ST. CATHERINE'S ISLAND DEEDS: 1758-60Shortly after Oglethorpe's arrival in Georgia he entered into an agreement with the kings and chiefs of the Creek nation whereby the latter ceded to the trustees of the new colony a complete title to all the lands In the year 1747 Mary, a descendant of one of the micos or kings of the Uchee Indians and the wife of Thomas Bosomworth, an unworthy clergyman of the English church and a crafty and ambitious man, instigated by her husband, asserted a claim to all these reserved lands. As a foundation for this position and to strengthen such natural rights as she possessed by virtue of her ancestry, Bosomworth had previously induced the chief of the Creek nation to unite in a conveyance to himself and wife, giving to them, theirheirs and assigns, “as long as the sun shall shine, or the waters run in the rivers, forever,” the territory described. Mary Bosomworth's demand was supported by the Indians, who attempted to awe the colonists by hostile demonstrations, but the firmness and wisdom of Captain Noble Jones happily prevented the effusion of blood and eventually settled the whole matter to the apparent satisfaction of all concerned by the surrender to Mary of St. Catherine's island and the execution of a release by herself and her husband to all the lands in dispute, except this island. Accompanying this was an allowance of 3,000 pounds sterling as the histories state it, but the deed of release from Bosomworth and his wife expresses it substantially as follows: That Thomas Bosomworth has heretofore made certain claims against the colony for services rendered by his wife; that the matter has been settled by the payment to him for said services the sum of two thousand one hundred pounds, sterling, and the surrender of St. Catherine's island. In consideration whereof, Bosomworth and wife surrender to His Excellency Henry Ellis, governor of the province of Georgia, commander in chief of his majesty's forces, claim to the islands of Ossabaw and Sapelo, and to the tract of land extending westward from the town of Savannah to Pipemaker's Creek, commonly called and known by the name of the Indian land. This deed was executed April 19, 1760, and on the 13th of June following a formal grant was made to Mary Bosomworth, of St. Catherine's island. Prior to these dates, on April 22, 1758, the rules of the Creek nation ceded to the king of England all right and title to the lands reserved by the original agreement entered in to with Oglethorpe. This deed, recently discovered by Isaac Beckett in his investigation of the old records in the state department at Atlanta, is as follows: The Province of Georgia We, the Micos, chieftains, warriors, the assembled warriors, of the upper and lower Creek nations, sole owners and proprietors of the islands Ossabaw, St. Catherine's and Sapelo, and of a certain tract of main land from a place called Pipemaker's creek to the boundaries of the town of Savannah in front, and all other lands on the river Savannah commonly known by the name of the Indian land, do hereby declare and make known to all manner of people, that in consideration of the great love and esteem we bear to the great English nation, and of the many presents and other favors we have from time to time received of them, we the said assembled estates have granted and forever quitted and resigned and do hereby for ourselves, our subjects and vessals, grant and henceforth forever quit and resign unto the great King George, all those the aforementioned three islands with all the timber and other appurtenances anyway belonging, to all or any part or parts of said islands and main land, to hold those our aforesaid lands and territories with all the privileges and dignities to the same in any manner appertaining unto the said King George, his heirs and successors. And we, the said assembled estates, do hereby for ourselves, our subjects and vassals, release resign and forever give up unto the said King George all claim whatever to the aforesaid islands and main lands hereby granted, and to all other lands and territories by us or our ancestors heretofore granted and made over to the said King George, or any of his beloved men, or by them treated for at or since the first settlement of the colony of Georgia. And we do in like manner evoke or disclaim all former gifts, grants or ___ made of all or any of the lands and territories herein mentioned under any pretended right or title whatsoever. In confirmation whereof, we, the said Micos, chieftains, captains and warriors, have hereunto set our hands and affixed our seals at Mucklassee, April 22,1758.
Pallachuckla Each chief opposite his name made his distinctive mark – some a tomahawk, others an arrow head, others a hatchet or crook or a representation of some sort of stone ware. The document is a curious one, and aside from its historical value is interesting as an early legal instrument.
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between the Savannah and Altamaha rivers, extending west to the extremity of the tidewater, and including all the islands from Tybee to St. Simon's except Hussopee, now known as Ossabaw, Cowleygee (St. Catherine's) and Sapelo, which were reserved for the purposes of hunting, bathing and fishing, and excepting also, the strip of land between Pipemakers and Pallychucklee (now Musgrove) creeks, reserved for an encampment when they came to visit their friends in Savannah.