JONES COUNTY, GA - HISTORY LETTERS James Moore (Indian Trader) from son, John P. ***************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm *********************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by:"Jill Florence Lackey" Sept 1836 (Letter address to Mr. James Moore Tallapoosa County Alabama Fort Gibson Sept. 14 - 13) Creek Nation Arkansaw Dear father Sir I have the opportunity to inform you all that I am in a state of bad health sence we been here. The Indians are very sickly at this place but the most of the Indians live in the fork of two rivers, that is Verdigree and Arkansaw, for it is very sickly in Cowater town. Sum of the Creeks are over on the Cannada (Canadian) River, Seminole Indians, but the Creeks are to be moved back over the line between the rivers, but we are under the Agentcy. All the wild Indians are very friendly with the Creeks, for they come among us and we set down in one shade, eat and drink out of one Vessel. Sum of us are got sume first trate crops of corn and sume very sorrow crops. As for myself I have got good crops and all of Elizabeth Grierson negroes are got the best crops of corn, and corn is worth fifty cents per bushel. I heard that you all have war in the old Creek Nation, but I hope that the hostile Indians did not brake you up, your stock or anything in land or anything else. I hope that these few unworthy lines may find you all in a good state of health. I have write to you before I got hear to this country and have not received no answer and I have write to you sence I come hear but have not received no answer from you, and I am sorrow to receive no letter from you or none from my brother. I wish to hear from you and wish to hear from you all, how you all coming on in the old Creek Nation, Ala., what is going on in that country. I hear that you have had a town just by Peter Dudly's store. It is by report that I heard about the town. I Have had bad luck sence I arrive at this country, for we lost all our horses but one mair and I bought a horse to work but I have nice corn. I am sorrow to inform you of one thing, the account of Mr. Elexander Hill is not collected yet, for he was not at home when I come on hear. Hill has receiced the money from the U, States for his services of bringing the Indians to this country. Hill laid in your account and received the money in full. I see James Woodruff in town of Tuscaloosa in Ala. and I ask about it, and Mr. Woodruff tould me that Elexander Hill had received the money for James Moore, that hill tould him that he has pay you off, and he had received your receit againce the account in full. So I enclose the account of said Hills to send back to you, if he has paid up, to let me know or you ought to sue him for the money, for you can proof it by Mr. James Woodruff. If I'm not mistaken Mr. McHenty was present he tould me hill received the money. And the account of Sandy Grierson or order that you give me the money was sent back by Col. Hunter to pay you up, for he promise Sandy Grierson that he was going write back to your house and pay you off and take your receit and send it back to Sandy, but Sandy has not received no answer yet. So Sandy won't pay me untill he guit letter form you stating you had not received your money. So you write to Sandy Grierson and me then I can make him pay me, for Sandy has three or four hundred bushel of corn to sell. If you will write to me soon as you will receive this letter from me, state in your letter how you coming on in that part of the world, and tell my Brother Jackson to write to me and give my best love to my mother and the rest of the family. This is the country for them to make corn, but corn has no price only when Indians come on the this country. But come in the first of the fall is the best time, for we are trying to enlarge the bounds of our country, and we exspect to get Santify the present dent of the U. States for us. We are not allow to go in Texes yet for they are at war at this time. Large body of solders, horsemen have gone on the Red River and station there. We did expect war in the Creek Nation but it died away and so we have pece in the country. Dear father sir, if you please to send me sume money by sume person that you can trust to bring it safe to me, but do not put it in any of the Agents unless you can trust him with it, for sum of the Agent that brings the Indians on to this country run away with the Indians money, and the Indians did not get nothing for it. So I remain your humble servant untill death. Direct your letters Fort Gipson Creek Nation Arkansaw Territory. I am Your son John P. Moore To James Moore Tallapoosa County Ala. Sept. 6 1836 Transcribed as written by Ronnie Moore for Jill Florence Lackey Oct. 2, 2002 =================== April 4, 1837 (Letter address to Mr. James Moore, Mail Fort Gibson Tallapoosa County April 12 Alabama Arkansas Creek Nation April 5 1837 Dear Father Sir I have embrace the opportunity of inform you all that am restore To my health again and all my family in good state of health and I hope that these few unworthy lines may fined your family in good state of health, that Elizabeth Grierson is living with me. We are going to move from the Creek (Nation) in a few weeks from now when the wild tribes of Indians make pece, for they are at war with the Americans because they are helping the texans. We are expecting to have war in the Creek Nation before the year is out, for our chiefs say when all the Creek Indians guit all there guns from the U. States they intend to declare war, for the U. States do not do Justice to them in no respect whatever. The Indians are pershing to death for sum meat and corn, for corn is worth two or three dollars per bushel, meat worth ten and fifteen dollars a hundred and beef worth six or seven dollars a hundred and poor at that, flower worth fifteen dollars per Barrel, sower at that. You want to know about our country. We have a large country, the prary are very large, up and down the arkansaw River have timber and very large swamp. Sum good water in places and then bad water in places and bad timber in places. Sum part of the country are fust trate land, sum part of it so poore the trees are not more then twenty five or thiry feet high, hilly places, no winter range only good in spots of land, but swamps good, Better then the place you living at, for one acre of land make more corn then two acres in the old Creek Nation, for I have made betwine ten fifteen hundred bushel of corn. Contractors are offering one dol and fifty cents a bushel but cant buy at that, for corn is worth Two dollars at present Agents keep the Indians on the road so long till they has spent all ther money so the are able to pay nothing. At this time one part of the nation selling corn at three dollars per bushel got all the money from them that ware able to pay. Our country are as good as the Cherokee Indians, but the Choctaws have the best country in Arkansaw better water range and timber then the Creeks. Dear father I have received a letter dated the first of December 1836 that you have not received nothing from Hunter or nobody else. I ask Sandy about it, he give no satisfaction about it for he wont pay me it to no man for he say that (he) pay it to Col. Hunter to pay it over to you. You must sue Hunter for the money . You request to know about our country. Our country is perfect grave yard, for this country is destruction to we red people. cattle horses dog and everything in Arkansaw. Good stout rivers freese until the last of April. Every things high in this country but I am doing tolerable well. At this time we are making preption to plant, but soon as we plant corn we are going and look for better place then we are living at. I wish my brother Jackson would come and see me, if he can make it convinet to come and look at the countray. The Spaniards are in war with old Gen. ??ston, . Sevel persons have been murded by the Spaniards, so we all think that Huston will be conkered. We intend to make one crop whare we are living, for we all can not stand in hand with the lower town Indians. When we finds a countray to suite us, I write to you again. If you and my brother can make it, come, if not to come send me money that (is) owing to me by hand or inclose it in a letter to me. Do not fail of doing it, oblige me very much, in need of it. So I has nothing more at present to tell you all, but have one girl child name Millaso. I remain your humble son John P. Moore To James Moore in tallapoosa County Ala. April 5th 1837 Dear father sir I have bin sick one day and night sence I wrote this letter to you. Transcribed as written by Ronnie Moore for Jill Florence Lackey Oct 2, 2002 ====================== January 16th 1838 (Addressed to Mr . James Moore Mail Ft. Gibson Tallapoosa County Alabama Jany 18 1838 Arkansas Creek Nation Dea.r father I have the opportunity of inform you that I am well and all my family are In state of good health and I hope that these few unworthy lines may find your family In the same state of health and all your fr1ends 1n good health. I have take a trip to texas to see the to see Peggy and her family, and Nancy Moore, my sister; that went out when I went out with Dick Hogmeat and Wattisn and his family and his family. Peggy was well , and Mr. Joseph Johnson was well, was very ansious to return back to Alabama to his family, and wished me move out in texes about near Peggy. But it be a short time before it will be a white settlement, for they are building a town in three miles of Peggy on a place they call ferry lake on red river. I have like the country well enough to move to it but it will not do for any Indian blood to go, to live at the present time. So I am move in the Choctaw nation for a while see. If you w111 move in the texes country I dount know but what I move in that country. But I tell you what was my reason at this time for not moving in at this time. There are some hope of war in the coming summer. Theres so much rascality carring on in the country at the present time, so much dispute about land, no telling what they w111 do. Old Gen. Huston running agince sume man in Mixico, that will make war with the mixicans, for they do not give up yet to Texes. They have had sevel fights w1th them. has taken part of there country from mixico. Talk of mixican government from there that they will make a fuss with them. The furhan powers will come and join mixico. Then there will be war in the U. States, for all the wild tribes of Indians are goin to be ready to make war. The five Tribes of Indians have unite with one another. There will be war in the west country, at war with sum of the other Tribes. Sume strong talk of It now. &c. I right from Texes where my sisters are. Anna went out with me when I went out and I saw Joseph Johnson Texes at Peggys and my brother Jackson id dead & Licer Catty' 8 child. I would move out 1n there neighborhood in year or two. I do not know but I will move in there, but if you dount move I remain in the in the Chotaw Nation. but if you dont come out you must send the money by Joseph Johnson , for he sed he will come out 1n Texes and I can guit 1t. So ob1ige me if you do it. Nothlng more so I rema1n your humble. servant unt1l1 death John P. Moore January 16th 1838