23 Facts About Osceola

Osceola, named Billy Powell at birth in Alabama, became an influential leader of the Seminole people in Florida.

Osceola's mother was Muscogee, and his great-grandfather was a Scotsman, James McQueen.

Osceola was reared by his mother in the Creek tradition.

In 1836, Osceola led a small group of warriors in the Seminole resistance during the Second Seminole War, when the United States tried to remove the tribe from their lands in Florida to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River.

Osceola became an adviser to Micanopy, the principal chief of the Seminole from 1825 to 1849.

Osceola led the Seminole resistance to removal until he was captured on October 21,1837, by deception, under a flag of truce, when he went to a site near Fort Peyton for peace talks.

Osceola died there a few months later of causes reported as an internal infection or malaria.

Osceola was named Billy Powell at his birth in 1804 in the Creek village of Talisi, which means "Old Town".

Osceola's mother was Polly Coppinger, a mixed-race Creek woman, and his father was most likely William Powell, a Scottish trader.

Osceola stayed in the area as a fur trader and married into a Muscogee family, becoming closely involved with these people.

Osceola was buried in 1811 at the Indian cemetery in Franklin, Alabama, near a Methodist missionary church for the Muscogee.

In 1814, after the Red Stick Muscogee Creeks were defeated by United States forces, Polly took Osceola and moved with other Muscogee refugees from Alabama to Florida, where they joined the Seminole.

One of his wives was black, and Osceola fiercely opposed the enslavement of free people.

John T Sprague mentions in his 1848 history The Florida War that Osceola had a wife named "Che-cho-ter", who bore him four children.

Osceola felt it equated the Seminole with slaves, who were forbidden by law to carry arms.

Thompson considered Osceola to be a friend and gave him a rifle.

Osceola had a habit of barging into Thompson's office and shouting complaints at him.

On one occasion Osceola quarreled with Thompson, who had the warrior locked up at Fort King for two nights until he agreed to be more respectful.

Osceola, having suffered from chronic malaria since 1836, and having acute tonsillitis as well, developed an abscess.

Osceola died of quinsy on January 30,1838, three months after his capture.

Weedon kept the head for himself, as well as other objects belonging to Osceola, including a brass pipe and a silver concho.

Pitcairn Morrison, the US Army officer in charge of the Seminole prisoners who had been transported with Osceola, made a last-minute decision to take other items belonging to Osceola.

Archaeologists later proved that Shriver had dug up animal remains; Osceola's body was still in its coffin.