East Texas Historical Journal Volume 48 Issue 2 Article 6 10-2010 The Road from Nacogdoches to Natchitoches: John Sprowl & the Failed Fredonian Rebellion Rick Sherrod Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/ethj Part of the United States History Commons Tell us how this article helped you. Recommended Citation Sherrod, Rick (2010) "The Road from Nacogdoches to Natchitoches: John Sprowl & the Failed Fredonian Rebellion," East Texas Historical Journal: Vol. 48 : Iss. 2 , Article 6. Available at: https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/ethj/vol48/iss2/6 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the History at SFA ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in East Texas Historical Journal by an authorized editor of SFA ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. The Road/rom Nacogdoches to Natchitoches: John Sprowl & the Failed Fredonian Rebellion By RICK SHERROD bit more than one hundred miles ofthe old EI Camino Real separated Natchitoches, the most important Aninetccnth century town in northwest Louisiana, from Nacogdoches, the oldest continuously inhabited city within the currcnt borders ofTexas. The story ofeach city's founding is rooted in a fascinating (iffanciful) Caddo legend about twin brothers. To forestall any future conflict between the families of his two sons, a Caddo chief instructed the twins to depart their tribal home on the Sabine. The brother "Natchitoches" traveled three days toward the rising sun while the other twin, HNacogdoches," journeyed three days to the west. In each respective location, both men raised their families and developed settlements. With sufficient insulation to prevent frictions over rights to hunting grounds, "the two brothers remained friendly and the road between the two communities was well traveled."1 Regular nlovement between the two settlements continued long after the Indian population of the area had vanished.