Cravat

Memoirs of the LeFlore Family

The Old Farm House: The Pioneer Home of a Choctaw Chief, Leflore, and of the Oak Hill School

The Cravat and LeFlore families are significant figures among the Choctaws. John Cravat, a Frenchman, integrated into the community through marriage, fathering notable descendants. Major Louis LeFlore and his brother Michael, also of French descent, played crucial roles in the Choctaw Nation, with Louis becoming a respected chief. Their lineage boasts influential figures, including Basil LeFlore, renowned for his moral integrity and public service. The families contributed to the cultural and historical landscape of the Choctaws, persisting as prominent citizens within the nation.

Memoirs of the Harkins Family

John Harkins, a prominent figure in the Choctaw nation, arrived around 1800 and married Major Lewis LeFlore’s daughter, fathering four sons, including notable leaders like Col. George W. Harkins. George distinguished himself as a lawyer and advocate for Choctaw rights. His sister Salina, a well-educated and independent woman, worked as a telegraph operator. The Harkins family exemplified the virtues of their community, contributing to the moral and intellectual advancement of their people, while the author reflects on their enduring legacy and the need for greater recognition of Indigenous achievements.

Cravat Choctaw Family – List of Mixed Bloods

Cravat Genealogy Chart

This excerpt traces the Cravat family of Choctaw and Chickasaw ancestry, beginning with French immigrant John Cravat and his descendants through marriage into the LeFlore and Harris families. It notes the family’s prominence among mixed-bloods, their limited documentation at removal, and the presence of Cravat students at the Kentucky Choctaw Academy in 1840.