Mr. A. MacGillivray writes of the trade:
in A letter from Mr Alexander MacGillivray, one of the Creek Chiefs, part Creek, part Scots, and (?) part French perhaps as well. This letter is supplied by:
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~cmamcrk4/mgvltrs1.html#anchor1669478
At Rootsweb (link above), you may browse through a collection of MacGillivray's letters (MYNOTES: MacGillivray fretted over the loss of his personal plantation lands where he kept maybe fifty or sixty black slaves, a small Indian village, etc., on very beautiful land outfitted with every necessity according to Westerners; he signed some of the Creek land cessions (not cessions of his own lands obviously; it appears that he ceded Lower Creek land though he was an Upper Creek), but opposed others and thus became an opponent of the United States!
It appears from MacGillivray's letters that some of the ends of his meddling may have been more admirable than the land deals and retaliations, that ultimately he may have helped institute the move of some of the Creeks--those not happy with the selling of the last of their Georgia land--to Florida--where the Spanish, by that date, were no longer enslaving Indians nor interested in establishing Missions(the Spanish at that point just wanted someone to help them hold the Peninsula which they hoped would serve as a buffer zone between the growing United States and Mexico, but as little else). Events in Florida regarding slavery, for a time at least, took a more fortunate turn than elsewhere: slaves of African origin who fled to Florida were also welcomed by the Spanish, and lived rather freely among the Indians, as slaves of the Indians there in name only. MacGillivray it seems had personal connections with the Rae family.)
I'm not 100% sure whether this letter is addressed TO AN ENGLISH GOVERNOR OR KING OR TO ONE OF SPAIN; the comment "pretty well drained of Negroes" may mean that MacGillivray is responding to a request to kidnap Negroes, either freedmen or slaves, for the purpose of enslavement:
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The Nation is now pretty well drained of Negroes. What few there is, dont answer the description, you wish. As for Raw & drest deer Skins, I can purchase any Quanity whatever, if they woud turn to good account. If I knew the prices that Skins would fetch, I coud then be a better Judge, how to lay out money in them. I wrote to your Excellency very fully by my Sister, what I wrote concerning the Indian Trade, was on account that Messr. Panton Forbes & Co. Merchants in Augustine is by the treaty of Peace to remain & carry on the trade there & as I formerly mentiond they have petitioned the Spanish Ambassador in England for leave to establish a house either at Pensacola or Mobile for the purpose of Supplying the Trade in case it took place, those Gentlemen offerd me a part in it. They have hopes of Succeeding, &I am certain it will be good Policy to permit of such a measure by the Court of Spain, for reasons that I mentioned in the letter by my Sister. Little Tallassie, January 3, 1784 With respectful regard Your Excellencys most obedient Servant Alex. McGillivray Governor ONeil P. S. the bearer has executed his trust faithfully & he begs of me to recommend him to Your Excellencys bounty for 4 kegs Strong taffia, a good Carrot tobacco some ammunition & something to his wife and child. A. McG. |
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from MacGillivray (Senior)'s Will:
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"I give and bequeath unto Mr. John Rae, of Rae's Hall, in the province of Georgia aforesaid, and to Catherine his wife, and Mrs. Jean Sommerville their daughter, to each of them, a mourning ring, of the value of three pounds ten shillings sterling each ring." Quoted in http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~cmamcrk4/crkdox27.html#anchor1047473 NOTES: Samuel Elbert and his wife, Elizabeth, the Rae's other daughter, are not mentioned in this will. I am not sure why: perhaps, Samuel Elbert was long allied with a more Northern group--the Creeks and Cherokee with whom he traded. Thus, if Rae married Elbert by the date of the Will, she lost herself to the MacGillivray family--if these were rival trading districts. Samuel Elbert, an Indian trader under Rae, must have been acquainted at some point with some of the MacGillivray clan too; it seems however that McGillivray and Elbert were polar opposites regarding the British; the Raes remained MacGillivray's friends--and perhaps even hosted some of the McGillivray clan and 'Indian' relations at Rae Hall. Elbert however had no falling out with the Raes--but only the Raes' other daughter was mentioned in McGillivray's will, so Elbert seems to have had a falling out with McGillivray. ("Indians" in quotation marks for their degree of blood varied and it's possible some realigned with non-Indians at points.) |
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