Osceola, Seminole chief, 1804-1838

Variant names

Hide Profile

Osceola, Asi-yahola in the Creek language, (born 1804, Talisi, Mississippi Territory – died at Fort Moultrie, South Carolina, January 30, 1838, ), named Billy Powell at birth in Alabama, became an influential leader of the Seminole people in Florida. His mother was Muscogee, and his great-grandfather was a Scotsman, James McQueen. He was reared by his mother in the Creek (Muscogee) tradition. When he was a child, they migrated to Florida with other Red Stick refugees, led by a relative, Peter McQueen, after their group's defeat in 1814 in the Creek Wars. There they became part of what was known as the Seminole people. 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. He 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. The United States first imprisoned him at Fort Marion in St. Augustine, then transported him to Fort Moultrie in Charleston, South Carolina. He died there a few months later of causes reported as an internal infection or malaria. Because of his renown, Osceola attracted visitors in prison, including renowned artist George Catlin, who painted perhaps the most well-known portrait of the Seminole leader.
Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Carleton, Mary Cooke Howe, 1819-1882. Howe-Fogg family papers, 1834-1955. Massachusetts Historical Society
referencedIn Dietrich, Julius, 1858-1910. Julius Dietrich papers, 1908-1909 and undated. Mclean County Historical Society Library
referencedIn Historical Association of Southern Florida. Return of Osceola's remains from Fort Moultrie, S.C., to Florida collection, 1950-1951. HistoryMiami Museum
referencedIn T. Frederick Davis Papers, 1901-1951 Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida
referencedIn Writers' Program (Fla.). Osceola. Jacksonville University, Carl S. Swisher Library
referencedIn Guide to the Daily Worker and Daily World Photographs Collection, 1920-2001 Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
referencedIn Davis, T. Frederick (Thomas Frederick), 1877-1946. Papers, 1910-1951. University of Florida
referencedIn Lebby family. Lebby family papers, 1826-1940. University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
referencedIn Corse, Carita Doggett, b. 1892. Osceola opera scenario / Carita Doggett Corse. Jacksonville University, Carl S. Swisher Library
referencedIn Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. Letter, 1837 December 21, Fort New Smyrna, Florida, to his mother, Eliza Gerry Townsend, Boston, Massachusetts [manuscript]. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Adams, Stephen, 1835-. Papers of the Barbour family [manuscript], 1793-1941. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Billings, Calista, 1831-. Diary, 1848-1849 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Weedon and Whitehurst family papers, 1824-1869; 1932-1966? [manuscript]. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Osceola, Seminole Indian Chief National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Alabama militia collection, 1830-[184-?]. Alabama Department of Archives and History
referencedIn Potter, Woodburne. History of Florida Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative, HCPLC
referencedIn Jesup, Thomas Sidney, 1788-1860. Papers, 1847. Florida State University
referencedIn Thomas S. Jesup collection 1812-1917 1812-1858 Jesup, Thomas S. collection William L. Clements Library
referencedIn DeVane, Albert (George Albert), 1893?-1969?. Albert DeVane Collection, 1950-1966. University of Florida
referencedIn Gamble, Mary Scott Watts, 1814-1840,. Papers of the Breckinridge, Gamble and Watts families of Virginia and Florida, circa 1794-1850. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Albert J. Pickett papers, 1779-1904 Alabama Department of Archives and History
referencedIn Weedon, Frederick, 1784-1857. Family papers, 1818-1951. Alabama Department of Archives and History
referencedIn Hartley, William B. Ellen and William Hartley papers, 1960s-1970s. HistoryMiami Museum
referencedIn Vinton, John Rogers, 1801-1847. Drawings, c1837. University of Florida
referencedIn Lynch, Bartholomew M. Bartholomew Lynch journal, 1837-1839. Florida State University
referencedIn Biography file--Indians, 1914-1984. Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation. Library.
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Billings, Calista, 1831- person
associatedWith Brown, Bertram Erwin, b.1871. person
associatedWith Communist Party of the United States of America. corporateBody
associatedWith Corse, Carita Doggett, b. 1892. person
associatedWith Davis, T. Frederick (Thomas Frederick), 1877-1946. person
associatedWith DeVane, Albert (George Albert), 1893?-1969? person
associatedWith Dietrich, Julius, 1858-1910. person
associatedWith Hartley, William B. person
associatedWith Jesup, Thomas Sidney, 1788-1860. person
associatedWith Lebby family. person
associatedWith Lynch, Bartholomew M. person
associatedWith Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation. Library. corporateBody
associatedWith Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. person
associatedWith Vinton, John Rogers, 1801-1847. person
associatedWith Weedon, Frederick, 1784-1857. person
associatedWith William L. Clements Library person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Fort Moultrie SC US
Subject
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1804

Death 1838-01-30

Americans

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6553ftc

Ark ID: w6553ftc

SNAC ID: 88121509