Appalachian Indians of the Warrior Mountains embodies the American Indian history of southern Appalachia, along with an underlying deep love of great Native places such as the High Town Path, Melton's Bluff, and Doublehead's Town. Rickey Butch Walker describes his childhood backyard using details that will paint a picture before your eyes of the life and times of Indian people. Find out the history of our Native Americans of the Southeastern United States, hear a story about a battle and love of a young Chickasaw maiden Magnolia, listen to the passion of Walker's voice as you read about the struggle of the removal of his own people to another land, and embark through time as you read this book. It is so important to preserve the history of our aboriginal people and realize that they played an important part of what our country is today. Some historians and books would like to start American history with Columbus, the founding presidents, or the first Thanksgiving where Indians are first mentioned. The truth is our story as Native Americans and our American history starts way before Columbus; the first people struggled for survival thousands of years before European explorers made their first appearance in this country. Rickey Butch Walker does an excellent job in this book of keeping our past alive for present day; and, he gives this gift to our youth in order for them to have a record and recollection of their ancestors for years to come. Without these facts being passed or these stories being told, our heritage would slowly fade and dry up like a grape in the sun. I appreciate the fact that Rickey Butch Walker fights to keep our American Indian stories of the Southeastern United States fading from the pages of history. Brandy W. Sutton

The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. This book embodies the American Indian history of southern Appalachia, along with an underlying deep love of great Native places such as the High Town Path, Melton's Bluff, and Doublehead's Town. Rickey Butch Walker describes his childhood backyard using details that will paint a picture before your eyes of the life and times of Indian people. Find out the history of our Native Americans of the Southeastern United States, hear a story about a battle and love of a young Chickasaw maiden Magnolia, listen to the passion Chickasaw maiden Magnolia, listen to the passion of the author's voice as you read about the struggle of the removal of his own people to another land, and embark through time as you read this book.

The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. This book embodies the American Indian history of southern Appalachia, along with an underlying deep love of great Native places such as the High Town Path, Melton's Bluff, and Doublehead's Town. Rickey Butch Walker describes his childhood backyard using details that will paint a picture before your eyes of the life and times of Indian people. Find out the history of our Native Americans of the Southeastern United States, hear a story about a battle and love of a young Chickasaw maiden Magnolia, listen to the passion Chickasaw maiden Magnolia, listen to the passion of the author's voice as you read about the struggle of the removal of his own people to another land, and embark through time as you read this book.

Nancy Ward lived in the time when her homeland of Chota, the Cherokee capitol, was threatened by not only the invasion of the white man but also the Creek Indians. This beautiful part of the Appalachian Mountains was plentiful in game and the ground was perfect for their crops. The Cherokee relied on hunting for their meat because they did not have domesticated live stock as did the white man. Nancy watched as her home lands grew smaller and smaller with the advancement of the white man. Nancys husband, Kingfisher, was shot and killed in the 1755 battle with the Creek Indians. She picked up her dead husbands musket and led the Cherokee to victory. Because of this, she was honored with the highest ranking any Cherokee woman could attain, Ghighuaa. Nancys life stood for peace but she always warned her people of many bad things to come. She became the first woman to ever talk at a peace treaty with the white man. Her words helped her people retain some of their lands. She spoke: You know that women are always looked upon as nothing, but we are your mothers, you are our sons, our cry is all for peace, let it continue. This peace must last forever. Let your womens sons be ours, our sons be yours, let your women hear our words. Shortly after her death, President Jackson ordered the Cherokee to move to Oklahoma on the famous deadly Trail of Tears.

Many years ago, Rickey Butch Walker took his tape recorder and camera and systematically began interviewing some of the oldest living descendants of the pioneer families of the Warrior Mountains of northwest Alabama. No price can be put on the stories that he recorded. He captured sanpshoots of Americana and family history that would have been lost forever. These historical sketches and photographs will be revered forever by the descendants of the families who lived on mountain farms in one of Alabama's most rugged back country. His down-to-earth style of writing is reminiscent of summer afternoons that I have spent in a front porch chair capitivated and fascinated by listening to the old timers telling of the old days and the old ways. My, the world has changed and maybe not for the better. - Lamar Marshall, Cultural Heritage Director, Wild South