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Creek Indian
Chiefs and Leaders
MacIntosh, Chilly. A Creek
chief. after his brother William was slain by Menewa for having
betrayed the Creeks by "selling the graves of their ancestors," he became
the head of the minority party that acquiesced in the proposed emigration
to Indian Territory. As such he frequently visited Washington to treat
with officials regarding the transfer of lands and acquitted himself as a
capable man of business.
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William MacIntosh
MacIntosh, William, A mixed-blood Creek, son of a
Scotch trader and all Indian woman. The United States, in
consideration of the relinquishment by Georgia of the Mississippi
territories, engaged in 1802 to extinguish the Indian titles to
lands within the borders of the state as early as could be peaceably
done on reasonable terms. A cession was procured in 1805 by which
millions of acres of |
| Creek lands were transferred to
Georgia. The people of the state constantly clamored for the
fulfillment by the Government of its compact, and the Creeks,
alarmed at the prospective wholesale alienation of their ancient
domain, on the motion of MacIntosh made a law in general council in
1811 forbidding the sale of any of the remaining land under penalty
of death. Macintosh, who by his talents and address had risen to be
chief of the Lower Creeks, led the Creek allies of the Americans in
the war of 1812 with the rank of major and took the chief part in
the massacre of 200 of the hostile Creeks, who were surprised at
Atasi on Nov. 29, 1813. He was prominent also in the final battle
with the hostiles, Mar. 27, 1814, when, at Horseshoe Bend, Ala.,
nearly a thousand warriors were exterminated. A large part of the
territory of the conquered tribe was confiscated and opened to white
settlement. In1818 more lands were acquired by treaty, and in
1821the fifth treaty was negot iatel l by Georgian citizens acting
on behalf of the United States, with MacIntosh, who was in the pay
of the whites, and a dozen other chiefs controlled by him, while 36
chiefs present refused to sign and made clear to the commissioners
the irregularity of a cession arranged with a party representing
only a tenth of the nation, which to be legal must have the consent
of the entire nation assembled in council. After an attempt made by
Macintosh to convey more land in 1823 the law punishing with death
any Creek who offered to cede more land was reenacted in 1824, when
15,000,000 acres had already been transferred and 10,000,000 acres
remained in possession of the Creeks, who had so advanced in
education and agriculture that they valued their lands far more
highly than before. In the beginning of 1825 Georgian Commissioners,
working upon the avarice of Macintosh, induced him and his followers
to set their names to a treaty ceding what retrained of the Creek
domain. Although Secretary John C. Calhoun had declared that he
would not recognize a treaty in which the chiefs of the Creek nation
did not acquiesce, President Monroe laid it before the Senate, and
after the accession of President Adams it was approved. The Creeks
did not rise in rebellion, as was expected, but, in accordance with
the tribal law already mentioned, formal sentence of death was
passed on Macintosh, and was executed on May 1, 1825, by a party of
warriors sent for that purpose, who surrounded his house and shot
him and a companion as they tried to escape. Macintosh was a signer
of the treaties of Washington, Nov. 4, 1805; Ft Jackson, Ala., Aug.
9, 1814; Creek Agency, Ga., Jan. 22, 1818; Indian Springs, Ga., Jan.
8, 1821, and Feb. 12, 1825. |
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Yoholomicco (yahblo,
'hallooer,' an initiation title; miko, 'chief').
A Creek chief , born on Coosa River, Ga., about 1790;
died in Arkansas about 1838. He was headman of Eufaula town, a
warrior of prowess, and one of the most persuasive orators in the
Creek nation. Of the party of MacIntosh, he fought under Gen.
Jackson against the rebel Creeks in 1813-14, and subsequently signed
the various treaties ceding Creek lands and agreeing to |
| emigrate beyond the Mississippi. He died of the
hardships of the journey when the removal took place, having
previously lost his chieftaincy and seat in the council on account
of his complaisance to the whites. |
Previous Chiefs
and Leaders
The books presented are for their
historical value only and are not the
opinions of the Webmasters of the site.
Handbook
of American Indians, 1906
Index of Tribes or Nations
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