Who were the white families living among the Cherokees before the "Trail of Tears"? Censuses, leases of Indian lands, oaths of allegiance, school rolls, militia musters, letters, newspaper accounts and laws are included. The Cherokee Nation occupied all of present Georgia counties of Bartow (formerly Cass), Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Cobb, Dade, Dawson, Fannin, Floyd, Forsyth, Gilmer, Gordon, Lumpkin, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Towns, Union, Walker, White and Whitfield.