Posts Tagged Early Americans

Nancy Ward (1738-1824) was the last “Beloved Woman” of the Cherokees. She earned the “Beloved Woman” title after the Creeks tribe killed her husband, a warrior, during a skirmish. Fighting alongside him, Ward became enraged at the Creeks for his death, and she rallied the Cherokee forces to a decisive victory. For her heroism, she was named “Beloved Woman,” a title reserved for wise women who have distinguished themselves in battle or who have been the wives or mothers of great warriors.

In becoming the “Beloved Woman,” Ward sat in on General Council meetings where she could participate fully, vote and pardon condemned prisoners. Reportedly, she did in fact pardon a prison by the name of Mrs. Bean, a white woman. Not only did Ward nurse Mrs. Bean back to health, she also set her free. Before she left, Mrs. Bean showed Ward the loom weave technique and how to raise dairy cattle. She also headed the Women’s Council and prepared the various ceremonies. In addition, another duty of hers was to act as a negotiator in treaty parlays. While her advancements and dedication to the tribe are highly regarded, she was also the first Cherokee to have African American slaves.

Previously, she had advocated for peaceful relations with the whites, but after years of broken promises, she no longer advised peace. Fearing the impending force removal, she married Bryan Ward, a white innkeeper. They became quite prosperous and she dead in 1824. Her son claimed that when his mother died, a white light ascended from her body and flew into the sacred mound at Chota, located in present-day Monroe County, Tennessee. In the 1970s and 1980s, the mound was destroyed during the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Tellico Dam Project.

The Nancy Ward Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution based in Chattanooga, Tennessee was named after her.

Information
Bataille, Gretchen, ed. Native American Women. New York: Garland Publishing, 1993, 272-273.
Smith, David Ray. “Nancy Ward,” December 25, 2009, found online here.

Map of San Juan Island

As westward exploration expanded, it was common for land to have overlapping claims between Spain, Great Britain and the United States. This was especially common in the Oregon region, including present states of Washington, Idaho, Oregon, portions of Wyoming and Montana, in addition to British Colombia.

By the early 1800s, Spain had let go of their claims in the Oregon region, but the U.S. and Great Britain still had overlapping  land claims. One particular region in competition was the San Juan Island, an island located between Washington and Vancouver Island. Great Britain attested that the island was legally theirs since the British-run Hudson’s Bay Company had operated trade and commercial activities before the American’s claim. The backbone of the American claim rested on their idea of “manifest destiny” and saw the British threatening their idea of expansion.

British Capt. Geoffrey Hornby

The Hudson’s Bay Company set up a post on the island around 1818. Not long after, American settlers took notice of the island’s fertile land and set up farms. Tension between the two mounted and on June 15, 1859, it erupted over quite a small matter. On that day, American Lyman A. Cutler killed a Hudson’s Bay-owned pig because it kept destroying his garden. The pig repeatedly disrupted Cutler’s potato patch and he discussed the issue with the pig’s owners but they did very little. After the pig’s death, the Hudson’s Bay Company demanded that Cutler reimburse $100 dollars for the slain pig. Cutler refuted that he would not pay $100 dollars for “a $10 pig.”

American Capt. George Pickett

Because Cutler refused to pay the fine, the Hudson’s Bay Company threatened to bring him to trial and sentence him under British law. Since Cutler is American, he sought protection from the U.S. government. The British sent five vessels, stationed them in the straits by the island, and were authorized to land if necessary. They were commanded by Captain Hornby. The U.S. dispatched troops commanded by Captain Pickett from Oregon. Both captains realized the situation would not end well if further military action occurred. Both governments agreed upon joint military occupation on the island until they agreed upon a finalized border. Great Britain gave up their claim on the island in 1873.

The Pig War resulted in one casualty – the pig.

[Zim’s Note: Captain Pickett is most known for his actions in the Civil War. During the Battle of Gettysburg, he, a Confederate Major General, led the Pickett’s Charge. The charge was a bloodbath, with over 50 percent of those who fought in it were either killed or wounded. Until his death, Pickett regretted having anything to do with Pickett’s Charge.]

Sources:
New York Times, “State Department Recounts Tale of a Pig That Nearly Caused Conflict With Britain,” August 1, 1948.
New York Times, “A Pig Nearly Causes a War,” July 17, 1892.
“The Pig War” on the National Park Service website.

Photos: Pickett and Hornby

Image depicting Virginia Dare's baptism

Virginia Dare was the first child born in America (while under British control) to British parents. She was born on August 18, 1587 in the Roanoke Colony.

Her maternal grandfather was John White, the governor of Roanoke Island. The Island is just off the coast of modern-day North Carolina and had only 120 settlers at the time.

Sculptor’s interpretation of Virginia Dare

Roanoke Colony is famously known as the “Lost Colony” and is shrouded in myth and folklore. Governor White left the colony to return to England for more supplies and money,when he returned in 1591 everyone had disappeared. The only thing left was a stone carving with the word “Croatan.” This led many to speculate that the settlers were killed or kidnapped by the Croatan tribe.

North Carolina still celebrates Virginia Dare’s birthday on Roanoke Island.

[Information and photos found at North Carolina History Project and Time Magazine]

John Jacob Astor (1763-1848)

America’s first multimillionaire was John Jacob Astor. As a German immigrant, Astor acquired his wealth in fur trade (he created the American Fur Company) and real estate. By today’s standards, he would have been the fourth richest American ever.

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