Chief John Blount

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it — and friend, this one's worth every mile of road to hear. The marker stands in Polk County, Texas, and it's the story of Chief John Blount. Now, John Blount was no ordinary man.

He was the son of William Blount — who would go on to become a United States senator — and a Coushatta woman. That mix of worlds would define everything about his life. He came up in Florida, where he rose to become principal chief of the Apalachee, or Apalachicola, Indians.

And it was there, during the First Seminole War — 1814 to 1815 — that history first took notice of him. You see, Blount served as a guide to General Andrew Jackson himself. Now, serving Andrew Jackson as a guide was not exactly a quiet, uneventful arrangement.

And Blount apparently did it with enough distinction that when Jackson eventually became president of these United States, he invited John Blount to Washington D.C. — personally — to be recognized for his, and I'm quoting the marker here, "zealous efforts." What Blount received for his trouble was a silver breast-plate, inscribed to acknowledge him as Jackson's "faithful guide." A silver breast-plate. You wear your credentials out here on the road; John Blount wore his on his chest. But here's where the story takes its hard turn.

The Indian Removal Act of 1830 gave the government the authority to move Indian peoples from Florida to federal territory in the West. The Trail of Tears. Blount and his Apalachicola people were caught in that current, same as so many others.

But Blount had something others didn't — his personal connection to Andrew Jackson. He used it. He received special permission to lead his people not to the designated federal territory but to Texas, which was then Mexican territory, where his uncle, Chief Red Shoes, was already settled on the Trinity River.

In 1834, Blount and 256 of his people set out. They paddled down the Apalachicola River, reached a bay near a place called Oak Point, and were placed on a vessel bound for New Orleans. And then — the trials began.

Delays stacked upon delays. The money ran out. No funds for supplies.

So they did what you do when the river road closes: they walked. They traveled the rest of the way overland, through whatever Texas and fate threw at them. When Blount's group finally reached their destination in what is now Polk County, the number who arrived was 152.

They had started at 256. Let that land quietly for a moment. These were persevering people — the marker's own word, and a word that earns its weight.

Chief John Blount was buried at the Coushatta settlement of Red Shoes — the very place his uncle had already made a home. Some of the tribe moved to Oklahoma in 1899. But many descendants of Blount's people still reside in this area of Polk County today.

The marker doesn't let you forget how far those 152 souls traveled, or what it cost. And neither should we.

What the marker says

John Blount was the son of William Blount, later a U.S. senator, and a Coushatta woman. While in Florida, he became principal chief of the Apalachee or Apalachicola Indians. During the First Seminole War (1814-1815), he achieved a certain level of distinction by serving as a guide to General Andrew Jackson. After Jackson became president, Blount was invited to Washington D.C. to be recognized for his zealous efforts and awarded with a silver breast-plate that claimed him as Jackson's "faithful guide." In addition to his personal connection with Jackson, Blount is known for his activities during the time of the Trail of Tears when the Indian Removal Act of 1830 allowed the government to move Indians from Florida to federal territory in the West. Blount received special permission due to his ties with Jackson to take the Apalachicola Indians to Texas, then Mexican territory, where his uncle, Chief Red Shoes, was already settled on the Trinity River. Blount and 256 of his people began the long and difficult journey to the current Polk County in 1834. After paddling down the Apalachicola River, they reached a bay near "Oak Point" where they were placed on a vessel bound for New Orleans. They suffered various trials and delays which left them with no money for supplies, thus forcing them to travel the rest of the way on land. More tribulations ensued upon arrival at their destination for Blount and his group numbering 152. Chief Blount was buried at the Coushatta settlement of Red Shoes. Although some of the tribe moved to Oklahoma in 1899, many descendants of Blount's persevering people still reside in the area. 175 Years of Texas Independence * 1836-2011