Sequoyah and his life of mystery

Sequoyah is one of the greatest Tennesseans who ever lived. But no matter what book you read, what video you watch, or what website you click on, you’ll find a different account of his life.

That’s the great irony of Sequoyah. The man who invented the Cherokee written language never wrote an autobiography. So all the stories about Sequoyah stem from a combination of oral tradition and conjecture.

For example:

We’re not sure when Sequoyah was born; accounts of his life say he was born between 1760 and 1778. We know where he was born: present-day Monroe County, where you’ll find the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum.

We are not sure who his parents were. Some sources indicate that Sequoyah’s mother was a full-blooded Cherokee named Wut-teh, and her father was a Maryland fur trader named Nathanial Gist (a name often spelled “Guess”). But there are other accounts.

Sequoyah was limping, but we don’t know why. Since the name Sequoyah means “pig’s foot,” many believe that she was born with a disability. However, some stories claim that he was injured in a hunting accident or even in military service. “I think I’ve read 25 different accounts of why he was limping,” said Charlie Rhodarmer, director of the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum.

Like many other Cherokees, Sequoyah fought on the American side during the Creek War. His biographers have therefore always assumed that he was present at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. However, “the role Sequoyah played in the fight is…