A Time of Pivotal Change

George Washington died on December 14, 1799. Piominko died sometime between October 1798 and early 1799. No exact date is known because Chickasaw spiritual beliefs preclude talk of an individual's death.

Washington's and Piominko's deaths marked turning points in Chickasaw and U.S. relations. Washington’s successors, Adams didn't share Washington's views toward Indian land and Jefferson, a supporter of Washington's Indian policy, changed his opinion after Washington's death. In the coming years, the Chickasaw Nation would see traditional leadership roles transition from a clan system to more of a European system of government. The major reason for the change was the rise to prominence of a new mixed-blood leadership.