Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1899-10-26
SEQUATCHIE,
SEQUAW.C CHEZ.


lished in the town Of Sequachee, Ma
rion Co., Tenn, must show its author
ity for spelling Sequachee in that way.
One Of the earliest records Of this
name and tho manner in which it
should be spelled is in a treaty with
the Cherokee Indians made July 8, 1917,
by Gen. Andrew Jackson, OF the U. S.
Army, Gov. Joseph McMlnn, Of Ten
nessee, and Gen. David Merriwether,
commissioners on the part of the United
States, in which the words Sequatchie
river and also little Sequatchie river
occur.
In a treaty between the Cherokees
and the U. s. made Jan, T. 1906, the
name Sequechee is signed as that Of q
chief of that nation; 1t doesn't appear
whether or not the names have any
reference 10 each other
]. G. Ramsay, A. M, M. D., the au-
thor OF "Ramsey's Annals of Tonnes
soe," published in 1852, referring to the
changes OF the Indian names OF streams
in Tennessee, says: "Loustahatchoe,
Hatchee, Sequatchee, OcOee, Conesauga
ard Watauga have happily escaped the
vandal mutilatiOn or corruption. Hol-
ston, French Broad, Clinch, Wolf and
Forked Deer have suffered" But in
tho map published as a part OF Ram
sey's Annals it is spelled "Sequatchy"
river.
The legislature passed an act Dec. 8,
1857, to organize the county of "Sequat-
- .ha ig
it "Seqnatchie." The Constitution of
1870, art. 10, sec. 4, spells it "Sequat-
chic" Thompson & Stegar's Code
1s7l) sec. as; the acts Of 1878, sec lO5;
the acts OF 1877. chap. 1873; the acts of
1888, chap 1872; Millican Il Vertree's
Code, (1SS4) sec. so; the acts OF 1887,
chap. 1903; acts of 1893, chap 176: Shan
mons Code Of 1896, sec %, each and all
spell it "SeqUatchie."
In 1874 Prof. ]. NJ. Stafford, State Ge-
ologist, and DIR. J. B. Killebrew Secro-
tary OF the Agricultural Bureau, pub
J lished his "Resources OF Tennessee" a
standard authority, and one of the most
valued publications ever issued in the
state, and also map in connection with
the work, both spell it "Sequatchie."
The United States Postal Guide spells
the name Of the county Seq uatchie, "
but it spells the name of the postoffice,
''Sequachee."
Capt John P Long, who died in
Chattanooga few years ago, and who
resided near and Lradcd with the Cher
okee Indians for many years before they
| left for the West said it was two words
-Spquaw, hog, and chez, valley. Hog
| Valley" is the traditional name of the
valley.
II Capt. Long was right and the mean,
ing is Hog Valley" the CherOkees
now in the Indian Territory can answer
and give US the correct spelling.
| The SequaChee Valley News must ex'
plain why it has undertaken to change
the spelling adopted by the Legislature
and the Constitutional Convention Oi
! 1870 and the Legislature and the Con
stitutional convention must explain by
what authority they change the spell
ing adopted in the treaty by the U. s
and the Cherokee Indians, as recorded
in "Ramsey's Annals of Tennessee. -
Chattanooga Enquirer.
The above references, as far as We
know may be historically correct, bu
as arguments by which to prove tina
the people of Sequachee, and the News
do not know how to spell the name o
their own town, are worthless and val
ueless. If we, as the citizens of place
wish to continue to spell it as we havu
done in the past, even if it should b.
wrong, ought we not to have first righ
to change it? 1t is convenient to US +
spell it as we have done-and shall con
tinue to dO-simply because we nameC
it that way. Did any OF the officials a
Nashville object to the name "Sequa
chez" when it was presented to them il
charters for companies, manufacturing
enterprises, and proposed railroads
when the fee for the same was in eVi
dencs? There were no objections what
soever, then. There were no ground
for any. 1t is immaterial to US wheth
er the words mean "hog valley" "ho
feeding" hog nurturing, or any othe
com binatiOn in connection with swine
In fact we wish more poetical or les
prosaic meaning could have been alleg
ed. But the fact remains incontroVer
ible on the records at Jasper and Nasl
Vile that the place was named Sequl
chez and not Sequatchie. Only recen
ly charter was secured from Nashvill
for our handle works and on it is en-
bodied the name Sequachee, and n
other place. There is no Sequatchi
other than exists in the minds Of tho.
who would change the name Of Il
+ town, and who for the most part resit
3 outside Of its precincts alleged, ow
= no property in it. have no concern
Q the management of its affairs, and, v
might add, contribute not one cent
a better its financial condition. II '
Q must change the name Of our town, /
+ US change it to something that will be
o ter express its condition and CROWN
a tsndency-Wheatheld, or Farmville,
Q Cowitch, or Murrain, or Hogcholera,
l. or IHayrake, or Cultivator-then
could denominate all our citizens, ha
seeds. Our school teachers would we
ropes Of hay for neckties. our musicia
and singers would strap bales Of hay
q their shoulders TO win popular applauu
= our mill men would devise ways a
s. means 70 build houses Of straw a
IS wheat chaH, our ministers would 60
Z. Z. the Book Of Ruth for their texts a