Historic Figures in Georgia History

Mary Musgrove (ca. 1700-ca. 1763)

Her Creek Indian name was Coosaponakeesa. She was the daughter of the English trader Edward Griffin and a Creek Indian mother. She spoke the Creek language and English. She learned a lot about Indian culture and how they did things. Even though she was half white the Creek Indians welcomed her as a full member of their tribe.

In 1717 she married English trader John Musgrove and they set up a trading post near the Savannah River. She was very helpful in interpreting between the Creeks and the English. John die in 1735.

Mary was an interpretor (she helped them talk to each other) for General Oglethorpe and Tomochichi. She helped them found Savannah and helped Georgia become a strong colony. She was an important person in the colony. She was very helpful in helping General Oglethorpe understand the Indians and keep peace with them.

Mary Musgrove married Jacob Matthews in 1737. He died in 1742.

She married for a third time to the Reverend Thomas Bosomworth. She increased her power with this marriage. She had married a very respectable person and this raised her status in society. She and her husband were a powerful pair in the dealings between the Indians and the English.

There was an argument between Mary Musgrove and the leaders of Georgia over some land that Tomochichi had given Mary in 1737.

 In 1760, after many years of arguing with the leaders of Georgia and England the disagreement was settled. Mary was given 2,100 pounds (this is British money) and St. Catherine's Island. Afterwards she did not play much of a role in English-Indian relations. She died there sometime after 1763.

Mary Musgrove's greatest contribution to Georgia was her ability to communicate between the Creek Indians and the English. Not only could she interpret their words but she also understood the two cultures and worked hard to help them work and grow together. This helped Georgia become the great state it is today.

Source: New Georgia Encyclopedia