The Creek Families 5

LeCLERC MILFORT and JEANETT McGILLIVRAY

See also the McGillivrays.

LeClerc Milfort
Born: about 1740 in Reims, Marne, France; Married:1778 in Little Tallassee, Elmore, AL; Died: 1814 in Rheims, Marne, France
Parents:

LifeNotes: A French adventurer. Came to Coweta (in present day Georgia) on the Chattahoochie River. The story goes that he was taken into the tribe and made a war chief and that the Creek elders revealed their legends to LeClerc. They kept the tribal history on strands of pearls; each elder had a strand; each pearl represented one story.

For more stories, read
LeClerc Milfort's "Memoirs or A Quick Glance at my Various Travels and my Sojourn in the Creek Nation"

Milfort was among the Muscogees (Creeks) from 1776 to 1796. He met Alexander McGillivray at Coweta at a tribal conference. He went to Hickory Ground with Alexander. He met and married Jeannett McGillivray, Alexander's sister.

After the marriage, LeClerc took his nephew William Weatherford "under his wing", according to tribal tradition, and taught him the ways of the tribe.

After 20 years among the Creeks, LeClerc Milfort returned to France. In 1801-2, he published a history of the Creeks; the work is titled "General Milfort's Creek Indians". He married a 2nd time to a French woman. The Emperor Napoleon met LeClerc and made him General of the Brigade. Napoleon needed LeClerc's advice on how to deal with the Natives in the French Territory.

Jeanett McGillivray

Born: about 1742 in Little Tulsa, Elmore, AL; Married:1778 in Little Tallassee, Elmore, AL; Died: Parents: Sehoy II and Lachlan McGillivray

LifeNotes: Of the Wind Clan. Sister of Alexander McGillivray, Sehoy III, Sophie McGillvray, and Elizabeth McGillivray.

Their children are:

to Some Creek Families & Friends


THE CORNELLS
? Cornells

Joseph Cornells and his wife
Alexander Cornells / Oche Hadjo / Hickory Hadjo and Big Woman
George Washington Cornells / Big Warrior / Tustenuggee Thloco and Autucky
Opothele Yoholo and ?
Checartha Yargee and his 5 wives including Milly McQueen, Muscogee McQueen, and Tallassee McQueen
Charles Cornell / Oche Finceco and Margaret "Peggy" McGillivray

This family information is very much a work in progress. Please bear with me as I try to get it straight. Many thanks to Shirley Hall.

? CORNELL and ??

Who was he??

LifeNotes:

Born: Married: Died:
Parents:

Who was she?

LifeNotes:

Born: Married: Died:
Parents:

Their children were:

An Indian chief and interpreter. Subagent to the Indian agent Benjamin Hawkins. Alexander Cornells was a great friend of Alexander McGillivray.

Alexander Cornells said of the mixed-bloods' delimma: "We must associate with [the Americans] or the wild beasts of the forest, and in the latter case we must fly out country and go to the wilds in the west." ("Creeks and Seminoles", J. Leitch Wright, Jr.)

Their children were: Opothele Yoholo, a "distiguished chief" who went to the Indian Territory with his people during the Removal, Sukey Cornell (m. Richard Cornell. Their children: Charles Cornell, Hannah Cornell, Hawkins Cornell).

to Some Creek Families & Friends


JOSEPH CORNELLS and his wife

Joseph Cornells.

LifeNotes: His son-in-law Alexander McGillivray was no fan; in September, 1788, he wrote that Cornell's cowardice was "proverbial". In 1790, Cornell accompanied McGillivray to New York City. In June, 1793, after McGillivray's death of consumption, Cornell was interpreter for Spanish agent Pedro Olivier, though in December of that year he hosted American agent James Seagrove.

Born: 1707, England; Married: Died: 1795

Wife: a Tuckabatchee woman from the Wind Clan

Their known children are:

Hawkins wrote that Cornell was killed while taking a peace flag to the Americans at Colerain. James Sea-grove, notifying the family of the murder, commented to David's cousin, Alexander Cornell, that "this, my dear Alexander, is the most distressing thing I ever net with in my life". Joseph Cornell was apparently not so distressed; a Spaniard noted that "old Cornell is so glad that the Americans have killed his son that he would kiss their behind if they asked it of him". The opportunistic Joseph did send his son George to collect a six hundred piaster indemnity from the Americans.

to Some Creek Families & Friends


GEORGE WASHINGTON CORNELLS / BIG WARRIOR AND AUTUCKY

George Washington Cornells / Big Warrior / Tustenuggee Thloco

LifeNotes: Big Warrior, or Tustenuggee Thloco, was a principal chief of the Upper Creeks before the Removal.

Married widow of Mad Dog. Big Warrior raised Mad Dog's children as his own, and it is thought that those children took Cornells as their surnames.

Big Warrior signed the Treaty of Indian Springs.

Born: Married:
Died: 2/1825. See the will of Big Warrior.
Parents:

Autucky aka Tuskenua

LifeNotes: She was the widow of Mad Dog when she married Big Warrior. Her daughter by Mad Dog was Big Woman.

Born: Married: Died:
Parents:

Their children were:

to Some Creek Families & Friends


ALEXANDER CORNELLS / OCHE HADJO ? HICKORY HADJO and BIG WOMAN

Alexander Cornells aka Oche Hadjo aka Hickory Hadjo

LifeNotes: Was an Indian chief and interpreter. Subagent to the Indian agent Benjamin Hawkins. Alexander Cornells was a great friend of Alexander McGillivray.

Alexander Cornells said of the mixed-bloods' delimma: "We must associate with [the Americans] or the wild beasts of the forest, and in the latter case we must fly out country and go to the wilds in the west." ("Creeks and Seminoles", J. Leitch Wright, Jr.)

Born: Married: Died:
Parents:

Big Woman (may have also been known as Big Lizzie or Liba)

LifeNotes:

Born: Married: Died:
Parents: Mad Dog

Their children were:

to Some Creek Families & Friends


OPOTHELE YOHOLO and ?

Opothele Yoholo

LifeNotes: Was a speaker or singer (one who had a special relationship with the Suprene Being. He a "distiguished chief" who went to the Indian Territory with his people during the Removal.

Born:
Married:
Died:
Parents: Alexander Cornells and Big Woman

Wife:

LifeNotes:

Born: Married: Died:
Parents:

Their children were:

to Some Creek Families & Friends


CHARLES CORNELL aka OCHE FINCECO and MARGARET "PEGGY" McGILLIVRAY

Charles Cornell aka Oche Finceco

LifeNotes: Oche Fineco visited Washington in 1826 for the signing of a Treaty. It is said he recieved $10,000 for signing the treaty either as a bribe or as a partial innuity for his people.

The portrait of him at right was painted by Charles Bird King in Washington in 1826. The picture is one of many portraits of 19th century Indians appearing in the book "The McKinney-Hall Portrait Gallery of American Indians".

Born:
Married:
Died: 1826, suicide (hung himself)
Parents: Richard Cornell aka Tutenuggee Hopoin and Sukey Cornell

Margaret "Peggy" McGillivray

LifeNotes:

Born:
Married:
Died:
Parents: Alexander McGillivray and Elise Moniac

Their children were:

to Some Creek Families & Friends


THE YARGEES
(An extension of the Cornells)
Checartha Yargee and his wives Milly McQueen, Nancy McQueen, and Tallasee McQueen

CHECHARTHA YARGEE and his wives including MILLY McQUEEN, NANCY McQUEEN, and TALLASEE McQUEEN

Checartha Yargee

LifeNotes: Was one of the biggest slave owners. His wives are three daughters of Elizabeth Durant and Peter McQueen. See the deed record for a transaction between him and Sophia McCombs.

Born: Married: Died:
Parents: Big Warrior and Autucky

Millie McQueen

LifeNotes: She was the oldest of the wives of Checartha Yargee. The other wives were her sisters, Nancy McQueen and Tallassee McQueen.

Below is a listing from "Final Rolls of Citizens and Freedmen":
Millie McQueen's child and grandchildren with roll numbers and census card numbers (spelling as shown in record, 2 grandchildren are not shown, and all Millie's children are listed as halfblood)

1400 Ross, Muscogee 52 F Fullblood, Census Card #427
1401 Ross, Susie l-2 (All are listed on Census Card 427
1403 Ross, Johnny 20
1404 Ross, Jenny P 13
1405 Ross, Frank Leslie (days old)

Born: about 1792??; Married: Died:
Parents: Peter McQueen and Elizabeth "B