Native American

The pleasant and popular ex-Governor Coachman was born in Wetumka, Alabama, in 1827, and went to the neighboring schools in Macon County, the same State, at an early age. He is the youngest son of Muslushobie (otherwise Coachman) by his wife Pollie Durant, a half-breed, and full niece of Alexander McGibery, once a prominent Creek leader, mentioned in Piggot’s history. She was also sister to Sophia McComb and Rachel Bosheers, of Scotch and French descent. The subject of this sketch lived with his uncle Loughlin Durant until twenty-two years of age, when he moved West to the Creek Nation on … Read more

The present chief of the Creek Nation was born at Sodom, Creek Nation, Indian Territory, March 1, 1838. His parents, Lewis Perryman, of Big Spring Town, and Ellen Perryman (nee Winslett), of Hechittee Town, emigrated to this nation from the old Creek Nation in Alabama, in the year 1828. Chief Perryman is the oldest of a large family of children. The Perrymans were a large, energetic and enterprising family at the breaking out of the Civil War in the United States; and the Winsletts were recognized as the brightest intellects of the country at that time, as is attested by … Read more

The late distinguished lawyer and statesman, E. C. Boudinot, was born August, 1835, near Rome, Ga., and was the son of Kille-kee-nah, a Cherokee descended from a long line of chiefs. Elias was first educated for a civil engineer at Manchester, Vt., but finally concluded to adopt the law as a profession. He was admitted to the bar in 1856, and practiced in the State and Federal Courts. One of his first cases was the defense of Stand Watie, defendant in a murder case, in which it is recorded that young Boudinot made one of the most effective and polished … Read more

Frederick B. Severs, the subject of this sketch, born August 13, 1835, in Washington County, Ark., the only son of Charles J. Severs and his wife, Basima T. Ballard. His father was from Tennessee and his mother from South Carolina. She was related to the Rutledges, Pinckneys and Austins, families of considerable prominence in that State, their record dating back to Revolutionary days. His father, Charles J. Severs, moved to Arkansas, then a Territory, in 1834. Frederick attended school in his father’s neighborhood until he was about fifteen years old, when he went to Cane Hill College, Boonsborough, Ark. He … Read more

The subject of this sketch was born near the mouth of Little River, Creek Nation, in 1856; the son of Palmer, a half-breed French and Creek, who came from the old country in 1833 and died at Fort Gibson in 1865, only surviving his wife (Watey Palmer’s mother), about two weeks, she dying rather suddenly, close to Fort Scott, Kansas. At the outbreak of the war, the subject of out sketch went with his parents, who refugeed for three and a half years among the Sac and Fox Indians in Kansas. When ten years of age, after the death of … Read more

The subject of this sketch was born November 1860, at Sulphur Springs, Texas. He is the eldest son of Judge S. B. Callaghan, present Chief Justice of the Creek Nation, who is the son of Oliver Callaghan of Scott county, Pennsylvania. Mrs. S. B. Callaghan (Dr. Callaghan’s mother) is the daughter of Rev. Wm. Thornburg, a minister of the Methodist Church, who came from Mississippi to Texas and died in that State about the year 1845. Up to the age of fourteen James received his schooling at Sulphur Springs public school, after which he went to the Alley High School, … Read more

The subject of this sketch was born August 1, 1829, being seventh son and fourteenth child of Joseph E. Patton, of Buncombe County, North Carolina, a farmer and stock-raiser. His mother was a Miss Orr, of South Carolina. William went to a neighborhood school until fifteen years of age, and at eighteen went to Lafayette Academy, Walker County, Georgia, where he remained two years. In 1853 he went into the mercantile business in Georgia, and continued in it until 1860. In that year he opened out in Chattanooga, and in 1862 joined the Confederate army, continuing in service until the … Read more

The subject of this sketch was born June 1854, the eldest son of W. J. Mounts, of Wheeling, W. Va. He was educated in Kentucky, Missouri, Texas and Indiana, having been with his father in these states. After coming to Fort Gibson he went to work for O. W. Lipe, in 1877, for half interest in the profits of his business. He remained two years, and in 1879 married Miss Carrie Thompson, one of the belles of the Cherokee Nation and highly accomplished. In 1881 he went to work for Mr. Scott as head clerk in his mercantile establishment, and … Read more

Hugh Henry was born January, 1848, at Nacogdoches County, Texas, third son of W. D. Henry, a Georgian, and Levisa Hutton, a half-breed Creek. After the marriage of his parents they moved to Texas, in 1832, his mother dying in 1852. After the death of his mother Hugh remained in Eastern Texas with his grandmother about eleven years. When quite young he became a cowboy, attaching himself to Hart Bros.’ cow camp until the breaking out of the war, when he joined the Confederate service under General Terry, remaining in the service eight months. After this Hugh Henry became a … Read more

John L. McCoy is a half-breed Cherokee, and has for more than fifty years figured conspicuously in the affairs of that nation, having held many positions of trust and honor, reflecting credit on himself and his people. He is eminently a self-made man, having enjoyed but limited educational advantages in his youth. At the age of nineteen he was placed by his father in a store, where he remained one year, during which time, by dint of determined perseverance, he mastered, with but little assistance, the rudiments of an English education. His principal textbook was Webster’s blue-back speller. Of strong … Read more

Douglas H. Johnston was born at Sculliville, Choctaw Nation, October 13, 1856. He is the son of Colonel John Johnston, Sr., a white man, who immigrated with the Six-Town Choctaws to the Indian Territory form Mississippi. Colonel Johnston acquired his title in the Seminole War, and was a cousin of General Joseph E. Johnston, of Confederate fame. He was a land speculator and a prominent lawyer of Mississippi. On coming to the territory, he was married to the widow of Isaac Moncrief, a half-breed Chickasaw lady, sister of James S. Cheedle, by whom he had four sons, viz.: William, Franklin, … Read more

The subject of this sketch was born September 21, 1863, at Lafayette, Georgia, and is the eldest son of George W. Hill, a prominent merchant of Ringgold, Lafayette County, Georgia. Davis’ mother was a daughter of Martin Davis, of Dahlangoah. The young man attended private school until he was eighteen years old, when he went into general merchandise with his father at Cedar Grove, Georgia. Here he continued for three years until 1886, when he settled in Vinita and again embarked in merchandise, this time in company with William Little. In 1887 he bought out his partner, and connected himself … Read more

The subject of this sketch is the eldest son of Joe Gregory, a white man, and Lucinda Simms, a half-blood Euchee Indian. Lucinda was a granddaughter of Cosienna Barnett, a man of considerable prominence in the Euchee tribe, spoken of in the historic pages of this book. They are distinct from the Creeks and speak a different language, although for many years they have affiliated with and enjoyed the privileges of the Muskogees in everything except missionary work. The missionaries, being unable to speak the language, which is extremely difficult, almost completely neglected the Euchees. Noah G. Gregory was sent … Read more

Mrs. N. G. Gregory (whose maiden name was Carrie E. Norman) is the second daughter of W. G. Norman, and was born in Florida in 1867, coming to the Creek Nation in 1877, her mother being a citizen thereof. Miss Norman was partly educated in the States and partly at Wealaka Mission, Creek Nation, where she was greatly beloved by her teachers and admired and respected by her schoolmates. While there she joined the Presbyterian Church, and has since been a devout member. On June 15, 1886, Miss Norman was married to N. G. Gregory, a prominent member of the … Read more

Mrs. Susan Taylor was born July 6, 1803, daughter of “Fields,” a half-breed of Scotch descent. Her mother was a Miss Brown, sister of Judge Brown, prominent in Cherokee history. Susan Taylor was educated at the Moravian Mission, Spring Place, Georgia, and moved with the emigration to the Indian Territory in 1839. Her husband, Richard Taylor, held many prominent positions in the nation, and was second chief when he died, in 1853. The subject of our sketch settled in Tahlequah before there was a residence in that place, and in 1849 built a fine brick residence, one of the first … Read more

John T. McSpadden was born near Fort Payne, Alabama, March 15, 1852, the third son of I. K. B. McSpadden, a minister of the M. E. Church, South, who, in 1869, came to the Indian Territory as a missionary. Mr. McSpadden, Jr.’s mother was a Miss Elizabeth J. Green, daughter of a leading citizen of Athens, Tennessee. The subject of our sketch was educated in the Phoenix Academy, near Fort Payne, Alabama, until his nineteenth year, when he followed his parents to the Indian Territory, and there engaged in school-teaching two years. After that he followed the blacksmith’s trade three … Read more

The subject of this sketch was born September 8, 1838, at Chandlersville, O. He is the eldest son of W. F. Frazee and Isabella Mahon, from County Armagh, Ireland. Morris attended the public schools until sixteen years of age, when he entered Knox College, Galesburg, Ill., and there remained until, in three years, he completed his sophomore course, after which he read law with Messrs. Muse and Gaston, at Zanesville, Ohio, for one year. Returning to his home at Warsaw, Illinois, he studied medicine until the outbreak of the war, when he joined the Federal service as a second lieutenant, … Read more

The subject of this sketch was born at Tahlequah, Indian Territory, December 17, 1868, eldest son of R. B. Ross, ex-treasurer, and great-grandson of Chief John Ross. Chas. M. Ross received his education at the Male Seminary, Tahlequah, graduating in 1887 with high honors. Soon after he entered the Missouri Medical College, St. Louis, where he graduated March 31, 1891, and returning to Tahlequah commenced the practice of medicine. He moved to Claremore August 1st of the same year, and established himself with Dr. J. C. Bushyhead, son of the ex-chief and an old classmate of his in the medical … Read more

This eminent soldier and judge was born July 7, 1827, in Lincoln County, Ky., the seventh son of Edmond Shackelford and Susan Thompson, both of Virginia. At the age of twelve years he was placed at Stanford University, Kentucky, for two years, after which he became a pupil of the celebrated teacher, James F. Barber. In 1848, under the last requisition of the government, he was elected by a company in Washington County, Kentucky, as lieutenant, and received a first lieutenant’s commission from the government, in Company I, of the Fourth Kentucky regiment of infantry, which was commanded by John … Read more

W. E. Gentry was born March 11, 1842. He is the second son of James Gentry, of Alabama, and grandson of Elijah Gentry, a white man who married a full-blood Catawba Indian, and Miss Caroline Bush, a United States citizen. William was sent to school for a short time in Mississippi, and then moved to the Creek Nation, in 1855, with his father and mother. Here he went to Asberry Mission, Eufaula, for one year, after which he commenced agriculture with his father, continuing until the outbreak of the war, when he joined the Confederates under Colonel Chily McIntosh, Second … Read more