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Joseph Vann | |
|---|---|
 Joseph "Rich Joe" Vann | |
| Born | February 11, 1798 Spring Place, Georgia |
| Died | October 23, 1844 near Louisville, Kentucky |
| Occupation(s) | Chief Vann House Owner, Cherokee Leader |
| Spouse(s) | Jennie Springston, Polly Blackburn |
Joseph H. Vann (11 February 1798 – 23 October 1844) was a Cherokee leader of mixed-race ancestry, a businessman and planter in Georgia, Tennessee and Indian Territory. He owned plantations, many slaves, taverns, and steamboats. In 1837, he moved with several hundred Cherokee to Indian Territory, as he realized they had no choice under the government's Indian Removal policy. He built up his businesses along the major waterways, operating his steamboats on the Tennessee, Ohio, Mississippi, and Arkansas rivers.