James Dorris Store

Circa 1837. James Dorris (1801-1877) moved to Crabapple from South Carolina around 1834. In 1836 he purchased a 40-acre lot for $65. Dorris, with Cherokee wife Nancy Cook, built a store near this spot. Located along routes to the lottery lands of Cherokee territory, the store was a source of goods and services for settlers and travelers until 1844. Dorris followed a flexible policy of trade, including barter, for both settlers and the native Cherokee. His ledger books recorded transactions that were ‘on account.’ Credit extended by general stores was crucial for early pioneers.