Creek

The Late Slave Raiding Period 1705-1721

This is the period when Native Americans increasingly became the pawns of France and Great Britain in their struggle over North America. For a quarter of a century, France had formally claimed all lands within the Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio River Basins, based on the explorations of LaSalle. With the founding of the first capital of the Province of Louisiana, Mobile, in 1702, France also claimed the basin of the Mobile-Alabama-Tallapoosa-Coosa-Etowah-Coosawattee River System. At the same time, France recognized the claim of the Kingdom of Spain to the Chattahoochee-Flint River System all the way to what is now the northeastern … Read more

Why the History of the Era is Confusing

Many people of Creek descent, who are not professional historians, have written me over the past few months with questions about the Creeks during the English Colonial Period. They are totally confused by the conflicting information presented by web sites, books, tour guides and historical markers. The information seems to vary by state. I feel their pain! I was in the same boat for years! I will try to give complete answers to their questions with a six part News Update – rather than answering everybody individually. I can’t emphasize enough that the most important source of confusion is the … Read more

Creeks became Creeks 1717-1755

This is the era when the Creeks became the Creeks. During the late 1600s the English colonial records described dealings with several Muskogean ethnic groups in South Carolina (which include the future states of Georgia and Alabama.) Their English names were the Oconee, Sawakee, the Cusabo, Soque, Hillabee, Pee Dee, Cusa, Santeetly, Ochese, Yamasee, Tamatly, Caskenampo, Tallassee and Apalachicola. By the time, that the Colony of Georgia was founded n 1732, several more proto-Creek groups were known, but the Coweta were dominant. Generally, both the Georgia and the French colonial governments called most proto-Creeks, Coweta’s. The French spelled the word, … Read more

Department of Interior Reports 1A – 5A

No. 1 A. FORT GIBSON. C. N., August, 1, 1865. DEAR SIR: I have, been here for a month attending to business for the Cherokees and Creeks, particularly for bark pay of deceased soldiers and pensions for widows. The three Indian regiments were mustered out the 31st of May, 1865, and each company had a white lieutenant, and I am the attorney for them all. It is reported here that these lieutenants and others are now making out papers in Kansas to draw the pay of deceased soldiers and the bounty of those who were not paid, and that General … Read more

Supplemental Creek Agreement, June 30, 1902

32 Stat. L. 500 AN ACT To ratify and confirm a supplemental agreement with the Creek tribe of Indians, and for other purposes.a Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following supplemental agreement, submitted by certain commissioners of the Creek tribe of Indians, as herein amended, is hereby ratified and confirmed on the part of the United States, and the same shall be of full force and effect if ratified by the Creek tribal council on or before the first day of September, nineteen hundred and … Read more

Regulations Governing Unrestricted Alienation of Lands for Town Site Purposes in Indian Territory

Regulations Governing Unrestricted Alienation of Lands for Town-Site Purposes in Indian Territory. Regulations Commission To The Five Civilized Tribes Muscogee, Ind. T., February 10, 1904. The following rules and regulations governing applications for the unrestricted alienation of lands for town-site purposes in the Indian Territory, approved by the Secretary of the Interior February 6, 1904, are hereby promulgated for the information and guidance of all concerned. Tams Bixby, Chairman. A provision of the act of Congress approved March 3, 1903 (32 Stat., 982), reads as follows: To pay all expenses incident to the survey, platting, and appraisement of town sites … Read more

Creek Allotment Contest Cases 1904-1906

Statement showing the disposition and present status of Creek allotment contest cases appealed from the decisions of the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes and Commissioner to the Five Civilized Tribes, and in which decisions on said appeals have been rendered, from July 1, 1904, to May 31, 1906, inclusive.

Decision Rendered William Durant

Office Of The Assistant Attorney-General Washington, D. C., July 21, 1905 The Secretary Of The Interior SIR: I received by reference of June 7, 1905, the record in the case of William Durant and others for enrollment as freedmen citizens of the Creek Nation, with request for my opinion thereon. William Durant is shown by birth certificate in the record to have been born February 20, 1902, to Edmund Durant, who is identified on the 1891 omitted Creek roll. February 3, 1905, the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes found and recommended that Edmund Durant should be enrolled as a … Read more

Decision Rendered Rosella Lewis

Office Of The Assistant Attorney-General Washington, D. C., October 4, 1905 The Secretary Of The Interior SIR: I received by letter of September 20, 1905, a copy of departmental order of June 13, 1904, fixing September 1, 1904, as the time for closing the rolls of the Muscogee or Creek Nation. My attention is directed to section 7 of the act of June 30, 1902 (32 Stat, 500-501), requiring the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes to enroll all children of parents entitled to enrollment in the Creek Nation born after July 1, 1900, to and including May 25, 1901, … Read more

Decision Digest – F – I

Fractional Subdivision Of less than 10 acres. (See ALLOTMENT, par. 6.) Fraud 1. In making selection, effect of. Contestee filed upon land, falsely swearing that he was the owner of the improvements and subsequently attempted to obtain title therein from one of the former owners of said improvements. Held, That contestee’s filing was fraudulent and of no effect and conveyed no rights to contestee. (Choctaw No. 42, Freeny v. Dillard.) 2. Presumption of, inadequate consideration. Where the amount for which land was sold at an execution sale ($8) was grossly cut of proportion to the real value ($800 to $2,200), … Read more

Decision Rendered Frank London et al

Office Of The Secretary Washington, D. C., April 15, 1905 Commission To The Five Civilized Tribes Muscogee, Ind. T. GENTLEMEN: The Department is in receipt of your letter of January 31, 1905, reporting on the Creek enrollment case of Frank London et al. On May 24, 1901, you decided that the applicants in said case were not entitled to enrollment. Your decision was approved by the Department on February 20, 1902. On May 25, 1904, the Department, having received a communication from Samuel Bonnell and Tobias McIntosh relative to said case, returned the record in the case, and you were … Read more

Digest of Decisions Rendered, 1904 – 1906

Inclusive, Upon Appeals From The Decisions Of The Commission To The Five Civilized Tribes And The Commissioner To The Five Civilized Tribes In Allotment Contest Cases. Abatement and Revival On death of party. (See DEATH, par. 1.) Abandonment 1. What constitutes. When a division fence was removed and placed on a certain line and the parties on each side of the new line occupied the land as so divided, and one of them, after a number of years, died, his heirs continuing to occupy the land on his side of the fence without objection : Held, That the other party … Read more

Creek Agreement, March 8, 1900

An Act To ratify and confirm an agreement with the Muscogee or Creek tribe of Indians, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the agreement negotiated between the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes and the Muskogee or Creek tribe of Indians at the city of Washington on the eighth day of March, nineteen hundred, as herein amended, is hereby accepted, ratified, and confirmed, and the same shall be of full force and effect when ratified by the Creek national council. The principal … Read more

Act of April 26, 1906

Public Number 129 AN ACT To provide for the final disposition of the affairs of the Five Civilized Tribes in the Indian Territory, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That after the approval of this Act no per son shall be enrolled as a citizen or freedman of the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Creek, or Seminole tribes of Indians in the Indian Territory, except as herein otherwise provided, unless application for enrollment was made prior to December first, nineteen hundred and five, and the … Read more

The Creek Councils

The Council was called Inłałaka, łałaka being a word which signified “great men” or “officers.” The town council is said to have been composed of the Town Chief (Miko), the Square Chief (Tcoko-lako Miko), the “Speaker to the Chief,” who in this case seems to be identified with the head Tastanagi, and a Councilman from each of the clans, that is, its Ancient. Although it is not so stated, I feel that it must leave included the other speaker for the chief, the Taskheniha, though he may have been admitted to it as Ancient for his own clan. This, indeed, … Read more

Creek Naming

The first personal name was given to a child at birth in commemoration of an important event which might. have occurred then, or in remembrance of some good or ill fortune that had befallen one of the older clan people, some one of the mother’s brothers or sisters or their children. That is, it might refer to ail event which was connected with the person’s immediate family or members of his clan. For istance, if some person, perhaps the father or mother, ran away or was thrown down, or if the father was on an expedition and a remarkable event … Read more

The Elder Creek Man

When matters of importance to the segment of a clan arose, this Ancient might call a Council of the clan of all :those who had arrived at years of maturity. The government and teaching of the youth of tile clan belonged to this Ancient. It was his duty to instruct them, from time to time, in their duties and obligations to one, another and to their elders and to the members of the clan. Punishment for even childish derelictions could not be meted out without his advice and consent, which was usually given in a formal manner. The boy or … Read more