ELLIS/SCARLETT/FRIZZELL; GA,USA > AL,USA; 1787-1840
C. Kirkland
ELLIS/ELLICE/ELLISON-SCARLETT-HAMBRIO-FRIZZELL-O'NEILL and SEAGROVE (unrelated)
The ELLIS/SCARLETT Mystery - An Indian Raid in GA
Below you will read the gripping narrative, I have imagined, surrounding
true events that faced one pioneer family living in the frontier life of
young America. A tragedy that we, as modern Americans, would be hard put
to imagine occuring, yet, as real a danger faced daily by those who carved
out the wildernes before us. You will also read of the brave little girl,
who faced so much hardship and uncertainty, yet persevered with the
bravest of hearts, to be immortalized as one of Georgia's heriones, if not
one of America's. Her story also appears in an early Georgia History
School book.
In the late 1700's there lived a family named SCARLETT in Greene Co., GA.
They lived out in the country, on the edge of the untamed wilderness, as
so many early, brave, pioneers did. The SCARLETT family were farmers and
had at least two sons, James and Stephen, living with them. Mr. James
SCARLETT was a hardworking, honest man and his wife, Elizabeth SCARLETT,
did the most that she could to care for her family and make them as
comfortable as she knew how in the rugged circumstances of their lives.
In the year of 1787, in the spring; May, to be exact, little Tempy
(Temperance) ELLIS and James HAMBRIO, played together at the SCARLETT
cabin. We don't know exactly why these children were there, or their
relationship to the SCARLETT family, as yet. Perhaps they were
grandchildren of the SCARLETT's, or perhaps Mrs. SCARLETT was caring for
neighbor children while their parents went to market. On that particular
day, the SCARLETT's son, James, was away. They lived in such a wilderness
area, that any business away from home took them away for at least a day,
if not several. Mr. SCARLETT was probably tending his fields and animals
with the help of his little negro helper, Harry, who was a family retainer
(slave). Mrs. SCARLETT might have been setting out the wash to dry, while
fresh bread dough rose under the moist protection of a thick sackcloth. I
would think vegetables simmered in a large stew-pot for the evening meal,
perhaps alongside a cauldren of melting beeswax that Mrs. SCARLETT
intended to use to make the months supply of candles. Such was the
peaceful scene, I invision, as a day in the life of a pioneer family in
the early days of GA.
But the peace and tranquillity was not to last. Not to last, at least, for
this simple family, hard at work creating their dream. For it was on this
day, that their dream would be shattered, suddenly and violently. On this
day, the SCARLETT family would be torn apart. The scenerio might have
unfolded like this: As the SCARLETT's went about their routine chores,
always ever vigilant of danger in the wilderness, and the children played
the games that early pioneer children played, perhaps singing innocent
songs and chanting nursery rhymes, the peace was broken by the sound of
several animal and birdcalls, never heard before. Mr. SCARLETT's ears
pricked to hear the unusual notes and he froze in place to listen.
Silence. All other natural noises ceased. Mother Nature's song was stilled
as the intruders put every living thing on alert. Mr. SCARLETT dropped his
plow and bolted for the cabin. Little Harry, startled, sprinted behind him
as fast as he could. Mrs. SCARLETT, already aware that something was not
right, started herding the frightened children toward the cabin. A sudden
burst of noise and frenzy blew out from the cover of the brush. As Mr.
SCARLETT drew up his rifle to aim at the first Creek Indian he saw, it was
too late. They were already behind him . . . . . . I need not go on with
the, undoubtedly violent and brutal, description of the rest of the event.
I'm sure that even Hollywood could not accurately portray the terror and
carnage that this family must have experienced. The indians rendered havoc
on the little settlement, leaving total destruction and Mr. SCARLETT and
his son, Stephen, dead. To add to the wanton act, they carried Mrs.
SCARLETT and the children away. Kidnapped by indians!
We know that this event actually took place, because, James SCARLETT, the
son, arriving from his business away from home, came upon the gruesome
scene. His family slaughtered, the children and his mother missing. His
formal statement to the Indian Bureau, resides in the Georgia Department
of Archives. It appears on page 287, Vol. Two, Part One, in "Indian
Depredations (1787-1825), Original Claims in the Dapartment of Archives
and History of Georgia". The claim reads:
--------------
Georgia, Greens Co. May 30th, 1787
James Scarlett aged 47 years killed
Stephen Scarlett aged 23 years killed
Elizabeth Scarlett aged 45 years prisoner
James Hambrio aged 8 years prisoner
Tempi Ellis aged 7 years prisoner
Harry negro boy aged 10 years prisoner worth pounds sterling 50
One Bay Mare, 16 hands high worth pounds sterling 60
One Grey Mare & colt, 15 hands high " " " 25
One Rifle " " " 8
Improvements burnt " " " 12
Sundries burnt or destroyed " " " 50
total 205
James Scarlett
----------------
The only further evidence of the SCARLETT family appears when, in 1804 on
March 22, a passport was granted by the Gov. of Georgia to a James
SCARLETT of Hancock Co. to "travel to Mississippi and Louisiana Country"
with his family "consisting of seven white persons and one negro". The
names of the family were not listed.
But the story does not end here. Though, I am sure that a concerted effort
was probably made to find the missing Mrs. SCARLETT and the children,
there is no evidence, at this time, that this effort was ever succesful,
until, in 1796 a notice appeared in the "Georgia Gazette, Savannah on July
21st. The notice read as follows:
---------------
Notice to the Relations and Friends
of Tempest Ellice or Ellison"
That the Superintendent of Indian Affairs, having redeemed said Tempest
Ellice, or Ellison, from captivity among the Creek Indians, she is now at
his home, at the town of St. Mary, ready to be delivered to her relations
or friends, some of whom are requested to call for her.
The girl was taken from or near the Cedar Shoals on the Oconee, at the
house of Mrs. Scarlet, about seven years past; she is about thirteen years
of age, but does not remember anything of her family.
Js. SEAGROVE, Superintendent, Indian Affairs C.N.
Colerain, on St. Mary's, June 29, 1796
----------------
The same notice appeared in the "Augusta Chronicle", Augusta GA, July 23, 1796
The notice was followed up in a postscript to a letter of Sept. 18, 1796
from James SEAGROVE at St.Marry's to the Gov: "His Excellency the Governor
of Georgia, If the relations of Tempy Ellice, a girl of about thirteen
years, who was taken by the Creeks when Mr. SCARLET was killed, you will
oblige me by giving them notice that the girl is with me and that they do
come for her." This note seems to say that contact had been made by
Tempy's people. This letter is recorded on page 494, Part Two, in "Creek
Indian letters, Talks and Treaties (1705-1839)", Original manuscripts in
the Department of Archives and History of Georgia.
Nothing has turned up the fate of little James HAMBRIO, Mrs. SCARLETT or
little Harry, the negro boy.
Further research reveals that little Tempy was most likely held as a
captive of the indians at the Creek village of Autossee on the Talapoosa
River in what is now present day Macon Co., Alabama. And that she endured
unimaginable hardships and living conditions during her seven years of
captivity. The story of Tempy's discovery and return to the white society,
to which she was born, is equally fascinating. She was discovered by a
white woman living in the forest as a recluse, driven there by her own
story of intrigue and heartbreak. In this woman's intense desire for
comapnionship and a family of her own, upon discovering Tempy, bartered
with the indians for her release and attempted to hide her from the
authorities in hopes of raising her for her own. In time, rumors of
Tempy's discovery reached Mr. SEAGROVE, who most likely new of the stange
white woman living in the wilderness alone. It was only then that Mr.
SEAGROVE was able to complete the full recovery of Tempy.
Nothing is yet known of Tempy's life before the raid on the SCARLETT cabin
and very little is known of her life after she was found and returned to
her "mystery" family until her marriage to Thomas FRIZZELL. An 1860 Pike
Co. census (now Bullock Co.) listed Tempy living with William and Mary
O'NEILL, her daughter near Bruceville. It listed her age to be 72 and
birth place NC. An earlier 1850 census lists her as 65, but born in
Maryland and an 1840 census lists her between 50-60 and no birthstate.
Tempy and Thomas FRIZZELL had six children, all of whom were born in
Georgia, possibly in Washington Co.:
Margaret FRIZZELL born about 1809
Jason (Jacinth?) FRIZZELL born about 1810 and died about 1859
Gayle (Gale) FRIZZELL born about 1810-20 and died about 1843
Ephriam FRIZZELL born about 1815 and died about 1864
Jackson FRIZZELL born about 1817
Mary Mahala FRIZZELL born about 1819
The above documentation was provided by Mr. Frank FRIZZELL, the imagined
scenerio at the beginning of this story was mine. Mary Mahala FRIZZELL was
my great great grandmother, making Tempy and Thomas my great great great
grandparents.
Mary married William O'NEILL on April 2, 1840 and settled in the Bullock
Co., ALabama area. They had 12 children. I own the original family bible
belonging to William and Mary O'NEILL passed down to me by my grandmother.
This bible lists all of their children's births, marriages and deaths of
most, including the deaths of a few other family members including Tempy
and Thomas FRIZZELL. It also contains a beautiful color marriage
cerificate of William and Mary. The bible was published in about 1861.
We are still searching for Tempy's family and also the family of Thomas
FRIZZELL. If anyone has any clue as to the origins of these people or
anything to add to their family background, please e-mail me or write to
Cynthia Sims Kirkland, 10637 Chesapeake Dr., Dallas, TX 75217 I will also
pass everything I find on to Mr. Jack FRIZZELL, who is descended from
Tempy's son Jason FRIZZELL.
Anyone wishing a list of entries in the William O'NEILL bible, please ask.
P.S. If you would like to read more about the Creek Indians of that time
and area, refer to Vol 12 - 1950 of the "Alabama Historical Quarterly" and
read "Indians in Alabama".
--
RESEARCHING: ASHBURN, AUSTIN, BARKSDALE, BOTTOMS, BRADBERRY, BURNLEY, CHANEY, COGDELL, EDWARDS, ELLIS, ENGLISH, FORSYTH, FRIZZELL, GILMORE, HARVEY, HARTFIELD, HARTSFIELD, HILL, HILSON, KELLUM, KIRKLAND, KUYKENDALL, LINDLEY, LLOYD, McMILLIN, McPEETERS, MILLAN, MONTIETH, NASH, ODOM, O'NEAL, O'NEILL, POPHAM, HORNER, SCARLETT, SELLERS, SHERWOOD, SINGLETON, SIMS, SMILEY, STEWART, SYMES, TABOR, TUBB, VINSON, WRIGHT - PLUS MANY MORE
Marianne Wolfman
>Surnames included in this essay:
>ELLIS/ELLICE/ELLISON-SCARLETT-HAMBRIO-FRIZZELL-O'NEILL and SEAGROVE (unrelated)
>
>The ELLIS/SCARLETT Mystery - An Indian Raid in GA
Enjoyed your narrative on the SCARLETT incident and the wealth of
accompanying information.
Do you know where James and Elizabeth SCARLETT came from? I am
researching SCARLETTs in the US, primarily those descended from Humphrey
SCARLET who settled in Chester Co, PA by 1690. Some of his descendants
migrated to North Carolina. SCARLETTs also lived in New England from the
1600s and I have found tenuous evidence of a third SCARLET family in the
early US, possibly originating in Maryland.
I am very interested in this family and would appreciate anything you
might have about their origins. I would also be happy to share
information I have.
--- Marianne mari...@ccnet.com