Col. Return Jonathan Meigs, Sr., Indian Agent

Return Jonathan Meigs [born December 17 (old style) or 28th (new style), 1740; died January 28, 1823], a colonel in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, was one of the settlers of the Northwest Territory in what is now the state of Ohio. He later served the federal government as an Indian agent working with the Cherokee in southeastern Tennessee.

A Patriot of the American Revolution for CONNECTICUT with the rank of COLONEL. DAR Ancestor # A077223

Family

From http://meigs.org/rjm90.htm

• Parents: Jonathan Meigs and Elizabeth Hamlin
• Spouses: 1) Joanna Winborn married in 1764 d 1773. 2) Grace Starr, m 1774
• Four children with first wife: Return Jonathan Meigs, Jr.; Joanna; Mary; John.
• Three children with second wife: Elizabeth (dy); Richard Montgomery; Timothy

Biography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Return_J._Meigs,_Sr.

Return Jonathan Meigs (December 17, 1740 – January 28, 1823) was a colonel who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and later served as a federal government Indian agent working with the Cherokee in Tennessee.

Meigs was born in Middletown, Connecticut on December 17, 1734. In 1775 after the battle of Lexington he marched with a company of light infantry to the Boston area, where he was assigned the rank of major in the Continental Army, serving under Colonel Benedict Arnold. He accompanied Arnold on his expedition through Maine to Canada, was captured in the assault on Quebec City, but was released in a prisoner exchange and returned to service. In 1777 he was promoted to colonel.

One of his most important achievements during the Revolutionary War was leading the Meigs Raid on the British forces in Sag Harbor, New York, in May 1777, in which he took 90 prisoners and destroyed twelve ships, but didn't lose a single man. The U.S. Congress awarded him a presentation sword for his heroism. He later commanded a regiment under General Anthony Wayne at the Battle of Stony Point.

After the war Meigs was appointed surveyor of the Ohio Company of Associates which is credited as bringing the first non-Indian settlers to Ohio.

In 1801 Return Jonathan Meigs went to Tennessee to fill the combined position of agent to the Cherokee Nation and military agent for the United States War Department. Initially his office and Cherokee Agency were at Fort Southwest Point in what is now Kingston, Tennessee, but in 1807 he relocated these operations to a new post named Hiwassee Garrison near the mouth of the Hiwassee River. His role as military agent ended in 1813 when the Federal soldiers stationed at Hiwassee Garrison were withdrawn, but he remained as Cherokee agent on the Hiwassee River until his death (at age 88) on January 28, 1823. During his years as Cherokee agent he promoted the well-being of the Cherokees, defended their rights in treaty negotiations, and encouraged Cherokee efforts to establish a republican form of government.

He is buried in the Garrison Cemetery in Rhea County, Tennessee, near the site of the former Hiwassee Garrison.

His son Return J. Meigs, Jr. became an Ohio governor and senator. His great-grandson Brig. Gen. Montgomery C. Meigs and great-great grandson of Maj. John Rodgers Meigs had distinguished military careers. Montgomery Meigs, also a general, is also a descendant.

Meigs County, Tennessee, is named in his honor.

RETURN JONATHAN MEIGS

1740-1823

A key Cherokee agent in southeast Tennessee, Return Jonathan Meigs arrived in Tennessee in May 1801 to fill the combined position of agent to the Cherokee Nation and military agent for the United States War Department. Colonel Meigs, who was from Connecticut and later Ohio, had already completed a long and successful military career. The U.S. Congress awarded him a presentation sword for heroic behavior during the Revolutionary War.

Colonel Meigs located his first Tennessee base of operations at Fort Southwest Point near present-day Kingston. His office and the Cherokee Agency remained at that location from 1801 until 1807. He supervised relocation of the agency and the U.S. "factory" for trade with the Cherokees at Tellico Blockhouse to a new post named Hiwassee Garrison near the mouth of the Hiwassee River. Meigs functioned in his dual roles as Cherokee and military agent at Hiwassee Garrison until 1813, when the Federal soldiers stationed there were withdrawn. He remained as Cherokee agent, but in 1815 he moved the agency a few miles up the Hiwassee River. He relocated a third time in 1817 and continued as agent at the new location until his death on January 28, 1823. Within the context of U.S. government policy for the southern Indians, Meigs devoted his twenty-two-year career as Cherokee agent to promoting the well-being of the Cherokees, defending their rights during treaty negotiations, and encouraging their efforts to establish their own republican form of government.

In 1823 the remains of Colonel Return Jonathan Meigs were brought to the "Garrison Cemetery" near the Rhea County site of the former Hiwassee Garrison and placed next to those of his wife Grace and son Timothy. The adjoining county of Meigs was named in his honor.

- Samuel D. Smith, Tennessee Division of Archaeology

References

• https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/return-jonathan-meigs/
• Suggested Reading(s): Henry T. Malone, "Return Jonathan Meigs--Indian Agent Extraordinary," East Tennessee Historical Society Publications, 28 (1956): 3-22.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Return_J._Meigs_Sr._
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=PED&db=indianval...
• Emmet Starr (1922), History of the Cherokee Indians and their legends and folk lore GoogleBooks
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8821946/return-jonathan-meigs
• http://diglib.lib.utk.edu/tennhist/people.html
• https://www.anb.org/view/10.1093/anb/9780198606697.001.0001/anb-978...
• “Meigs Family History and Genealogy” retrieved 18 May 2019
• http://www.clayton-clan.org/gedhtml/tmc/n_196.html