Bushyhead was the son of Captain John Stuart and Susannah Emory, who met
at Fort Loudon, Tennessee, and in the celebration of the fort’s completion,
became romantically involved. Bushyhead never knew John Stuart and never
used the surname Stuart. His mother died rather young, too, and Bushyhead
was raised as a Cherokee by his mother and his Cherokee kin, in the line of
Attakullakulla (kin by blood or marriage – not sure). He went by his Cherokee
name, Oo-no-du-tu or Oo-no-to-ta. He married two Cherokee women and had six known children. The name Bushyhead is so well regarded
among the Cherokee that, east or west, having the name Bushyhead brings
nods of respect. One reason is that the name is a link from a forgotten
people: the Lower Cherokee, and from a defiant people: the Chickamauga,
and from a redeemed people: the early Christian Cherokee who found a
faith much older and greater than the whites imagined. Rev. Jesse
Bushyhead (son of the Fort Loudon child) was a simple testimony against
the “Christian white” program of genocide against the tribe. Of course,
there is growing evidence that Bushyhead was the Chickamauga leader
“Tahlonteeskee”.
He was the father of Bushyhead. In other words, Bushyhead owes nothing to
being the son of Captain John Stuart but Stuart would be long forgotten if he
were not the father of Bushyhead.
But let us consider his father, John Stuart. Books have been written about him
but his family – even his identity – is poorly known. The earnest sketch: “John
Stuart, Beloved Father of the Cherokees” by John L.Nichols of Highlander
Magazine (Sep/Oct 1993 issue) has been reprinted and posted online numerous
times but is suspect.
The book by John R. Alden, John Stuart and the Southern Colonial Frontier
(1944) is likewise unreliable.
Online genealogical sources on John Stuart are even worse, as tends to be the
case in cyberspace.
First, regarding his date of birth, which Nichols gives as 25 September 1718,
at Inverness, Scotland. That seems reasonable for the moment. Then his
date of immigration, which one source says is 1733 and Nichols says is 1748.
This is where the trouble begins.
John Stuart, a planter, of Saint Helena Island (Colleton County), and his
wife Mary, received land on that island in 1733 (memorial entered 11 April
1733). The same John Stuart gifted 350 acres on Saint Helena Island “to
his friend and son-in-law” James Megget, “for love & affection”. The deed
was recorded on 17 May 1736. On 27 May 1737 John Stuart and wife
Mary sold 950 acres to Joseph Elliot Sr. of Saint Helena Island. The bill
of sale was witnessed by James and Magdalene Megget. And on 23
September 1747, John Stuart sold 535 acres in Colleton County to
Joseph Ladson.
[Langley, SC Deed Abstracts, I, 261; II,30; III, 36]
On 12 Nov 1751 he joined the SC Commons House of Assembly as a representative from Saint Helena Parish in Charleston.
[SC Commons Journal of 12 Nov 1751.]
In 1756 he again joined the SC Commons House of Assembly as a representative and was in attendance from January to May.
[SC Commons Journal of 13 Jan, 22 Apr, 30 Apr 1756, etc.]
When his later expenses from Fort Loudon were rejected by the House of
Assembly it was noted that Stuart was a former member of the House and
should have known the standards by which expenses should be submitted.
[SC Commons Journal of 9 Mar, 6 May, 29 Jun 1757 ]
On 16 Jan 1759 Capt. John Stuart presented a letter from Saint Helena’s Parish to the representatives at the Assembly.
[Minutes of the Vestry of St. Helena’s Parish, South Carolina 1726-1812, edited by A.S. Salley, Jr.,
(Columbia, SC: State Press, 1919) p.102 or p.125 in original minutes]
From the above we have to conclude that if John Stuart was born 1718, he
could not have a son-in-law over 21 in 1736. If that’s John Stuart’s father,
which is quite reasonable, and our John Stuart joined him (or returned) in
1748, there would be a “Sr.” and “Jr.” in the records. Let’s say the elder
John Stuart died in 1748 and his estate was handled in Scotland or
London, as often happened. The Charleston records would make note of
that. If we are dealing with two different John Stuarts, one who served in
the Assembly in 1751 and one who served in 1756, we might expect the
record to differentiate them, as “John Stuart of St. Helena” versus “John
Stuart of Charleston”. But the 1759 letter (see above) makes them one and
the same.
In short, there is an identity problem that has not been worked out by Stuart
researchers.
On 23 December 1752 William and Mary Jones of Craven County released
title to John Stuart of Berkeley County.
On 6 November 1755 John Stuart witnessed a deed in Charleston.
On 14 January 1762 John Stuart witnessed a lease in Charleston.
On 20 April 1764 John Stuart witnessed a lease in Charleston.
On 22 December 1767 John Stuart, Esq. and wife Sarah acquired some
land in Charleston.
On 5 February 1768 John Stuart, Esq. and wife Sarah released by mortgage to
Alex Petrie, gentleman, the above land in Charleston.
[all from Langley, SC Deed Abstracts, III, 3,170, 213, 327,372]
Martha Stuart married Thomas Dalton and had a son William Dalton. She was
the sister of John Stuart, and John was the overseer of her property. William
was 21 by 1770, as he sold land in that year.
[Langley, SC Deed Abstracts, IV, 179]
Henry Stuart, a deputy Indian Commissioner under John Stuart, is said reliably
to be John Stuart’s brother.
Alexander Cameron, a deputy Indian Commissioner under John Stuart, is said
to be John Stuart’s nephew or son-in-law.
John Stuart went into business with Patrick Reid in 1746 in England but when
Reid died in April 1754, creditors came after Stuart in Charleston, leaving him
broke in 1755.
[Nichols, John Stuart, Beloved Father of the Cherokee, online]
John Stuart married Sarah c.1748 and had four children by her: the first was
Sarah Christiana (b.1749), then came two other daughters, then John Joseph
Stuart who became a distinguished British officer, a general, knighted after
Napoleon’s defeat in 18 .
[Nichols, John Stuart, Beloved Father of the Cherokee, online]
On 7 March 1755 Governor James Glen presented the SC Commons House
of Assembly with reports, letters, and his own recommendation that a fort be
built among the Overhill Cherokee (this would be Fort Loudon). John Stuart
was appointed to the committee to review the material and present suitable
resolutions. (The same reports considered a month earlier had resulted in an
impasse and tension between the Assembly and the governor.)
[SC Commons Journal of 7 Mar 1755]
In 1756 John Stuart was again an Assembly representative and, with the
construction of Fort Loudon nearly complete, he was able to get himself a
commission as a captain of the provincial troops (militia) to do a nine month
tour of duty stationed at the fort under the command of British officer Capt.
Raymond Demere. Whether he did this for income or for political gain (or
both) is hard to determine. He brought some Cherokee down to Charleston
in December 1756 and escorted them back to the Overhills. He had such a
good time at Fort Loudon that he brought some of the Cherokee (including
Little Carpenter or Attakullakulla) back to Charleston in March 1757. Little Carpenter was not well-liked by the Assembly at the time, however, and
Stuart’s enormous expense claims (which featured an ungodly quantity of rum)
were rejected.
[SC Commons Journal of 5 Mar, 6 May , 29 Jun 1757, etc.; SC Indian Docs (3) 169, etc]
By his own account (muster pay roll for his company), John Stuart was on
active duty for his Fort Loudon tour from 15 July 1756 to 27 March 1757.
[SC Commons Journal of 29 Jun 1757, Murtie June Clark, Colonial Military, 1072-1073]
After that there was a threat of an attack by sea by the French so John
Stuart was sent to fortify a cannon house on Beaufort Island. In February
1758, he re-submitted his Fort Loudon expense claims in the form of a
memorial:
Wednesday the 8th of February 1758.
"...A Memorial of Captn. John Stuart was presented to the House & read Setting
forth as Viz.
That your memorialist being Stationed at Fort Loudoun in the upper Cherokee
Nation was in December 1756 ordered by Captn. Raymond Demeré, then Commanding
there, to attend a number of Indians to Charles Town. That he was obliged to
hire horses to Carry Provisions, Tent & other Necessarrys for So Long and
Tedious a Journey in the middle of winter.
That your Memorialist has never been allowed any horse or Bas money by the Government,
but Lost four in the Country's Service.
That the Little Carpenter and other headmen of the Over hill Towns
having Called a meeting of the headmen of the middle Settlements at Ayree he
insisted that your memorialist Should Purchase a Kegg of Rum for them, of Mr.
Butler, the Trader there, which rather than differ with them at that Juncture,
he thought best for the Public Good to Comply with.
That the Same happen'd at Keowee, where your Memorialist On Account of a general
meeting was Obliged to purchase another Kegg of Rum of John Chevillette Esqr.,
Commissary.
That your Memorialist with the Indians being detained at Ayree six days was obliged to buy
a Hogg & fifty weight of Bacon to Satisfy hunger there, and to prevent Starving on the Road.
That his own and the mens Provissions who were with him were at same time saved at fort
Loudoun.
That as the Indians were under great apprehensions of Loosing their Horses about Charles
Town, and gave your Memorialist to understand that in Such Case they would Expect
Payment from the Government, he agreed with persons in Emelia Township to take Charge
of Eighteen horses who obliged themselves to deliver them to the Indians at their return
from Charles Town in Consideration of which your Memorialist Paid Twenty Currency
for Every horse.
That Your Memorialist Exposed himself to much Trouble & Fatigue Accompanying the
Indians in their Short Stages at Such a Season which he did from a principle of Love to
his Country and the Cause in which he was Embarked & not from any View of Emoluments
or Profit. Neither was his taking Charge of or accompanying them incumbent upon him
from any Military obligation. But as your Memorialist was unavoidably at a great
E[x]pence in Living with and Treating the headmen he charges £150 Currency for
Extraordinary Expences Coming down and Returning and had he been Minute in the
Charge the Sum would have been much Larger.
That your memorialist gave in the annexed Account to the Last Assembly who thought
proper to provide only Ten pounds Currency for Payment of it, which he attributes
to his not being on the Spott to Explain & Give reasons for the Sundry Charges.
That your Memorialist from a Consciousness of his having Bona fide Laid out and
Paid for the Sundry Articles charged in the annexed account, of his having neither wantonly
or unnecessarily Squandered any money and of his having no other View in the whole
But Public good, Hopes & Expects from the Justice & honour of the Commons house of
Assembly that Sufficient Provision Will be made for his reinbursement & therefore Praying
&ca.
Read also the Account Mentioned in the said memorial amounting [to] £354:17:6.
Order'd That the said Memorial & Account be referred to the Consideration of the
Committee appointed to audit the Accounts of the Creditors of the Public, And
that they do Examine the Matter of the Said Memorial & report the Same with
their Opinion thereupon to the House.
[SC Commons House 8 Feb 1758]
In 1759 there was some trouble between the Cherokees and North Carolina
settlers. In October 1759 Oconostota and other headmen of the Cherokee
wanted to go to Charleston to assure Governor William Lyttleton that they wanted no war, only peace. The governor arranged to meet them at Keowee in February
(when smallpox was less virulent). Stuart arrived at Fort Loudon on 27 October 1759. A letter from the commander of the fort, Capt. Paul Demere, confirms this:
1759, November 3, Fort Loudoun
Capt. Stuart arrived here with his Party 27th. Of last Month. He has brought with him
the Amunition, some Salt, and Flour. since his Arrival, we had severall meetings with
the Indians, in the Fort; and Yesterday was fixed by Old Hop and the other Head Men.
To give a pofsitive Answer of what they had to say. Accordingly they came, and when
we were all together, the Little Carpenter gave his Talk, and as I am sure that he knew
very well that all the Towns were suspicious that he wou’d say something concerning
what had hapned, they were jealous of him, concerning satisfaction that they had to give;
he said nothing on that subject, only that he was sorry that the Indians had not been so
good on their word, after the Talk he gave them before he went away; that the White
People were intirely under his care and he wou’d protect them, and desired that I wou’d
send his Talk to your Excellency, which I do inclosed. After he had done, Old Hoop gave
his Talk, and according to the custom, said nothing to the purpose, but went on saying,
that as his Brother the Great Warriour [Oconostota] was in Charles Town, and had
conculted with your Excellency, he cou’d give no Answer, til he shou’d see him; in
my Opinion, they do not intend to give any satisfaction, and seem to afraid of the
other Towns.
I hope they will send Flour soon from Keowee, I have but 31 bags in the Store. Capt.
Stuart has left behind __owt. Of
Powder, that was intirely spoiled.
I am Sir
Your Excellency’s
Most Obedient and Most Humble Servant
Paul Demere
[Letterbooks of William Henry Lyttleton 1756-1760, also SC
Ind Docs (3), ]
John Stuart himself sent letters to the governor from Fort Loudon dated
15 November 1759, 22 November 1759, and 3 December 1759. There was
tension among the Cherokee for three four reasons: (1) the war with the
French exposed the tribe to attack from the north and south; (2) the tribe had
recently assisted Virginia in fighting the French Indians and had been
punished, not rewarded, for it; (3) Gov. Lyttleton suspended trade with the
Cherokee who had entered into a war against the French on his behalf and
the tribe was not ready for winter – they depended on trade to survive against
their enemies and against the harsh winter. (The French-supplied Creeks to
the south were fine and invited the Cherokee to join them – or die.); (4) Gov.
Lyttleton made the impossible request that the Cherokee turn over the men
who attacked the Virginia [North Carolina] settlers. Those men were warriors
and they went to Virginia to help. On their way back they were attacked by
settlers, so they retaliated against settlers. There was nothing wrong with this
to the Cherokee.
A subtext to the tension was the jealousy and competition between the Lower
and the Overhill Cherokee. The Lower Cherokee achieved the honor in the
north but they also committed the attacks. The Overhill Cherokee received a
better fort and were receiving better trade deals with Georgia and Virginia.
Many of the Lower Cherokee, like Oconostota, moved to the Overhills to be
close to Fort Loudon and the economic possibilities it offered. But Old Hop,
the aging leader of the Overhills (and “Emperor” for all the Cherokee), was
facing challenges to his leadership from a half dozen headmen, especially
Oconostota and Little Carpenter. Truth is, none of the headmen had the
power to deliver the culprits, who were still under their war chief, Warhatchy
of Keowee. He was the leading culprit.
This letter from Stuart indicates that Little Carpenter was going to take over
negotiations with Lyttleton with or without Old Hop’s participation:
Sir
This well be delivered by the Carpenter who Setts out this morning with a firm
Resolution of accomodating matters with Your Excellency, he Expects that the
Transgrefsors witll be Demmanded and has Just told me that his Voice will be for
Delivering them. he may at first plead for them as he Affects popularity, but I am
confident he will fall into all your Excellency’s measures, he Goes without Speaking
to, or Receiving any mefsage from Old Hop and Says that he only waits for orders
from Your Exey to take upon him the Execution of the Old Fellows office. This at
present is the Grand point he has in View. We hear nothing with worth Communicating
many Idle Stories flying about
amongst the Indians suggested by their fears.
I am with the Greatest Respect
Your Excellency’s
most obedient & most humble Sert
John Stuart
Fort Loudoun 7th Decem. 1759
To His Excelly Govenor Lyttelton
[Letterbooks of William Henry Lyttleton 1756-1760, also SC
Ind Docs (3), ]
In December 1759 a conference between the Cherokees and Governor William Lyttleton at Keowee was arranged. With travel and supply considerations, the
meeting was set for February 1760. It was Lyttleton’s intention to “chastise”
the Cherokee and bring military honors to his faltering governorship. He came
with troops for war, the Cherokee traveled with families for peace. Even the
soldiers were not comfortable with Lyttleton and many of them deserted.
(There were quite a few halfbreeds in those militia companies.)
Negotiation was uneasy. Lyttleton hastily departed for Charleston after
giving secret orders to arrest and detain the Cherokee headmen at Fort Prince George. The Lower Cherokee rose up from Keowee and blockaded the
fort. War came to Fort Prince George in February 1760.
The war did not immediately reach Fort Loudon but that fort was cutoff from supply and support. On 20 March 1760, the fort came under siege, which was
more of a hostile embargo than a continuous attack. The Cherokee wives of soldiers smuggled food into the fort, but the threat of starvation was very real. The embargo continued into the following summer, forcing the soldiers to seek
a surrender. On 7 August 1760, John Stuart negotiated terms of surrender with
the Cherokee, under Oconostota. On 9 August, under Captain Paul Demere,
the fort was given up and the men marched out. Some Cherokee fell on them
the next morning at their camp and killed 19 or so men, including Demere.
[Herbert Ravenal Sass, The Story of the South Carolina Lowcountry, (West Columbia, SC : J Filyer
Publishing Co., 1957) Vol I, 150-155]
In some accounts, all the men are killed except Stuart, who is saved by Little
Carpenter against the intentions of Oconostota. There was an attempt to get
Stuart to help the Cherokee take a cannon to use on Fort Prince George, but
Stuart was not going to allow himself to be put to that use. He could not go
down the trail back to Charleston because the Lower Cherokee would kill him.
October 4, 1760
By an express last Wednesday evening, who left Col. Byrd’s camp at Reed Creek,
(about 200 miles from Ft. Loudoun) on the 16th ult. We have the agreeable news that Capt. John Stuart’s being safely conducted thither by the honest and faithful friend of
the English, the Little Carpenter, who conveyed him away from Fort Loudoun on the
31st of August, under the pretence of going a hunting for six days.
Capt. Stuart intended to make the best of his way hinter, but Col. Byrd advised him
first to go to Williamsburg, whither he was accordingly going.
After the garrison of Fort Loudoun had marched 16 miles and encamped, the Indians gradually withdrew in the evening; at dusk there was not one of them with our people; but on the 10th of August in the morning, a serjeant and 12 men were beginning to
march and the rest were packing up their bundles to follow, a soldier from the advance guard discovered many Indians and gave the alarm; upon this Capt. Stuart ran towards the river or brook and called to the men to stand their arms; the Indians in the grass immediately fired within 60 yards, and put our men, who were unprepared for such a piece of treachery, into the utmost confusion. Capt. Demere received two wounds in
the first volley, was directly scalped, and the Indians made him dance about for their diversion for some time, after which they chopped off one hand or arm, then the other, and so his legs, using the most shocking barbarities on the bodies of others of our people.
About the 27th August Capt. Stuart was promised his liberty, if he would by managing
the cannon, assist the Indians in the reduction of Fort Prince George, who were to set
out against it the 6th of September; but the Little Carpenter prevented his being obliged
to do so. He purchased Capt. Stuart of a fellow who had taken him prisoner, at a very considerable price; and has evinced that an Indian can be friendly and humane, in the strongest manner.
http://appalachiansummit.tripod.com/
So Little Carpenter escorted him through Cherokee country north into Virginia
and Stuart then made his way slowly over the Shenandoah ridge and down
into North Carolina and eventually down to Charleston. There is no doubt that
Little Carpenter was the main part of Stuart’s rescue, but Oconostota had a
role as well. Years later, Oconostota visited Stuart in Charleston and was
made a member of the St. Andrews Society, a drinking club for Scotsmen.
He and Stuart were drinking buddies, not enemies, according to a
contemporary, Alexander Hewat (1739-1824), a member of the same club
and the “loyalist historian” who published a memoir in London in 1779.
[Alden, John Stuart and the Southern Colonial Frontier; also Nichols, online]
After his release and flight from Fort Loudon, Stuart, of course, had a new round of expenses to submit and the new governor, William Bull, requested that Stuart’s expenses be paid in full (they were and Stuart was even granted a large bonus).
Mr. Speaker & Gentlemen,
Captain John Stuart of our provincial regiment, who was on duty at fort Loudoun
when the unfortunate garrison surrender'd on capitulation to the perfidious
savages, is now happily return'd to his Family in this province, after a long &
expensive journey through Virginia & North-Carolina. As his character is so well
known to you, & his sufferings have been so long pitied, I shall not make any
particular mention of them; but inform you that he hath represented to me, that
on the breach of the capitulation by the Indians he lost his horses, arms,
cloaths, & other things to a considerable, but unascertainable value: & that his
journey through Virginia & North-Carolina was very expensive to him: I
therefore, very cordially, recommend his case to your consideration; & doubt not
but you will do therein what is becoming the representatives of the people to a
faithful & suffering servant.
The 21 January 1761.
William Bull.
[SC Commons House 21 Jan 1761]
Although he was soon appointed Commissioner of Indian Affairs, John Stuart
never returned to the Cherokee. He was at the Treaty of Hard Labor in South
Carolina, but that was still two hundred miles from Cherokee territory. He did
send his nephew Alexander Cameron to live among the tribe as Deputy
Commissioner. Because of the influence of Cameron and Stuart, the tribe
remained loyal to the British during the Revolution.
September 23, 1761
On this day Attakullakulla had his last public audience, when he signed the treaty
of peace and received an authenticated copy under the great seal. He earnestly
requested that Captain John Stuart might be made chief white man
( Indian Agent ) in their nation. "All the Indians love him," he said, "and there
will never be any uneasiness if he is there." His request was granted. This faithful
Indian afterward dined with the governor, and tomorrow sets out for his own country. [i][13]
Note: “his last” means “his most recent”. He had several others.
In October 1770, Attakullakulla, Oconstota, and John Stuart met again at
Lochaber, South Carolina, to discuss boundaries, illegal white settlements,
and alleged illegal land sales to Alexander Cameron and Richard Pearis.
Much was said, but nothing of saving Stuart’s life. Since Attakullakulla
mentioned his 1730 trip to England, saving Stuart’s life would have come up
also, especially after Stuart challenged the memory or credibility of the Little
Carpenter. Excerpts of what each had to say:
The Superintendant [John Stuart] and the Chiefs and Warriors being met as the day before
the Congress was opened as Usual
Oucconnastotah Speaks
Father
We have done smoaking, we will proceed on our Talk, our thoughts are Straight
and this is a
Clear time of the day, now we
have seen one another you are my Father, whom we have met to have a good Talk
and I conclude it will be so. I live at the Farthest Town in the Nation, and now
we are met I expect we will have a good Talk, I am Come over great Mountains to
meet you, which I think Little of.
[Gives a String Whampum]
We are all old men who are come over the Mountains there are but four of us and we must wait
a While to Conclude upon it, You are like a small Bird Singing over one's House, but the
Bussiness Cannot be so soon determined, There are four or five old Men come over the
Mountains the Young fellows are gone out to Hunt, and know nothing of this, and will say why
should these old men give away the Land without our knowledge, there are Seven Towns over
the Hills and it is they must Conclude this, and I will go and Talk to the Governor of Virginia
about it. . . . we will however
Talk more of this Bussiness hereafter.
To the Superintendant
Father
It is the white Hunters that Trouble us, let them go over the Mountains and not
Hunt on Holston's River, But Capt.Guess comes into our Grounds and Hunts
with Fifty Men, and kills our deer and when we tell him of it, he threatens to
Shoot us down; . . . .
I now present you this Calumet with two heads the one looking to the other, which will put you
in mind when you Smoak that you are looking at your Children
Altahkullahkullah Speaks
I have thought of your proposal all night, and now the day is Come. I will give you my Talk, you are the Messenger that brought the Talk to which I Listened very Attentively, and I therefore expect you will listen as Attentively to mine. . . . when you all met at Augusta, at the Great Congress, I believe you may Remember what passed and it is now Continued, it seems like Stepping out of the door, to be at the white peoples Settlements. . . . The Great Being above
is very good and provides for every Body, it is he that made Fire, Bread, and the Rivers to
Run, he gave us the Land, but the white people Seem to want to drive us from it. You are all talking together fast. I always Talk Loud that every body may hear me. I expect to live in Love and Unity with my white Brethren, and as to anything concerning the Land I can give no Answer to it at present. What we say is a Law to our people but it is not the Case amongst the White people for the Traders say different things and have different Regulations. The Inhabitants on this Side the Mountains have driven away all our deer and we find them very Scarce, when we go over the Mountains to Hunt we find Paths troden by the Virginia people and Houses Built everywhere.
. . . There was a very
good King over the Great Water when I was there, who promised me that goods
should be Cheap, but they are now very dear, when Mr . Walts [John Watts
Sr.] was a Young Man he traded Cheap, but now goods are much dearer , the White
People get Lands that Last for ever but the Goods given Us are soon gone, now is
the day we have appointed to Conclude the Talk, we never had Such Talks formerly
but now all our Talks are about Lands, and the white People Settled thereon are
deaf to Us and will not hear.
A String of Whampum . . .
The Superintendant [John
Stuart] Speaks
Brothers
I have attended to what you have said, and in order to give you an Answer I must
have Recourse to the Beginning of our Talks about Land.
You have mentioned what passed at the Great Congress at Augusta where Four
Governors were present; I shall now put you in mind of something that passed
there that you seem to have entirely forgotten. It is true that at Augusta we
Talked of Land, but neither the Governors there present nor I were authorised to
Transact any Business of that Nature, our meeting was for a different purpose,
as you mentioned what passed at Augusta upon that Subject I will repeat it to
you, my Memory enables me to do it clearly but, I do not depend upon that
entirely. I have got it in Writing.
During the Conferences Altahkullakulla who spoke upon the occasion,
complained of Encroachments and in particular of Settlements being made beyond
the great Conhoway, or New River, and Claimed Chiswells Mine as your Boundary.
Govemor Fauquier endeavoured to Account for the Settlement of the Lands between
New River and Holstons River. Allahkullahkullah said that as the
abovementioned Country was already Settled, they did not desire the Inhabitants
should be obliged to Remove, but hoped no more patents would be granted beyond
the Conhoway. The next day Altahkullakulla resumed the Subject, and said
they had Considered of the Matter, and gave up the Land between Holstons River
and the Kanhoway, and would Confine their Claim to the Lands lying to the
Southward and Westward of Long Island in Holstons River; . . .
In your Talks to me before we met at Hard-Labour two Years ago, you denied what
had passed at Augusta, and peremptorily insisted upon all the Lands to the
Southward and Westward of Chiswells Mine as your right. The Governor and Council
of Virginia made no objections to your pretensions and after my Fruitless
Endeavors to learn their Sentiments of the Matter I received orders from the
Earl of Shelbume to acquiesce in your demand and a Treaty was Accordingly
Concluded for that purpose,. . . I see a Thousand of your people here, and
now you tell me that the Matter cannot yet be determined, that your Young
Warriors are out a Hunting and that you are determined to Treat with the
Governor of Virginia concerning a Further Cession.
You may do as you please, but the goods are not to be delivered, till the Treaty
is Signed and the Cession formally made. My Lord Botetourt has told you that the
Business is to be Transacted by me and Nobody Else. I now tell you the Same, and
if the Matter is not now Settled, I cannot tell when it will be done, for I
shall not be fond of coming so far to meet you for nothing.
Gives a Belt of Black and White Whampum.
http://appalachiansummit.tripod.com/ << get Georgia treaty link
Because of his Tory leadership, he was chased out of South Carolina and fled
to Pensacola, Florida, in 1775/6.
He died in Pensacola on 21 March 1779.
A letter dated 26 March 1779 from Pensacola reports:
On Sunday the 21st instant, about 3 o’clock in the afternoon, Col Stuart,
His Majesty’s sole agent for and Superintendent of Indian Affairs for
the Southern District of North America, departed this life after a long
and painful illness, which he bore with resignation for several months…
[from James Hicks Cherokee website]
John Stuart (d.1779) met Susannah Emory in September 1756 or so and
was with her until March 1757 or so. He may have reunited with her in
November 1759 and may seen her off & on until August 1760. She was
b.1744 and d.bef.1770.
i. Bushyhead or Oo-No-Dutu
b. 1757/8 or perhaps 1760 at Fort Loudon, Tennessee
d. c. 1818
m(1) unknown m(2) Nannie Foreman
The name of Bushyhead could not have come from the Cherokee. The only
one who could have given him that name and have that name stay with him
would be his father, John Stuart, who probably got to see him as a 2-year old.
For more on Bushyhead see “On the Trail of Bushyhead”.