.MTA2NA.NzIyOTY

Be it known, that some years ago, Mr John Ross & myself held joint possession of a certain island on Tennessee River, then in the Cherokee nation: that in the year 1817, a Treaty between the United States, & the Cherokee Nation was concluded, under the provisions of which I enrolled for emigration, when I relinquished my possession & claim to said Island: that in virtue of the provisions of the Treaty of 1819, a special reservation, granted to Mr John Ross, was so located as to include the island, of which we had formerly held joint possession. Now, this is to certify, that the reservation so granted to Mr Ross, did by no means, infringe my interest in said Island: that, having been relinquished on my enrollment for emigration. And, had the island not been so reserved, I would have derived no further benefit from it, as it would have passed to the United States, with the other ceded territory. Signed this 9th day of March, 1838, John Watts, device: large X with "his" above, and "mark" below in the presence of Thomas Foreman Stephen Foreman Interpreters. James Spears, Archd Campbell Old Field.