The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-02-09
Story of Beautiful Indian Who Want
ed to be Queen.

York. Dec. 3O.-Among the many
stories and legends of their better
days in possession Of a few of the
Catawba Indians who reside on the
banks OF Catawba river in York coun-
ty, Is one about Sally Newriver, or
Princess Sally, the last survivor of the
royal blood Of the tribe. With the
passing Of King Hagler, the last OF the
Catawbas the Indians of the Piedmont
section, died the last male survivor of
Catawba royal blood and all that was
left was his neice, Safe N"T"""--.
She was the daughter Of King Hagler's
only sister, who had married Gen.
Newriver, white man and a gallant
soldier on the side of the Americans
in the War Of the Revolution.
According to the story in the pos
session of the few remaining Cataw-
bas. Gen. Newriyer and his Indian
wife died soon after King Hagler,
leaving their little daughter Sally, 4
beautiful little girl OF five years, all
orphan. She was taken in charge by
Thomas Spratt, the first white man u
be given grant Of land by the Ca
; taWbas, and the intimate friend OF
her father, to his own house, and rear
ed as one Of his own children. She
: was given the same educational ad
vantages and under his sheltering
! roof she was never made to feel the
pangs Of lonely orphan. The Ca
,, tawbas, followed the War of the
! Revolution and the ravages Of small
pox, adored the beautiful little half
breed girl and gave her the title OF
Princess Sally.
She remained with her foster-father,
Thomas Spratt, until she was c:2htec1
! years of age, in the association or
both the white and the CataWDas.
; There was none among the white,
maidens more beautiful than she and
none were courted by more wealthy
, men of the whole Piedmont section
, Of South Carolina than Princess Sally.
. On the other hand none of the Ca
tawba braves could bring down deer
with more unerring accuracy than she,
none knew better where to look for
the speckled trout er<the redhorse in
the streams; none of the squaws Of
her people could fashion a garment
out Of buckskin more neatly than she,
nor could any cook the flesh of the
deer, the bear or other meat more
palatably than could she.
But she grew tired Of her life as a
mere princess without a title She
wanted to be queen of the whole Ca
tawba nation. So one day seated OH
jet-black pony, the gift of her fos
ter father, and escorted by six of the
most beautiful Indian maidens as al
tendants. she rode with becoming
grace and dignity of mein to the prin-
cipal town of her people near what Is
now Rock Hill The Indians poured
forth en- masse with loud acclamations
of JOY and gladness, built a great wig
VAN for her residence. gave her
princely rents and paid every respect
to her person. But they never gave
her the title of queen.
With the death of King Hagler and
after the Revolutionary war they i'm
bibod the prejudices and ideas of the
white man to monarchy, and the great
chiefs and medicine men decided they
would never again have a crowned
head over them. From that time forth
Princess Sally's home was among the
Catawbas, although she made long
and frequent visits to her white
friends. She never married. for there
we're none of the Catawba Indians her
equal in blood and she could not mate
beneath her Unlike her mother she
would not marry a white man. Re-
vered by the Catawbas, loved by the
white people H. Catawba lar1. shh"
lived to ripe old age a noble old
woman and fit representative Of the
royalty OF the Catawbas which sure7S
with her into the grave.-Cor. News
and Courier.