- Collection:
- Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842
- Title:
- [Letter], 1825 Apr. 12, Creek Nation to [Georgia] Governor [George M.] Troup / Samuel Hawkins
- Creator:
- Hawkins, Samuel
- Date of Original:
- 1825-04-12
- Subject:
- Creek Indians--Land tenure
Indian land transfers - Location:
- United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018
- Medium:
- letters (correspondence)
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- text/html
image/jpeg - Description:
- Samuel Hawkins of the Creek Nation writes to Georgia Governor George M. Troup about Creek Agent John Crowel(l)'s unfair distribution of the Creek annuity payment in 1821 and 1822. Hawkins claims that Crowel(l) made payment in large bills despite Big Warrior's request that the Creeks receive small bills so the annuity could be divided up equally among the people. Hawkins implies that Crowel(l) made payment in this manner to force the Creeks to buy goods at his brother Thomas Crowel(l)'s store. He also reports that Crowel(l)'s brother Henry cleared Creek land without permission. Creek leader William McIntosh is mentioned.
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:
- tcc166
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_tcc166
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_tcc166#item
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_tcc166/presentation/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [title of item], Telamon Cuyler, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries, presented in the Digital Library of Georgia
- Extent:
- 3 pages/leaves
- Original Collection:
- Manuscript held by the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries, Telamon Cuyler, box 78, folder 01, document 03.
- Holding Institution:
- Hargrett Library
- Rights:
-
Page: [1]
Creek Nation
12 Aprill [April] 1825
To Governor Troup, Sir,
I have taken the liberty of adresing [addressing] you on this occasion, believing you to be the friend of our nation, and of stating to you some facts which relate to the Conduct of our agent Mr. John Crowel, which I will at any time if called upon swear to. when the agent John Crowel, first paid money to the nation as there anuity [their annuity] in
1821 he paid it in hundred & in fify [fifty] dollar Bills to the principal Chiefs to be divided [deleted text: to ] [added text: by ] them to there [their] respected towns, the Big Warrior told the agent at the time, that, the money could not be fairly divided for the want of Smaller Bills, and requested the agent the next time he paid them off to bring small bills. Before the agent had ever met the Chieffs [Chiefs] in counsel his Brother Mr. Thos. [Thomas] Crowell brought to fort Mitchell a large stock of goods, and when the agent came to the Council house he told the chieffs [chiefs] that his Brother had goods and had given him a license, and that the might buy what goods the wanted. The Cieffs [Chiefs] having what money was to go to there [their] respective towns in large bills of fifty and hundred [deleted text: da ] dollars were Compeld [Compelled] to go to Mr. Thos. [Thomas] Crowel and buy domestick [domestic] [unclear text: harvess ] at fifty Cts pr. [Cents per] yard of the same discription [description] of goods that Gen. McIntosh had furnished
Page: [2]
the nation 25 Cts pr. [Cents per] yard only a few month ago or to make an unequal division of there money to [deleted text: to go ] go to the settlements for Change. -- at the time the anuety [annuity] was paid to the nation in
1822 the agent John Crowel again paid of the nation in fifty & hundred Dollar Bills -- and when the Chieffs [Chiefs] asked him for change he said his Brother was provided with Change or small Bills and at the same time Cautioned the Chieffs [Chiefs] against Counterfeiters and said there were a great many Counterfeit bills and many suspisious [suspicious] person about but that the Change his Brother had was genuine. The Chieffs [Chiefs] after receiving there [their] respective amounts alowed [allowed] to there [their] town went to Mr Thos. [Thomas] Crowel the agents Brother and asked him to Change there [their] money he told the Chieffs [Chiefs] (my self acting as interpreter) that he would give the Chieffs [Chiefs] of Hil town each fore [four] dollars in cash but that the ballance [balance] of the money must be laid out in goods some of the Chieffs agread [Chiefs agreed] to do so but others refused & went of [off] to those who bought his goods in order to make a division to his town he charged 37 1/2 cts [unclear text: p. yds ] Gen. McIntosh had goods there & sold homespuns at 31 1/4 p. yd. -- I can further state that I was the interpreter when J. [John] Crowel told the Chieffs [Chiefs] that his Brother Henry Crowel who lives at the agency wanted to make fields on the west side of the Flint river & said the land on the reserve was wore out & he could not make a suport [support] on it but his Brother said to him
Page: [3]
that he did not want to clear a field for the Georgian [added text: he the agent ] & asked the Chieffs [Chiefs] if the [they] intended shortly to part with there [their] lands. The Big Warrior [unclear text: replied ] -- at the same time laughting [laughing] -- that he the agent need not be afraid that the nation would shortly sell there [their] lands to Georgia. I have since understood from the head Chiefs that kno [no] direct permission was granted to the agent or his Brother to clear a field on the west side of the river, but the agents Brother has a large field on the west side of the river and has rented out all the fields on the reserve.
I remain your humble servant
[Signed] Saml [Samuel] Hawkins of the Creek Nation