I
The ! *>c Jin %
Vol. XLV.?No. 22
OLD MOUND 6'
CITY REFUGE
OF NATCHEZ
Bits of History of the Old Indian
Village Reads Like Arabian
Knight's Ttale
Interest in Indian Legends and history
has been greatly revived local1>
by the announcement that the
Smithsonian Institute and CWA
Workers would open the old mound
at the mouth of Peachtree Creek, on
the north bank of the Hiawassee river,
for scientific study.
A complete history of the mound
is not available. However, bits of reference
gleaned from various sources
and pieced together read like pages
from some Arabian Knight's tale.
About 1775, it was a city of refuge
lor the Natchez Indians, and later a
Baptist Mission was established in
L820 "on the site of the old Natchez
town on the north side of Hiawassee
river, just above the mouth of Peachtree
Creek." It was called by the
Cherokee "Gwalgahi," or Frog Place.
In the 19th Annual Report of the
Bureau of American Ethnology, in
his "Myths of the Cherokee," James {
Mooney, who is recognized by historians
as an authority on the Cher- :
ikee, says: "According to a statement ,
ol James Wafford, who was born in
1806 near the site cf Clarksville, Ga.,
when this region was still Indian ]
country, the 'Notchees' had their town
cn the north bank of the Hiawassee,
just above the Peachtree creek, on the ]
spot where a baptist mission was es- ]
tablished by the Rev. Evan Jones in ,
1821, a few miles above the present
Murphy, Cherokee county, North ,
Carolina. On his grandmother's side .
he- himself had a strain of Natchez j
blood. Hi3 grandmother had told him .
that when she was a young woman, ,
perhaps about 1855, she or.ce had oc- (
cussion to go to tibia town on some |
business, which she was obliged to (
. transact through an interpreter, as 5
the Natchez had been there so'short (
a time that only one or two spoke any ,
Cherokee. They were all in one town, j
which <*he Cherokee called Gwalgahi,
'Frog Place,' but was unable to say '
whether or not it had a town house."
W. J. Morgan, of Brevard, who
worked for Warren K. Moorehead,
archaeologist, of Andover, Mass., 1
and was associated with Dr. Chas. F. 1
Peabody, head of archaeologist de- *
partment of Cambridge University, 1
and the late W. E. Myer, of the
Smithsonian Institution, in work in .
western North Carolina and east
Tennessee, in a letter to Fred O. J
Scroggs, dated November 23,- 1927,
says:
"The Cherokees have a tradition
cf a people that are generally known
in story as Little People that inhabi1
ted the country when they came and
that the little people were eventually
exterminated. The little people were
said to be white. This was long before
the coming of the normal size
whites. These little people were said
to have had a village at the mound at *
the mouth of Peachtree creek on the *
north bank of the Hiawassee."
Whether or not Mr. Jehpings will
f.inrl A O ^ 1 n ii* n nuiJim/in TY?? Cnin'e -
?UWA1U1VV CT1UCI1VC U1 XJC UUIU o
visit to this particular Indian village
is a matter which only the opening ?
of the mound will determine. Wheth- ?
er it is the site of the ancient town v
of Guasili seems to be a matter of r
conjecture among hidtotiens. How- ?
ever, members of the Smithsonian
Institution believe that objects they
expect to find in the mound will reveal
that the ancienrt village of Gua- J
sili, mentioned in history as hiving
been visited by De Soto on his expedition
into this ihountaih fistntss c
in 1540, was located at this point. '
And they have some support in this
immediate iaction. ?
Host historian* iris agreed that .the
village of Guasili was located at the I
site of the mound In the NacfcoOchbe *
valley in White ebdnky, Georgia.
Moorvey says that De Soto, When he
began the expedition ihto the BWOm- ?
tain fastness in search of gold mines *
which he believed to be located in this
territory, ffaufc a prisoner Of * c
"queen" of am irftAOftitt Indian town f
on the lower Savanifth riVer, because
she refused to furnish the Spahfards ti
with guides and carriers. She was I:
made prisoner "with the design of g
compelling he* to *c^ as guide bfer- ?
self, and at the suae time to use hfer
a* nostigie to command the obedience _
of her stfbJeuU." e
Travens* northward for several 11
months, the Spaniards finally came I
to a towtt in rite province of Xaala, )j
described by Mooney as probably n
being "ft the piedmont region about
the bead of Broad River ft North t
If. if
? 'rkly Newspaper in Western Nor
Murphey, 1
Sunday Entertainment
Given At Macedonia
Church December 12
On Tuesday evening December 12.
the Macod >n:a Sunday school rrestrwsti
a program at the church. Tht
walls, windows and stage were decora'.!
d with bunches *>f Christmas
holly. Near Vie Iron-t of the building
<-tood a beautiful holly tree covere with
all kinds of Christmas ornaments
The devotional was given by Rev.
Wiley Graham, pastor of the church.
Following the devotional the children
of the smaller classes presented a
song of Welcome to vhe congregation
Recitations were given by the different
members of the Sunday school.
Frizes were awarded to th ce saying
the best speech, Blanche Thompson.
Rosa Mae Cook and Gavvain Little
were prize winners. After the speeches
were given, four plays were presented
by the older members of -the 1
Sunday school. The program was enjoyed
by a large number of people,
among whom were Mr. and Mrs. E.
L. Townson of MurjVty who sponsorei
Vie entertainment and brought the
program to a happy ending by scrvirg
the Sunday school with fruits and
randies.
Carolina." The principal town is described
as being beside a small rapid
tream close under a high noumain,
and the country round about showed
gi eater evidence -of gold mines 'h n
any section the Spaniards had visited
i'n to that time.
"Here," Mooney says, "De Soto
turned to the west, crossing a hign
mountain range, which appears to
have been the Blue Ridge, and descending
on the other side to a stream
flowing in the opposite direction,
tvhich was probably one of the uuper
:ributaries of the French Broad. Alth
ugh it was late May. they found it
rery cold in the mountains. After
ieveral dava nf such travel fbov irriv.
rd, about the end of t.'ie month, at
:he town of Gua'sili, or Guaxule. The
thief and principal men came out
;ome distance to welcome them,
;re?sed in fine robes of skin, with
feather head-dresses, after the fashon
of the country. Kefore reaching
this point, the queen had managed to
nake her escape, together with three
slaves of the Spainards, and the last j
heard of her she was on her way back |
lo her own country with one of the
runaways as her husband. What I
grieved De Soto most in the mutter |
vas that she took with her a small ,
box cf pearls which he had intedned 1
;o -take from her before releasing
rer, but had left with her for the
present in order 'not to discontent
ler altogteher.'
"Guaxule (Guasili) is described as
* very large town surrounded by a
) number of small mountain streams
-vhieh united to form a large river
iown which the Spaniards proceeded
rfter leaving the place. Here, as elsevhere,
the Indians received the white
men with kindness and hospitality?so
much so that the name of Guaxule
u*came to the army a synonym of
food fortune. Among other things they
jave the S-painards 30Q dogs for
'oo?d, although, according to the
31vas narrative, the Indians themelves
did not eat them. The principal
iffi^Ore rtf t V? Q aviui/lifinn "'nwn
V* nil. tAJ/VUHIUll n tic IUU^
;d in the 'chief's house/ by which we
ire to understand the town house,
vhich wns upon a high hill with a
oaihvay leading up to the top. From
i close study of the narrative, it aple'ars
that this 'hill' was no other than
he great Nachobohee mound in
rVhite county Georgia, a few miles
iprtbwest cjf the present town of
^larksvuie/'
Mooney says the Spaniards, acmrding
to the narrators Of the expeiition
from Gaaxule proceeded
'down the river, which grew contatrtly
larger, through an uninhabited
country which formed the dismted
territory betlfteten tbte Cherokee
nd the Crete ks." This river he ideniftn
ml the Chattahoochee.
With the definflfcjteas of this decription
and locatftM hy historians of
neient Guaaili, mterifco* of the
WtlTsoirnn In*titutioh hope to find
videnee in Ihe monad at the mouth
f Pearhtree creek, "on the north
?nk of the HiawMtetete," to prove
hat this is the site of the ancient
mfian village by that name which De
k>to vMted in Me nunbllngs through
hese motmtafht
They afso hot* to find traces of a
ivilixation of people who inhabited
he land before the coming of the
ndians, and perhaps find the missing
ttk betwkeh the Indian* and the
lound builders.
(Next week? The story of 62 skeleons
in the ttotrad).
th Carolina. Covering a Large and f
M. C., Friday, December 2
; LIQUOR WAS I
1 SERVED PUPILS
I 50 YEARS AGO
I Bud Nelson of Topton, Remembers
When Schoolmasters Brought
Jug and Candy
ANDREWS. Dec. 16 (Special) ?
That whiskey and red candy were
served as a treat to his pupils by a
Cherokee county schoolmaster 50
years ago may seem incredible now,
tut according to the memory of Bud
Nelson, of 'lopton, who declares In
was one cf the pupils, it v.as not
considered an unusual occruance in
that distant pre-prohibition day. This
and other stories on the olden time- 1
when liquor was a household coniI
modify have been brought to light
i y tne recent agittation over the repeal
ol the 18th amednment.
The occasion oi the treat refeired
to was at the close of a school taught
at Red Marble school house by David 1
Whitaker who was reputed to be one
of the most successsful school teachers
of hia day. Whitaker, it seems,
had a unique philosophy of disclipine
in his school. He did not denounce
hit pupils for doing anything '.hat
their parents permitted thorn to co
so long as their conduct did not inlercfere
with the work of the school.
ihis liberal attitude on the part of
the schoolmaster was no douot well
adapted to the .-pint of the pioneet
?.ays. It probably saved him from
many em harassing situations.
Brought Jug And Candy
His custom was to treat the pupils
cn the last day of the school term
which was regarded by the pupits
themselves as an inaleinable right.
When the last day of school came,
as Mr. Nelson relates the story, \
Schoolmaster Whitak.r directed his '
pupils to form in line outside the !
Jog schoolhouse. He then brought a '
gallon jug and a box ot red candy. '
he candy was distributed first and
*hen the one drinking cup available
was passed in turn from pupil to \ju- 1
I il while the schoolmaster meted out 1
t> each waiting youngster what in 1
hi? discretion was a safe and generous
treat. What would be the effect I
of such a procedure in this modern
uay is indeed interesting to contemplate.
Records of the pioneers who first
settled in the Valley River country
about the time of the removal of the
Cherokee Indians to the west showthat
whiskey soon became an important
article of trade between the settlers
and the merchants who established
trading posts in 'the new
country.
In the letters written by Colonel
Waugh to Walker giving directions as
to the conduct of the business frc
uuent reference is made 'to the making,
handling, and selling of whiskey.
Whiskey Much In Demand
Writing from his home in Wilkesjboro
in 1845, Colonel Waugh said:
"Whiskey is much in dep.and as
there will be no brandy made here
this year. De not send your whiskey
oif unless you find it will command
a good price, say forty or fifty cents
a gallon by the barrel. Examine
whiskey batrels close that they do not
leak. We are selling whiskey at 75
cents retail, so I want you to send
me 100 gallons if you can get it
hauled."
Again in 1845, he wrote: "I hope
you will have good casks made to
hold all the whiskey you make. Have
it all clarified by running through
charcoal so that it will sell for twelve
and a half cents a gallon more than
common whiskey. I have no doubt
that the price of Whiskey will be up
next spring to 50 cents a gallon."
In another letter dated the same
year he Wrote: "I want you to have
your whiskey made good ahd by
clarifying it you can add at least six
months to its age. If you take pains
end get your name up yon can get
at least 10 dents a gallon more.".
In another communication of 1846
similar advice was given to Walker:
"I Want yon to have your whiskey
put in good casks so that yon can
keep some of it till it gets old, and
you had better have it reetified and
colored." In 1848 he directed Walker
to send him One barrel of good whiskey,
"old and rectified."
In these same .old letters, now in
the possession of Mr*. Fannie Walker
of Adrews, are directions for keeping
the sti|ls running and the state of
the widifcey market in Charleston
and other southern cities.
One of the whiskey establishments
Well remembered by the older citixens
of wrj?tem North Carolina was
?. Bradley's distillery and saloon
near the western end of Nantahala
Gorge. This was the terminus of
\ /
'otentially Rich Territory in This S
!9, 1933
MRS. JAMES BEARD i
DIES AT SUIT, 21ST
Mrs. James Beard, 93, died las i
Thursday, December 21st, at the
home of her daughter, Mrs. J. A. |
Kecnum, at Suit. She was born ir.
Jackson County where toe t wn or
Sylva is now located, and the remain,
were- carried to Bryson < ity for
funeral anj interment la.-t Satuj lay.
She is survived by her husbanand
lour children, one son, Gran.
Beard, of Bijvon CLy; three daughters,
Mrs. Robert Cline, of F.la; Mrs.
Lata Wiggins of Bryson City, ant
Mrs. J. A. Keenum, of Suit. On<.
ciothei, Mr. Parr is who was woun tc
in the battle of Malvern Hill during
the Civil War, also survives.
? I
:he Murphy branch of the railroad
from abou-c 188a to 1890 and was
??e shipping point 1" r goods bought
and sold by a large territory.
Bradley's place stood close beside
ihe old Graham county load that
wound it way across he mountains
l<> reach the railroad station. Just |
up the river a short distance- the
I nion Lumber Company had estab- 1
hshed a big saw mill that employed
hundreds of men. All these circumstances
conspired to increase Bradley's
trade.
Bradley is said to have been well
known for his generous h spitalky
to both stranger and friend and in
his home some visitor was nearly always
present for a meal oi a night's
lodging. On week-ends his saloon
was the scene ot conviviality arid
high carnival.
-Many rumors still survive of the
mysterious disappearance of more
than one stranger who stoppi d -to
(iine and drink at Bradley's saloon.
But investigation of these rumors
r_veals that they are without foundation
in fact. Bradley's death i* reported
to have been brought on by
his excessive use of his own beverages
and with his passing his place
of business was closed and disbanded.
Whiskey Sought By Indians
The whiskey and brandy made by
the white people were eagerly sought
ny the Indians. It was not uncommon
for the Indians to break iiv'.o
the places where whiskey was stored
find' holp themselves by quenching
'.heir thirst and carrying away all
they could. Sometimes the Indians
would bring in skins or other kerns
to barter for whiskey. When the trail
was made they would usually hurry
to some secluded spot and drink
themselves drunk as quickly as possible.
One of the tragedies that is sadly
recalled by many old residents took
place in connection with the setalir.g
of whiskey by the Indians. It was
the accidental killing of young Albert
Scott by Bent Tatham at the old
Valley River bridge just west of Andrews.
Tatham who owned a distilleiy
had been troubled by the Indians
stealing his whiskey. It was found
that they came across the Snowbird
mountains from Graham county and
crossed the Valley river on the bridge
which was a wooden,-cove red struc
ture.
By carefully watohing the trails
Tatham was aware of the approach
cf the Indians and fheir attempt to
steal his whiskey. He and his sons
accompanied by Scott determined
that they would surprise the Indians
w?'.h their load of stolen whiskey at
the covered bridge and take them
at once into custody. The Tatham
boys hid themselves near one end
of the bridge while Scott and the
older Tatham guarded the other end.
When the Indians entered t.he
bridge .hey found themselves hemmed
in so that escape see'med impossible.
One Indlian more daring than
the others made a break for freedom
and was halted by Tatham whe
thrust his gun close up to the Indian's
body. The Indian not to be
.'Undone kocked the gun upward
which caused it to explode permaturely,
the load missing the Indian
end taking full effect in the face of
Albert Scott who was standing neaT
the and o' the bridge. In the *'onfusion
that followed tile Indian?
made their escape but Scott lived only
a few minutes.
Scott was a popular young man
rnd much loved by Tatham and his
family. His death was the occasion
of great grief to the entire corr.mun;ty
and it is aaid that Tathom's sorrow
would have been no greater had
it been one of hi3 own sons w.ho was
the victim of the accident.
HATTIE PALMER
Notary Public
ScOut Office *
V V
urt
tate - . /
$1.00 YEAR- 5c COPY
$2,181.55 SALES
TAX COLLECTED
IN CHEROKEE
Tax Relief Greater For First Quarter
by Nearly Twenty to
One, Figures Show
While the piople f CY erokee county
were paying $2,181.55 in the 3
percent 5aks tax levy, they were saving
$-11,344.00 on their property
levies, according to figures bade pub1
ic this week by A. J. Maxwell, Commissioner
< f Revenue, dealing with
property tax relief afforded in Cherj
okee coun'y -by sales t?.x and other
(nets of the 1933 General Assembly
| and sales tax paid lor the first quarter.
] The flgu: -s released by Mr. Maxwell
sir w property 'ax reductions
afforded by (1; removal of 15c levy
for .-chools; (2), elimination of levies
for current expenses for districts
county wide and s.ecial charter
schools. Toe figures lullow:
Sales Taxes Collected
July $ 503.33
August 594.42
September .... .. . 1,083.80
Total 2,181.55
F roperty Tax Relief Afforded
as Follws:
District levies, current
expense $ 3,744.00
Special charter, current
expense 17,442.00
15 cent county-wLe
levy 14,514.00
Current expense for sixmonths
school 5,644.00
Total 41.344.00
, ?'su.w given represent tne actual
reductions in dollar levies which
v/ire relieved in your county by reason
.f the fact that . ic Stu'e of North
Carolina took over the opeiation of
the entire eight-months school term,"
Mr. Maxwell said in making the figures
public. "In taking over our
schools, the State reduced the cost of
operation in the schools whioh
amounted in 1932 to approximately
$23,000,000.00 to approximately $16,000,000.00
for 1933, thereby resulting
in a saving to the taxpayers of
the State of approximately $7,000,000.00
in operating cost. The properly
tax relief afforded for the entire
State ai.nr.un:|1 to $11,476,340.00.
"Sales t axes collected in your county
for the first three months are be1
w the average collections for the
entire year as our collection- are being
improved fiom mont?h to month.
Put, alter allowing for t?ie reasonable
increase in the sales tax collections
in your county which arc
rnticipated, it will be observed that
the property owners in your county
are relieved of property taxes in the
ccnsiderable amount shown and that
the sales tax collections-in your county
will be far less than the property
tax relief afforded.
"The safcs tax payments are made
by all of the people in the county
rrb'ier than those who happen to be
owners of property.
"If the relief property taxpayers
in your county is not fully reflected
in the actual levies made in your
county for 1933 taxes, it would not
bt because? the relief was not afforded
by 1933 legislation, it would
be on account of levies being made
for purpose.* which were not included
in the levy of 1932, or for increases
in debt service requirements or
relief work. In saying this, we are
not criticising any local authorities
as situations .have arisen in some
counties on account of efebt service
requirements, relief purposes, etc.,
for which local authorities have found
that they must make levies for county
purposes other than schools or in consideration
of relief conditions in
their county.
"In 1932 property pwners in the
State were assessed $ 11,47*6,<540.00
for school operating cost. This is now
entirely eliminated. In 1?32 the
State was required to contribute apprximatdy
$12,000,01)0.00 added to
above amount for School opfeTatlng
purpose*. In doing this, in a tWo year
period, the Strife incurred a deficit of
ever $15,000,000.00.
"By enactment of the sale tax and
economies MM* consolidation? in operation
of schools, the State is on a
sound financial basis, its revenue
r.ow exceeding its expenditures and
property has been entirely relieved of
all operating coat of schools."
Wfcl Mb.hH KM
Ifi easy to recognise tft 4ft ft
Basv street nOtr. TonftitaiMt ft
the Ugh hats dttfctraed by hWHft
| refugees?Tin* AngeNh TtiWWt