Jim Manasco wrote a book entitled "Walking Sipsey: The People, Places and Wildlife." He speaks of numerour Cherkee people who left the Cherokee nation about the time of the final removal to settle in Lawrence, Winston and Walker Counties in Alabama.
Directly quoting his book, he says --

"As the Cherokees began to spread out across Alabama, Richard [Brown, Cherokee] had moved deep into the Creek Nation. Richard, like his father [Chief John Brown], had risen to the rank of chief and had founded a Cherokee village by the name of Turkey Town across the Coosa River from what is now Centre. Chief Richard Brown had received word that Creeks were going to attack his village. He requested help from Andrew Jackson who sent troops to Turkey Town. The Creeks did not show and while they were there Andrew Jackson enlisted Richard and his warriors into his army. It was from here his next encounter with the Creeks would be Horseshoe Bend.

[note: I believe the above to be true -- opinions appreciated. Bt then he adds --]

"After the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, Col. Richard Brown [Cherokee Chief] moved his band deeper into the wilderness. They settled on Blackwater Creek near the present town of Nauvoo. For some reason, the remaining Creeks sought refuge with Chief Richard Brown in north Walker and southern Winston Counties. History states that the Creeks numbered 200 and were led by Chief John Shannon. [Jim Manasco estimates the Cherokee at about 300 in number who settled Walker/Winston] It was for these Indians that most of the
creeks in the Rocky Plains were named, Browns Creek the most obvious."

..."In the 1830s, the heartbreak of the removal would be too much to bear for another of Chief John Brown's sons. His name was also John (Jr.) and he and his wife Hannah Brown would leave Morgan County and come to Winston
County to be near his brother. The same was true for William. John and Hannah Brown settled near what is now Arley. It was there that they raised their family: Russell, Hugh, Elic, and Nancy. It was here that John (Jr.)[called "Cherokee Jack"] would die and be buried in a hedge row.

He goes on and on of genalogies of many surnames from thhis region of the country, saying --

There is now a seemingly endless list of names like Myers, Sides, Knight, Tidwell, Boshell, Cagle, King, Richardson, Garrison, Clay, Ferguson, Hodges, Roberts, Calloway, Cook, Davis, Lenoard, Dill, Castleberry, Norris, Cooper, Manasco, Blanton, Odom, and Nichols.

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He speaks of a "John Brown," a Cherokee from this region, who lived at Arley, Alabama who was son of a Chief named John Brown.

He proposes many of these failies were Creek and Cheroke and they escaped the Trail of Tears.

In my next post I will provide references that appear to contradict Jim's writing. But I am open -- just seeking the truth.

vh