Mary Musgrove - Later Years

Later Years

Mary Musgrove Matthews met the Reverend Thomas Bosomworth and they were married in July 1744. Bosomworth ignored his ministerial duties and concentrated on helping Mary with her many enterprises. Back in 1738 Oglethorpe had met with Lower Creek town leaders. Mary had also attended as his interpreter but she was also there as recipient of lands from the Yamacraws. The bestowing of Indian lands to Mary in the presence of Oglethorpe implied English endorsement by default and created a series of legal battles that would last for twenty years. Bosomworth now attempted to help his wife in securing English title to the land. While waiting for a response to their case Mary sent a memorial to the Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Heron in Georgia requesting compensation for her past contributions to the Georgian colony and his Majesty’s subjects. Colonel Heron also noted that he “had personal knowledge of her merit since my first arrival in this country, and I am highly sensible of the singular service she has done the country (a great part of the expense of her own private fortune) in continuing the Creek Indians in friendship and alliance with the English.” While waiting on her replies from London, Mary received from Brims’ successor Malatchi the three islands of St. Catherine, Sapelo, and Ossabaw. On St. Catherines Island she had moved cattle and started plowing fields and constructing buildings. After many memorials and petitions Mary chose to invite Creek headmen to Savannah to collect their gifts and help convince the English to recognize her Creek land grants.

Malatchi and others arrived in the summer of 1749 but Mary was ignored as a translator and had to wait outside of the conference. After several hours an angry and humiliated Mary interrupted the meeting and started to give her speech before the male assembly. One white eyewitness scorned her actions:

rushed into the Room, in the most violent and outrageous manner, that a Woman spirited up with Liquor, Drunk with passion, and disappointed in her Views could be guilty of…declared, She was Empress of the Upper and Lower Creeks, Yea, went so far in her imaginary Sovereignty, as to call herself King, and that she should command every Man in these Nations to follow her, and We should soon know it our cost.

Her angry outburst outraged the colonial magistrates who then arrested her. Thomas Bosomworth had to publicly apologize for her and promise no future outbursts. Mary’s behavior also estranged her from her male kin and she spent the next year in the Creek Nation trying to restore her standing. By 1752 the Bosomworths were in Charles Town waiting to sail to England to plead their case in person. They were delayed for two years as they assisted the South Carolina governor in establishing peace between the Creek and the Cherokee. After a year in England the Bosomworths came back to Savannah empty handed. With the arrival of Henry Ellis the new governor of Georgia in 1757 the problem was begrudgingly settled. Mary and Thomas were given title to St. Catherines Island and gave up the other two islands and the Yamacraw lands which were to be sold and the proceeds given to Mary for her past salary and losses. The matter was finally resolved in 1759 with Mary’s acceptance of £2100.00. Governor Ellis utilized Mary’s talents as representative, interpreter and mediator a few last times before she settled quietly on St. Catherines Island. Mary Musgrove Matthews Bosomworth died in the summer of 1765.