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THE GEORGIA BEND, A Tale of
Two Pioneer Families The Georgia bend is a forest of palmetto thickets and pine and scrub
oaks at the southeast end of the Okefenokee Swamp on a piece of land seemingly
carved out of Florida by a whim of the St. Mary’s River.
There are two sparsely populated communities in the Bend, Moniac and St.
George. On a bronze plaque erected
by the Georgia Historical Society at Highway 185 and 94 in Moniac is this
inscription: “This area saw
frequent action during the early Indian Wars.
Moniac is said to have been name for Old Fort Moniac, a small hewn log
fort about one mile north of the Florida side of the river.
It was through the swamp near here that most of the Indians escaped while
being driven by General Charles Floyd and made their way to the Everglades. An old log house on the Canaday homestead was often the
refuge for inhabitants of this section during the Indian raids.
Built of pine logs and equipped with port holes for muskets; it was the
scene of many battles. On one occasion the Canaday family was surprised by a
Seminole attack and several were killed.”
There was a ford on the river at this point (at Fort Moniac) in the
pioneer days, for the river is no larger than a creek at this point.
Mr. Riley Yarborough told that Billy Bowlegs and his band left the swamp
near the old Fort Moniac, going out through Mitchell’s Island, Soldier Camp
Island, and by Hog Pen branch to Deep Creek near the present site of
Jacksonville, The soldiers turned
back at this place and the Indians, who were a day and a half ahead of them,
continued on to the Florida Everglades, where a remnant still lives.
The Canaday family settled in the Big bend Section of Charlton county
long before the Indians were driven from the Okefenokee Swamp and the old
Canaday home was located 2 ½ miles south of Georgia 94 on Georgia 185 at
Joaquin Creek near the present day site of the Moniac Baptist Church and the
Canaday Cemetery. On one occasion
the Canaday family was surprised by an unexpected attack from the Seminoles, who
lived within the Interior of the great swamp and several were brutally murdered
and scalped. Although no certain
date can be given for the Canaday Blockhouse, it is known by the family that the
Canaday family was living there at least by 1832.
The family members that were killed were probably killed by warriors un
the command of Bolech (Billy Bowlegs) around 1838. The original cabin was built by John Milledge Canaday (Ossio
Yahaltla) or by and Indian ancestor of the Canaday clan and was inherited by
John Canaday or his Indian wife, the sister of Billy Powell known as Osceola.
The Indian wife, Missouri Powell Canaday was scalped but not killed by
the renegade Creeks because of her Indian blood.
Marker of the grave sites have been erected by Casey O. Dinkins, a Board
Member of the Baker County Historical Society which reads:
Missouri Powell Canaday (Sister of Chief Osceloa) 1793 to1840’s and
John Milledge Canaday (Ossio Yahaltla) 1778 to 1860’s. (Canaday Cemetery), Moniac, Georgia.
During the early pioneer days there were several Indian massages near the
Okefenokee Swamp in Charlton County and in other sections of the county. The settlements were badly scattered and the hardy pioneer
who built his log cabin in the forest during these early times braved horrible
death for himself and his family as well as untold hardships.
But, some one had to be “first” and the descendants of these brave
men and women living in comparative ease and security can not begin to
appreciate the sacrifices made by their forbearers. When there was time to
spread the alarm of the “Indians on the warpath” there were a few places
where the pioneers could gather for safety and combined defense and one of those
places was Fort Alert, now Trader’s Hill.
There was a crude stockade there and another place was the Canaday
homestead. It plainly showed the
effects of the Indian Raids and old bullet marks were imbedded in the pine logs.
It was one of the few houses to withstand all attacks.
Another massacre was the virtual annihilation of the Garrett Family
near what was the J. R. Johnson place. It
seems that Mr. Garret was away from home on this day and his wife was washing
clothes in the small creek back of the home when she was surprised by the sudden
appearance of a large band of Indians from the Swamp.
It was in broad daylight, something very unusual for the Indians.
This poor woman was brutally murdered and scalped.
There were four children at the creek with her, and they too, were
ruthlessly murdered. Only one child
was able to escape. The Indians
then went to the little cabin and set fire to it after plundering the house and
outhouses. Mr. Garret was about a
mile away and seeing the flames from his burning home rushed back on horseback,
but before he could reach home the little cabin was destroyed and the Indians
were fleeing toward the swamp. He
then went in search of his family and found his wife and three small children
murdered and scalped near the run of the creek.
Hearing his father’s voice the one child who was able to hide in the
creek swamp joined his father. This
pioneer woman and her three children are buried in the field in what was known
as the old Hinton Gay place, and also as the Courtney place.
Mr. Garrett later moved to the Big Bend Section of Charlton County and
settled near Moniac. He married
again and reared a large family.
The Canadays are believed to be “Scot-Irish” who were descendants
of the Scots Presbyterians who emigrated from Scotland to settle in the Province
of Ulster in Northern Ireland during the 17th century.
They we unmixed with other races when many of them moved on to the
American colonies. Some people
adhere to the term “Ulster-Scot” rather than “Scot-Irish”
The Indians were farmers and cattlemen who built substantial log houses
and claimed a distinct language and culture.
Unfortunately, it was not a culture compatible with that of the white
settlers who resented the haven given runaway slaves by the Indians while
coveting the rich farm and grasslands upon which the Indians lived.
Between the influx of settlers and the demands of irate slave owners, the
Indians had to go. Pushed by white
settlers from their homes in the Carolinas and Georgia, the Miccosukee settled
in an area between Gainesville and Ocala, Florida.
The only problem was they didn’t want to go. They had gone before, to little avail, and they had no liking
for the barren lands of the Oklahomas offered them in exchange.
War was as inevitable as the Indians loss of the war.
However, all Indians should not be cast as noble and poetic and all white
men as obnoxious, grasping opportunists. The
first Seminole War in Florida war 1817 to 1818 and the Second Seminole War was
1835 to 1842.
There are many descendants of these two pioneer families and among
then are Eddie and Alma Canady, formerly Alma Garrett, who married at the close
of World War II.
No matter how public or well chronicled human affairs have been, mystery
shrouds the edges, even the center, of even well publicized historical events.
The confidence we may feel about days gone by is deserving of
qualification if only because the past is more ambiguous than we often think.
Researched, compiled, edited by Ed Canady, P. O. Box 8569, Jacksonville
Florida 32211. Credit is given to
many sources. Among them are: Florida Historical Quarterly · Casey O, Dinkins, a Board Member of the Baker County Historical is well
qualified in his efforts to preserve local history and has undertaken many
similar projects in the area. He
holds a degree in history from Jacksonville University and originated the idea
for placing the markers. He has
unselfishly given his time and fully financed the project at considerable time
and cost to his personal finances. – Ed Canady. The Lineage of John Millage and Missouri Powell
Canaday Henry Canady
from S. Carolina is believed by some to be the father of John Millage Canaday,
and thought to have brought his family to Georgia sometime in the early 1800s.
Others believe John came from Europe to Charleston, SC, and then traveled to
Brunswick, GA and then to Moniac, GA approximately 1800. John Millage Canaday
((Ossio Yahaltla) was born in Coleraine, Ireland in 1778. He landed in
Charleston, SC in 1799 from Spain, He went to Brunswick Georgia in 1800 and
traveled up the St. Mary's river with Tom Vickery in that same year. He built a
log cabin near Moniac and then went up to Tallapoosa near Atlanta where cousins
of his lived. He married Missouri
Powell, the sister of Billy Powell
known
as Osceola
at Tallassee in 1808 and returned to Moniac. In 1814 they went back to
Tallapoosa and after the Battle of Horse Shoe Bend with Jacksons Army of
Cherokee Indians, he was among the 70 Creek warriors who survived out of more
than a thousand. John Canaday and his wife Missouri
"Miss Sarah" Powell along with Yahahadjo Rhoden, and
John Graham with Polly Powell (nee Copinger), Billy
Powell, Sanee Powell returned to the Moniac cabin and aided the other
survivors of Horse Shoe Bend to escape into Florida. John and Missouri
remained at the cabin with Rhoden and Sanee until the latter went to what is now
Columbia County. John Canaday and Missouri had numerous children, some of
whom were slain by renegade Creeks under Bolec (Billy Bowlegs).
Their sons Henry and James Canaday joined Durrances Company in the
Seminole War of 1856 being mustered out in Dec. of 1857 and lived below Palatka,
Florida. John and Missouri had another son John Millage Jr 1. Polly M.
Canady born about 1824 in Moniac GA died after 1800 Florida, Orange County John Millage Canaday
Jr. born 1826 in the cabin in Moniac Georgia Died 1895 buried North Prong
Cemetery Florida - Married Sarah Ann Howell
of Howell GA. born 1837 Toledo (Moonshine) Georgia Died 1883 buried North Prong
cemetery Florida across the St. Marys River from Jonnycan Branch where his
father and mother are buried. Their children:
10,1869 - died December 8, 1941. Their children: [1] Amie
Canaday 1.
Billie May
- born June 22, 19ll Moniac GA. - died May 29, 1930 Moniac , GA
(1) Marie Crews
married Morris Crews 3.
Guy Edwin
- born April 27 1931 Moniac GA married June 29 Marry Belle Arnold born April 21,
1834 Zephyrhills, Pasco County FL
(1) Sandra Yvette Canaday Sikes
born
June 6, 1956 Plant City FL - Died November 26, 1979 Wimauma, FL married James
Wesley Sikes died October 1988, Gibsonton, FL
1.
Jamie
Sikes born September 18, 1974 Tampa FL - died November 26, 1979 Wimauma FL (2) James Edwin
Canaday 4. Franklin - born June 7, 1933 Moniac, GA
5. Arnell - born July
20, 1936 - died May 8, 2011 Marysville, OH - married September 5 1965 to Janet Borchardt born July 25, 1942 6.
Paul
Eugene - born March 31, 1938 (1) Matthew
Casey Clark born August 1, 1969 Tampa FL 9. Willie Monroe Jr.
- born January 23, 1946 (1) George Salin
Canaday born May 19, 1968 Urland California 10.
Nola Jean - born October 10, 1953 Zephyrhills, FL.
(1) Kimberley Jo
Meyer Hill born november 20, 1970 Dade City, FL
[6] Pauline
Canaday 2)
John M. Canaday born 1860 - died December 9, 1935 - Married
February 16,1888 to Betsey Thompson born December 6, 1869 - died November
11, 1943. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa |
