USA > Mississippi > Newton County > History of Newton County, Mississippi from 1834 to 1894 > Part 2
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The Chickasaws are said to have been a very warlike tribe, while the Choctaws were, on the contrary, power- ful but not a very warlike people. They assisted the American people from first to last against all foreigners who made war against us, and also against all un. friendly Indians whom the nation had difficulty in subduing.
From all the information on the subject it is not safe to say that Newton county, though a favored spot for the Indians' home, had more than from 3000 to 5000 Indians subsequent to the treaty. These people, in their prime- val state, were the most honest, virtuous people of which we have any account. It is true that some things were tolerated among them not allowed in civilized nations,
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HISTORY OF NEWTON COUNTY.
such as a plurality of wives, and some customs which were revolting to the refined notions of the white men -such as scaffolding their dead until the flesh would come off the bones, and with human hands remove the flesh and bury the bones ; and yet they had great rev- erence for their dead, and buried their bones near their dwellings ; were very loth to leave them and go to another country, evidently believing that the spirits of their dead were present but invisible. When they came into very close relations with the white man, and became addicted to the vice of intemperance, to which most of them fell victims, they became badly demoral- ized and lost much of that purity of character which originally distinguished them. As a race, children of nature, deriving much of their support from the spon- taneous production of the soil, and game that were abundant around them, they knew but little about hard work ; yet they by nature are economical, lived on little, and wonderfully enjoyed their social rela- tions, engaged with zeal in their national game, and attended closely to their time-honored customs of cry- ing, dancing and feasting over their dead. They were by nature endowed with good minds, capable of being greatly improved by education-being as apt to learn as the white race. They also display much ingenuity in the construction of anything in mechanics as well as fine arts, and often good taste in anything that they propose to construct. They have gone from our midst. A peculiar people has passed away. Only a remnant of a once powerful tribe is left among us, and they are to-day as free from an amalgamation of their race with the white and black man as they were when they first mingled together. This remnant is fast declining. There are about three hundred now in Newton county. Many of this small number appear to be in a decline-
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HISTORY OF NEWTON COUNTY.
not the robust, hardy people as of years ago. The probabilities are that there is too much consanguinity of blood. Various diseases, not originally known to them, particularly of a pulmonary character, seem to attack them. If this remnant would go West and mingle and marry with their race in the Indian Terri- tory, it is probable that they would be much bettered.
Many of them in this county have embraced Chris- tianity. About fifteen years ago a missionary from the Choctaw tribe in the Territory came to Newton county. He was quite an old man, probably seventy years old. He said that he was born in Scott county ; was the son of a white man who came from Virginia and married his mother. He, with his parents, went to Gainesville, Ala., where there was a trading post kept by George S. Gaines and Allen Glover. There the attention of some persons who were engaged in immigrating the Indians was first called to the young half-breed, Peter Fulsom. He was taken and to some extent was educated and became a Baptist preacher. He early went west, as the tribe was emigrated. The Mount Pisga Association, embracing this county, asked that a missionary be sent to these Indians in this part of the country. Peter Fulsom came, was a good and pious man, but too old to do much service. He went back to the Nation after the first year and was succeeded by Jesse Baker, a young Choctaw Bap- tist preacher, who had received a tolerably good edu- cation at Upper Alton in the State of Illinois. He was a consecrated man and did wonderful work among his people. He mingled freely with them, learned them to sing religious songs, preached to them, taught them to read and write, which they readily learned to do, and reclaimed most of them with whom he came in contact, from strong drink, and made a general reform among them in the county.
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HISTORY OF NEWTON COUNTY.
In this county they have mostly abandoned their ball plays, which were very demoralizing and wicked places when dominated by drunken white men and negroes. They have two or more preachers in the county, with fifty to sixty members. These preachers are remarkable for the way in which they preach, and their understanding of the scripture, and for the cor- rect and orderly way in which they conduct divine service. They have one public school taught at differ- ent places in the county. This school is provided for in the same way as other public schools of the county. Mr. Halbert, a white man, teaches these schools. He appears to be devoting himself studiously to the im- provement of all the Choctaws in his reach.
The Indian preacher, Jesse Baker, labored for a part of two years, going to college after the first year and returning to his work. Soon after his return the second year, he took fever and died, at the house of Mr. Frank Russell, at Hickory, who treated him very kindly. In a short time another Choctaw preacher came, and he also died very soon after coming. Since that time the native Indian, with the help of the white preachers of the county, have been able to carry on the work.
Much has been said and written about the treatment that the "poor Indian" has received at the hands of the white man-that is, the government of the United States. It is said that their lands and country were taken away from them, and they were forced away from the homes they reverenced and loved, which was their's by inalienable right of inheritance and posses- sion, for ages past.
It is all true, that the Government took or exchanged countries with Indians of various tribes of the United States. The Choctaws are the ones which have been
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most particularly under discussion, and for the infor- mation it may impart it is shown from good authority that the Choctaws ceded in all to the U. S. Government 19,000,000 acres of land, and received in return 20,000,000 and $2,225,000 in money and goods. These people, after they were removed, had schools that were free, school-houses and books furnished. They had the gospel preached to them; they had thrown around them the protecting care of a strong government that would not allow a white man to buy or own land among them. They were not allowed to sell their lands, had no tax to pay upon them, and could remain on and rent out the land as long as they lived and their children after them. The Indian Territory in which they live, is one of the most fertile, well- watered and beautifully situated States in the Union. It has abundance of game, a diversity of soil, besides being rich in coal and mineral production. It has 74,125 square miles, nearly twice as large as Missis- sippi. Its population in 1860 consisted of Cherokees, Creeks, Seminoles, Choctaws, Chickasaws and rem- nants of smaller tribes, amounting in all to 66,680. Since that time other remnants have been moved to the Nation and the population is now much larger. In some instances the government has apparently been severe with some tribes of Indians. This sometimes became necessary, the Indians often committing crimes which deserved severe punishment.
Taking everything into consideration, the Indians have received from their civilized conquerors good treatment. It is often stated that their numbers are much smaller than when the white man came among them. This may be granted, to a small extent; while others claim that there are as many now, or nearly so, as there were when the country was first discovered.
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Various are the conclusions as to what will become of the Indian. The prevailing opinion is that of the " survival of the fittest," and that they will be oblite- rated from the face of the earth by the superiority of the white race, with whom they come in sharp contact. The conclusion most reasonable to the writer is, that at no remote period of the world's history they will be amalgated by the white race. Although no white man is allowed to own land among them, nor to live except as a tenant, they can become a citizen by mar- rying an Indian woman, and the offspring of this union will be as much the beneficiaries of the provisions of the Territory as if they were full-blood. These half- breeds will become educated, and are good looking and intelligent. The white race, by amalgamation, always predominates, and as those who are mixed- blooded will take precedence, and encouragement to this end will be established, so that at no great dis- tance in the vista of coming years will these people not be destroyed, but their race so interchangeably connected with the white race as not to be known.
CHAPTER III.
INDIAN BALL PLAY-VISIT TO INDIAN CHURCH-CON. TRAST BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW CUSTOMS OF THE INDIANS.
TO ONE who, like the writer, was born among the Choctaw Indians, when there were thousands of them in the counties of the Purchase, even after the first large emigrations, a ball play, or description of one, might interest to revive the old and long since passed national game of these wild savages, who prob- ably for a thousand years had celebrated these gay and festive occasions, displaying great feats of man. hood, great dexterity in the use of their very peculiar "ball sticks " and their fleetness unequaled by any people, probably, in the world. But to the youthful readers, who may become, or who are now, interested in these once wild and untutored savages, it may be of interest. The impression made by the Indians in the long ago, and the recollections were those con- nected with his dissipation and wickedness, in all his social and convivial relations in the time-honored ball play. In these games they yearly participated, and were in constant practice.
The Indians speaking the same language usually divided into different clans, and were governed by a chief or captain, who was spokesman and to whom a becoming reverence of superiority was acknowledged. Jasper county had the Sixtowns and Beaver Creeks.
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HISTORY OF NEWTON COUNTY.
Newton county had the Turkey Creeks and Bogue Chittos, etc. The Sixtowns and Beaver Creeks would challenge the Turkey Creeks, and probably some of the Bogue Chittos, or all, at a grand play, would come.
The place of meeting would be on mutual grounds between the homes of the different tribes. These games were not played for sport or recreation, but for the profit that was in them. There was not much money bet. They put up clothing, ponies, household goods ; almost anything they had would be freely staked on the contest. Not only the men, but their women felt great pride and a consciousness of success of their own clan. Before the game commenced they would meet, and parties who bet would place things which they proposed to wager with each other on a common scaf. fold constructed for the purpose, each pair of betters having the things proposed to bet bound together and thrown on the scaffold. If it were their ponies, they would be secured together at some convenient place, to be taken by the winning party. This betting and depositing on a common scaffold is never done until just before the play commenced. On the evening before the play the two tribes or clans who have made the arrangements to play, meet on chosen ground. The males dressed in primitive style, their bodies as near Dude as could be allowed, all the upper portion of the body having no clothing, hair long ; some have on deer-skin leggins with a number of small bells attached ; a deer tail well adjusted to the belt or waistband of the trowsers, face painted white, yellow and black in spots, so as to give the most hideous appearance pos- sible. They appeared to assume on these occasions their wild animal natures, being perfectly oblivious to everything around them except the matter now in hand.
On each side they numbered twenty, thirty, forty,
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fifty or more. They arrayed themselves together on the previous evening before they play-on each side at their respective headquarters, on the ball-ground, boasting, dancing, daring with the greatest assurance and self-satisfied air that they would be victorious over their opponents on the morrow. With their ball-sticks in their hands they make a charge at each other, both converging to a common center of the ground between the poles, like two contending armies. Their war- whoops that rent the air were deafening. They come to close contact but do not meet in conflict. They do 'not salute each other, but appear angry. In this way they sally back and forth boasting of their prowess, of what they expect to do to-morrow, and in that way pass the balance of the afternoon.
The ball-sticks they use are something peculiar in their way. They are made of tough pieces of hickory, about thirty inches long, three quarters of an inch square; the wood at one end of the stick is made thin so as it can be made into a bow ; after it is bent and bowed it is tied with strings. This bow is threaded with a string of deer skin, so with the pair a player can catch, hold and throw with great precision and force. As the night comes on they go through many of the forms and ceremonies previous to the play ; now they shout the war-whoops, now they surround the sup- posed condemned victim ; now they fill the air with shrieks and boast of anticipated victory over their op- ponents on to-morrow ; now they, with confident emo. tion, declare their enemies' defeat ; now they declare their manhood and great ability to vanquish.
These proceedings go on by both opposing parties, but on different parts of the play-ground most of the night before the day appointed for the contest. Profoundly superstitious in all these performances,
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they had what they called a "witch killer" who was all the time chasing the evil spirits from their midst by the most peculiar and unbecoming gesticulations and gyrations of the head, hands and lower limbs, that could be thought of or imagined. Yet this "witch killer" was essential to them; they would not play with- out him. The women well performed this part.
The old women, the children and the dogs, sur- rounded the camp-fires. These old crones looked grum, talked in low, incoherent and gutteral tones, attended to the cooking and took care of the children, scolded the dogs and enjoyed silently the prospect of to-mor- row's. victory It must be remembered that all the Indians belonging to these different clans, male, female, old and young, from the youngest infant to the oldest man and woman, came to the ball-play.
It was a great social reunion when they met their friends and witnessed a great fete. The young women went to dance.' It was no old-fashioned reel; no cotil- lion, where time, order and grace prevail, nor no "modern waltz " or German. The men were not al- lowed to take part in this gay and festive sport. These dusky maids, six or eight on each side, with locked arms, stood facing each other.Between these two rows of facing maidens sat an old man with a drum made of a pot with a piece of raw-hide stretched over the top. This was all the musical instrument used. He sat down upon his feet, and in a low, melancholy voice sang : " Hummy hoga ! Hummy hoga !" repeating it five or six times. The Indian girls would then sing in loud voice and high key the same "hummy hoga " a dozen times, and just as they would commence to sing they would commence to dance. The dancing was with locked arms of six or eight, facing a like number, jumping up and down with right and left 2
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movement, with feet and body all at the same time, raising themselves three or four inches and coming down flat on the ground. Then they would rest a few moments and commence again. In this way they danced most of the night without changing partners.
The next day the warriors meet, painted and strip- ped of most of their clothing. They continue to boast and dare until about the middle of the day. After that the poles, two large pieces of timber, made of a tree cut down and split open, or two smaller trees hewn on two sides, about fifteen feet high, placed per- pendicularly in the ground with small space between, so that the ball could pass through. Each contending party had their poles, and they were about two hun- dred and fifty yards apart. The ball was to be thrown up at an equal distance from each end, or on nentral ground, and was to be thrown with the ball sticks, so as to strike one of the poles or go between them. After the men on each side had been placed on the grounds to the best advantage the signal was given. The best runners were placed in the field ; the ablest, strongest men were placed at the poles of their opponents. The men on each side were placed to the best advantage, adapting each to a position where speed or strength or ability to throw or catch the ball best suited him.
No game ever witnessed was more closely contested than an Indian ball play. The spirit with which they entered the contest was enough to win the admiration of all beholders. The perfect manner in which each one performed his part was sufficient to demand the pride of all. The dexterity with which they handle the sticks and throw the ball is a surprise to every one. Their powers of endurance under the scorching sun, for they choose the warm weather for such a con- test, would satisfy the most incredulous that they
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were brought up to, and able to bear, the greatest hard- ships. The Olympic games were not more closely contested nor often more dearly won. Dreadful falls, terrible blows, bleeding and broken limbs, were the results of their efforts to win. Their property was staked, their manhood was matched. Their ambition to vanquish a rival, or reclaim a former defeat, all urged them to their best efforts. Their women ran with water, cheering by their presence and applause and with words of encouragement to deeds of valor, and if need be, to desperation. They not only played ball, but they fought; they worked, used every effort of mind and body, every cunning scheme and every deceptive ruse. And after the hard contested fight was nearly over; after one or the other side had eleven balls, unless each had eleven, the twelfth ball was to be thrown up at the poles of the ones having eleven. Sometimes those behind would make a desperate effort and win, and continue to do so until each had reached eleven. Then the last ball was played, and thrown up on a common center of the grounds. This last one would probably be the severest contest of any, as they claim to be so nearly matched. When the final result was reached, amidst the greatest excitement of spec- tators and participants, the vanquished, without a word, gave up their property, and the victorious rushed to the scaffold containing the goods. appropriating what they had won, receiving the compliments of their admirers, and rejoicing in the victory over their rivals.
After these plays, if the Indians were in reach of whisky, the whites would commence to treat by buy- ing enough to make many of them drunk. They would then commence to fight; not with knives, but with small sticks, and to pull each other's hair, not doing much damage. The women always acted as peace-
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HISTORY OF NEWTON COUNTY.
makers and usually staid sober, while their lords drank; when a fight took place, as soon as they could separate them they did it. Sometimes they would have to tie them in order to control them. In this way nearly a week would pass in this general debauch. After all their money was spent for liquor, and their provision had given out, they slowly plodded their way home to repair their losses and allow their broken and bleeding limbs to heal.
Having been accustomed to see these people only in their wild state, and their abandoned condition ; to hear their wild revelry, and drunken orgies, listen to their weird songs, and endless dissipations, presenting at these times, haggard faces, wounded and bleeding forms, imagine the change in seeing them under religious and civilizing influences. After the death of the two Indian missionaries sent out from the Territory to preach to those in this and adjoining counties, they were left without any help except their own native Indians, and what the white preachers could do for them. This writer was invited by Charley Jackson -- Lo man-ta-kub-by is his Chootaw name-to attend their regular monthly meeting, which was cheerfully accepted. This church is situated about fourteen miles from the railroad, near Connehatta. It is a small frame building, very well suited, and comfortable and com- modious enough for those who worship there. Arrived in very good time, about 10 o'clock, just as the early services were over. Their treatment was very kind- and they appeared pleased that white people would go to their meetings. This was the Sabbath of a three day's meeting, and there were gathered about one hun- dred Indians at the little church for public worship. The Indians had come, as they usually do, bringing their children, large and small, also their dogs. Some
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had walked and brought their baggage and provision, in their large baskets ; others had ridden on horse- back, while a number came with oxen and wagons, much as they had done when they attended the ball- plays, and at their cries, to mourn for their dead, and to have a homely and frugal feast. They were dressed in their best attire, more like the white citizen's dress, than is usual, for in all these years of association with the white race they have preserved some of their pecu- liar and primitive fashions. Some of the women wore bonnets made of cloth, not a fashionable one.
They were generally dressed in the style well known . and practiced by themselves. In the decorations about their heads high colors prevailed -- with variega- ted trimmings, gaudy handkerchiefs, strands of cheap beads around their necks, band-combs carrying the hair all back. Some of the women wore mourning, a very unusual thing. Most of the women wore shoes, yet some of them were barefoot, The men had ou their best suits, most of them had on coats and cravats. All of them had on shoes. Some of them wore vests. and no coats. The very black hair of the men was cut short, resembling the style of the white citizen. The men originally wore their hair very long, and cut it only on certain portions of the head very short. Some of them were old but their hair was not much gray ; none with very white hair, like some of our old white men. There was not a bald head among them ; that seldom occurs among the Indians.
This church has a regular organization, with be- tween twenty and thirty members. This is a Baptist church, and it is claimed that four hundred have been immersed in various portions of the county.
The Catholics claim about three hundred nominal members. The Methodist church has had a mission-
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ary among them for the last two years and claim to be doing a good work. This work is in this county, and several adjoining counties having Indians in them.
The Methodist Conference which convened at Natchez, in December, 1892, licensed Simson J. Tubby to preach. He got up before that large body of learned men and in a plain way gave his experience and what he considered his conversion. A sufficient amount was subscribed to send him for a time to Millsaps College, at Jackson, and while the young man is now preaching to a church in Neshoba county, it is contemplated to send him to school and further prepare him to preach to his people.
Most of the younger men read and write their own language. Very few of their women have learned to read or write. Jesse Baker, the Choctaw preacher, who came from the Nation, learned these young Indian men in a part of two years to read and write and sing religious songs. He did a good work for his people. Baker was a consecrated man, who had the work of the ministry and the salvation of souls as the ruling thoughts of his mind. His labors were not in vain. He died at his post, and it is fondly hoped went to en- joy a rich inheritance.
At 11 o'clock we were called to the regular preach- ing of the day. Having good seats near the speaker, could easily hear what he said. It was a funeral and also a sacramental occasion.
The preacher was Ben Williamson, Ne-nac-intu-Cub- by, a man looking to be about thirty-five years old, hav- ing preached three years. He had a fine appearance, dignified, cheerful, intelligent. He was tolerably well dressed, though his suit looked rather worn. He wore cuffs and cuff buttons, shirt collar, collar buttons, with- out cravat. He was assisted by Thompson Baker, who
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