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The South Carolina Archives currently has an exhibit posted on frontier trade.
http://www.state.sc.us/scdah/exhibits/cherokee/3a-FRONTIERTRADE.htm
While I suspect that there were many small groups of Indians who never left the east, I also suspect that the fur trade greatly influenced the character, culture, and bloodlines of those living on the colonial frontier. This article mentions the various tiers involved in the trade on down to the lowly and mostly unnamed “pack men.” South Carolina is only one example.
Think about which Indian groups were most heavily involved in the trade from early on and whose language was the “trade language.”
I am interested in the thoughts of others regarding the character of the Colonial frontier and on the trade.
Hello I am “out” so I’ll make this quick , a very nice web site attached, frontier trade is a real treasure of doc’s etc, the clothing styles in these old illustrations are often as good as old photos! A really good source for looking at developing a tribal style, it fills in a huge blank. Some of the most intersting items to look for are what people called match coats, a blanket type garment that was ornamented with colored cloth and ribbons in various methods , look at these old paintings very closely and you’ll see some great ideas for “robes”.
The use of porters is very interesting and could be one reason for the fracturing of the Blackfoot, also on an old map I have seen many Saponi listed in NY but did they stay or return to NC? I’ll try and post again later today, until then all the best Tom
“AT LEAST ONE HOUSE A DAY”
This excerpt illustrates the importance of the trading path and how populous it was compared to the “pathless forest.”
From Records of the Moravians in North Carolina
edited by Adelaide L. Fries and others ; “SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE JOURNEY OF BR. JOSEPH AND HIS PARTY TO CAROLINA”; [Translation of the official copy, filed with the Spangenberg Diary.].
On Aug. 25, 1752, Br. Joseph,1 Timothy Horsefield,2 Joseph Müller,3 Hermann Loesch, and Johann Merck set out from Bethlehem. The next day, at Frederickstown, they were joined by Henry Antes,4 ….
http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hp/colonial/Bookshelf/Moravian/journey.htm
“We spent a couple of days with Andreas Lambert, a Scotchman, where we provided ourselves with provisions for our journey into the forest. Hitherto we had been on the Trading Path,9 where we could find at least one house a day where food could be bought; but from here we were to turn into the pathless forest.”
As my son is apt to remind me, “The map is not the territory; the menu is not the meal”. It is a continual challenge to challenge the cognitive maps that have been socialized into me that prevent me from sometimes seeing things clearly.
I just realized recently that Evan Shelby, Jr., noted “Indian fighter”, was before the Revolutionary War troubles on the TN/VA frontier an Indian trader. In fact, he was one of the “Suffering Traders” represented by William Trent in the aftermath of the French & Indian War. So what was old Evan doing so early on in the Bristol, TN area???
My latest little find concerns Israel Christian, father of Col. William Christian. It seems he was connected to the trade, too [I feel so silly, ’cause, gee, wasn’t just about everybody if they were into a frontier area very early?]:
MAY, 1768 (A).
Christian vs. Mann.–Wm. Mann and Israel Christian. Contract by Israel to employ William as hunter or Indian trader.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~chalkley/volume_1/judge350.htm
“MAY, 1768 (A).
Christian vs. Mann.–This, my note, shall oblige me to pay unto Mr. William
Mann, at the rate of fifty pounds a year, for whatever time he shall
be by me employed to assist in Indian trade, hunting, or whatever service he
shall be by me directed to perform. Given under my hand, at Staunton, the
19th day of February, 1762. (Signed) Israel Christian. Test, W. Christian.
I do promise that if I keep any hands employed in the above service the whole
year, William Mann shall be preferred and kept as long as any other in said
service, he complying as well as he can with my directions. (Signed)
Israel Christian. February 19, 1762.”
ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/va/augusta/court/court16.txt
Are some of these other references to hunter/trader emoplyees??? The Pearris family was involved in the trade.
http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/va/augusta/court/court05.txt
AUGUST, 1766 (D).
“Thomas Huggart vs. Israel Christian.–To the reward offered by defendant
for taking up Dinnes McAny, a deserter from the pack-horse drivers, in
1760.”
MAY, 1768 (A).
“Paid in Brunswick to the County, in part . . . . . . . . . . 3195
To Wm. Hugart, John Hamilton, Samuel Hamilton, Robert Gillaspy,
George Douther, James Burnsides, Jos. Milehan, John Lewis,
John (____), James Jackson, James Miller, David Howell.
Robt. Gillaspey, Corporal Samuel McMary, Eldad Reade,
Topher Carpenter, Henry Lawless, Robt. Gay, John Stevenson,
John Weems, John Taylor, Wm. Kinkead, John Kinkead, James
Clements, James McKnight, Wm. Mann, Thomas McMullin,
each 300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8100
(Endorsed.) We, the . undersubscribers, do acknowledge we have sold our
part of the within tobacco to Israel Christian, and desire the tickets
for it may come out in his name, as witness our hands. (Signed) John
Trimble, William Preston, John Madison, Henry Murray, William Kinkead,
William Preston (signed for James Patton), Robert Patrick, William Man,
and John Brown.”
ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/va/augusta/court/court22.txt
AUGUST, 1768 (A).
Wm. Hays vs. George Parris.–Account and paid. Att. by Hays to Israel Christian to collect withdrawn. George Paris now of Carolina, 6th June, 1768.
NOVEMBER, 1767 (E).
Robert Hall vs. Robert Armstrong.–Bond, 26th September, 1764, by defendant to plaintiff, of Orange County, Province of North Carolina.
MAY, 1768 (A).
Israel Christian vs. William Curry.–Defendant near Staunton. Account.
[Note to self: Check and see if this William Curry is on PA Indian trader list.]
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