Elizabeth Grierson was a businesswoman, who used the court system to her advantage.
23 Facts About Elizabeth Grierson
1.
2.
Elizabeth Grierson enslaved multiple people and against Muscogee law was in a relationship with one of her former bondsmen, whom she had freed.
3.
Elizabeth Grierson, known as Liza, was the daughter of Robert Grierson and his wife, Sinnugee.
4.
Elizabeth Grierson was adopted into the tribe and into the Spanalgee clan.
5.
Elizabeth Grierson lived in the town of Hillabee located on a small waterway, near Town Creek, which drained into the Hillabahatchee Creek and Tallapoosa River, about 50 miles from present-day Montgomery, Alabama.
6.
Elizabeth Grierson learned to write and was able to sign her own name.
7.
Elizabeth Grierson appealed to General Andrew Jackson after the family was attacked by Cherokee warriors near what is Rome, Georgia, writing that his slaves were stolen, as well as his family's food and clothing.
8.
Borrowing money from a business associate, Elizabeth Grierson was able to buy a plantation and reestablish his family in Georgia, where they remained until the war ended.
9.
Elizabeth Grierson argued that since Walker had the use of his slaves during the time the family resided with him, no money was owed, since their labor would have covered the family's costs.
10.
Unable to collect, Walker sold the rights to collect the judgment to William McIntosh, who seized around 20 slaves belonging to Elizabeth Grierson and willed them to his wife Susannah and her offspring.
11.
In 1817, Elizabeth Grierson was enumerated on the Muscogee rolls and Robert conveyed to her slaves named Amitto Jr.
12.
Elizabeth Grierson gave slaves to his daughter Katy at that time, and before 1820 to his sons Watt and Sandy, intending the gifts to provide them with economic security.
13.
The loss of their lands caused Native traditionalists to seek retaliation, and in 1819 Elizabeth Grierson's plantation was targeted.
14.
Elizabeth Grierson lost a horse and some axes, and the following year, during another raid, she had farm equipment stolen.
15.
Elizabeth Grierson received her portion of the estate, which included slaves.
16.
Elizabeth Grierson obtained a relinquishment of title from the other heirs and to ensure there would be no later problems, Jordan had Elizabeth Grierson confirm the sale of Thomas' slaves.
17.
Elizabeth Grierson enrolled 26 family members to relocate to Indian Territory and filed a bond in Shelby County, Alabama, to emancipate her slave Dick.
18.
Elizabeth Grierson took an allotment within a few miles of her mother, and siblings Sandy, Watt, and William.
19.
Elizabeth Grierson bought two allotments nearby from neighbors who wanted to sell.
20.
Elizabeth Grierson's will was settled on October 7,1847, by the General Council of the Kings and Warriors of the Muscogee Nation.
21.
Elizabeth Grierson ruled that they were Muscogee, and further stated that Muscogee law prevailed unless proof had been provided, which it had not, that the Chickasaw law where they were living at the time of Elizabeth's death, differed from Muscogee inheritance traditions at that time.
22.
Historian Claudio Saunt wrote in Black, White, and Indian that in the 20th century, many genealogists claimed that Elizabeth Grierson was the primary wife of McIntosh.
23.
Elizabeth Grierson stated that there was contemporary evidence in a letter written from Charles Pendleton Tutt to James Barbour on November 25,1826, which provided the information that Eliza McIntosh, was the daughter of Stephen Hawkins.