The 'king' of Charlotte (before it was Charlotte)
Plus: A Teen Talk dictionary flex; 'Chemical changes' crossword; Ledger events board; Plus top news of the week — Winston picked as mayor pro tem; New exec at the airport and Truist
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‘King’ Hagler led the Catawba tribe and juggled relationships with new settlers and warring nations; negotiated N.C./S.C. border line
Editor’s note: You see their names on street signs or parks, but who were some of the big-name people from decades ago who shaped Charlotte? They have fascinating stories, and for the next few Saturdays, we’re sharing them with you.
by John Short
Before the colonists arrived, and before Queen Charlotte’s husband, King George III, ruled over what is now Mecklenburg County, the Charlotte area was ruled by a different king.
From 1750 to 1763, Arataswa “King” Hagler was the chief of the Catawba tribe that inhabited the greater Charlotte region, and his legacy impacted the development of the towns of Charlotte, Fort Mill and Camden, S.C. His negotiating prowess even helped shape the border between North and South Carolina.
Through his negotiations with warring native nations, or with the white colonists arriving in Catawba land, King Hagler (alternatively spelled “Haiglar”) would prove himself to be a master diplomat. He would ultimately find an ally in one of the first white colonists to cross the Yadkin River — Thomas Spratt, who settled in the Charlotte area around what is now Fort Mill, S.C. in 1752. The two men’s relationship would shape the early development of the Charlotte region.
According to legend, Hagler referred to himself as “King” after learning that was the ultimate title that colonists would give their supreme leaders, in order to make his station more relatable to the region’s settlers. Such subtle nuances defined Hagler’s leadership, as he navigated treaties with the British government and its colonists — as well as managing a hostile war with neighboring native tribes.
Little is known of King Hagler’s early life, but he was likely born along the Catawba River in what is now North Carolina around 1700. Hagler stepped into the top role with a desire to navigate the long-running feud between the Catawbas and the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. In fact, his first official act as leader was to travel to Albany, N.Y., in 1751 and sign a peace treaty with the Six Nations, just months after the murder of his predecessor by Iroquois warriors. That’s a prickly first couple months on the job.
During his reign, he faced many challenges, including conflicts with other tribes, fallout from the French and Indian War (the Catawba Nation sided with the British) and a smallpox outbreak that was devastating for his people. Hagler would also become an outspoken critic of the sale and distribution of alcohol in indigenous communities, one of the first Native Americans to do so publicly.
The Treaty of Pine Tree Hill (the name of Camden, S.C., at the time) of 1760 was perhaps King Hagler’s most lasting legacy. The treaty granted the Catawba tribe 225 acres on the mouth of the Sugar Creek, and Hagler had to manage negotiations with settlers, including Thomas Spratt, as well as the oversight of the British government.
At one point during the negotiations, King Hagler was presented with the choice of the Catawba land falling within the borders of North or South Carolina, and Hagler chose South Carolina. To this day, the border along North and South Carolina reflects the notch that included the lands designated to the Catawba Nation.
Hagler's rule ended abruptly in 1763, when he was ambushed and killed by seven Shawnee warriors around modern-day Waxhaw as he returned home from a military expedition. Hagler’s final resting place is unknown, purportedly kept as a secret among the Catawba Nation.
After his death, the Catawba finalized the land agreement that King Hagler had pursued for years with the 1763 Treaty of Augusta, confirming the negotiated terms of the Treaty of Pine Tree Hill. Years later, in 1772, the British Royal Governors of North and South Carolina codified the border between North and South Carolina, using Thomas Spratt’s brother-in-law, Thomas Polk, as one of the surveyors.
Today, there are statues of Hagler and Thomas Spratt along the Trail of History just across from the Grady Cole Center on 7th Street and Kings Drive near Central Piedmont Community College.
John Short is a freelance writer and co-host of The Charlotte Podcast who loves digging up Charlotte’s past and pondering its future. Say hey when you see him on the streetcar.
Today’s supporting sponsors are Soni Brendle:
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Teen Talk flex: Webster’s Dictionary recognizes ‘yeet’ and ’sus'
Merriam-Webster added some new words to the dictionary last week, and two in particular caught our eye — yeet and sus — because they are words we featured in the Ledger’s popular Teen Talk series, in which we employ Ledger offspring to keep us current on teen slang.
Sure, we can’t prove that Teen Talk had a hand in getting these words on Merriam-Webster’s radar — but we also can’t prove that it didn’t.
Here are Merriam-Webster’s definitions:
yeet interjection, slang — used to express surprise, approval, or excited enthusiasm; yeet verb : to throw especially with force and without regard for the thing being thrown
sus slang : suspicious, suspect
(Personally, we like our teens’ definitions better, which you can find on this Teen Talk Cheat Sheet from 2020.)
Other words that merited inclusion in the dictionary’s “slang and informal language” category include:
“janky” (“of very poor quality” or “not functioning properly or adequately”)
“cringe” (“so embarrassing, awkward, etc. as to cause one to cringe”)
“lewk” (“a fashion look that is distinctive to the wearer and that is noticeable and memorable to others”)
“adorkable” (“socially awkward or quirky in a way that is endearing”)
This week’s Charlotte-themed crossword: ‘Chemical changes’
Our crossword constructor Chris King is back at it this week, with a new crossword puzzle with Charlotte clues. This might be one of Chris’ most clever themes so far.
Chris’ crosswords are edited by Tim Whitmire and presented by CXN Advisory. Enjoy this week’s edition:
.PDF (suitable for download and printing):
.PUZ (suitable for use on tablets and computers with Across Lite app):
For more than two dozen crosswords with local clues, check out our dedicated Charlotte Ledger Crossword page.
You might be interested in these Charlotte-area events
Events submitted by readers to The Ledger’s new events board:
Wednesday: Customshop and Michelin-Starred Ariete Collaboration Dinner, 6-10 p.m. at Customshop Handcrafted Food. Join Chef Michael Beltran from Miami’s Ariete and Chef Andres Kaifer from Charlotte’s Customshop as they get together for one night only to celebrate Chef Beltran’s first Michelin Star at Ariete. Five-course tasting dinner. $120 with the option to add a $60 wine pairing (tax + tip not included).
Sept. 19: Regional Transportation Summit-Transportation in the 21st Century, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Ballantyne Hotel. South Charlotte Partners presents the 2022 Regional Transportation Summit — Transportation in the 21st Century. The Summit will host a variety of speakers to discuss transportation and mobility in the south Charlotte region and beyond.
Sept. 30: Fleurix Conf: Women+ in Technology, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. at Camp North End. Fleurix aims to increase the number of women pursuing and thriving in technology-related careers. Join us for a day of inspiring talks, connection, and growth. $50.
◼️ Check out the full Ledger events board.
➡️ List your event on the Ledger events board.
This week in Charlotte: Braxton Winston chosen as mayor pro tem; sports gambling opens in Kings Mountain; new execs at Truist and the airport
On Saturdays, The Ledger sifts through the local news of the week and links to the top articles — even if they appeared somewhere else. We’ll help you get caught up. That’s what Saturdays are for.
Politics
Winston chosen as mayor pro tem: The newly sworn in Charlotte City Council selected Braxton Winston as mayor pro tem on Tuesday, bucking the tradition of selecting the top vote-getter, who was Dimple Ajmera.
Mecklenburg County manager gets a raise: (Observer) Dena Diorio will get a 7% pay increase and a $15,000 performance bonus, raising her base salary by $24,826 to $379,479 in the 2022 fiscal year, after a vote Wednesday by county commissioners.
Local news
Free parking on Saturdays: (WSOC) A plan to start charging street parking on Saturdays in South End and uptown was supposed to take effect today, but city officials say they plan to postpone the move until later next year after they evaluate street parking.
Sports gambling in Kings Mountain: (WSOC) The Catawba Two Kings Casino in Kings Mountain is now open for sports gambling, including bets on football, auto racing, baseball, basketball, golf, hockey, mixed martial arts and soccer.
New life for old NASCAR track: (WFAE) North Wilkesboro Speedway, a once-forgotten racetrack in North Carolina, will host the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series All-Star race, according to an announcement Thursday made by NASCAR, Gov. Roy Cooper, NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr., and the track’s owner.
Business
New airport COO: (Ledger🔒) Jerome Woodard, an official who helps run public safety and security at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport and who previously oversaw security operations in Charlotte, will take over as the Charlotte airport’s chief operating officer, according to a memo to airport staff from airport director Haley Gentry.
New Truist CFO: (Biz Journal) Mike Maguire will become the new chief financial officer of Charlotte-based Truist Financial Corp. on Sept. 15 after the retirement of current CFO Daryl Bible.
Ingersoll Rand CEO named to American board: (American Airlines) American Airlines named Vicente Reynal, CEO of Davidson-based industrial products company Ingersoll Rand, to its board of directors.
Good reads
School board race drama: (WFAE) A strange scene unfolded at Pure Pizza in Plaza-Midwood on Wednesday, when education activist Pamela Grundy and a friend crashed an event organized by the conservative group Moms for Liberty that was aimed at discussing closing the achievement gap between white students and black and brown students.
Dance as a way of building community: (Queens News Service via Charlotte Five) Thousands visit the Yiasou Greek Festival at Charlotte’s Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral each year, but what they might not realize is how vital the tradition of Greek dance is to the church community, and how it creates bonds within the church and increases engagement.
From the Ledger family of newsletters
Hot major: Carolinas colleges are building or expanding their cybersecurity programs, as the demand for cybersecurity professionals continues to far outpace the number of people working in the field.
Observer ‘bot’ on overdrive: The Charlotte Observer now has a bot writing articles that appear on its website and social media, and last weekend it cranked out 176 articles, mostly chronicling ho-hum real estate transactions such as “Charlotte single family residence sells for $470,000” and “Three bedroom home in Mint Hill sells for $360,000.”
University Place drowning verdict: The Shoppes at University Place is not legally responsible for the death of an intoxicated man who drowned in the lake at the shopping center two years ago, the N.C. Court of Appeals ruled on Tuesday.
Time’s up for uptown clock: The clock tower that’s stood since 1988 at the One Wells Fargo Center plaza at the corner of College and East 3rd streets has come down as part of plaza renovations.
Friday’s Ledger (🔒)
A developer’s view of Plaza-Midwood: We walk through ever-changing Plaza-Midwood with Charlotte developer Daniel Levine, whose roots in the neighborhood run deep, including his uncle Leon who started Family Dollar there.
What’s ahead for an old CMS school site: It looks like apartments could be headed for the site of a former Charlotte-Mecklenburg K-8 school building. We have the details about which former school building is up for sale and who filed a rezoning to redevelop it.
Golf sponsorship: The head of a Charlotte-based real estate brokerage firm tells us why he made the unusual move of sponsoring a PGA golfer who’ll be playing in the President’s Cup later this month, and what he believes his business will get out of a sponsorship.
Ways of Life (🔒)
Dana Radar was one of Charlotte’s most recognized names in golf, and as the director of her own golf school she taught countless numbers of people how to improve their game, won countless awards and was a well-known leader in the business community.
Charlotte’s ambitious $13.5B transit expansion plan, which was made almost two years ago, might see some changes like focusing more on greenways, bike lanes and sidewalks, shortening the Silver Line, and improving the bus system.
Charlotte FC has five more games in its inaugural MLS season (and a small chance to make the playoffs) — all of which will determine if Coach Christian Lattanzio will return next season as head coach.
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Executive editor: Tony Mecia; Managing editor: Cristina Bolling; Staff writer: Lindsey Banks; Contributing editor: Tim Whitmire, CXN Advisory; Contributing photographer/videographer: Kevin Young, The 5 and 2 Project
Thank you for your coverage of the Catawba Nation and King Hagler. Eye-opening and important perspective.
Getting better all the time, a bit of history, local events, and teen talk so I can translate my kids vocab, what’s not to love!