- Collection:
- Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842
- Title:
- [Letter] 1820 Nov. 29, Oakfuskee, Creek Nation [to] Gen[eral] David B. Mitchell, Agent for Indian Affairs / Robert Grierson
- Creator:
- Grierson, Robert
- Date of Original:
- 1820-11-29
- Subject:
- Creek Indians--Claims against
Slavery
Creek Nation - Location:
- United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018
- Medium:
- letters (correspondence)
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- text/html
image/jpeg - Description:
- This document is a letter from Robert Grierson to General David B. Mitchell, U.S. Agent for Indian Affairs, dated November 29, 1820. Grierson describes recent conflicts with Chief William McIntosh and the Big Warrior, both Creek Indian leaders, who have made moves to strip him of his slaves. The issue is complicated by the involvement of Grierson's two eldest sons who intend to work with the Creek leaders to dispossess him and the younger Grierson children of their property. Grierson also describes the treachery of an overseer, Mr. (Bats ?), to whom a number of his daughter's slaves were entrusted, only to be sold out from under the family.
Digital image of original manuscript, scanned by the University of Georgia Libraries in 2000, as part of GALILEO, funded in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. - Local Identifier:
- krc003
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_krc003
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_krc003#item
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_krc003/presentation/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [title of item], Keith Read, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries, presented in the Digital Library of Georgia
- Extent:
- 4 pages/leaves
- Original Collection:
- Manuscript held by the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries, Keith Read, box 06, folder 20, document 03.
- Holding Institution:
- Hargrett Library
- Rights:
-
Page: [1]
Oakfuskee Creek Nation
Novbr. [November] 29th 1820
Der [Dear] Sir
I am under the disagreeable [unclear text: necessity ] of troubling you on Severall [Several] [unclear text: Cases ] which is out of my power to do without your Interfearance [Interference] which I do Intreat [Entreat] you will do in my favour [favor] -- you no doubt have been [unclear text: Conversant ] with my Sittuation [Situation] with [unclear text: Hennry Walker ] which Judgment is now Sattissfyd [Satisfied] and I have a ful [full] [unclear text: Recte [Receipt] ] from Genl. [General] McIntosh for a Considerable ammount [amount] more the sum the [they] had against me -- which Judgment was as unjust as many others likely to be made out ganst [against] me -- at the time I was using my best Effor [Effort] to secure my property from the Robery [Robbery] of McIntosh my Daughter [unclear text: Lessey ] tooke [took] hir [her] property over the line into Montgomery County for protection and appointed a Mr. [unclear text: Bats ] an Overseeer [Overseer] over the negroes and give him a power of Attorney to superintend the Buisness [Business] of the farm and no other -- which you will [unclear text: infer ] from the [document is damaged] of the Letter of my attorney to me Mr. [unclear text: Bats ] very deshonestly [dishonestly] made sale of the negroes to a [unclear text: Mr. Jesse Evens ] and was within a very [unclear text: few miles ] of gitting [getting] the [unclear text: negrs [negroes] ] Run Entirely out of our Reach and could most assuredly have attained their [unclear text: object ] had it not been for the [unclear text: Exertions ] and Engenuity [Ingenuity] of one of the Black men in Causing them to a scape [escape] and [unclear text: come home ] to this place -- . Which we are in dayly [daily] [unclear text: dread ] of them Coming to Rob us of the property and not only this but I put into the hands of
Page: [2]
[unclear text: Mr. Bats ] an number of Valueble [Valuable] Papers [unclear text: {to it [wit] } ] a [unclear text: Rect. [Receipt] ] on Capt. Kennan for James Blacks Bonds for five Thousands dollars which Rect [Receipt] he has Acknoledged [Acknowledged] he has delivered to Mr. Black and tooke [took] a bond as we sepose [suppose] to himself for the same -- Which he Refuses to give up -- and a number of other papers of Less Magnitude -- I am [unclear text: Interested ] by my Sons Sandy and Trotter Grierson the [they] are allways [always] Complaining that the [they] have lost thire [their] negroes by me this not the facts for Sandy holds his [unclear text: orde [order] ] is now from time to time Receiving pay for them which Can Easely [Easily] be Sustanti [edge of page] I have been Informed that the [they] have been to Mr. McIntosh and he has agreed with them to take the hole [whole] of the property from us and make [illegible text] of it to thire [their] [unclear text: oon [own] ] liking which will be the nearest thing to death -- I have Given them a divide of property [unclear text: the [they] ] have Lost it and now the [they] are wanting to [deleted text: take ] Rob the three youngest Children of What the [they] have and Who the [they] Leagily [Legally] got from me and those Eldest Children are ungrateful to the Extream [Extreme] to me -- affording me no relief nor Comforts in old age but the contrary are threatening abuess [abuse] of all Kinds to myself and the three other Children at home. We have yet a Sufficiency to Subsist uppon [upon] if we could be let a Cow -- and could get the negros out of the hands of the other Children Who are Improperly detaining the property out of the hands of my daughter [unclear text: Lesseys ] hands Who has the Just and Leagale [Legal] Righte [Right] to them by my Deeds of Gift to hir [her] the Bigg warrior Came here and Contrary to Reason Law or Gratitude he drew up the negroes and made a divide up by arbitray [arbitrary] [unclear text: drawer ]
Page: [3]
paying no Regard to my titles or wish on the subject and Indeed Ridiculing and abusing me in the most Violent and absurd maner [manner] -- ordering me to be Silent and not open my mouth or he would take the hole [whole] of them and make a public sale of them Now my dier [dear] sir this Kind of treatment to a free man and to a Person Who has Exercized [Exercised] the Industry and Acconemy [Economy] that I have procured a property and a living Could not be born by any person [unclear text: Escapt [Except] ] placed in my helpless Settuation [Situation] Compelled to set in my Chair and bare [bear] his Insulting Language as well as my Complicated disease of Which I have been for this long time afflicted -- Those Children in Whoes [Whose] hands I now am are disposed to treat me human tender and as becomes Children to a parent -- and [document damaged] [unclear text: saw ] I am Antious [Anxious] the [they] Should be Rewar [document damaged: ded for ] thire [their] Kindness to me -- I have Resided in th [document damaged] ntry for a long time and I have been a [document damaged] in the Land -- I have allways [always] acted [document damaged] and laws Regulating those things -- a [document damaged] the [illegible text] Robed [Robbed] and abused in this unlawful maner [manner] in this my advanced Stage of my age and Esctream [Extreme] fralty [frailty] of Body maks [makes] the Burthen more then [than] I Can bare [bear] -- My Der [Dear] sir I do most Earnestly Implore you would Caus [Cause] the proper Representation to be made to the proper autherity [authority] and See that Justice be don [done] in the various heads I have adressed [addressed] you on -- I Intreat [Entreat] you as an Agent and as a Cuntereman [Countryman] -- and have Confidence -- [deleted text: and have ]
Page: [4]
that you will do so I will rest [unclear text: rest ] more then [than] I have for some time and act no more but Remain with Centiments [Sentiments] of High asteem [esteem] & c [et cetera]
David B Mitchell Agent for Indian Afars [Affairs]
[Signed] Robert Grierson
Gen. [General] David B. Mitchell Agent for Indian Affs [Affairs]
[unclear text: per ]
Grierson
Grierson
[document damaged] Oakfuskee Novr. [November] 29 [document damaged] [unclear text: 20 ]