William McIntosh

William McIntosh (1775 – April 30, 1825), also commonly known as ''Tustunnuggee Hutke'' (White Warrior), was one of the most prominent chiefs of the Creek Nation between the turn of the 19th-century and his execution in 1825. He was a chief of Coweta town and commander of a mounted police force. He became a large-scale planter, built and managed a successful inn, and operated a commercial ferry business.

Early American historians attributed McIntosh's achievements and influence to his mixed race Scots/European ancestry. Since the late 20th century, historians have argued much of McIntosh's political influence stemmed more from his Creek upbringing and cultural standing, particularly his mother's prominent Wind Clan in the Creek matrilineal system, and to other aspects of Creek culture.

Because McIntosh led a group that negotiated and signed the Treaty of Indian Springs in February 1825, which ceded much of remaining Creek lands to the United States in violation of Creek law, for the first time the Creek National Council ordered that a Creek be executed for crimes against the Nation. It sentenced him and other signatories to death. McIntosh was executed by his long-time political nemesis Menawa and a large force of Law Menders in late April 1825. Two other signatories were executed and another, while McIntosh's son, Chilly, was shot at, but escaped unharmed. Menawa signed a treaty in 1826 that was very similar in both language and benefits, but one which the Creek National Council had agreed to and was therefore considered a legitimate treaty according to contemporary Creek law.

The vast majority of Chief McIntosh's descendants voluntarily moved to Indian Territory in modern-day Oklahoma prior to forced federal government removals via the Trail of Tears, which began in 1831. Two of Chief McIntosh's sons, Chilly & Daniel, served as Confederate officers during the American Civil War. Daughter Kate and her family became pre-statehood pioneers of the Florida Panhandle. Daughters Rebecca and Delilah moved to East Texas with their husbands, developing plantations there. Rebecca married again after her first husband died young, and by 1860 was the wealthiest woman in Texas, owning three plantations with a total of 12,800 acres and 120 slaves. Provided by Wikipedia