Gypsy Heart
Gold Member
George Colbert operated a ferry across the Tennessee River in 1790 near present day Cherokee . It is part of the Florence - Muscle Shoals Metropolitan Statistical Area known as "The Shoals".
In the early 1800s, Levi Colbert lived in a house near the ferry. which became known as " Buzzard Roost". It is located in Colbert County, just off the Natchez Trace Parkway, the second exit after crossing the Tennessee River heading south. A considerable amount of gold & silver coins is buried in the woods East of the house.
1828, Dougherty Colbert, son of Levi Colbert, a chief of the Chickasaws, was sent to school with the hope that he could learn to be a surveyor. He spent two years in the home of Thomas C. McKenny, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, at Washington.
Born 1759 - Died 1834.
Levi was the most famous of James Logan Colbert's sons. He obtained the title of Itawamba Mingo meaning "Bench Chief". When Levi was a young man, he learned that the Creek Indians were going to attack the Chickasaw to take their land. It was fall and many Chickasaw warriors were away hunting. Levi immediately gathered as many of the young men of the nation that he could, of those that were still at home, and went forward to meet the enemy. His outnumbered, small band of young warriors surprised, and killed or wounded the would be attackers.
After the hunters returned and learned of the brave and successful act, they rewarded Levi giving him the name "Itte-wamba Mingo". Itte meaning "wood" which alluded to the bench or stool he was given to sit upon in council. Prior to this, the custom was that all warriors sat on the ground while in council. Levi was physically elevated by being given a stool to sit on. From his quiet manner he was also given the name "Okolona" which means calm or peaceful. Itawamba County, Mississippi and the town of Okolona, Mississippi are both named for him.
Levi Colbert was possibly the wealthiest and most powerful of the Colberts. He lived just west of Cotton gin Port located in Monroe county, Mississippi. He owned four-thousand cattle, five hundred horses, a large herd of sheep and several head of swine. At one time he had a part interest in the famed Colbert Ferry on the Natchez Trace which was said to have been worth $20,000 annually. Levi's brother George Colbert was the principle owner and keeper of the ferry.
Levi had married several wives. Seletia Colbert, had lived at Colbert's Ferry where the Trace crossed the Tennessee River. Another wife is said to have lived at what is now known as the French Farm, not far from Okolona, in Monroe County. His granddaughter, Frances Elizabeth Kemp tells us of his wife, Minto-Ho-Yo who was a full-blood Chickasaw. Levi and his wives had many children: sons - Martin, Charles, Alex, Adam, Lemuel, Daughtery, Ebijah, Commodore, and Lewis; daughters - Mariah, Charity, Phalishta and Asa.
................as Levi Colbert, the head chief of the Chickasaws, lived about one mile West of Cotton Gin Port, .....................
His father moved to Cotton Gin Port about 1819, & built a mill for Levi Colbert.
The Chickasaw Indians at Cotton Gin Port
Cotton Gin Port was located where a major Chickasaw trail crossed the Tombigbee in the shadow of a Chickasaw village where one of their most important chiefs had a home. A sizeable Chickasaw long town, home of an Indian chief named Levi Colbert also known as “Itawamba Mingo,” sat on the bluff west of the river. The trail which was later surveyed by the Americans as “Gaines Trace,” ran to Colbert’s Ferry on the Tennessee River. (read more about Levi Colbert and the Colbert Family here: http://www.roark-family.org/Colberts/LeviColbert.asp)
Across the Tombigbee and half a mile north of the ruins of the Cotton Gin Port ferry, a flat mound stands in the middle of a soybean field. Artifacts found here prove that the surrounding area was inhabited as early as 600 B.C., possibly earlier. This region was one of a number of large centers of Mississippian culture in the Tombigbee Basin. The mound itself was built during this period, dating from 1000 to 1700 A.D., by the ancestors of the Chickasaw Tribe. In area the mound measures about fifty yards square and is elevated over eight feet, clearly above high water level. (Hob Bryan, “Mound Site Dates to 600 B.C.,” Tupelo Daily Journal, August 13, 1971)
The location meant a great deal to the Chickasaws
Dr. Walner was married to Susan Carter. She was born in 1829 in Colbert County, Alabama. Susan was the daughter of Kilpatrick Carter and Phalishta ‘Pat’ Colbert. Kilpatrick Carter was born in Ireland and settled among the Chickasaws about 1817. He was hired by his future father-in-law, Levi Colbert, to build a new home at Buzzard Roost, (Colbert County, Alabama). Levi Colbert eventually gave his home at Buzzard Roost to Carter. Phalishta Colbert was the daughter of Levi Colbert and Mintahoyo, House of Imatapo
........................................
The Natchez Trace Parkway
Mile 327.3: The Colbert Ferry. George Colbert once operated a stand and ferry here, and is reported to have charged Civil War general (and future U.S. President) Andrew Jackson $75,000 to ferry his army across the river. Just south of the Coffee Memorial Bridge is the site of Colbert's Ferry.
In the early 1800s, Levi Colbert lived in a house near the ferry. which became known as " Buzzard Roost". It is located in Colbert County, just off the Natchez Trace Parkway, the second exit after crossing the Tennessee River heading south. A considerable amount of gold & silver coins is buried in the woods East of the house.
1828, Dougherty Colbert, son of Levi Colbert, a chief of the Chickasaws, was sent to school with the hope that he could learn to be a surveyor. He spent two years in the home of Thomas C. McKenny, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, at Washington.
Born 1759 - Died 1834.
Levi was the most famous of James Logan Colbert's sons. He obtained the title of Itawamba Mingo meaning "Bench Chief". When Levi was a young man, he learned that the Creek Indians were going to attack the Chickasaw to take their land. It was fall and many Chickasaw warriors were away hunting. Levi immediately gathered as many of the young men of the nation that he could, of those that were still at home, and went forward to meet the enemy. His outnumbered, small band of young warriors surprised, and killed or wounded the would be attackers.
After the hunters returned and learned of the brave and successful act, they rewarded Levi giving him the name "Itte-wamba Mingo". Itte meaning "wood" which alluded to the bench or stool he was given to sit upon in council. Prior to this, the custom was that all warriors sat on the ground while in council. Levi was physically elevated by being given a stool to sit on. From his quiet manner he was also given the name "Okolona" which means calm or peaceful. Itawamba County, Mississippi and the town of Okolona, Mississippi are both named for him.
Levi Colbert was possibly the wealthiest and most powerful of the Colberts. He lived just west of Cotton gin Port located in Monroe county, Mississippi. He owned four-thousand cattle, five hundred horses, a large herd of sheep and several head of swine. At one time he had a part interest in the famed Colbert Ferry on the Natchez Trace which was said to have been worth $20,000 annually. Levi's brother George Colbert was the principle owner and keeper of the ferry.
Levi had married several wives. Seletia Colbert, had lived at Colbert's Ferry where the Trace crossed the Tennessee River. Another wife is said to have lived at what is now known as the French Farm, not far from Okolona, in Monroe County. His granddaughter, Frances Elizabeth Kemp tells us of his wife, Minto-Ho-Yo who was a full-blood Chickasaw. Levi and his wives had many children: sons - Martin, Charles, Alex, Adam, Lemuel, Daughtery, Ebijah, Commodore, and Lewis; daughters - Mariah, Charity, Phalishta and Asa.
................as Levi Colbert, the head chief of the Chickasaws, lived about one mile West of Cotton Gin Port, .....................
His father moved to Cotton Gin Port about 1819, & built a mill for Levi Colbert.
The Chickasaw Indians at Cotton Gin Port
Cotton Gin Port was located where a major Chickasaw trail crossed the Tombigbee in the shadow of a Chickasaw village where one of their most important chiefs had a home. A sizeable Chickasaw long town, home of an Indian chief named Levi Colbert also known as “Itawamba Mingo,” sat on the bluff west of the river. The trail which was later surveyed by the Americans as “Gaines Trace,” ran to Colbert’s Ferry on the Tennessee River. (read more about Levi Colbert and the Colbert Family here: http://www.roark-family.org/Colberts/LeviColbert.asp)
Across the Tombigbee and half a mile north of the ruins of the Cotton Gin Port ferry, a flat mound stands in the middle of a soybean field. Artifacts found here prove that the surrounding area was inhabited as early as 600 B.C., possibly earlier. This region was one of a number of large centers of Mississippian culture in the Tombigbee Basin. The mound itself was built during this period, dating from 1000 to 1700 A.D., by the ancestors of the Chickasaw Tribe. In area the mound measures about fifty yards square and is elevated over eight feet, clearly above high water level. (Hob Bryan, “Mound Site Dates to 600 B.C.,” Tupelo Daily Journal, August 13, 1971)
The location meant a great deal to the Chickasaws
Dr. Walner was married to Susan Carter. She was born in 1829 in Colbert County, Alabama. Susan was the daughter of Kilpatrick Carter and Phalishta ‘Pat’ Colbert. Kilpatrick Carter was born in Ireland and settled among the Chickasaws about 1817. He was hired by his future father-in-law, Levi Colbert, to build a new home at Buzzard Roost, (Colbert County, Alabama). Levi Colbert eventually gave his home at Buzzard Roost to Carter. Phalishta Colbert was the daughter of Levi Colbert and Mintahoyo, House of Imatapo
........................................
The Natchez Trace Parkway
Mile 327.3: The Colbert Ferry. George Colbert once operated a stand and ferry here, and is reported to have charged Civil War general (and future U.S. President) Andrew Jackson $75,000 to ferry his army across the river. Just south of the Coffee Memorial Bridge is the site of Colbert's Ferry.
