[Letter] 1822 Aug., Darien, McIntosh County, Georgia [to] Gen[era]l Preston[?] / James Smith

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Darien, McIntosh County Georgia
August 1822
Genl [General] [unclear text: Preston ]
Sir --
Observing in the Milledgeville Journal (of a recent date,) the names of those Citizens of Georgia, who had claims against the Creek Nation of Indians for depredations committed on their property, with the [unclear text: Sums ] awarded by you as the Commissioner appointed by the President to adjust, and award agreeble [agreeable] to the legality of the [unclear text: same ] ; which in your wisdom might [unclear text: deem correct As ] one who had suffered, my Claim was forwarded you by my friend [unclear text: Jno [John] Elliott esqr [esquire] ] of Liberty County -- and against which name the sum of $3150 is awarded. The claim [unclear text: Sir ] you will find was in my name, tho' [though] others was interested; & it was thought proper [unclear text: by us ] that [unclear text: such should ] be the [unclear text: arrangement ] -- we are [unclear text: now ] at a loss have to determine or make such [unclear text: decisions ] as may be correct, for each ones satisfaction; therefore I must solicit your indulgence in permiting [permitting] me in behalf of those concerned; to beg your attention to this for us -- the difficulty [unclear text: arises ] from this circumstance the [unclear text: Sums ] awarded by you, not being made specific (particularly on any of the exhibits -- but being small on the whole we know not whether the loss of Crop estimated at $3,700 and the [unclear text: four ] Children as stated in the charge against Sd [Said] Nation [added text: valued at $1600 ] being [unclear text: detained ] in the Nation by the Indians as having their [illegible text] birth there, from the woman Mary, ( [illegible text] ) is [unclear text: included ] in the award, we know not -- as that portion of loss is jointly between [unclear text: several ] -- [unclear text: hand ] that have been included in [deleted text: [unclear text: this ] ] the sum [unclear text: awarded ] you will [unclear text: confer ] a favour [favor] to state what Amt. [Amount] [unclear text: Specially ] , or otherwise; [unclear text: on ] [document damaged: which ] [unclear text: I auction, we shall be ] Guided -- to [document damaged] Aid [document damaged]


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[unclear text: form ] the [unclear text: many ] [document damaged: claims ] handed in to you, you might be at a loss to remember the one in question; therefore I have inclosed [enclosed] a Copy -- marking the two Charges against said nation ( [deleted text: ] [ Note: The drawing of a hand appears here. ] ) which gives rise to this inquiry -- I must again beg you will pardon this liberty, & will entreat a favour [favor] in hearing from you as speedily as possible --

Am yours, most respectfully
[Signed] Jas [James] Smith

Copy of Claims exhibited to Genl [General] Preston (Commissioned) for [unclear text: assertaining [ascertaining] ] the same, against the Creek Nation of Indians [unclear text: commented ] on the property of Jas [James] Smith
May 3d [3rd] 1798



The Creek Nation to James Smith -- [illegible text]
[unclear text: See ] document No 1 a true [illegible text] Copy of a letter from T [document damaged] [unclear text: esqr [esquire] ] D, A, I, Affairs - as [document damaged] one other from [illegible text] Marked No 1
[unclear text: To 13 prime grown Slaves ] -- (Men & Women) viz. -- [unclear text: Meino ], [unclear text: Gennant ], Charles, [illegible text], Jack, [illegible text], Will Mary, Clarissa Charlott, [unclear text: Livey ], [unclear text: Hesther ] & Sarah; plundered from his Farm in the County of Liberty, on the afternoon of the above date -- Worth on Average at least $550 [unclear text: cash ] $7150
[unclear text: See ] Jno [John] Milligan an Indian Trader Letter [illegible text] Said Woman No. 2
[unclear text: I net ] on $7150 from
3d. [3rd] May 1793 -- until the
20th Nov 1793 -- as then the woman Sarah was [unclear text: auctioned ] by [illegible text] are for $64.25 & sent by an Indian Trader Jno [John] Milligan by T. B. -- [unclear text: D, A, I, ] affairs then recd. [received] the woman Sarah worth $550 -- 550

$6600
[unclear text: Paid ] Cash for the woman Sarah 64:20
$6664:25
the records of the State for the date of [unclear text: 10 ] Treaty or those of the U States
[unclear text: I net ] : on $6664-25 from the
20th Nov 1793 until
1795 as then recd [received] three of the above named Negros [Negroes] at a Treaty held at [unclear text: Beards ] Bluff by Majr [Major] Seagroves Agent I. A.
[unclear text: See ] Coll. Benjn. [Colonel Benjamin] Hawkins [illegible text] I. [Indian] Affairs - Letter [illegible text] Said negros [negroes] No. 3
Then recd [received] the three as above worth $550 each 1650

$5014..25
[unclear text: I net ] on $5014.25 from the year
1795 until
9th Feby [February] 1807; as then again rec'd [received] four of said Slaves the Woman (Mary) as one with an Infant Child, born after obtained from the Indians; which is the 5th as stated in Coll. [Colonel] Hawkins Letter [unclear text: Accompad. ] them --
ø ( here is omitted the charge & credit for the fellow Will. )
Then recd [received] four as stated above worth $550 each 2200

$2814..25



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Amt. [Amount] Brot [Brought] up $2814.25
[unclear text: I net ] [document damaged] $2814.25 from [document damaged]
Feby [February] 1807 until this year 1821 or until paid
[unclear text: Could our overseer Mr Womack ] whom I sent for said woman & others at the Creek agency be found would testify to the fact see Coll. [Colonel] B Hawkins Letter by [unclear text: Womack ] No [document damaged] & 6 --
[ Note: The drawing of a hand appears here. ] To the worth of four Children withheld from the Woman (Mary) sent me by Coll: Benjm [Colonel Benjamin] Hawkins [unclear text: S, I, I ] I [Indian] Affairs as above stated, claimed as being born on their land, all of whom must now be grown & worth $400 each 1600
[ Note: The drawing of a hand appears here. ] To the total loss of my Crop, & much expense accrued from a complete abandonment of my farms from the [unclear text: depredation ] of Sd. [Said] Indians [unclear text: on ] the [unclear text: 5th ]
1793
Worth at least 3700

Principal Amount $8164.25
The two latter charges, are [illegible text] in question to be determined
ø As a proof of this Mr T Barnard will acknowledge, as also Mr Braughton [unclear text: could ] [deleted text: be ] it known where he resides -- that a Letter [unclear text: could ] reach him --
To one other man Stolen (Will) by said Nation of Indians
June 1801 $550 550
[unclear text: I net ] on $550 from
June 1801 until
1802, [illegible text] for one [illegible text] then Sd [Said] fellow was returned to my [unclear text: overseer ] Jno [John] Braughton whom [unclear text: I sent ] to T Barnard in the nation for his above expence [expense] & [illegible text] was considerable



[ Note: A mathematical calculation appears on the left of the page. ] awarded Jas [James] Smith principal [unclear text: not including ] Marys children & [illegible text] over the amt [amount] of Jas [James] Smith principal made [unclear text: out ] to Each.
This to be arranged among the [unclear text: Heirs ] -- } [document damaged]

67 15& 16:79 is to A -- $83:94
67 15& 16:79 B -- $83:94
67 15& 16:79 " C -- $83:94
67 15& 16:79 " D -- $83:94

[unclear text: $335,, 76 ]





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-- Duplicate --
Genl [General] [unclear text: Preston ]