A Challenge - Solved?

In looking through volume 14 of the Handbook of North American Indians, I ran across two photographs. The first shows Seminole Chief Billy Bowlegs wearing a similiar shoulder sash across his right shoulder (our left).




The second image I found is of a Creek finger-woven sash executed in very much the same style as the one we have. This sash was collected pre-1857.


The Seminoles were removed from Florida by the Federal government between 1838-1843 and relocated to Indian Territory. During the time of relocation, the Western Seminole separated into three settlements: the Apalachicolas and other "Friendly Seminoles" established themselves on the Little and Canadian rivers near the junction of the Creek nation; the main group of Seminole settled on the Deep Fork River in the Creek Nation; and a group who refused to merge with the Creek or live on Creek lands moved to the Cherokee Nation near Ft. Gibson.

The continued disagreement and hostility between the Seminoles and Creek ultimately lead to the creation of a separate Seminole territory located within the Creek nation and which also allowed a separate council, which would subsequently be subordinate to the Creek National Council.

cf. 2004 Sattler, Richard A. “Seminole in the West.” Handbook of North American
Indians 14: 450-464. Smithsonian Institute: Washington.

Now the next question -- what about the family's story? How does that fit in?