The Killing Of John Fleming & Daniel Moffit 1793.

The following is a statement given by Robert Brown and Ann Gray, on the Killing of John Fleming and Daniel Moffit, on or about the 10th of March 1793.


STATE OF GEORGIA, Camden County:

Personally appeared before us, justices assigned to keep the peace of said county, Robert Brown an inhabitant of Great Setilla, who, being duly sworn, depose and saith, that he, the said Robert Brown, went in company with Daniel Moffit, on Sunday, the tenth of this instant, to the house of James Allen, on the river St. Mary’s between Colerain and Trader’s Hill’ on the next morning went to Mr. Gascoin’s store, about one mile above said Allen’s, having then in company, John Galphin and James Allen. On their arrival at Mr. Gascoin’s, they met an Indian well, known in this country, called Paddy Donnelly; that this Indian informed them that he had fallen in the day before with three Indians, who belonged to a camp of Creek Indians then within a few miles, who he said were painted for war, and bent on doing mischief on this frontier; and the said Indians said that it was war all over and that parties of Creeks were out to do mischief on the Oconee.


They also said, that they should have killed Mr. Tillet and all his family, who lived at a place of James Allen’s, about four miles from. Trader’s Hill, but were prevented by a Lackaway Indian, then encamped near said Tillet’s; this was on Sunday the 10th: That, being desirous of knowing more of this information, he, the said Brown, together with James Allen, John Galphin, and said Moffit, went to the store of Robert Seagrove, at Trader’s Hill, where they met three of the identical Indians mentioned by Paddy Donnelly: That John Galphin endeavored to draw them into conversation, and to discover their intentions, but they refused, and would not know him, saying he was dressed as a white man, and that the red people were all at war with the whites.

Galphin expressed a desire of going to their camp, and was attended by one of the said. Indians, this deponent James Allen, and Daniel Moffit, to the neighborhood of said camp: That Galphin and Allen went into the camp, where they remained about two hours, and, then returned to where this deponent and Moffit were, having with them about ten Indians, all of whom were armed and on horseback, except one: That the whole party then proceeded together to the store of Robert Seagrove, at Trader’s Hill where Mr. John Fleming inquired the news.

When Mr. Galphin answered, that matters were much better than they had heard when going up, on which Mr. Fleming asked them in to take a drink; at which instant, three Indians belonging to the party who rode in company, stepped also into the store, offering for sale three or four deer skins, which Mr. Fleming bought, and was paying the Indians for, all appearing in perfect good temper and pleased, when a gun was fired by one of the said party of Creek Indians from outside of the door, which killed the before mentioned Daniel Moffit, who was standing by the counter in said store, and within a few feet of this deponent: That John Galphin, who was then in the store, ran out and endeavored to prevent further mischief; that this deponent also went out and saw Galphin run after the Indian who fired the gun; that this deponent returned into the store, and found the before mentioned Daniel Moffit lying on the floor dead, from the wound received from the shot fired. At this time, all the Indians pressed to enter into the store, on which this deponent rushed out of the store, and fled into some bushes about fifty yards front said store, where he could distinctly hear the Indians murdering the before mentioned John Fleming: That at this juncture, all the Indians raised the war-whoop or yell.

That from the time of killing Mr. Moffit until the Indians went away, this deponent thinks it was three hours, it being the dusk of Monday evening when it begun: That this deponent remained concealed until all was quiet and the Indians gone off, when he approached towards the store, and heard two children crying in a room adjoining the store, which children belonged to Mrs. Ann Gray, whom the Indians beat arid abused, as this deponent could distinctly hear while he lay in the bushes: That this deponent understood from Mr. Galphin and Mr. Allen, that all this party belonged to the town where a James Burges, an Indian trader lives, on Flint river, in the Lower Creeks, and that a brother-in-law and son of Burges, was of the party: That this deponent swam the river St. Mary’s, and went to the house of a Mr. Fitch, in Florida, about two miles, and informed of all that had passed, and got Fitch to go to said store, to see how matters then were: That the Indians took off this deponent’s horse, together with several others from the store.

Ann Gray’s Deposition.
STATE OF GEORGIA, Camden County.

Personally appeared before me, one of the justices assigned to keep the peace of said county, Ann Gray, and being duly sworn, saith, that, on the eleventh instant, (March) that she, the said Ann Gray, being at the store of Robert Seagrove, in the care of John Fleming, at Trader’s Hill, on St. Mary’s river, between sunset and dark, there came a certain James Upton and John Galphin, to said store; that, after some time, there came four Indians, three of whom had some skins to sell, and the said Fleming chalked out the price of them, and the said Indians seemed well satisfied; that two of them received their payment, and the other said he would have his on the next day. That as the said Fleming was getting a bottle of rum, for a certain James Allen, there was a gun fired at the door of the store; that she, the said Ann Gray, heard a certain Daniel Moffit say, he was a dead man, and went and lay down.

The said John Fleming asked what it did, mean, and, called for John Galphin; that Galphin was not to be found; there were two Indians then in. the store, which the said Fleming asked to stay in the store: that they were his friends, and that they were all his friends, and endeavored to prevail with them not to go out; that the said Fleming endeavored to shut the door, but there came so many against it, that he could not and that she the said Ann Gray, saw a number of Indians lay hold of the said Fleming, and threw him on the floor, and some of the Indians took hold of her and forced her out of the door and. that she, the said. Ann Gray, heard the said John Fleming cry out, the Lord have mercy on me, and could hear him speak no more: That the Indians did beat, abuse, and tie her, the said Ann Gray, and she saw them robbing the store and carrying off the goods.