The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
PIONEER DAYS
BY MARY GORDON DuFFEE.

 The spot once so alluring to the specu- lators con tains not single vestige of it's former pretensions to mark the site, and 1t Is now called Old Baltimore.
 The few Indians still lingering were Of a rather peaceful disposition and al- though often persecuted and imposed up- on by the white race, there was no se- rious outbreak of hostllties. Quite a large colony of Cherokees dwelt in Browns valley in the northeast part and often called the garden spot of Blount. It's early history Is of the same type we often read about in the west, and while all the rest of the county, and south ward to Tuscaloosa, was being rap idly filled up by the year 1Sl9 with a sturdy set of the sons of the Ameri- can revolution and the gallant soldiers of Jackson and Coffee, Browns valley. the fairest of all between MurphreeS valley and the Tennessee river, was a menace and in some respects a mystery It is impossible to determine positively just when 1t was first settled by the whites. The Cherokees held a certain form of possession until 1888 or 1899 and the government records at Washington testify to the great amount of diplomacy necessary to effect a final and satisfae- tory treaty with that tribe. In the quail ities of intellect, hrmness and decision. it appears that they were much superior to the others inhabiting this state. There was also within the limits of Browns valley a coloney of 200 Creek Indians brought there for protection soon after the Creek war commenced, by Col. Rich ard Brown, a Cherokee chief, who re- sided in the valley; and fhese Greeks remained there with the friendly Chero- kees until they were removed and ac- companied them to the west
 Colonel Brown was a man Of marked intellectual ability and undaunted cour- age, and with the clear vision Of states man he saw the vanishing power or his race and fully realized that the Ilas now waving over them had come 10 stay and was not destined to be replaced as had been the fate of the three preceding governments, French, English and span ish. While loving the land of his plrtn better than life, he knew the hour hao arrived when they must tolloW lhe sun westward.
 Ali this period the United States gov ernment was preparing for it's first land sale and was anxious to get possession or thie valley in order to include 1t In the list of public lands, and, by hNllaiioi of the government, Colonel Brown, Ill the year 1S1S went to Washington city ior the avowed purpose Of either sei,lhs eo tbe whites or eeding by treaty all that
 a.tton of country and instructed the indians to hold themselves in readiness to emierate upon his return. lney nromptly assembled at Gunters Lanallis for this purpose but the death or Colonei Brown. soon afterward, at RogersVllle' Hawkins county, east Tennessee, posC poned for several years the raeiiiea'iul '' , of the treaty. Had he lived to return ne would have completed the treaty or ces- sion although confronted with bitter op- nostion in the ranks of his tribe, "no stvlea themselves anti-ceders, at the hee9 of which was Stooka, 1uli piooueu ,, Cherokees (and whose name III Ensiis,. ssi means Little Deer) who threateneu ueatt, ta .o any .;tas even going so far as to name Colonel BroWh aS m
 tim. o,o .,,o,, Colonel An the autumn of 1SlS, when eolo s,nnl,a psrr,n denarted for Washington, Stooha set out on his annual hunting anu li@p nine expedition to the south' prlIieipa,is Cor beavers, whose skins were very Eatu t,o ah,e He embarked in a canoe on eiie Jocust Fork of the Warrior, ana passlhs 5 rr',',t-1oosa went to Demopolis, where he fc,,rd a profitable market for ms coiiec- .ion oe skins. Returning home after an ohsonce of several months, he founo the valley filled with whites who hdu coi,ie ,n +o take possession of the land a1ter the Indians were ready to depart Tor tneir eneampment at Gunter's lanolng. in1s rre,t,, ture rushing in was resehleo pS stooka ae an insult and outrage, anu iio ,r,,,, very hitter and morose. A few days after. lis return, upon slight prosoea- tion. he struck with a board boy, 'he son of a MT Duke such a violent oloW on tba head as to cause instant death The Ind;an light horse (cavalry) immedlateiy seized Stooka, and having secured mn with irons. delivered him to James |. Gaines. United States agent, to treat with 6he Indians Knowing the dangerous character of Stooka, it was deemed pru- dent. in addition to handcuffs ana cnain to place q guard of reliable men over bu hut the first night of his imprison-
 ,,t la managed to break his irons r,,shed the guard and made his escape. lie nrocured his gun and horse, bade de1ance to his enemies, and like knight or soid ba boldly rode off unmolested, but ms course was carefully watched. lie was considered by all his people as oes- nerate man when aroused, and they were justly afraid to attempt his capture, ne having vowed never to be taken aise' His bravery was the envy and aomlratloii of all his tribe, having won great iaiie under Colonel Brown in several pattles n,,th the Creeks. and especially at the hattle of the Horse Shoe where he per ,orr,ea the daring feat of swimming the TaIlanoosa river in the rear of the Indian village. and stealing the Creek canoes in order to transport the Cherokee allies oe tba whites across the river into the great bend. and was highly praised Tor bis skill and valor by General Jackson in his report to the war department.
 The news that a white boy had been titled and his slayer escaped spread like vyildfire over the country, and soon panos of armed men entered the valley demand ing the murderer, and without proper au- thority vowed vengeance against the en- tire Indian tribe. The Indians knew Iuli we'll that they were to be feared ana the relatives of Stookar expecting to be mas sacred. hid themselves in a cave, first praying for their lives, and proposing to trirg stooka in, dead or alive, provided time was allowed them to discover him. The whites agreed to this proposition, and departed without committing any act Of violence As soon as they left the In- dians called council to decide in what manner they should proceed to capture Stooka. They finally decided to send two of their bravest warriors, well armed, and commanded by Tooni. the stepfather of Stooka, and who had reared him from his infancy They departed up the Tennessee river and after going about 40 miles learned that they were near the place where Stooka was concealed.
 Tooni then ordered the two men to hide themselves in small, vacant house near the south bank of the river and remain there until he returned. They were commanded to stand day and night in position pointed out by him. Tooni then proceeded alone to the lodging place of Stooka. and gave the familiar call o1 his boyhood, which was promptly ans wered, when they met and talked for a while, and Stooka revealed his inten-