Who was the man for whom Sequoya Caverns was named?
Sequoyah was an influential member of the Cherokee Nation, born around 1776, who would accomplish a rare feat in his life: Creation of a syllabary for the Cherokee language, which allowed its formerly illiterate people to read and write.
John Noble Wilford said in a 2009 article in the New York Times: "It may be, as is often noted, that his achievement is the only known instance of an individual's single-handedly creating an entirely new system of writing."
It would take more than 15 years to create his system. Sequoyah's 85-character syllabary was adopted by the Cherokee Nation in 1825. Because it provided one symbol per syllable, it allowed children to learn to read within weeks rather than the years it took English-speaking children.
Sequoya, sometimes spelled Sequoia, also went by the names George Guess or George Gist. He was born near present-day Knoxville, Tenn., to a Cherokee mother. His father was thought to be Nathaniel Gist, a white man, according to the Encyclopedia of Alabama.
Sequoyah lived much of his life in Alabama and worked on the syllabary while living in northeastern Alabama in what is now DeKalb County, home to the natural wonder, Sequoya Caverns. The DeKalb County caverns, which archeological evidence showed was once home to groups of Cherokee and Creek Indians, were named to honor the famous Cherokee in 1963. Although there is no physical evidence Sequoya visited the cavern, historians feel it was likely he would have been there at some point, according to a tour guide at the caverns.
Sequoyah, born into a farm family, would become a blacksmith and is said to have fought in the Creek War of 1813. He was also active in politics. In his later years, he traveled to Washington, D.C., as part of a delegation to help negotiate an Indian Territory treaty.
His last home was a small log cabin built in 1829 in Sallisaw, Okla., which has been preserved as a historic attraction. Sequoyah died between 1843 and 1845 while in Mexico and is buried there in an unmarked grave.
4 more things to know about Sequoyah, according to the Encyclopedia of Alabama:
- The giant Sierra redwood tree was classified Sequoia giganteon in his honor in 1847.
- Oklahoma Territory almost became the State of Sequoyah in 1905 and, two years, later, Oklahoma officials chose the likeness of Sequoyah to represent the state in the U.S. Capitol's Statuary Hall.
- In 1961, a redwood was planted in Sequoya's honor on the campus of the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
- In 1980, the U.S. Postal Service issued a 19-cent stamp honoring Sequoyah as part of the Great American Series.
Join al.com reporter Kelly Kazek on her weekly journey through Alabama to record the region's quirky history, strange roadside attractions and tales of colorful characters. Call her at 256-701-0576 or find her on Facebook.