The Creek Documents 1

Below, Samuel Moniac gives his deposition to Judge Harry Toulmin, relating how he came to realize a war against the whites was impending.

From "History of the Mississippi Valley, Volume II" by Modette

"Among the evidences of Tecumseh's visit and agency in exciting the Creek war, and inducing the Creeks to takeup the hatchet as allies of Great Britain, the following affadavit of Samuel Moniac, a respectable and wealthy half-breed Creek, may be taken as one which is corroberated by undoubted testimony, viz:

The Deposition of Samuel Moniac, of lawful age, a Warrior of the Creek nation

Mississippi Territory, Washington District:

About the last of October, 1812, thirty northern Indians came down with Tecumseh, who said he had been sent by his brother, the Prophet. They attended our council at the Tuccabache, and had a talk for us. I was there for the space of three days; but every day, while I was there, Tecumseh refused to deliver his talk; and, on being requested to give it, said the sun had gone too far that day. The next day I came away, and he delivered his talk. It was not until about Christmas that any of our people began to dance the war-dance. The Muskhogees have not been used to dance before war, but afterward. At that time, about forty of our people began this "northern custom;" and my brother-in-law, Francis, who also pretends to be a "prophet," was at the head of them.

Their number has very much increased since, and there are probably now more than one half of the Creek nation who have joined them. Being afraid of the consequences of a murder having been committed on the mail-route, I left my house on the road, and had gone down to my plantation on the river, where I remained some time. I went to Pensacola with some steers; during which time my sister and brother, who have joined the war party, came and took off a number of my horses, and other stock, and thirty-six of my negroes. About twenty-two days ago I went up to my house on the road, and found some Indians encamped near it, and I tried to avoid them, but could not. An Indian came to me, who goes by the name of High-headed Jim, and who, I found, had been appointed to head a party sent to Autossee town, on the Tallapoosa, on a trip to Pensacola. he shook hands with me, and immediately began to trembele and jerk in every part of his frame, and the very calves of his legs were convulsed, and he would get entirely out of breath with the agitation. This practice was introduced in May or June last by "the Prophet Francis," who says that he was so instructed by the Spirit. High-headed Jim asked me what I meant to do. I said that I would sell my property, and buy ammunition from the governor; aand join them. He then told me they were going down to Pensacola to get ammunition, and they had got a letter from a British general, which would enable them to receive ammunition from the governor; that it had been given to the Little Warrior, and was saved by his nephew when he was killed, and by him sent to Francis. High Head told me that, when they went back with their supply, another body of men would go down for another supply of ammunition; and that ten men were to go out of town, and they calculated on five horseloads for every town. He said they were to make a general attack on the American settlements; that the Indians on the waters of the Coosa, Tallapoosa, and Black Warrior were to attack the settlements on the Tombigby and Alabama, particularly the Tensas and Fork settlements; that the Creek Indians bordering on the Cherokees were to attack the people of Tennessee, and that the Seminoles and Lower Creeks were to attack the Georgians; that the Choctas also had joined them and were to attack the Mississippi settlements; that the attack was to be made at the same time in all places, when they had become furnished with ammunition.

I found from my sister that they were treated very rigorously by the chiefs; and that many, especially the women, among them two daughters of the late General McGillivray, who had been induced to join them in order to save their property, were very desirous of leaving them, but could not.

I found from the talk of High Head that the war was to be against the whites, and not between the Indians themselves; that all they wanted was to kill those who had taken the talk of the white, viz: the Big Warrior, Alexander Curnells, Captain Isaac, William M'Intosh, the Mad Dragon's son, the Little Prince, Spoke Kange, and Tallasee Thicksico. They have destroyed a large quantity of my cattle, have burned my houses and my plantation, as well as those of James Curnells and Leonard M'Gee.

(Signed) Samuel (his S. M. mark) Moniac

Sworn to and subscribed before me, one of the United States judges for the Misssisppi Territory, this 2d day of August, 1813. Harry Toulmin

(A true copy) George T. Ross, Lieutenant-colonel of Volunteers


Transcribed from photocopy of original

Recorded: Deed Record C
Clarke County, Alabama

David Moniac to Margaret Tait Deed

This indenture made Eighth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight-hundred and thirty-six, between David Moniac of the County of Baldwin and State of Alabama of the first party and Margaret Tait of the County and State aforesaid, of the second part,

Witnesseth that the said David Moniac for and in consideration of the sum of six thousand five hundred dollars, to the party of the first part, in hand paid, doth hereby bargain sell and convey unto the party of the second part, her heirs and assigns in fee simple and forever the following the following land and parcels of land, to wit: the Noth East subdivision of fractional Section numbered nineteen township number four, Range three East containing one hundred and fifty two acres and also the West half of the North West quarter of Section numbered nineteen township number four, Range three East containing Eighty acres, which lands my plantation is and has been o, d for years, and which lands described, I, the said David Moniac, do hereby convenant and promise to be free from all encumbrances and that the right is in me and that I have full right to sell and convey the same to the party of the second part and hereby warrant the title to the same to the party of the secind part, her executors, heirs and assigns forvever against me, my heirs, executors and assigns and against all right title of all and every person whomsoever rither in law or equity.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and placed my seal in presence of the day and date first above written.

David Moniac (seal)

Margaret Staple
Enoch Parsons

The State of Alabama Clarke County personally appeared before me Terrell Powers, Clerk of the County Court of the State and County aforesaid the above named Enoch Parsons one of the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing Deed who being first duly sworn deposeth and saith that he saw the above named David Moniac whose name is subscibed thereto sign seal and deliver the same to the said Margaret Tait, that he, this deponent subscribed his name as a witness thereto in the presence of the said David Moniac and that he saw Margaret Staple sign the same in the presence of the said David Moniac and in the presence of each other.

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 12th Ocober 1836 Enoch Parsons

Terrell Powers Clk

Recorded 13th day of Ocober 1836


Addenda to the Paper Published by the Writer on June 28th, 1877:

By J. D. Driesback, July 9th, 1883

Volume 2, No. 4
Alabama Historical Reporter
March 1884

(note: some of this is repetitive)

Among the names of prominent white men who mingled their bl;ood with that of the Red man, is the same of Wm. Moniac ( a Hollander) who came with a remnant of Natchez Indians to the Creek nation in 1756. He took a Tuskegee woman, Polly Colbert, for his wife, who was the mother of Sam Moniac, who married Weatherford's sister. He and Sam Moniac were men of fine sense and indominable courage, strict integrity and enterprise, had condierable influence over the Indians, went with Gen. McGillivray to New York to see Washington, was presented by Washington with a medal, which was buried with him at Pass Christian in 1837. He was the father of Maj. David Moniac who was killed in the Florida war in 1836, and of whom Gen. Jessup said, that he was as brave and gallant a man as ever dnew a sword or faced in enemy. He (David Moniac) was a nephew of Weatherford and David Tate, and a graduate of West Point. His descendants are highly respected citizens pf Ala. and Miss. His wife was a cousin of Oscelola the Florida chief, who commanded the Florida Indians when Maj. Moniac was killed. Moniac had resigned his commission in the U. S. A. many years before the Florida war of 1836, and entered the army as a private in the company from Claiborne, Ala., but soon rose to the rank of Major by Brevet, and was in command of 600 Creeks and Choctaws when he was killed. His mother was Weatherford's siter, which would lead to the conclusion taht Weatherford sprang from heroic stock, and his uncle, Gen. McGillivray was said by Judge John R.? Campbell to be a regular descendant of a noble Scotch family of a heroic clan in Scotland.

William Moniac, a Hollander, the father of Sam married Polly Colbert, a Tuskegee woman who was the mother of Sam Moniac, who married Elizabeth Weatherford. He went to New York with Alexander McGillivray; he was presented by Washington with a medal which was buried with him at Pass Christian in 1837; they had three children; David, Alexander, and Levitia; David Moniac under the treaty of New York was graduated at West Point. He was a Major and commanded 600 Creeks and Choctaws against the Seminoles in the Florida War of 1836. He was killed, 13 bullets piercing his body. A braver man never lived. Levitia or Vicey married William Sizemore of Baldwin County, Alabama who was a son of Dixon Bailey's sister, a mixture of Creek and white blood. He became a wealthy planter on the Alabama River, and has many descendants. Major David Moniac married Miss Polly Powell (or Mrs. Saunders) and had two children; David Alexander and Margaret. David Alexander was Sheriff of Baldwin County, Alabma and served one of two terms. He died in 1880. Margaret married S. J. McDonald and had several children.

Elizabeth married Samuel Moniac, who was son of Willliam Moniac, mentioned above. There were three children by this marriage, named as follows: David, Alexander, and Levitia. David was the Major Moniac who was killed in the Florida war in 1836. The Grand-mother of Major David Moniac was the daughter of the Creek Chief William Colbert, from whom the Colbert Shoals, on the Tennessee river, took its name.