Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-01-10
Straps 1T gufal Aistorg.
"REMINISCENCES OF YORK.
RYDr. MAURICE 4. MOORE.
From the Yorkville Enquirer, 1870.
THE CATAWBA INDIANS.

that Thomas Spratt obtained a lease for five
miles square, from Hagler, King of the Ca
tawbas, to extend through three life times,
or orninety-nine years. HeWas the first white
man who located in ''the Nation;" for prior
to this, no pale-face had been able to INDUCE
them to allow settlement on their terrific
ry. Spratt was man, true and just in all
his dealings, possessed of courage and tact,
and also thoroughly acquainted with the
Indian character. He gained their conf
dence and always retained it. Toexemplify
his great power over them, / will relate an
anecdote of Indian justice, in connection
with him.
It was some years after Spratt's residence
among the tribe, that French dancing
master CHANGED to travel that way: Meet
ing a party Of Indians, one asked him what
he had in his box, referring to his fiddle
case. TO please and conciliate the lndi-
ans, he took out his violin, showed it to
them, and furthermore delighted them by
playing some lively airs. Having satisfied
their curiosity, he returned his fiddle to its
case, and continued on his route. One of
the savages, seized with the spirit of Achan,
ran ahead of the traveller, shot him from an
ambuscade, and possessed himself of the
coveted instrument. The article in hand
betrayed him and it was soon nOised in
''the Nation" that white man had been
killed. Spratt felt it incumbent on him to
use his influence to protect his color. lie
took with him, Messrs. Barnett, Garrison,
White and Erwin, white friends, and went
to see King Hagler. When they arrived at
his encampment, he was out on a hunt with
his warriors. Not caring to delay in the
matter, they went on in quest of him, and
came up with him at no very great distance,
on the top of an eminence, near Hagler's
Branch. He received them with cordial
dignity, and, after the usual friendly greet
ing of Misunderstanding, the leading question,
''if they were not all friends and brothers ?"
was asked by Spratt, as the white spokes-
man, to open the business in hand. The
King replied "they were." The white man
then continued with his speech, and told of
the recent murder of a pale-face by one OF
King, with benignity, answered, Justice
shall be done, and Immediately" Then
requesting the white men to seat them
selves around sought the highest pinnacle
for himself, took his stand upon it, and talk
ing up his handsome, silver-mounted rifle,
put in fresh printing, blew piercing blast
on his hunting-horn, and with the air OF a
king and eye of an eagle, watched the ap-
prOaches on every side. In a few moments,
an Indian came in view, toiling up the as
Acent with fine buck on his back. AS soon
Yas the Indian King deserted him, he raised
his piece to his shoulder, fell on his knee,
took a rest, deliberate aim, and fired. The
unerring rifle did it's work, the victim of
the savage monarch's justice fell dead, and
the royal marksman turned to Spratt and
his associates, extended his hand in turn for
each to shake, in token Of further amity be-
tween them.
Of course they had to be satisfied with his
law, administered in his way; and readily
accepted his warm invitation to them to dine
with him. The repast was venlson without
salt, and eetpotateeS, roasted on the Goals,
and served on pieces pine bark for plates !;
and directly as they began to eat, the King
would order the attendants to remove it, and
bring a fresh piece of bark with another sup
ply of venison and potatoes. This was re-
peated several times, and donein imitation,
Mr.. Spratt said, of dinner Hagler had once
had the honor Of taking with Gov. Bull, in
Charleston, where the changing of plates
| had struck his fancy as something very
grand, and he now observed the style in
honor to his white guests. Thus ended the
visit of Mr.. Spratt and his friends, and a
white man was never again murdered by
the Catawbas.
! THOMAS SPRATT.
! Mr.. Spratt'S residence was about two miles
from the old "Nation Ford," on the Saluda
|
induced the Indians to grant other leases to
white settlers. He also gave a man named
Garrison, mill-site, to enable him to put
up grist-mill, which he did, on the mill,
site now commonly known as 'Webb's Old
MILL" on Steel Creek-the first erected in
''the Nation;" and Garrison, / think, was
probably the third or fourth white settler.
Mr.. Spratt lived to an advanced age, seeing
white settlements grow up where he had
known but Indian towns, and the powerful
tribe among whom he had come Whenyoung,
dwindle into insignifcance. How mutable
are the things of this world! / remember
seeing him once. He was tall, spare man,
kindly spoken, and active for his years.
He raised Il large family. His son, Thomas
Spratt, died unmarried; James married 4
Miss McRea, and left three sons-Thomas,
Robert and Leonidas-the last, lately the
editor of the Charleston STANDARD, an accom-
plished gentleman and graceful writer. One
daughter married Hugh White; another,
Arthur Erwin; Il third, Mr.. Garrison; and
fourth, Il Mr.. Mcneil. The fifth, Susan,
never married.
WILLIAM ERWIN.
The second white settler in the "Indian
Land" was William Erwin. He was from
Virginia, and through the influence of his
friend, Thomas Spratt, obtained from the
Catawbas lease of three miles square, eX-
tending from Steel Creek bridge, on toward
Charlotte. He moved here with his family,
and ever maintained pleasant relations with
the natives. A small field Of the rich land
produced corn for bread and hominy, and
his trusty rifle procured always deer and
wild turkey for meat. Our now common
daily beverages of tea and coffee were luNu-
ries well nigh unknown in the families OF
our hardy backwoOdsmen, and little labor
and expense were necessary to a comfort
able subsistence. Milk and butter were
. usually abundant. But a few years after
Mr.. Ervin's immigration, a disease among
the kline in his section of country was pre-
valent, which proved fatal to his entire
stock. He bought fresh supply, for he
could not, he declared, live without milk
and butter. The distemper again visited
his range. The third time he bought; the
distemper killed every COW. In thorough
disgust, he Sohd three mites square Of hididn
hand, for om Indian pony, u sHrer watch, u
still und on Old ,cug0n, shook the dust off his
feet and removed to the head waters Of
Turkey Creek, near the spot where York
immunity from disease. He never could
be brought to acknowledge that he regret
ted the exchange; for he was dear lover Of
butter, and mHk was fair necessity to
him, he would always declare, in eXculpa-
tiOn of his exchange.
William Erwin was a man of short stat
ure inclined to be corpulent in his old age,
when I knew him. y brave, free hearted
man, who would fight for a friend and give
his last shilling to Il needy stranger, with a
great deal of dry humorand fund OfanecdOte,
which he told well. He fought at Fort Du
Quense, and used to say he did there "some