Charley's Trace

Charley's Trace began in Township T20N R2E Section 23 Carroll County Mississippi. In fact, it began in the north half of Section 23 where Charles Hays, alias Charley, owned the north half per his United States Patent, see Bureau of Land Management GLO (BLM GLO) website. Note Musing 4 Figure 1 which shows Charley's Trace in red and on the southeast side of the Figure you see the beginning of the Trace just as it is shown on the T20N R2E township plat. At the trace's beginning it intersects the Memphis/Rankin Road, which runs north/south. Along the route of Charley's Trace are labels in black of Rivers, lakes, prairies, a few Choctaw bands, and contemporary Mississippi towns and communities. The rivers, lakes, prairies and Choctaw bands are situated as they existed in the 1830s.

Charles Hays was a Choctaw who was awarded the half section by United States patent in 1847 per BLM GLO 1842 SCRIP file. Of local interest is that William Alexander McCain purchased neighboring property in 1851 which became Teoc Plantation. Much of the plantation property is owned by the McCain descendents. The creek which runs through Charles Hays property was known as Long Pine Creek on the Original Survey plat but became known as Teoc Creek by the time of the McCain family. The McCain family included John S. McCain Senior (who was born and raised on the plantation), John S. McCain Junior and Senator John McCain. McCain Senior and Junior were full admirals United States Navy, the equivalent of four star generals.

From its beginning Charley's Trace runs northwestwardly to its termination at the Mississippi River. The road courses through many townships including: T20N R2E, T20N R1E, T21N R1E, T21N R1W, T22N R1W, T23N R1W, T23N R2W, T24N R2W, T25N R2W, T25N R3W, T26N R3W, T26N R4W, T26N R5W, and T26N R6W where the Trace terminated at the Mississippi River in Section 5. (Note the Mississippi River has moved since the United States Survey on T26N R6W and notably where Charley's Trace ended is now a cutoff of the Mississippi River.) The end of the trace was near contemporary Rena Lara, Mississippi which corners at T26N R6W Sections 1,2,11 and 12 Coahoma County.

The entirety of Charley's Trace was not documented graphically on all of the original survey township plats, specifically townships T20N R1E, T21N R1E, and T26N R4W; however, fortunately, the Surveyors' notes for these townships preserved the location. From beginning to end Charley's Trace is 73 miles long, not including a 6 mile segment in T26N R5W which turns south then southeast and runs to the township boundary. (Note: This is the trace segment east of the Figure label "West Branch of Sunflower River.") The name of the trace was recorded by the various township original surveyors as "Charley's Trace, Charly's Trace, Indian Trace, and Charley's Upper Trace." The southern trace in T26N 5W disappears into T25N 5W survey notes that describe a "hurricane trace "or a probable tornado. Where was the southern trace or lower trace heading when it approached the boundary of T26N R5W to the south? It was probably heading east south east towards T25N R4W and likely to a community named "Zyzyz" which was situated east of the Sunflower River on the Mitchell Map: A New Map of Mississippi With Its Roads and Distances, Philadelphia, 1846. There were 2 Choctaw SCRIPs in T25N R4W in Sections 13 and 14 (east of the Sunflower River) meaning that "Zyzyz" was probably a small Choctaw band whose residents had largely emigrated to what would become the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma or Choctaw Arkansas property; see Treaty of Doak's Stand. Zyzyz is shown on Musing 4 Figure 1.

There are two other features noted on the Mitchell map noted above. The first is a community "Kolua" which appears in Coahoma County north of Charley's Trace and inland from the Mississippi River. This location is not related to area historic communities of Port Royal, Delta or Friar's Point. There is one clue to Kolua location. In the BLM GLO website there is one Choctaw SCRIP at Township T27N R5W in the southeast corner of Section 28. Does one Choctaw make a community or band? No, but remember by 1836 three-fourths of the Choctaw had emigrated. Kolua is shown on Musing 4 Figure 1. The second feature is "Charles L" or Charles Lake. My best guess is the Land Office at Chocchuma (see Musing 4 Figure 1) memorialized Charles Hays with the name of the lake.

The better question is . . . Why did Charles Hays construct a road to the Mississippi River from Carroll County? I cannot answer my question definitively, but I will hazard a guess. My guess is he was transporting people, mail and supplies to the United States Land Office at Chocchuma a few miles north of his property in Carroll County via the Memphis Road. Chocchuma is addressed in Musing 3 Grenada County. Charles Hays could have also sold wood to the steamboat that would have transported the people, mail and supplies. Perhaps someone will find the answer in a diary, county or United States records. Additionally since Elliot Mission (Elliot Missionary Station on Musing 4 Figure 1) was near Chocchuma perhaps there are records among the Mission correspondences.

How much of the Trace existed prior to Charles Hays efforts is not known. It seems the Report of the DeSoto Commission of 1939 figured DeSoto's entrada may have taken it to the Mississippi River. Brad Lieb, the Chickasaw archaeologist, assures me that many will be interested in the route. A first record of the route may be on the Cresnay (Crenay) Map 1733. Note the red trail leading northwest from the Choctaw villages (PAYS DES TCHACTAS on the map) to the Yazoo and Mississippi Rivers.

I would not be surprised that someone discovers "Zyzyz" was Charles Hays' mark "signature" on a government document.

I trust this Musing proves informational and valuable.