George Jacob 'Big Jake' Troxel

Pvt. George Jacob Troxel

• BIRTH 18 Jan 1758 Frederick County, Maryland, USA
• DEATH his pension records clearly state he died in DeKalb County, Alabama about 1843.
• BURIAL Jacob Troxel Cemetery, McCreary County, Kentucky, USA, PLOT Section 1, Row 1, Grave 1 (memorial only)

Seems to have (not) been the basis for the fictional “Big Jake.”

So far have not found a citation for the given name “George Jacob.”

Military Identification

DAR Ancestor DAR#A201036

• TROXELL, JACOB
• Service: VIRGINIA Rank(s): PRIVATE
• Birth: 1759 FREDERICK CO MARYLAND
• Death: 7-1-1843 DEKALB CO ALABAMA
• Pension Number: *SR10717
• Service Source: *SR10717
• Service Description: 1) CAPTS FORD, LEWIS; COLS CRAWFORD, WEST

NSSAR Patriot Ancestor. NSSAR Ancestor #: P-307312 Rank: PVT

Family

Married

• 1) X (not Princess Cornblossom, who did not exist.)
• 2) Elizabeth X WIDOW'S APPLICATION WAS REJECTED BECAUSE NO PROOF OF MARRIAGE WAS PROVIDED.

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Jacob Troxel’s children are mentioned in the book “Jonathan Blevins Sr. of Virginia and His Descendants” by Laccie W. and Ray E. Blevins, who listed what little information they had on the Troxel’s children, which this author has added to.

1. Peter “Little Jake” b. 1781 m. Saleechie “Standing Fern” abt. 1801 d, 1810
2. Catherine “Katy” b. 1783 m.Jonathan Blevins Jr. April 7, 1803 d. 1813
3. Sarah “Sary” b. 1785–1787 m. (1) William Blevins #8 (2) Thomas Bell ca. 1830
4. Mary “Polly” b. 1788 m.Talton Blevins on Nov. 21, 1807
5. Margaret “Peggy” b. 1789 m. James Bell ca. July 5th 1809
6. Elizabeth “Lizzy” b. 1792 m.James Vaughn d. after 1850
7. William “Willy” b. 1795-1800 m. unknown

Origins

It’s highly probable that this Jacob Troxell was the grandson of the Peter Troxell who died in Frederick, Maryland in 1766. Peter named in his will eight children: Peter, Daniel, David, John, Christian, Frederick, Julianah, and Margaritha.

Children of David and Anna Troxel [3]

1. George Jacob Troxel b. 1759 Fredrick Co., MD d. 1 Jul 1843
2. John Troxel b. 1760 Fredrick Co., MD d. bef. 1830
3. Frederick Troxel Sr. b. 27 Mar 1762 Fredrick Co., MD d. aft. 1830
4. Mary Troxel b. abt. 1763 Fredrick Co., MD
5. David Troxel b. abt. 1770 Loudoun County, VA d. aft 1850
6. Catherine Troxel b. abt 1772 Loudoun County, VA

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Disambiguation

“ George Jacob is not usually associated with "Big Jake" except in the book "Troxel Trails". A descendant did bear this name, thus it is possible that "George has been "applied". Two given names were unusual at his date of birth.” (Actually - no, Swiss & German given names were double barreled, the first being a baptismal name, the second the “use” name.)

“ How do we know that Jacob Troxel = "Big Jake"? (2017)

"Big Jake" was introduced to the world in 1958 by Troxel descendant Thomas H. Troxel in a 45-page book called Legion of the Lost Mine. In his forward, the author admits to fictionalizing some of the characters. About Big Jake's origins, T. Troxel writes that Big Jake was born in Philadelphia in 1757 "of Swiss parentage and had received his education in the city of independence and brotherly love. He enlisted in Washington's Colonial army when he was sixteen years old [1773] and served nearly four years [1777] during the Revolutionary War." (p 9)
Jacob Troxel's own testimony when applying for a military pension is that he was born in 1759 in Frederick Co., Maryland (not Philadelphia), and that he enlisted in 1777 (when he would have been about 20) in Loudon County, Virginia; his service in the war was on again, off again, and concluded his service in late 1781 after having marched to Yorktown, Virginia where Gen. Washington obtained the surrender of Lord Cornwallis. Some of that on again, off again service included time in Pennsylvania; none of it included time in Kentucky; per his own testimony, Jacob Troxel did not arrive in Kentucky until 1801/2.
Therefore "Big Jake" -- if he existed at all -- who supposedly married a daughter of a Cherokee chief in Kentucky before the conclusion of the Revolutionary War, could not have been this Jacob Troxel.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Troxell-17

There are at least three Jacob Troxels (sometimes spelled Trachsel or even Draxel), all of whom served during the Revolutionary War, that have been conflated by 20th century individuals.

1. Jacob Troxel (1758-1834), this profile, born Maryland, lived in Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and finally Alabama where he died. He has a pension application that describes his service in Virginia (and by his own testimony was never in Pennsylvania).[20]
2. Jacob Troxell born about 1745-1750; second class in the 6th company of the Philadelphia County militia.[21] However, the Philadelphia Jacob Troxel must be a different as the Jacob Troxel born 1658 in Maryland, but who also served in the Revolutionary war, per his own testimony, was never in Pennsylvania.
3. Jacob Troxel or Truxall of Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania (DAR patriot number A116288).
4. There may be a 4th Jacob Troxel aka Draxel who served out of Northumberland/Northampton, Pennsylvania.[22] Or this was #3 above? (needs checking)

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https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/506703/is-pawalin-cornblossom-doublehe...

https://www.familytreedna.com/public/Troxell?iframe=yresults

Military Service

Per Veterans Administration information, Jacob, not George Jacob is generally as follows. Words, not fact, have been cut: Letter dated 9 Oct 1935 VA.

Record of only one Jacob Troxel, Pension Claim R.10717. Claim states was born 1759 in Frederick Co., MD, lived there for 13 years, then to Loudon Co., VA. He enlisted winter of 1777, 2nd winter of 1778 in Captain Ford's company, Colonel Crawford's VA Regiment under General McIntosh's expedition against the Indians. 3rd, 6 months in Captain Lewis's Company, Colonel West"s VA Regiment. He lived in Loudon Co., VA about 19 years, moved back to MD for 4 years, then to Sullivan Co.,TN for 4 years then to Sevier Co., TN for 3 years, thence to Pulaski Co., KY for 20 years (he lived in the part of Pulaski that became Wayne Co in 1894), then to Jackson Co., AL for 4 years, then to Marion Co, TN He died 1 July 1843 in DeKalb Co., AL where he resided. He was survived by his widow Elizabeth, who was denied a pension, probably because she could not document her marriage. Jacob was granted a pension of $43.33 per year. The date of the petition was 23 Aug 1832. Jacob was 75 years old at that time. The dates he gave conflict slightly with actual county records as below: his grandfather's will was recorded in 1766, the Will is thought to have indicated that his father was no longer in Maryland. Jacob was on the Pulaski Co., KY Tax List in 1801 and listed as a delinquent tax payer in Wayne 'Co., KY in 1820 move "moved to Tennessee, and he did not apear in the 1820 Wayne Co., KY Census. It appears he joined other members of his family in Jackson Co., AL sometime around 1820, his son William and his first Cousin Michael Troxell lived there. In Tennessee, his father and Uncle Christian were with him in Sullivan County. Christian is also found in Pulaski Co., KY. ( According to Richard M Troxel, in the book, "Troxel(l) Trails", Christian may have been his father.

"Big Jake" Jacob Troxel Revolutionary War Pension Claim - REVOLUTIONARY WAR CLAIM R 10777 State of Tennessee, Marion County – County Court August Session 1832:

"On the 22nd day of August 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the worshipful Justices of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of the County of Marion and the State of Tennessee now sitting, being a court of record, Jacob Troxel, a resident of Marion County and State of Tennessee, aged about 73 years who being first duly sworn according to law doth make on his oath the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed Jun 7th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and have as herein after served as herein after stated, to wit: First: He was drafted in Loudoun County in the state of Virginia in the winter he believes of the year 1777, his captain's name he can not recollect He with the company to which he belonged was ordered to guard and conduct some prisoners taken from the British to the lower parts of Virginia which services he performed then returned to Loudoun County and was dismissed by his officers but got no discharge was in service something more than one month. In the winter (as well as he can recollect), of the year 1778 he volunteered in a horse company at a place called Red Stone, the name of the county not recollected, he believes in the state of Virginia. His officers were Captain Ford and Colonel Crawford the same that was afterwards burned by the Indians Marched to Fort McIntosh and there joined the regulars commanded by Colonel Campbell and General McIntosh had the command of the troops and marched against the Shawnees and Delaware Indians after remaining at a Fort the name of which he does not recollect he returned and was dismissed by his officers about harvest in the same year after having served six months got no discharge. In the summer of the year 1781 he was drafted in Loudoun County and state of Virginia, His officers were Captain Lewis and Colonel West. He joined the troops under General Washington who was marching to York Town in Virginia and remained under Washington until after Lord Cornwallis was taken and for some time afterwards and was then dismissed by Captain Lewis some time in the fall of the same year after having been in service six months but got no discharge. He knows of no person living by which he can prove his services. He was acquainted with General Washington and Colonel Campbell and officers of the regular Army besides other officers whose names he does not recollect. He was born (from the best information he can collect) in the year 1759 in the county of Frederick in the state of Maryland and lived there 13 years and removed to Loudoun County state of Virginia where he lived 19 years removed back to the state of Maryland and remained there 4 years, removed to Sullivan County in the state of Tennessee and remained there 4 years, removed to Sevier County in the state of Tennessee and remained there 3 years removed to Pulaski County, Kentucky and remained there 2 years removed to Wayne County Kentucky and remained there about 20 years and removed to Jackson County Alabama and remained there 4 years and from there he removed to Marion County in the State of Tennessee where he has lived about 4 years. He states that he is known in his neighborhood to John Hail, Luke Hendrox, esquire, Richard Blevins, Josiah Conn a clergyman, James Cooper and Tarton Blevins who can testify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution. He states that he has no record of his age nor never has seen one. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity except the present and declare that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.

Jacob Troxell

We, Josiah Conn a clergyman, a resident of the county of Marion and John Hail and Richard Blevins, residents of the same county hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Jacob Troxell who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be 73 years of age; that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and we concur in that opinion .

Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid

Josiah Conn

John Hail

Richard Blevens

And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and as he states. And the court further certifies that it appears to them that Josiah Conn, who has signed this proceeding ________ is a clergyman resident in the county of Marion and that John Hail and Richard Blevins ____ has signed the same, are residents of the same county and are creditable persons and that their statements are ____ to credit.

John Mitchell

Jon_______

Amos Griffith

I, John P. Kellly, Clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for Marion County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Jacob Troxel for a pension.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and private seal of office for the time being no seal of office ____ at office in Jasper this 23tr day of August 1832 .

Jno Kelly, Clk"

In the Military Record is a letter from the Treasury Department dated 25 April 1916 to the Commissioner of Pensions reading:

“Sir: In reply to your letter of the 21st instant, you are informed that according to the latest account rendered by the U.S. Pension Agent at Knoxville, Tennessee, the records of this office show last payment to have been made to Jacob Troxel, Pri. Army Rev, certificate No. 19080, at $43.33 per annum to July 1, 1843, the date of his death, to William O. Winston, Attorney for Elizabeth Troxel, widow. Said pensioner died in DeKalb County, Alabama, where he had resided.

Respectfully, Oscar A. Price, Auditor”

There is a letter from the Treasury Department dated Sept. 9, 1845 to the Commissioner of Pensions, giving the same information as above. There is a brief listing of Jacob's three terms of service, and several questions. One was: In what battles was he engaged? the answer -- none. There are several letters written over the years from private citizens (descendants) inquiring about Jacob's service in the Revolution. Records of one only Jacob Troxell exist in the Military Archives of Virginia.

Pension claim R 10777 - Elizabeth, his widow survived him, and was denied a continuance of pension, probably because she could not document their marriage. Jacob was granted a pension of $43.33 per year … the petition was dated August 23, 1832, Jacob was 75 yrs old.

From the 1835 TENNESSEE PENSIONERS ROLL (Revolutionary War)

MARION COUNTY TENNESSEE

JACOB TROXELL

PRIVATE

VIRGINIA LINE

ANNUAL ALLOWANCE: $43.33

ANNUAL ALLOTMENT: $ 129.99

DATE STARTED: August 2, 1833

AGE: 75

Jake's widow Elizabeth hired an attorney to assist her in continuance of Jake's pension ... their efforts failed, and we cannot understand why. Her marriage record to Jake is extant, as is his marriage record to Elizabeth Brewer. Our guess is ... her assets were too great, and she did not need the money.

Story

Evidence needed to support that “Big Jake” was the same person as Jacob Troxel

The following romantic (and probably spurious) story is often found in circulation on the Web; more accurate, documented information comes from the research of Charles Austin and Bill Emmett.

BIG JAKE TROXEL AND CORNBLOSSOM - At the entrance to the Yahoo Falls Recreation Area of the Daniel Boone National Forest, is located a single lonely grave, surrounded by a simple pole fence and marked by a standard U.S. Army Quartermaster headstone which bears a Star of David and the inscription:

JACOB TROXEL,PENNSYLVANIA PVT 6 CO, PHILADELPHIA CO MILITIA, REVOLUTIONARY WAR. JANUARY 18,1758 - OCTOBER 10 1810

Jacob Troxel didn't die a physical death in the massacre at Yahoo Falls (SEE ALSO) as some say. Rather, what he was died and his body was secreted away where he died some time later in Alabama. Why would such prominent Chickamaugan leaders, such as Big Jake and Doublehead, deaths be faked? To save their people from slaughter! *The Philadelphian Troxels trace their ancestors to the Hebrews of Asia Minor. Peter Troxel was born in Switzerland in 1691. Peter, his wife, and two small sons sailed to America on the ship Samuel and disembarked in Philadelphia in 1733. When l5 years old, he was living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the outbreak of the American Revolution. He enlisted with other young patriots in the sixth company of the Philadelphia Militia where he served four years in the Continental Army. This included the terrible winter of 1777-1778 with General George Washington's army at Valley Forge. As the main effort of the Revolutionary War appeared to be moving south and the British employment of Indian allies increased, Jacob Troxel was selected by Washington's staff as one of several young men to move by a round-about route into the back country, posing as an Indian trader, for the purpose of preventing the Indian tribes from joining with the British against the Continental Army. Young Jacob Troxel, known as Big Jake because of his height of over six feet and easy friendly manner, was assigned to work with the Indians of the Upper Cumberland River. Travelling down the Ohio River he took a long round-about route to reach his destination. Travelling overland from the Ohio he reached the old French trading post at Vincennes which was the center of the western Indian trade. While there he made friends with a young Cherokee brave named Tuckahoe, the son of an important chief of the tribe of Cherokee (Tsa-Waagan Tribe) living along the Upper Cumberland River in the general area of today's McCreary, Pulaski and Wayne counties. At the invitation of the young brave, Jacob Troxel agreed to return with him to his home village and to trade for skins and furs that the tribe might produce. After a trip of about 200 miles Trader Troxel and young Tuckahoe arrived at the home village where Troxel was received by the chief, known as Chief Doublehead by the white hunters, with great respect and ceremony due a distinguished visitors.

The Marriage of Jacob Troxell and Cornblossom - The Cherokee wedding was held at and around Doubleheads Cave (Wayne County). The ceremony was tribal. It is said in true memories and stories handed down through my generations of ancestors that the country side was in its late spring beauty. Wild tree and field flowers were still in full bloom especially the wild mountain laurel.

"The Beloved Woman" then young Cornblossom, was said to have charmed everyone with her beauty as her blood ancestor War Woman She Who Carries the Sun (for her people) had done during the French and Indian War. Blossom of the Corn (Cornblossom) was said to have worn specially made wedding clothes, highly decorated beaded sandals, and special jewelled traditional Chickamaugan headpiece made by the Clan Mothers, over her left ear was said to be a beautiful ornamental wing of the bluebird. It was said that Cornblossom carried many blossoms and wild roses that perfumed the air with sweetness, and also an ear of special Clan field corn. This special ear of corn from the field of her Cherokee clan symbolized the 1st woman who was called Selu in Cherokee. Jacob Troxell brought and carried the finest of meat partly symbolizing his care of the 1st man who was called Kanati in Cherokee. The 1st man and woman on this world can be found in the stories of the Cherokee of "The Story of the Cornmaiden". Cornblossom walked with the Great Thunderbolt War Chief and Chickamaugan Principal Chief Dragging Canoe. Dragging Canoe was said to have led Cornblossom to the center front of Doubleheads Cave (Hines Cave at Mills Springs, Monticello, Kentucky). This special cave was the burial chambers of the ancients and diplomatic parlay headquarters of the northern provisional capital of the Chickamaugan Cherokee Nation. "Big Jake" Jacob Troxell was accompanied by the famous Cherokee Thunderbolt Peace Chief Hanging Maw from another direction. Some say Cherokee War Chief Doublehead performed the ceremony himself but according to the Cherokee custom this was not allowed. Some highly believe that Dick Justice performed the ancient rites as he was in attendance to this event. Dick Justice was shaman and powerful Chickamaugan Chief from the south near Lookout Mountain and came with Dragging Canoe. Dick Justice had fought with and along side Dragging Canoe in many many Chickamaugan raids. Soon Jacob Troxell will join in these raids and fight alongside Dick Justice, Doublehead and his 100, Dragging Canoe, and the rest of the "Bloody 7" chiefs. Beloved Maiden Wurteh who was oft times called Wurty or Wutty by the people and Molly Running Wolf by non-Indians was Doubleheads sister (later to become the mother of Sequoyah who invented the Cherokee alphabet) was also in attendance and given a high seat of honor at Doubleheads Cave (Hines Cave) and the wedding ceremony. After all this area was her birth and homeland as well (later she will remove herself to Tennessee where Sequoyah will be born). Many holy and medicine people were there to oversee the correctness of the ceremonial meaning, purifying the land with smoke and prays. A great Beloved Woman with her 7 assistants were there to overlook many matters of Cherokee importance. Many warriors and war women were in attendance which were decked in the fanciest of fancy, as a Cherokee would always do, wearing many honors. This ceremony will last for several days with much game playing, amusement, serious contemplations, and celebrations including the great Cherokee warriors Dance of the Buffalo Horns and Eagle Tail Dance on which Jacob Troxell was given a seat with the leaders White Peace and Red War, and talked among the elders with their great ancient wisdom. And of Cornblossom, she held high adoration among the Most Honored Woman the Ghighau and held distinction at the Council of Women.

Many Native people attended and had traveled far to attend this special Chickamaugan Cherokee wedding and celebration. In attendance were some Shawnee high leaders such as Chiefs Walking Bear and Broken Stick from across the Cumberland River as well as some Creek from the south, Chickasaw from western KY and western Tennessee, Choctaw from the south, Yuchee from Tennessee, Mingo from Northern KY, Ottawa, Miami, and Delaware from across the Ohio River. But all the possessions and its native bearing were looked over by the Cherokees of the Chickamaugans. It is said that at least 1 if not more dignitaries of all the inter-tribal nations came to witness this event, there were some, though few in numbers, who came from the far northern resistance movement of the Ojibwe and Great Lakes Tribes to the Gulf of Mexico in the south. The reason being, Doublehead was not only a high Chickamaugan War Chief and well known for his resistance movement with his brothers and family relations, but was a Chickamaugan district Chief from Knoxville Tennessee to the Ohio River, 2nd in command to his brother Dragging Canoe who was Principal Chief of the whole Chickamaugan Cherokee Nation, and came from an ancestral blood line of Great Leaders who fought in the ancient Mound Builders War that reduced the then 14 clans of the Cherokee to the present 7 clans as we see them today. Doublehead was head of the Kentucky Cherokees, the Cherokees of the north, at this time. All the historical "Bloody 7" attended. It was as if the traditional Chickamaugan capital at Running Water Town near Lookout Mountain of the 5 lower Chickamauga towns had been moved briefly temporarily to Monticello Kentucky to the Hines Cave (Doubleheads Cave) area and northern upper Chickamauga towns on the Kentucky Cumberland River. Sacred Smoke from the councils, houses, squares, and other areas filled the sky.

Where this traditional wedding was performed, at Doubleheads (Hines) Cave, it was the diplomatic headquarters for thousands of years. Many mounds and people dwelled throughout the area of Wayne County, especially along the Cumberland River and its many tributaries. This was the place where all tribal bonding occurred through friendship and inter-tribal agreements. This was as one would say today, the Cherokee White House and Embassy of the Kentucky Cherokees and the Cumberland Plateau for the Cherokee Nations northern provincial capital. This area was the birthplace of Doublehead and many others of the northern Cherokee Nation of the Chickamaugans.

With Chief Oconostota, Attakullakulla, and Dragging Canoe at their sides, and many Cherokee warriors posted all along the way as honor, the children with bunches of wild flowers, led by the very young honored little girl named Standing Fern (who will later become a mighty War Leader and marry the 1st born son of Jacob and Cornblossom called War Chief Peter Troxell), and a little boy named Hopping crow, they all paraded down to the nearby stream and onward to the Cumberland riverside called Ta-Eache by the Cherokee, River of the Blue Flute. Some children, further upstream, threw wild flowers into the running water, as the final Cherokee rites of the wedding ceremony are performed. It was said that Jacob Troxell and Cornblossom faced each other, hand in hand, until all the wild flowers floated by .... symbolizing that their lives were to continue as one stream, in a journey, as some would say "Until Death Do Them Part" (how true this would later become on Friday August 10th, 1810).

Also among the guests at the wedding were some non-Indian friendlies: John Mounce of Rock Creek, Thomas Bell of the Blue Hole, and some few others accepted by, and adopted by the surrounding tribal people. Of the occasion, colonial fiddle music was played by Mr Bell and of course the mighty Chickamaugan Cherokee celebrated the wedding as drums, singing, and dancing echoed through the whole Cumberland Plateau with great ceremonial bearing of two great people. A special nearby marital Cherokee place in Wayne County had been prepared for them by others for Jacob and Cornblossom.

At this time of the wedding all the area below the Cumberland River belonged to the Cherokee Nation (which included all of Wayne and the counties east and westward). The Cherokee commerce center at Burnside had also been earlier moved to the Doubleheads Cave area due to the treaty between the land speculators of Henderson and the Transylvania Company of 1775 which supposedly claimed all the land from the Cumberland River northward to the Ohio River. Later this treaty of Sycamore Shoals will be found illegal by the new american colony government at Philadelphia. So during this wedding, Wayne County was a prosperous and highly populated Cherokee territory with many Cherokee people. Near Doubleheads Cave on both sides of the Cumberland River were mound after mound of Cherokee dwellings. Wayne/Pulaski/McCreary and the surrounding counties was truly a land of paradise with permanent dwelling quarters of many people, especially the mighty ruling Ani-Yun-Wiya (Chickamaugan Cherokee) and their neighbors north of the Cumberland River the mighty Shawandasse (Shawnee).

This marriage between "Big Jake" Jacob Troxell (half KY Shawandasse assimilated Pennsylvania Lenne Lenape) and Cornblossom (the highly honored Ky Ani-Yun-Wiya daughter of Doublehead and great grand-daughter of Emperor Moytoy) brought much happiness to the area. No one thought that it all could end. It was unthinkable, the lands of southern KY and northern Tennessee were so beautiful, so full of wild game and much seasoned native crops, all so strongly held in inter-tribal sway and bless. The land seemed so healthy as they were holding out against aggression and the invasion of settlers incoming to northern Kentucky and into Tennessee. Even though the so-called Kentucky and Tennessee Cherokee Indian Wars were taking place, the people seemed here seemed strong and the land pure and undefiled. This was how it was during the times of the coming of the man named Troxell and the marriage of Cornblossom. But this happiness will only last a short time as the many settlers, explorers, and long hunters would continue to wage war against the Cherokee and anyone who became associated with them. Many Indian Wars followed in Wayne and surrounding counties as well as throughout Kentucky and Tennessee as the Cherokee defended their homeland to the end. And amongst them were the traditionals Cornblossom, Jacob Troxell, and others, who would defend their people, the Cherokee and allies, to the end.

Later Doublehead removed himself to the south joining Dragging Canoe and the Bloody 7 to defend the Cherokee Nation there at its National Capital. Cornblossom becomes head ruler and war woman of the whole Cumberland Plateau area from the Cumberland River to Knoxville Tennessee. Jacob Troxell also joins with his wife in all her campaigns against the settlers of Wayne and Pulaski Counties. War Woman Standing Fern becomes the War Leader of Yahoo Falls in present day McCreary County. In some early false treaties in the early 1800s, the Cherokees are forced to relocate to McCreary County. Jacob and Cornblossom have a total of 8 children. The 1st born is a male and later becomes a mighty Cherokee War Chief. His name was Peter Troxell.

Cornblossom and Peter Troxell with many Cherokee warriors and war women attack the counties of Wayne and Pulaski in 1806 and 1807 for settlers encroaching on Indian land. Settlers began to attack into McCreary County burning several villages, killing the people, running off food game, and kidnapping Indians for their own brutal satisfactions. From this Indian War of Cornblossom and Peter Troxell, Wayne and Pulaski County is brought to their knees in fear of the Cherokees as Cornblossom and War Chief Peter Troxell and Standing Fern lash out in defense. Many cabins are burned in Wayne County. The Governor of Kentucky in 1807 offered the Cherokees amnesty if Cornblossom and her son stop their raids. War Chief Peter Troxell agreed and turned in his scalping knife to authorities at the log courthouse in Monticello in 1807. Where the WWI doughboy now stands was the log courthouse during this time. As part of his amnesty, War Chief Peter Troxell also agreed to mark a trail from McCreary County to Monticello as a trade route between Monticello and anyone wishing to do trade. At this time, Jacob Troxell had 3 Cherokee trading posts throughout the area. This marked trail is the present day road that starts at the present day courthouse next to the Monticello Banking Company and takes you to McCreary County today. This road has been in use as it has since its beginnings. Peter Troxell marks the trail for the future road, then the court appoints several people to build it. This is recorded in the old books at the Wayne County Court Clerks Office. So the road one travels today to McCreary county is the same trail marked by the Children of Cornblossom, even though all the early settlers that run the Cherokees off seem to get all the credit these days for civilizing the so called howling wilderness.

This peace treaty between the Governor of KY, the early settlers of Wayne and Pulaski Countys, and the Cherokees is broken in 1810 which resulted in the tragic Childrens Cherokee Massacre at Yahoo Falls. This massacre raid by the early settlers of Wayne and Pulaski Countys was intended to rid the area once and for all of the power of the Cherokees. Over 100 women and children were slaughtered, Standing Fern killed defending the Children, Jacob Troxell and others killed as front guards to Yahoo Falls, War Chief Peter Troxell killed in the last attack on the Indian fighters at Yahoo Falls, and Cornblossom died after 2 days and nights of grief over all the deaths. This massacre chronicle is told in another story in detail.

All the children of Cornblossom, except her 1st born Peter Troxell, escaped the massacre and are today as the stars in heaven. The Children of Peter Troxell also survived. Another Little Jake will become famous for defending the Tellico Trail (now Ky Hwy 27) against robbers. The youngest son of Cornblossom, William Troxell, will remove himself to northeast Alabama near Lookout Mountain, live with the Cherokee and Creek people, and become the hidden link between the western and eastern Cherokee and Creek people during his lifetime. The Bowl out west and the Cherokee who left Arkansas and Oklahoma to join the Comanche in Texas and Mexico, became the link of the hidden Cherokees. This underground road reached from KY to Tennessee to Georgia then straight across northern Alabama to Texas and Mexico. This would become the information and travel highway connecting the separation bridge across the Mississippi River. The Bowl was the link in the West, William Troxell (son of Cornblossom) the link in the East.

Danny Troxell - Direct descendent of Cornblossom and Jacob Troxell called Big Jake.

Late in the fall of 1810, when the moon was round and full, a group of children and women escorts of Chief Doublehead's tribe of Chickamaguans on their way to Gideon's Blackburn's Indian school, gathered at the big rock house below the cliffs where Yahoo Creek plunges eighty feet from the great Cumberland Plateau to the bottom of the gorge which carries it to the Cumberland River. They were waiting for Cornblossom to lead them south over the old Tellico Trail to Tennessee. Some of the women had already shouldered their packs of furs or sleeping mats for the children and were about to start when shots rang out from the darkness in front of the rock house. Bunched under the rock house and stunned by the unexpected attack, escape was impossible. The braves were the first to fall followed quickly by the mothers and children until not a single Indian was left standing and the floor of the rock house was covered with the dead and dying and ran red with their blood. After the firing ceased and the little band of white men who had committed this foul murder were about to leave, the situation was suddenly reversed. Day was just breaking as Princess Comblossom and her notorious son, Little Jake, arrived on the scene ready to lead their people to safety. Taking in the situation at a glance and occupying a commanding position among the rocks which blocked the white men's escape route, they opened fire. The white party had been reduced to three, but only one of these three survived the firing squad of Princess Cornblossom and her son. Before the execution the pronounced the death sentence in scathing terms such as "You yonegas - you made a treaty with us- if we didn't steal a horse then you wouldn't kill us. You yonegas kill our braves. You kill our women and our babies. Their blood made red the land you steal."

Comblossom, grief stricken by the massacre of her people, died in a few days and was buried by the large flat rock beside the old Tellico Trail that had been travelled by her people for so many years. This flat rock is now within the town of Stearns, Kentucky and the site is marked by an appropriate marker and information sign placed there by the Kentucky Historical Society, which reads "CORNBLOSSOM - Burial site of daughter of Chief Doublehead. legend is that as a young girl she accompanied her father at signing of Treaty of Sycamore Shoals, 1775, transferring Cherokee's land between Ohio and Cumberland Rivers to Transylvania Society. As-Quaw Tribe settled in region south of river. Protecting tribe's secret mine, she killed a renegade. Married Big Jake, trader."

Perhaps, Cornblossom physically died as related above. Except, she is not buried in this grave. Keeping with tradition she was taken to a secret location and there laid to rest.

LITTLE JAKE TROXEL - With the death of Chief Doublehead in 1807 and the murder of his son Tuckahoe soon after that, the leadership of the tribe fell to Comblossom. Her son, Little Jake, born less than a year after her marriage to Big Jake, was now a young brave by tribal standards and helped his mother in the handling of the affairs of the tribe, whose numbers had dwindled to less than a hundred members. New settlements by the whites had crowded them from their previous homes and hunting grounds until they were living in an area known as Dry Valley and today is known as Big Sinking in Wayne County, Kentucky. Young Jake had now become a hard-riding, fast shooting, one-man army executing the orders of his mother, now the ruler of the tribe. He is credited for stopping the raids by a group of Yonega rogues who preyed on the Chickamaguan women carrying corn from the Sequatchie Valley back to their homes along the Cumberland River. Young Jake is said to have hunted them all down killing them with his long rifle. For the next few years Little Jake Troxel after the Yahoo Falls massacre, terrorized the settlers along the Cumberland River. He finally surrendered to the sheriff of Wayne County at Monticello, Kentucky in return for a promise of amnesty. Surrendering his scalping knife with nine notches filed on the handle, he settled down on his 180-acre homestead on the Little South Fork River that today is a rice farm. Little Jake died in 1880, and is buried in the old part of the graveyard at Parmleysville, Kentucky.

Jacob "Big Jake" Troxel came from the Philadelphia, PA area where his ancestors had immigrated to the New World from Switzerland. A Jacob Troxel is listed as a private in Capt. John Shelmire's 6th Co. in the Philadelphia Co. Militia in 1781. He died in 1810 and is buried on the road from Marshes Siding, KY to the mouth of the Alum Creek near the entrance to Yahoo Falls Recreation area in the Daniel Boone National Forest in McCreary Co., KY. This burial site is marked by an appropriate historical marker, erected by the Daniel Boone National Forest Service. However, this marker is nothing more than a memorial marker and no known evidence (that I know of) places "Big Jakes" death in this area.

At the entrance to the Yahoo Falls Recreation Area of the Daniel Boone National Forest, is located a single lonely grave, surrounded by a simple pole fence and marked by a standard U.S. Army Quartermaster headstone which bears a Star of David and the inscription:

JACOB TROXEL,PENNSYLVANIA

PVT 6 CO

PHILADELPHIA CO MILITIA, REVOLUTIONARY WAR

JANUARY 18,1758 - OCTOBER 10 1810

Jacob Troxel was born Philadelphia Pennsylvania in 1758. However, he didn't die a physical death in the massacre at Yahoo Falls (SEE ALSO) as some say. Rather, what he was died and his body was secreted away where he died some time later in Alabama. Why would such prominent Chickamaugan leaders, such as Big Jake and Doublehead, deaths be faked? To save their people from slaughter!

1. The Philadelphian Troxels trace their ancestors to the Hebrews of Asia Minor. Peter Troxel was born in Switzerland in 1691. Peter, his wife, and two small sons sailed to America on the ship Samuel and disembarked in Philadelphia in 1733. When l5 years old, he was living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the outbreak of the American Revolution. He enlisted with other young patriots in the sixth company of the Philadelphia Militia where he served four years in the Continental Army. This included the terrible winter of 1777-1778 with General George Washington's army at Valley Forge.

As the main effort of the Revolutionary War appeared to be moving south and the British employment of Indian allies increased, Jacob Troxel was selected by Washington's staff as one of several young men to move by a round-about route into the back country, posing as an Indian trader, for the purpose of preventing the Indian tribes from joining with the British against the Continental Army.

Young Jacob Troxel, known as Big Jake because of his height of over six feet and easy friendly manner, was assigned to work with the Indians of the Upper Cumberland River. Travelling down the Ohio River he took a long round-about route to reach his destination. Travelling overland from the Ohio he reached the old French trading post at Vincennes which was the center of the western Indian trade. While there he made friends with a young Cherokee brave named Tuckahoe, the son of an important chief of the tribe of Cherokee (Tsa-Waagan Tribe) living along the Upper Cumberland River in the general area of today's McCreary, Pulaski and Wayne counties. At the invitation of the young brave, Jacob Troxel agreed to return with him to his home village and to trade for skins and furs that the tribe might produce.

The Great Cherokee Children Yahoo Falls Massacre Edit 1 7… The Great Childrens Massacre at Yahoo Falls The Cherokee inhabited what is now known as modern day southeast Kentucky. The area from Cumberland Plateau (Knoxville, Tennessee) to Cumberland River (Kentucky) was lead by Doublehead and his daughter Cornblossom. Cornblossom was arranging all the women and children from Southeast Kentucky to Northern Tennessee to come seek refuge at the Yahoo Falls. They then would make the journey to the Presbertearian Indian School at Sequatchie Valley outside of Chattanooga Tennessee. This is the only way that the cherokee children will survive, the children of all ages would go as one group southward to the school and escape to saftey from Indian fighters gathering in the neighboring counties of Wayne and Pulaski (Tankersley, 2002). An indian fighter named Hiram "Big Tooth" Gregory who came from Sullivan County Tennessee. He fought many Franklinite campaigns under John Seveir to eliminate all cherokee within the region altogether. The campaign came up with a concept called "nits make lice", it explained that nits (baby lice) refering to cherokee childern would grow up and create bigger problems (lice). Franklinite phiolosphy was killing the cherokee children would eliminate the cherokee nation, then there would be no reason to not continue with expansion of white settlements ("Cherokee In Kentucky"). Franklinites were ordered to split open the bellies of pregnant Cherokee in order to eliminate the potential problem of more Cherokee. Breaking the 1807 peace treaty between War Chief Peter Troxell and the Governor of Kentucky, Big Tooth Gregory crossed onto Cherokee land. The indian fighters split into two group to attack the women and children. One group entered through Wayne County and the other entered from neighboring Pulaski county in southeast Kentucky (Tankersley, 2002). Over a hundered woman and childern were killed waiting to escape to saftey, along with many other Cherokee leaders on August 10, 1810 ("Cherokee In Kentucky")

https://nadiseases.wikispaces.com/The+Great+Cherokee+Children+Yahoo...

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From Find A Grave:

Birth: Jan. 18, 1758 Frederick County Maryland, USA Death: Jul. 1, 1843 DeKalb County Alabama, USA

tomb at : Yahoo Falls

Family links: Spouses:

1. Cornblossom Doublehead Troxell (1759 - 1810)
2. Elizabeth Blevins Troxell (1785 - 1860)*

Children:

1. Peter Jacob Troxell (1781 - 1880)*
2. Catherine Troxell Blevins (1783 - 1814)*
3. Mary Troxell Blevins (1785 - ____)*
4. Margaret P Troxell Bell (1789 - 1860)*
5. Elizabeth Troxell Vaughn (1792 - 1870)*
6. Sarah Troxell Bell (1798 - 1843)*

• Calculated relationship

Burial: Yahoo Falls Cemetery Whitley City McCreary County Kentucky, USA

Maintained by: Find A Grave Originally Created by: bergeron Record added: Jun 02, 2014 Find A Grave Memorial# 130755940

Fought in Revolutionary War.

Buried near entrance to Yahoo Falls northwest of Whitley Co., KY. Grave is maintained by forest rangers. Buried near Alum Ford?

Information of his children and history from the "Ancestors of Nancy Faye Gregory" home page of Family Tree Maker "During the American Revolution, "Big Jake" TROXEL cast his lot with the rebelling colonies. He then came south as a trader among the Indians, seeking out any conspiracies between the Indians and the British against the Colonies. Through a series of friendly contacts, he became a very close friend of Chief Doublehead. This friendship became so solid that Big jake was inducted into the tribe as a "blood-brother" and eventually married his daughter, Beloved Woman Cornblossom, who bore him many children.

There is some controversy over the idenity of "Big Jake" TOXEL. A Richard M. Troxel in his books, Troxel Trails, presents an argument that "Big Jake" was actually George Jacob Troxel, born in 1758 in Frederick Co., MD. He lived there until about 13 years of age, where he migrated through Loudon Co., VA, Sullivan Co. TN, Sevier Co., TN, then to Wayne Co.,KY, then to Marion Co.,TN, and finally to Jackson Co.,AL before he died in DeKalb Co.,AL on Jul 1 1843, being survived by a widow, Elizabeth, who was still living in 1853.

Another story has Jacob "Big Jake" Troxel coming from the Philadelphia, PA area where his ancestors had immigrated to the New World from Switzerland. A Jacob Troxel is listed as a private in Capt. John Shelmire's 6th Co. in the Philadelphia Co. Militia in 1781. He died in 1810 and is buried on the road from Marshes Siding, KY to the mouth of the Alum Creek near the entrance to Yahoo Falls Recreation area in the Daniel Boone National Forest in McCreary Co.KY. This burial site is marked by an appropriate historical marker, erected by the Daniel Boone National Forest Service. However, this marker is nothing more than a memorial marker and no known evidence (that I know of) places "Big Jakes" death in this area.

References

• Created from MyHeritage Match via daughter Catherine 'katie' Blevins (born Troxell) by SmartCopy: Sep 1 2014, 22:09:10 UTC
• https://www.fold3.com/image/19370557?terms=jacob,troxel Revolutionary War Pension
• http://thepeopleofthehuntingground.com/princess_cornblossom.html
• http://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/troxell/382/
• https://www.indianreservations.net/2016/11/big-jake-jacob-troxell-a...
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Troxell-17#About_that_Headstone
• http://files.usgwarchives.net/ky/mccreary/cemeteries/troxell2.txt
• The existence of Cornblossom, her relationship to known Cherokee Chief Doublehead and to Revolutionary War soldier Jacob Troxel was first introduced to the world in 1958 (two centuries after the fact) in the book Legion of the Lost Mine by Thomas H. Troxel. This out-of-print, 45-page book is digitized at the end of https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/184281-redi...
• WikiTree Volunteers, Cornblossom, Doublehead & Jacob Troxel: An examination of the claims, their sources and implications for WikiTree profiles Last updated: 14 June 2021 GoogleDocs
• ” Is Pawalin Cornblossom Doublehead Troxel a myth?” Wikitree discussion (2017)
• Gelealogy and Myth Collide