(This post is written for the Carnival of Genealogy, 76th Edition: How I spent my summer vacation… a favorite summer memory from your youth. Tell us what summers were like when you were a wee tad pole. Did you vacation with family? Go to a youth camp? Hang out at the local park? Watch fireworks? Catch fireflies? Share those lazy, hazy, crazy, days of summers past with us!)
While this is obviously not a post about how I spent my summer vacation once upon a time, this document was created in summer and is a fascinating tale of early American and early McBurnett history.
The following deposition was given in June 1835 by Isaac Green, who at age 12 survived an Indian attack in 1793 that killed several members of his family, as well as “waggoner” Daniel McBurnett, my fifth great-grandfather.
The Creek Indians (as a Nation)
To Estate James Green dec. D.
1793
March 14th
For seventy five head of Cattle stolen, and carried off, be a party of Creek Indians, taken between the Satilla and Saint Mary’s rivers- who at the same time, murdered, James Green, his daughter Polly Green, Charles Waters, and Daniel McBurnett. Also stole & carried off at same time five horses valued at 75$ each- With household goods and furniture estimated at $125. Say,
75 head head Cattle at $6 p’ head $450.00
5 head of horses at $75 each $375.00
Household furniture & other goods $125.00
$950.00
Georgia vs
Camden County Personally appeared Isaac Green one of the heirs of James Green deceased. Who being duly and solemnly sworn, deposeth, that the above statement & account is just and true. That on or about the fourteenth day of March one thousand seven hundred and ninety three. (then just being about twelve years of age) he with his father’s family, Consisting of Charles Waters, husband of deponents father’s mother, his father James Green, wife Elizabeth, his sister Polly, and brothers Daniel, and John Green, with Daniel McBurnett (waggoner) were on their journey, with a baggage waggon & baggage consisting of household goods and furniture, removing from the County of Washington in the state of Georgia, to the then Province of East Florida and had crossed the Satilla river into the county of Camden (without encountering any difficulty) at the ferry called “Burnt fort” that they had not however proceeded onward far, probably not more than a mile, and were about passing a small branch of water leading across the road the deponents father being in advance of the waggon when a number of Indians who lay in ambush rose up and commenced a fire upon them immediately raising the war whoop and rushing in upon them.
The deponent further said that the said party of Indians killed the deponent’s father his sister Polly-Charles Waters, and Daniel McBurnett (the waggoner) that the deponent made his escape back to the ferry “Burnt fort” and after a short time, his mother, Grandmother Waters, brothers John and Daniel, and a young woman named Ruth Perkins, Who fled also back he found at a trading store called “Cashens store” on the great Satilla river-When greatly alarmed for the safety of their lives they hastily crossed the river and proceeded back on foot towards the Alatamaha river with what remnant of clothing they had saved. that they reached the river on the fourth day having been delayed on the road in consequence of the want of provisions and the feeble condition of his mother and grandmother. The deponent further saith that the aforesaid Cattle Horses, household, and other goods above mentioned, which the Indians plundered and carried off belonged to his father as he always understood from his mother (in her life time) and verily believes- and that no part thereof was ever recovered back of satisfaction obtained that the deponent with the surviving members of his father’s family- remained in georgia several years after the murder and robbery aforesaid- towit-Two years
They afterwards went into Florida and resided Two years again returned where the deponent with his family now resides and has resided in Camden Co for the past thirty eight years- the deponent further saith and verily believes that the Indians that committed the aforesaid murders, and robbery, formed a part of the same party that killed Fleming store keeper of the store at Trader’s hill and one Moffitt robbed the store of a large amount of goods and other property (destroyed the ware house and other buildings by fire) and carried off the Goods.
And further the deponent saith not.
Isaac Green
Sworn to before me this 12th
day of June 1835
Arch Clark
Indent S. Mary’s
(On Reverse)
James Green-
1793.
75 head of cattle…………………$450.00
5 horses………………………………..375.00
furniture……………………………….125.00
$950.00
Provided for by the treaty of the Indian Springs & the act of congress of June 30th 1834.
Allowed
June 27th 1835
John A Cuthbert
Com.
State of Georgia. Department of Archives & History. Indian Depredations, Various Dates. Comp. John B. Wilson/Secretary of State and Mrs. J. E. Hays/State Historian. Vol. IV. W. P. A. Project O.P. 665-34-3-224, 1940.
Hi Ruth!
Enjoyed reading this. Did James ever collect on the damages from the Creek Indians or the government?
Bill
Hi Bill!
I have a second document that refers to this claim, saying it was “approved”, but whether James ever actually collected any money, who knows?
The McBurnetts have become a fascinating research. A member has fought in every major US war since the Revolution, with 2 dying in the Civil War and another in WWI. I have found Daniel in DAR documents as having fought with a Georgia unit during the Revolutionary War and have a copy of a land grant he was awarded for that service.
Thanks for stopping by!
Ruth