William Hicks developed a farm in the valley of the Oothkalooga Creek, along with Cherokee leader and neighbor,
Major Ridge, and turned it into a recognized "garden spot" (near present-day
Calhoun in
Gordon County, Georgia). During these years Hicks became allied with Major Ridge. 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, Hicks became baptized as a Christian, as did his wife. About 1822 Ridge and Hicks urged Father Gambold to open a mission at Oothkalooga (Ustinali) and establish a missionary school, as they had more children to be educated. Perhaps because the adoption of a new constitution had provoked an outcry from representatives of bordering states, the tribe was under tremendous pressure to make additional land cessions to Georgia and North Carolina. The Council chose to put in place an interim government in order to better deal with the situation. At its meeting in October 1827 at
New Echota, it named William Hicks as principal chief, Ross as second chief, and Elijah Hicks as President of the National Committee. William Hicks served until October 1828 during a time of great tension.
Relieved of duty John Ross became Principal Chief in October 1828. He was of European and Cherokee ancestry, and had been educated in American schools, was bilingual, and was among the mixed-race elite leaders of the tribe, who were more acculturated to European-American ways. Most of the rest of the tribe did not speak English. George Lowery was elected Second Principal Chief, Lewis Ross as President of the National Committee, Going Snake as Speaker of the Council, John Martin as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Hicks and Ridge were made counselors to the chiefs. ==Later life==