Letter, 1804 May 17, Fort James to Col Benjamin Hawkins/Timothy Barnard

Summary: This is a letter dated May 17, 1804 from Timothy Barnard, an Indian trader and sometimes Indian agent, to Colonel Benjamin Hawkins regarding the running of an unspecified boundary line (likely the line separating Georgia from the Creek Nation, as specified by a treaty signed near Fort Wilkinson in January of 1804). Barnard suggests enlisting the aid of some of the Cusseta and Coweta chiefs, as he complains that the Chehaw and Hitchiti leaders have been of little or no help to them. The letter also mentions Major David Adams, who was involved in surveying and drawing the line, and one of Barnard's sons, who was employed with Hawkins. Barnard also comments on the progress of farming, spinning, and weaving among the Creeks.

Fort James 17th May 1804
Col. Benjamin Hawkins
Sir

I was honoured with your favour by Jo Evens last evening and shall pay due atention to the contents, I arived here early the 9th.. found no one here to go on business till the 14th Evens informed us that as he passed my old place that there was an Indian Just from Kenards who let my sons know that there was no Indians intended to start from that quarter to atend the line Evans told my sons to be sure and communicate that information to you as quick as possible which I suspect they have done.

Major Adams and Mr. Freeman both thought it not adviseable to proceed on the business without some of those chiefs with us as in the first Instance we did not know the way and if we did perhaps some of the unruly Class might be troublesome to us in stealing consequence of which they have sent billy Wright on to you which I fear will cause a lond and tedious detention I expect you will have to send on some of the Chiefs of Cussetuh and Cowetuh to us before we can proceed to business as there apears there will be no depending on the Cheauhou and Hitchetaw Chiefs. I was some what suspicious of this disappointment when I found it was all left to Opioe Hargoe of Hitchitaw .

as you have some of the Cussetuh Chiefs nier you Expect you will have to call them together and be guided in some measure by there opinions to send proper red men down to us quickly as possible that we may proceed on the business if it should still be thought proper that the hitchetau and Cheauhau Chiefs must be on the business Expect you will have to send on the Cusetuh Chiefs to Kenards with Billy Wright to push them on pray Excuse my dicktating as you there on the spot will know best how to proceed but I am sorry we cannot proceed on as the weather is now fine and we could soon finish it am happy to find by your letter the upper Creeks are pushing on farming likewise spinning and weaveing hope it will terminate in their future happiness am also glad to here my son is atentive to learning to work shall feel myself under ever mindfull obligations to you sir for your kind atention to him and hope if any thing he can doe there useful to you you will not be backward in pushing him on to it I have been a good dale uneasy respecting that lad more so than any of the rest tho he had been a little foolish among his brothers yet I thought they all seemed to press too hard on him am now easy in my mind to see his situation altered so much for the better am sorry to here you are unwell -- Evens could give me but little information about my farm if you can ever get as much spare time as to pay them a visit I shall thank you left a Mr Gaugh there from liberty County and an other young man from the same place neither of them of much account in the farming way therefore left no charge with them on that head. Shall pay due atention to the present business on hand as soon as found practicable to persue wishing you better health.

remains your most obet sert
Timt. Barnard .

NOTE: Information obtained from the University System of Georgia Library

Transcribed by Kim Gordon

This page was loaded 19 January 2003

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