Creek chief; born in
Georgia about 1642; met
Oglethorpe in
Savannah in friendly conference early in 1733.
He was then ninety-one years old, of commanding person and grave demeanor, and though for some reason he had been banished from the
Lower Creeks, he had great influence throughout the confederacy as a brave chief and wise sachem.
Mary Musgrave, the half-breed wife of a
South Carolina trader, acted as interpreter.
He pledged his unwavering friendship for the
English, and he kept his word.
A satisfactory treaty was made, by which the
English obtained sovereignty over the domain between the
Savannah and
Altamaha rivers, and westward as far as the extent of their tide-waters.
Oglethorpe distributed presents among the friendly
Indians.
In the spring of 1734 To-mo-chi-chi went with
Oglethorpe to
[
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England.
He was accompanied by his wife, their adopted son and nephew, and five chiefs.
They were cordially received in
England, and were objects of great curiosity, for Indians had not been seen in that country since
Peter Schuyler was there with Mohawks in Queen Anne's reign.
They were taken in coaches, each drawn by six horses, to have an interview with the
King, arrayed in brilliant English costume—the
Creek monarch and his queen in scarlet and gold.
He made a speech to King George and gave him a bunch of eagle's feathers, to which a gracious reply was made assuring the Indians of English protection.
They remained four months in
England, during which time a brother of the
Indian queen died of small-pox.
The company were conveyed to the place of embarkation in the royal coaches, with presents valued at $2,000; and the
Prince of
Wales gave To-mo-chi-chi's heir a gold watch, with an injunction to call upon
Jesus Christ every morning when he looked at it. They reached
Savannah late in December, 1734.
To-mo-chi-chi died Oct. 5, 1739.
At his funeral minute-guns were fired at the battery at
Savannah, and musketry was discharged.
He was buried in the centre of the town, and
Oglethorpe ordered a “pyramid of stone” to be erected over his grave.
The funeral was attended by the magistrates and people of
Savannah and a train of
Indians.
