Jane,

I checked the 1860 Federal Census for Anderson County, Tennessee and neither him nor any members of his family are marked as Colored. If he was an Indian he would have been marked as such. You may want to go to the Dawes Rolls and see if any of his relative were registered. For more information on the Dawes Rolls go to the link below.

http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/tutorial/dawes/final-steps.html

I am originally from East Tennessee and somehow over the years it has become a widespread Genealogical legend that everyone that came from East Tennessee is 1/4th Cherokee or has a Cherokee Princess in the group.

Respectfully,

Gerald D. Hodge, Jr.
War Between the States Historian
Historian: 39th Georgia Volunteer Infantry Regiment
http://39thgavolinfrgt.homestead.com/39thHomepage.html