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Chief Kanagatooga "Old Hop" "Standing Turkey" MoytoySon of Amatoy Moytoy

Kanagatoga, Fire King of Chota. He was also known as Canacayghte,

Canoreortuker, Connecorte, Emperor of Chota, Standing Turkey and Uku of

Chota. He removed the English appointed rulership over the Cherokee nation, andbrought all four settlement areas under Chota in 1753-1754.

Moew people were dying of disease introduced by immigrants than by any othercause, and half the population was decimated by diseases such as smallpox and

measles...This was during the time when England was colonizing Virginia and

Carolina commonwealths, in competition with the French, and before the colonies

separated from England.

The British called him "Old Hop" because he limped. Old Hop had been crippled

when a youth on the warpath."

Old Hop was advanced in age when he was chosen as Moytoy's successor. There

are numerous references in the correspondence of the time indicating him as anold man. Governor Lyttleton wrote him in 1756: 'As I hear you are old and unable

to walk to Charles Town, though I very much wish for it, I cannot expect to see

you.'"

He had a slave or adopted son named FRENCH JOHN. He was from the

Overhills, 1753-1757. He served as the chief agent of the French from Fort

Toulouse (Alabama) to Chota.

Uncle to Attakullakulla "Little Carpenter" who he used as a Peace Chief andspokesman.

Doublehead was his brother (a chief who served under Dragging Canoe with John

Watts, commanded the expedition against Knoxville in 1793 and was killed byMajor Ridge)

Old Hop died shortly before the end of the Cherokee-English war of 1760-1761.

Little Carpenter announced his death to the council as noted in "Old Frontiers",page 115: "Our Headman, Old Hop, is gone to sleep, and the Standing Turkey is

come into his room, but he has little to say, being just come to the government.

The other chiefs present will remember how strongly Old Hop recommended tothe nation to live in peace and friendship with the white people."

(Note: The Standing Turkey referred to in this paragraph is the nephew of Old Hop.)

From Old Frontiers, pg 46: "Old Hop had a nephew, also named Standing Turkey, anactive warrior who at his uncle's death served a short time as his successor. It was the

younger Standing Turkey who conducted a four day assault upon Fort Loudoun in 1760,

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and who signed the articles of capitulation of the stronghold."

In old Cherokee culture there were generally three leaders in each town/village. The

Red Chief was the "War Chief," he dealt with war, and was in charge of trading and

other outside contact. The White Chief was the "Peace Chief," he led during peace

time and controlled civil affairs. There was also a High Priest or conjuror. A goodexample is the old city of Echota. This town was headed by Attakullakulla (white

chief), Oconostota (red chief), and Old Hop (high priest).

Old Hop in his talk to Demere, gave his unusual evidence of patriotism. He said: "I am

now old and lie upon a bad bearskin. My life is not more than an inch long, and I know

not when a bullet may cut it short. I want my brothers Captains Demere and Stuart to

remember that the Great Warrior, Oconostota, and his brother [Amo-Scossite?], are theonly two men in the nation that ought to be thought of after my death. "It is true that

Willenawah and the Little Carpenter are my nephews, but I do not know how they would

behave. If I had not remembered what I owe to a country I love, and had in mind to

behave like a father, I would recommend my two sons, but I know them to be incapable,and biased by every lie that comes. I do not know how they will turn out, but I do know

the others, for drunk or sober, they always admonish the Indians to love the whitepeople."

Cherokee Chief Standing Turkey is of interest in this area of Cherokee history and

genealogy, as is Turkeytown (more than one) near places like the present city ofNewton,NC. So is the Hopi Tribe (Hop) and places like Gobbler's Knob, KY, at Viper

Kentucky on a Cherokee trail into southeast Kentucky.

http://thejamesscrolls.blogspot.com/2009/04/chief-kanagatooga-old-hop-standing.html

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