Choctaw Village Locations

CHOCTAW VILLAGE LOCATIONS FRENCH PERIOD

We are addressing the villages in the Choctaw Homeland in the period of French Dominion or roughly 1700-1763. During this time, the Choctaw Civil War 1747-50 erupted and pitted the Eastern Part which sided with the French against the Western Part which favored the British. The Sixtown villages were involved but took different sides.

After the French brokered a peace putting an end to the Choctaw Civil War there were village changes: some apparently split, at least one was destroyed. During the 1729 to 1743 timeline the French enumerated 42-44 Choctaw villages. By the British period the number of villages had swollen to near 60. A good account of the Choctaw Civil War may be found in the French correspondences MPAFD V 13-59. There you will find most of the villages, located below, mentioned several times.

There were also wars with the Creeks that flared at various times during the French period. The French were aware of the Creek wars and attempted to calm the rival villages, both Choctaw and Creek. Irrespective of those efforts, the Creek wars smoldered and ignited at times during the British dominion.

In our French village locations we present mostly French sources below, with one notable exception, Henry S. Halbert. As stated earlier in Sources section, Henry S. Halbert lived among and taught the Choctaw in the Homeland from 1884-1899. He wrote several articles regarding the locations of historic Choctaw villages, both were published in the Mississippi Historical Society: in Volume III Danville's Map of East Mississippi and in Volume VI Bernard Romans' Map of 1772. For this work we will reference both works as "Halbert."

Each village has a number of recorded names in the French, British, Spanish and United States periods. In the French period we attempt to use the names common in MPAFD I text. However, the first village name in the lists following the number, was that used by Halbert which mostly can be attributed to Romans Map 1772. Why use Romans' names first? So the reader can compare our work to Halbert's articles.

For most villages, we provide the village populations as two French officers, Regis du Roullet and Joseph Christophe de Lusser, recorded them. Both of their village lists are in MPAFD I. Since both were active in the Choctaw villages and recorded significant village information including bearings and distances, descriptions, notable Choctaws, etc. we refer to them as "Roullet" and "Lusser." We reference their information to aid the interested reader.

We will refer to the first United States survey township drawing usually as plats using T(Township) R(Range) and S(Section). We also reference survey notes including roads, paths, prairies, fields, and witness trees. This information is available via Bureau of Land Management (BLM) General Land Office (GLO). We provide a step-by-step search example in the text. We use abbreviations for the French and British maps, and they are italicized. We have grouped the village locations into three areas: Eastern Part, Western Part and Sixtowns.

We have plotted the Choctaw Individual Properties (CIP) for several counties in Mississippi and Alabama. The CIP were awarded by the 14th article of Dancing Rabbit Creek (DRC) Treaty by either the Choctaw agent or patent issued by the United States government as a result of the 1842-1845 Choctaw Claims Commission and now recorded on BLM GLO website. The CIP represent Choctaws who resided in the Homeland and lands included in DRC from 1831-1836.

French Eastern Part Villages

Figure 2 represents our locations for the Eastern Part and Western Part of the French Villages. Figure 3 indicates our Sixtown Town French Village locations. The reader can follow our progress through the villages. The French (F) designation in the text after the village name indicates the name used on Figure 2.

  1. Yowanni (Ouanis, Yowanis) would have been the first Choctaw Homeland village encountered by the French traveling from Mobile. Lusser's Journal (MPAFD I 81) described that journey in some detail including hardships that he encountered during a wet January 1730. Lusser's Table MPAFD I 116 indicated the village had 50 men who could bear arms. Roullet noted the village name meant Worm That Eats The Corn, see MPAFD I 150. The Cresnay Map 1733 located "Youane" to the south of the main group of Choctaw Villages and positioned it on the east side of the Chickasawhay River. The Broutin Map circa 1743 has "Couanne" at map position "X". Roullet provided a keener view of its environs...

    "The Yowanis are situated in a rather disagreeable low ground from which the view is limited in all directions, surrounded by a number of bayous which make this place very disagreeable for the transportation of goods by land. Furthermore, the land is not good; it is nothing but pine forests." See MPAFD I 40.

    Halbert placed the location at T10N R7W Section 16 in Wayne County Ms on the east side of the Chickasawhay River. The township plat (at BLM GLO website) indicates a large road running north which cuts through Section 16. The road is not identified on the plat or in the survey notes. On other survey plats the road was called the Trader's Path. Yowani's location is well known. It is not shown on Figures 2 or 3 as it is too far south of our coverage.

  2. Chickasawhay (F) (Chicachae) was a large village of the Eastern Part. It was located north of Yowanni in the southeast corner of the Choctaw Homeland. Its location was well known and may be found on Broutin Map circa 1743 as "Tchicachae" at location "V" on the Chickasawhay River. The location has been verified in the field as being at Township 3N Range 15E Section 18 in Clarke County or about 5 miles south of Enterprise, Ms. Additionally, CIP indicate Choctaw ownership in adjoining Section 19, meaning there was occupation there in the 1830s and perhaps before. See Figure 3.

    Lusser in 1730 described Chickasawhay population on MPAFD I 116 as 160 men bearing arms. In November 1729 Roullet detailed the Chickasawhay village environs . . . "The Chickasawhay are situated in a plain surrounded by hills," see MPA I 52. Chickasawhay village was the hub of a half dozen major paths leading to the other Homeland Choctaw villages. These paths were evident on RTG Map 1773 and Purcell Brown Map 1781.

  3. Coosa (Concha, Conchas(F)): On the Lusser table the Conchas had 100 men bearing arms which represented a large village: see MPAFD I 116. Let's be clear we are addressing the early 18th century village Coosa's location. Coosa was shown on the Broutin Map circa 1743 as "Conchas" in the map legend and the letter "Q" on the map proper. We have noted previously that this map provided some relative locations, and the creeks in large part were inaccurately drawn. The Cresnay Map 1733 located "Concha" just east of center of the main grouping of villages. A better geographic location was provided on RTG Map 1773 which positioned Coosa "number 3" at the headwaters of Coosa Creek. Coosa Creek is now called Ponta Creek. On the Purcell Brown Map 1781 Coosa was numbered 36 and situated on the headwaters of Coosa or Ponta Creek. Our location for early 18th century French Coosa includes the ridges in Lauderdale County Township 8N, Range 16E, Sections 20, 29, 30 and contiguous areas.

    Coosa's location survived the Choctaw Civil War, but the village moved east probably in the 1770s. Halbert called this village Coosha Town. While he did not call out the exact location he probably meant T8N, R16E, Section 25 or roughly five miles east of our 18th century location. Further he stated that Oklahoma, the noted Choctaw leader, lived south of the village. Oklahoma's US Patent (spelled "Oaklahoma" on US patent) included the entirety of Section 25. It was land granted to him via Dancing Rabbit Creek Treaty. The patent may be viewed on BLM GLO Records website under search: select the blue "Survey" in upper left, next in box Location select "Mississippi and Lauderdale", in the box Miscellaneous select "Original Survey"; select T8 R16 plat or yellow and brown button, then select "Related Documents", and click through the numbers to the "Os." The plat for that section located water courses, paths and fields. If Oaklahoma was on the south end of Coosha Town, then Halbert's village would be north of there. Our opinion is that the center of Coosha Town in the 1800s included Sections 27 and 28. Why did French Coosa move east to Coosha Town? The answer is the lack of resources, particularly wood. The French period Coosa would have exhausted its wood supplies after 80 years occupation.

    Not only was Coosa a large village, it also had dependent villages. Lusser's Table MPAFD I 116 noted five dependencies of Coosa with Panty or Pante as it was known in the French period being the largest with 70 men bearing arms.

  4. Pante (Panty (F), Panthe): On Cresnay Map 1733 Pante was east of Concha. On Broutin Map circa 1743 Pante on the map legend is represented by an "S" on the map which was southeast of "Q" or Concha and relatively close. On the RTG Map 1773 Panthe is listed within the Choctaw village box as village number "1". But to the right of "1" there was an arrow which the legend defined as having been deserted in the Creek (Indian peoples located then in central Alabama) War.

    In November 1763 when France was surrendering Fort Tombekbe to the British a French list of Choctaw villages and leaders was discovered which included "Panthes." See MPAED I 278. Therefore, Pante deserted its location east of Coosa between 1764 and 1773. The RTG Map 1773 showed a north-south path a few miles south of Coosa Creek that demonstrated a prominent bend. We believe French period Pante was located in T8N R16E Section 36 prior to its desertion. The path in question could have become the Lizelle or old Daleville road.

  5. Oaka Loosa (Okalussa, Okoloussa, Okalusa (F)) or Oka Lusa in Choctaw meant Black Water in Choctaw per Halbert. It was a large village with 100 men bearing arms per Lusser, MPAFD I 116. The Cresnay Map 1733 showed "Okeloussa" north of Concha (Coosa). As far as our location, "Black Water" creek was called out several times by T9N R16E surveyor Henry Hamblin in his 1834/5 US survey notes and included on the plat. Among the Choctaw it was common to have a creek named for its residing village. Despite that, Halbert located the village a full township north of Black Water Creek at T10 R16 Section 32 citing numerous evidences of a village. Regardless, we offer a different location, let's hear from Lusser on February 20, 1730 (MPAFD I 89), "We departed from the Conchas. We came to the village of the Okalusa which is two leagues distant. One must cross two bayous of the same name which are difficult to cross." To find Oaka Lossa one must go two leagues north or about 5.5 to 6 miles from our 18th century Coosa and cross a creek twice with the same name as the village. There is a 4 mile long North-South ridge north of Coosa which would have made this journey relatively quick except for crossing Black Water Creek and a tributary near the end of the two leagues. Oaka Lossa of the early 18th century was located on a ridge located inKemper County at T9N R16E Sections 17 and 20 and contiguous lands. This location is 6 miles north of Coosa. We should add that the contemporary community is called "Blackwater" at that location. It is interesting to ponder that the village name and location has survived three hundred plus years.

    We should keep Halbert's Oaka Loosa location in mind. It is possible that this village moved there late in the 18th or early in the 19th century.

  6. Chomontakali or Shomo Takali (F) in Choctaw per Halbert meant Hanging Moss. Halbert had detailed information about the village including that it was divided into eight hamlets, the locations of its cemeteries and its location. That location was on an east west running ridge T9N R15E Sections 13 and 14 (the southern half of each) in Kemper County. Per the French the village on Broutin Map circa 1743 was located at "P" and identified as "Chomon tacale". Halbert also noted that John Spinks was the first American settler in the village in 1834. Per the BLM GLO Records John Spinks owned several properties in T9N R15E including Sections 14 and 15. We believe Halbert presented more than adequate information to locate Chomontakali.

  7. East Yazo Skatane (Yashu Iskitini (F)) which means Little Yazoo per Halbert. There was a West Yazoo village in the Western part which was larger than Little Yazoo. Halbert's village location was in Kemper County near the confluence of "Petickfa" Creek and Yazoo Creek or T10N R17E Section 35. The issue is Halbert'a location is off a township. The confluence of modern Pawtic faw and Yazoo Creeks is in T10N R16E Section 35. Perhaps Halbert made a typo? At any rate, the original T10N R16E US surveyor, Henry Hamblin, in 1834 documented in his survey notes the creek name as "Little Yazoo." The village of Little Yazoo was shown on Lusser's Table MPAFD I 116 as "Yasoux" with 70 men bearing arms. Note it was a dependency of the village of Bouctoucoulou.

    As far as location we believe the ridge between Yazoo Creek and Flat Creek or T10N R16E Sections 20 and 21 and contiguous areas of the ridge extending southeast represents the village position. On the survey plat sections 20 and 21 were bisected by a long Choctaw path. On MPAFD I 89 Lusser explained that his trip had begun at Concha (Coosa), proceeded to Okalusa and on to the village of the Yazoos (Little Yazoo) on the same day. In fact he said of his party ... "we ate dinner with the chief." The French village of Little Yazoo would have been north of French Okalusa about 4 1/2 miles.

  8. Olitassa (F) (Holihta asha,Ouloutacha) was a mid-sized village capable of 50 men bearing arms per Lusser's Table MPAFD I 116. Per Halbert the Choctaw name Holihta asha meant Fort is There. On the Broutin Map circa 1743 the village was identified as letter "G". On the Cresnay Map 1733 the village is on the eastern, upper side noted as "Oulectacha". On page 89 MPAFD I we left Lusser at the village of Little Yazoo having dinner. On page 90 he added, "One league from there is the village of Oulicatacha (Olitassa)." On the De Kalb USGS 7.5 minute quad a ridge runs north-south including the north ¾ of Section 34 and southern ¾ of 27 in T11N R16E Kemper County. Little Yazoo is three miles away from Section 34 or Olitassa. We concur with Halbert concerning his position of early 18th century Olitassa which is occupied by the present town of De Kalb.

  9. Bogue Toocolo chitto (Bok Tuklo chitto, Bouctoucoulou (F)) according to Halbert meant Two Big Creeks. Per Lusser Table MPAFD I 116 Bouctoucoulou could field 130 men bearing arms, and it had two dependencies of which Little Yazoo was one. Lusser gave the distance to the bayou of Chukinatcha and noted that beyond the bayou is the village of Bouctoucoulou. Chukinatcha should be Sucarnoochee Creek. Halbert figured the other creek (of Two Big Creeks) was Running Tiger Creek. He further indicated by Choctaw tradition the village was located at the confluence of Running Tiger and Sucarnoochee Creeks. Halbert did not indicate which side of the confluence. The confluence is located in Kemper County at T11N R16E Section 7. On the Cresnay Map 1733 Bouktoukoulou was northwest of "Oulectacha" or Olitassa.

    Let's look at another map to aid our location. Open the BVS Map 1743. Click several times to zoom in and move right or east on the east-west running green band in the map's middle and move east until you see "Bouctoulou Chitto" on the northeast side of the confluence of two creeks (Sucarnoochee and Running Tiger Creeks). We believe the two ridges running north from the confluence in T11N R16E Sections 6 and 7 and into T12N R16E Section 31 represent French Bouctoucoulou (Bogue Toocolo chitto.) Both ridges are east of Running Tiger Creek.

    For his mapping contribution to the BVS Map 1743, Broutin surveyed the east-west running green band including the north Choctaw villages area of the map in 1737, see MPAFD I 358 (Letter from Salmon and Bienville to Maurepas) in preparation for the French Chickasaw War of 1739-1740. That letter explained why the BVS Map 1743 presented such a narrow view of just the northern Choctaw villages. The view was narrow but relevant. We will take a closer look at BVS Map 1743 and the environs of Bouctoucoulou in the next few Villages.

  10. Scanapa (F) (Schkannapa) meant The Unfortunate Ones per Roullet, see MPA I 153. Scanapa was not covered by Halbert in his paper Bernard Romans' Map of 1772. Cresnay Map 1733 does show Scanapa as "Schkanapa" which was situated on the northeast corner of the Choctaw villages. Further, MPA I 116 Lusser indicated there were 180 men fit to bear arms. Lusser provided hints as to its location. He wrote in his Journal February 21, 1730, "In the morning I went to see Mingo Emitta, chief of the Scanapa, whom I did not see yesterday at the assembly (at Bouctoucoulou) because of a high fever that was keeping him in bed." See MPAFD I 91. There is much more content to this Journal entry, but what is important is Lusser was obviously back at Bouctoucoulou that night because he took the path to two other villages the next morning. Another point is that he does not mention crossing a creek (Running Tiger) while traveling back and forth. Taken together these points suggest that Scanapa was very close to Bouctoucoulou and on the same side of Running Tiger Creek. How close? Look at the BVS Map 1743. Note the paths that connect to Bouctoucoulou (Bogue Toocolo chitto). Scanapa must be on one of these paths. The path that leads southwest leads to the village of Couechitto which we will deal with later in this section. The path north crosses an east-west path on the east side of Running Tiger Creek. Another path leads east to the village Abeka which we have not located, but will following. Scanapa must be north of Bouctoucoulou and south of or near the intersection of paths north of Bouctoucoulou. That would place Scanapa on the ridges east and north of Indian Branch confluence with Running Tiger Creek or Kemper County T12N R16E Sections 19 and 30. Remember this location derives from French sources from the 1730s and early 1740s. Lusser in 1730 provided another hint that the villages were near each other. He noted that he was going to visit both villages, see MPAFD I 88, "to go to Bouctoucoulou and Scanapa." That is, the villages must have been very close.

    We offer two other thoughts. The dependencies of Scanapa and Bouctoucoulou must have been located on the west side of Running Tiger Creek and/or on the paths shown on the BVS Map 1743 near a creek, particularly the east-west path north of Bouctoucoulou and our proposed Scanapa, probably the west side of the path. The path heading north heads to the Chickasaw as shown on the BVS Map1743.

    At the end of the French period British Lieutenant Ford took control of Fort Tombekbe in November 1763. During the exchange of troops the British found or were given a list of Choctaw villages. Scanapa is not on the list, MPAED I 26. However, if we read this correctly, Mingo Emitta who met with Lusser above could be the "Mingo Emita", the "appointed head man" of Bouctoucoulou in the 1763 French Choctaw village list. Was Scanapa assumed by Bouctoucoulou?

  11. East Abeika (Abeka, Apeca, Abeca (F)) Aiabeka in Choctaw meant Unhealthy Place per Halbert. Lusser's table MPAFD I 116 indicated Apeca had 50 men who could bear arms. Halbert predicted its location at the mouth of Straight Creek confluence with Sucarnoochee Creek or Kemper County T11N R16E Section 24 and areas contiguous. Further we understand that historic collections were made there as stated in MSAH AR-16.

    That leads to where we think East Abeika was located in the French dominion of Louisiana (There was a West Abeka in the Western Part of Villages). Let's return to the BVS Map 1743 and note east of "Bouctoulou Tchitto" resided "AbeKa." Factor its position and paths with the topography on De Kalb USGS 7.5 minute quad map, the location of Abeka would be Kemper County T12 R16 Sections 29 and 32 specifically the ridge in both sections. As far as Halbert's East Abeika location, we think another dependency of Scanapa or Bouctoucoulou occupied that site in the French period.

  12. Ayanabi (Yanabe (F)) Iyanabi per Halbert meant Ironwood. Halbert's situation for Yanabe was Kemper County T10N R15E Sections 22, 26 and 27 located on today's Steel Creek which the surveyor Henry Hamblin noted in 1835 "Due East Between Sections 22 and 27" as "Yanabba Creek." We agree with Halbert regarding the location as French Yanabe. On September 22, 1729 Roullet took a path to Yanabe on a one-day trip from the Conchas, see MPAFD I 26. The next day he went on to Okalusa with a larger entourage. This gives credence to Halbert's Yanabe Creek as the correct location. In addition there is a long path traversing Section 22 on the survey plat.

  13. Louckata (Loucfeata (F), Loukfeata) This village may be Halbert's "Lukfa" though he did not provide a location or additional information. On MPAFD I 116 we see in Lusser's table Louckata as having 60 men capable of bearing arms. Roullet's Table, see MPAFD I 153, indicated Loukfeata had 40 men who could bear arms. Note too that it was a dependency of Couetchitto. On his journey from Bouctoucoulou to Couechitto Lusser traveled through Loucfeata in 1730, "We went to Loucfeata which is a little village one league from Bouctoucoulou and half way between Bouctoucoulou and Couechitto." See MPAFD I 93.

    Southwest was the direction Lusser was travelling from Bouctoucoulou to Couechitto. Note the BVS Map 1743. While the village of Louckata is not shown on the map, the path from "Bouctoulou Tchito" to "Couintchito" is shown heading southwest. We offer Louckata's position as T11N R15E Sections 9, 10 and 15 or the ridge west of Kemper County Lake and north of Bloomfield. The ridge is at least 1 ½ miles long running northwest-southeast. Our location for Loucfeata fits the distance and direction from Bouctoucoulou to Couechitto.

  14. Couechitto (F) (Couenchito, Coue tchitou, Village of the Great Chief, Grand Village) Koi Chitto in Choctaw meaning Big Panther (MPAFD I 27 and 153) per Roullet. Lusser indicated that it had 80 men that could bear arms MPAFD I 116; however Roullet indicated 40, each estimate dated roughly 1730. What is significant is that during the French occupation of Louisiana roughly 1700 until 1747-48 (when Couechitto was a victim of the Choctaw Civil War), Couechitto was the Great Village of the Choctaw Nation.

    Even its location commanded the cartographer's respect. Note the Cresnay Map 1733 which represented the Grand Village as the largest map symbol of all the villages and located it near the top of map and centered between the east and west villages. The BVS Map 1743 had "Couintchito" situated in a tan colored area with no green creeks or vegetation nearby. Lusser provided a description . . . on February 22, 1730, the day after visiting Scanapa, Lusser and his delegation continued their journey from Bouctoucoulou heading towards Couechitto,

    "I departed at 8 o'clock. We went to Loucfeata which is a little village one league from Bouctoucoulou and half way between Bouctoucoulou and Couechitto. Loucfeata is a very pretty village and is in a beautiful village plain. (Loucfeata is the previous village). We went to Couechitto to the cabin of the Great Chief where we ate dinner. I went to see the place where the house that is to serve as a warehouse is to be situated. I found it well situated. Several uprights and posts have already been erected which the Indians have made, which consequently are very badly constructed and of poor wood because there is no other near these quarters. The roofing is no less difficult to obtain since the cypress forest from which the bark must be brought by land is almost four leagues from there. Living there is also very hard since there are no fowls there and even less deer, which one must go two days' journey from there to find." See MPAFD I 93.

    To review Lusser wrote that at Couechitto there was only poor wood, no fowl or deer, and cypress was 10 to 11 miles away. Isn't this the stark "Couintchito" portrayed on the BVS Map of 1743? Had the people of Couechitto exhausted their wood resources? And in turn their animals? As far as a location for Couechitto we are two leagues from Bouctoucoulou to the southwest. We selected Couechitto's location as Kemper County T11N R14E on a long, elevated ridge that runs about 5 miles northwest-southeast to Section 24. In addition, the village included the elevations in T11N R15E Sections 18, 19, 30 and contiguous, elevated areas. In the following French Western Part section, we also located Couechitto to this location.

    A look at the area USGS 7.5 minute quad maps (Owl Creek and Lynville) show Couechitto perched rather dramatically on a high plateau separated to the west by a wide chasm of the Bouge Chitto Creek and to the north one would see the lowlands of the upper Pearl River. To the east there is a drop of one hundred feet. Roullet described the village during his second mission to the Choctaw villages (MPAFD I 147), "The village of Couechitto or the Great Village is situated on a small plain surrounded by very high hills, where nearly all the cabins of the Indians are built and their cleared lands are in the plain."

    Couechitto was destroyed during the Choctaw Civil War MPAFD V 62 and, if our location is correct, suffered another blow in 1961 with the construction of Meridian Naval Military Air Station Bravo Field. The 1836 survey notes of Henry Hamblin for the township indicated unusually small witness trees for the quarter and sectional posts. The RTG Map 1773 and Purcell Brown Map l781 legends call the village East Coongeeto, and state the village was destroyed. No location for Couechitto was given by Halbert as the maps he used indicated the village was destroyed in the Choctaw Civil War.

  15. Boucfalaya(F) (Boukfalaya, Bouk falatia) Boucfalaya was a dependency of Conchas per Lusser (MPAFD I 116) but Okalusa per Roullet (MPAFD I 151). On the Cresnay Map 1733 "Boukfalaya" appeared west of "Concha." Another view of Boucfalaya may be seen on Broutin Map circa 1743 as "Bouk falatia" and letter "R" was situated northwest of "Conchas" letter "Q." As far as Boucfalaya being located west of Conchas, we investigated the United States survey notes and plat of townships 8N range 15E and T8N R14 E, both west of Conchas, but we found no appreciable clues to a village located in either. In fact, there is only one SCRIP in both townships and that in T8N R14E. The Gatschet Map 1772, a copy of Romans Map 1772 Map, did not locate Boucfalaya by name or number but there are two unnamed and unnumbered black areas on the map that possibly represent older villages near the extreme southwest corner of Kemper County. These areas are northwest of Coosa. The township north is T9N R15E, and it has a cluster of CIP on the west side of Chickasawhay Creek. We located the village on a ridge among the CIP at T9N R15E Sections 17 and 20 Kemper County. This village was neither identified nor located by Halbert.

  16. Boucchito(F) (Bouktchitou) Another dependency of Conchas (Coosa) which on the Cresnay Map 1733 appeared as "Bouktchitou" NW of "Bouk falaya Boucfalaya)." Perhaps this is the second black blob mentioned above in Boucfalaya. In T9N R14E Kemper County we have a group of CIP centrally located to a ridge east of Tallachula Creek at T9N R14E Sections 10, 11, 14 and 15. This is our location of Boucchito. This village was neither identified nor located by Halbert.

  17. Ouantonoullou(F) (Outouloula) This village was a small dependency of Conchas. Per the Cresnay Map 1733 "Ouantonloula" was east of Pante and at the southeast corner of the Eastern group of villages. Another relative location of "Ountonloula" may be viewed on Broutin Map circa 1743 as letter "O." Thanks to a large cluster of CIP, we located this village on a ridge south of Okaloosa Creek (Blackwater Creek) Kemper County at T9N R17E Sections 15 and 22. This village was neither identified nor located by Halbert.

  18. Abissa (Abesa (F)) Abissa was a dependency of Conchas. We will include Abissa in the French Western Part as its location as shown on the Cresnay Map 1733 was southwest of Bissacha.

  19. Itechipouta(F) (ite tchitouta) According to Lusser Itetchipouta was a dependency of Couetchitto, see MPAFD 1 116. "Yte chipouta" appeared in the center of Cresnay Map 1733. It was situated almost north of "Bouktchitou" above. It was also located as "ite tchitoupa" in the upper left map legend and letter "j" on the Broutin Map circa 1743. It appeared to be located northwest of Okalusa which would not disagree with the Cresnay Map 1733. With regards to its location there are a few CIP located in Kemper County on the South side of Chickasawhay Creek at T10N R14E Sections 25 and 26 or almost 3 miles north of Boucchitto. This location agrees with the French maps. Itetchipouta was neither identified nor located by Halbert.

  20. Bitoupgoula(F) (Epitoupogoula skatane, Ebita poocola skatane) Halbert corrected the name of the village to Ibetap okla iskitini or Fountain Heads Little People. Per Lusser's Table on MPAFD I 116 this village was a dependency of Scanapa. On the Cresnay Map 1733 the village name read "bitoupougoula le petit" and appeared on the map to be north of the village Little Yazoo. Halbert gave the location as the head of Yazoo Creek but did not provide coordinates. We offer Bitoupgoula location as Kemper County T10N 16E the right half of Section 7 and the left of Section 8 and the contiguous parts of that ridge. This location is north of Little Yazoo about one mile.

  21. Mongoulacha (Imonglasha skatani, Little Mokalusha) Halbert corrected the Choctaw name to Imoklasha Iskitini which meant Their People are there. Per Lusser's Table MPAFD I 116 the village was a small dependency of Scanapa. On Cresnay Map 1733 Mongoulacha was the village name. It was situated northeast of Little Yazoo and southeast of "bitoupougoula le petite." Further Halbert stated the village was located on Flat Creek. We agree and locate this village in Kemper County T10N R16E Section 16 and the contiguous parts of the ridge.

  22. Nushkobo(F) (Nouche koubo) This village was not recorded by Roullet or Lusser nor was it on the Cresnay Map 1733. It appeared on Broutin Map circa 1743 as "Nouche koubo" in the upper right legend and as letter "K" on the map. Why did Nushkobo appear so late in the French period? It could be that Nushkobo was a hamlet of another larger village and gained its village status before the Choctaw Civil War. During the Choctaw Civil War the French claimed the leader of Nushkobo was beheaded and the village destroyed, see MPAFD V 16, 18 and 47. As to its location and the scant evidence of its existence Swanton, BAE Bulletin 103: 99, reckoned its position on Peticfaw Creek. We believe the village is a little further north of Peticfaw Creek on the southernmost tributary of Sucarnoochee Creek. Why there? Perhaps it was a dependency of Couechitto and located nearby? The French associated both villages with Red Shoe, see MPAFD V 46. There is one more clue to its location. Several CIP point to a village having been there. Our location for Nushkobo is Kemper County T11N R15E north ½ of Section 28 and southeastern corner of Section 29. Halbert was not aware of this village.

  23. Iteo ouktchaka (Iteotchako(F)) Halbert did not address this village as it was not on the Gatschet Map 1772 which was a copy of the Romans Map 1772. This village as "yte outchako" was located by Cresnay Map 1733 on the eastern edge of the eastern part of the Choctaw villages. Broutin Map circa 1743 situated the village "ite outchacko" as letter "A" located on the eastern edge of the Choctaw villages. We believe the village was located west of Sucarnoochee Creek at the intersection of two major paths which ran east and west and southwest to northeast. In addition there were a number of CIP located there at a much later date which may reveal an earlier village. The location is Kemper County T10N R17E Sections 13, 14, 23 and 24. We must add that the village location was remote from other Choctaw villages and difficult to defend.

    In our opinion this village would have had to move to survive. Likely it would have moved closer to Scanapa to which it was dependent per Lusser, see MPAFD I 116. The BVS Map of 1743 indicated the village had moved by 1743 and provided a location of "Ite ouctchaco" north of Sucarnoochee and west of Straight Creeks. The second location of French Iteotchaka was Kemper County T11N R16E Sections 14, 15 and 16.

French Western Part Villages

Our intention is to locate the largest and some of the smallest Choctaw villages of the Western Part during the French dominion of Louisiana. These locations are noted on Figure 2 and below. The village names designated (F) will indicate their spelling on the map.

  1. Tchanke (F) (Chanki, Little Chunky) probably gets its name from the sport of chunky which was played throughout the southeast US by Indian peoples in the historic period and into the middle Mississippian. Per MPAFD I 152 it was located at what is now Union Ms. It was a smaller sized town with but 20 men fit to bear arms per Lusser MPAFD I 117, and as reported by Roullet, Tchanke had no chief, MPAFD I 152.

    On a trip from the Sixtown villages (see Figure 3) to the Western Part village of Bistacha, Joseph Christophe de Lusser recorded that his party crossed "Tchianke Bayou" and another unnamed bayou. See MPAFD I 95. The RTG Map 1773 and Purcell Brown Map 1781 show a large path passing Tchianke Bayou at the head of the bayou. Since Lusser does not mention passing the village of Tchanke, one must assume he turned right onto another path just south or southeast of the village's location. That path would have coursed southeast towards Bistacha. Therefore, we agree generally with the Union location for Tchanke. We believe that Tchanke was located southwest of Union in the headwaters of Chunky Creek on a ridge located in Newton County T8N R11E Sections 11 and 12 mostly east of Spring Hill Church. One other note about Union proper location, the US surveyor noted witness trees there were quite large.

    During the Choctaw Civil War Tchanke's population was further reduced. The French blamed the villages of Tchanke, Oni, and Okeoulou for killing 3 French citizens at the Germans (Allemands) near New Orleans, see MPAFD V 42. The French encouraged attacks on these villages (MPAFD V 26) and paid a bounty for the occupants' scalps at three times the value of Chickasaw scalps. See MPAFD V 16. For a small village with no chief, Tchanke commanded a lot of French attention.

  2. Bistacha (F) (Besacha, Bisacha) meant The Blackberries are There per Roullet MPAFD I 151. Bistacha had a population of just 15 men fit to bear arms per Lusser MPA I 117. On page MPAFD I 96 Lusser noted that two leagues (from south of what is now Union Ms) was the bayou of Bistacha. The village was further east across the bayou. We located the village on a narrow ridge east of Tallashua Creek in Newton County at T8N R13E Sections 9, 10 and 16. There are a number of paths in the area and Jackson's Military Road coursed east of the locale after 1820. In all likelihood, Bistacha occupied this area for years as CIP were awarded to Choctaws north and east of this location, meaning the village moved north and east sometime after the French period.

  3. West Imongalasha (F) (West Mougoulasha, Mongoulacha) was a large village of the French Western part. Lusser's table MPAFD I 117 indicated 100 men capable of bearing arms. Halbert wrote in his article Bernard Romans' Map of 1772 that "Imoklasha" was its correct Choctaw form. Lusser recorded the distance from Bistacha to Mongoulacha was four leagues. Further he gave a description of the village, "The place is very agreeable, situated on an eminence surrounded by prairies of rather great extent." Halbert located this village in Neshoba County at T9N R13E Sections 4, 9 and 16. He had some help. In the survey notes of T9N R13E dated June 17, 1834 the United States surveyor, Seth McCleary, after surveying the line between sections 5 and 8 recorded, "This corner (sections 4, 5, 8 and 9) is in the margin of what is called the Muklusha Town at a small branch (creek)." In addition, there was an ante bellum plantation and house called West Imongalasha located adjacent to the village site. Yes, Mongoulacha was located as described by Halbert on the ridge at the headwaters and just west of Tallashua Creek. Our distance from Bistacha to West Imongalasha is 8 miles, which is short of four leagues or 10-10 ½ miles. Was Lusser's distance long?

  4. Okeoullou (Okeoulou(F)) was a small village whose location is vital to our next village's location. Okeoulou was not located by Halbert, as it was not on the Romans Map 1772. Okeoulou meant Scarce Water per Roullet, see MPAFD I 151. Note we continue with Lusser's journey. In MPAFD I 96 he provided notes relative to Okeoullou, "We departed from there (Mongoulacha) and went to Okeoulou. This village is on a hill in the form of a prairie. Water is very scarce there. There are two good leagues between this village and Mongoulacha." Okeoulou was situated at T11N R13E S31 on ridge that runs north-south and east of Ocobla community. The topography of this area drains away in all directions. Scarce Water indeed. From West Mongoulacha to Okeoulou is 6 miles or about "two good leagues". About 1820 the Jackson - Old Factory road made a diversion around the village to avoid the site. This road diversion probably means Okeoulou was occupied late.

  5. Boucfouca (Boucfouka, Boukfouka(F), Boufouca) was a large village in the French period with 100 men bearing arms. Roullet indicated it meant Surrounded by Bayous (MPAFD I 151) and had three divisions or hamlets, see MPAFD I 145. That could have accounted for his apparent confusion in locating Boucfouca. Lusser gave us a hand, "About two full leagues from there (Okeoulou) one goes to Boucfouca. This is a large village surrounded by a number of bayous." See MPAFD I 96.

    For the location we carefully viewed the Philadelphia 7.5 minute quad map, comparing it to BVS Map 1743 location of "Boufouca." The best method to compare the maps that we found was to zoom into the area using the Philadelphia USGS quad to a scale that matches BVS Map 1743 scale. How? Go to "USGS Map Locator," type in "Philadelphia Ms," select Philadelphia Ms and click the zoom (Blue + in upper left corner) down to match BVS Map 1743 scale. The USGS map features at T11N R12E Sections 5, 7 and 8 in Neshoba County matches the BVS Map 1743 "Boufouca" vignette extremely well, particularly the tan land and green water features. There is a "u" shaped ridge at Sections 6, 7 and 8, and a separate but contiguous ridge at Section 12.

    As far as Lusser's two full leagues, from the north end of the Okeoulou ridge to our Boucfouca location there are six miles or two full leagues. In the survey notes of Neshoba County township T11 R12 the US surveyor recorded 15 path segments which are not shown on the survey plat of T11N R12E on the BLM GLO website. We plotted the paths segments on the Philadelphia USGS quad map. The paths lead from our Okeoulou location to our Boukfoukca location.

    Also of note, in T11N R12E adjacent to the Boukfouka site there are paths leading northeast. Could these be the path shown on the BVS Map 1743 that circles back towards Bouctoucoulou?

    Halbert did not locate Boucfouca.

  6. West Yaso (West Yazoo, Jachou, Yasoux) was a mid-sized town with 60 men fit to bear arms per Lusser's table MPAFD I 117. Lusser further noted that it was a dependency of the village Cushtusha. Halbert located Yazoo Old Town in Neshoba County at T10N R13E Sections 13 and 24. Again, he had help. Remember Seth McCleary the original United States surveyor who declared the location of Muklusha Town? In the survey notes (page 15) of T10N R13E he noted sometime just before April 5, 1834 on the section line between Sections 13 and 24, "This line passes through what is called Old Yazoo Town." Halbert used the same sections in which McCleary recorded his revealing note. Of course, McCleary's location was correct for West Yazoo. Before we leave West Yazoo Roullet described the village in 1732, "The village of the Jachou (Yazoo) is situated in a great plain which lies on a height. The Indians have their cleared ground in this plain and a large part of their huts are around the plain. The plain of the Jachou (Yazoos) is not so vast as that of the Cushtushas, but it has about two leagues circumference at the least." See MPAFD I 147. Most of the surveyor noted paths in T10 R13 were not drawn on the plat. We drew the paths on the House USGS 7.5 minute quad map.

  7. Cuctachas (Kastacha, Cushtusha (F)) was a large village with 120 men fit to bear arms per Lusser, MPAFD I 117. Halbert wrote its Choctaw orthography as Kashtih asha meant Fleas are There or Flea Place. As for location Halbert placed the village on the south side of "Custusha Creek" about three miles a little south of west of Yazoo Town. That would place Cushtusha in Neshoba County at T10N R13E Sections 10, 15 and 16 on an elevated ridge that has a hill in Section 16 that reaches 600 feet. Roullet in 1732 recorded, " The village of Cushtusha is one of the finest in the nation; it is situated in a large plain, in the middle of which is a small hill from the top of which one can see all of the Indian cabins placed on the plain . . ." from MPAFD I 146.

    Further on that page Roullet gave the distance from Jachou (Yazoo) to Cushtusha as one league. As for our surveyor for this township, Seth McCleary, the best hint he had to a village at this location was that the land had been cultivated. For those wanting to verify the locations…on MPAFD I 96/7 Lusser stated the distance from Boucfouca to Cushtusha was five good leagues, or 12.5-13 miles. We measure 10 miles as the crow flies. Lusser did not mention passing Okeoulou which would have been the direct route.

  8. Jakene atchoukima (Atchouchouga, Jakene atchoukema (F)) meant the Good Ground from Roullet' table MPAFD I 154. From Lusser's table the village is Atchouchouga and is a small dependency of Cushtusha (MPAFD I 117). As for its location, Halbert did not give a location; Roullet in 1732 (MPAFD I 146) recorded, "From Yazoo to Jakene atchoukima it is a league and a half in the direction of NNE . . ." Jakene atchoukima's location will help establish the location of the next village, Couechitto. The location of this village we situated on a long ridge running northwest-southeast in Kemper County at T11N R14E Sections 19, 20 and 29. Our guess is the high eastern edges of the ridge would have been desirous for viewing, perhaps the Good Ground. Roullet described the location, "The village of Jachene atchoukima is situated on a little elevation or height. The cabins are quite widely separated from each other." See MPAFD I 147. This village was poised 50 to sixty feet above Bogue Chitto creek and bottom. Through the treetops, it should have offered a view of Couechitto.

  9. Couechitto (F) (Couenchito, Grand Village) was also known as Koi Chitto or Big Panther (MPAFD I 27 notes and 153) per Roullet. Lusser indicated that it had 80 men that could bear arms MPAFD I 116; however Roullet indicated 40, each estimate was dated roughly 1730. What is significant is that during the French occupation of Louisiana until 1747/8 when the village was destroyed by fire in the Choctaw Civil War (MPAFD V 18) Couechitto was the Great Village of the Choctaw Nation. With regards to its location, Roullet noted (MPAFD I 146 "from Jakene atchoukima to the village of Coe Tchitou (Couechitto) or the Great Village it is one league and a half, towards the East."

    A more focused description was made by Roullet in his journal 1732, "The village of Crouetchitou (Couechitto) or the Great Village is situated on a small plain surrounded by very high hills, where nearly all the cabins of the Indians are built and their cleared lands are in the plain." See MPAFD I 147. We are confident the site of Couechitto included the long ridge that extended in Kemper County from T11N R14E Sections 9-24 and broken heights of T11N R15E Section 7, 18, 19 and 30 at and above the 500 foot contour. The high hills would have appeared majestic from the east or west. On the 1962 Lynville USGS 7.5 minute quad photorevised 1982, a Naval Military Runway called Bravo Field was constructed on the site sometime in the early 1960s. Halbert did not locate Couechitto as it was destroyed in the Choctaw Civil War. The British map makers RTG Map 1773 and Purcell Brown Map 1781 called the site East Congeto and noted the village had been destroyed.

  10. West Abeca (F) (Abika, Abeca) was not located by Halbert. Roullet's Table indicated Abeka had 50 warriors, see MPAFD I 152. Roullet recorded Abeca was one and a half leagues from Couechitto to Abica (Abeca) (MPAFD I 146) and west of Couechitto. He also stated that it was another one and a half leagues west to Jachou (West Yazoo) for which we have a concrete location from the United States surveyor much further away. There are several solutions to this dilemma, all of which depend upon a mistake by Roullet. One he has Abeca and Jakene atchoukima directions reversed? Another he has West Yazoo south of Couechitto? Or is the distance and direction from Abeca to West Yazoo wrong? Or is there "another village" not named West Yazoo west of Abeca? What if two of these are true? Wouldn't Abeca prefer to be close to Couechitto and enjoy a view? That puts Abeca one and a half leagues west of Couechitto or T11N R14E S18 in Kemper County. We would say that West Abeca was destroyed in the Choctaw Civil War.

  11. Kaffetalya (Kafetalaya, Caffetalaya (F)) was one of the largest French villages of the Western Part with 130 men fit to bear arms per Lusser, see MPAFD I 117. Its Choctaw name Kafi talaia meant Sassafras Thicket per Halbert. Halbert assigned the location of Caffetalya in Neshoba County at T11N R13E S21 which was for the most part on Owl Creek. We believe this location is the late occupation of Caffetalya. The earlier French village was further north.

    Lusser took a horse ride to Caffetalaya, "We went early to Caffetalaya which is only four leagues (10-11 miles) distant from Cushtusha". (MPAFD I 99) So from Cushtusha how far is it to Halbert's Caffetalya? We measured 5.5 miles; not the 10-11 miles we needed to locate the French village. On the same ridge as Halbert's location to the north about 4 miles is an area of small ridges at 500 feet elevation in Neshoba County which slope gently centered about T12N R13E Sections 27, 28, 29 and 33 or mostly south and east of the Bond community. This location has fewer surveyor noted paths and larger witness trees compared to Halbert's Caffetalaya, which you would expect of an older site. Our alternative French Caffetalaya location meets Lusser's distance from Cushtusha while placing French Caffetalaya further north and closer to the Chickasaws as drawn on Cresnay Map 1733.

    We suggest that during or at the close of or after the Choctaw Civil War in which Caffetalaya and its people suffered significantly (MPAFD V 60) the village moved south to Halbert's location. But, like all of these sites, someone has to visit the site, survey and shovel test the ground and find and excavate the trash pits to prove the location.

  12. Sapatchito(F) We learn from Roullet in 1732 that Sapatchito was a hamlet of Boucfouca, see MPAFD I 148. It was not a village at that time. Sappatchito was not recorded as a village by Cresnay on his 1733 map. It was recorded by Broutin on his map of circa 1743 as a village "ossapa tchitou" and represented on his map as letter "a." He located Sapatchitou west of Boukfouka or "b" on the map. Sapatchito was located very close to Boukfouca. We put the early village of Sapatchitou at Neshoba County T11N R11E Section 12. It is well known that this village moved to the Dixon community. What precipitated the move? The Captain of Boucfouca was killed during the Choctaw Civil War in 1749 (MPAFD V 14). His death probably left a void in leadership that Sapatchito filled. When did Sapatchito move to the Dixon area? At least before 1772 when Romans located it there. We will provide more information about this village in the British period village locations.

    In 1748 the French blamed villagers from Tchanke, Oni and Okeoulou several times for killing several French at the Germans, a French settlement near New Orleans, see MPAFD V 21, 26 and 31. To exact revenge bounties were put on the scalps of any from these villages.

  13. Oni(F) (Oony) Oni was a small village which was not recorded by Roullet, Lusser or Cresnay. However the Broutin Map circa 1743 has Oni listed in the upper left map legend and represented on the map as letter "q." The location was near Okeloulou and Tchanke (Chunky). Both Chunky and Oni are represented at the headwaters of neighboring creeks. Gatschet Map 1772 noted that there was a Chunki bogue and an Oony bogue. All of that said, we have located Oni on a ridge in Newton County T8N R11E Sections 11 and 14.

  14. Toussana(F) This village was not recorded by Roullet, Lusser or Cresnay. It was recorded by Broutin on the Broutin Map circa 1743. On the map "Toussana" was designated on the map as letter "c." It was also shown to be situated northeast of Boukfouka letter "b". Given that area is bound to the north by the Pearl River and there is not much land available to the northeast of Boukfouka. We did note the paths from Okeoulou to Boucfouca. At the eastern edge of Boucfouca a path splits and runs northeast. That location is Neshosba County T12N R12N Section 34 and was the probable location of French period Toussana.

  15. Abissa(F) First of all this is a small village; Lusser on MPAFD I 116 indicated the village had 30 men fit to bear arms. He also noted that Abissa was a dependency of Conchas (see Eastern Part French villages). As to its location, the Cresnay Map 1733 had it located southeast of "Tchanke" or Chunky and south a little west of "Bessacha" or Bistacha. There is a site that is located near south of Bistacha and southeast of Chunky near the path network that became the Military Road. There are also paths around and through this location as well as several CIP. The location of Abissa is east of Tallahatta Creek Newton County T7N R13E parts of Sections 13, 24, and 25.

    16. This concludes the Western Part French Choctaw village locations.

French Sixtown Villages

Figure 3 represents our locations for the Sixtown French Period Villages. The reader can follow our progress through the villages.

First, what villages are we addressing? Look at Lusser's Table MPAFD I 117 which was recorded in March of 1730. We are looking at the top villages in the list: Ouskelagana and Cheniacha, Nacchoubanouanya, Bouctoulouxy, Nacchoubanfouny to Tala. That group makes up six villages of what the French called Sixtown Villages.

Depending upon the French journalist or cartographer there were five or seven Sixtown villages. As Lusser's table indicated, the Ouskelagana or Yellow Canes and Cheniacha combined to make the largest village by far with 200 men bearing arms. The Cresnay Map 1733 documented six villages: Talapoucta was located northwest of the group, then Tala to its east, moving southeast in order are Ouske Lacana (Ouskelagana ) (Yellow Canes), Seneacha (Cheniacha), Nachoubaouanja (Nacchoubanouanya), and Bouktouloukche (Bouctoulouxy). The major Choctaw village which Cresnay positioned near the Sixtown Group was Chickachae (Chickasawhay) which was part of our French Eastern villages.

If the Cresnay Map 1733 is compared to The Broutin Map circa 1743, both show the villages making an arc from Tala east southeast to Chickasawhay.

To find the locations of the Sixtown villages we will follow and locate the path used by someone who recorded a journey through the villages. That person was Joseph Christophe de Lusser. He generally followed the path shown on the Cresnay Map 1733. We will begin at Chickasawhay where Lusser had traveled from Mobile. From Chickasawhay village we have to travel three leagues south southeast to the starting point in Lusser's journey. Regis du Roullet told us where the starting point, a fork in the path, was. In MPAFD I 144 Roullet indicated from the fork in the path (road) to Chickasawhay was north and to the Yellow Canes was northwest. The fork was one league south of Souenlovie Creek. We place the fork in Clarke County on a small, low ridge at T2N R14E Section 36, just south of, the Harmony community.

From the fork we will join Lusser's party (MPAFD I 95) on their route to and through the Sixtown villages. We must travel 1 ½ leagues to Mitabouc, a creek or bayou, and another 1 ½ leagues to Nachoubananya, another creek or bayou. Lusser added, "It (Nachoubananya) gives its name to the village which one leaves on the left." From the fork the path advanced west and a little north following a path that would later be the "Old Stage Coach Rd" shown on the Hale USGS 7.5 minute quad. It would have crossed a tributary of Pachuta Creek, perhaps Lusser's Mitabouc. From there the path moved west northwest to just north of Shubuta Creek and well south of Pachuta Creek. After crossing another tributary of Pachuta Creek, the path turned northwesterly and entered the hills in Jasper County at T3N R13E Section 31 northeast of Paulding community. At that location the ridges west and south would have encompassed the village of Nachoubananya including T3N R13E Sections 30 and 31 and T3N R12E Sections 25 and 36. To the south is a small creek named Town Creek. Does that "Town" refer to Nachoubananya? From the north of Sections 25/26 the path turned northwest about a half a mile (and intersected what would become the Jackson-Winchester Road and later parts of Highway 503), to the Missionary community.

Back to Lusser on MPAFD I 95 he wrote, "One league from there (Nachoubananya) one crosses a canebrake which is difficult for the horses". The location of this canebrake is not germane to locating the French villages; however, "reed brakes" were noted frequently (perhaps two thousand?) by the United States surveyors in the Choctaw Homeland survey notes in 1831-35. Oftentimes the reed brakes bordered streams, swamps or moist ground. Perhaps the upper reaches of Powers Creek sheltered the canebrake that was difficult for the horses?

Back to Lusser, "Three leagues from there (Nachoubananya) is the village of Cheniacha which forms part of the village of the Yellow Canes. It is a league in extent including the village of the Yellow Canes." From Missionary the path coursed NNW several miles to the Yellow Canes which occupied a ridge in Jasper County at T4N R12E Sections 18 and 19 and T4N R11E Section 24 and parts of the ridge in neighboring sections. Measuring the path (not the straight distance) from the center of Nachoubananya village to the center of Yellow Canes village is about eight and one-half miles or three leagues. Cheniacha could have had a separate but contiguous location from the Yellow Canes. If so, that would be the ridge located at T4N R12E S21 Jasper County.

We are aware that the Broutin Map circa 1743 and Cresnay Map 1733 conflict with Lusser's location of Nachoubananya. Both maps indicated Bouctoulouxy not Nachoubananya as the southeastern situated Sixtown French village. Our answer is that Lusser has been right or very close in regards to our other French village locations. Lusser did not mention Bouctoulouxy except in his table MPAFD I 117 where he indicated Nachoubananya was the larger of the two villages.

Saying that, our location for Bouctoulouxy includes the ridge running east from Moss Hill in T4N R12E Sections 35 and 36 and contiguous fingers of the ridge, situated between Pentantly and Twistedwood Creeks. This location would have been east of Lusser's route. The ridge provided excellent water sources and offered gentle slopes for farming.

We lack discovering the French village of Tala. Again, we ride with Lusser who recorded its location in his journal the following day (MPAFD I 95) from the Yellow Canes, "We crossed the bayou which gives its name to the village. It is easy to cross, but the approaches to it are bad. We next found Oucchouty and Boucfilame. Two leagues from this last bayou one crosses Talabouc which gives its name to the village of Tala through which we passed." If we continue the path from the Yellow Canes north one would cross the upper reaches of current Souenlovie Creek (Lusser's Oucchouty). North a mile would be the upper reaches of Scotchenflipper Creek (Lusser's Boucfilame). Due west from there six miles (two leagues) are the upper reaches of Tarlow Creek or (Tala), if you will. The French village Tala would have been located in Newton County T5N R10E Section 24 and the low ridge extending into T5N R11E Sections 19 and 30.

This completes our locations of the French Sixtown Village group. Lusser continued his journey north.