N.N.

Biography

Unknown was Cherokee.
Nothing is known of the family, birth or death of the Cherokee wife of Richard Pearis. White men who came into the Cherokee Nation often partnered with the daughters of headmen or other Cherokee leaders in order to gain status with the tribe. Richard is first recorded in the Cherokee Nation as a trader in 1754 [1] and then as a British lieutenant accompanying Ostenaco in 1757, [2] and like many others he also had a white wife and children. [3] Richard and his Cherokee wife are believed to be the parents of three children, Kate, George and Nellie, probably all born between 1755-1765. The Moravians made reference to "Old Kate" as the sister of George Parris, and grandmother of John Ridge. [4] Kate was the wife of a man named "Wicket" and was the mother of Susannah Wickett, the wife of Major Ridge. [5] Nellie was the wife of John Dougherty. [6]

+Research Notes

According to researcher James Hicks, “Prachey” was this woman's name. [7] This appears to be an error based on the mis-reading of a record regarding an enslaved woman deeded by Richard Pearis to his (white) daughters in Virginia. [8] If Pearis' Indian wife was enslaved in Virginia their children would not have been living in the Cherokee Nation.

Secondary sources give her name as Caty, but it not documented. She was no doubt a woman of high birth of the Cherokee and key to Richard Pearis' influence with the tribe. We know she had a son by Pearis named George who was a leader among the Georgia Cheorkee. She also had two daughters who married prominent mixed race Cherokee and her granddaughters married The Ridge. Based on the kinship of George Parris with James Vann we suspect she was a sister or close female kin of Wurli (aka Mary Christiana) Vann mother of James Vann. The absence of Cherokee records and bias white records makes establishing the precise relationship of these people difficult.

Death: UNKNOWN NATI: Full Blood Cherokee Event: Clan AniGaTaGewi - Wild Potato - Kituah

married: richard parris childern: George 1758,circa nellie parris1760circa katie parris 1756 circa

Blood: Full Blooded Cherokee

• ************Clan: Ani'-Ga'tâge'wi = Kituah or Wild Potato (Wa-Wli Vann)

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References

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Unknown-263190
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Cherokee-116 cites

1. Ludovic Grant letters to South Carolina Gov. Glenn. McDowell, William, ed. Colonial Records of South Carolina "Indian Books,"
2. Brown, John P. Old Frontiers. Southern Publishers, Inc. Kingsport, TN. 1938. p. 78
3. Shadburn, Don. Unhallowed Instrusion. Cumming, GA. 1993. p. 611
4. McClinton, Rowena, ed. The Moravian Springplace Mission to the Cherokees. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, NE. 2007. Vol. 1, July 18, 1811
5. Hampton, David K. and Baker, Jack D., eds. Old Cherokee Families Notes of Dr. Emmet Starr. Baker Publishing Co., Oklahoma City, OK. 1987. Vol. 1, Note C636.
6. Shadburn, Intrusion p. 611
7. "Cherokee Lineages" genealogy.com https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/h/i/c/James-R-Hicks-VA/BOOK-0001/0022...
8. Augusta Co. VA Deed Book 3, pg. 450, 16 Apr 1757 “One Indian wench named Pratchey …” to his daughters Margaret & Sarah.