According to "Unhallowed Intrusion," by Don Shadburn, George Parris, a half-blood Cherokee, apparently changed the spelling of the family name. One of the earliest references to George Parris involves a land transaction with Cherokee headmen and his father, Richard. On December 21, 1773, Oconostota, Willimauwah, and Ewe, three Cherokee chiefs, deeded 150,000 acres of land to George for 100 English pounds. The following year George deeded 100,000 acres to his father for 500 pounds, reserving 50,000 acres for himself. The deeds were recorded in Charleston in 1782.
During the revolution, George served the British as a scout and possibly as a bilingual interpreter, since his father had often been employed by traders and British agents in that capacity. In 1809, it is recorded, George Parris gave Charles Goodwin, a lawyer of Edgefield, power of attorney, stating he was leaving South Carolina.
Prior to that year, however, Parris must have made trips into the Cherokee country of Georgia. James Vann, in making his last will and testament in 1808, named Parris as one of his trusted executors, along with Richard Rowe, another half-blood. Following Vann's death in 1809, Parris acted, at least temporarily, as a lawful executor in the Cherokee Nation in carrying out certain provisions of Vann's will respecting his Spring Place estate.
Apparently, George Parris had two Cherokee wives. Some researchers contend that Caty Baldridge and her sister were mothers of several Parris children. Other evidence suggests his wives may have been mixed-blood daughters of Aaron Price. At any rate, Parris finally moved to a place on Baldridge Creek west of the Chattahoochee River in what was later the 14th District of Forsyth County, Georgia. Family research indicates he had at least these children: Aaron, William, Moses, Robert, Caty, George Jr., Jesse, and Nelly Parris.