5fish
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2019
- Messages
- 10,626
- Reaction score
- 4,544
Here is an Indian chief that fought in many of our 19th century wars with us and against us. He led his people for most of the 19th century and he owned slaves. He tried to lead his people to safety in the American civil war from the Indian confederate forces. His band was called OPOTHLEYOHOLA’S Union band...
After a faction of the Creek tribe had negotiated and signed a treaty with the Confederacy in July 1861, a group of Upper Creek chiefs led by Opothleyohola repudiated the treaty and declared their neutrality. Opothleyohola’s followers and their families gathered together on Opothleyohola’s plantation/ranch on the Deep Fork of the Canadian River and other locations in the western Creek country in August 1861. They included about 5,000 Creeks, 2,500 Seminoles, Cherokees, and other Indians, and approximately 500 slaves and free blacks, mostly from the Creek and Seminole nations. Opothleyohola had sent messages into the slave communities saying that if they joined him, they would be considered “free.”
Here a bio...
Opothleyahola joined the Freemasons and accepted Christianity, becoming a Baptist. Later he tried to overturn the Treaty of Indian Springs but was forced to make a new treaty with the federal government in 1832. He was commissioned as a colonel and led forces against the remaining Lower Creek and the Seminole in the first two wars of the US against them. Despite his efforts, he and his people were among the Seminole and others forced to remove to Indian Territory in 1836, where they settled in the Unassigned Lands. At the outbreak of the American Civil War, Opothleyahola and Creek remained loyal to the federal government. On August 15, 1861, Opothleyahola contacted President Abraham Lincoln to request help for the loyalists. On September 10, they received a positive response, saying that the United States government would assist them.
Here a bio...
Early life Opothleyahola was born at Tuckabatchee town in present day Elmore County, Alabama. He is believed to have fought against the whites possibly as early as the War of 1812 and again in the Creek War of 1813-1814, including against General Andrew Jackson at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. Opothleyoholo swore his allegiance to never again bear arms against the Federal government.
After the Creek War, some of the Lower Creek leaders signed a number of treaties that ceded considerable land to Georgia. Eventually, the Creek Confederacy enacted a law that made further land cessions a capital offense. In 1825, these chiefs signed the Treaty of Indian Springs, which gave up most of the remaining Creek lands in Georgia. The Creek National Council, led by Opothleyahola, protested to the United States government that the treaty was fraudulent. President John Quincy Adams was sympathetic, and eventually the treaty was nullified in a new agreement, the Treaty of Washington (1826). However, Georgia officials began forcibly removing the Indians.
Here is Bio wiki...
Later the young man developed as an influential and eloquent speaker. He was selected to the role as Speaker for the chiefs, which was a distinct position on the National Council. He later became a "diplomatic chief."[5] Opothleyahola also became a wealthy trader and owned a 2,000-acre (8 km2) cotton plantation near North Fork Town. As did other Creek and members of the Five Civilized Tribes, he purchased and held enslaved African Americans as workers for his plantation. In other adaptations to European-American culture, Opothleyahola joined the Freemasons and accepted Christianity, becoming a Baptist.
Opothleyohola's Exodus to Kansas (Nov. 1861-Jan. 1862) •
After a faction of the Creek tribe had negotiated and signed a treaty with the Confederacy in July 1861, a group of Upper Creek chiefs led by Opothleyohola repudiated the treaty and declared their neutrality. Opothleyohola’s followers and their families gathered together on Opothleyohola’s...
www.blackpast.org
After a faction of the Creek tribe had negotiated and signed a treaty with the Confederacy in July 1861, a group of Upper Creek chiefs led by Opothleyohola repudiated the treaty and declared their neutrality. Opothleyohola’s followers and their families gathered together on Opothleyohola’s plantation/ranch on the Deep Fork of the Canadian River and other locations in the western Creek country in August 1861. They included about 5,000 Creeks, 2,500 Seminoles, Cherokees, and other Indians, and approximately 500 slaves and free blacks, mostly from the Creek and Seminole nations. Opothleyohola had sent messages into the slave communities saying that if they joined him, they would be considered “free.”
Here a bio...
Opothleyahola, Native American Chief, and Slave Owner born
*The birth of Opothleyahola is celebrated on this date in c. 1778. He was a Native American, Muscogee Creek Indian chief, noted orator, and slave owner. Also known as Opothle Yohola, he was from Florida, a Speaker of the Upper Creek Council, and supported traditional culture. Although known as a...
aaregistry.org
Opothleyahola joined the Freemasons and accepted Christianity, becoming a Baptist. Later he tried to overturn the Treaty of Indian Springs but was forced to make a new treaty with the federal government in 1832. He was commissioned as a colonel and led forces against the remaining Lower Creek and the Seminole in the first two wars of the US against them. Despite his efforts, he and his people were among the Seminole and others forced to remove to Indian Territory in 1836, where they settled in the Unassigned Lands. At the outbreak of the American Civil War, Opothleyahola and Creek remained loyal to the federal government. On August 15, 1861, Opothleyahola contacted President Abraham Lincoln to request help for the loyalists. On September 10, they received a positive response, saying that the United States government would assist them.
Here a bio...
Early life Opothleyahola was born at Tuckabatchee town in present day Elmore County, Alabama. He is believed to have fought against the whites possibly as early as the War of 1812 and again in the Creek War of 1813-1814, including against General Andrew Jackson at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. Opothleyoholo swore his allegiance to never again bear arms against the Federal government.
After the Creek War, some of the Lower Creek leaders signed a number of treaties that ceded considerable land to Georgia. Eventually, the Creek Confederacy enacted a law that made further land cessions a capital offense. In 1825, these chiefs signed the Treaty of Indian Springs, which gave up most of the remaining Creek lands in Georgia. The Creek National Council, led by Opothleyahola, protested to the United States government that the treaty was fraudulent. President John Quincy Adams was sympathetic, and eventually the treaty was nullified in a new agreement, the Treaty of Washington (1826). However, Georgia officials began forcibly removing the Indians.
Here is Bio wiki...
Opothleyahola - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Later the young man developed as an influential and eloquent speaker. He was selected to the role as Speaker for the chiefs, which was a distinct position on the National Council. He later became a "diplomatic chief."[5] Opothleyahola also became a wealthy trader and owned a 2,000-acre (8 km2) cotton plantation near North Fork Town. As did other Creek and members of the Five Civilized Tribes, he purchased and held enslaved African Americans as workers for his plantation. In other adaptations to European-American culture, Opothleyahola joined the Freemasons and accepted Christianity, becoming a Baptist.