GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH
CAROLINA
SESSION 2005
RATIFIED BILL
RESOLUTION 2005-57
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 1171
A JOINT RESOLUTION
honoring the life and memory of William Holland Thomas, former member of the general assembly, on the 200th anniversary of his birth.
Whereas, William Holland Thomas was born
on February 5, 1805, in Haywood County; and
Whereas, William Holland Thomas was the son of Richard Thomas,
a Revolutionary War veteran, who died before he was born, and Temperance Calvert Thomas; and
Whereas, as a young boy,
William Holland Thomas befriended members of the local Oconaluftee Indians or Qualla Clan, which later became the Eastern
Band of Cherokee Indians; and
Whereas, as a teenager, William Holland Thomas began
working at a local trading post near his home, during which time he learned the Cherokee language and customs; and
Whereas, William Holland Thomas developed a mutual friendship
with Chief Yonaguska and was later adopted by the Chief as a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; and
Whereas, at the age of 15, William Holland Thomas became an
attorney after studying from a set of law books that was given to him while he was working at the trading post; and
Whereas, as an adult, William Holland Thomas was an influential
man in his community and the Western portion of the State; and
Whereas, in addition to practicing law, William Holland Thomas
was also a businessman, building stores, turnpikes, and railroads; and
Whereas, during the 1830s, William Holland Thomas served as
an agent for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, traveling to Washington, DC, to persuade the federal government to allow
them to remain in North Carolina and to defend their claims for financial payments promised them; and
Whereas, William Holland Thomas was successful in helping the
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians win the right to be treated as citizens of North Carolina, to govern themselves in their
own communities, and to become landowners; and
Whereas, upon the death of Chief Yonaguska in 1839, William
Holland Thomas was named Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, a title he held for 28 years; and
Whereas, prior to his death, William Holland Thomas recounted
his life with the Cherokees to a Smithsonian Institute ethnologist, James Mooney, which greatly contributed to the preservation
of the history and culture of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; and
Whereas, William Holland Thomas served as a State senator from
1848 to 1861; and
Whereas, during the Civil War, William Holland Thomas served
as Colonel of a unit known as Thomas' Legion, which consisted of several regiments, including two composed of Cherokee Indians;
and
Whereas, William Holland Thomas was married to Sarah Love and
together they had three children, William H. Thomas, Jr., James Robert Thomas, and Sallie Love Thomas; and
Whereas, after a number of years of declining health and hospital
confinement, William Holland Thomas died on May 10, 1893; and
Whereas, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the
birth of William Holland Thomas, the Cashiers Historical Society held a symposium, entitled "The Life and Times of William
Holland Thomas" on May 5, 6, and 7, 2005; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:
SECTION 1. The General Assembly honors
the life and memory of William Holland Thomas and acknowledges his service to the State and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
SECTION 2. The General Assembly encourages
the citizens of this State to join the Cashiers Historical Society in celebrating the 200th anniversary of the
birth of William Holland Thomas.
SECTION 3. The Secretary of State shall
transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the Cashiers Historical Society.
SECTION 4. This resolution is effective
upon ratification.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified
this the 24th day
of August, 2005.
_____________________________________
Beverly E. Perdue
President of the Senate
_____________________________________
James B. Black
Speaker of the House of Representatives
