General New River

General New River was a Native American leader of the Catawba tribe. Elkana Watson in 1786 called him New River, alias Scott. Of course, Watson did not take in account the fact that Sally's maiden name was Scott-Toole, her biological father was Matthew Toole, and her stepfather William Scott.

He was chief of the Catawba (1780 to 1801) after King Prow was "deposed" at the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. He was the son-in-law of King Haigler/Hagler/Heigler or Nopkehee. He fought in several battles of the American Revolution starting with the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in 1781. General NewRiver-New River was probably born around 1740, he served as Chief in 1794.

He married Sally Scott-Toole, daughter of King Hagler's daughter and white Indian Trader Matthew Toole, a white man. ' The General took the name New River after he killed a great Shawnee chief in battle in 1732.

He was very brave, and served in the Revolutionary War, and is first on the List of Captain Drennan. He served in the Snow Campaign of 1775 where Col. Richard Richardson's forces at 96. He served in the Snow Campaign of 1775 where Col. Richard Richardson's forces at 96 recaptured the gunpowder that was intended for the Cherokee.

The General, according to R. A. Springs, was "more than ordinary, " and held his power through his wife and the respect the few Catawba had for her. In 1786, he presented a petition on behalf of his people to save their hunting rights.

"We your Petitioners, therefore Humbly pray that your Honers out of your great goodness would put a stop to such a glaring breach of Humanity and gratitude, and grant us such privileges of hunting in this state, as in your wisdom you shall think fitt, and we your petitioners as in duty bound shall every pray." While Governor Moultrie was sympathetic, the petition was referred to a committee and the Catawba hunting rights were affirmed by a resolution of the House, the situation probably never changed much.

The story was told of the General sucking snake venom from James Spratt, son of Kanawha Spartt, that saved James' life. The General gave the Spratts the land on the reservation. (This is just one version of who gave the land on the reservation to the Spratts.) General New River even borrowed Thomas Spartt's horse at one time. The General rode the horse hard and Spratt beat him for this infraction. The irony was, that later Spratt killed the same horse, doing exactly what he had beaten General New River for doing.

The General was described by Elkhana Watson in fairly admirable fashion, "his face showed powerful traits of mind and character" while Watson's other description of the Indians was not that generous. Reverend Thomas Coke, the Methodist preacher, described him as: " a tall, grave old man, (who) walked with a mighty staff in his hand: Round his neck he wore a narrow piece (I Think) of leather, which hung down before and was adorned with a great variety of bits of silver. He also had a silver breastplate. Almost all the men and women wore silver nose-rings hanging from the middle gristle of the nose, and some of them had little hearts hanging from the rings."

The General died in 1804 at Kings Bottom.