Seminole Delegation of 1852

[Diane Merkel]

Charlie sent the photo below because of my interest in the Seminoles. I must admit that I have not studied them and cannot answer his questions. Can anyone help? He wrote:

Seminole delegation (1852) – I am only sure of the third chief seated (from left): Billy Bowlegs. Who are the others chiefs?

Do you know if photos or paintings exist of the 4 famous Seminole chiefs: Alligator – Arpeika – Jumper - Wild Cat?

[charlie]

This is, very probably, the line-up of the image above:
Standing (L to R) = Fasatche Emathla - Abraham (interpreter)
Sitting (L to R) = Sarparkee Yoholo - John Jumper - Billy Bowlegs - Chocote Tustenuggee
The most important were John Jumper (son of the great chief Jumper) and Billy Bowlegs (nephew of the great chief Micanopy).

[Dietmar]

Here is another portrait of Billy Bowlegs:


allegedly by Antonio Zeno Shindler (SIRIS)

...and John Jumper, later in life:


by Charles Milton Bell (SIRIS)

[grahamew]

1852(?) photo of Bowlegs


Billy Bowlegs, 1858; from Harper's Weekly

[grahamew]

Billy Bowlegs by Carl Wimar, ca. 1858; the artist used photographs as sources for some of his paintings, so this may not have been painted fom life:

[grahamew]

Here's an engraving based on the first image posted in this thread - or another photo that was taken at the time:


A smaller, but better delineated view of the section with John Jumper, Abraham and Billy Bowlegs:


Here's another engraving of Abraham:

[grahamew]

Coloured illustrations of Bowlegs based on the first portrait posted by Dietmar - which was probably taken by John Hawley Clarke





1861 Wimar painting of Bowlegs in action. Wimar painted from life, from his field sketches and from from photos, including those he'd taken himself. Sometimes, however, his 'supporting cast' Indians look more than a little stereotypically Plains Indian - as they do here - which is odd considering the second man in his other painting of Bowlegs (seen above) is clearly dressed as a Seminole. Billy Bowlegs (Holamatico) on the Trail, 1861 (in the collection of the St Louis Art Museum):


This portrait of Bowlegs was taken in 1852. Hard to tell, but he seems older than in the groups portrait above (which I've also seen dated 1853); initially, I wasn't convinced it's the same man, although he wears the sash he has in other pictures:


Billy Bowlegs and chiefs of the Seminole; another illustration of the delegation - one which certainly suggests there was another photo taken of the group:


Long Jack, Bowlegs' lieutenant who was a go-between with General Blake


Bowlegs' younger wife, 1858(?):

[grahamew]

Wild Cat (Coacoochee); 1848 engraving by N. Orr:

[grahamew]

There's an article in Harper's about Billy Bowlegs stopping off at New Orleans after the Seminole War on his way to exile in the West. I'm not sure why it's dated 1853 when it refers to events of 1858!; anyhow, it's reproduced here:
fcit.usf.edu/FLORIDA/docs/b/bowlegs.htm
From this we learn that Long Jack, pictured above, was the brother of Bowlegs' young wife.

Unfortunately, there are no illustrations; however, they can be seen in these reproductions of parts of the article:




No-Kush-Adjo, brother of Bowlegs' older wife and one of his two sub-chiefs who signed the peace with Col. Worth in 1842:


Bowlegs' younger wife, known as the young wife, Mary, was the sister of Fasatchee Emanthkla (Long Jack):


Here's Bowlegs' 'slave' and interpreter, Ben Bruno, who, as the writer informs us, was quick to doff his Seminole duds and dress in store bought clothes:


There's another article - also with a patronising tone - in the New York Times about Bowlegs' visit to New York in 1852:
query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9F01E2DD1231E13BBC4F51DFBF668389649FDE

And another about his 1858 visit to New Orleans:
query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9E07E5D9153CEE34BC4E51DFB3668383649FDE

[Diane Merkel]

Thanks very much Charlie, Dietmar, and Grahame!

Billy Bowlegs is perhaps the best known of his time. Unfortunately, people in my area of Florida -- the northwest Panhandle -- have given his name to a pirate, so his legacy has been corrupted in these parts. Somehow they have managed to link Billy Bowlegs -- the pirate version -- to a Mardi Gras-type festival in June.

It just dawned on me that all three of you are European so you probably don't know or care about Mardi Gras! Sorry!

[Second]

Chief Billy Bowlegs is very respected around the Lake Okeechobee area. The Peeples family who owns the ranch where Bowleg's camp used to be, are very proud of the fact and are very accommodating to any of Bowleg's descendant.

I will like to bring attention to a not so popular leader,Sam Jones,(Abiaki), Medicine Maker and a war Chief. This is a rare thing as in most Native Cultures, the War Chiefs consult with the Medicine Maker for advise, blessings, songs, etc. Sam Jones was both. He participated in all the Seminole Wars and lived to guide all Seminole War Chiefs. A true Seminole Legend. He was 52 when Billy Bowlegs was born and out lived Bowlegs by 8 years, when he died in 1866 at the age of 106.
Today Highway county road (CR)833 in Hendry County runs over old Sam Jones Trail. The trail ended at the Caloosahatchee River, just south of Chief Bowlegs camp.
There are many statues of Abiaki found throughout various locations in South Florida. One is at Tree Tops Park in Davie, where his camp used to be. Multiple Statues of him found at the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation, where he is buried, in an unmarked grave.
He is held in the highest regards,second only to Chief Osceola.

[chicheman]

Thank you, Second, that is interesting to learn about. Would be nice to learn more about the lives of Billy Bowlegs as well as Sam Jones / Abiaki.

Greetings from Germany

[Second]

Hello Diane, how are you? Its been a long time since I have been here. I recently finished my third book, titled: Seminole Trail of Tears, by Sigfried Second-Jumper. This book is my firsthand chronicles of the most significant historical event in modern Seminole history. Can you please post that information for me on this site, in particular the Seminole forum. The history of this historical event was conceived on June 1, 2021, when a members of a group called Loxahatchee Battlefield Preservationist approached me seeking help in having a better relationship with the Seminoles and getting them to attend their annual events at the Loxahatchee Battlefield Park in Jupiter, Florida. That meeting let to another topic, which was their long-term wish of having the Oklahoma Seminoles return to Florida to reunite with their kin, the Florida Seminoles and the Miccosukees after 184 years of separation. After getting personally involved, the miracle they were hoping for 28 years came to realization on April 3 of 2022, which led to the writing of this book.
Thank you very much,
Siggy Jumper

[Second]

I want to start by saying that I have dedicated most of my life to preserving the stories of the Chiricahua Apaches and the Florida Seminoles. For the first time, I am now revealing and preserving a story of an event that involves all Seminoles, those from Oklahoma and Florida. In my book Seminole Trail of Tears, I cover some stories of the Seminoles that have been lost to the darkness of history. Among those, is the story of a legendary Seminole woman whose brave deeds were also lost to the darkness of history. Her name was Polly Parker and she was a member of Chief Billy Bowlegs. After surrendering in Fort Myers, Florida, Chief Bowlegs group of 84 were transferred to Fort Egmont in Tampa, FL as prisoners of war. On May 4 1858, they all boarded a steam ship and began their voyage to the West. On May 5, the vessel stopped in St. Marks to gather wood for the boilers. It was there that Polly and a handful of Seminoles were let out to gather herbal medicine for the sick. On Polly's signal they all stampeded and although a few were recaptured, Polly and a few others managed to escape. “Despite soldiers, dogs, and a posse that hunted them down for weeks, they traveled across the Florida outback for nearly 400 miles and slipped safely to the Lake Okeechobee area. Although her story is known among Seminoles, very few outsiders knew about it. Very little is known about her where abouts and her life after reaching Fort Pierce, FL. Besides revealing her story, I also I had the honor of visiting the hammock that hid her for decades. That story along with photographs are revealed in my book for the first time.

[Second]

Hello Chickeman, just finished writing a book on Seminoles, titled: Seminole Trails of Tears. I have covered a lot of details pertaining to Billy Bowlegs and members of his group, as well as oral stories from Florida Seminoles on Sam Jones.