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Mary Musgrove Research Paper

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Known as Coosaponakeesa among the Creek Indians, Mary Griffin, later known as Mary Musgrove, was born in the Wind Clan of the Creek tribe. She was born in 1700 in a small settlement of Coweta near the present day Macon, Georgia. She was the daughter of an English trader, Edward Griffin, and a Creek Indian mother, who was related to Emperor Brims, a high level Muscogee Indian. In 1717, Mary Griffin married John Musgrove, who was an English trader. Her named soon change to Mary Musgrove. They both set up a trading post near the Savannah River. Mary knew both Creek and English, therefore she helped her husband as an interpreter and used her kin ties to attract clients. When Georgia was established in 1773, it provided an expansion of their role for the Musgroves on the southern frontier. The Trustees granted John some land at Yamacraw Bluff on the Savannah River when he accompanied James Oglethorpe on a trip to England. Oglethorpe was the founder of Georgia who was locked in negotiations with Indian chief Tomochichi. James recognized that Mary had the ability to speak two languages. This made her more able to communicate between the …show more content…
There are two ways to be inside the kinship ties are through marriage and adoption. The marriage between Mary and John is living proof that marriage is used to create kinships ties with whites. Tomochichi’s initial encounters with James Oglethorpe were designed to create fictitious lines of kinship to ease reciprocity. Mary was an easy out going woman who anyone could trust. James Oglethorpe and Tomochichi both, depended and trusted her with her getting the translation right and being able to make peaceful negotiations. This qualities made her a great businesswoman and people felt comfortable around her for the same reason that she is somebody who you can depend on and

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