Tombigbee District
Encyclopedia
The Tombigbee District, also known as the Tombigbee settlements, was one of two areas, the other being the Natchez District
, that were the first to be colonized by British
subjects from the Thirteen Colonies
and elsewhere in what was West Florida
and later became the Mississippi Territory
. The district was also the first area in what would become the state of Alabama
, outside of the colonial outpost of Mobile
, that was opened to white settlement. The Tombigbee and Natchez districts were the only areas populated by whites in the Mississippi Territory when it was formed by the United States in 1798.
The Tombigbee District was an area mostly on the west side of the Tombigbee River
in Alabama that was first opened to settlement by the Treaty of Mobile, negotiated between the British government of West Florida and the Choctaw
at a Native American
congress held in Mobile in March–April 1765. The British had acquired the territory that they organized into West Florida from France
in 1763s Treaty of Paris
.
The boundaries of the district were roughly limited to the area within a few miles of the Tombigbee River and included portions of modern extreme southern Clarke County
, northernmost Mobile County
, and most of Washington County
.
, then up the western coast of Mobile Bay
, then up the Mobile River
(Then considered part of the "Tombecbee") to the confluence of Alibamont (Alabama
) and Tombecbee (Tombigbee) rivers, and afterwards along the western bank of Alibamont River to the Chickianoce River (probably Reedy Creek near Choctaw Bluff in modern Clarke County, Alabama), and from the confluence of the Chickianoce and Alibamont rivers followed a straight line westward to the confluence of the Bance (Jackson Creek in Clarke County) and Alibamont rivers; from there it followed the western bank of the Bance River until its confluence with the Talltukpe River (Tattilaba Creek); from there it followed a straight line to the Tombecbee River opposite Atchalikpe (Hatchatigbee Bluff); and from Atchalikpe it followed a straight line to the source of the Buckatanne River (Buckatunna Creek in Wayne County, Mississippi
) down the Buckatanne River to its confluence with the Pascagoula River
, and down the Pascagoula River to a point 36 miles (57.9 km) from the Gulf of Mexico
(thought at the time to correspond with the 31st parallel north
); and then by a due west line, as far as the Choctaw Nation have a right to grant. The treaty further stated that "none of his Majesty's white subjects should be permitted to settle on the Tombecbee River to the northward of the rivulet called Centebonck" (Santa Bogue Creek in Washington County, Alabama).
Although the 1765 treaty encompassed all of what is now Mobile County and a portion of southwestern Mississippi, most of those areas had already been settled during the French Colonial period
or were not settled until several decades later in the 19th century. Significant settlement in the Tombigbee River area did not began until the time of the American Revolution
, when Loyalists
began to arrive in an attempt to escape persecution by Patriots
. One of the earliest of these was Thomas Bassett, who arrived in the Tombigbee settlements in 1772 and received a land grant on the Tombigbee, southeast of modern Leroy, Alabama
, from the Crown
in 1776 and another at McIntosh Bluff
. He was killed in an attack by Native Americans in 1780.
The British held West Florida until 1779–81, when it was captured by Spanish
forces under the command of Bernardo de Gálvez. It formally became a Spanish possession with 1783s Treaty of Paris
, which also ended the American Revolution. This caused a boundary dispute between the United States and Spain, with the U.S. claiming that the boundary between its territory and West Florida was at the 31st parallel north and Spain claiming it at 32 degrees 28 minutes of north latitude. This put the Tombigbee settlements in Spanish hands until the Pinckney's Treaty
in 1795, which put the boundary at the 31st parallel north. It was ratified in the United States Senate
on March 7, 1796 and by Spain on April 25, 1796, being proclaimed on August 3, 1796. The treaty stipulated that both countries would participate in a joint expedition to mark the agreed-upon boundary
, with George Washington
selecting Andrew Ellicott
as commissioner. The survey was completed in early 1800, although American settlers had already been pouring into the area since the proclamation of the treaty.
Continuously plagued with attacks by hostile Native Americans, the combined free and slave population of the Tombigbee District, a part of the Mississippi Territory since 1798, was approximately 1,250 people in 1800. The primary town in the district was St. Stephens
, began by the Spanish with the construction of Fort San Esteban in 1789. On June 4, 1800, the Tombigbee District became the central core of the newly created Washington County, Mississippi Territory
. Washington County's original boundaries stretched 300 miles (482.8 km) east to west and 88 miles (141.6 km) north to south. The roughly 26400 square miles (68,375.7 km²) of the county were later divided to create 16 counties in Mississippi and 29 counties in Alabama.
Despite the great size of Washington County, the Tombigbee District remained the area of primary settlement. Tensions remained high between the American settlers and the Spanish in the Mobile District
, in addition to the nearly constant threat of attack from hostile Muscogee tribes. Also, the United States had found it necessary to build Fort Stoddert
in 1799 to prevent its own people from taking matters into their own hands and attacking the Spanish. Prior to the War of 1812
and Creek War
, the Spaniards in Mobile had allowed British merchants to sell arms and supplies to the Native Americans to harass the American settlers in the Tombigbee District. Using this as a justification, the United States annexed the Mobile District into the Mississippi Territory in 1812. The city of Mobile remained in Spanish hands until General
James Wilkinson
took a force of American troops from New Orleans to capture it in April 1813.
Natchez District
The Natchez District was one of two areas, the other being the Tombigbee District, that were the first to be colonized by British subjects from the Thirteen Colonies and elsewhere in what was West Florida and would later become the Mississippi Territory. The district was recognized to be the area...
, that were the first to be colonized by British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
subjects from the Thirteen Colonies
Thirteen Colonies
The Thirteen Colonies were English and later British colonies established on the Atlantic coast of North America between 1607 and 1733. They declared their independence in the American Revolution and formed the United States of America...
and elsewhere in what was West Florida
West Florida
West Florida was a region on the north shore of the Gulf of Mexico, which underwent several boundary and sovereignty changes during its history. West Florida was first established in 1763 by the British government; as its name suggests it largely consisted of the western portion of the region...
and later became the Mississippi Territory
Mississippi Territory
The Territory of Mississippi was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from April 7, 1798, until December 10, 1817, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Mississippi....
. The district was also the first area in what would become the state of Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, outside of the colonial outpost of Mobile
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, that was opened to white settlement. The Tombigbee and Natchez districts were the only areas populated by whites in the Mississippi Territory when it was formed by the United States in 1798.
The Tombigbee District was an area mostly on the west side of the Tombigbee River
Tombigbee River
The Tombigbee River is a tributary of the Mobile River, approximately 200 mi long, in the U.S. states of Mississippi and Alabama. It is one of two major rivers, along with the Alabama River, that unite to form the short Mobile River before it empties into Mobile Bay on the Gulf of Mexico...
in Alabama that was first opened to settlement by the Treaty of Mobile, negotiated between the British government of West Florida and the Choctaw
Choctaw
The Choctaw are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States...
at a Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
congress held in Mobile in March–April 1765. The British had acquired the territory that they organized into West Florida from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1763s Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1763)
The Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris, or the Treaty of 1763, was signed on 10 February 1763, by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement. It ended the French and Indian War/Seven Years' War...
.
The boundaries of the district were roughly limited to the area within a few miles of the Tombigbee River and included portions of modern extreme southern Clarke County
Clarke County, Alabama
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*54.5% White*43.9% Black*0.4% Native American*0.3% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*0.7% Two or more races*1.0% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, northernmost Mobile County
Mobile County, Alabama
Mobile County[p] is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of a tribe of Indians, the Maubila tribe . As of 2011, its population was 415,704. Its county seat is Mobile, Alabama...
, and most of Washington County
Washington County, Alabama
Washington County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. The county was named in honor of George Washington, first President of the United States of America. As of 2010, the population was 17,581. Its county seat is Chatom. Washington County is a dry county.-History:The area was long inhabited...
.
History
The boundaries set by the treaty in 1765 were described as starting at Grosse Pointe on Mon Louis IslandMon Louis Island
Mon Louis Island, originally known as Isle aux Maraguans, is an island on the coast of the U.S. state of Alabama, south of Mobile. Located in southeastern Mobile County, it has an average elevation of . Roughly wide and long, it is bounded by Fowl River on the north and west, Mobile Bay on the...
, then up the western coast of Mobile Bay
Mobile Bay
Mobile Bay is an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico, lying within the state of Alabama in the United States. Its mouth is formed by the Fort Morgan Peninsula on the eastern side and Dauphin Island, a barrier island on the western side. The Mobile River and Tensaw River empty into the northern end of the...
, then up the Mobile River
Mobile River
The Mobile River is located in southern Alabama in the United States. Formed out of the confluence of the Tombigbee and Alabama rivers, the approximately river drains an area of of Alabama, with a watershed extending into Mississippi, Georgia, and Tennessee. Its drainage basin is the...
(Then considered part of the "Tombecbee") to the confluence of Alibamont (Alabama
Alabama River
The Alabama River, in the U.S. state of Alabama, is formed by the Tallapoosa and Coosa rivers, which unite about north of Montgomery.The river flows west to Selma, then southwest until, about from Mobile, it unites with the Tombigbee, forming the Mobile and Tensaw rivers, which discharge into...
) and Tombecbee (Tombigbee) rivers, and afterwards along the western bank of Alibamont River to the Chickianoce River (probably Reedy Creek near Choctaw Bluff in modern Clarke County, Alabama), and from the confluence of the Chickianoce and Alibamont rivers followed a straight line westward to the confluence of the Bance (Jackson Creek in Clarke County) and Alibamont rivers; from there it followed the western bank of the Bance River until its confluence with the Talltukpe River (Tattilaba Creek); from there it followed a straight line to the Tombecbee River opposite Atchalikpe (Hatchatigbee Bluff); and from Atchalikpe it followed a straight line to the source of the Buckatanne River (Buckatunna Creek in Wayne County, Mississippi
Wayne County, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 21,216 people, 7,857 households, and 5,853 families residing in the county. The population density was 26 people per square mile . There were 9,049 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile...
) down the Buckatanne River to its confluence with the Pascagoula River
Pascagoula River
The Pascagoula River is a river, about 80 mi long, in southeastern Mississippi in the United States. The river drains an area of about 8,800 sq mi and flows into Mississippi Sound of the Gulf of Mexico....
, and down the Pascagoula River to a point 36 miles (57.9 km) from the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
(thought at the time to correspond with the 31st parallel north
31st parallel north
The 31st parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 31 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America and the Atlantic Ocean.Part of the border between Iran and Iraq is defined by the parallel....
); and then by a due west line, as far as the Choctaw Nation have a right to grant. The treaty further stated that "none of his Majesty's white subjects should be permitted to settle on the Tombecbee River to the northward of the rivulet called Centebonck" (Santa Bogue Creek in Washington County, Alabama).
Although the 1765 treaty encompassed all of what is now Mobile County and a portion of southwestern Mississippi, most of those areas had already been settled during the French Colonial period
Louisiana (New France)
Louisiana or French Louisiana was an administrative district of New France. Under French control from 1682–1763 and 1800–03, the area was named in honor of Louis XIV, by French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle...
or were not settled until several decades later in the 19th century. Significant settlement in the Tombigbee River area did not began until the time of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, when Loyalists
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
began to arrive in an attempt to escape persecution by Patriots
Patriot (American Revolution)
Patriots is a name often used to describe the colonists of the British Thirteen United Colonies who rebelled against British control during the American Revolution. It was their leading figures who, in July 1776, declared the United States of America an independent nation...
. One of the earliest of these was Thomas Bassett, who arrived in the Tombigbee settlements in 1772 and received a land grant on the Tombigbee, southeast of modern Leroy, Alabama
Leroy, Alabama
Leroy is a census-designated place located in Washington County, Alabama, around north of Mobile. As of the 2010 census, its population was 911. Leroy has a class 2A K-12 high school . Leroy was once a thriving farm community, serving as home to as many as 40 farming families. However, over the...
, from the Crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
in 1776 and another at McIntosh Bluff
McIntosh, Alabama
McIntosh is a town located in Washington County, Alabama, along U.S. Highway 43. It is 12½ miles south of Wagarville and north of Mobile. It was named for Alexander McIntosh, a prominent Creek chief of the nineteenth century...
. He was killed in an attack by Native Americans in 1780.
The British held West Florida until 1779–81, when it was captured by Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
forces under the command of Bernardo de Gálvez. It formally became a Spanish possession with 1783s Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1783)
The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, ended the American Revolutionary War between Great Britain on the one hand and the United States of America and its allies on the other. The other combatant nations, France, Spain and the Dutch Republic had separate agreements; for details of...
, which also ended the American Revolution. This caused a boundary dispute between the United States and Spain, with the U.S. claiming that the boundary between its territory and West Florida was at the 31st parallel north and Spain claiming it at 32 degrees 28 minutes of north latitude. This put the Tombigbee settlements in Spanish hands until the Pinckney's Treaty
Pinckney's Treaty
Pinckney's Treaty, also known as the Treaty of San Lorenzo or the Treaty of Madrid, was signed in San Lorenzo de El Escorial on October 27, 1795 and established intentions of friendship between the United States and Spain. It also defined the boundaries of the United States with the Spanish...
in 1795, which put the boundary at the 31st parallel north. It was ratified in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on March 7, 1796 and by Spain on April 25, 1796, being proclaimed on August 3, 1796. The treaty stipulated that both countries would participate in a joint expedition to mark the agreed-upon boundary
Ellicott's Stone
Ellicott’s Stone, also known as the Ellicott Stone, is a boundary marker in northern Mobile County, Alabama. It was placed on April 10, 1799 by a joint U.S.-Spanish survey party headed by Andrew Ellicott...
, with George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
selecting Andrew Ellicott
Andrew Ellicott
Andrew Ellicott was a U.S. surveyor who helped map many of the territories west of the Appalachians, surveyed the boundaries of the District of Columbia, continued and completed Pierre Charles L'Enfant's work on the plan for Washington, D.C., and served as a teacher in survey methods for...
as commissioner. The survey was completed in early 1800, although American settlers had already been pouring into the area since the proclamation of the treaty.
Continuously plagued with attacks by hostile Native Americans, the combined free and slave population of the Tombigbee District, a part of the Mississippi Territory since 1798, was approximately 1,250 people in 1800. The primary town in the district was St. Stephens
St. Stephens, Alabama
St. Stephens is an unincorporated census-designated place in Washington County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 495. Located near the Tombigbee River in the southwestern part of the state, it is composed of two distinct sites: Old St. Stephens and New St. Stephens....
, began by the Spanish with the construction of Fort San Esteban in 1789. On June 4, 1800, the Tombigbee District became the central core of the newly created Washington County, Mississippi Territory
Washington County, Alabama
Washington County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. The county was named in honor of George Washington, first President of the United States of America. As of 2010, the population was 17,581. Its county seat is Chatom. Washington County is a dry county.-History:The area was long inhabited...
. Washington County's original boundaries stretched 300 miles (482.8 km) east to west and 88 miles (141.6 km) north to south. The roughly 26400 square miles (68,375.7 km²) of the county were later divided to create 16 counties in Mississippi and 29 counties in Alabama.
Despite the great size of Washington County, the Tombigbee District remained the area of primary settlement. Tensions remained high between the American settlers and the Spanish in the Mobile District
Mobile District
The Mobile District was an administrative region of the Spanish territory of West Florida, which became part of the independent Republic of West Florida on September 23, 1810. The region was bounded in the north by the 31st parallel, in the south by the Gulf of Mexico, in the east by the Perdido...
, in addition to the nearly constant threat of attack from hostile Muscogee tribes. Also, the United States had found it necessary to build Fort Stoddert
Fort Stoddert
Fort Stoddert was a stockade fort in the Mississippi Territory, in what is today Alabama. It was located on a bluff of the Mobile River, near modern Mount Vernon, close to the confluence of the Tombigbee and Alabama Rivers. It served as the western terminus of the Federal Road which ran through...
in 1799 to prevent its own people from taking matters into their own hands and attacking the Spanish. Prior to the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
and Creek War
Creek War
The Creek War , also known as the Red Stick War and the Creek Civil War, began as a civil war within the Creek nation...
, the Spaniards in Mobile had allowed British merchants to sell arms and supplies to the Native Americans to harass the American settlers in the Tombigbee District. Using this as a justification, the United States annexed the Mobile District into the Mississippi Territory in 1812. The city of Mobile remained in Spanish hands until General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
James Wilkinson
James Wilkinson
James Wilkinson was an American soldier and statesman, who was associated with several scandals and controversies. He served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, but was twice compelled to resign...
took a force of American troops from New Orleans to capture it in April 1813.