Major Ridge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Major Ridge
1834 portrait of Major Ridge by Charles Bird King, in History of the Indian Tribes of North America.
Born	1771, exact date unknown Great Hiwassee, present-day Tennessee
Died	June 22, 1839 (aged 67 or 68) White Rock Creek, Little Branch Creek near White Rock Cemetery, Washington County, AR
Cause of death	Assassination
Nationality	Cherokee
Citizenship	Cherokee Nation (1794–1907)
Occupation	Cherokee Leader
Spouse(s)	Sehoyah (Susannah Catherine Wickett) Kate Parris
Children	John Ridge Sarah (Sally) Ridge

Major Ridge (born around 1771 – died June 22, 1839) was an important Cherokee leader. He was also known as The Ridge and sometimes Pathkiller II. His Cherokee names were Nunnehidihi and later Ganundalegi.

Major Ridge was a member of the Cherokee tribal council and helped create laws. As a young warrior, he fought against American settlers. Later, he led the Cherokee in alliances with General Andrew Jackson and the United States. They fought together in the Creek and Seminole wars.

Ridge was part of a group called the "Cherokee triumvirate." This group included Charles R. Hicks and James Vann. They were rising young chiefs in the early 1800s. They believed the Cherokee people should adopt some European-American ways to deal with the United States. Ridge became a wealthy farmer, owning a large farm and enslaved people. He also ran a ferry in Georgia.

The U.S. government put a lot of pressure on the Cherokee to move. Ridge and others from the Treaty Party signed the Treaty of New Echota in 1835. They thought moving was unavoidable and wanted to protect Cherokee rights. This treaty made the Cherokee give up their lands in the Southeast. They had to move to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River. Many Cherokee leaders and people strongly disagreed with this treaty.

Even though a new treaty was negotiated, the Cherokee were still forced to move. This difficult journey became known as the Trail of Tears. Major Ridge was blamed for giving up the land and for the many deaths during the removal. Because of this, he was killed in 1839 by members of a group who opposed the treaty.

Early Life and Family

Growing Up in the Cherokee Nation

Major Ridge was born around 1772 in the Cherokee town of Great Hiwassee. This area is now part of Tennessee. His mother, Oganotota, was of Scots-Cherokee heritage and belonged to the Deer clan. His father was believed to be full-blood Cherokee. Ridge's maternal grandfather was a Scottish trader.

Ridge was the third son born to his parents, but he was the first to live to adulthood. He learned patience and how to be tough from a young age. When he was old enough, he became a warrior. The Cherokee believed that a man's success as a warrior showed his spiritual strength.

As a young warrior, Ridge was known as Nunnehidihi. This name meant "He Who Slays The Enemy In His Path." After the wars with the Americans ended, he changed his name to Ganundalegi. This meant "The Man Who Walks On The Mountain Top Ridge." White settlers simply called him "The Ridge."

Marriage and Home Life

In 1792, Ridge married Sehoya, also known as Suzannah Catherine Wickett. She was a mixed-blood Cherokee from the Wild Potato clan. They had several children, including their son, John Ridge. In 1819, they sent John to a school in Cornwall, Connecticut. There, he studied European-American subjects.

After the wars, the Ridges lived in the Cherokee town of Oothcaloga. This is near where the city of Calhoun, Georgia is today. Around 1819, they moved near Chatuga, which is now Rome, Georgia. Ridge bought a large piece of land along the Oostanaula River. He built a two-story house there. Like other large farmers of the time, Ridge used enslaved African Americans to work his cotton fields. His friend and fellow leader, John Ross, also had a farm nearby.

Major Ridge never went to school and could not read or write. However, he was known as a powerful and inspiring speaker. He understood that education was important. He believed the Cherokee needed to learn how to communicate with European Americans. This was necessary for their nation to survive.

A Leader and Warrior

Fighting for His People

As a young warrior, Ridge took part in many battles. He fought in attacks on American settlements in the late 1700s. When he was 21, Ridge was chosen to be a member of the Cherokee Council. He was a valuable advisor and helped create many important laws.

In 1807, a chief named Doublehead was bribed to sell Cherokee land without the council's approval. The Cherokee Council decided this was a serious crime against their nation. They ordered Ridge, James Vann, and Alexander Sanders to execute Doublehead. Ridge and Alexander Sanders killed Doublehead on August 9, 1807.

Before the War of 1812, a Shawnee chief named Tecumseh visited the South. He wanted to unite different Native American tribes. His goal was to stop them from selling their lands to white settlers. Tecumseh told tribes to reject American ways and return to their traditions. Ridge listened to Tecumseh speak to the Muscogee (Creek) people. It is said that Ridge warned Tecumseh not to spread his message to the Cherokee.

Becoming "Major" Ridge

In 1814, Ridge earned the title "Major." He led Cherokee warriors alongside U.S. General Andrew Jackson at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. This battle was part of the Creek War. Ridge joined the fight as a leader of the Cherokee fighters. He used "Major" as his first name for the rest of his life.

He also served with Jackson in the First Seminole War in 1818. He led Cherokee warriors to help the U.S. government fight the Seminole Indians in Florida. His success in these wars made him even more respected among the Cherokee people.

After the war, Ridge moved his family to Head of Coosa, which is now Rome, Georgia. He built a large farm there. He owned about 30 African-American enslaved people who worked on his farm. They grew crops like corn, tobacco, and cotton. Major Ridge also owned a successful ferry business. This ferry carried wagons and teams across the Oostanuaula River. He also started a trading post with a white partner, George Lavender. They sold everyday goods and luxury items.

In 1816, Andrew Jackson tried to convince the Chickasaw and Cherokee nations to sell their lands. He wanted them to move west of the Mississippi River. Most Cherokee chiefs refused.

The Cherokee Removal

For a long time, Major Ridge was against the U.S. government's idea for the Cherokee to sell their lands and move to the West. However, the state of Georgia tried to stop the Cherokee government. More and more American settlers moved onto Cherokee lands. This pressure made Ridge change his mind.

His son, John Ridge, advised him. Major Ridge came to believe that the best way to save the Cherokee Nation was to get good terms from the U.S. government. He wanted to protect their rights in Indian Territory.

On December 29, 1835, Ridge signed the Treaty of New Echota. This treaty gave up the remaining Cherokee land east of the Mississippi River. In return, the Cherokee would get land in Indian Territory. They would also receive payments and supplies from the government. The Cherokee tribe was deeply divided over this decision. It is said that Ridge remarked, "I have signed my death warrant," after signing the treaty.

The National Party, led by Chief John Ross, and most of the Cherokee National Council rejected the treaty. However, the U.S. Senate approved it. The next year, Ross tried to negotiate changes with the U.S. government, but the Cherokee removal was still confirmed.

Ridge, his family, and many other Cherokee moved west in March 1837. Georgia illegally held a lottery for Cherokee lands and sold them even before the removal date. Settlers began moving onto Cherokee land. After 1838, the U.S. government forced the remaining Cherokee people (and their enslaved people) to leave their lands. This journey became known as the "Trail of Tears." Nearly 4,000 Cherokee people died during this forced march.

Major Ridge, his wife, daughter, and one of his grandchildren traveled by boat to Honey Creek in Indian Territory. This place was near the Arkansas-Missouri border. Ridge chose to live fifty miles away from the main Cherokee territory. He no longer wanted to live among his own people. His son John Ridge and his cousin Elias Boudinot followed six months later.

Burial and Legacy

Major Ridge and his son John are buried in Polson Cemetery in Delaware County, Oklahoma. His nephew, Stand Watie, was later buried near them after he died of natural causes.

• Major Ridge's home was bought and saved by a group called the Junior League of Rome in the 1960s. It opened to visitors in 1971 as the Chieftains Museum. It has been named a National Historic Landmark. It is also listed as one of the sites on the Cherokee Trail of Tears National Historic Trail.
• Major Ridge's life and the Trail of Tears are shown in Episode 3 of Ric Burns' documentary, We Shall Remain (2009). This film tells the story of Native American history in the United States.