I enclose a rough sketch of a map of the traditional route
traveled by the Creeks in their Emigration from the South West to
the old nation in the East. You will see by the circle marked
“Tallahassee” which was the first capitol Council Ground of
the Creeks in the East and now Capital of the State of Florida,
was the Center from which the old Creek Empire expanded from.
While in the East, Tallahassee means in Creek “The oldest town
that has been worn out and passed its glory,” is expressed in
it.
From aboriginal names, we can easily find the older countries
these people came from. That their traditions mentions,
“Jalisco” (10 fires) is evidently where the Cherokees came
from, on the Pacific coast in Mexico. Both traditions agree that
the Cherokees came to the East land before the Creeks came there.
The Creeks evidently came from the region marked Colina in Mexico.
It (Colina) being a Creek word. That is south east of where the
Cherokees came from. The Creeks have an oracle that when the Great
Spirit deems proper, they are to return to the old Country of
“Colina” is why the notion of going to Mexico obliterates all
other means of meeting the present crisis.
My purpose in the sketch is to try to show you that it is –
was possible for (Cherokees) then to come by a North East route
from South west by dry land from Jalisco, Mexico to Chota on the
little Tennessee River. Easy enough, While the Creeks coming from
Colina, Mexico to Tallahassee in Florida by dry land, would have
had to go north first and deflect to the south east. Or would have
had to cross the Gulf of Mexico.
Get a Good Map and you will understand me better. Creek
tradition says in going north they came to the black grass land
and there they became involved in war with an enemy and they left
the old folks, children, and people that did not care to follow
the enemy any distance; leaving them at the black grass land. The
best warriors and the flower of the young people followed this
enemy in the pleasure of war until they came a long ways to the
old nation at Tullahassee. And that they have never seen or heard
of the people left at the black grass land ever since. We do not
know where this black grass land is. (Probably here where we are
now.) There are people in British Columbia on the headwaters of
Fraser River and on west to the sea coast that evidently speaks
the Creek Language. They may be the same people who have gone
there from the black grass or the Creeks may have gone there
before turning East.
J. R. Gregory
(Document found in J. R. Gregory, personal file,
Creek Indian Archives, Oklahoma Historical Society Library, Oklahoma
City. Transcribed by Barbara Cox.
James Roane Gregory
