USA > Oklahoma > A history of the state of Oklahoma, Volume I > Part 21
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Evidently, the name "Oklahoma" had been suggested in the course of the discus- sion preliminary to the treaty, and probably was not a new or unfamiliar word among the Choctaws, since it seems to be of Choc- taw origin. All the signers of the original treaty are now dead, and, so far as known, no direct testimony can be summoned to prove who first proposed this name as used in the treaty, nor what significance, if any, was attached to the word.10
The name thus having been brought into
"Interesting in this connection, and showing that "Oklahoma" readily came to be used about this time as referring to the Indian Territory, is a paragraph from the Paris (Texas) Press, dated August 11, 1866, and quoted in the Dallas Herald of August 18th. The paragraph is headed "Okla- homa," and continues as follows: "The Choctaws and Chickasaws have made a treaty with the United States government, a perusal of which would interest our readers . The main fea-
current use, and as it were given official sanction, when in the following years the movement for the organization of a terri- torial government over the Indian country was transferred to the seat of government at Washington, the name was suggested to those in charge of this legislation. In this connection, an interesting letter written to Sidney Clarke by ex-Congressman R. T. Van Horn, who had charge of the first bill for the organization of a territorial government in which the name "Okla- homa" was used, gives some valuable in- formation both about the bill and the ori- gin of the name in connection therewith :
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"The bill," writes Colonel Van Horn, "was introduced and referred to the com- mittee on Indian affairs, of which you [Sid- ney Clarke] were chairman and I a mem- ber. And you very generously referred it to me, and I had charge of it, reported it to the house, and after it had its day before the committee of the whole, Shelby M. Cullom raised the question that it ought to go to his committee on Territories. A sort of compromise was effected, and the bill went into the files, as I suppose.
"I will here give you from the only liv- ing authority besides yourself-that is my- self-the inside history of that bill. Its active promoters and inspirers were Perry Fuller and Alex. McDonald. It was at their solicitation that I offered to introduce the bill, and we often met to work over it at Perry Fuller's room, a few doors from the Congressional Hotel. Col. Boudinot tures are, first and foremost, the settlement of the status of the negro, making him the equal of all other citizens of the territory . provi- · sions made for the organization of a state out of said territory, and said state to be called 'Okla- homa.' Our readers will notice that the name of the territory, 'Oklahoma, ' is the Choctaw name of Red river, and signifies, when literally translated, 'red water.' [1]"'
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often met with us, and varied the sessions by music and song, sometimes aided by Dr. Long.
"After the bill was completed, I remem- ber the incidents perfectly, the question came up of a name for the proposed terri- tory. Finally it was agreed, as Perry Ful- ler put it, to refer that matter to 'Boudie,' as we familiarly called Boudinot. And he said he would think the matter over and report to-morrow night when we were to meet again.
"He made his report and suggested the name of Oklahoma-and it was put in the bill then and there-and in that bill the word Oklahoma first appears in the official
records of Congress, if not in the official records of the government.
"Now, my recollection is distinct as to this matter, that Col. Boudinot said: 'It is a Creek word, and signifies Redman's land, or country, or home, or any such English equivalent. Some men who claim to be linguists and teachers say it is a Choctaw word. Be the matter as it may be among those people, this is how the word came into legal use, and this is what Boudinot, the author of its introduction, said at the time that it meant. If there was a mistake as to its derivation there is none as to its origin in that bill."
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CHAPTER XI
REALIGNMENT OF INDIAN BOUNDARIES, AND REMOVAL OF INDIANS FROM OTHER STATES TO THE INDIAN TERRITORY
It seems proper at this point, though anticipating the events of later years, to describe the partition of the old Indian Territory among the various tribes of In- dians who were found dwelling there when the movement for white settlement began. As stated, the movement for the delimita- tion and division of the regions originally assigned to the civilized tribes began with the Choctaw-Chickasaw treaty of 1855, when the country of these nations lying west of the 98th meridian was "leased" to the government, for the settlement of the Wichita and other tribes thereon.
After the war, each treaty with the na- tions provided for a cession of lands on which might be located other tribes. First
' Comanche and Kiowa Treaty, Oct. 18, 1865 .- Commencing at the northeast corner of New Mexico, thence south to the southeast corner of the same; thence northeasterly to a point on main Red river opposite the mouth of the north Fork of said Red river; thence down said river to the ninety-eighth degree of west longitude; thence due north on said meridian to the Cimarone river; thence up said river to a point where the same crosses the southern boundary of the state of Kansas; thence along said southern boundary of Kansas to the southwest corner of said state; thence west to the place of beginning, shall be and is hereby set apart for the absolute and undis- turbed use and occupation of the tribes who are parties to this treaty.
' Treaty with the Kiowa and Comanche, 1867 .- Art. 2. The United States agrees that (the) fol- lowing district of country, to wit: commencing at a point where the Washita river crosses the 98th meridian, west from Greenwich; thence up the Washita river, in the middle of the main channel thereof, to a point thirty miles, by river, west of
considering the old Choctaw-Chickasaw country, lying south of the Canadian river. The Kiowa and Comanches were first pro- vided with a definite area in this region. The first treaty with these tribes, dated October 18, 1865, is a puzzling bit of geo- graphical description, and perhaps this was a reason why it was not ratified.1 The permanent treaty is dated October 21, 1867, and defined the Kiowa and Comanche reser- vation as it was shown on the maps of fifteen or twenty years ago. Its boundaries were, in general, the 98th meridian on the east, the Red river on the south, the North Fork of the Red river on the west, and on the north a line on the latitude of the Wash- ita river.2 Another treaty of the same date
Fort Cobb, as now established; thence, due west to the north fork of Red river, provided said line strikes said river east of the one hundredth merid- ian of west longitude; if not, then only to said meridian line, and thence south, on said meridian- line, to the said north fork of Red river; thence down said north fork, in the middle of the main channel thereof, from the point where it may be first intersected by the lines above described, to the main Red river; thence down said river, in the middle of the main channel thereof to its in- tersection with the ninety-eighth meridian of longi- tude west from Greenwich; thence north, on said meridian-line, to the place of beginning, shall be and the same is hereby set apart for the absoluto and undisturbed use and occupation of the tribes berein named, and for such other friendly tribes or individual Indians as, from time to time, they may be willing (with the consent of the United States) to admit among them; and the United States now solemnly agrees that no persons except those herein authorized so to do and except such officers, agents, and employes of the Government as may be authorized to enter upon Indian reserva-
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confirmed the confederation of the Apache Nation with the Kiowa-Comanche, and their acceptance into the reservation on equal footing and with the same benefits.
After the admission of Texas to the Union, the state and federal governments jointly undertook to concentrate the Co- manches (the southern band of that tribe) and the various Caddo tribes on two reser- vations in north Texas. The Comanches were gathered at Camp Cooper in what is now Shackelford county. The attempt to keep these Indians within the bonds of civil- ization failed, owing perhaps as much to aggressive whites as to the actions of the Indians themselves. The Comanches were on the war path in 1858, and an expedition under Major Earl Van Dorn and Sul Ross pursued them into the Indian country, and on October 1, 1858, overtook and defeated them in a sharp conflict at the Washita river. The Indians were returned to their reservations, but depredations on the ad- vancing white settlements continued, the In- dians being blamed whether they were the authors of the mischief or not. The result was that the experiment of domiciling the Texas tribes within the state failed, and in August, 1859, Major George H. Thomas of the U. S. army transferred the tribes to the Indian Territory.
The Indians were so incensed at their re- moval that they began at once a series of depredations on the frontier of Texas. The Rangers and U. S. troops together had more than they could do to protect life and property along the extensive frontier line.
tion in discharge of duties enjoined by the law, shall ever be permitted to pass over, settle upon, or reside in the territory described in this article, or in such territory as may be added to this reser- vation, for the use of said Indians.
· · · Art 11. In consideration of the advantages and benefits conferred by this treaty and the many
In December, 1860, Capt. Sul Ross, with his Rangers and some U. S. dragoons, sur- prised the Comanche camp on Pease river, and captured or killed many of the Indians. It was in this engagement that the famous Cynthia Ann Parker was captured from the Indians, after she had lived in the tribe for twenty-five years, had adopted their ways, become the wife of an Indian, and so com- pletely merged her identity with the Indian race that it was with difficulty and after many trials that she recalled her native tongue and her name. After being returned to her own people, it is said that she was not contented, and more than once at- tempted to escape and return to the Indians. But death ended her checkered career be- fore this hope was realized. Her son is Quanah Parker, perhaps the most famous Indian of the southwest, except Geronimo.
The Wichitas, with their affiliated bands of Keechies, Wacoes, Towoccaroes, Cad- does, Ionies, and Delawares (numbering about 1,250 in 1872) were fragments of once important tribes originally belonging in Louisiana, Texas, Kansas and Indian Territory. Except the Wichitas and Dela- wares, they were removed by the govern- ment from Texas to the "leased district" in the Choctaw-Chickasaw country in 1859, and for many years lived along the Washita river near old Fort Cobb. They had no treaty relations with the government, nor is there anything in the records to show a well defined reservation except the unrati- fied agreement of October 19, 1872. The commissioner of Indian Affairs, in his re-
pledges of friendship by the United States, the tribes who are parties to this agreement hereby stipulate that they will relinquish all right to oc- cupy permanently the territory outside of their reservation, as herein defined, but they yet re- serve the right to hunt on any lands south of the Arkansas (river) so long as the buffalo may range thereon in such numbers as to justify the chase.
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port for 1872, said, "They have always, or at least for many years, been friendly to the whites, although in close and constant con- tact with the Kiowas and Comanches. A few of them, chiefly Caddoes and Dela- wares, are engaged in agriculture, and are disposed to be industrious. Of the other Indians at this agency, some cultivate small patches in corn and vegetables, the work being done mainly by women; but the most are content to live upon the government. The .Caddoes rank among the best Indians of the continent. . But one school is in operation, with an attendance of eighteen pupils. These Indians have no annuities; but an annual appropriation of $50,000 has for several years been made for their benefit."
The Kiowas, Comanches and Apaches, said Gen. Francis A. Walker in his report as commissioner of Indian Affairs for 1872, formerly ranged over an extensive country lying between the Rio Grande and Red river. "Wild and intractable, these Indians, even the best of them," declared General Walker, "have given small signs of im- provement in the arts of life; and substan- tially, the whole dealing of the govern- ment with them thus far has been in the way of supplying their necessities for food and clothing, with a view to keeping them upon their reservation and preventing their raiding into Texas, with the citizens of which state they were for many years be- fore their present establishment on terms of mutual hatred and injury. Some indi-
' Treaty with the Cheyenne and Arapaho, 1867 .- Art. 2. The United States agrees that the fol- lowing districts of country, to wit: Commencing at the point where the Arkansas river crosses the thirty-seventh parallel of north latitude, thence west on said parallel - the said line being the southern boundary of the state of Kansas-to the Cimarone river (sometimes called the Red Fork of the Arkansas river), thence down said Cimarone river, in the middle of the main channel thereof,
viduals and bands have remained quiet and peaceable upon their reservation, evincing a disposition to learn the arts of life, to en- gage in agriculture, and to have their chil- dren instructed in letters. To these every inducement is being held out to take up land and actively commence tilling it. Thus far they have under cultivation but 100 acres, which have produced the past year a good crop of corn and potatoes. The wealth of these tribes consists in horses and mules, of which they own to the num- ber, as reported by their agent, of 16,500, a great proportion of the animals notori- ously having been stolen in Texas. . So long as four-fifths of these tribes take turns at raiding into Texas, openly and boastfully bringing back scalps and spoils to their reservation, efforts to inspire very high ideas of social and industrial life among the community of which the raiders form so large a part will presumably result in failure."
The lands set apart for the Cheyennes and Arapahoes were originally a very im- portant part of present western Oklahoma, comprising parts of the lands ceded by the Creeks in 1866 and later included within the original Oklahoma. The first treaty providing lands for the location of these Indians is dated October 28, 1867, and ow- ing to dissatisfaction on the part of the Indians the boundaries of the reservation were not permanent.' The commissioners suggested a readjustment of boundaries, and with the approval of the department,
to the Arkansas river; thence up the Arkansas river, in the middle of the main channel thereof, to the place of beginning, shall be and the same is hereby set apart for the absolute and undisturbed use and occupation of the Indians herein named, and for such other friendly tribes or individual Indians, as from time to time they may be willing with the consent of the United States, to admit among them.
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the location of the Cheyenne and Arapaho reserve was defined as a region whose southern limit was the Kiowa-Comanche country (above described), extending west to Texas, with the Cherokee Outlet on the north, and on the east the 98th meridian and a portion of the Cimarron river."
Concerning the general condition of these tribes, Commissioner Walker said in 1872: "A considerable number of the Arapahoes are already engaged in agriculture, though at a disadvantage; and when the question of their reservation shall have been settled, it is confidently believed that the whole body of this tribe will turn their attention to the cultivation of the soil. Two schools are conducted for their benefit at the agency, having an attendance of thirty-five scholars. Of the Cheyennes confederated with the Arapahoes, the reports are less fa- vorable as to progress made in industry, or disposition to improve their condition. Until 1867 both these tribes, in common
Commencing at the point where the Washita river crosses the ninety-eighth degree of west longitude; thence north on a line with said ninety- eighth degree to the point where it is crossed by the Red Fork of the Arkansas (sometimes called the Cimarron river) ; thence up said river, in the middle of the main channel thereof, to the north boundary of the country ceded to the United States by the treaty of June 14, 1866, with the Creek Nation of Indians; thence west on said north boundary and the north boundary of the country ceded to the United States by the treaty of March 21, 1866, with the Seminole Indians, to the one hundredth degree of west longitude; thence south on the line of said one hundredth degree to the north boundary of the country set apart for the Kiowas and Comanches by the second article of the treaty concluded October 21, 1867, with said tribes; thence east along said boundary to the point where it strikes the Washita river; thence down said Washita river, in the middle of the main channel thereof, to the place of beginning.
The territory comprised within the boundaries last above designated contains a small portion of the country ceded to the United States by the terms of the treaty with the Creek Indians con-
with the Kiowas and Comanches, were en- gaged in hostilities against the white set- tlers in western Kansas, but since the treaty made with them in that year they have, with the exception of one small band of the Cheyennes, remained friendly and have committed no depredations."
By the treaty of March 21, 1866, the Seminoles were restricted to a reservation containing two hundred thousand acres, a rectangular tract situated just west of the Creek Nation, between the North Fork and the main Canadian rivers. This reservation has left a permanent mark on the geogra- phy of the state, in Seminole county, which includes the area reserved by the above treaty.5
The Sac and Fox tribes, by treaty dated February 18, 1867, ceded their former res- ervations in Kansas, and in return were as- signed lands in the Indian country south of Kansas and south of the Cherokee lands, in area not exceeding 750 square miles.
cluded June 14, 1866: a portion of the country ceded to the United States by the terms of the treaty with the Seminole Indians concluded March 21, 1866, and the remainder is composed of a portion of what is commonly known as the "leased country."
' Seminole Treaty, March 21, 1866 .- Art. 3. In compliance with the desire of the United States to locate other Indians and freedmen thereon, the Seminole cede and convey to the United States their entire domain [According to treaty of Aug. 7, 1856] The United States having ob- tained by grant of the Creek nation a westerly half of their lands, hereby grant the Seminole nation the portion thereof hereafter described, which shall constitute the national domains of the Seminole Indians . Beginning on the Ca- nadian river where the line dividing the Creek lands according to the terms of their sale to the United States by their treaty of Feb. 6th, 1866 [this treaty was never ratified], following said line due north to where said line crosses the North Fork of the Canadian river; thence up said North Fork of the Canadian river a distance sufficient to make two hundred thousand acres by running due south to the Canadian river; thence down said Canadian river to the place of beginning.
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For the home of these Indians lands were selected between the Cimarron and the North Fork of the Canadian, lying just west of the Creek Nation, including the eastern half of what is now Lincoln county and small portions of the adjoining coun- ties. This reservation was located on part of the country ceded by the Creeks in 1866.º
By the fifteenth article of the treaty of 1866 provision was made that, upon certain conditions, the United States should have the right to settle civilized Indians upon any unoccupied Cherokee territory east of 96° west longitude.7 The material condi- tions limiting this right were that terms of settlement should be agreed upon between the Cherokees and the Indians so desiring to settle, subject to the approval of the president of the United States; also, that, in case the immigrants desired to abandon their tribal relations and become citizens of the Cherokee Nation, they should first pay into the Cherokee national fund a sum of money which should sustain the same pro- portion to that fund that the number of immigrant Indians should sustain to the whole Cherokee population. If, on the other hand, the immigrants should decide to preserve their tribal relations, laws, cus- toms, and usages not inconsistent with the constitution and laws of the Cherokee Na- tion, a tract of land was to be set apart for
. Soo and Fox Reservation .- Beginning at a point on the left bank of the North Fork of the Canadian river, where the west boun- dary line of the Creek reservation crosses the same; thence north with said west boundary line to the right bank of the Cimarron river; thence up the said Cimarron river along the right bank thereof to a point on said right bank of said river, where the section line between sec- tions nineteen (19) and twenty (20) of Township eighteen (18) north, of Range (4) east of the Indian Meridian strikes the same; thence south to the southeast corner of section eighteen (18) in said Township Thirteen (13); thence
them by metes and bounds which should contain, if they so desired, a quantity equal to 160 acres for each soul. For this land they were to pay into the Cherokee national fund a sum to be agreed upon between themselves and the Cherokees, subject to the approval of the president, and also a sum bearing a ratio to the Cherokee na- tional fund not greater than their num- bers bore to the Cherokees. It was also stipulated that, if the Cherokees should re- fuse their assent to the location of any civil- ized tribe (in a tribal capacity) east of 96°, the president of the United States might, after a full hearing of the case, overrule their objections and permit the settlement to be made.
The Delawares were the first tribe to avail themselves of the benefits of the fore- going treaty provisions. Terms of agree- ment were entered into between them and the Cherokees, which were ratified by the president on the 11th of April, 1867. Un- der the conditions of this instrument the Delawares selected a tract of land equal to 160 acres for each member of their tribe who should remove in the Cherokee coun- try. For this tract they agreed to and did pay one dollar per acre. They also paid their required proportional sum into the Cherokee national fund. The number of Delawares who elected to remove under this agreement was 985. The sums they
west to the range line between Ranges Three (3) and Four (4) east thence south
to . . the left bank of the North Fork of the Canadian river . ; thence down the said North Fork of the Canadian river, along the left bank thereof to the place of beginning:
Also the tract of land situated in Township Ten (10) North of Range Four (4) East of said Indian Meridian, north of the North Fork of the Candian river (not within the limits of the tract of country above described).
1 Fifth Annual Report B. A. E. C. C. Royce, "Cherokee Nation of Indiang."
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were required to pay were: for land, $157,- 600; and as their proportion of the national fund, $121,834.65, the latter amount hav- ing been calculated on the basis of an ex- isting Cherokee national fund of 1,678,000 and a population of 13,566 (Indian Office records).
For a time after their removal the Dela- wares were much dissatisfied with what they characterized as the unequal operation of the Cherokee laws, and because much of the tract of land to which they were as- signed was of an inferior character. At one time some two hundred of them left the Cherokee country, but after an absence of two years returned, since which a feel- ing of better contentment prevailed. Fol- lowing the Delawares, the Munsee or Chris- tian Indians, a small fragmentary band who under the treaty of July 16, 1859, had be- come confederated with the Chippewas of Saginaw, Swan Creek, and Black River, residing in Kansas, perfected arrangements for their removal and assimilation with the Cherokees. An agreement was entered into (December 6, 1867) at Tahlequah, Cherokee Nation, having this end in view, and which was duly filed with the commis- sioner of Indian Affairs (July 31, 1868). The condition of this agreement was that, after the complete dissolution of their rela- tions with the Chippewas, the Munsees should pay into the Cherokee national fund all moneys that should be found due them in pursuance of such separation.
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