William McIntosh, a half-Scottish and half-Creek chief, and several other Creek signed the first and second Treaty of Indian Springs. As a part of the treaties, McIntosh…
...was promised a considerable sum of money and land. He was also granted the right to retain a portion of his property, known as McIntosh Reserve, which was located along the Chattahoochee River in present-day Georgia. Additionally, McIntosh and his followers were allowed to continue their business ventures with white settlers, such as trading and agriculture.
However, these treaties were highly controversial within the Creek Nation. Many Creek leaders did not agree with McIntosh's actions and believed he had no authority to sign away Creek lands. They saw it as a betrayal of their people and their ancestral lands.
As a result, tensions grew within the Creek Nation, leading to a series of conflicts, including the Creek War of 1823 and the Second Creek War of 1836. During the latter conflict, McIntosh was targeted by fellow Creeks who considered him a traitor. In 1825, McIntosh and his supporters were attacked, resulting in his death.
Despite McIntosh's actions and his ultimate fate, the treaties he signed at Indian Springs had a significant impact on the Creek Nation's land and autonomy. The treaties marked a turning point in the forced removal of Native Americans from their ancestral lands in the southeastern United States, eventually culminating in the infamous Indian Removal Act and the Trail of Tears.