Native American

The list of items below have been tagged as part of the Native American historical collection here at AccessGenealogy.

Biographical Sketch of John M. Tucker

The subject of this sketch was born January 1, 1857, in Johnson County, Kansas, the son of Charles Tucker, who came to this country November, 1871, with the Shawnees, who obtained a right in the Cherokee Nation through a treaty entered into at Washington in 1869, which provided for such right and title in consideration of the money accruing from the sale of Shawnee lands in Kansas, and other considerations, to be paid over to the Cherokees. John attended school at Contention Schoolhouse, Delaware district, and in 1878 went to the national Male Seminary for one year, after which he … Read more

Biography of William H. Tibbils

William H. Tibbils was born May 2, 1838, at Auburn, New York, the second son of Henry W. Tibbils. His mother was Miss Abbey, of New York. William attended public school until the age of fifteen, when he went to Bethany Academy, Genesee County, New York, and there remained two years, after which he assisted his father to farm. At twenty he learned brick laying, and worked at the trade two years. During his early youth he formed an idea of becoming a lawyer, and read the elementary principals of law, becoming fascinated by the profession, through having been present … Read more

Biography of Thomas Fox Thompson

Thomas F. Thompson was born May, 1848, at Tahlequah, Cherokee Nation, the second son of Johnson Thompson, merchant of that place. Thomas attended district school until the outbreak of the Civil War, when he went south with the refugees. After the war he went with his parents to Grand River, Delaware district, where he attended one session at Pea Ridge School, Arkansas; leaving there he went to Vinita, where he was employed in his father’s store for about three years, after which he improved a farm on Big Cabin Creek, and there resided three years. Moving back to Vinita in … Read more

Biography of Joseph M. Thompson, M.D.

This popular young physician was born February 8, 1865, near Red River, Chickasaw Nation, during the war, and whilst his family were amongst the Cherokee refugees. He is the son of Johnson Thompson and Eliza C. Taylor, both Cherokees. In 1866 his parents went to Grand River, east of Vinita, Delaware district, where at eight years, Joseph was sent to a neighborhood school. At the age of fifteen years he went to the male seminary, and there remained three years, graduating a short time afterward at the Indian University, then located at Tahlequah. From this he began reading medicine under … Read more

Biography of Johnson Thompson

Johnson Thompson was born February 10, 1822, in Cass County, Georgia, the third son of James Allen Thompson, a white man, and Martha Lynch, a Cherokee, daughter of Geter Lynch, a United States citizen, who was a brother-in-law to Judge J. Martin, of considerable prominence in the Cherokee Nation. Johnson attended missionary and private schools until he was fifteen, when his father immigrated to the present Cherokee Nation with the Boudinots, Adairs, Mayes and Ridge families, after the treaty of 1835. Here he went to school in Viniard Township, Arkansas, and later to Bentonville in the same State, until he … Read more

Biography of George Washington Tarvin

George W. Tarvin was born December 14, 1828, a son of Elijah Tarvin, of Baldwin County, Alabama, and Elizabeth Tate. His grandfather, William Tarvin, came from England at an early day, settling in Buck County, Georgia, and afterward marrying Mary Miller in Pensacola, Florida, in 1783, where he opened a trading house. Mr. G. W. Tarvin’s mother, Elizabeth Tate, was second daughter to David Tate, and granddaughter to Colonel John Tate and Sehoy McGilleroy, and great-granddaughter to General Alexander McGilleroy, who came from Scotland in 1735 and amassed a large fortune in this country. He was colonel in the British … Read more

Biography of Judge Walter A. Starr

Walter A. Starr was born in Washington County, Arkansas, March 26, 1845, son of Joseph M. Starr, a prominent Cherokee citizen, who served several terms as judge of Going Snake district, and was afterward a senator. Walter’s mother was a Miss Delilah Adair, and her marriage to Joseph Starr took place in the old nation. The subject of this sketch attended the territory schools until the age of sixteen years, and, when the war broke out, entered the Confederate service, serving first under his brother, Captain George H. Starr, until the latter’s death, when he was in Captain E. M. … Read more

Biography of Ellis Starr

Ellis Starr was born June 17, 1853, on Lee’s Creek, Cherokee Nation, the only son of Leroy Starr, of Flint district. Ellis’ mother was a Miss Vann, daughter of Andy Vann, who died in Cuba many years ago, and who was second chief at the time of his death. Ellis’ grandfather, Ezekiel Starr, was one of the most prominent men in the nation, and died while in Washington, D. C., serving as delegate for his people, about the year 1847. Ellis attended public school until he was nine years of age, and at the close of the war went to … Read more

Biography of John L. Springston

John L. Springston is the son of Anderson Springston, half-breed, and Sallie Elliot, daughter of Jack Elliot, a white man, who married a quarter Cherokee. Anderson Springston was born in Tennessee, and after coming to this nation practiced law in the Delaware and Tahlequah districts. John L., the subject of this sketch, was born October 1845, and educated at the public schools, Delaware district. About the time he was ready to enter the Upper Alton Academy, the war broke out, and he joined the Indian Home Guards, Third Regiment, Company I, under Col. M. A. Phillips, Federal army. He entered … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Wiley Smith

Wiley Smith was born about 1843, in the Creek Nation, being the youngest son of Kosayar-E-Holar, a Creek. In youth he was sent to a neighboring school, for a short time, after which he went to work with his father until he was twenty-one years of age, when he married a full-blooded girl, named Tildie, the issue of this marriage was one boy, named Joe. After marriage he commenced working for himself, on a farm that he improved. Some time after the death of his wife, who only survived four years, he married in 1886, Roddie, the daughter of Mich-charhiya … Read more

Biography of James Small, M.D.

James Small was born October, 1841, in McMinn County, Tennessee, seventh son of Rev. James Small and Mary A. Wallace, of Scotch descent and from Wane County, Kentucky. James Jr. attended neighborhood schools until 1861, when he joined the Federal army, enlisting in the Second Kansas Infantry, and from that entered the Sixteenth Missouri Cavalry, in which he served till the close of the war. In 1864 he married Miss Mary Noe, of Lee County, Virginia, by whom he had five children, Mary J., born April 3, 1866; Amy A., March 23, 1868; Nellie A., June 23, 1872; Robert Walter, … Read more

Biography of John F. Simpson

John F. Simpson was born December, 1824, in Prince William County, Virginia, the son of J. W. Simpson, of Bardstown, Kentucky, who is now ninety-two years of age. John F. came to Kentucky at the age of twelve, and was educated at the public schools. After a residence of some ten years in Louisville, he moved to Eufaula in the Creek Nation (in 1872), and in the year following embarked in the hide and fur business, which he continues until the present day. In 1870, Mr. Simpson, while in Arkansas, met Miss Susan Crabtree, daughter of the late Mr. William … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Harrison O. Shepard

Harrison O. Shepard was born in December 1865, at Mount Vernon, Indiana, the sixth son of Joseph W. Shepard and Mary E. Barter, an English lady by nativity. Harrison went to the public schools until sixteen years of age, and commenced the study of law at nineteen with Grove & Sheperd, of Anthony, Kansas. He remained with that firm for two years, and was admitted to the bar in January, 1887, when he became a partner with the above named firm, and practiced until the establishment of a United States court in the Indian Territory in 1889, since which time … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William A. Sepulpa

The subject of this sketch was born October, 1861, near Polecat Creek, Sepulpa Station, on the Frisco and St. Louis Railroad, being the son of Sepulpa, who died in 1889. His grandmother lived until May 1890, dying at the age of ninety years. William was first sent to school at Tallahassee Mission, Indian Territory, in 1872, and remained five years, going from thence to Wooster University, Ohio, where he studied for three and a half years in the freshman class. On his return he was appointed United States Indian officer in 1885, and afterwards entered S. B. Severs’ establishment at … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W. F. Seaver

W. F. Seaver was born in Rock Island, Illinois, February 22, 1849, and was the son of John Seaver and Eliza Criswell, who emigrated to Illinois in 1840, the former being a native of Virginia. At the age of sixteen, William left his home and traveled indiscriminately through the States, adopting various means of making a living throughout sixteen states which he visited in turn. Having sowed his first crop of wild oats, the young man, determining to study for a profession, entered the Alexandria College, Alexandria, Missouri, and then read law under Hon. E. Kimble, of Nevada, Missouri. He … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James A. Scott

James A. Scott was born July 15, 1847, at Elk Mills, McDonald County, Missouri, third son of James A. Scott and Fannie M. Thompson. James A., Sr., was State senator for Crawford and Franklin Counties, Arkansas, for several years, and a very well known and highly reputable man. Young James, the subject of our sketch, at fourteen years of age, went to work for his uncle, a merchant of Little Rock, until 1868, when he entered the employ of the Memphis and Arkansas River Packet Company, remaining with them until 1871, when he went into farming and stock business in … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George R. Rucker, M.D.

George R. Rucker was born in Randolph County, Missouri, in March 1862, the son of J. M. Rucker, of Muskogee. He was educated at the public schools until 1881, when he took a course in the industrial university, Fayetteville, Arkansas. In 1882 he entered the Missouri Medical College, St. Louis, and studied for two terms, graduating in 1887. He then commenced practice in the Cherokee Nation, and the following year moved to Eufaula, Creek Nation, where he resides at present. Dr. Rucker is local surgeon for the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad, and is insurance examiner for the Mutual and … Read more

Biography of A. W. Robb

A. W. Robb was born January, 1840, in Vera County, Pennsylvania, the fourth son of William A. Robb, of Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Young Robb attended neighborhood schools until thirteen years of age, when he went to Washington College, Iowa, where he remained one year. Most of his time was spent upon a farm until he arrived at twenty years of age. In the fall of 1860 he went to Kansas, and in the following year entered the Federal service (militia force). Soon, however, he joined the regulars, and in July 1862, became a first lieutenant, Company F, Third Indiana Horse … Read more

Biography of Edgar N. Ratcliffe

Edgar N. Ratcliffe was born March 5, 1857, at Hillsborough, Texas, the fourth son of James T. Ratcliffe, a leading lawyer of Hillsborough, and Miss Whiteside, daughter of Mr. Whiteside, a well known merchant and silversmith of Ashville, North Carolina. Edgar attended public school until fifteen years of age, after which he entered Trinity University, Tehuacana, Texas, where he remained until eighteen years of age, when he became a clerk for Alfred Young, of that town, remaining until he was twenty, and then established a mercantile business for himself, which he conducted until 1884, and, selling out, removed to Vinita, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Miss Eliza Jane Quinton

Miss Quinton was born in January 1861; eldest daughter of Thomas Washington Quinton, of Pennsylvania. Her mother was Miss Eliza Jane Enix, of the same State. Miss Quinton went to school at Keystone Academy, Factoryville, Pennsylvania, where she remained for five years; in 1889 she went to the Baptist Mission Training School, and graduated in one year, coming to Eufaula in August 1890, where she now resides under the auspices of the Women’s Baptist Home Missionary Society, subject to whom she holds her present appointment. Miss Quinton has already done much good in the community, being a most devout Christian, … Read more