Antonio de Béxar to present the Cherokee request to Governor José Félix Trespalacios. Trespalacios and Fields agreed in a eight-part "Articles of Agreement" between the Indians and the Republic of Mexico with a agreement that the Cherokee's could stay on their landin East Texas and in turn they would help Mexico stem the tide of Yankee Anglos flooding into the frontiers of Mexico by providing patrols to guard the Sabine against American incursions and against smuggling. Trespalacios sent Chief Richard Fields and eight other Cherokees on to Mexico City to seek an audience with Emperor Iturbide, who would be the approving authority of the agreement. Trespalacios sent Chief Richard Fields and eight other Cherokees on to Mexico City to seek an audience with Emperor Iturbide, who would be the approving authority of the agreement but, Agustín de Iturbide's overthrow of the Spanish government and the resulting political turmoil in Mexico City spoiled that opportunity.

March 1823 Later, after Emperor Iturbide's abdication in March 1823 Chief Richard Fields unsuccessfully petitioned the new congress for assistance. While the Cherokee were in Mexico, the imperial Mexican Government of Iturbide was overthrown and the Mexicans obtained their independence from Spain.

June 1823, The new government informed the Cherokees to return to Texas and that no more Cherokee would be allowed to migrate to Mexico until Mexican affairs were settled. The Cherokee delegation left Mexico City without having secured a grant. After his return to Texas, Richard Fields continued to serve as diplomatic chief of the Cherokees. Upon Fields' return to Texas, he started making an alliance with all the Indian tribes in East Texas and urging others in the United States to join him. This excited the newly formed Mexican Government on the intentions of the Cherokees. The government tried to counter the Cherokee's influence with the other tribes. They also brought pressure upon Diwali to disavow Fields.

1824 Chief Richard Fields became involved with trying to unite the Texas Indian tribes into a grand alliance and encouraging other nomadic tribes to settle in Texas. These efforts alarmed the Mexican government and hampered land negotiations.

1826 Chief Richard Fields despairing of never receiving an official grant of territory from the Mexican government, sought other means of obtaining land for his people. He and John Dunn Hunter, an American residing among the Cherokees and serving as a political advisor of sorts, began negotiations with Martin Parmer, Benjamin W. Edwards, and other Anglo-Americans living around Nacogdoches. The allies formed a Fredonian Republic that divided Texas between the Indians and the Anglo-Americans. The Mexican government moved quickly to quash the impending uprising, however, and the Cherokee council reversed course and refused to take part in the Fredonian Rebellion.

February 23, 1826 Chief Richard Fields obtained a title for the Cherokees, to the land on which they resided from the Republic of Texas by treaty on February 23, 1826. Chief Richard Fields served as a diplomat between the Texas Cherokees and the Mexican government.

November 22, 1826 The rebellion began with a group of thirty-six men who arrested the local authorities, and took over the Old Stone Fort in Nacogdoches to use as a headquarters. The Old Stone Fort was built in 1779 to serve as a mercantile house, but had served various other purposes since its construction. The quasi-public nature of the building meant that it became a natural spot for the members of the Fredonian Rebellion to meet and strategize. The leaders of the rebellion felt that its success would be much augmented if the local Indians could be persuaded to join the cause. Two Cherokee leaders, Richard Fields and John Dunn Hunter, pledged support for the rebellion in exchange for a promise of land. To symbolize this union, the flag of the rebellion consisted of red and white parallel bars, for the Indians and Anglo-Americans respectively. The flag was inscribed “Independence, Liberty, Justice” and was signed by the rebels who flew it over the Old Stone Fort. December 21, 1826, the rebels signed their own Declaration of Independence from Mexico. Unfortunately for the rebels, Indian assistance never materialized, and with the militia and Mexican troops closing in, both the cause and the fort were abandoned by the end of January 1827. Most of the rebels fled eastward towards the Sabine River and then into Louisiana. Fields and Hunter were killed by their tribe for involving them in the rebellion.

As soon as Mexican authorities heard of the incident, Lt. Col. Mateo Ahumada, principal military commander in Texas, was ordered to the area. He left San Antonio on December 11 with twenty dragoons and 110 infantrymen. It was clear to Haden Edwards that his only chance to make good the time and estimated $50,000 he had already expended on his colony was to separate from Mexico. He and Parmer began preparations to meet the Mexican force in the name of an independent republic they called Fredonia. Since they planned to include the Cherokees in their move for independence, the flag they designed had two parallel bars, red and white, symbolizing Indian and white. In fact, although a treaty was signed with the Indian leaders, Richard Fields and John Dunn Hunter, that support never materialized. The flag was inscribed "Independence, Liberty, Justice." The rebels signed it and flew it over the Old Stone Fort. Their Declaration of Independence was signed on December 21, 1826.

December 11, 1826 On news of the November arrest of the alcalde, the Mexican government began preparing to retaliate. On December 11, Lieutenant Colonel Mateo Ahumada, the military commander in Texas, marched from San Antonio de Béxar with 110 members of the infantry and initially stopped in Austin's colony to assess the loyalty of his settlers.

December 16, 1826 The Edwards brothers invaded Nacogdoches with only 30 settlers, seizing one building in town, the Old Stone Fort. The Old Stone Fort was seized during the Fredonian Rebellion.Edwards's actions disturbed many of his colonists because of their loyalty to their adopted country or their f ear of his alliance with the Cherokee. Mexican authorities were also concerned with the Cherokee alliance, and both Peter Ellis Bean, the Mexican Indian agent, and Saucedo, the political chief, began negotiations with Fields. They explained to the Cherokee that the tribe had not followed proper procedures to attain a land grant and promised that if they reapplied through official channels, the Mexican government would honor their land request. Such arguments and a planned Mexican military response convinced many Cherokee to repudiate their treaty with Edwards.

December 21, 1826 They declared the former Edwards colony to be a new republic, named Fredonia. Within hours of the announcement, the Fredonians signed a peace treaty with the Cherokee, represented by Chief Richard Fields and John Dunn Hunter. Fields and Hunter claimed to represent an additional 23 other tribes and promised to provide 400 warriors. In recognition of the agreement, above the Old Stone Fort flew a new flag containing two stripes (one red, one white) representing the two races. Inscribed on the banner was the motto, "Independence, Liberty, and Justice. Haden Edwards also sent messengers to Louisiana to request aid from the United States military, which refused to intervene. Another emissary sent to invite Stephen F. Austin and his colonists to join the rebellion garnered the rebuke: "You are deluding yourselves and this delusion will ruin you."

January 1, 1827 Austin announced to his colonists that "infatuated madmen at Nacogdoches have declared independence. Much of his colony immediately volunteered to assist in quelling the rebellion.

January 22, 1827 When the Mexican army left for Nacogdoches on January 22, they were joined by 250 militiamen from Austin's colony.

Impatient with the army response time, Norris led 80 men to retake the Old Stone Fort. Although Parmer had fewer than 20 supporters with him, his men routed Norris's force in less than ten minutes. On January 31, Bean, accompanied by 70 militiamen from Austin's colony, rode into Nacogdoches. By now, Parmer and Edwards had learned that the Cherokee had abandoned any intention of waging war against Mexico. When not a single Cherokee warrior had appeared to reinforce the revolt, Edwards and his supporters fled. Bean pursued them to the Sabine River, but most, including both Edwards brothers, safely crossed into the United States.Ahumada and his soldiers, accompanied by political chief Saucedo, entered Nacogdoches on February 8 to restore order.

Although the Cherokee had not raised arms against Mexico, their treaty with the Fredonian revolutionaries caused Mexican authorities to question the tribe's loyalty. To demonstrate loyalty to Mexico, the Cherokee council ordered both Fields and Hunter to be executed. Under tribal law, certain offenses such as aiding an enemy of the tribe were punishable by death. By sentencing Fields and Hunter to death for that reason, the Cherokee affirmed that Edwards and his cohorts were their enemies. Both men fled but were soon captured and executed. When the executions were reported to Mexican authorities on February 28, the commandant general of the Eastern Interior Provinces, Anastasio Bustamante, praised the Cherokee for their prompt action.

February 8, 1827 Chief Richard Fields tried to escape to Louisiana and join his father and brother, but he was caught just short of the border and and executed by the Cherokee council on on 8 Feb 1827 in Rusk County, Texas, USA. Being caught on the Texas side brought no weight on the execution of Fields, for the warriors would have just as willingly crossed over to the United States to accomplish their mission. The Mexican Government thanked Chief Diwali and Big Mush for their quick response to a problem that could have split their friendship.

Sources

1. ↑ Starr, Emmet, History of the Cherokee Indians and Their Legends and Folklore, reprint by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., originally published 1921, p. 306.
2. ↑ Hicks, D. L. Utsidihi, History of Tsalagiyi Nvdagi, http://www.texascherokees.org/history1.html
See Also:

"Fields Family History" [1]
Find A Grave: Memorial #5335795 -
Fields Family History @ http://members.tripod.com/lina_jane/fields.htm
Texas State Historical Association @ https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/ffi05
DAR Patriot Index https://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search_adb/?action=ful... accessed 16 May 2020
1835 Hamilton Co, Census Roll
1842 Cherokee Book of Claims

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Fields-987
__________
Dianna Everett, "FIELDS, RICHARD," Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/ffi05), accessed April 23, 2014. Uploaded on June 12, 2010. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.

Richard Fields, one-eighth Cherokee, was diplomatic chief of his tribe in Texas, sharing leadership with Chief Bowl. Fields was born around 1780 and was first noted in 1801 as an emissary of the Cherokee council to United States agents in Tennessee. He appeared as an interpreter on September 19, 1812, at the Council House treaty council in the Chickasaw country. In 1814, during the War of 1812, he served as captain of a unit of Cherokee auxiliaries attached to Gen. Andrew Jackson's army.

Fields appeared in Texas around 1820, at about the time Chief Bowl brought the Cherokees into the region; he was leader of one of several Cherokee villages in East Texas. Because of his skill and experience in diplomacy, Fields was chosen by the Cherokee intervillage council to negotiate a Spanish land grant for his people. In late 1822 he led a delegation to San Antonio de Béxar to present the Cherokee request to Governor José Félix Trespalacios. Trespalacios and Fields agreed that the Cherokees would provide patrols to guard the Sabine against American incursions and against smuggling; in return, the Cherokees could remain on their East Texas land, and Fields's delegation was permitted to travel to Mexico City to petition the viceroy. Fields's mission was to secure a grant of territory for the Cherokees, but Agustín de Iturbide's overthrow of the Spanish government and the resulting political turmoil in Mexico City spoiled that opportunity. Later, after Emperor Iturbide's abdication in March 1823, Fields unsuccessfully petitioned the new congress for assistance. The Cherokee delegation left Mexico City without having secured a grant.

After his return to Texas, Richard Fields continued to serve as diplomatic chief of the Cherokees. In 1824 Fields became involved with trying to unite the Texas Indian tribes into a grand alliance and encouraging other nomadic tribes to settle in Texas. These efforts alarmed the Mexican government and hampered land negotiations.

In 1826, despairing of ever receiving an official grant of territory from the Mexican government, Fields sought other means of obtaining land for his people. He and John Dunn Hunter, an American residing among the Cherokees and serving as a political advisor of sorts, began negotiations with Martin Parmer, Benjamin W. Edwards, and other Anglo-Americans living around Nacogdoches. The allies formed a Fredonian Republic that divided Texas between the Indians and the Anglo-Americans. The Mexican government moved quickly to quash the impending uprising, however, and the Cherokee council reversed course and refused to take part in the Fredonian Rebellion.

After trial by the Cherokee council, Richard Fields and John Dunn Hunter fled; they were captured separately and were executed in early February 1827.

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• Cherokee Chief, memorial only (unknown grave) Texas Cherokees, w/settlements in Spanish Texas.
• Born in Cherokee Nation;
• Leader of Arkansas & Texas Cherokees for new settlement in the West;
• 4 wives and many children;
• murdered by political rivals near Henderson Texas in 1827;
• admired for his active leadership to further progress of his Cherokee people.
• Father of Nancy b, c.1793 (Wm. Blythe,Sr.); Moses, Ezekiel Sr, Dempsey, and Henry w/wife Jennie Buffington of the Cherokee Nation.
• Richard Jr. was the son of Englishman Richard Fields, Sr. and Susannah Emory, Cherokee.
• Chief Richard's birthdate is est. 1770-71 at Echota [Cherokee town], in the Cherokee Nation, [later TN & no. GA.]

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=5335795

Peter P. Pitchlynn states in his diary that Richard Fields is a "half-breed" Cherokee.

http://cherokeeregistry.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=artic...

i. Chief Richard Kalu-Gas "Cherokee" Fields, born 1762 in, TN; died May 08, 1827 in Nacogdoches, TX;

• married (1) Jennie Buffington 1795; born 1780;
• married (2) Nancy Brown 1799; born 1782;
• married (3) Elizabeth "Cherokee" Hicks 1803; born 1771 in Cherokee Nation-IT;
• married (4) F. N. Grapp 1810; born 1780.

Notes for Chief Richard Kalu-Gas "Cherokee" Fields: Blood: 1/4 Cherokee Clan: Long Hair Clan (Mary Grant) Chief Texas Cherokee Captain in Creek War of 1814. Richard died in Texas after crossing the Sabine River. He was executed on order of Duwa'li to appease the Mexican Government

"Texas Dick" 1814 served as a Captain in the Creek war

ABT. 1820 Chief of Texas Cherokee

Clan Long-Haired Clan (Mary Grant)

h/o Sarah Coody, Mary ? & Jennie Brown

f/o John, Ruth, Dempsey, Richard, Nannie, Rider, Martha, Annie, Archibald, Robert, Johnson, Susan & Rachel Fields

Nationality: Clan: Ani'-Gilâ'hi = Twisters, Braids, or Long Hair Clan (Mary Grant)

Notes

• Military service: 1814 - Cherokee Auxillaries to General Andrew Jackson
• Military service: 1814 - Creek War
• Census: Nov 14 1818 - 1817-1819 Reservation: #149, south side of Thompson's Creek, 8 in family
• Census: Nov 14 1818 - 1817-1819 Reservation: #149, south side of Thompson's Creek, 8 in family
• Emigration: Between 1836 and 1837 - Alabama to Indian Territory
• Emigration: Between 1836 and 1837 - Alabama to Indian Territory
• Residence: Alabama, Cherokee Nation
  • Updated from MyHeritage Family Trees by SmartCopy: Feb 9 2015, 20:57:58 UTC