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cogee), who constitute about one-half of the whole
body. Besides these there are Hichitee, Koasati, and
Yuehi, each with a distinct language; there are also
several smaller broken triVjes. The Seminole, too,
are originally a se]iarated band of Creeks. According
to traditional and linguistic evidence, the Muscogee
and their cognate tribes had in ancient times lived
west of the Mississippi River, but they were found
settled in Georgia and Alabama as early as 1540 by
De Soto, who crossed their territory from east to
west. In the colonial ])eriod they held the balance
of power between the English of Carolina on the one
side and the Spaniards and French of Florida and
Louisiana on the other. Their most constant alliance
was with the English, whose traders supplied them
with guns, and it was chiefly by this means that the
English accomplished the utter destruction of the
flourishing Franciscan missions of upper Florida in
1702-8. In the final inroad, 1400 of tlie Christian-
ized mission Indians were carried off ami distributed
as slaves among the English of Carolina and their
savage allies. This unfortunate outcome of more
than a century of devoted missionary effort was due
to the short-sighted policy of the Spaniards, who re-
fusal 'guns to their own Indians, even in the face
of threatened invasion. The Creeks adhered to the
English side in the war of the Revolution, but made
a treaty of peace with the United States in 1790.
English instigation in the War of 1812 led to another
war with the Creeks in 1813-14, in which they suf-
fered such heavy losses that they were obliged to
purchase peace by the surrender of half their remain-
ing territory. Other land-cessions followed in quick
succession until, in 1832, they sold their last acre east
of the Mississippi and were removed to a new home
in the Indian Territory, where they were permitted
to organize an autonomous government under the
name of the Creek Nation. In 1906, by previous
treaty agreement, this Indian government was for-
mally dissolved, the Indians being admitted to citi-
zen-rights and their country incorporated into the
new State of Oklahoma. They number now about
10,000 souls, besides half as many more "freedmen",
descendants of their former negro slaves.
In their old homes the Creeks were a sedentary and agricultural, but brave and warlike, jieople. Their houses were well constructed of logs, and their villages were regularly built around a central square devoted to public games and ceremonies, chief of which was the great annual Buskita, or Creek Corn Dance, when every fire in the settlement was extin- guished and solemnly relighted from a new sacred fire kindled by means of friction. There was no rec- ognized central authority, but neighbouring or closely cognate villages commonly acted together. They had the clan system, intermarriage within the clan being strictly prohibited. No sj-stematic mission work was attempted among them until after their removal to the Territory, when a beginning was made by the Presbyterians. A few of their children are now attending the neighbouring Catholic mission schools.
Adair, Ristory of the American Indians (London, 1775); Barcia, Ensayo chronologico para la historia general de la Florida (Madrid. 1723); Bartram, Travels through North and South Carolina (Philadelphia, 1791); Gatschet, A Migration Legend of the Creek Irulians (2 vols., Philadelphia, 1S84; St. Louis. 1888); Hawkins, .-1 Sketch of the Creek Country (The Georgia Historical Society, Savannah, 1848); Annual Reports of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. JamES MooNEY.
Creighton University, an institution located at Omaha, Nebraska, U. S. A., and conducted by the Jesuit Fathers. It comprises high school and college departments, a free classical day college, and schools of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and law. The fac- ulty numbered 104 members in 1907-8. There is no charge for tuition in the high school and college de- partnii'iits. The attendance at the university is about SOO, divided among the different departments
as follows: Liberal Arts, 360 ; Medicine, 178; Law, 51;
Pharmacy, 105; Dentistry, 107. The Medical Col-
lege free dispensary treats between 3000 and 4000
annually; the Dental College Infirmary, 400 or 500.
Creighton University was the first free Catholic col-
lege founded in the United States. Edward Creigh-
ton, after whom it was named, had proposed during
his life to establish a free school for higher education,
but he died intestate, before making provision for
carrying out his project. His wife, Marj' Lucretia
Creighton, inheriting his fortune, determined to carry
out his intention. She died 23 Jan., 1876, but her
will made a bequest, which in the settlement of the
estate amounted to about .S200,000, one-fourth of
which was devoted to the grounds and building, the
balance being reserved for foundation. In accord-
ance with the tenns of this will, the executore, 1 July,
1878, conveyed the entire property and securities in trust to the Rt. Rev. James O'Connor, Bishop of Omaha. On 27 February, 1879, the Legislature of Nebraska passed an act to pro\-ide for the incorpora- tion of universities under certain circumstances. The District Court then permitted Bishop O'Connor to turn over his trust to a corporation called the Creigh- ton University, and he appointetl five members of the Society of Jesus as the Board of Trustees, 14 August,
1879. Creighton College as such was not incorporated and the name merely represented what was left in trust by Mrs. Creighton. ^\■hen the Creighton Uni- versity accepted the trust, the endowment fund amounted to about S147,500. Mrs. Sarah Emily Creighton, who died 3 Sept., 1888, wife of John A. Creighton, bequeathed to Creighton University a busi- ness block, according to the same terms and conditions as were designated in the bequest of her sister, Mrs. Mary Lucretia Creighton. During 1900 John A. Creighton, desirous of making the university an insti- tution fully equipped for its educational work, gener- ously offered means for the completion of the college buildings. The School of Medicine was founded 30 May, 1892, and the School of Law in October, 1904. The Edward Creighton Institute, erected in 1905, is now the home of the Law Department. The Dental School, opened in 1905, is located with the Law School. The School of Pharmacy, a distinct depart- ment of the university since 1 February, 1905, took possession of its splendidly equipped new addition to the Medical Building in September, 1908.
Edward Creighton was born 31 Aug., 1820, in Bel- mont County, Ohio, near the present town of Barnes- vUle; and died 5 Nov., 1874. John A. Creighton was born 15 Oct., 1831, in Licking Countv, Ohio, and died 7 Feb., 1907. He was educated at St. Joseph's Col- lege, Somerset. Ohio, imder the Dominican Fathers, and for these teachers he always retained a feeling of gratitude. Though desirous of becoming a civil en- gineer, he was obliged to shorten his course of study by the necessity of earning a livelihood. He married Sarah Emily Wareham of Dayton; and her sister, Mary Lucretia, became the wife of Edward Creighton. Both these men were remarkable for courage, enter- prise, and a strong sense of justice. John was one of the first members of the "Vigilance Committee" which effectually freed Montana of the desperadoes who made life and property insecure in that territory. Both also made their start in life by constructing roads and telegraph lines in the West and South ; John was moreover actively engaged in mining, stock-rais- ing, and investments in land. He left by will large bequests to Creighton I'niversity, the Creighton Memorial Hospital and other Catholic institutions in which he was interested during life. Though these sums were somewhat lessened by litigation and com- promise with contestants, the university received nearly a million and a quarter dollars, the Hospital nearly a quarter of a million, and the other institu- tions smaller amounts. The entire revenue-produo-
