MUSING 2
In Musing 1 I provided an introduction which explained what the CIP represent and their date. I suggest you read that before starting below.
I have looked at facsimiles of the United States original survey plats for each township mentioned below. I have done that attempting to find the first United States creek or river name, if recorded.
Please note that creek names, communities and bands are shown as recorded by sources and cartographers.
Smith County
Smith County was founded in 1833. Figure 7 shows the county outline and designated townships. Note the CIP are distributed throughout the county. The original United States survey plats indicate a few prairies in the northern townships. They also show a number of Choctaw paths.
Township T2 R9 (Figure 7A) has two groups of CIP. The northwest group rests along Hatchushe Creek. That is the creek name on the original United States survey plat. The northeast group lies along Tallahala Creek which also has a name of Otakooche Creek on the survey plat which headwaters into Jasper County T3 R10. In Jasper County I defined the northern two-thirds of the county as the Sixtowns Band. I believe both groups of CIP in Smith County T2 R9 are western extensions of the Sixtowns band.
On Figure 7B or Township T3 R6 I find two clusters of CIP, one to the northwest along the east side of Strong River and the other south along a small tributary of Strong River. Interesting that Strong River is the name on the original survey plat of T3 R6. As the Choctaw used creek names for villages, I am at a loss to know the Choctaw name for Strong River. For the lack of a better name I will call this band Strong River until I am told a better name.
Modern Shongelo and Little Shongelo Creeks border the CIP on Figure 7C or Township T3 R8. I am aware that Old "Shongela" community existed prior to 1835. If this was a white community, then it may have adopted the name of the Choctaw band? Whether Choctaw or white, my best guess is these CIP formed a band that was named for Shongelo Creek. The Shongelo band could have been a part of the Sixtowns band.
Scott County
Scott County was founded, like most of those in the DRC territory, in 1833. Figure 8 indicates the boundary of the county and the townships within the county. Note three Townships have CIP with 11 or more.
The original United States surveyors noted several prairies in the center of the county. They also noted the Jackson to Winchester Road (Winchester was the original county seat of Wayne County Ms.) which traversed the county from T7 R6 to T5 R9 and a Brandon Road which intersected the Jackson to Winchester Road in T6 R7.
Township T5 R7 (Figure 8A) has 21 CIP. The western CIP are distributed along modern day Robinson Creek and the eastern CIP along Caney Creek both of which are tributaries of Strong River. There is a ridge running between the two creeks. There are not any CIP to the south in Smith County that appear to be affiliated geographically. I did not find a name for an earlier white community which may have borrowed the band's name. The original Survey documents also offered no earlier creek names. Swanton may have provided the answer to who these Choctaw people were. Swanton 82 wrote the Spani okla, "Spanish people," (were) 25 to 40 miles east of Jackson, Miss. This location meets the Spanish people's distance and direction from Jackson. This band is likely Swanton's Spani okla.
Figure 8B indicates a CIP group along Shockaloo Creek in Township T7 R7. In fact, the creek and another part of the band continue into Township T8 R8; see Figure 8C. Until I know better, this band can be named after its creek or Shockaloo band.
To the east of T8 R8 is Township T8 R9 which is located on Turkey Creek. Recall in Neshoba County (Musing 1) I attributed the name Seven towns band to that group in Township T9 R10. Swanton 82 wrote that the band extended into Scott County. However, in 1836 only one CIP remained. So, I believe that Swanton should be credited with extending the Seven towns band into Scott County T8 R9 along Turkey Creek.
In Newton County (Musing 1) I located Swanton's Konhatta band in T7 R10. I find a western extension of that band into Scott County Township T7 R9 where seven of the eight CIP are located in Sections 1-4.
Leake County
Leake County was founded in 1833. Figure 9 shows the distribution of CIP in the County and Townships. Note two neighboring townships T11 R8 and T11 R9 have 29 CIP each.
There are two roads that are recorded in the original United States survey notes: a "Bigby Road" which mostly follows the Pearl River and Robinson Road which enters the county in western Township T10 R6 and runs north northeast before exiting the county in eastern Township T12 R9. To the east beginning in Neshoba County Bigby Road becomes known as the Factory Road.
Figure 9A indicates where the CIP are located in Township T11 R8. The CIP in the northwest corner of the township in Sections 4, 6, 7 and 9 represent the Hopaca band. Swanton called this band the Cobb Indians named for Colonel Cobb but the group was also known as the Hopahka Indians; see Swanton 82. The name survived as Hopaca Road and community on USGS maps; the old town of Hopoca was located in Section 5. Cobbs Creek, also a USGS feature name, is just east of the community. Colonel Samuel Cobb made a speech at "Hopahka" in 1842 to the Choctaw Civil Commission. The CIP in the northwest corner of T11 R8 are indeed Swanton's Hopaca band.
Also in Township T11 R8 is a larger group of CIP on the southeastern corner of the township in Sections 14 south to 36. This group borders the Pearl River and a large group of CIP in Township T11 R9; see Figure 9B. In fact, most of the CIP in T11 R9 are south or east of the Pearl River. Taken together, those CIP in Townships T11 R8 and T11 R9 along the Pearl River represent a large group of CIP which forms a band of Choctaws. I am at a loss for a name of this band.
Also in the northeast corner of TownshipT11 R8 Section 1 is the old community of Coosa. There are a several CIP north of Coosa in Townships T12 R8 Sections 25 and 26 and several more northeast of Coosa in Township T12 R9 Sections 20 and 33 which indicate that Coosa was a band of Choctaw in Leake County townships T12 R8 and T12 R9.
In Township T10 R8 is Standing Pine community which is located in Section 36. There is little to be seen of CIP near the corners of Townships T10 R8, T10 R9, T9 R8 or T9 R9. I do not see evidence of a Standing Pine band. Standing Pine Creek runs on the east side of the township T10 R8. The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians owns the Standing Pine Reservation in Sections 26, 27, 34 and 35.
H.B Cushman, see Cushman 493, indicated there was an old Choctaw town named Tuscola in Leake County. There is a crossroads named Tuscola located south of Tuscolameta Creek in Township T9 R7 Section 24. There are seven CIP in Townships T9 R7 and T9 R8 within two miles of T9 R7 Section 24 that probably represent Cushman's Tuscola band.
Township T10 R7 on Figure 9C has two groups of CIP that represent the Yakan-okani or Land Creek band; see Swanton 81. He indicated the band was "just west of Carthage." Carthage is located in Township T10 R7 Section 12. The group on the west side of the township is west southwest from Carthage but the eastern group is south of Carthage. Pellaphalia Creek runs through Sections 10, 15 and 22, dividing the groups. The Pearl River is just south of the groups. I believe Cushman's Yakan-okani band is represented by both groups of CIP in T10 R7.
Red Water band was mentioned by Swanton 152-3 playing stickball. Per the USGS Redwater Creek is a small creek located more than a township west of Carthage in Township T10 R6 Sections1-4. The CIP in that township are near or on Redwater Creek. The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians own a Red Water Reservation a few miles east of the band. Specifically it is in Township T11 R6.
Before I leave T10 R6 an old community named Ofahoma was located in Sections 16 and 17. Cushman 489 wrote that Ofahoma was a Choctaw town in Leake County. It may be that Ofahoma was a Choctaw who was a member of the Red Water band. Or was the band named Red Water or Ofahoma? Both names survive on the USGS maps. I prefer using the name of the creek or Red Water as the band's name.
Another small band may have been a part of Swanton's Red Water band. In Township T11 R6 (Figure 9D) there are four CIP on Shiola Creek just two miles north of the Red Water CIP. The creek runs into Township T11 R7 where there are five more CIP located on Shiola Creek. Is this a new band or is Red Water a larger band encompassing another small creek? I think I have one Red Water band for the larger area.
Attala County
Attala County was founded in 1833. Figure 10 shows the county's outline and the township location and numbering. The figure also shows in bold numbers the count of CIP in each township. Most of the townships have less than four CIP with T14 R5 having the most at 7.
The original United States survey plats indicate the Natchez Road (Trace) crossed the county beginning in T12 R5 and ending in T16 R9. Another note states it was a "Wagon Road." By 1833 traffic on the road had been reduced by the opening of the Robinson Road and advent of the steamboat. The township survey plats also show a number of Choctaw paths and fields.
Cushman 480 noted there was an ancient village called Apookta in Attala County. Apookta Creek flows in Townships T14 R5 and 6; see Figure 10. I looked at the original survey plats which use the spelling "Apooktah." The CIP near the creek include Townships T14 R5 (Figure 10A), T14 R6, T15 R5 and T15 R6. These CIP represent Cushman's Apookta band.
Winston County
Winston County was founded in 1833. Figure 11 shows the county outline as well as the townships and CIP within the county. Prominent in Winston County to the early Choctaw was the Robinson Road. It entered Winston County in Township T13 R10 and tracked northeast to and thru T16 R14. The road began as a mail route in 1822, probably widened Choctaw trails. It was still active in 1833/4 when the United States surveyors were in the field. You can find the road (sometimes spelled "Roberson") on the surveyors' field plats.
Back to Figure 11 I see that six townships have zero CIP and four have one CIP. Township T13 R14 had twelve CIP, the largest in the county. Still I am aware of two bands recorded by Swanton.
First, Swanton 82 recorded the "Pineshuk Indians, on a branch of the Pearl River in Winston County." The good news is I know that I should be in Townships T13 R11 and/or T14 R11 to find Pinishook Creek which is a tributary of the Pearl River. In fact, Pinishook Creek enters the Pearl River due north of Philadelphia, Ms. From the confluence it runs north northwest. Townships T13 R11 and T14 R11 have one CIP each. So, I believe Swanton's Pineshuk band has emigrated. I see on the T13 R11 plat the Robinson Road, a Choctaw field and paths evidence that the Choctaw were there. Unfortunately the surveyor for T14 R11 provided scant information.
Swanton provided another band location. Swanton 82 indicated, "Okla falaia, "long people" according to some Mississippi Choctaw (were) about 16 miles north of Philadelphia." Township T13 R12 along Hurricane Creek (formerly Noxapater Creek) meets the distance and direction. The ridges on county roads 571 and 1361 look ideal for historic Choctaw occupation, i.e. long ridges next to creeks. However, I don't have any CIP in the township recorded and the surveyor's plat did not help with recorded paths or fields. Further east Township T13 R14 has twelve CIP on Nanih Waiua Creek could it be Swanton's Okla falaia? See Figure 11A. Yes it could be. It is located north northeast from Philadelphia; the CIP are all located on Nanih Waiua Creek (USGS spelling) and its tributaries. The CIP in T13 R14 represent Swanton's Okla falaia band.
Noxubee County
Noxubee County was founded in 1833. Figure 12 provides the county border, its shape, the interior townships and CIP in each township. Note Township T13 R16 has the most CIP of any township at nine. See Figure 12A.
One of the features of the county is that the District Choctaw Chief Mushulatubbee lived there. The BLM GLO Choctaw patents record his residence in T14 R15 Sections 3 and 10. He was granted both sections per DRC Article XV which required the two sections to include his improvements.
Two roads were documented in the original survey notes and plat. One was a "Treaty Road" which ran from Mushulatubbee's improvements north towards the Choctaw Agency in Oktibbeha County (Musing 3). In all likelihood the name speaks to the road's use as a conveyance for the Choctaw migrations. The other road was Jackson's Military Road which cut a diagonal through Noxubee County from the southwest from T13 R16 to T16 R19.
The center and east side of the county had a number of prairies which were captured by the surveyors' notes and plats. Generally the township plats include a number of Choctaw paths and fields.
Cushman 484 indicated that Peter Pitchlynn was born in Noxubee County at a Choctaw town named Hushookwa. My best guess is that Hashuqua Creek in Township T13 R15 represents that town. See Figure 12B. Historic Hashuqua was located east of the creek in Section 17. The three CIP in that township are located just south of that section in Sections 19 and 31 and represent Cushman's Hushookwa. The Hushookwa band is a few miles southwest of Dancing Rabbit Creek.
Swanton 82 indicated, per one source, that the band Chikashahe was east of Mashulaville (Mashulatubbee's residence). Let's look east of Mashulaville. In Township T15 R16 there are two CIP with one in Section 28 (closer to Mashulaville) and in T14 R16 there are two CIP, one each in Section 10 and 11 on Dry Creek. This represents my best location for Swanton's Chikashahe band.
The band Kunshak was reported by Swanton 82 to have been north of Mashulaville but no distance was provided. The two Townships located north of Mashulaville are T15 R15 and T16 R15, which have zero and one CIP, respectively. It is difficult to form a band out of one CIP. I revisited both original Survey plats for the hopes of finding a creek with a similar name. These township surveyors did not provide much information relative to creek names. I can do nothing with the location of Swanton's Kunshak band.
Swanton 82 also indicated a Shuqualak group in Noxubee County. Coincidentally, Cushman 491 also placed a town called Suqualak in Noxubee County. Modern Shuqualak is indeed located in Noxubee County at T13 R17 Section 16. The modern town rests in the headwaters of the Shuqualak Creek that runs generally east to the Noxubee River. The three CIP in Township T13 R17 are in Sections 16 and 21 and the three CIP in Township T13 R18 all border Shuqualak Creek. Swanton's and Cushman's Shuqualak band are located on the creek of the same name.
LOWNDES COUNTY
Lowndes County was founded in 1830 which is earlier than the other counties in this Musing. The portion of the county east of the Tombigbee River was ceded by the Choctaw to the United States in the Treaty of Fort St. Stephens in 1816. Of course, the remainder of the current county west of the Tombigbee River remained in Choctaw possession until the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek (DRC).
The United States original surveyors recorded several roads west of the Tombigbee River including the "Old Military Road" (Jackson's Military Road), "Road from Mayhew (Mission) to Columbus)" (east of the Tombigbee River) and "Road from Mayhew to Plymouth" (west of the Tombigbee River). In addition, they recorded a field that belonged to Peter Pitchlynn as "Pytchlynn's Field," and a creek as "Peter Peachland's Creek." These locations are easy to find on the BLM GLO website.
The surveyors also noted a number of paths, fields and prairies in the Choctaw lands west of the Tombigbee. As you can see in Figure 13, we don't have many CIP in the county. Further we have no reference to a town or group or band from either Cushman or Swanton. That said, the Choctaw definitely lived there and their paths and fields noted by the original surveyors offer proof.
This concludes Musing 2.