06/21/2023
Women who shaped Savannah; The Story of Mary Musgrove
Mary Musgrove, born around 1700 and died around 1763, played a significant role as a cultural intermediary between colonial Georgia and the Creek Indian community during the mid-eighteenth century. Known among the Creek Indians as Coosaponakeesa, she utilized her bicultural background to safeguard Creek interests, promote peace on the frontier, and expand her trading business. Similar to Pocahontas for the Jamestown colony and Sacagawea for the Lewis and Clark expedition, Musgrove played a crucial role in the emerging Georgia colony.
Born to English trader Edward Griffin and a Creek Indian mother, who had connections with Creek leaders Brims and Chigelli, Musgrove spent her childhood straddling two worlds—the Creek village of Coweta and the South Carolina colony. During this time, she acquired fluency in both the Creek language of Muskogee and English, gaining firsthand knowledge of the deerskin trade and the distinct customs and expectations of colonial and Native American societies. Despite her mixed heritage, Musgrove held the status of a full member in Creek society and the Wind Clan, where clan identities were derived matrilineally. Though she later claimed royal heritage, this assertion remains disputed among scholars.
In 1717, Musgrove married English trader John Musgrove, and together they established a trading post near the Savannah River. The location of this trading post was excavated by archaeologists in 2002, prior to a construction project by the Georgia Ports Authority. Musgrove actively assisted her husband as an interpreter and likely utilized her kinship ties to attract clients. The establishment of Georgia in 1733 provided the Musgroves with an opportunity to expand their involvement on the southern frontier. After accompanying James Oglethorpe on a trip to England, John Musgrove and a group of Creeks were officially granted land at Yamacraw Bluff, four miles upriver from Savannah. Following John's death in 1735, Mary Musgrove relocated the trading post to Yamacraw Bluff, known as the Cowpens, which became a significant hub for the English-Indian deerskin trade.
Since the inception of the colony, Musgrove positioned herself at the center of Oglethorpe's interactions with neighboring Creek Indians. As Oglethorpe's principal interpreter between 1733 and 1743, she played a vital role in facilitating the peaceful founding of Savannah and, consequently, the Georgia colony. Musgrove received financial compensation and gained prestige for her services. Throughout this period, she utilized her connections to repeatedly foster peace between the British and the Creeks, providing Oglethorpe with crucial insights into Creek Indian culture.
In 1737, Musgrove remarried to Jacob Matthews, with whom she established another trading post at Mount Venture on the Altamaha River. Following Matthews' death in 1742, Musgrove entered into her third and final marriage with the Reverend Thomas Bosomworth. This union presented an opportunity for Musgrove to further augment her influence. The couple interacted with Creek villages, delivering messages from Oglethorpe and the English king, receiving speeches from various Creek leaders, and hosting Creek and American visitors at their home. They also occasionally assisted Christian missionaries in learning the Muskogee language and attempted to mediate interactions between the Creeks and the colonists.
Despite her significant contributions to Georgia's Indian affairs, Musgrove is primarily remembered for her disputed land claims. The controversy began in 1737 when Yamacraw chief Tomochichi granted her a plot of land near Savannah, which remained unsettled after her marriage to Bosomworth. Over the following years, Lower Creek chief Malatchi granted the Bosomworths three sea islands—Ossabaw, Sapelo, and St. Catherines—which were claimed by the Creek Indians. However, British officials rejected these claims, arguing that land could only be ceded or granted to a nation, not to individuals.
Undeterred, Musgrove persistently pursued her land claims over the next decade. In 1749, she rallied the support of more than 200 Creeks who accompanied her to Savannah to assert her rights. Despite Georgia officials refusing to acknowledge the grant, Musgrove eventually embarked on a journey to England to present her case. The Board of Trade heard her plea in 1754 and referred the matter to the Georgia courts. By the time Musgrove returned to Georgia, the disputed land had already come under Georgia's control. Eventually, a compromise was reached in 1760 under the governance of Royal Governor Henry Ellis. In exchange for St. Catherines Island and £2,100, Musgrove relinquished her claims to the other lands. After this settlement, Musgrove's central role in Georgia-Creek relations diminished, and she passed away on St. Catherines Island sometime after 1763.
While Musgrove's controversial land claims have overshadowed other aspects of her life, her contributions as a cultural mediator, businesswoman, and diplomat were instrumental in fostering peaceful relations between the Creeks and the English colonists in Georgia. Her proficiency in both Creek and English languages, coupled with her understanding of both Native American and colonial societies, allowed her to bridge the cultural divide and facilitate communication and understanding. Mary Musgrove's legacy as a significant figure in Georgia's history endures, marking her as a key player in the early development of the colony and its interactions with Native American communities.