USA > Georgia > Tift County > History of Tift County > Part 2
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"They claimed," says the bulletin, "the territory on the east from the Savannah to St. Johns Rivers and all the islands thence to Appalachee Bay and from this line nowthward to the mountains.
"They sold to Great Britain at an early date this territory between the
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HISTORY OF TIFT COUNTY
Savannah and Ogeechee Rivers, and all the islands up to the tidewater, reserving for themselves St. Catherine, Sapelo, and Ossabaw Islands and from Pipemakers Bluff to Savannah.
"The towns were classified as Upper Creeks, on Coosa and Tallapoosa Rivers, Alabama, and Lower Creeks, on middle or lower Chattahoochee River, on the Alabama-Georgia border."
Muskogee was the Indian name for these people, and Creek, the English. There are two theories for the cause of the latter name: many people be- lieve that the Indians' fondness for rivers and streams is responsible : Swan- ton agrees with Prof. V. W. Crane's idea that Creek is a condensation of Ocheese Creek Indians, Ocheese being an old name for the Ocmulgee, upon which many of these Indians were living when the English first con- tacted them.
According to Swanton in "Creek Indians and Their Neighbors," the upper Creeks lived on Coosa, Tallapoosa, and Alabama Rivers and in the neighboring country, and the lower Creeks, on the Chattahoochee and Flint. Tradition gives the origin of these Indians in the west, but Swanton asserts that Muskogee tribes had completed their migration before De Soto's arrival.
Colonel Benjamin Hawkins, former Indian agent for United States Government, said, "They have a tradition among them that there is in the fork of the Red River, West of Mississippi, two mounds of earth; that at this place, the Cussetuhs, Conetuhs, and Chickasaws found themselves; that being distressed by wars and red people, they crossed the Mississippi ; and directing their course eastwardly they crossed the falls of Tallapoosa above Tookaubatch, settled below the falls of Chattahoochee, and spread out from thence to Ocmulgee, Oconee, Savannah, and down on the seacoast towards Charleston. Here they first saw white people, and from hence they have been compelled to retire back again to their present settlement."1
Their towns were divided into white and red; the former for peace; the latter for war, which the Great Warrior determined.2 When the micco and counsellors believed the town had received an injury, the Great War- rior lifted the hatchet against the offending nation. The micco and coun- sellors, however, could avoid war by negotiation. If the Great Warrior, still persisting, left for war, his followers joined him in battle, after he fired his gun and set up the war whoop. Not more than one-half the nation ever went to war at the same time or took "the war talk."
Their superstitions were numerous.3 These Indians believed that a rat- tlesnake would give good luck if he crawled into a camp during a ball game and that a wolf would punish the irreverent. The musical title, "night wanderers." for the wolf, reminds one of the kennings in "Beowulf." The
1. White's "Statistics of Georgia," p. 28.
2. Loc. Cit
3. Debo's "Road to Disappearance"-page 238.
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HISTORY OF TIFT COUNTY
Creeks respected plants as well as animals. Children were not allowed to play with corn cobs because the corn represented an old lady, who was sen- sitive.
In the fall to prevent colds, they used leaf-colored water.+ "For four mornings in succession they drank the leaf-flavored medicine in four sips, facing east and then dipped in it four times." Since mist to them was pure water, the women used it for hair tonic. Their beauty parlors were vine- clad nooks in the woods, where Indian maids spread their hair under the dripping sap of grapevines to give luxuriance. These maids called leaves "tree hair."5
Angie Debo in "Road to Disappearance," refers to superstitions given by an aged Creek woman, Monie Coker, p. 299. Pointing a finger at the rain- bowbow will make the finger crooked. Blindness and falling teeth are the penalty for not spitting four times after one sees a falling star. If a hunter will bury some of the hair from the right foot of a squirrel he had killed, he will kill more squirrels. Pups if given wasps four mornings will develop into ferocious watch dogs.
Superstitions concerning infants are: if an infant eats the tongue of a mocking bird, he will grow into a mimic; if someone scratches the baby with a quail's toes, the latter will become fast and nimble; if the child drinks liquid from an old well, he will be a good singer.
Their religion was closely related to their superstitions. The Creeks attached much significance to superior beings' directing human affairs.6 Each tribe had its conjurors and magicians, which the Indians consulted about health, hunting, and war. They called on all spirits, good and bad to help them in difficult undertakings. They regarded signs and dreams as important. Creeks looked upon fire as sacred and paid the author of it a kind of worship. At the time of full moon they observed several feasts and ceremonies, which it would seem were derived from some religious origin.7
According to James Adair the Indians worshipped "the Great, Beneficent, Supreme, Holy Spirit of Fire, who resides, as they think, above the clouds and on earth among unpolluted people." With the "red men" this Great Spirit was the sole author of light, heat, and all animal and vegetable life. The Creeks considered the sun as a visible representative of the Great Spirit. ruler of heaven and earth, whom they called8 "The Great Fire above, and fire, to them an emanation from the sun, was sacred." The fire was rekindled but once a year with a solemn ceremony; it was wicked act to put out the flames in the meantime.
Connected with the Creek's religion was an annual festival, Booksketau,
4. Ibid., lines 1 and 2, p. 999.
5. Debo's "Road to Disappearance," p. 200.
6. Hewat, page 78, Swanton's "Early History of the Creek Indians and Their Neighbors.'
7. Toc. Cit
8. Walter G. Cooper's "Story of Georgia" Vol. 1, p. 46.
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HISTORY OF TIFT COUNTY
which the Indians celebrated in the month of July or August. In some towns the festival lasted eight days: in other towns, four days. Colonel Benjamin Hawkins said,9 "This happy institution of the Booksketau, re- stores a man to himself, to his family, and to his nation. It is a general amnesty, which not only absolves the Indians from all crimes, murder only excepted, but seems to bury guilt itself in oblivion."
Colonel Hawkins also gave an account of the marriage customs. A man who wanted a wife did not propose in person, but, like Miles Standish, courted by proxy. The lover sent his sister, mother, or some other female relative to the female relatives of the chosen red maid. The representatives consulted the girl's brothers and maternal uncle, and sometimes the father. The last consultation was a mere courtesy, as his approval or disapproval was not important. If the suitor received a favorable answer, carried by his representatives, he would send a blanket and clothing to the women in the girl's family.
After these formalities, the lover could go to his fiancee's home at any time he chose. When he had built a house, made and gathered a crop, hunted and brought home the meat, and presented all these things to the maid, the ceremony ended. The two were then considered married-in other words, the woman was bound.
Now as we feel the vibrations of the "red men's" footsteps, let us sit in the park on a bench under the vigorous green needles of the ancient pines, some of which are two-hundred-forty years old, and watch on the screen of time flashes from the Creek nation.
First, Creek characters flash in the preview. Indian men, with long, coarse, black hair and regular features, enter, wearing animal skins. Some of the leaders are wearing bands of feathers or metal on their heads and ornaments in their noses. The countenance of these men is "open, digni- fied, and placid, yet the forehead and brow so formed as to strike you in- stantly with heroism and bravery; the eye, though small, is active and full of fire. Their countenance and actions exhibit an air of magnanimity, su- periority, and independence."10
Now we have a snow scene.41 Indian women low, but well proportioned. wearing heavy skin blankets, are hurrying toward their wigwams. Like the men, these squaws have long, black, coarse hair. Following this group are young Indian maidens in short skirts, made of deer skins, and shawls of animal skins.
Spring is here. Indian girls wearing aprons of strings, with pieces of metals dangling from the ends dance across the stage. Now follows an- other group of dancing maids, carrying turkey feather fans and wearing in their hair ornaments of beads, feathers, copper, and colored stones.
9. White's "Statistics of Georgia," p. 33.
10. William Bartram, Cooper's "History of Georgia" Vol. I, p. 49.
11. John R. Swanton's "Early History of the Creek Indians and Their Neighbors."
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Now the first main scene flashes. Lower Creek Indians are darting here and there in the dense woods, looking for game. A close-up view shows "men of dark, reddish color, strong, well-proportioned, active and capable of enduring great physical suffering."12 They hunt game on the low coastal plains and fish in small streams. In the early fall they gather their scanty crops of grain ; it does not take much food to satisfy them.
An Indian lover happily stoops, planting beans and setting poles for the vines to climb on. The happy expression is due to the fact that he killed a bear and sent a pan of bear oil to the beautiful Indian maid whom he wished to marry. Her acceptance of the oil, an equivalent of the English "yes," was the first step in the betrothal; he then was at liberty to hoe her cornfield. Days pass. He now eagerly watches the growth of the beans, for their entwining around the pole will symbolize the union.
Now here comes the bride! Nature is the priest that performs the ceremony. The groom breaks an ear of corn and gives half to the maiden. Instead of a ring ceremony, the groom presents a piece of venison to the bride, and she gives him an ear of corn.13
The guests have danced and feasted, and the girl's uncle is leading the couple to their bed. He exclaims,14 "This is your bed, lie in it."
This marrige is binding until the Green Corn Dance.15 If the husband or wife is dissatisfied, the marriage can be annulled.
The setting now is for the Green Corn Festival. This woodland scene is far from habitation. It consists of a large square, with four large log houses, each house forming a side of the square.16 "The houses are of logs and clay and a sort of wicker-work, with sharp topped sloping roofs." Attached to every house is a thick, notched mast, resembling the old-style war club; on each mast is a pile of tall canes, from which black and white feathers droop.
In the center of an outer square is a very high circular mound, which the Indians formed from the earth accumulated yearly by removing the surface of the sacred square.17 "At every Green Corn Festival the sacred square is strewn with soil yet untrodden; the soil of the year preceding be- ing taken away, but preserved as above explained. No stranger is allowed to press the new earth of the sacred square until its consecration is com- plete."
Now the head chief in every town is given the signal to extinguish all fires. The first ceremonial is beginning-lighting the new fire of the year.
12. Brook's "History of Georgia." p. 17.
13. Scene based on points from "McGillivray of the Creeks" by Caughey, p. 12.
14. Ibid., p. 12, line 40.
15. Ibid., p. 13.
16. Description of Green Corn Dance taken from John Howard Payne's letter in Conti- nental Monthly reproduced by John R. Swanton in "Chronicles of Oklahoma," June 1932, p. 176.
17. Ibid., p. 177.
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An Indian is bringing a square board with a hollow in the center ; now he is pouring on it dust from dry leaves or trees. Five Indian chiefs are whirling the stick until friction produces a flame. Now they are carrying the fire to the center of the sacred square; over this fire the "red men" set the holy vessels of pottery, and on a bench, the drinking gourds with a handle. Now the Indians are brewing the black drink.
Indian chiefs, motionless as statues are standing around the sides and corners. Every building is full of silent Indians. Those on the back rows are seated in the Turkish fashion, but those in front have their feet on the ground.18 "All are turbaned, ail fantastically painted, all in dresses varying in ornament, but alike in wildness." An Indian chief, wearing a tall black hat with a large silver band and peacock feather is imposing looking. Many of the Indians are wearing eagle plumes, which indicate that they have slain a foe.
Listen to the strange, low, deep wail! Voices in unison are holding notes a long time. Ah, there is a second wail, "shrill like the sound of musical glasses." Now a third wail in another key! The statue-like figures form two diagonal lines opposite each other. One, by one each figure approaches the huge bowls where the black drink is brewing.
Men with whitened long-handled gourds filled with pebbles are seated on mats ; whereas those who have been sitting are forming in circles around the fire. Led by a chief, they begin movements from the left. As the proces- sion moves, the solemn "red men" chant to the rhythm of rattling gourds -a surprisingly harmonious sound until some of the dancers interrupt at regular intervals with a chorus like the shrill yelp of a dog.19 "The dance seems to bear reference to the fires in the center ;" the head chief as he ap- proaches the flame, lifts his hand over the flame as if invoking a benedic- tion and every dancer follows his example. Each stately dancer carrying a feather fan gives two taps each with the heel and toe of one foot, then of the other, making a step forward and fanning himself as each foot taps on the earth. The dance increases to a rhythmical run and the dancers vary their cries to suit the motion. Suddenly the Indians give a shrill whoop and stop abruptly. Most of them, however, are rushing down a steep, nar- row ravine, canopied with foliage, to the river, into which they plunge.
Now they are returning to the sacred square. An aged chief uttering a low, broken sound, alleluliah, to which the others respond, leads a proces- sion of Indians. In a few minutes they will close with a war whoop.
A fire blazes in the darkness of the wild woods. Eerie forms around the cauldron suggest witches' scenes in "Macbeth." Four weird figures are stir- ring the cauldron and humming the incantation while the others are danc- ing. Now they2" are using "a small kettle-drum with a guitar-like handle."
18. Ibid., p. 180.
19. Ibid., p. 181.
20. Ibid., p. 195.
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Screen flashes a group of squaws, dressed in long, gaily-colored gowns and bright shawls, draped like mantles. They are wearing innumerable beads on their necks, tortoise-shell combs in their hair, and massive, long silver earrings in their ears. Some of the dancers are wearing under their robes and on their calves large squares of thick leather21 "covered all over with terrapin-shells close together and perforated and filled with pebbles, which rattle like so many sleigh bells. These they keep silent until their accompaniment is required for the music of their dances." Broad vari- colored ribbon bands streaming from the back of each head to the ground and brilliant glass, coral, and gold beads dangling give the dancers22 "an air of graceful and gorgeous, and at the same time, unique wildness."
The procession winds around a central fire and stretches out until it ex- tends in three circles and a half. The shortest line halts and faces the men sitting chanting. The last group includes the dancers who wear terrapin leg bands, which rattle to the rhythm of the chants. At the end of each line are two women-one elderly, the other, not young-carrying a little notched stick, floating two feathers and circling around the rest. These two squaws break away from the line and make a circuit outside, while the three circles march slowly round and round, and turn at a given signal to face the men, who face the emblem of the deity, the central fire.
Aunt Nancy Luke, an Irwin County woman, whose husband is off fight- ing Indians, sees five red skins coming toward her in single file. For a mo- ment her eyes reflect horror, as the brave woman pictures torture and death for herself and children. Suddenly regaining self possession as the Indians approach, she invites them to dinner. They follow to the dining room where the sight of food whets their appetite. The "red men" flop on the benches around the table and eat every particle of clabber, corn bread, and potatoes.
As the Indians rise from the table, Aunt Nancy again expects death, but they march into the yard and begin the war dance. As they point to the house, she shudders, for to her they seem to be planning her death. After observing carefully, however, the expression in their eyes and the gesticula- tions, she decides that the Indians are thanking her for the dinner. Now they form a line and march toward the gate.
Cows are stampeding.23 Pioneer settlers are following the cows, which seem to know when the Indians are approaching and stampede in the oppo- site direction. Taking what they can in their arms, men, women, and chil- dren are following the cattle . . It is night, weary from tramping in the swamp the people lie down . .. Morning dawns and the families again follow the Indian forecasters, the lowly cows, which are valuable protec-
21. Ibid., p. 192.
22. Loc. Cit.
23. "History of Worth County" by Lillie Grubbs.
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HISTORY OF TIFT COUNTY
tors. Upon reaching home these people find that the "red men" have ran- sacked the places.
Aunt Betsy Story, with a bundle in her hand, is walking toward the cow pen to spend the night.24 The cow pen is the safest spot, for "Old Susie" has scented Indians many times a quarter of a mile away and broken the gate down in her haste to go in the opposite direction.
After several guards among the "pale faces" have mysteriously disap- peared, a daring young man has agreed to stand on guard in a spot in the wire grass. Alone in the forest, he hears the grunt of a hog, and looking down in the bushes sees an animal creeping along. Suddenly the man aims and fires. Out of a hog's hide rolls a dead Indian.
Screen flashes a scene in 1814. Quills are moving at Fort Jackson. A treaty with the Lower Creeks is being signed by Indians as representatives of various towns. It has been duly signed by Major-General Jackson, who was responsible for the defeat of the Indians on August 9, 1814. In the War of 1812 between Britain and the United States many Indians sided with Britain. The signing of the treaty is being witnessed by two Indian agents, an officer in the United States Army, three interpreters, and others.
In this treaty Creek Indians have ceded to the United States for Georgia, by virtue of the agreement of 1802, the lands between the western line of Wayne County, bounded on the south by the Florida line, and on the north by lines starting from the Chattahoochee River near Fort Gaines and run- ning due east to a point northeast of Isabella, and thence forty-five degrees northeast to the Ocmulgee River, and thence, following the Ocmulgee to the Altamaha River near Jesup, where it intersects the western boundary line of Wayne County.25 (The present site of Tift County was in the northern part of the section acquired.) * *
It is February 12, 1825. General William McIntosh, chief of the Lower Creek Indians, for his people is signing at Indian Springs the treaty which gives the United States Government all lands lying west of the Flint River. The initial ceding of the land was effected by the treaty at Washington, on November 14, 1805.
Flashes are now coming from the late spring of 1836. Creeks from the section around the Chattahoochee River are passing through the Wiregrass Country. Original Irwin County is being devastated by the savages. Grue- some shadows are cast on the background of a dense forest of pines. Men and boys are rushing back and forth, fighting the flames. Pale and trem-
24. Irwin County woman referred to in The Tifton Gazette.
25. Dr. Walter Martin's "History of Tift County" published by the Tifton Gazette.
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HISTORY OF TIFT COUNTY
bling, the women and children cringe within the circle of light. Savage yells are renting the air.
Scene shifts to August 1836. A company of "pale faces" are fighting In- dians in the Bushy Creek Swamps. "Pale faces" retreat. Two other com- panies are following the Indians to a spot five miles below the first battle- field. White men are surrounding the swamp; now they are opening fire. One by one the Indians slink out of the swamp defeated.
A squad of Indians is raiding the house of William Parker (located not far from what is now Lakeland). They are taking more than $300, cloth- ing and food. Captain Knight, commander of a large brave company, is pursuing the red men and overtaking them near Alapaha River, not far from Gaskin Mill Pond. Indians are completely routed. During this skir- mish a white man, Mr. Peters, is wounded severely.
Indians throw their guns and plunder into the river and jump into the water. One red man throws his shot gun into the river and tries to throw a shot bag after it. The bag is caught by a limb and hangs over the water.
Having driven the Indians beyond the river, Captain Knight marches his men toward Brushy Creek. As the soldiers arrive they hear a volley of arms. Hastening toward the swamp from which the sound came, the com- pany sees that the battle is over. They learn that the volley was a tribute to Pennywell Folsom, who had fallen during the Brushy Creek engagement. They learn, too, that the Indians have killed Edward Shanks and Ferrell, and wounded Edwin Henderson. Robert Parrish's arm has been broken by a bullet. Twenty-two of the Indians have been killed and numbers wounded.
Leaving the Companies who have fought in the Battle of Brushy Creek, Captain Knight leads his men ?way to another battlefield (to what is now Clinch County ) and overtakes the Indians at Cow Creek. Three Indians are killed and four taken prisoners. Brazelius is dangerously wounded.
A "pale face" rescues the shot bag which lodged on the limb of a tree when thrown toward the river. Upon opening the bag, the white man dis- covers the money which a "red man" stole from William Parker. The shot gun which is fished from the river is sold for the price-then fabulous-of forty dollars.
(According to Fred Shaw's manuscript about Tift County, the Brushy Creek Battle ended the fighting with "red men" in this section. Supposition is that these defeated Indians joined forces with the Florida Seminoles. )
The following is an excerpt from Shaw's manuscript, which gives facts from old copies of the Ocilla Dispatch and the Valdosta Times :
Of the three companies that took part in the Battle of Brushy Creek there is a record of only the killed or wounded. Of Captain Knight's company,
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HISTORY OF TIFT COUNTY
which numbered one hundred and twenty men coming from all parts of Southwest Georgia, the following were among the members:
Bryan J. Roberts, Moses Giddens, John Studstill, Aaron Knight, Guil- ford Register, David Clements, William Giddens, John Roberts, Zeke Parrish, Nathan Roberts, John McMillan, Robert Parrish, John McDer- mid, George Henedge, Jeremiah Shaw, Daniel Sloan, John Lee, Moses Lee, James Patten, W. J. Roberts, Isben Giddens, Jacob Giddens, Elbert Peterson, John Knight, Thomas Giddens, Harmon Gaskins, John Gaskins, William Gaskins, Sim Lee, Frederick Giddens, James Parrish, Martin Shaw, Archie McCranie, Alexander Patterson, James Edmondson, David Mathis, Thomas Mathis, Levi Shaw, William Peters, Jonathan Knight, and Brazelius Staten.
Although this immediate section was left in peace after the Indians were driven into Florida, the red skins immediately began making trouble for the people of North Florida and extreme South Georgia. Feeling against the Indians was at a high pitch and military companies from both states joined in an effort to break the power of the savages.
The following pay roll of one of the companies contains the names of many men whose descendants now live in Tift and adjoining counties :
Of Captain H. W. Sharp's Company of Florida Volunteers in the Indian War of 1836. The following is the amount due each officer and soldier :
I. Archibald McCranie, Capt., $124.93; 2. John Lindsey, Ist Lieut., $45.79; 3. John McCranie, 2nd Lieut., $42.27; 4. J. D. Hancock, Ensign and 4th Lieut., $26.43 ; 5. Martin Shaw, $19.75; 6. Daniel McCranie, Jr., $35.50 ; 7. Joseph Anderson, $5.75 ; 8. James J. Burman, $5.05 ; 9. Thomas Belote, $2.38; ro. William Coane, $3.75; 11. Samuel Connell, $8.75; 12. Peter Connell, $12.00; 13. Ebin Deloach, $26.75; 14. General Deloach, $23.25. 15. William Durrance, $12.00; 16. D. J. Durrance $3.75; 17. Martin Folsom, $7.25; 18. Elijah Folsom, $12.25; 19. Wm. H. Fountain, $6.50 ; 20. Randall Fulford, $11.50; 21, J. B. Goulding, $23.25; 22. Daniel Griner, $14.50; 23. William Griner, $6.00; 24. Samuel Griner, $2.66; 25. Richard Golding, $13.00; 26. Anderson Golding, $1.98; 27. William Gaskins, $5.25 ; 28. Jeremiah Hancock, $15.00; 29. Henry Hancock, $8.75.
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