Salonitah | |
|---|---|
| Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians | |
| In office 1870–1875 | |
| Preceded by | Yonaguska |
| Succeeded by | Lloyd Welch |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1796 |
| Died | 1880 |
| Nationality | Cherokee |
Salonitah,or Flying Squirrel,was the second Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians,from 1870 to 1875,and first chief elected under the new Cherokee constitution. [1] [2]
Salonitah first appear in records during the pursuit of Tsali during Cherokee removal in 1838;he was the leader of a group of Cherokees who went out to hunt for Tsali for the U.S. Army. [3] Upon Yonaguska's passing in 1839,Salonitah,who at this point was Chief of Paint Town,laid claim as Chief of the Qualla Cherokee (though not fully recognized by all);while William Holland Thomas,who was chosen by Yonaguska as the next Principal Chief,became a key liaison between the whites and Cherokee. [4] The justification given was that Salonitah was very suspicious of whites who claimed to speak for the Cherokees,especially William Holland Thomas. [5]
In 1868,U.S. Congress officially recognized the Eastern Band Cherokee as a separate entity from their brethren in Oklahoma. On November 26,1870,a grand council was organized to appoint a chairman,clerks,and delegates for a new council. On December 1,the council convened,approving the new constitution for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and electing Salonitah as Principal Chief and John Jackson as second Chief. [5] [6] [7]
According to the mortality schedule of the 1880 U.S. Census,Salonitah died of typhoid in April,1880. [8]