Chief John Ross

From: Chief John Ross DAR Chapter, Chattanooga, Tennessee
Daughters of the American Revolution

By its name, Chief John Ross Chapter, NSDAR, the chapter honors the memory of the man who was Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.


John Ross was born October 3, 1790, the third child of Daniel and Mary McDonald Ross. He was first educated in a private school established by Daniel Ross, then in the Presbyterian School in Maryville, Tennessee, and finally at a school in Kingston, Tennessee.

After completing his education, John Ross, along with his partner, Timothy Meigs, son of Return Jonathan Meigs, opened a store on the Tennessee River at the site that would become Ross's Landing.

In 1809, at the age of 19, John Ross was sent by Colonel Return Jonathan Meigs, United States Agent to the Cherokees, on a mission to the Western Cherokees in Arkansas that began his almost constant service to his Cherokee people.

In 1817, John Ross was elected Senator to the National Council of the Cherokee Nation, and from October 1818 until 1826, he served as the President of the Cherokee Senate.

Chief John Ross Home

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In 1828, John Ross was elected the Principal Chief of the Eastern Cherokee Nation and served in that position until he was elected Principal Chief of the United Cherokee Nation in 1839.

From 1839 until his death, John Ross was the Chief of the United States Cherokee Nation--not merely a commander of an Indian Tribe but as an executive head of a civilized nation with which the United States concluded several treaties. He was in Washington, D.C. on business for the Cherokee Nation at the time of his death on August 1, 1866.