Family Hiistory Writing Challenge Day 7- St. Stephens

Fort St. Stephens

The heart of the Tombigbee Settlement was St. Stephens, 10 miles south of the Sinte Bogue. St. Stephens sat high on a limestone bluff that the Choctaw called Hobucakintopa. The wooden stockade had been a Spanish fort, which the Americans converted to a trading post. The old Spanish blockhouse became a store, and the warehouse became the territory land office which sold land to the new settlers who continued to arrive.  The trading house, part of the “plan of civilization,” was established to provide fair trade in western manufactured goods for local Indians (and to provide a place for sales of the increasing lands to American settlers.)  George Strother Gaines, a man much loved in the area by settlers and Indians alike, became head of the agency in 1805, living with his family in the home of the former Spanish Commandant.

A trip to Saint Stephens must have been a much anticipated adventure for the Womack family. To reach it, they traveled the narrow horse path which led along the west side of the river. Horses were loaded with packs to carry the goods for barter- deer skins and furs accumulated from a season of hunting, hides and beef from their domestic long horn cattle, tallow and bacon from their hogs, corn from their fields, beeswax from their hives. Phoebe would have been excited to survey the goods in the trading post- blankets, calico, and sewing materials for clothing. But cloth was expensive; and it took 8 yards to make  dress. There were bonnets, tortoise shell combs for hair, and a other luxury items to dream about. First in line would be practical items; kettles, salt, sugar, and coffee for the kitchen. The men would have perused tools for the farm, knives, leather goods, saddles and bridles. When available, muskets, shot and gunpowder would have been a great attraction.

For both the men, and the women lucky enough to make the trip, this would be a rare chance for socialization. The trading post was not only a hub of activity, but also a melting pot of civilizations. Choctaw families also came to trade and get merchandise, as well as Chickasaws from the north and Creeks from the east. American and mixed blood settlers from both the Tombigbee and the Tensaw settlement to the east, came with goods to trade.  Many languages were spoken, many types of dress seen, many cultural habits observed. Here the cultures mingled as they bargained and shopped.

The new post office was perhaps even more cherished than the store. Here would be precious letters from far away family. Jesse had several brothers who would kept in touch. One brother, John, stayed in North Carolina.  Another brother, Abraham moved from North Carolina to Georgia, and died about the time of Jesse’s move west- but it was Abraham’s daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, who married into the Coleman family. (1) In 1804, Jesse would have heard of the death of his closest brother, David Womack, (2) who had moved with his large family to Greensboro in St. Helena Parish, now part of Louisiana. David’s sons would have sent letters with family news and the political situation there on to their uncle and cousins in the Mississippi Territory.

This was also a place for the men to tell stories of hunting and fishing trips, to discuss farming and animal husbandry, and most importantly for an isolated community, to get news and to talk politics. Jesse and his sons would have gathered with the other men to share news and rumors, and to discuss the problems and political issues which beset the fledgling territory. Soon a court was established to provide a judicial process for the newly established Washington County. Officials were elected. In 1807, Richard Womack (Abe’s father) was appointed the county constable. The Womack’s were active in local politics, gathered with other territorial leaders to sign official petitions to the U.S. government regarding territorial needs and dilemmas.  Land rights were often at the forefront of the discussion. The Womack's were active in politics and signed the following petitions:


Memorial to Congress, referred 25 Nov 1803, by citizens of the territory seeking that "moderate grants [be] made to actual settlers on unappropriated lands. (3)

Mississippi Territory. Current state: Alabama, Washington County. Petition to the House of Representatives, 7 Nov 1805, by inhabitants of Washington County proposing a plan for the allocation of land for schooling purposes since most of the land provided for by Congress (Section 16) is in private hands. (4)

Petition to the House of Representatives, 15 Nov 1805, by inhabitants of Washington County, many of who settled there after Mar 1803 (but before the land commissioners arrived) expecting a pre-emption right which they might not be able to have (5)

Petition to the President and Congress, referred 7 Feb 1809, by inhabitants of Washington County many of whom apparently settled after Mar 1807 on land "lately Ceded by the Choctow Indians" and are seeking pre-emption right. (6)

The Spanish problem

The Womacks and their neighbors faced increasingly high prices charged on their goods. The Spanish were not happy at all with increased American settlement in the region, but there was another issue. The Spanish had previously had a monopoly on trade and the government in Mobile was not happy with an American trading post in the region. Even though they had signed a treaty with the U.S. government and did not tax goods going in and out of New Orleans to the new territory of Louisiana, they argued that this treaty did not apply to goods going through Mobile. They exerted a heavy tariff (as high as 25%) on goods going up and down the river from the Tombigbee settlements. A barrel of flour that cost $4 in Natchez cost $16 in St. Stephens. In addition to this, the Spanish slowed traffic of ships heading up the river to the settlements. These rivers were the only path to trade for the settlers. George Gaines, in a daring endeavor, cut another path north through the wilderness to Tennessee. This overland path was a lifeline for the settlement.

 

The Spanish were choking the life out of the American settlements. And realizing that they were pushing the new Americans to the brink, the Spanish also interrupted shipments of any guns, powder, and shot that could be used in the event of a war.

References:

1-      Will of Abraham Womack, Hancock County, Georgia Will Book A, page 219, signed 2 Jun 1797. In this will, Abraham states “I give unto my daughter Mary Coleman one feather bed, one hair trunk, also one negroe girl named Cealey, also Eighty five dollars and twenty five cents to be paid the twenty-fifth day of December 1798.” In another part of the will, he refers to his son-in-law Francis Coleman. Abraham also mentions an umarried daughter, Elizabeth.
 2- findagrave.com
3-Territorial Papers of the US, Vol 5, Page 282

4-Territorial Papers of the US, Vol 5, Page 441 

5-Territorial Papers of the US, Vol 5, Page 442

6- Territorial Papers of the US, Vol 5, Page 694.