John Ross (Cherokee chief)
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John Ross was the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation from 1828 to 1866; he served longer in that position than any other person. Ross led the nation through such tumultuous events as forced remova
Ross, c. 1866
The John Ross House during the US Civil War
John Ross Home, Rossville, Georgia. The House was built in 1797 by John McDonald, grandfather of John Ross, and was Ross's home until he left on the "Trail of Tears".
A young John Ross
Major Ridge
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The Ridge, later known as Major Ridge was a Cherokee leader, a member of the tribal council, and a lawmaker. As a warrior, he fought in the Cherokee–American wars against American frontiersmen. Later,
John Ross (Cherokee chief)
…in Cherokee politics and attracted the attention of the Cherokee elders, especially Principal Chiefs Pathkiller and Charles R. Hicks. Together with Major Ridge, they became his political mentors. Ross first went to Washington, DC, in 1816 as part of a Cherokee delegation to negotiate issues of national boundaries…
Portrait by Charles Bird King, 1834