Treasure Chest Thursday - Uncle Tiger's Homestead Deed

I am not sure anyone but a Cherokee can appreciate the sentimental value this old piece of paper has for a family. It dates back to the time of the Cherokee allotment when the nation's assets were being divided among it's citizens. In my opinion, as a Cherokee historian and researcher, the old papers associated with the allotment period are some of the most sentimentally valuable documents one could hope to have. Though I have a few others, today, I am sharing the homestead deed of Tiger Tadpole.

We know Tiger had a great respect and love of the land so I can only imagine what these papers must have meant to him. To know he held this document in his hand and that I too, over a hundred years later, held the very same document, well, words just can't explain the sentiment I feel. This old piece of paper might be viewed as trash to some, but to me, it is a priceless treasure. It is one of the links from the past to the present, one of the "stones" that builds the bridge from me to my ancestors and there is no dollar amount you can put on something like that.

Rest in peace, Tiger. You are not forgotten.


Those are my thoughts for today.
Thanks for reading.

CC
The Granddaughter

copyright 2011, Polly's Granddaughter - TCB

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