Category: Georgia

Love Against All Odds: The Story of Elias Boudinot and Harriet Gold at the Logan Homestead

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I received a copy of a letter from the Gunn Memorial Library and Museum, written in 2008 by Marlene Flanders, a former aide to Mrs. Verna Logan, who passed away in 1987. In the letter, she mentioned a story she had heard about the Rising Sun Inn, also known as The Logan Homestead, which allegedly harbored an “interracial couple”: a Cherokee Indian man and a white woman. I was intrigued by this account, as I had not come across it before. This blog post tells the story.

Letter written in 2008 by Marlene Flanders, former aid to Mrs. Verna Logan., who died in 1987.

The Beginning: Two Lives, Worlds Apart

In 1803, a boy named Killekeenah Oowaite was born into the Cherokee tribe in New Echota, Cherokee Nation (now Georgia, USA). His upbringing was steeped in the traditions of his family, including his father Dutse Oowaite, and his mother, the daughter of High Cherokee Chief Attaculcullah. Their family name was eventually shortened to Watie. Two years later, in Cornwall, Connecticut, Harriet Ruggles Gold was born into the prominent Gold family, whose legacy was rooted in strong Christian values and community leadership.

Education and Encounter

At 18, Killekeenah met Elias Boudinot, a Revolutionary War figure, a friend and counselor to George Washington, and former President of the Continental Congress, who saw potential in the young Cherokee man. Boudinot sponsored Killekeenah’s education, sending him to the Foreign Mission School in Cornwall, where he adopted the name Elias Boudinot. It was here that he met Harriet Gold, whose family often hosted students from the school.

Their friendship deepened into love, but the cultural and racial norms of the time set them on a path fraught with opposition and challenges.

The Challenges of Love

In 1822, Elias returned to the Cherokee Nation due to illness but remained in contact with Harriet and her brother Franklin through letters. By 1824, their correspondence revealed a deepening relationship. When Harriet shared her intentions with her parents, they vehemently opposed the union. The Gold family, known for its standing in Connecticut, was divided. Harriet’s brothers-in-law, both ministers, argued it was her Christian duty to prioritize the mission school’s reputation over her personal happiness.

Harriet, however, stood firm in her convictions. Despite public outcry and even the burning of an effigy depicting Harriet, Elias, and an ally, Mrs. Northrop, Harriet’s resolve did not waver. (Elias’ cousin, John Ridge also attended the Mission School, where he met Sarah Northrop, the daughter of the school’s steward. The two became romantically involved and wed in January 1824.)

The Honeymoon at the Logan Homestead

After enduring months of familial and societal pressure, Harriet’s immediate family softened their stance. In May 1826, Harriet and Elias married at the Gold Homestead and spent their wedding night at the Logan Homestead, which was fortified and protected by Captain Logan and his armed men. This act of defiance by Captain Logan ensured the couple’s safety during a time of heightened tension.

The couple left Connecticut the next day, embarking on a 47-day journey to the Cherokee Nation in Georgia.

A New Life and Tragic Loss

Settling in New Echota, Elias became the editor of the Cherokee Phoenix, the first tribal newspaper in the United States. It was printed in English and Cherokee, using the Cherokee syllabary created by Sequoyah. In her family letters, Harriet described a good life, and that she had been warmly welcomed upon her arrival. Harriet gave birth to six children, but tragedy struck during her seventh pregnancy. In May 1836, Harriet’s child was stillborn, and she passed away three months later at the age of 31. She was buried in New Echota, and Elias erected a tombstone made from marble brought from Connecticut—a testament to her enduring connection to her roots.

Elias Boudinot, formerly known as Killekeenah Oowaite

The Aftermath

The Cherokee Nation’s land was increasingly encroached upon by settlers, culminating in the infamous Trail of Tears. Elias’ eventual support of the Treaty of New Echota, which advocated for Cherokee relocation, marked him and others as traitors in the eyes of many. In 1839, Elias was assassinated for his controversial stance.

Harriet and Elias’ children were sent back to Connecticut, where they were raised by Harriet’s sister Mary Brinsmade. The boys, William, Frank, and Elias, attended The Gunn School in Washington, Connecticut, while the girls were cared for by their aunt.

Legacy of the Logan Homestead

The Logan Homestead, a witness to this extraordinary love story, remains a symbol of courage and resilience. Harriet and Elias’ union defied societal norms, blending two distinct cultures in an era resistant to change. Captain Logan’s decision to protect the couple during their wedding night speaks to the power of individual acts of bravery in shaping history.

Harriet’s grave stands as a poignant reminder of a woman who followed her heart, defied convention, and left an indelible mark on both her family and history.

Threatened by Georgia soldiers for championing Cherokee nationalism yet executed by his own people for treason, Elias Boudinot left a complex legacy.

1800 Photograph of the grave of Harriet Ruggles Gold Boudinot, New Echota, Gordon County, Georgia

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to Stephen Bartkus, previous Curator of the Gunn Historical Museum, and Sarah Griswold, previous Curatorial Assistant, for their invaluable contributions to the previous research by Mark Oliver*.

References

  1. *Oliver, Mark B. “ONE New England” Elias Boudinot and Harriet Gold, www.onenewengland.com/article.php?id=356. Accessed Jan. 2025.
  2. Gunn Memorial Library and Museum Archives. (Special thanks to Amy Campanaro and Corinne Tabolt.)
  3. Correspondence of Harriet Gold and Elias Boudinot. To Marry an Indian: The Marriage of Harriett Gold and Elias Boudinot in Letters, 1823-1839. United States, University of North Carolina Press, 2006.
  4. Historical records from the Foreign Mission School, Cornwall, CT.
  5. Cherokee Phoenix archives. “History of the Cherokee Phoenix” Cherokeephoenix.Org, 13 Jan. 2015, www.cherokeephoenix.org/archives/history-of-the-cherokee-phoenix/article_30c25bf9-bc26-5628-9687-75e1be8581ba.html. Accessed Jan. 2025.
  6. Trail of Tears www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/elias-boudinot-ca-1804-1839/. Accessed Jan. 2025.
  7.  “[Photograph of the grave of Harriet Ruggles Gold Boudinot, New Echota, Gordon County, Georgia].” 1800/1994. January 25, 2025. https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/vang/do:gor379.