The Catawba Indian Agent (1840-1943) 

In 1763 the Catawbas signed the treaty of Augusta. Their numbers reduced greatly by disease and warfare, they ceded most of their lands and moved to a 15 square mile reservation. This reservation was on both sides of the Catawba river and encompassed territory in Lancaster and York Counties. Modern day Rock Hill, Fort Mill, Tega Cay and Indian Land were all part of the Catawba Indian Nation. 

J Drayton Map, thought to be from the 1820s. 

As time progressed the Catawbas leased much of their tribal lands to white settlers. Their numbers continued to decline and eventually the settlers coerced them into ceding the reservation. In 1840, after 77 years the Catawba reservation was dissolved. 

The Catawbas had been promised a home in North Carolina but North Carolina refused them. They wandered homeless until South Carolina purchased a one square mile reservation for them. This "old reservation" is still part of today's lands. 

In 1840, the state began appointing an Indian agent to oversee and provide support for the tribe. The legislature provided a yearly amount which the agent distributed to tribal members.The agent also handled burials and medical expenses and submitted a yearly report to the comptroller general. A sample report below from Captain A. E. Smith, an early mayor of Rock Hill and the longest serving agent. 

Report of the Comptroller General of the State of South Carolina to the General Assembly for the Fiscal year Ending October 31, 1887: 

Agent reports and correspondence provide important information in a time of scarce historical documentation. When the Catawbas were federally recognized in 1943, the office of Catawba Indian Agent was no longer necessary after 103 years. 

Below is a listing of all known Catawba Indian agents. Some were strong advocates such as T.O. Flowers who testified for the Catawbas in the US Congress and tried to get Reservation children enrolled at Rock Hill High School. We know relatively little about some agents and may have their terms in office wrong. The older records are often sketchy or missing. 

The following chart was created by the archivist using research notes compiled by Dr. Thomas J Blumer many years ago. We are grateful for his research. 

SC Catawba Indian Agents, 1840-1943

SC Catawba Indian Agents, 1840-1943	Term:
Joseph White	1840-1848
Massey, Benjamin Sykes	1850-1854
Ivey, Rev. Adam (1798-1888)	1855-1860
Patton, John R	1861-1866
Whitesides, Thomas	Dec. 1866-1868
Morrow?
Pride, CJ	1871?
O’Connell, PJ (?-1875)	1869-1872
Owens, ML	Dec. 1873-Dec. 1874
Crook, RL	1875-1877
Whyte, William	1877-1882
Smith, AE (1844-1917)	1883-1897
Hayes, JH	1898
Boyd, Tom W	1899-1902
Simpson, JM	1903-1905
Lesslie, J Dixon	1906-1911
White, SH	1912-1915
Williams, OK	1915-1923
Spratt, JE	1924
Flowers, TO (?-10/21/1939)	1925-1936
Wingate, RE	1937-1938
Britt, Quince Edward	Jan. 1939-Jun. 1939
Leslie, D. Grier	Jun. 1939-1941
Neely, Roy	1942-1943
Other Agents:
Rice, David J – Catawba relocation to Choctaw lands	1859-1860

The Native American Studies Archive seeks to know more about these individuals, their lives and their work with the Catawba Nation. Please contact us with any additional information.