 William Holland Thomas, a white store owner and state legislator from Jackson County, North Carolina, helped over 600 Cherokee from Qualla Town obtain North Carolina citizenship, which exempted them from forced removal.Over 400 Cherokee either hid from Federal troops in the remote Snowbird Mountains, under the leadership of Tsali (), or belonged to the former Valley Towns area around the Cheoah River who negotiated with the state government to stay in North Carolina.An additional 400 Cherokee stayed on reserves in Southeast Tennessee, North Georgia, and Northeast Alabama, as citizens of their respective states.