McCondichie Sash has close ties to Wilcox County, Alabama

McCondichie Sash

Alabama Heritage is one of my favorite magazines, and I always look forward to its arrival in my mailbox. The latest issue included an article titled “The Creators of Life: Creek Women in Early Alabama” by Alex Colvin, and I think Wilcox County history buffs will find it especially interesting.

This article, part of a series about the important role women have played in Alabama history, focused on the traditional roles of women in Creek Indian society. The article also included a photo of what is known as the McCondichie Sash, a unique item of decorative Indian clothing that is on display at the Alabama Department of Archives and History’s “Alabama Voices” exhibit in Montgomery. Although it’s not mentioned in the article, the McCondichie Sash has strong ties to Wilcox County.

In his article, Colvin notes that the sash “illustrates the complex combination of European materials and Creek traditions. The McCondichie Sash was given to the ancestor of one of its donors by a Creek man in 1837. The sash is a marvelous example of the sartorial expertise of a Creek woman. Its elaborate design combines the traditional finger-weaving technique of Creek clothing with a new resource: white glass beads. The sash contains more than 15,000 beads, with 10,000 woven on the strands and 5,000 arranged in an intricate diamond pattern. While the sheer number of beads demonstrates the great wealth and power of its owner, the sash’s design illustrates its creator’s graceful artistry.”

According to the 2002 book, “The Heritage of Wilcox County, Alabama,” this large beaded Creek sash was presented to Jay McCondichie at the end of the Creek War of 1837, which was a last ditch effort by the Creeks to save their homes and lands during the period of Indian removal from Alabama. McCondichie, who was born in North Carolina on April 10, 1799, died at the relatively young age of 44 on July 6, 1843. He is buried in the Old Snow Hill Cemetery.

Apparently, it’s unknown why Indians presented the sash to McCondichie, who was the father of Mary Ann McCondichie, the wife of John Gulley. Gulley is noteworthy for being the builder of Wakefield, a large antebellum home that still stands today in Furman.

John and Mary Ann Gulley had a daughter named Dora, who married Tom Watson, and the Watsons soon became neighbors of Mary Jo Moorer Rudolph, who contributed the McCondichie Sash article for publication in “The Heritage of Wilcox County, Alabama.” In 1982, the sash found its way to the Rudolph home in an old trunk that belonged to Henry Watson, the son of Tom and Dora Watson. The Rudolphs went on to loan the sash to the Alabama Department of Archives and History for its preservation and safety.

In the end, we’re left with many questions regarding the McCondichie Sash. Who made it? Who presented it to Jay McCondichie and why? If anyone in the reading audience has any more information about this unique historical artifact, please let me know. In the meantime, if you find yourself in Montgomery, take the time to visit the Alabama Department of Archives and History and see the McCondichie Sash for yourself.