Biography of Capt. George W. Grayson

The subject of this sketch, George W. Grayson, was born in 1843, within four miles of Eufaula, Creek Nation. He is a son of the late James Grayson and Jennie Wynn, a half-breed Creek. The original name of Grayson was Grierson, having become corrupted in some unaccountable manner. The original Grierson was a Scotchman, reputed to have come from the city of Edinburgh, Scotland. He married a Creek woman of the Hillabee Town, who bore him several children, among whom was the grand-parent of the subject of our sketch. George W. was the first-born of his family, and his parents, … Read more

Biography of W. E. Gentry

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

Biography of Judge James M. Keys

Judge James M. Keys was born March 25, 1845, son of Louis Keys, who came from the old State in 1828 and settled on the Illinois River near Tahlequah. His mother was Catherine McDaniels, daughter to James McDaniels, of Irish descent. William Keys, the grandfather to James M., was a United States citizen of Scotch-Irish blood. James was educated at the Tahlequah schools, and at sixteen years of age enlisted in Captain Tennent’s company, Fourth Arkansas, serving three months and twenty days, when he joined Stand Watie’s First Cherokee Regiment, and remained with them until the termination of the war. … Read more

Biography of Jas. O. Callaghan, M.D.

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

Biographical Sketch of Ellis M. Alberty

Ellis M. Alberty was born May 4, 1854, in Going Snake district, the son of Moses Alberty (a Georgian, who settled in this nation in 1832) and Elizabeth Buffington, daughter of Ellis Buffington. Ellis, while but six years of age, commenced attending school at Prairie Grove, but after the outbreak of the war refugeed with his parents near Goodwater, Choctaw Nation. Here Ellis visited the mission school off and on until 1866, when his family returned to the home place in Going Snake district. At the Baptist Mission in this district Ellis completed his education. On June 14, 1874, he … Read more

Biography of William C. Patton

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

Biographical Sketch of Leroy L. Crutchfield

Leroy L. Crutchfield was born in Collin County, Texas, October 25, 1844, second son of John Crutchfield, from Alabama, who married Miss Mary E. Ladd, of Tennessee. Leroy attended private schools till 1861, when he entered the Confederate service joining the Fifteenth Texas Calvary, under Col. G. H. Sweet, and was in continual service till the close of the war. IN 1870 he went into the cattle business with his father, and was then elected sheriff of “Jack” County, in which capacity he served five years. Afterward he engaged in merchandise in Jacksborough, and continued it till November 1887, when … Read more

Biographical Sketch of David Albert Mounts

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

Biography of Colonel D. N. McIntosh

D. N. McIntosh was born near Newnham, Georgia, September 20, 1822, the son of William McIntosh, a half-breed Scot and Creek Indian. The subject of our sketch moved to this country when eight years old with the third emigration, in 1830, and settled on the Verdigris River. He was educated at Smith’s Institute, Kentucky, and left there at the age of eighteen, in the year 1841. At this period the Creek Nation was composed of two districts, each district governed by a chief, who jointly presided at the general council. Young McIntosh, notwithstanding his youth, was appointed clerk of the … Read more

Biography of Hugh Henry

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

Biography of De Witt Clinton Lipe

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

Biography of General William Mcintosh

William Mcintosh was a half-breed of the Muscogee or Creek Nation, and was born at Coweta. His father was Capt. William McIntosh, a Scotchman; his mother a native, Of unmixed blood. Of the early life of McIntosh very little is known. He was intelligent and brave. In person he was tall, finely formed, and of graceful and commanding manners. The first notice we have of him is after his junction with the American forces in 1812. Gent Floyd speaks highly of him in his report Of the battle Of Autossee. Gen, Jackson speaks of him as Major McIntosh. He distinguished … Read more

Biography of General William Augustus Bowles

General William Augustus Bowles, as much of the embarrassments which Georgia experienced in settling the difficulties connected with the Creek Indians, immediately after the Revolution, arose from the interference of the man whose name is placed at the head of this article, we have concluded to give our readers a short account of his life, chiefly derived from a pamphlet published many years since. General William Augustus Bowles was born in Frederick County, Maryland, in the year 1764. During the American Revolution, he joined the British army, in which he soon obtained a commission. After the battle of Monmouth, he … Read more

Biography of General Alexander McGillivray

General Alexander McGillivray this remarkable man was the son of Lachlan McGillivray, a native of Scotland, who came to South Carolina in the year 1735 and engaged in the Indian trade, at that time a very lucrative business. In the course of a few years, by his address and industry, he amassed a large property. During the Revolutionary War, he associated himself with the royalists, and when Savannah was evacuated by the enemy, he left Georgia, with a hope that his son might be permitted to take possession of his valuable estate; but in this he was disappointed; for, with … Read more

Choctaw Citizenship Litigation, Names A -Z

List of Mississippi Choctaw Indians in whose behalf scrip was issued under the provisions of the act of Congress of August 23, 1842 (5 Stat. L., 513), in lieu of land to which they were entitled under article 14 of the treaty of September 27, 1830 (Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek) (7 Stat. L., 333-335). A Names A-be-ha-ya A-bon-wa-te-mah A-cha-i-a-tubbe A-cha-la A-che-ho-ka A-hath-la A-he-ah-tubbee A-hu-ta A-low-a-ho-nah A-mah A-num-brilla A-o-nah-ha-mah A-po-la-tubbee A-to-ni-cubbee A-ya-to-na Ab-a-wa-la Ab-be-bo-ka Ab-be-coo-chah Ab-be-ish-ti-yah Ab-cha-kab-hoo-nah Ab-cha-pa-ho-nah Ab-che-ah-so-nah Ab-che-tubbe Ab-chuk-ma-tubbe Ab-chunk-ma-ho-ka Ab-he-ho-nah Ab-ho-tu-nah Ab-it-ti-yah Ab-man-to-lah Ab-moon-pis-ah-cha (or He-tuck-loo-ab) Ab-no-la-che-mah Ab-no-la-tubbe Ab-noo-tom-be Ab-pa-la-ho-nah Ab-pa-sa-tam-he Ab-pa-sam-la (or Pa-samlee) Ab-pa-san-tubbe Ab-take-ah-ho-nah Ab-to-be-tubbe … Read more

Day Schools Choctaw Nation – A-B

Alamo Day School, Choctaw Nation, September 1904 Male Indian Pupils Name Age Frank McKinney 14 Lige McKinney 12 Ed McKinney 6 August Zanola 9 Female Indian Pupils Annie Zanola 9 Lily McKinney 8 Ada Sorrells 16 Dora Sorrells 13 Irma Sorrells 11 Minnie Sorrells 8 Male White Pupils Thomas Wallace 11 Carl Tate 8 Baxter Hayes 6 Cleveland Hayes 9 James March 10 Willie Cottier 11 Berl Cogburn 6 Hiram Franklin 11 Guy Dority 13 Archie Williams 9 Mack Carr 6 Bram Conley 6 Charlie Yeager 8 Roy Dodd 12 James Wallace 6 John Winsleet 13 Alex Wallace 6 Jim … Read more

Hunting Customs of the Omahas

Omaha Tents

In the life of the American Indian so much has ever depended upon the skill of the hunter that in the hazards of the chase he has sought supernatural aid to supplement his own inadequate powers; thus, in every tribe, we find rites connected with hunting carefully observed, and frequently forming an important part of the tribal ceremonies. Mention has been made, in my previous papers, of the Indian’s custom of retiring into the forest or to the mountain to fast, that there might come to him in a vision some manifestation of the powers of nature. Whatever appears in … Read more