George Parris

George Parris, a half-blood Cherokee, changed the spelling of the family name from "Pearis" perhaps to distinguish his line from that of his white half-brotherand half-sisters. One of the earliest references to George Parris involves a land transaction with Cherokee headmen and his father,Richard Pearis. On December 21, 1773, Oconostota, Willimauwah, and Ewe, three Cherokee Chiefs, deeded 150,000 acres of land to George for 100 English pounds. The following year George deeded 1000,000 acres to his father for 500 pounds, reserving 50,000 acres for himself. The deeds wererecorded in Charleston in 1782.

During the revolution, it is known that George served the British as a scout and possibly as a bilingual interpreter, since his father had often been employed by traders and British agents in that capacity. In 1809, it is recorded, George Parris gave Charles Goodwin, a lawyer of Edgefield,power of attorney, stating he was leaving South Carolina.

James Vann, in making his last will and testament in 1808, named Parris as one of his trusted executors, along with Richard Rowe, another half-blood. Following Vann's death in 1809, Parris acted, at least temporarily, as a lawful executor in the Cherokee Nation in carrying out certain provisions of Vann 's will respecting his Spring Place Estate.