Biography of Rev. William Butler

Rev. William Butler (B. 1859), pastor of St. Paul Presbyterian Church at Eagletown, and of Forest Church near Red River south of Millerton, is a native of the community in which he still lives. His parents, Abraham and Nellie Butler, were the slaves of Pitchlyn and Howell, Choctaws; and William was about seven, when freedom was accorded the family in 1866. His home and work as a minister until recently have been in localities remote from the railway and good schools. The short period of one and a half months was all the time he ever went to school. He … Read more

History of the Oak Hill Presbyterian Church, Valliant, Oklahoma

The Oak Hill Presbyterian Church was organized about June 29, 1869, with six members, namely, Henry Crittenden, who was ordained an elder, Teena Crittenden, his wife, J. Ross Shoals and his wife Hettie Shoals, Emily Harris and Reindeer Clark. The services at first were held in the home and later in an arbor at the home of Henry Crittenden, one mile east of the present town of Valliant, and now known as the home of James and Johnson Shoals. After a few years the place of meeting was transferred to an arbor about two miles southwest of Crittenden’s, and two … Read more

The First Chautauqua

In 1907, the last year under territorial government, arrangements were made for a patriotic celebration, in the form of a Chautauqua at the Academy. The following account of it is from the columns of the Garvin Graphic: The Fourth of July meeting by the Freedmen at Oak Hill Academy, near Valliant, was a real patriotic Chautauqua, the first meeting of the kind ever held in this part of the Territory, and well worthy of more than a mere passing note. The preparations for the occasion, which included a comfortable seat for everyone, were fully completed before hand. The speakers’ stand … Read more

Biography of B. F. Smallwood

This prominent Choctaw was born about the year 1829, in the State of Mississippi, and emigrated with the mass of his people to the Choctaw Nation. His first schooling was received at Shawneetown, on Red River, after which he went to Spencer Academy for some time. On leaving there he devoted several years to farming on his father’s place, in Kiamichi County, and in 1847 commenced cattle rising and agriculture for himself. In 1849 he married Miss Annie Burney, a Chickasaw, of the house of Ima-te-po, by whom he had seven children, two of whom are living, Amelia and Lorinda. … Read more

Biography of William H. Balentine

The subject of this sketch was born in July 1854, the son of Rev. Hamilton Balentine and Anna Hoyt, granddaughter of Second Chief Lowry. This lady died in March 1890. The Rev. H. Balentine, of Pennsylvania, educated at Princeton College, came to the Creek Nation in 1844, and taught school at the Tallahassee Mission, and later at Coweta Mission. Afterward he moved to Good Water and Spencer Academy, Choctaw Nation, teaching for some time at these points. His next move was to Wappaknucka, Chickasaw Nation, where he taught on different occasions for a term of five years. After the war … Read more

Choctaw Wedding

Mrs. H., a Choctaw woman, has just sent a servant to ask if we would be willing to attend a wedding at her house; her youngest daughter was about to be united in wedlock to a fine young Indian, who was serving as a clerk in a dry-goods store at the Agency. As we expressed our pleasure at being her guests on the eventful occasion, Mrs. H. sent us horses and saddles, and a servant to conduct us to her residence. We found a multitude of people assembled to witness the ceremonies. Mrs. H’s dwelling consisted of two square rooms, … Read more

History of Spencer Academy

This page provides a brief history of Spencer Academy and New Spencer Academy of Choctaw County, Oklahoma.

Doaksville and Fort Towson

Doaksville, though no longer entitled to a place on the map, is the name of an important pioneer Indian village. Here the proud and powerful Choctaws established themselves during the later twenties, and were regarded as happy and prosperous before the Civil War.

History of Wheelock Academy

Wheelock Academy for nearly four-score years was the most attractive social, educational and religious center in the southeast part of the Choctaw nation.

The Choctaw Freedmen and Oak Hill Industrial Academy

Oak Hill Industrial Academy

The aim of the Author in preparing this volume has been to put in a form, convenient for preservation and future reference, a brief historical sketch of the work and workers connected with the founding and development of Oak Hill Industrial Academy, established for the benefit of the Freedmen of the Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, by the Presbyterian Church, U. S. A., in 1886, when Miss Eliza Hartford became the first white teacher, to the erection of Elliott Hall in 1910, and its dedication in 1912; when the name of the institution was changed to “The Alice Lee Elliott Memorial.”

Santee Indians

Santee Tribe: Named according to Speck (1935), from iswan’ti, “the river,” or “the river is there.” Also called: Seretee, by Lawson (1860). Santee Connections. No words of the Santee language have come down to us, but there is little doubt that they belonged to the Siouan linguistic family. Santee Location. On the middle course of Santee River. Santee Villages. The only name preserved is Hickerau, on a branch of Santee River. Santee History. The Santee were first encountered by the Spaniards during the seventeenth century, and in the narrative of his second expedition Captain Eçija places them on Santee River. … Read more

Wateree Indians

Wateree Tribe: Gatschet suggests a connection with Catawba, wateran, “to float on the water.” Also called: Chickanee, name for a division of Wateree and meaning “little.” Guatari, Spanish spelling of their name. Wateree Connections. The Wateree are placed in the Siouan linguistic stock on circumstantial evidence. Wateree Location. The location associated most closely with the Wateree historically was on Wateree River, below the present Camden. (See North Carolina.) Wateree History. The Wateree are first mentioned in the report of an expedition from Santa Elena (Beaufort) by Juan Pardo in 1566-67. They lived well inland toward the Cherokee frontier. Pardo made … Read more

Winyaw Indians

Winyaw Tribe: Meaning unknown. Winyaw Connections. The Winyaw are placed in the Siouan linguistic family on circumstantial evidence. Their closest connections were with the Pedee and Waccamaw. Winyaw Location. On Winyaw Bay, Black River, and the lower course of the Pee Dee. Winyaw History. Unless this tribe is represented by the Yenyohol of Francisco of Chicora (1521), the Winyaw were first mentioned by the colonists of South Carolina after 1670. In 1683 it was charged that colonists had raided them for slaves on an insufficiently supported charge of murder by some of their people This unfriendly act did not prevent … Read more

Waxhaw Indians

Waxhaw Tribe: Meaning unknown. Also called: Flatheads, a name given to this tribe and others of the Catawba connection owing to their custom of deforming the head. Waxhaw Connection. Nothing of their language has been preserved, but circumstantial evidence points to a close relationship between the Waxhaw and the Catawba and hence to membership in the Siouan linguistic stock. Their closest contacts appear to have been with the Sugeree. Waxhaw Location. In Lancaster County, S. C., and Union and Mecklenburg Counties, N. C. Waxhaw Villages. Lawson mentions two villages in 1701 but the names are not given. Waxhaw History. The … Read more

Waccamaw Indians

Waccamaw Tribe: Meaning unknown. Waccamaw Connections. Nothing of their tongue has been preserved but evidence points to a  connection with the Waccamaw with the Siouan linguistic family, and presumably with the Catawba dialectic group. The Woccon may have been a late subdivision, as Dr. Rights has suggested. (See North Carolina.) Waccamaw Location. On Waccamaw River and the lower course of the Pee Dee. (See North Carolina.) Waccamaw Villages. The Waccamaw were reported to have had six villages in 1715, but none of the names is preserved. Waccamaw History. The name of the Waccamaw may perhaps be recorded in the form … Read more

Sugeree Indians

Sugeree Tribe: Speck (1935) suggests Catawba yensr grihere, “people stingy,” or “spoiled,” or “of the river whose-water-cannot-be drunk.” Also called: Suturees, a synonym of 1715. Sugeree Connections. —No words of their language have been preserved, but there is every reason to suppose that they belonged to the Siouan linguistic family and were closely related to the Catawba, and perhaps still more closely to the Shakori. Sugeree Location. On and near Sugar Creek in York County, S. C, and Mecklenburg County, N. C. Sugeree Villages. There were said to be many but their names have not been preserved. Sugeree History. The … Read more