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| Tecumseh's brother, Tenskwatawa. |
(For decades, local historian and paranormal investigator
George “Buster” Singleton published a weekly newspaper column called “Somewhere
in Time.” The column below, which was titled “Early Indian pipe found in Monroe
County cave” was originally published in the July 13, 1972 edition of The
Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)
There are many stories that have been spun around the Indian
clay pipe. Some of the great events of history were discussed and settled with
the pipe playing a major role. The American Indian regarded the smoking of the
pipe with high esteem, and held a special place of importance in their lives
and events. When an issue was agreed between tribes, or between the Red or
White man, most always the smoking of the pipe sealed the agreement.
The rulers of each tribe or clan always kept a special pipe
for such occasions. These pipes carried different names, though most times, the
meanings were the same. Through the years the “Peace Pipe” has become the
common word to identify these special pipes.
With the migration of the white man into the Indian’s
territories, came the manufacture of the clay trade pipe, which was sold to the
Indians by the white traders who roamed the lands of the Red Man. Then there
were the homemade pipes that were designed and shaped by the individuals who
were making them. These represented different animals or birds, or reptiles,
depending upon the thoughts of the person making them. These pipes were usually
smoked by the older members of the family or tribe. The use of tobacco was
common by both male and female. The smoking of the pipe was thought to be a
cure for several ailments that plagued the early Indians. Some of these were
toothache, headache and several others.
The pipe was smoked when the food supply was low, or when
the tribe was on the move. This would kill the desire for food to a certain
degree, thus conserving the food supplies, and cutting down on the bulk and
weight of each individual.
The pipe pictured was found by this writer in a small cave
in the lower part of Monroe County. I was asked not to give directions to this
spot because the landowner doesn’t want anyone digging and destroying this
beautiful spot. The pipe bowl is carved to resemble the head of a man, maybe a
chief or priest, because of the head piece that he is wearing. If you observe
closely, you will notice that the left eye is somewhat disfigured. The maker of
this pipe probably copied the facial features of someone who looked a lot like
this. Whether or not this has any bearing on the pipe remains to be seen, but
the great Indian chief and prophet Tecumseh had a brother who had been wounded
in the left eye by a blow from a tomahawk. According to the information that is
available, he had a terrible scar where his left eye used to be. Whether this
pipe was intended to resemble this warrior is pure speculation, nothing more.
I do know that this pipe has been used a great deal. When I
found it, the reed cane stem was gone. To replace it would be a simple matter
of cutting a desired length of cane and fitting it into the pipe. By doing this,
the old pipe would be good as new. Probably this pipe has worn out many, many
stems through the years.
As I examine this pipe from the past, I wonder who the owner
was. Was he a chief or prophet, or was she an old crippled woman who had been
left to die along the trail, and had found shelter in this small cave, where
she spent her last hours? Only the face with the disfigured eye knows the
secret – and it’s not telling.
(Singleton, the author
of the 1991 book “Of Foxfire and Phantom Soldiers,” passed away at the age of
79 on July 19, 2007. A longtime resident of Monroeville, he was born on Dec.
14, 1927 in Marengo County, graduated from Sweet Water High School, served in
the Korean War, lived for a time among Apache Indians, moved to Monroe County
in June 1964 (some sources say 1961) and served as the administrator of the
Monroeville National Guard unit from 1964 to 1987. For years, Singleton’s
column “Somewhere in Time” appeared in The Monroe Journal, and he wrote a
lengthy series of articles about Monroe County that appeared in Alabama Life
magazine. Some of his earlier columns also appeared under the heading of
“Monroe County History: Did You Know?” He is buried in Pineville Cemetery in
Monroeville. The column above and all of Singleton’s other columns are
available to the public through the microfilm records at the Monroe County Public
Library in Monroeville. Singleton’s columns are presented here each week for
research and scholarship purposes and as part of an effort to keep his work and
memory alive.)
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