He was an Indian Cherokee Chief in the Cumberland Valley, and the Wayne County Kentucky Area. Doublehead was also known as Tal-Tsu- Ska, Dsu-gwe-La-dergi and Chuqualatgue. Chief Doublehead met his death on August 9, 107 at Hiwassee River in Tennessee. It is legend that he is buried in Hines ( Doublehead) Cave in Wayne County Kentucky.
" Tal-tsu-Ska" which means two heads. Doublehead was well known for his duel personality. He was a Cherokee Chief about 1800 known to the white's as Doublehead. There are many myths, legends and stories, well documented in the History Books, some of the same accounts, some slighty different. This story of the life of Chief Doublehead has been compliled of many sources.
At the time of the French and Indian War, Doublehead was a teenager, learned that his people recieved word that a great movement in the north had crossed the Ohio River, heading south deep into Kentucky. It was learned that many Indian Tribes from the north with their french allies had targeted the lands of Kentucky and the Cherokee Nation for total French gain. Meaning; The Chickamauga Cherokee must now decide their loyality to either join the French or fight their advance. The French believed Kentucky Cherokee's would join them, finding little resistance to their advance. But what the French did not realize was the bringing other Tribal Nations into Cherokee territory without a tribal agreement, would bring insult and stir the Kentucky Cherokee's into defending their homelands with dire retribution. This was a mistake the French would remember for many years to come which would forever put distrust between the Kentucky Cherokee and many European who came with the promises and the beads.
Doublehead and Dragging Canoe were Chiefs who led a group of younger hot headed warriors who did not want to give up anymore land They found themselves opposing the older Chiefs who had seen the effects of war on the tribe. Although they may not have started the tribal law " Blood for Blood" and their honor as warriors required retalliation. Both were capable of Great Violence. Doublehead also proved himself capable of taking bribes and was killed by Ridge for ceeding land without the consent of the entire tribe.
Chief Doublehead the Cherokee Canibal for longer than anyone can remember, the Tennessee Valley had been ancestrial hunting grounds for the Cherokee, Chicksaw and Creek Nations. This was a land where the Indians could live peacefullu without fear and encroachment from the whites. By the 1700's, however times began to change, as white settlers from Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia began moving into the Indian lands. The great Indian nation, decimated by war and fragmented by internal strife, could no longer offer resistance. Only one man stood in the way of its movement. Part Canibal, part savage and a part statesman, Chief Doublehead would leave his bloody mark on the pages of Tennesse Valley's history. Doublehead was born to Cherokee Aristocracy in the Cumberland Foothills of Tennessee. His father had been a ferious warrior, well known for his bravery, and his brother Tassell was prinicpal Chief and statesman. His oldest Sister, Wurteh, married a man named Nathan Gist, and produced a son, who was destined to become the Greatest of all Cherokee, Sequoyah. Another sister married a white soldier, and their son John Watts, became Chief of Chief amongst the Cherokee Nation. The Indian nations were a scene of much turmoil during Doublehead's youth. Part of the tribed wanted to fight the white men who were taking their lands, while other's guided by their heads, rather than their hearts charted a course of peaceful cooperations. To say that Doublehead was a rebellious youth, would be an understatement, even as a child barely out of puberty, Doublehead began leading raiding parties against white settlers. Although too young to fight, the youth's would lie in wait until the settlers were away from home, sneak in, burn their cabings and run off the livestock. Soon tiring of this, Doublehead began to look for other ways to harass the white settlers. The isolated settlements depended on travelling peddlers for necessities, such as salt, gunpowder and cloth. Realizing this; Doublehead fanned his group of teenage warriors out across the wilderness trails where they lay await in ambush. Within a short time, no peddlers dared to enter the territory unless provided with a large armed escort.
The few brave souls who did go alone, met with a premature gruesome death. Doublehead purposely cultivated his image as a blood thirsty savage. Though taking scalps was common among the Cherokee, he quickly made his trademark. Even more grisly, was his habit of cannibalizing his enemies bodies after a sucessful raid. He would cut a piece of flesh from one of its victims and often with blood running down his chin, eat it as a sign of conqueared impotence. Afterwards he would demand that his warriors, as a symbolic blood oath, do the same. Years later, while in Philadelphia with President George Washington, an inquisitive reporter asked Doublehead's opinion of the white race. Without giving the matter a moments thought, the Chief replied " Too Salty". In order to keep his warriors loyal to him, Doublehead knew he had to do more than merely lead them on raiding parties. He made the aquaintance of several white traders, who quickly met an untimely death. Soon he was selling their goods to stores in white settlements. Doublehead made enough money to supply his bands with guns, powder, and other items, not normally available to Indians. Despite Doublehead's growing popularity among the tribes, his days of running through the Cumberlands were numbered. The white's were putting increased pressure on the Indians, as a result of the raids and even many of his own Tribesman were beginning to turn against him realizing this, Doublehead gathered his band , a motley mix of Cherokee, Chicksaw and Creek's and moved his sanctuary to the Tennessee Valley. They settled on a site several miles south of the present day Athens, Alabama, which in a few years became a thriving villiage. The land was surpose to be shared as a hunting ground by the Cherokee and Chicksaw's , with none of them actually living on it. Doublehead quickly resolved this, by giving two of his sisters to George Colbert, the Chief of the Chicksaw Nation. Though Doublehead continued to be a nuisance, leading an occassional raiding party against Tennessee settlements, it was the murder of his brother, Tassell that ignited the fire of open hostility. Tassell, head Chief of the Cherokee, had been invited to met with Major John Hubbert under a flag of truce. After a series of talks, the unarmed Chief was escorted to a smoke house where he was to spend the night. That night with Hubbert guarding the door, a youth armed with a tomahawk, entered the building and killed the Chief as he lay sleeping. To the whites, this was only justice, as the youth had recently lost his parents to a Cherokee War Party. A murderous outrage decended upon the Tennessee Valley, when Doublehead heard of his brothers death. His name soon became synomous with terror as his band fanned out hundreds of miles in every direction dealing with death and destruction to any settlements in their path.
Knowing the importance of symbolism among his Indian Warriors, he used the death of Captain William Overall to enhance his already gruesome reputation. Overall distinguished himself as a particulary brave fighter before falling under Doublehead's tomahawk. Doublehead carried the Captains body back to the villiage, where in full view everyone could see he dismembered the body and began eating the choicest parts, inviting the tribesmen to join. " The white man is no more than a dog, a pig in the woods.", he reputedly said, "And should be treated in the same way".
On March 17, 1775 over a thousand Cherokee gathered for the signing of Sycamore Shoals Treaty. The Transylvania Company, a real estate venture headed by North Carolina Judge Richard Henderson and friend Daniel Boone was attempting to purchase most of the western and central Kentucky and north central Tennessee from the Cherokees, transferring all holdings between Ohio and the Cumberland Rivers to the Transylvania Land Company. The Cherokee are offered $10,000 worth of trade goods and $2,000.00 for this very large parcel and they accept it; it is a deal made. Of course the Cherokee were only selling their own claim on the land; other tribes who hunted here had not been approached. The Chiefs came to Sycamore Shoals were aware of this, but it was essentially the white man's problem. Still not everyone was happy in spite of the great feast which went on for days, people were grumbling. One outraged brave complained that his share was a mere shirt which could have easily been earned from a day's hunt in the land ceded. Among others, the Cherokee were represented by Chiefs AttakullaKulla and Oconostota, both of whom had been across great waters 45 years previous. It is believed Chief Doublehead and his daughter Cornblossom were also present at this occassion. The paper signed at Sycamore Shoals in what is now Eastern Tennessee, was the biggest private land deal in the Nation's history. although a treaty was soon to be revoked by the Governments of Virginia and North Carolina. In reference to this deal, Colonel Washington wrote; " Private Companies had no right to treat with the Natives". Henderson lost his investment. However the treaty will be used by these Governments as claim to the Cherokee lands. Dragging Canoe, then a minor Chief, was strongly opposed to selling the Cherokee ancestrial hunting grounds, warning the whites that there was a "dark cloud over that country", that they were purchasing a "dark and bloody ground". Daniel Boone for one, was well aware that there would be trouble if the Americans tried to settle there, Shawnee had already killed his oldest son, James during a hunting expedition two years previous. More recently the British governor of the Northwest territories, Lord Henry Hamilton, began to supply substanial amounts of arms and ammunition to natives and went so far back to offer bounties for the scalps of Colonists in 1775.
In the summer of 1776, Dragging Canoe led attacks against white settlers, but didnt't get much help, especially not from a Cherokee Warrior named Nancy Ward ( Ghi-ga-u) or Beloved Woman. Having learned of the large scale plan to attack Americans with the British troops, she informed traders William Falling and Issac Thomas and provided them with the means of setting out on a hundred and twenty mile trip to warn the settlers on the Holston and Watauga. The attack was repulsed. Things were not going well for the resistance. Dragging Canoe was actually shot through both legs in one raid. The old Chiefs desired peace, but Dragging Canoe thought it would be far better to abandon the old towns, move south, and continue fighting. There was no way to beat the settlers with their rifles in open warfare, so during the winter if 1776-1777, Dragging Canoe and his followers built new settlements in the Chickamauga Creek area of North Georgia. The discontented from many tribes and even some renegade whites took refuge with him there where they became known as Chickamaugans. Rather than capituate with the older Chiefs, the Chickamaugan's waged war against the settlers for the next 17 years, Dragging Canoe's band of disillusioned warriors, under the leadership of lieutenants Benge, Watts, Glass, Turtle at Home, Richard Justice, Doublehead, Black Fox and the half breed Ooskiah of Abraham and Raven, held out against the invaders. Their guerilla raids from camps near present day Chattanooga Tennessee and Mussel Shoals, Alabama left a trail of scalps, murdered victims, smoldering cabins and ruined crops. This band of Indian's would be known as "Dragging Canoe and the bloody Seven".. Doublehead was the last Cherokee Chief to exercise control over the Upper Cumberland Plateau. He was born near the present town of Somerset, Kentucky and had two known childern by his french- indian mixed blood wife. These childern would eventually be known as Cornblossom and Tuckahoe. Chief Doublehead was named for his duel personality. Although he rose to prominence as an ambassador representing the Cherokee nation to President George Washington, the Chief was also honored the ancient code. He killed and terrorized settlers, wreaking vengence upon those who unlucky enough to be within his reach. He did to whites, what they had done to his people. According to some accounts, he visciously indiscriminate as Sevier, Hamilton and other Indian fighters. For almost 20 years, Chickamaugans such as Doublehead, and Shawnee such as Blackfish, did everything they could to convince white people that Kentucky and Tennessee were neither for sale or settlement.
In 1786, a couple of Chicksaws on thier way to visit friends in the settlements south of the Duck River passed through Chickamaugan town in northern Alabama which they realized was a secret camp from which raids on the Tennessee settlers were being staged. They continued north toward the Duck River in Tennessee and told thier white friends about it. In reponse, a Military venture known aas the The Toka Expedition was initated. Assisted by the Chicksaws who had offered the report, Colonel James Robertson and 130 volunteers followed Shoal Creek south to Tennessee, crossed the river there at Colbert's Ferry and surprised a group of Chickamaugan at Coldwater ( Present day Tuscumbia). Robertson torched the town and discovered nine frenchman among Doublehead's Gang. For the moment, this put an end to most of the Indian raids and deprediations south of the Duck River, although this land was not be given over in treaty by the Chicksaws for another twenty years ( 1816). Of course many white settlers were already living there illegally. Tennessee would not become a state for another ten years ( 1796).
Through all this, the Chickamauga fought on but were forced to retreat slowly northward, until by 1790, they had joined forces with the Shawnee in Ohio. After the intial Indian victories of Little Turtle's War ( 1790-1794), most of the Ohio Chickamauga returned south and settled near the Tennessee River in northern Alabama. From here, they had the unofficial encouragement and a supply of weaponry provided by Spanish government agents in Florida and Louisanna. Feeling like their efforts were bearing fruit, they continued to attack nearby American Settlements. Some of their victims were fortunate enough to be given a chance to make a decison. In January of 1791, Chickamauga Cheif Glass captured 16 men building a blockhouse at Muscle Shoals, Alabama and released them with a warning not to return.
We first met with him in July 1791, at the Treaty of Holston, which it will be remembered, the Chickamaugans refused to attend. After he had signed the treaty, he begged and obtained the written permission of Governor Blount to hunt on the waters of the Cumberland. He seems, however, to have little use for his permit, as we find him making a fall hunt low down in Tennessee. He had settled with a party of some fourty Cherokee northwards, and Creeks,on the south side of the Tennessee river, at Muscle Shoals about the year 1790. Colonel Meigs thought this settlement was projected by the Cherokee on order to try their title to that portion of the Chicksaw hunting ground, but Doublehead's son in law, George Colbert, the Chickasaw Chief, assured General Robertson that he had settled at the Muscle Shoals by his permission. At the Chickasaw conference in June 1792, Governor drew their attention to Doublehead's settlement on their land. But immediatly after the Chickasaw conference John Watts delcared war on the United States, invaded the Cumberland with formidable force, and made a unsucessful attack on Buchcanan's Station, for the time Doublehead was entirely forgotton.
In the fall of 1791, Doublehead's hunting party which consisted on twenty eight men, besides women and childern. While on this expedition, without any known cause, and open violation of the Treaty of Holston, which he had signed only six months previously, he took a party of seven men and made a memorable scalping excursion up the Cumberland. Near the mouth of the River he fell in with Conrad' Salt boat, which he took after killing one man. He then preceeded up the river as far as Clarksville. It so happened that while he was sulking in neighborhood, January 17, 1792, General Robertson called for volunteer's to act as spies and rangers, and John Rice, notable as the grantee and original propietor of the tract of land which the city of Memphis now stands, Robert, William and Valentine Sevier, the only grown sons of Colonel Valentine Sevier, and nephews of General John Sevier, John Curtis, and two or three other young men from Clarksville or Seviers Station, set out to join him at Nashville. There being a scarcity of horses in the settlement they determined to go up the Cumberland in a canoe. Doublehead was watching for just an opportunity, discovered their movement, and hastily crossing one of the numerous horseshoe bends in the Cumberland, secreted his party on the bank, at a place now known as Seven Mile Ferry. When the boat came around to where they were concealed, they fired volley into it, killing the three Seviers, Curtis and Rice. Before the Indians could reload, the other members of the party pushed thier canoes across the river, and commenced its decent back towards Clarksville hugging the opposite shore. Doublehead then recrossed the Isthmus, intending to intercept them on their return, but this movement being anticipated, the canoe was hastily abandoned and returned adrift. The Indians found and boarded the derelict, scalped the five young men, and carried away their goods and provisions, even their clothing, hat, coat, and boots, Curtis being subsequently identified by a trader. A week later three of his warriors killed a man named Boyd in Clarksville, after which he returned to his camp, and was in the neighborhood of New Madrid on March 11, 1792.
On the very day Doublehead killed the young men on the Cumberland , a delegation of Cherokee Chiefs headed by Bloody Fellow, concluded a treaty with Secretary Knox at Philadelphia, by which their annuity under the treaty of Holston was increased froom $1000. to $1,500. In May the first annual distribution of goods under these treaties were made at Coyatee. The principal Chiefs of the Chickamauga town were present, and for the first time in their history, unanimously declared for peace. Doublehead was absent, and his town was not mentioned. But the following August Governor Blount expressed the belief that he was the only Chief of his nation that still held out for war. How much mischief he did during this period is not known, for it is rarely possible to indentify a leader of a scalping party on the frontiers, but he was probably responsible for many atrocities charged in a general way to Indians. Haywood says he shed with his own hands as much blood as many men his age in America.
Doublehead was ambitious, and though he was not then considered one of principal Chiefs of the nation, he attended the conference at Henry's Station, February 6, 1793, and when informed by Governor Blount that the President desired a representive delegation of the real Chiefs of the Cherokee's to visit him at Philadelphia, he repaired with others to the Hanging Maw's, and was present when Captain Beard made a dastardly assault upon the Hanging Maw's Town. This event gave Doublehead a opportunity to assert his leadership. He had been reported killed, but he wrote secretary Smith that he was still among his people " Living in gores of blood". Nine of his people, some of them first and principal men, had been killed. He demanded immediate satisfaction for them, without waiting to hear from the President. "This, he said, is the third time we have been served so when we are talking peace, that they fell on us and killed us."
In the Spring of 1792, Dragging Canoe died but mutual hostilites continued and a new round of violence exploded in central Tennessee and northern Alabama. Doublehead and his warriors were still very active. On Tuesday, August 7th 1792, Governor Blount met near Nashville with Chicksaw, Cherokee and Choctaw leaders. He began his speech by saying; " A friends and brothers, we have a reason to believe that a Chief called Doublehead, of the Cherokee's, a signer of treaty at Holston, with some other Cherokees, and some Northwards and Creeks, in all about fourty, have settled on the south side of Tennessee, near the mouth on your lands, as we supose, this Doublehead, otherwise "Tuscalateague", and his party, have killed a number of the citizens of the United States; and as your nations and the United States are friends, and we hope ever will be, it will be well for you and drive these people off your lands, or give us leave to destroy them as we please". President Washington embarked on a course of native assimilation and funded spinning wheels along with cotton and seed for the Cherokee just before hunting season. Native hunters are surprised by the cloth their wives weave. Next year, after harvesting thier own cotton, the women weave cloth in six months that is worth more than the pelts their men gather in the same amount of time. Warriors like John Ridge, who told his girlfriend, " I hunt deer, not men". can envision postive changes through the use of some of this new technology. Two other men who live near Ridge, heavily influence the tribe's future. A neighbor named Charles Hicks, crippled by a painful hip, impresses Ridge because Hicks spends money on books. Ridge also develops respect for a man named James Vann, because he stands up to Chief Doublehead. These three would become good friends and bring great changes to the Cherokee Nation. By introducing farming and animal husbandry through missionaries, Washington believed the Cherokee " proper subjects for experiment". He hoped these measures would help bridge the gap between red and white, unfortunatly, by design of defaut, this offering of cultral assimilation included the practice of slave holding. The institution was encouraged and spread among the upper class of mixed bloods as a utility to be and entrepreneurs became dominent in national affairs. Christainity was widely accepted. Amazing Grace is the Cherokee National Anthem. But John Ridge was not quite done with his warrior days yet. There was still a terrifying guerilla conflict going on.
After the death of Dragging Canoe in 1792, leadership fell into Doublehead who was more aggressive than Dragging Canoe had been. Chief Bowl ambushed an American Party on the Tennessee River near Muscle Shoals in 1794. Ostracized by the Cherokee and hated by the Americans, he and his followers crossed the Mississippi and settled along the St. Francis River in what is now in Arkansas.
1792 - Battle of Rocland? "DOUBLEHEAD"
Spring; BENCH and DOUBLLEHEAD with a group of Cherokee warriors including DOUBLEHEAD's brother "Pumpkin Boy" and RIDGE, attacked the white "Ratcliff" settlement, where four whites were killed and they withdrew without loss. [Trail of Tears, John Ehle; pg 40]
The operations of Doublehead, through simultaneous witht the Chickamauga incursions of 1792-1793, had no oragnic connection with them. Self willed and obstinate, he could not bear the restraint even of a concert of action with the head men of his tribe. Strong and athletic in person, he was famous for his feats of personnel prowness. He was a stranger to all the softer and more gentle passions. If he ever heard a love song in his nation, he was unable to repeat it. But by his proud and haughty bearing, his bold and fearless and masterful spirit, and his readly and terribl e vengenance, he forced himself to the front rank among councelors of his nation, though he lived in a out lying town in a country in which the Cherokee had no just claim.
One day, in January 1793 at a place called Dripping Springs, on the Nashville/ Kentucky road, Chickamauga warriors, Ridge, Robert Benge and his uncles; Doublehead, Pumpkin Boy and others, were hidden near a watering hole in the "barrens" region of southwestern Kentucky. They were waiting to ambush to retaliate for the recent Cherokee defeat at Buchannan's Station. Captain Overall and Mr Burnett were proceeding south on the road and nine packhorses loaded with provisions ( whiskey, salt, etc) for the settlements along the Cumberland River. Both were killed in the ambush and their scalps taken. After celebrating with the whiskey, Doublehead drew his knife and began cutting strips of flesh from the bodies of the two white men, proposing that his accomplices join him in the ancient ritual of the "eating the enemy". This grisly tradition was the means by which the northern Iroqois enhanced their reputations as fierce warriors. I imagine even Ridge and Benge must have looked at each other in disbelief. But after several more rounds of the bottle, they were all boasting of their war exploits and how bad they were til they were revved enough to follow Doublhead's example by partaking in the hearts and brains of their victims.
Sometime after January 1793, Robert Benge and Doublehead and party returned to the Lower Towns and planned to form larger war parties against white settlers along the Cumberland River. Robert and two or three others set out for Virginia in March 1793.
1793 - The young Cherokee Chiefs responded by calling out their warriors Bob Benge or BENCH, John WATTS, and DOUBLEHEAD invited a number of Creeks and Shawness to join them. A large array of young warriors assembled, Major RIDGE among them. John WATTS "Chief War Chief" decided that the wise action was to destroy "Knoxville", the largest white village on the Cherokee boarder, and he pursuaded BENCH, DOUBLEHEAD, and Chief James VANN, the half-breed, to join him. They brought together a force of a 1,000 warriors. On the way to Knoxville DOUBLEHEAD insisted that the Cherokee army pause to loot all the white settlers along the way. As a results the movements of the Cherokee army were announced to the world. 1793 - September; on the way to Knoxville Chief of War John WATTS ordered his army to suround the fort at "Cavitts Station", a small blockhouse a few miles west of Knoxville. The building at the time contained only three men, with thirteen women and children. WATTS army outnumbered the whites many times over, but the whites defended themselves killing 5 of the braves, before John WATTS, to save further deaths, offered the white family to surrender on promise that they would be held for exchange, but the Cherokee War Chief DOUBLEHEAD's and Creek warriors fell upon them and put them all to death. BENCH and WATTS rushed about trying to save the women and children, but were attacked by DOUBLEHEAD and the Creeks. Finally Chief James VANN rode his horse into the mob and pulled a white child up behind his horse. DOUBLEHEAD saw him and with a leap broke the child's head open with his ax. "Baby killer" shouted VANN, DOUBLEHEAD swung the ax at VANN. John WATTS took personal possession of another white boy by the name of Alexander Cavitt, Jr., and intrusted him to 3 Creeks ordering them to take him to a safe place. They did so, and killed him there. 1793 - September; at Cavitts Station, a small blockhouse a few miles west of Knoxville. The building at the time contained only three men, with thirteen women and children, who surrendered on promise that they would be held for exchange, but the Cherokee War Chief DOUBLEHEAD's warriors fell upon them and put them all to death except a boy. This bloody work is attributed directly to DOUBLEHEAD, the other chiefs having done their best to prevent it. The Cherokee name of this chief is Tal-tsuska', "Two heads," from ta'li, "two," and tsuska', plural of usk'a, "(his) head." Haywood (Natural and Aboriginal History of Tennessee, 241, 1823) evidently refers to the same Indian as "Bullhead," one of the participants in the Creek war of 1813 (Mooney, op. cit., pp. 75, 384, 532). He signed several treaties between 1791 and 1806.
In September of the same year, War Chief John Watts ordered warriors to surround Calvert's Station, a small blockhouse a few miles west of Knoxville. Three men, thirteen women and childern were holed up inside. Watt's army outnumbered the white's many times over, but the settlers defended themselves vigorously, killing five of the braves, before Watts offered the family a chance to surrender on promise that they would be held for exchange. Believing them, the settlers came out of their little fort, but Doublehead's braves as well as Creek Warriors fell upon them and put them to death. Bench and Watts rushed about trying to save the women and childern, but in turn were attacked by Doublehead and the Creeks. Finally, Chief Vann rode his horse into the mob and pulled a white child up behind his horse. Doublehead saw this and with a leap broke the child's head open with his ax. "Babykiller!!!" shouted Vann. Doublehead swung the ax at Vann. To the Cherokee the title, "Mankiller" is a term of great respect. From that day forward, whenever angered, Vann called Doublehead "Babykiller". Vann would never forget or forgive the treachery. Watts took personnel possession of another white boy and entrusted him to three Creeks ordering them to take him to a safe place, they did so, but this was not quite safe enough because they killed him there.
After Colonel Watts forces had been dispersed by General Sevier, and the upper towns of the Cherokee had declared themselves for peace, Doublehead recruited a pary of about one hundred warriors and again moved to his favorite field on the frontiers of the Cumberland in Kentucky. He was responsible for all the mischief done during those quarters during the spring of 1794-1795. On the 12th of March he formed a ambuscade near Middletown's Station, on the road from Kentucky to Hawkins Courthouse, and firing upon the post rider and twelve travellers who were in this company, killed four men two of them. Elders Haggard and Shelton established the Methodist circuit rider crossed the wilderness with fear and trembling, rumors still being current that Doublehead was under a curse to be avenged on the white people. In the same month he killed the Wilson Family consisting of eight women and childern, except one boy whom he took into his possession.
The first day of April 1794, found him in a near Crab Orchard, on the road from Knoxville to Nashville, at a point since called "Spencer's Hill", where he secreted his party and lay in wait for an unhappy traveler who might find it necessary to venture across the Wilderness. In the fall of 1793, a man named Thomas Sharpe Spencer made a journey to Virginia to settle an estate, and recieve a legacy that had fallen unto him. Having completed his business, in the following spring, he started back to the west, having his saddle bags $1000.00 in gold, besides other valuables. His route carried him by way of Knoxville and Southwest point. He left the latter place in company with four other travellers and started across the wilderness, April 1, 1794. Spencer and James Walker were riding together in advance they met Doublehead's ambushcade, they recieved a volley which brough Spencer dead from his horse and wounder Walker. When Spencer fell , his horse fled, and made his escape with the other travellers in the rear, but his saddlebags coming off, his money and other valuables fell into the hands of the enemy.
This was the last act of open hostility commited by Doublehead. He then hastened to Philadelphia, whether he went with a delegation of Cherokee Chiefs, who concluded a treaty with Secretary Knox, June 26, 1794. He was treated with the utmost attention during his stay and loaded with presents on his departure. He returned by way of Charleston, and did not reach home until the latter part of October 29th, before his return to Wayne County had won his victory over the northwestern Indians, August 20, and Major Ore had penetrated to the Chickamauga towns and destroyed Nickajack and Running Water. September 13th, which practically ended the Cherokee wars in the old Southwest.
The Cumberland Trace meandored from Stanford Kentucky as the southwest prong of the wilderness road. Which transversed in grounds from the Cumberland Gap to Harrodsburg and Boonesborough. The Cumberland Trace was a dangerous trail because there were no stations were the settlers in early 1789's could gather to counter attack Indians raids, which were spawned by the Spanish intrigue. The trade crossed Kentucky, a no man's land, the barrens, since the settlements were south of the Cumberland Settlements ( Tennessee) the Indian danger did not subside until 1795, when the treaty of Nickjack was made. It was learned that after the Spanisg had a secret treaty with the Creek Indians, the most deadly to harass the settlers, travelling the Cumberland Trace through the barrens and elsewhere. The Trace followed Robinson's Creek, thence along trace creek in Green County where it crossed the Green River just above Pittman's Station ( Established 1790, by William Pittman) the west southwest crossing Little Barener River at Elklick, a salt lick,and about a mile from its junction onto Green River and about a mile or so southeast of Elk Lick Knob ( Now Maxey's knob) thence near Monroe, Hart County Kentucky. And then south side of 100 acres pond, thence Oven Spring ( between post called Monroe) an ancient land mark where the Indians made their hunting and war tools, complements pottery and where Indian attacked and captured the women mentioned in Cyrus Edward's Book, thence the trace meandored to Bearwallow ( Vaughn's Knob) where during the heat of summer the bear's each 3-4 days wallowed in the spring mus as a coating to shield their skin from insect bites, thence to Housewell, located on it's Hart Barren line, thence towards Cave City, transversing the late George Tucker Farm, thence on the east side of Prewitts Knob, where it joined a prong of Phillip's Station near Hodgeville, thence to Walker's Station, three forks ( Late Bell's Tavern) thence to Dripping Springs in Edmondson County where in 1795, Chief Doublehead captured five Virginians and killed and boiled their bodies as a symbol for future travellers on their hunting grounds. Upon many occassions the Indians captured settlers and spread their bodies up and down the Cumberland Trace through the Barriers for two reasons; First to stop the settlers in their migration, and secondly, the Indians believed that if they dismembered the bodies, the bodies would never reassemble in heaven.
Doublehead and Watts, representing the Five Lower Towns or Chickamauga Towns, met with Governor Blount at the Tellico Blockhouse in November 1794 to discuss terms of peace. Even after this, whites murdered a friendly hunting party on the Cumberland Road. Blount kept his promise and evicted the squatters from land between Cumberland Mountains and the Clinch River.
Suddenly and with no apparent reason in 1794, Doublehead abrupty quit the warpath. Almost immediatly he began displaying new wealth. Indian couriers were sent to Nashville on a regular basis to purchase furniture and other items for his house. He become a collector of fine race horses, once sending all the way to Charleston South Carolina to purchase on that captured his fancy. He even became to the dress the part of a wealthy white man. This source of his wealth became an item of speculation for people who knew him. Especially intriging was the fact that much of his wealth seemed to be in the form of silver boullion. At first it was proposed that this was treasure he had stolen during his days on the war path, but as time went on people realized their had to be another answer. Before long everyone in his tribe was wondering about the source of the boullion. According to legend, Doublehead once asked two of his warriors to accompany him on a trip. After days of walking he finally led them to a cove, where a great quanity of silver was stored. The men loaded as much as they could carry in backpacks before returning to the village, where Doublehead warned to the Indians against ever revealing his secret under the pain of death. Quite naturally, as Doublehead had expected, later that night, one of the Indians had revealed to his wife, what he had seen, Doublehead who was lurking outside the cabin listening, immediatly burst into the cabin and killed the hapless Indian. No one in Doublehead's tribe ever spoke of the mysterous boullion. Though secure in his new found wealth, Doublehead still took life into his hands, when he travelled outside the Indian lands. For the people, whose relatives had been murdered by Doublehead, there could be no forgiveness.. In 1794, a leading group of Cherokee's had been invited to Philadephia to meet with the President, and Doublehead aware of the political ramification of such a visit, appointed himself as the spokesman. With his tall, forboding looks and dressed in elaborate costume, he was the center of attention. People nudged and poked one another to catch a glimpse of the man reputed to be the most blood thirsty savage in America. Doublehead undoubtly capitalized on his reputation for when he left, Secretary of War, Henry Knox awarded him an annual annuity of $ 5, 000.00. Knox probably realized this was cheaper than having Doublehead to return to the war path. They also placed Doublehead under the protection of the United States Government, much of the tire of the whites, who had led lost their homes and relatives to this murderous band. Doublehead quickly settled into his new life style. He made frequent trips to New Orleans, Pensacola, Charleston and even visited New York once, where he was described as the "Classic example of a noble savage". Strangely enough, Doublehead once feasted on his enemies bodies, even visited some of the finer restaurants in New York. Unfortunatly, although Doublehead had become wealthy and was prospering, the Cherokee Nation was not. . Every year with a treaty, the Indian lands became smaller. John Hunt had settled near the Big Spring in northern Alabama and more settlers were pouring in everyday. In January 1806, Doublehead and all the Chiefs of the Cherokee Nation signed a treaty giving up all the lands lying between Tennessee and the Duck River. Unbeknowest to the other Chiefs, Doublehead had negiotiated a secret agreement with a Indian agent, where he recieved a large tract of land, numbering in the ten's of thousand of acre's, in exchange for signing the treaty. If Doublehead was hoping he was sadly mistaken.
. In the conclusion of Doublehead's temperous career. He had now reached a commanding position in the councils of his nation. He was present and signed the Treaty of Tellico in 1798. He met the commissioners of the United States at Southwest point in 1801, and refused to allow them to make a road through his nation from Nashville to Natchez. Afterwards the people of Tennessee became clamorous, not only for roads through the Indian territory, but for the acquistion of large bodies of the Cherokee land. September 13, 1806, the General assembly removed the seat of government from Knoxville to Kingston, appointed commissioners for the purpose of acquiring land at or near Southwest Point, to accomodate the permanant seat of government, and adjourned to meet at that place in 1807. This was done to give color to claim made at the Treaty of Tellico, that the state might want to fix its capital at that point. The next session of the Legislature did meet at Kingston, organized, and adjourned the same day to Knoxville and Southwest Point was no longer considered available for the seat of government.
1803 - Cherokee Chief DOUBLEHEAD, had arranged "Treaty" cessions in North Carolina and two in Tennessee, the last one involving loss to the Cherokees of their claims to the "Hunting Grounds" between the Clinch River and the Cumberland Mountains. Each time he negotiated a treaty, his own wealth increased, until by 1803 he was rich beyond his white secretary's ability to measure. [Trail of Tears, John Ehle, pg71] 1803 - June; The "Upper-Town" Cherokee Chiefs met to consider their disapointment that the Moravians would only enroll 4 Cherokee students. [Trail of Tears, John Ehle, pg65] 1803 - Oct; The National Council met and had the German Moravians on their docket, along with a few other bothers. The dormitory was still not complete. No Cherokee students had been admitted. These Moravians are "farmers" not "teachers" the Chiefs concluded. DOUBLEHEAD, Glass, Bark, and others spoke against their remaining. VANN & WATTS were in a pout, stymied to silence by the wales and ways of the Germans. [Trail of Tears, John Ehle, pg67]
The Treaty of Tellico was held in October 1805. Previously to that time Doublehead had declared himself an unalterably opposed to selling one foot of ground. But when the conference met two treaties were concluded, with his consent, one of the twenty-fifth and the other on the twenty seventh of October 1805. By the terms of the treaty of October 25th, there were reserved three square miles of land, ostensibly for the purpose of removing thereto the garrison at Southwest Point, and the United States factory at Tellico, but really for the benefit of Doublehead, his friend and advisor, John D Chisholm, and John Riley, as the price of their influence in securing from the Cherokees the extensive cession of land granted by that treaty. This was accomplished by means of a secret article attached to the treaty, but not submitted by the senate. This secret article also applied to a small tract at and below the mouth of Clinch River, likewise intended for the benefit of Doublehead, to one mile square at the foot of the Cumberland Mountain, and to one mile square on the north bank of the Tennessee River where Talotiskee lived. The treaty of October 25, ceeded all the Cherokee land north of Duck River, and also the Cumberland Mountain Reservation known as the wilderness. A large part of the nation bitterly resented this sale, but did not at once take any steps to punish Doublehead, who was chiefly responsible for it. Perhaps this was due to the fact that almost immediatly after signing these treaties, Doublehead and a party of Cherokee Chiefs accompanied Return J Meigs and Daniel Smith, the commissioners who negiotated with them, to Washington and signed still another treaty with the United States, January 7, 1806, by which they ceeded the Cherokee claim to what was really Chicksaw territory, lying between the Duck and Tennessee Rivers.
Gradually, the tribal council had begun to facionalize. Ridge, Hicks and Vann would stand opposed to Doublehead on almost every issue, and Doublehead became jealous as the wealth of the trio grew. Though skillful handling of the Federal highway negotiations in 1803, Vann ended up with a tavern, store, ferry and additional estate on the Chattahootchie. The highway would run directly past both his new home. Hicks and Ridge also owned multiple business and were gaining wealth, yet Doublehead was clearly ahead of all three. White traders and governments agents were willing to do business with Doublehead and his friends because he would accept bribes. From US Indian Agent Colonel Return J Meigs, for whom Hicks transulated papers, Vann learned that on least three ocassions, Doublehead had illegally sold Cherokee land to whites, a crime punishable by death. After warring the with the white man for years, he had now become incrediably wealthy accepting bribes for tribal lands. At first, few people would listed to Vann as he exposed Doublehead's activities, but slowly he convinced a majority of the Nation that Doublehead was indeed committing crimes. According to one version of the story, sometime in 1806, Vann, Ridge and a third mixed blood by the name of Alexander Saunders, were selected to kill Doublehead for his betrayal, possibly with the approval of the Tribal Council.
Beyond the illegal land sales, another version relates the Doublehead had recently killed his wife's baby in her womb, and had gone on beating her until she died. Ridge, Vann, Hicks and Saunders decided that the only way to stop him would be assassinate him. The hit was set up for March. Vann had been drinking heavily all morning, preparing for the encounter. He was to strike the blow. Vann had asked for this right, because his wife was a sister of Doublehead's murdered wife. But Vann had drank so much that he passed out on the way there. Ridge, Hicks and Saunders left him and went on.
In the summer of 1807, the Cherokees had a great ball play on the Hiwassee River. This was their national sport, and attracted immense crowds. On this occassion there were more than a thousand Indians present, besides the officers from Hiwassee Fort, and numerous traders attracted by the prospect of selling their merchandise. The central figure among the Cherokee was famous Chief Doublehead. General Sam Dale, of Mississippi, then a Georgian Indian Trader, who is authority of the following account of his death, knew Doublehead and called upon him. " Sam you are a mighty liar", was his greeting. When Dale demanded why he thus insulted him in public, a smile illuminated his grim face as he replied, " You have never kept your promise to come and see me, You know you have lied". He then produced a bottle of whiskey and invited Dale and the officers present to drink with him. When they had emptied the bottle, he rejected Dale's offer to replenish it, saying " When I am in the white man's country, I will drink your liquor, but here you must drink with Doublehead". After the game was over a chief named Bone Polisher approached Doublehead and denounced him a traitor for selling the land of his people. The stolid chief remaining tranquil and silent, Bone Polisher became more angry, accompanying his abuse with menacing gestures. Then Doublehead spoke, quietly, and without agitation; "Go Away. You have said enough. Leave me or I shall kill you". Bone Polisher rushed at him with a tomahawk, which Doublehead recieved on this left arm, and drawing his pistol, shot him through the heart. Some time after that night, Doublehead who had been drinking, came into Hiwassee Ferry and entered McIntosh's Tavern. Among those whom he encountered there was a Chief named Ridge, afterwards Major Ridge, a half breed called Alex Saunders, and John Rogers, an old white man had long resided in the nation. Rogers began to revile him, much after the manner of Bone Polisher. Doublehead proudly rebuked him; "You live by sufferance among us. I have never seen you in council nor in war path. You have no place among the chiefs. Be silent and interfere no more with me." The old man still persisted, and Doublehead attempted to shoot him, but his pistol, not having been charged, missed fire. The light was then extinguished, and at the same instant a pistol shot was fired. When the light was rekindled, Ridge, Saunders, and Rogers had all disappeared, and Doublehead lay motionless on the floor on his face. The ball had shattered his lower jaw and lodged in the nape of his neck.
Later that night they learned that the Old Chief was still alive. The bullet had entered under the ear and escaped through his jaw. At once the trio went to find him and drawn by had trailed him to a loft in the house of the Teacher at one of the Presybertian Schools. As the trio entered, Doublehead, enraged with pain, drew a knife and charged. He tripped over a sheet. Ridge and Saunders both fired, both missed. Doublehead grabbed hold on Ridge, and the two strong men strained to kill each other. Saunders fired again, hit Doublehead in the hip, Saunders then struck Doublehead with his hatchet. The blade entered the Chief's forehead, breaking open his skull. It took two hands and a foot against the skull to pry it loose. A third Indian pounded his head with a spade and crushed it to a pulp. Smashing the brain. After the killing, The Ridge addressed the crowd who were drawn together by his acts of violence and explained his authority and reasons; No one mourned the slaughter of the Chief, unless it was Meigs who had a treaty to conclude, nor was their any retalliation. The concensus was that, however justice had been done. Doublehead's death on August 9 1807, benefited the Cherokee in a number of ways, including increased tribal unity. It led to the entire Nation abolishition of the Blood Law at the Coucil of Broomstown on September 11, 1808, which abrogation was reaffirmed in 1810 at Oostanaula. As most Cherokee felt that the destruction of Doublehead was justified and that his relatives should not be forced by clan to take their revenge, there was an incentive question from the jurisdiction of the clans and base punishment on a sounder principal than mere retaliation. Prior to his untimely death, Chief Doublehead had been in the process of neogating for an opportunity for the youth of his tribe to obtain education in the white man's school. In 1803, a school for Indians had been established at Sequatchie Valley in Tennessee by Reverend Gideon Blackburn, a Presbyterian Minster from Philadelpia Pennsylvania .Gideon Blackburn, sparred by the fact of execution, had taken place in the house of one of his teachers, encouraged sentiments for reform among a number of principal men. And when the Cherokee came together at Broomstown, they took pains to negate the Blood Law when framing their first written constitution. In reporting the reforms to Jeddiah Morse, Blackburn declared that " All criminal accusations must be established by testimony, the infliction of punishment is made a governmental transaction. This provision in itself proscribed the Blood Law as an instrument of Clan revenge. But the question was resolved even more specifically " One Law", Blackburn wrote," is that no murder shall be punished until he has been proven guilty before a council" This, the Ridge was legally immune from retalition from Doublehead's Clan, through enforcement of the new provisions was another matter"?.
James Vann would be dead in three years later, one of the most wealthiest among his people, the target of a bullet fired in a bar by a relative of a man Vann had recently killed. John Ridge lived on to become a great leader until 1835 when he signed the treaty of New Echota, sealing the fate of the Cherokee Nation. While arriving in Arkansas, Ridge was shot in the head and his son John was stabbed 43 times in front of his wife and childern. Like the history of the Cherokee People, the life of John Ridge is a tragedy. Ridge was a great statesman and politician, but he is widely remembered as one who betrayed his people. The Blood Law of the Nation called for the execution of anyone selling lands without the whole nations approval. He was surposedly prosperous through his land dealing with the white's. Yet Vann, who also signed the treaty was one of the richest men, not only in the Cherokee Nation but in the United States, when he died at age 41. Since he signed the Treaty and Doublehead's signatire was forged, why was Doublehead singled out for execution. Doublehead would not allow the "Yongegas" to steal his people's land. With U.S policies such as this, there was little doubt, Doublehead was murdered for his resistance efforts. Secondly, the murder of his second wife, The Vann's sister of his favorite wife. As noted by blood law was used to deal with treason. The second wife of Doublehead was executed for treason and adultery. Returning from the War Trail, Tsa-Su-Ska ( Doublehead) found his second wife three months pregnant. He had been on the trail about six months and was not the father. Being Vann's sister in law, there was little doubt she was a spy for him and the Government. The Vann also alleged that Doublehead was very brutally to his wife. Vann was also well known for his drunkeness, violent behavior, and abuse of his wives that the Morvain Missionaries he befriended soon moved out of his home, terrorized by him. Thirdly; To prove this murder was justified, the Blood Law was not involked against his killers? As noted, fearful of reprisals for thier murder of Doublehead, Major Ridge moved quickly to get the Blood Law abolsished by the New Cherokee Constitution in 1808. James Vann lived by the sword, James Vann died by the sword in 1809. While celebrating at a tavern, a single shot rang out from a partially opened door and James Vann fell dead, holding a bottle in one hand and a drink in the other. Vann's body was buried near the Tavern ( and eventually his grave dug up). Speculation as to who committed the crime is rampant even nearly almost 200 years later, after the fact. Was it Alexander Saunders, who Vann had exiled? Or was it a relative of Doublehead getting revenge.
Doublehead, the scrounge of the Tennessee Valley was dead. Doublehead's death signaled an end of the Cherokee in Northern Alabama. Though they would remain there another 30 years, they would never again be a powerful source. Almost immediatly after the his death, people began searching for the source of his wealth. In 1840, two prominent men of the Shoals Area, Levi Cassity and James Thompson found a cave that they believed to be a source of Doublehead's treasure trove. In the cave they found tools and crucibles used for melting silver. Many of tools still had traces of silver on them. But there was no mine or ore. The closet thing resembling a treasure, were a few old Spanish coins found on the floor of the cave. Were the coins part of Doublehead's treasure? Some people think so. When Hernaldo DeSota visited North Alabama during his explorations he was alleged to have hidden a large amount of silver coins somewhere in present day, Jackson County. Could Chief Doublehead have stumbled across the treasure and transported part of it closer to where he lived? If so, this could explain the tools and crucibles, as many people would readily accept boullion, would have not taken 200 year old Spanish coins. We will never know, for as Doublehead once said; " When I die, my secrets are forever buried."
The following centuries were characterized by the developmental of simple yet comples, civilizations of people we call the American Indians. These were the Cherokee, Creek, the Cutawba, the Chicksaws, the Iroquois, Wyandotte, and Shawnee. These were some of the people who arrived in Kentucky and walked the banks of the Little South Fork and dozens of other smaller bodies of water that dot the landscape of Monticello in Wayne County Kentucky. Fortunatly for is, they were the first enviromental possessed with an intense desire to preserve and maintain the land in to be a state of pristine beauty. Infact, these are the people who considered this very land to be a sacred gift of the God's to be used and tended in a way that would ensure survival. Out all the Native Americans who walked these hills, it appears Chief Doublehead, the last of the Great Cherokee Chiefs, left more than his footprints in Monticello and the Wayne County Area. He also left a legacy of a great number of decendants who have his blood tracing their veins.
Prices Meadow in Wayne County Kentucky was a tract of land was once the home of Cherokee Chief Chuqualatgue ( Doublehead) the last Chieftian along the Cumberland River. Camp Site in 1770 of the Long Hunters, in 1794 Daniel Boone and Micheal Stoner from 1775 until after 1800 site of Benjermin Price's Station, one of the few in Kentucky to withstand Indian Attacks, 1777. In 1784 part of a grant to George Rogers Clark.
Hines cave located about 6 miles from Monticello Kentucky yielded the most remains of any in Kentucky. The Cave is spacious and well drained. The entrance is protected from the wind and rain and snow by high Cliffs, yet well lighted for some distance. The bottom is level and dry and this must have been a desirable shelter to the people who occupied it. There were remains from many fires and in graves were many artifacts, awls, needles and skinning knives, in the ash beds were bones of many animals. In one grave was found a skeleton of a young woman with a round piece of shiny mica of the type that comes from North Carolina. Many skeletons were found, many more artifacts, stone hoes, flint arrowheads, pipes, pottery, and textiles. Animal bones were those of wolf, bear, rabbit, turkey, quail, turtle shells and mussell shells. This excerpt from the book; " Ancient life in Kentucky (1928) by Webb and W.D Funkhouser makes clear the signafiance of this burial and habitation site of the Cherokee People. Reports indicate that Hines Cave, or also known as Doublehead's Cave( 15WN1,NAGPRA, designation number) was used for at least 2000 years by indigenous peoples. Desecreation at this site has gone on now for over 100 years with many Universities and Museums conducting archelogy studies here. For many years this sacred stie had been the target of massive looting and "scientific studies". About four years ago, it was reported to authorities that whoelsale grave digging was going on at the Cave. Dennis Banks of the American Indian Movement, Dave Pollack of the Kentucky Heritage Council and others, obseved human bones, including one of a small child, were in mass profusion throughout the entrance area. In Kentucky, it is a class D felony to disturb a native burial ground and desecrating a cave is also illegal. However no prosecutions are known to have occured. About this same time, the property owner bulldozed the cave entrance to to provide shelter for his cows. Again no prosecution in known to have occured. The owner had reportedly admitted it to several of high Kentucky political office that he ordered the bulldozing. Yet the laws are being ignored and prosecution not fourth coming.
The Estate of Doublehead;.
Came Catherine Spencer and makes oath that she lived at the house of Doublehead, the Chief when he was killed many years ago. She thinks it was about 27 years ago, and that she lived with his family about 12 years. Applicant is the neice of Old Doublehead, and is the only daughter and child of E-Yah-Chu-Tlee, a brother of Doublehead and Chat-E-U-Kah is her mother. And was a grown woman about 19 years year, and affiant states the following described property was ther and belonged to Doublehead the Chief when he killed. TO WIT: One negro named Andrew, about 21 years old, very likely $1000, one young negro named Joe Race Rider, very smart, $650, one mulatto boy named Ben, $600, one brother of his named George, 14 years old $550, one negro boy named Jacob about 15 years, $550, one negro named Riddle about 22 years old, $800, one negro woman named Phebe about 25 -26 years old,$500, her 4 childern , the oldest 10 and youngest2 years old at $200 each on average $800, one negro woman named Mary or Polly about 23 years old, $500 with her 2 childern $350, Austin a man between 30-40 years old, $600 and his wife Magan about 30 years old, a house woman, good cook, washer and ironer, $600 with her 5 childern, the oldest boy 12 years and ranging him down to the youngest about 2 years old. All worth on an average $200-$1000.00. This man and woman came by death of the applicants father to the Old Chief Doublehead with this the affiant when she moved to his quarters after the death of her father and from this man and woman these 5 childern were raised and all seven of these negroes were once the right of the applicant, but affiant doesnt know where he is now. Affiant declared most solemly on her oath that she never sold them to anybody nor been paid one dollar for them. All the above said negroes were before the Georgia Negroes were brought her and applicant states that a white man named Chisholm was gone to Georgia to collect money due to Old Doublehead when he was killed and shortly after Chisholm returned with 9 grown negro from Georgia and left them there as part of money. Affiant and the other Cherokee then took these 9 negroes and put them in negro cabins and provided for them as for the other negroes of Doublehead and they remained there as a part of the Estate until taken off by the white men. 5 of these Georgia negro were worth $700 each and the other 4 women worth $500 each, $2000 all stout able negro and well grown, the names not recalled nor the ages.
There were 30 head of cow and calves worth $12 each, - $360. head of fine stock, cattle big ( heifers) all worth $5-$8 each-$650. Fine stud horse at home worth as the people said $700, and another stud horse at South West Point said by the people to be wort