Missionary Activities. First Printing

When the missionaries commenced work among the Cherokees at the beginning of the nineteenth century they found a condition awaiting them that was never presented to the Christian workers by a heathen people. Within less than three quarters of a century before, Christian Priber, ex-Jesuit had identified himself with this tribe, became one of them, learned their language, related to them the biblical stories, which the tribesmen had retained and remembered in infinite detail, although they had entirely forgotten Priber and the source of the stories. The sturdy Scotch and English countryman had also insidiously imbued the people with many … Read more

Officers of the Cherokee Nation

Officers of the Cherokee Nation, September 9, 1839 to June 30, 1908. The anomaly of a fully constitutional government with all of the concomitant expenses of executive, legislative, judicial and educational departments; being in existence for fifty-nine years, self-sustaining, without direct personal taxes, would seem at first thought, Utopian and impossible. But this was the condition presented by the Cherokee Nation from September 6, 1839 to July 1, 1898. A contented and satisfied communal government in which personal land titles were nonexistent; livestock, had free range, universally attended free schools with free text books, were the center of each annuities … Read more

Trouble with the Chicamaugas

Trouble with the Chicamaugas, Attack at Knoxville. Mussel Shoals Massacre, Removal to Arkansas, First Printed Laws. The first treaty between the United States and the Cherokees was made at Hopewell on the Keowee River on November 28, 1875, between “Benjamin Hawkins, Andrew Pickens, Joseph Martin and Lachlan McIntosh, Commissioners Plenipotentiary of the United States and the Headmen and Warriors of all the Cherokees.” The Commissioners were among the most distinguished men of the southern part of the republic. Pickens and McIntosh had been brigadier generals of militia in the revolution; Martin and Hawkins had held honorable positions both in military … Read more

Treaty of 29 December 1835

Chief Charles Thompson

The Treaty of New Echota was intended to resolve the ongoing conflict between the Cherokee Nation and the United States government regarding land ownership and the sovereignty of the Cherokee people within the state of Georgia. The treaty essentially ceded all Cherokee land east of the Mississippi River to the U.S. government in exchange for $5 million, land in what is now Oklahoma, and a guarantee of certain rights in the new territory. The treaty led directly to the forced removal of the Cherokee people from their ancestral homelands, a journey that became known as the Trail of Tears. Thousands … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Judge B. W. Alberty

Alberty, Judge B. W. (See Downing) Bluford West Alberty, born February 17, 1853. He married September 7, 1884 Louvinia Jane Adair nee Lewis, born May 13, 1862 in Washington County, Arkansas having previously been elected as a member of the Supreme Court. He was elected Chief on November 15, 1892. On the coming of statehood he was elected the first Judge Of Adair County in 1907.

Biographical Sketch of John Wright Alberty

Alberty, John Wright-Born July 26, 1834. Married April 15, 1852 Clara West nee Buffington, born 1825. She died July 1864 and he died August 29, 1905. They were the parents of Bluford West Alberty and Ellis B. Alberty, May 1854, died Dec. 1, 1880, Mose Alberty, April 1857, died Nov. 14, 1891, Joseph Vann Alberty, July 1860, living, Elizabeth Jane, April 1863-April 1867. John Wright Alberty was a member of Captain George H. Starr’s company in the Confederate Cherokee Mounted Rifle Regiment. He was elected Chief Justice of the Cherokee Nation in 1883.

Biographical Sketch of E. B. Arnold

Arnold, E. B. (See Grant, Ghigau and Adair) Ernest Brigham Arnold, born May 2, 1884. Educated at Cumberland University, Lebanon, Tennessee from which he graduated with the LLB. degree in 1905. He married Clyde Horn, horn Aug. 23, 1888. She graduated fro Female Seminary May 31, 1906. They’ are the parents of: Hamilton Laverne born June 28, 1912 and Thomas Brigham Arnold, born Jan. 11, 1914. Ernest Brigham Arnold was elected County Attorney of Adair Co. in 1907 and District Judge of the First District in 1918 and resigned from that position on August 1st, 1921 in order that he … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John M. Adair

Adair, John M.-(Oolootsa and Adair)- John Martin Adair, born at Fort Gibson, June 3, 1858. Attended Shurtleff College. Served in Troop L. First United States Volunteer Cavalry’ in the Spanish American War. This regiment was known as the “Rough Riders and his commander was Colonel Theodore Roosevelt. Captain Allyn Capron, Captain of Troop L was in the battles of that war that was fought in Cuba. John M. Adair married at Tahlequah in 1903 Triphena Terrell, born in 1871.

Biographical Sketch of Robert E. Adair

Adair, Robert E. (See Grant, Adair, McNair and Ross) Robert Emmett, son of Brice Martin and Sarah (McNair) Adair was born in Salina District, December 16, 1861, educated at the Cherokee Orphan Asylum and Male Seminary. Married November 8, 1893 Ida Lavinia Elliott, born at Muskogee, March 30, 1874, educated at Harrell Institute, Muskogee. They are the parents of Rollin Elliott born September 4, 1894. George Washington, born March 27, 1896, Fredrick Burl, born October 3, 1897, John William, born December 22, 1899, Emmett Ray, born April 4, 1908 and Arthur Allen Adair, born September 7, 1911. Mr. Adair was … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Jefferson D. Edmondson

Edmondson, Mrs. Jefferson D. (See Grant and Ward)—Lulu Eugenia, daughter of Sam­uel Taylor and Catherine Jane (Lear) Ward was born in Ark. Feb 28, 1864, educated in Delaware District. Married on Beatty’s Prairie October 6, 1887, Jefferson Davis, son of Augusta Van and Laura Edmonson, born April 21, 1861, In Washington County, Arkansas. They are the parents of: Olive Estella, born April 3, 1889, graduated from Female Seminary, May 29, 1907, married Cicero J. Howard; Laura Helen, born June 8, 1893, and Doda Kate Edmondson, born January 16, 1896, married Peter Ware. Mr. Edmondson is farming near Pryor. George Ward, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Frank Alexander Billingslea

Billingslea (See Oobootsa, Ross, Sanders and Ghigau.)—Jeannette Starr was born February 16, 1862, in Tahlequah. She was educated in the Cherokee public schools and graduated from Female Seminary July 2, 1880. Married at Vinita April 1, 1885. Frank Alexander Billingslea, born August 9, t8Si, in Crawfordville, Taliaferro County, Ga. He died May 9, 1913. They were the parents of DollIe Willie, born at Vinita, August 21, 1887, and Joseph Billingslea, born July 17, 1891 in Vinita. Thomas, son of James and Lettie Boyd (Chambers) Starr, was born March 12, 1840, married August 20, 1860, Dollie Eunice, daughter of Anderson and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Edwin Harley Barton

Barton, (See Grant, Downing, Oolootsa, Foreman and Ghigau)—Edwin Harley Barton, born Aug. 8, 1890 at Baptist in Going Snake District, educated at Pryor, Chelsea and Tahlequah; graduated from Sweeney’s Automobile School in Kansas City, Mo. Married November 4, 1911 Bonnie E. daughter of John B. and Rachael F. Heflin. Edwin H. and Bonnie E. Barton are the parents of Frances Mae Barton, born November 12, 1912. Mary Vans Lashey, born in 1862, married September 6, 1888 Frederick Spencer Barters, born September 8, 1851 in Piqua, Miami county, Ohio. He died April 2, 1921. They were the parents of Edwin Harley … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Gilbert Benson Cobb

Cobb, Gilbert Benson (See Grant)— Alexander Clingan, son of Joseph Benson and Evelyn (Clingan) Cobb, was born September, 15, 1864. Married at Carthage, Illinois, August 23, 1887, Lucy Van Zile, born January 10, 1863, in Ripley County, Indiana. She died March 31, 1893, and Mr. Cobb married June 29, 1898, Lillie May Pharr, born December 7, 1867, in Lincoln County, Missouri. Mr. Cobb is the father of: Gilbert Benson, born June 11, 1889 at Carthage, Illinois, educated at Wagoner. Married at Wagoner, December, 1910, Annette, daughter of Alfred and Adilee Sullivan, born Oct­ober 20, 1874, in Wayne County, Missouri. They … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Clifford Chamberlain

Chamberlain (See Oo-loot-sa) —William Clifford Chamberlain was born April 23, in Flint Dist. He was educated at Neosho, Mo. He settled in Vinita and married Sept. 10, 1875, Lydia Ann Ward, born August 1, 1856. Se died June 28, 1882, and he married September 24, 1885 Madge, daughter of Hamilton W. and Margaret Goodykoontz, born August 7, 1859. Mrs. Madge Chamberlain taught school for seven years before her marriage, the last two being at Worcester Academy at Vinita. William C. Chamberlains children by his first marriage were: Flora Hoyt, born March 6, 1877 and died August 13, 1896; Edith Ursa … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Samuel C. Blake

Blake, Samuel C. (See Downing, Gore)— Samuel Coke Blake, born at Cane Hill, Wash­ington, Washington Co. Ark. April 10, 1862, educated in that county. Married at Wagon­er, June 10, 1888, Georgia Anna Pharris, born Oct. 5, 1867 at Petaluma, Calif. They are the parents of: Jennie Agnes, born August 23, 1889, married Charles E. Stamps; Nita Emory, born February 11, 1892, mar­ried Charles Alonzo Spencer and has two children, Myrtle Caroline, horn February 5, 191 1 and Alonzo Blake Spencer, born March 24, 1919; John Fenlon, born September 4, 1894; Albert Watts, horn May 17, 1897; Georgia Kezzie, born April … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Beamer

Beamer, William. (See Foreman and Gusoduesga.)—William Beamer, born in 1853, educated in Kansas City. Married in 1872, Alice Towie. They are the parents of: Sam­uel, born August 14, 1873 ; Nannie, born July 3, 1875; Elizabeth, born March 21, 1878, married Charles Teehee; Louanna, born September 1, 1880; Emeline, born March 15, 1882; Ida, born March 1, 1891; and George Beamer, born May 26, 1894. Mr. Beamer is an ordained minister of the Baptist church and a member of the order of I. O. O. F. Elizabeth, a half blood Cherokee, married William Springston, an English trader and their son … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Jay Paul Brown

Brown, Mrs. Jay Paul (See Grant and Foreman)—Alma Ramona Taylor born in Hanford, California, July 16, 1884, educat­ed in Missouri Valley College, Marshall, Missouri and Fairmont Seminary, Weatherford, Texas, graduating from the latter in 1905, specialized in instrumental music. She married at Chouteau November 27, 1917, Jay Paul, sons of Paul Jay and Martha A. Browns, born October 15, 1874 in Wood County, Ohio. They are the parents oh Martha Sue Brown, born at Muskogee, December 28, 1919. Mr. Brown is a merchant at Chouteau. Ann Olivia, daughter of Isaac and Catherine (Rathiff) Bushyhead was born in Georgia, November 27, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Cyrus Cicero Cornatzer

Cornatzer—Cyrus Cicero Cornatzer, whose Shawnee name is See-tah-way-see-cab, and who belongs to the Rabbit Clan, was born February 11, 1853 on One Hundred and Ten Mile Creek in Kansas Territory. He is the son of Samuel M. and Caroline Cornatzer. The former was born May 6, 1824 in Oxford, North Carolina, and the latter was born in December 1834. Cyrus C. Cornatzer married Lydia J. Boggan March 23, 1871. Several years after her death he married on October 11, 1911 Miss Kate, daughter of Joseph Tyson and Martha Jane Zimmerman. Cyrus C. Cornatzer was educated in the Johnson county Kansas … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Callie Elliott

Elliott, Mrs. Callie (See Foreman)—Callie, daughter of Samuel and Annie (Edwards) Whatenberger, born March 15, 1868, in Springfield, Mo. Educated in Texas. Married at Vinita Jan. 7, 1892, Hiram Thompson Elliott, son of Archibald and Rachel (Smith) Elliott, born May 22, 1858. They were the parents of Hiram Thompson Elliott, Jr., born November 26, 1892; Samuel Talbert, born July 5th, 1894, married Genevieve Blackford, Vera May, born February 26, 1896, married Guy L. Jones, and has one son, Raymond Jones, born April 4, 1914; Lucullus, born August 25, 1899, is in the United States Marine Corps in Haiti; Lucien Bell, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Josie Gertrude Bass

Bass, Josie Gertrude, (See Foreman, Cordery, Grant and Riley)—.Josephine Gertrude daughter of John Anthony and Eliza Mary Blythe Foreman was born Tuesday November 19, 1872. Educated at Oowala and Female Seminary. Married at Talala, September 30, 1897 William Robert Bass, born September 15, 1872 in Wilson county, Tennessee. He died February 3, 1912. They were the parents of: Robert Morris. Educated at Ra­mona and Oklahoma University, born July 20, 1898 and Harold E. Bass, born May 16, 1903. John Anthony, son of Reverend Stephen and Sallie W. (Riley) Foreman was born at Park [Jill, June 10, 1844. Educated at Park … Read more