Believing myself entitled to a Life estate reservation, under Jacksons Treaty, and confermed [confirmed] by that, concluded by yourself at Washington City . I applied at the Cherokee agency, on the 21st July 1819; and [and] obtained a Certificate, for one, Situated at or near the mouth of Citico Creek; to which place I immediately removed — feeling myself perfectly safe in the possession of it, I have laid out considerable terms of money in improvements &C [et cetera].

Robert Houston Esq. [Esquire] has no doubts relative to the Justness of my claim to a Section of Land; but hesitates to Survey it; in as much as I did not, at the time I selected the Land, live uppon [upon] the Spot; which the Treaty makes necessary; but this business once explained & I have no doubt but [added: that] the

Survey will be ordered to be made

Some years previous to Jacksons Treaty, I built three Houses and established a mercantile business, at the Cherokee agency, where I continued to live until I was called to Knoxville to settle up an extensive mercantile business, which (with others) I had been ingaged [engaged] in at this place for many years — I never had any other improvement in any part of the Cherokee nation nor did I ever Live out of the ceded teretory [territory], Since my marriage; except the time taken up in setting the business alluded to at this place — This improvement at the agency was given to Lewis Ross in fee simple; and if intitled [entitled] to one I was under the necessity of fixing it in some other Quarter. Citico was selected as being unincumbered with any other claim and Colo. [Colonel] Meigs cheerfully granted the certificate

To become the trumpeter of my own fame or to ask for indulgences to which I was not intitled [entitled] would to me be extremely disagreeable to the Latter I cannot decend [descend] and it is with

reluctancy that I have to state that I felt an anxious solicitude to have Jacksons treaty brought to a final adjustment, which I then thought & still think, the Cherokees never would have consented to owing to the prejudices and probably unfounded ones, which they had imbibed, Highly prejudicial to his excellency — to obtain a reputation in whoom [whom] I could confide [unclear: required ] a considerable position of time money & personal exertion; and at this moment the Cherokee Nation Stands indebted to me 815 dollars for money advanced them for their outfitt [outfit]

The inclosed [enclosed] Letters from the Honl. [Honorable] John Williams & Wm. [William]G. Blount Esqr [Esquire] Late a representative in Congress will show you the estimation [added: in which] they held my personal exertions in bringing the Treaty to a close.

With High Respt. [Respect] I amYour Obt Hum Servt [Obedient Humble Servant]

Gideon Morgan [unclear]

the Hon J. [John] C Calhoun Secy. [Secretary] War

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Honl. [Honorable] J. [John] C Calhoun Secy [Secretary] War Washington City

[added: Knoxville Aug [August] 16 1820
Gideon Morgan
In relation to his
reservations fee]