James Colbert (1721 - abt. 1784)

Born 1721 in Plum Tree Island, North Carolina

Descendants

Died about 7 Jan 1784 at about age 63 in Creek Nation, Alabama, USA

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Due to his relationships with known Native Americans, and some controversy about his origins, this profile is being co-managed and tracked by WikiTree's Native Americans Project.

Disputed Origins

A previous version of this profile claimed, without source, that his parents were William de Blainville Colbert and Dorothy Vernon. Lacking evidence, they have been detached.

Others have suggested that his parents (or grandparents?) were Joseph Calvert or Colbert and Dorothy Vernon (daughter of Francis Vernon and Amy Beeson of Plumtree Island) because on 01 March 1720/21 Joseph purchased 385 acres on Plumtree Island from Thomas Whitmill.^[1]. Plumtree Island is supposedly where James Colbert was born.

DNA research has indicated that he was descended from Christopher Calvert of Northampton, England and Accomack, Virginia. See attached G2G discussion thread for details.

Biography

James Colbert was born about 1721 on Plum Tree Island, North Carolina.^{[citation needed]}

There is no record that he ever used a middle name"Logan." It has been removed.

About 1740, he moved to the Chickasaw Nation and worked as a trader. ^[2] He married into the tribe and lived among the Chickasaw Indians for 40 years.

James Adair (Chickasaw and Cherokee trader) described James Colbert in the following way:

"Capt. J. C-l-b-rt who has lived among the Chikkasah from his childhood, and speaks their language even with more propriety than the English, deserves to be recorded ..."^[3]

James Colbert was married at least three times and had eight known children. Accounts of his wives vary, but all were Chickasaw.^[4]

In 1758 part of Edgecombe County went into the formation of Halifax County, North Carolina.

After conducting some business in St.Augustine in 1783, Colbert began his journey home. He stopped for a short stay at the home of Creek leader, Alexander McGillivray. He left there about 04 Jan 1784. Three days later his horse threw him and he died on 07 January 1784 in the Creek Indian Nations, Alabama, USA.^[5]

Four of his six sons became important Chiefs in the Chickasaw Nation.

Children

Recorded children of James Colbert of Chickasaw Nation included: ^[6] First wife:

1. Sally Colbert (House of In-cun-no-mar) m: Thomas Love
2. William "Billy" Colbert, b: c1742; aka: Gen. Chooshemataha, Pyaheggo

Second wife ("Minta Hoya"):

1. George Colbert, b: 1744; aka: Col. Tootemastubbe
2. Levi Colbert, b: 1759; aka: Maj. Itawamba Minco
3. Samuel Colbert, b: c1761
4. Joseph Colbert, b: c1767; occ: 1799 guide & interpreter for missionary Rev. Joseph Bullen in Chickasaw Nation; d: drowned at Colbert's Ferry, Tennessee River, Alabama

Third wife:

1. James Colbert, b: c1768; aka: Maj.^[7]
2. Susan "Susy" Colbert, b: c1770; m: James Allen.

Unproven children include Celia Sizemore and Nancy Tharp.

Timeline

1760/Oct: One of the earliest reports of James Colbert and the Chickasaws may be found in "South Carolina Gazette" #1368 from 11 to 18 Oct 1760 which published a journal by a LANGLEY. His Sep 26 entry (made at Fort Prince George) stated ...

"Soon three or four other fellows (Indians) came, and were at our bake house when to our surprise, James COLBERT appeared coming up, with signal and two letters upon a stick. As soon as he spoke to us, the Indians went off. He then returned to the mouth of Crow Creek, about 400 yards off, and brought in 4 Chicasahs (Chickasaws) that were concealed there. The poor fellows were extremely fatigued and their leader Jockey's Son was sick, having a fever every other day. They left Augusta about the 18th of August, and on their way staid some time at a fort the inhabitants were building twixt this and Savannah River, and were obliged to leave 5 others of their party sick, in the woods a days journey from the said fort."

1782/July/05: Silbestre Labadie was a wealthy Spanish boat Captain from Louisiana who was held as a captive by Colbert in the spring of 1782. When Colbert took his boat and his hostages, he used them to gain the release of some English being held captive by the Spanish. One of his captives was the wife of the Governor of St Louis. In a declaration made by Silbestre Labadie on 05 Jul 1782, he stated that Colbert,

"was about 60 years old, possessed of good health, and a strong constitution. An active man, despite his years, he had a 'violent temper', and was capable of 'enduring the greatest hardship'. He had lived among the Chickasaws for 40 years and boasted that he was owner of a 'fine house' and 'some hundred and fifty' blacks. He said he had several sons by Chickasaw women, who were 'very important chiefs in that nation."

1783: Letter dictated by James Colbert to Anthony Hutchins at St.Augustine, Florida, who then sent the letter to John Miller, Colbert's solicitor ...

"I came to this place, 05 Nov. last [1783], and have been detained by sickness ever since but am not in a recovery way and shall set out for the Choctaw Nation in a few days. I left my home and came here on account of my exertions against His Majesty's enemies, and as peace is concluded, large demands are made by the Spaniards. I don't know how far their influence may extend with the Indians of their party toward seizing on my property in that country. I expect attempts will be made and I hardly know how to act on this subject. I thank you for the trouble you have always taken on my account and am glad to hear that you have been fortunate enough to recover the amount of my bill. I am sorry that I am constrained to draw on you for my part 50 pounds in favor of Messrs. Panton, Leslie and Co. the residue, with such other moneys as you can for the use and benefit of my son James Colbert, and as I don't know how the case may happen to be with me yet, being in the greatest danger from exasperated enemies, left and forsaken by the very power that I have strenuously endeavored to support and defend, and by looking forward, I expect I may have many difficulties to encounter. Etc. I have left my son in the care of Messrs. Panton, Leslie & Co., closely engaged in the business of their store. I hope he may be teachable, that he may be fit for such business."^[8]

1783/Jul/25: Apparently, in a letter dictated to Gov. Harrison of Virginia, by Colbert on 25 Jul 1783, Colbert stated he wished to, "serve the Country in which he lives and was born".

1784/Jan/17: In a secret letter written by John Donne to General James Wilkenson, James Colbert was described in the following way ...

"From his education and mode of life, being bred among the Indians from his infancy, it will naturally be supposed he is illiterate, which is the case, but possessed of strong natural parts. I should suppose some honorary appointment such as he had under the Crown being continued to him, would naturally lend him in our interest, and under (him) moreover an useful person to whoever might be appointed Superintendant in them Nations."^[9]

1784/Jan/07: Alexander McGillivray (son of Lachland McGillivray and Sehoy Marchand of the Creek Indian Wind Clan) wrote a letter to Capt. Arturo O'Neil (a French officer paid by the Spanish government to fight the Chickasaw Indians) that James Colbert was dead ...

"I had forgot to inform your Excellency in my last letter of the death of Capt. James Colbert of the Chickasaw Nation who had been at St.Augustine, concerning demands that was made on him by the Governor of New Orleans for damages he did on the Mississippi: he got full powers to clear up that complaint & on his way to the Chickasaw Nation three days after he left my house his horse threw him down and killd him before his servant could assist him."^[10]

c1841: Chickasaw interpreter Malcom McGee gave an interview to historian Lyman Draper, which is referenced by Robert Gilmer in an undergraduate thesis, stating that:

"James Colbert was a native of one of the Carolina's, probably S.C. and came into the Chickasaw Nation prior to 1750, was adopted into an Indian family, sometime afterwards became a trader and made property, took a wife, and had several children -- six sons and two daughters."^[11]

Research Notes

Some say James Logan Colbert came to America aboard the ship "Prince of Wales", which landed at Darien, Georgia on 10 January 1736. [No documentation to support this and his name was not on manifest, though it did include men who played significant roles in the history of the "Five Civilized Tribes" including ... Lachlan McGillivray, John McIntosh and his older brother, Lachlan McIntosh.

The following was from a previous version of this profile and claimed that the following were children of James' parents Joseph Calvert and Dorothy Vernon. Not sure where the following information belongs: Smith-32867 15:56, 29 July 2020 (UTC)

1. Thomas Calvert or Colvard or Colbert, b: Plumtree Island; occ: blacksmith and owner of ordinary/tavern in Town of Halifax, Halifax Co, NC from 1758 to 1768. ^[12] res: 1768 Bute (Franklin/Warren) County, North Carolina. ^[13]
2. William Calvert aka Colvard. "Names of Men employ'd ...to run the Line between that Colony (Virginia) and N. Carolina." ^[14] William Calvert is also believed to be the progenitor of the Calvert/Colvard family of Chesterfield County, Virginia and Wilkes and Surry counties in North Carolina. ^[15] Direct-line male descendants of William Calvert/Colvard have the identical y-DNA as Richard and Pete Colbert. ^[16]
3. John Calvert (only one reference in 1757 as a Private in Capt. Nathaniel Bradford's Edgecombe Precinct Militia along with Thomas Calvert. (Plumtree Island was part of Edgecombe Precinct Militia in 1757 and Capt. Nathaniel Bradford owned property on Plumtree Island).

Sources

1. ↑ "Abstract of Deeds Edgecombe Precinct Edgecombe County North Carolina 1732 through 1758" by Margaret M. Hofmann; p26 late of Joseph Calvert and Amy Besnon Vernon; "2 tracks of land on the south side of Morratock (Roanoke) River on Plumb Tree Island, between the lands of Buckley Kimbrough"
2. ↑ Records of England, List of Traders & Packhorsemen in the Chickasaw Nation as of 22 Jan 1766 included "James Calbert", trader.
3. ↑ "History of the North-American Indians, Their Customs, etc." p398 by James Adair & published in 1930 by Watauga Press of Johnson City
4. ↑ Braden, Guy B. “The Colberts and the Chickasaw Nation.” Tennessee Historical Quarterly, vol. 17, no. 3, 1958, pp. 222–249. JSTOR, Braden. Accessed 28 July 2020.
5. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/52419856/james-logan-colbert : accessed 07 May 2022), memorial page for James Logan Colbert (1721–7 Jan 1784), Find A Grave: Memorial #52419856, ; Maintained by Anastasia (contributor 46957256) Burial Details Unknown.
6. ↑ Don Martini, "Chickasaw Empire: The Story of the Colbert Family 1721-1907"
7. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #69257896 for Maj. James Colbert (Jr. 1768-1842)
8. ↑ "Natchez Court Records 1767-1805: Abstracts of Early Records published in 1953 by Edwards Brothers Inc. of Ann Arbor, MI; p257-258 Colbert to Miller on 12 Nov 1783 & forwarded in May to John Miller, Colbert's solicitor
9. ↑ "Miscellaneous Letters Addressed to Congress 1775-1789" Papers of the Continental Congress, John Donne at Falls of the Ohio River to General James Wilkenson on 17 Jan 1784; p6; Microcopy M247; roll#104; item#78; v24; p437.
10. ↑ "McGillivray of the Creeks" p68 by John Walton Caughey & published in 1938 by University of Oklahoma Press in Norman, OK.
11. ↑ Gilmer, Robert. “Chickasaws, Tribal Laws, and the Mississippi Married Women's Property Act of 1839.” Journal of Mississippi History, vol. 68, no. 2, 2006, p. 138., https://archive.org/details/sim_journal-of-mississippi-history_2006_summer_68_2/page/138/mode/2up. Accessed 7 May 2022.
12. ↑ "Deeds of Halifax County, North Carolina 1758-1771" by Dr. Stephen E. Bradley, Jr.; p 241, 82, 120, 361; Deed book#10 p260 on 18 April 1768: "Thomas Colvard of Bute County to William Martin of the Town of Halifax, 80 pounds proclamation money. Lot#37 in the Town of Halifax. Allen Jones. Witnesses: Leonard Henley Bullock, George Williamson. November Court 1768"
13. ↑ "Bute County, North Carolina Minutes of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions 1767-1779" by Brent Howard Holcomb; p16: "Second Tuesday in February, 1768. On Motion, Ordered that lycence be granted to Thomas Calvert to keep ordinary at Williams Parks commonly called Middle Town; William Park and Joseph Long securities proved of by the Court."
14. ↑ "Histories of the Dividing Line betwixt Virginia and North Carolina" p335 by William Byrd, II.
15. ↑ "Descendants of Virginia Calverts" by Ella Foy O'Gorman; book#17 p703-719 William of Chesterfield County, VA.
16. ↑ Family Tree DNA

Acknowledgments

• WikiTree profile Colbert-150 was created on 08 Jun 2013 by Scott Ledbetter through the import of Ledbetter01.ged

• WikiTree profile Colbert-836 was created on 06 Aug 2018 by Susan (Jost) Tanner