We had our Speidel grandchildren here for a few days so we decided to drive to Chatsworth, Georgia, about 40-60 miles north of us, to visit the Vann House, a home built by a Cherokee Chief, James Vann, the son of a Scottish Trader named Vann and a Cherokee woman named Wahli. The house is not a teepee! (Ha,Ha) The Cherokee never wore feather head dresses nor lived in tee pees. This house is called the showpiece of the Cherokee Nation. Involved in the planning was a German Architect named Vogt, a brick mason from Virginia named Robert Howell and carpenters from Tennessee named McCartney. Moravian craftsmen from the nearby mission and Cherokee laborers with Vann's African slaves built the house. It is in the Federal and American Georgian Style.
 |
| Chief Vann's House Today |
 |
| Chief Vann's House about 1910 |
 |
| Chief Vann's House about 1930's |
 |
| Chief Vann's House early 1950's |
 |
Chief Vann's House in winter
|
The bricks on the house were made, by Vann's slaves, from Georgia red clay.The nails and hinges were made in his blacksmith shop and heart pine floorboards were cut at his sawmill. He has the oldest example of a cantilevered staircase, known as Vann's floating staircase. He completed his house in 1804.
 |
| Hall Furnishings-Grandfather Clock-1700's from London |
 |
| Corn husk dolls on third floor childrens' bedroom. |
 |
| Main floor dining room |
 |
| Joseph Vann, James'son, over fireplace |
 |
| Beautiful antique dresser |
 |
| Interesting side table, note the legs. |
 |
| Elaborate mantel goes 12 feet to ceiling, note paint colors |
 |
| Many Indian baskets |
 |
| Old piano |
 |
| Another side table |
On the two main floors are just two rooms,24 by 14 feet with a wide hallway in between. People were taxed back then by the number of rooms in the house, thus the two large rooms per floor. The original paint colors represent earth tones, blue sky, red clay,yellow sun & grain, and green forests.The one fireplace goes all the way to the 12 foot ceiling.
James Vann was an influential Cherokee. He earned much wealth through businesses along the Federal Road, which ran through the Cherokee Nation in the early 1800s. This included taverns, tolls,whiskey stills, blacksmith shop, saw mill, and 1000 acres. He provided land and supported the Springplace Moravian Mission across from his plantation for the education of his children and other Cherokee children. He became belligerant later in life from all the drinking he did. As a result he was shot at age 41 while leaving a tavern, in 1809. He left everything to his first born son,Joseph Vann. There are no photos or portraits of James but Joseph's portrait hangs over the fireplace in the dining room.
 |
| Joseph Vann over fireplace |
 |
| Original charcoal drawing of Joseph Vann |
 |
| Closeup of Joseph Vann from full portrait over fireplace |
Did you know that Indians had African slaves? James was kind to them at first and had many in his house, but later set the thief on fire in front of other slaves, after a robbery. His mother, Wahli, was particularly kind to them and defended them against her son,James.
Before 1800 the Cherokee lived in mud & wood daubed huts. After 1800 they lived in log cabins, much like the white pioneers.
 |
| Cherokee Traditional Farm with cabin & out buldings |
 |
| Slaves by a cabin |
 |
| Slaves interior of cabin |
The Vann Plantation had over 100 slaves. The plantation had 50 slave houses at one time, each 14 feet by 16 feet.The Cherokee had similar homes by the 1800s. These cabins were log cabins with log fireplaces, wooden floors and wooden roofs.
