Native American

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

Born in February 1848, at the old Creek agency, the eldest son of William Adams, by Hepsie Perryman, niece of Louis Perryman, Thomas first attended school at Tallahassee Mission, in 1852, and, later, moved to Asberry Mission. In 1861 he married Miss Mahalya Grayson, daughter of Betsy Grayson. During the war he was detailed by the Federal government to the commissary department as distributor of beef to the various camps. In 1866, when the war ended, he was elected to the House of Warriors, which office he has held until the present, over twenty-five years. Few, if any members, of … Read more

F. M. Connor was born near Joplin, Missouri, March 29, 1852, the son of William Connor (a farmer, mill-wright and mechanic,) and Drucilla Davis. His grandfather, Caleb Connor, was one of the first settlers in Indiana. When but five years old, the subject of this sketch accompanied his father to the Cherokee Nation, settling on Grand River, Delaware district, in 1857. He was partly educated at Asberry Mission, in the Creek Nation, but his parents dying in 1868 and in 1870, he was forced to take care of himself at an early age. In 1871, when only eighteen years old, … 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

Joseph Heinrichs was born February 15, 1851, at Nord Keichen, Westphalia, Germany, the youngest son of Everhart Heinrichs. Joseph came to the United States in 1867, landing at New York, from whence he traveled south until he arrived at Little Rock, Arkansas, where he remained for a short time. Leaving there he went to Fort Smith, the home of his brother and sister, and in that town started in the shoemaking business as an apprentice. Serving three years he returned to Little Rock in 1871 and worked his trade for nine months, when he went to Tahlequah, Indian Territory, and … Read more

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

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

George A. Alexander was born in March 1842, the eldest son of James Alexander, who moved to the Creek Nation with the first general emigration, and was forage master for the Indians on their trip to this country. At the time of his death he was clerk of the council and correspondent for his people. George Abner’s mother was half-blood Creek, of the Jacob family. George received the additional name of Abner at the particular request of Mr. Abner, a general merchant, located in the Creek Nation close to where Alexander had made his home. The subject of our sketch … 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

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 February 17, 1840, in Tahlequah district, Cherokee Nation, eldest son of O. W. Lipe, of Fort Gibson, and Catherine Gunter. De Witt attended public school until twelve years of age, when he went to Cane Hill, Arkansas, and there remained two sessions, after which he entered the Male Seminary at Tahlequah, leaving there at fifteen years of age. Although but a boy De Witt commenced clerking in a general mercantile establishment, and continued the business until he was eighteen years of age, when he started in cattle on his own responsibility with a … Read more