Ponchishatchee (or Hatchet): It’s all Creek to Me
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Porch Talk
Coosa County Stories
This is an excerpt from an article by Chip Gates, H.O.B.O. historian of Lake Mitchell, about Hatchet Creek and surrounding Indian towns.
Captain John Stuart, a loyalist militia captain in the service of the king, was appointed superintendent of Indian affairs for the Southern District (of the not yet United States) in 1761. This district included South Carolina, Georgia and lands that later became Alabama and Florida.
Being a good supervisor, Stuart delegated some of his responsibility and subsequently tapped another loyalist, Mr. David Taitt, to make a survey of Upper and Lower Creek Indian villages and trading posts, with the goal of fixing their locations for mapping and currying favor with the native peoples.
At this time Britain had plenty of enemies, plus some of the colonies in the New World were becoming more and more of a challenge to keep in line. So having the indigenous population on its side would certainly be an advantage.
Mr. Taitt set out from Pensacola on January 30, 1772. With several pack horses, an interpreter and a very small entourage, he made his way northeastward. In short order Taitt was in Tuckabatchie, a fair size Upper Creek village just below present day Tallassee, Ala.
After spending many days there, on March 29, 1772, he journeyed to Abicouchie. W. Stuart Harris’ book “Dead Towns Of Alabama” has the spelling of this village Abikakutchee, and places it in Talladega County near present day Sylacauga, about 5 miles east of the Coosa River.
The next day his journal reads that he traveled 30 miles SSE to Wakokays (or Wakokayi). If his compass direction is correct, it appears he is backtracking. Nevertheless, he says Wakokays is situated on a branch of a creek the Indians called Ponchishatchee. You know it better as Hatchet Creek.
Taitt goes on to record, “This Creek, which falls into the Coosa River about 18 miles South west of this, is about 60 feet broad in most places but not navigable, being full of Rocks and Shoals.” Anyone who has traveled up Hatchet to see the lilies or gone kayaking further up can attest to that.
Taitt’s next destination was Puckantallahassie or Pakan-Tallahassee. You may think we’re going to Florida, but no, we’re actually heading down Hatchet Creek toward the river. Taitt was delayed for a day because of heavy rain, but arrived on April 1.
This village, by his reckoning, is 14 miles southwest of Wakokays. He goes on in his journal to write the town is “on the west side of Hatchet Creek” and “is within four miles of Coosa River.” In Pakan-Tallahassee Taitt “was met at the Traders house by four old men,” the rest having gone off to war against another tribe.
Taitt decided to leave for the small village of Weoka, a 12-mile journey southeast by east. This pretty much jives with the location of the present day community by that name.
For those not familiar with Coosa County, Weoka is roughly halfway between Rockford and Wetumpka, just east of U.S. Highway 231, and due east of the communities of Buyck and Titus. Taitt also added this: the road to Weoka was very good, except the first four miles being very hilly.
We must marvel at Taitt’s dedication and energy to travel the distances he did, and admire his ability to mediate with the Indians. But before we raise him to the level of sainthood, be aware that during the not-too-distant War of Independence he maintained his allegiance to the king and kept the Creeks loyal to the British.
At this point I should tell you that our journey back in time has been greatly aided by the lengthy and detailed journal that Mr. Taitt was directed to keep. If you are interested, this journal can be found in the public domain online under the title “Travels in the American Colonies,” published in 1916.
Leaving Taitt to his future, let’s return to Puckantallahassie or Pakan-Tallahassee. Taitt put this village four miles up Hatchet Creek from the Coosa River.
Referring once again to Stuart Harris’ book “Dead Towns of Alabama,” we find a listing for Pakan Talahassi. There seems to be a bit of confusion here, as it describes the village as being on the south bank of Walnut Creek, but in Coosa County. Perhaps Mr. Harris got his counties, or creeks, mixed up.
A map by Baron De Crenay in 1733 reportedly shows Pakan-Tallahassee village on both sides of the Coosa River, near the confluence of Hatchet Creek. A French census of 1760 listed the town with a population of 50 warriors. Political correctness was obviously not in vogue back then. The village wasn’t a “for men only” club. Women, children and the elders also inhabited the village.
Many Indian villages moved from place to place, especially if destroyed by raids or floods, but they would often take their old village name with them. Without the benefit of a GPS or even a decent compass, it’s not surprising there would have been a discrepancy in locating the exact place where a village once stood.
One thing is certain, though. Most, if not all, Creek Indian village sites that were near the Coosa River have probably been covered by the lake.
