W&M ScholarWorks Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects 2007 "Indispensably necessary": Cultural brokers on the Georgia frontier, 1733--1765 Lisa Laurel Crutchfield College of William & Mary - Arts & Sciences Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd Part of the Indigenous Studies Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Crutchfield, Lisa Laurel, ""Indispensably necessary": Cultural brokers on the Georgia frontier, 1733--1765" (2007). Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects. Paper 1539623518. https://dx.doi.org/doi:10.21220/s2-pb88-6r72 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects at W&M ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects by an authorized administrator of W&M ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. "Indispensably Necessary": Cultural Brokers on the Georgia Frontier, 1733-1765 Lisa Laurel Crutchfield Virginia Beach, Virginia Master of Arts, University of Georgia, 1995 Bachelor of Arts, James Madison University, 1993 A Dissertation presented to the Graduate Faculty of the College of William and Mary in Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of History The College of William and Mary August, 2007 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Copyright 2007 Lisa L. Crutchfield All rights reserved Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPROVAL PAGE This dissertation is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Lisa Laurel Crutchfield / Approved by the Committee, June 2007 _______rkuMAv-uJU __________ Committee Chair Professor James Axtell, History The College of William & Mary/ Pjtffessor James P. Whittenburg, History The College of William & Mary Assistant Professor Andrew Fisher, History The College of William & Mary AX Professor Emeritus Charles Hudson, Anthropology University of Georgia Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT This dissertation examines the people who brokered cultural exchange among the various groups in and around Georgia from 1733-1765. Populating the territory were Europeans, Indians, and Africans who interacted frequently with one another despite disparate cultural traits. Cultural brokers not only brought members of each society together but did so in a manner that allowed the groups to achieve a level of understanding that would have been otherwise impossible. The project concentrates on four categories of cultural brokers: Indian traders, military personnel, missionaries, and the Indians themselves. Members of each of these groups played critical roles as intermediaries between the natives and the newcomers. In addition to directing the material exchange between the two groups, they conveyed ideological values and diplomatic information as well. Cultural brokers served as interpreters, escorts, and emissaries. They relayed messages, invitations, and military intelligence. They explained one side to the other, interpreting language, protocol, and meanings. They consequently had an invaluable effect on maintaining positive relations between the Indians and the colonists during Georgia’s first thirty years. All of these mediators lived and worked on the frontier, but that does not mean that they were on the fringe of society. In fact, Georgia’s cultural brokers enjoyed a favored position, respected for their abilities to move between Indian and colonial worlds. They were equally comfortable in each society and were fully accepted by both. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments .................................................................................................................... ii Abbreviations ...............................................................................................................................iii List of M aps................................................................................................................................. iv Introduction ...................................................................................................................................1 Chapter 1: Frontier Diplomats: Traders as Agents ................................................................ 9 Chapter 2: Native Bridges: Indians as Facilitators .............................................................63 Chapter 3: “Perfectly Acquainted with the Country”: Military Personnel on the Georgia Frontier .......................................................................................................................... 139 Chapter 4: “Send Us the Good Book”: Missed Opportunities for Georgia’s Colonial Missionaries ................................................................................................................. 207 Chapter 5: The Musgrove Matrimonial Dynasty: Thirty Years of Cultural Brokerage 271 C onclusion .................................................................................................................................327 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................ 332 V ita ..............................................................................................................................................353 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author would like to offer her sincere gratitude to the many people who offered support and wisdom during the course of this project. The Institute for Southern Studies provided a generous research grant, as did the College of William and Mary. Sam Fore and the staff at the Caroliniana Library were helpful and engaging, and the interlibrary loan staff at William and Mary consistently offered a friendly and efficient service. Thanks also goes to the dissertation committee members, Charles Hudson, James Whittenburg, and Andrew Fisher, all of whom made the final review and defense of the project more rewarding. Special thanks is offered to James Axtell, whose patience, prodding, humor, and knowledge consistently offered inspiration. Clay Drees and the “old school” colleagues at Virginia Wesleyan College provided a collegial atmosphere in which to teach while working on the dissertation. Susan Kern and Laura Odendahl offered friendship, encouragement, and empathy as only fellow graduate school classmates could. Family fortunately offers unconditional love and support, and for that, the author happily acknowledges a debt of gratitude to Karen, Dad, Mom, Tip, and most especially Bruce. ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Abbreviations Caroliniana Caroliniana Library of the University of South Carolina. CRG Candler, Allen D., et al., eds. The Colonial Records of the State of Georgia. 36 vols. Atlanta, GA: Franklin Printing and Publishing Co., 1904-1916. DR1A McDowell, Jr., William L. ed. The Colonial Records o f South Carolina: Documents Relating to Indian Affairs, 1750- 1765. 2 vols. Columbia, SC: South Carolina Archives Department, 1958-1970. DRS Urlsperger, Samuel, ed. Detailed Reports on the Salzburger Emigrants who Settled in America. 17 vols. Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 1968. EM Phillips Collection of Egmont Manuscripts, vols. 14200-14213, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, U. of Georgia. EJ McPherson, Robert G. The Journal o f the Earl o f Egmont: Abstract o f the Trustees ’ Proceedings for Establishing the Colony o f Georgia, 1732-1738. Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 1962. FHQ Florida Historical Quarterly GHQ Georgia Historical Quarterly GHS Georgia Historical Society, Savannah, GA HUGA Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University of Georgia. JAH Journal o f American History JSH Journal o f Southern History JCHA Easterby, et ah, eds. The Colonial Records o f South Carolina: Journals o f the Commons House o f Assembly. 31 vols. Columbia, SC: Historical Commission of South Carolina, 1907-1986. JJW Cumock, Nehemiah, ed. The Journal o f the Rev. John Wesley, A.M. vol. 1. London: Robert Culley, 1909. JPG Gordon, Peter. Journal o f Peter Gordon, 1732-35. Edited by E. Merton Coulter. Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 1963. JWS Stephens, William. Journal of William Stephens, 1741-45. Edited by E. Merton Coulter. 2 vols. Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 1958-1959. OG Oglethorpe, James. General Oglethorpe's Georgia, Colonial Letters 1733-43. Edited by Mills Lane. 2 vols. Savannah, GA: Beehive Press, 1975, Reprint 1990. SCHS South Carolina Historical Society, Charleston, SC WJW Outler, Albert C., ed. Works o f John Wesley, 24 vols. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1983. WMQ William and Mary Quarterly iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. List of Maps 1. Southeastern North America on the Eve of the Colonization of Georgia .................65 2. Savannah’s Defenses, 1733-1736 ................................................................................... 144 3. Georgia, 1740-1742 ........................................................................................................