Their Determination to Remain: A Cherokee Community's Resistance to the Trail of Tears in North Carolina

Betty and John Welch, wealthy plantation owners on the southwestern edge of the Cherokee Nation, helped 100 Cherokees escape forced removal on the Trail of Tears. They provided land for them to rebuild Welchs Town, where they experienced a transitional period without formal tribal government or citizenship but felt secure enough to reestablish a townhouse, stickball fields, and dance grounds. Greenes study uses an interdisciplinary approach to examine how and why the Welches and members of Welchs Town avoided expulsion and reestablished their ways of life.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 200 pages
Publication date: 30 November 2023
Publisher: The University of Alabama Press

The remarkable tale of a Cherokee community in North Carolina defied the forced removal on the Trail of Tears. In the face of the US government's 1838 forced relocation policy, several close-knit Cherokee communities in the Southern Appalachian Mountains steadfastly refused to surrender their ancestral lands, towns, and way of life. Utilizing a diverse range of tactics, hundreds of Cherokees managed to evade the advancing US Army and remain in the region.

In his book titled "Their Determination to Remain: A Cherokee Community's Resistance to the Trail of Tears in North Carolina," Lance Greene delves into the lives of wealthy plantation owners Betty and John Welch, who resided on the southwestern edge of the Cherokee Nation. John hailed from the Cherokee tribe, while Betty had White ancestry. Despite the limited participation of Cherokees in slavery in the region, the Welches owned nine African Americans in bondage.

During the removal process, the Welches provided shelter and assistance to approximately 100 Cherokees seeking refuge in the rugged mountains. Following the removal, they granted land to these Cherokees to establish a new community known as Welchs Town. Betty, as the widow of a landowner, amassed considerable wealth and influence as a plantation mistress. Members of Welchs Town underwent a transitional phase, lacking a formal tribal government or clear citizenship but experiencing a sense of security to rebuild townhouses, stickball fields, and dance grounds.

Greene's groundbreaking study employs an interdisciplinary approach, combining historical narrative and archaeological data, to explore the strategies employed by the Welches and the members of Welchs Town to evade expulsion and reestablish their ways of life amidst a growing White population that resented the continued Cherokee presence. The Welch strategy involved Betty's leadership in showcasing their outward adherence to modern Western lifestyles, including participating in church activities, attending social gatherings, and adopting English names.

This extraordinary story of resilience and determination showcases the unwavering spirit of the Cherokee people in the face of adversity. It serves as a testament to their enduring culture, traditions, and unwavering commitment to their ancestral lands. The Welchs and their community's resistance to the Trail of Tears highlights the complexities and challenges faced by Native American communities during the era of forced relocation and the ongoing struggles for cultural preservation and identity.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780817361198