Clay-Tallapoosa County AlArchives Biographies.....Grierson, Robert September 5, 1735 - October 8, 1823 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Willabelle Schultz willie72@comcast.net August 1, 2008, 6:39 pm Author: Willabelle Schultz My ancestor, Robert Grierson, came from Dumfries, Kirkcudbright, Scotland in mid-1700s to Augusta, Georgia, which was a British Colony at the time. He was a licensed trader with the English and the Spanish, going into the interior of what is now Alabama. (Where traders went, inroads for trade were made with the Native Americans - Muscogee Creek and Cherokee Indians. Where traders went, the British Military followed.) Robert descended from Gilbert Grierson who was granted a Baronetcy by the Stewart Kings of Scotland in 1400. Robert, his brothers James, Thomas and William, and his sister Anne Grierson Hopkins all came to the colonies at the same time. James remained in Augusta with the British Military. He was a Loyalist and was killed by the Continental Army. James had 5 children with a white woman, all of whom died early on, except for one who was able to go back to London to claim his inheritance. Thomas went into the interior with Robert. Both married Creek Muscogee women. Thomas and his wife had a son John, born in Eufaullies [Eufaula, AL?]. Thomas, a Revolutionary, was killed by a British solider after both surrendered. Robert and his wife, Sinogee, of the Spanalgee Family, had eight children, all born in Hillabies [?]. They were Alexander, Eliza, Katherine, William, Thomas, Sarah, David and Walter. Muscogee Creek did not have written records in this time period. What written records there were came from their white compatriots or the Indian Agents in the area. Thus there are no existing marriage or birth dates for any of Robert and Sinogee's children. For almost any white and Native American marriage, a memento of some kind and living together as a family was normal. Eliza Grierson married William McIntosh (1775-April 30, 1825), a prominent Lower Creek Indian, who, along with seven other Upper Creek Indians, signed the Treaty of Indian Springs, relinquishing all Creek land in Georgia. Eliza and William had had two children, Jane and son Chillicothe, both born in Coweta County, Georgia. Sarah Grierson married Stephan Hawkins. Their son, Samuel, was killed with William McIntosh when they were shot and killed by the Muscogee Creeks for his betrayal. After Samuel was killed, Stephen and Sarah fled to Wetumpka, [now in Elmore County] Alabama. * Katherine (Katy) Grierson was married to Johnnie Benson (Tustunnuggee), a Red Stick warrior, who was in the party sent to kill William McIntosh. Johnnie Benson's father was a full-blood Creek shaman (magician), and his mother was Mary Benson, a white girl captured by the Creek Indians.) Mary was found living with the Creeks after she married and had several children. She did not want to go back to civilization with her relatives. Two of her sons did, and went to school. Johnnie Benson was shotat the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. The bullets were never removed and he lived to a ripe old age in the Indian Territory of Oklahoma. Robert Grierson, the Scots, was a supporter and supplier of goods to the Revolutionary Army. He was a friend of Andrew Jackson and Benjamin Hawkins, Indian Agent appointed by George Washington. Also an acquaintance of Thomas Jefferson. Robert died at Oakfuskee, Alabama and is buried at Pinckneyville, Clay County, Alabama. He died a wealthy man, with many slaves, horses, cattle, and farms. In 1833, Robert's children, whose last name became "Grayson" -- their children, mother Sinogee, and slaves and expensive belongings went by wagon to the new territories of the West, - now Oklahoma, paying their own way. They were wealthy half-breeds, and did very well in straddling two societies. They were big landowners, became educated, and some represented the Muscogee Creek Nation in the new lands when it came to dealing with the Government in Washington D. C. * Testimony of Stephen Hawkins. Georgia, Baldwin County: By virtue of a commission from his excellency the Governor of Georgia, to us directed, to receive and examine testimony in relation to the charges lately preferred by the Governor aforesaid against John Crowell, agent for Indian affairs in the Creek Nation of Indians, we have taken the examination of Stephen Hawkins, a white man resident in said nation, who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith: That he has resided in the Creek Nation thirty eight years, or thereabouts; that, on the second day of May last, he was on his way from Fort Jackson to his residence at Chelokonojah, in the nation; he was stopped by eight or ten Indians, who belonged to the hostile party; they seemed to be headed by John Riley, a half-breed; Riley told him they were sent by Hopoithle Yoholo, a Tuckaubatchee chief, to take all the property belonging to the Hawkins' and McIntosh, and carry it to Tuckaubatchee; they took what property they [he] had with him, except two horses, (one of which he was riding, and the other rode by his wife,) which they afterwards took, and carried away; the property to be had on the road was two negro boys and a thousand yards of homespun, two sacks of salt, besides a number of other articles; he told them that they ought not to take his property; that he had nothing to do with the treaty: Riley replied to him, that Hopoithle Yoholo had ordered him to do so, and that the agent (Colonel Crowell) had ordered Hopoithle Yoholo to have it done. Some of the same party met at his house and took what he had there, being some other negroes and other property. That, in consequence of the conduct of the hostile party, he left the nation, apprehending that they would kill him; they did kill his son, Samuel Hawkins; all his family had to leave the nation, through fear; he now lives near Fort Jackson, in Alabama. Stephen Hawkins, his + mark. Sworn to and subscribed before us, this 21st day of June, 1825. Warren Jourdan, W. W. Williamson, W. H. Torrance, Commissioners. This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/alfiles/ File size: 6.5 Kb