Grandparents: Infant Dedicatory Blessing

James Warren Mooney was born on January 3, 1944, in Grass Valley, Nevada County, California.

1945

James’s earliest memory is being held securely in his mother’s arms, a wool hat protecting him from the winter cold. The scene was a tree-lined, snow-covered park in the small mountain town of Grass Valley, California, with the sun shining brightly.

1947

His subsequent memories involve glimpses of a tumultuous early childhood. He recalls sneaking sips of alcoholic drinks as his mother, Ruth Aleta, and two other women entertained U.S. armed servicemen in a bungalow near the San Francisco Bay. Another fragmented memory is of being slapped repeatedly and thrown back and forth, with one of his legs caught between the headboards of a bed.

James also vaguely remembers his father, Rex Mooney, dressed in military uniform and holding his hand as they walked along a grass-lined brick sidewalk. Later, he was told that Rex, divorced from Ruth, had taken him from San Francisco to Washburn, Missouri, to live with his paternal grandparents, James (Jamie) Henry and Mary Ella Mooney.

The following account is a summarization of events shared by Chief Little Dove and later corroborated by James’s mother, her sister Tammy, his maternal grandfather Harvey Bennett, and U.S. federal attorneys.

Life on the Farm in Washburn, Missouri

Living with his grandparents on their farm in Washburn, southern Missouri, James fondly recalls feeling safe and protected. On one midsummer day, he lay barefoot in a strawberry patch, savoring the berries he plucked and enjoying the humid, sunlit environment under a powdery blue sky.

This idyllic scene turned tragic when a group of boys invited him to play by the pond. Initially eager to make friends, James approached, only to be attacked by the boys, who hurled insults and held him down. As one girl, his cousin, tried to intervene, she was struck down, hitting her head on a rock and dying instantly. The incident shocked the group into chaos. James was thrown into the pond, held underwater, and left unconscious.

Mary Ella arrived at the scene, her grandson floating lifeless in the water. With fierce determination, she pulled him from the pond and pounded on his chest, crying out in her native Creek language, commanding him to live. James recalls observing the scene from above, feeling peaceful as his grandmother’s words echoed in his awareness. Suddenly, he was thrust back into his body, expelling water and gasping for air, reuniting his spirit with his physical form.

Sacred Ceremony in the Sweat Lodge

Mary Ella, undeterred, persuaded Jamie to perform a sacred ceremony, despite his concerns about the potential consequences of being accused of witchcraft. Under the cover of night, they prepared an earthen sweat lodge. Inside, the warmth and darkness reconnected James’s body and spirit. Hours later, his cries signaled his return to life.

Jamie carried James out of the lodge, chanting softly. He walked across hot coals to the Sacred Circle, lifting James to the sky in each of the four cardinal directions—East for new beginnings, South for innocence, West for death and renewal, and North for wisdom. In the early morning darkness, under a canopy of stars, Jamie declared, “We present our grandson, ‘Flaming Eagle.’ Mary Ella and I have done our part. He is now yours to do with what you may.”

James Mooney Genealogy

This account is a testament to the strength and devotion of James’s grandparents, Mary Ella and Jamie, and the enduring spirit of their cultural heritage. It connects the family’s history to a broader narrative of resilience and spiritual practice, carrying forward the legacy of their Seminole ancestry and the trials of the Trail of Tears.