Date published: 1922-01-01
Source: Early History of the Creek Indians and Their Neighbors (ID121)
Author: Swanton, John (ID85)
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Race described: Indian
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Content id: 5020
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1760-01-01 - 1760-12-31

What became of the Yuchiedit

The trader located at the main Yuchi town in 1797 is given by Hawkins as James Smithmoor.3 The Yuchi also appear in the enumerations of 1760,4 1761,5 that of Swan,5 and in the census of 1832, when they were credited with one main town and with a branch village called High Log.7 During the latter part of the 18th century and the first of the nineteenth, settlements of Yuchi were probably scattered through southern Georgia at many places. Imlay says "The Uchees Indians oecupy four different places of residence, at the head of St. John's, the Fork of St. Mary's, the head of Cannuchee, and the head of St. Tillis (Satilla)."8 After their removal to the new Creek territories west of the Mississippi they settled in the northwestern part of the nation, where they continued an almost distinct tribal life, although represented in the Creek national assembly. The reader is referred to Dr. Speck's admirable paper for an account of their later condition.9 Besides the Savannah, the Yuchi also occupied at least the upper portion of Ogeechee River. This is indicated by Hawkins in his account of the Yuchi town just given and also by several maps of the 18th century, in which the Ogeechee is called "Great Ogeechee or Hughchee River,"10 the latter being one spelling of the name Yuchi. On many maps we find "Ogeechee Old Town" laid down near the upper course of Ogeechee River and on the trading path from Augusta to Ocmulgee old fields and the Creek country. The way in which this appears indicates that the town had removed at the time of the Yamasee war, when it may have united with those Yuchi known as Westo, the larger body of Yuchi not migrating until some years later. Their fate is somewhat confused by the following reference in Bar tram: "Mr. Egan politely rode with me over a great part of the island (Amelia). On Egmont estate are several very large Indian tumuli, which are called Ogeeche mounts, so named from that nation of Indians who took shelter here, after being driven from their native settlements on the main near Ogeeche River. Here they were constantly harrassed by the Carolinians and Creeks, and at length slain by their conquerors, and their bones entombed in these heaps of earth and shells."1 If there is any truth in this legend at all it is probable that the people referred to were Yamasee, or at least Indians of the province of Guale who had perhaps lived about the mouth of the Ogeechee, but not the Ogeechee tribe we have been considering. As noted above, a portion of the Yuchi went to Florida. They appear first in west Florida near the Mikasuki,2 but later they moved across the peninsula and settled at Spring Garden, east of Dexters Lake, in Volusia County. Afterwards they were involved in the long Seminole war with the whites. All of them did not go in the first emigrations, a special census taken in the year 1847 giving four Yuchi warriors among the Seminole left in the peninsula.2 (Swanton)

Cross references

No cross references.