William Hicks (Cherokee chief)

William Abraham Hicks (1769 – c.1837, age 68) (Cherokee) was a leader and chosen interim Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation in October 1827. He succeeded his older brother Charles Hicks, who died in office in January that year, two weeks after coming to the position. The Cherokee Council named John Ross as second chief, and Elijah Hicks as President of the National Committee. William Hicks served until October 1828, when the Council elected John Ross as principal chief.

Hicke was of mixed race and became a wealthy farmer in the Oothcaloga Valley of present-day Georgia; he supported European-American education for his and other Cherokee children, as well as the opening of a mission and school in the valley. He was baptized as a Christian about 1819, as was his brother and other allies among the Cherokee.

Charles and William's father was Nathan Hicks (1740–1829), a Scottish trader, son of Robert Hicks and Mary Courtney. Their mother was Nancy Conrad (1740–1770), a half blood, daughter of Swiss immigrant, Johann Conrad (1720–1754) and Jennie Oconastota (b. 1724), daughter of Oconastota Rainmaker (1702–1783) and Ahneewakee of the Red Paint Clan (b. 1704). As the Cherokee had a matrilineal system, the children belonged to their mother's clan, where they gained their social status, and boys were guided by males in their mother's family. Nathan Hicks and Nancy Conrad had: Sarah Gosaduisga (1758), Elizabeth (1759), Mary (1760), Nathan Jr (1764), Elizabeth (1766), Charles (1767) and William (1769).

William Hicks became active in the tribe, supporting his brother in many actions. He developed a farm in the valley of Oothcaloga Creek, as did Major Ridge and numerous other Cherokee, turning it into a recognized "garden spot". (It was near present-day Calhoun| in Gordon County, Georgia.)

During these years Hicks became allied with Major Ridge, who also had a farm at Oothcaloga. They shared some ambitions for their children and the Cherokee people. They both sent sons to study with the Moravian missionaries, the Gambolds. In addition, William Hicks became baptized as a Christian, as did his brother Charles and his wife, and Ridge's wife Susanna. Ridge later hired a private tutor for his son John Ridge and sent him to a private white school. About 1822 Ridge and Hicks urged Father Gambold to open a mission at Oothcaloga and to establish a missionary school, as they had more children to be educated. Charles R. Hicks, William's older brother, advanced to become Second Principal Chief of the Cherokee, serving for years in that position. Two weeks after the death of Pathkiller and succeeding him as Principal Chief, Charles also died, on 20 January 1827. The tribe was without a leader and under pressure for land cessions by Georgia and North Carolina. At the time, Major Ridge was Speaker of the Council; he assumed leadership of the lower house. John Ross continued as President of the National Committee, or upper house. Following increasing centralization of leadership for nearly a decade, in 1827 the Cherokee changed their government to a constitutional republic, which incorporated many aspects of Cherokee tradition.

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