Early Life and Education
Opothleyahola was born at Tuckabatchee, the Creek capital of the Upper Creek Towns, located in present-day Elmore County, Alabama. The Upper Creek Towns' population comprised the majority of the nation. His name literally translated means 'child', 'good', 'whooper' or 'good speaker'. While he was of European and Creek ancestry, as he was born to a Creek mother, he was fully part of the tribe. It had a matrilineal system of property holding and descent, making the mother's clan the determining one for the status of her children. Traditionally, her brothers were more important than the biological father in rearing the children. For instance, a maternal uncle would teach a boy men's roles, and introduce him to men's societies. The historian Angie Debo found evidence suggesting that the boy's father was David Evans, a trader of Welsh descent. He may have taught him English and literacy, or sent him to school.
Lower Creek leaders had made treaties with the state of Georgia to cede former hunting lands in 1790, 1802 and 1804. The Creek had lost use of the land for hunting because of encroachment by settlers. They began to adopt more farming practices in order to survive. Under pressure from Georgia and its settlers, they also had more relationship with Benjamin Hawkins, the US Indian agent.
The differences between the Upper Creek and Lower Creek broke out into violence in 1812 in what was at first a civil war. The Red Sticks of the Upper Creek wanted to revive traditional culture and religion, and resisted assimilation, as well as the land cessions. Opothleyahola is believed to have allied with the British against the US forces as early as the War of 1812.
He was among the Red Sticks in the Creek War of 1813-1814, which ended with defeat by General Andrew Jackson commanding a large allied force at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. At that time, Opothleyahola swore his allegiance to the Federal government.
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