Seminole Indian Territory for Producer Part III

Seminole Indian Territory for Producer III

In 1541, Coronado reached what is now Oklahoma. In 1682, Rene-Robert Cavelier explored the Mississippi River and claimed the land around it, including Oklahoma, for France. The first permanent American settlement was a trading post established at present day Salina in 1823. Salt was the primary commodity traded. French fur traders also had a vigorous trade there.

You really cannot talk about Seminole Indian Territory [IT] in isolation. In a map I posted on my website, you will hopefully note that we also have to provide honorable mention to the Kiowa, the Kiowa Apache, the Osage and the Caddo Tribes. You will note they converge right over our heads. Honorable Mention must also go to other tribes;. You will see that, beginning in c. 1832, the Chickasaws were given about half of Kiowa Apache Territory. They are just south of the S Canadian River from us. Also please note that The Muskogee Creeks are on our east and northeast. If you know your history, you know the Seminoles were Creeks when they arrived here, but they had split the sheets and formed the Seminole Band of Creeks. On our northwest, north of the N Canadian River, are the Sac & Fox. On our western border are the Citizen Potawatomie--Absentee Shawnee. I am going to provide you with a little nugget in the country formerly inhabited by the Wichita and now Chickasaw country. In addition, I will provide another little nugget in Wichita country and now in Muskogee Creek country that I am sure no one here knows anything about.

Officially, Seminole County was formed when Oklahoma became a state in November of 1907. The real history of Seminole County actually began in the early 1800's in the current states of Georgia, Alabama and Florida. The Seminoles began as part of the Creek Nation who were discovered by Spanish explorer De Soto, in present day Georgia.

The Creek Nation had been unified under their Chief, Alexander McGillivray (b. 1740) until after the Revolutionary War. By 1780, the Creek Nation was divided into two groups: The Upper and Lower Creek Indians. After 1795, the portions of the Lower Creek Nation that had migrated into Florida began having political difficulties. This friction resulted in a portion of the tribe moving to a different area. They also took the name of Simanoli or Semanole, which means "runaway". Thus, the Seminole Nation was formed.

The Seminole were town dwellers and their government consisted of a head chief and council. The Nation itself was divided into bands, with each band being named for its captain. In 1819, the Spanish ceded Florida to the U.S. Shortly thereafter the Florida Territory was opened and settlers began moving in and colonizing the area. This resulted in conflict (known as the Seminole Wars) with the Seminole who did not want to give up their lands or way of life.

After years of conflict, the Seminole signed a treaty with the U.S. in 1823 and moved into the swamp lands of Florida. This was not to be their home though. Unbeknownst to the Seminole, Andrew Jackson had already proposed the removal of the Indians to the west. When he became President, the Indian Removal Bill came into being in 1830.

The removal of the Seminole began in 1832 when Colonel James Gadsden negotiated the Treaty of Payne's Landing. Shortly after the signing of this treaty, a group of tribal members went west to scout out the proposed area for resettlement. While there they were tricked into signing the Treaty of Fort Gibson which gave the Seminole land on which to live, however, they would be united with the Creek Nation.

Upon the return of the delegation, the tribe refused to acknowledge the agreement stating they were without authority to speak for the entire tribe. Despite their objections to the Treaty, the U.S. set the date for the removal of the Seminole for January of 1836.

In the fall of 1835, the Seminole began an uprising. The Seminole War began in 1836 when a young Seminole leader, Osceola, refused to honor the treaty and move to Indian Territory.
Osceola was accused of killing another Seminole leader, Emathla, for which he was
arrested and imprisoned. After his release, Osceola and his followers surrounded Fort King and massacred 110 soldiers. Osceola was captured in April 1836 and died in January of 1839, however, his followers continued their fight. Wildcat and Billy Bowlegs became the leaders of the resistance, after Osceola's capture and death.

This war lasted seven years and reached its climax in 1843.

The removal of the Seminole had begun, despite the War. In 1836 the first of the Seminole emigrated to the Indian Territory. The next groups of Seminole left Florida in 1838 with succeeding groups leaving until 1851 when their emigration was officially completed. Due to the war, the Seminole were the last of the Five Tribes to be settled in Indian Territory.

After their arrival in Indian Territory, the Seminole settled into towns, each ruled by a local chief. The chief, with his council, conducted business, passed and enforced laws for their town.

The Chief of the Seminole Nation was a warrior named Micanopy. His head councilor was Wildcat, also known as Coacoochee. Once a year, the town chiefs and councils would gather to conduct the business of the Seminole Nation. Soon the Seminole became dissatisfied with the land and government arrangements between them and the Creek Nation. The Seminole were viewed as part of the Creek Nation and all decisions made by the Seminole Councils were subject to review and approval by the Creek Nation. This angered some of the local Chiefs, especially Wildcat. During this time, Wildcat took his band and settled in Coahuila, Mexico. Years later some of the band returned, however, several did not. Today their descendants are called Muskogees.

In 1856, Seminole Chief John Jumper and his council met with Creek leaders in Washington. A treaty was signed giving the Seminole their own independent domain. This land was a narrow strip lying between the Canadian River, the North Fork of the Canadian River, the middle of present-day Pottawatomie County and west to the one hundredth parallel.

After attaining their own land, the Seminole moved and began the process of building their capitol near Wanette, in present day Pottawatomie County.

In 1861 the Civil War began and many of the tribes aligned themselves with the Confederacy. When the Confederate surrendered, the lands of the Indian Nations were considered conquered territory. The result was the negotiation of new treaties, in 1866, in which the Nations lost considerable portions of their land.

By 1879, the Indian Territory was in need of a judicial system. There were twice as many whites (as there were Indians) living in the Territory, the majority of whom were outlaws.
The only law in the Indian Territory were the ones of each Indian tribe. For the white intruders there were no laws and crime was commonplace. For whites who were caught, justice was handled in the U.S. Federal Courts in Fort Smith, Arkansas, Paris, Texas and Wichita, Kansas.

In 1889, the passage of the Indian Appropriation Act redrew the boundaries of each Indian Tribe and the first land run was held. By 1892, the issue of land ownership had become such an issue that the Dawes Commission was founded. The principle reason for the Commission was to determine land ownership, encourage the abandonment of Tribal organization and to organize a Territorial government. Between 1893 and 1896 the Dawes Commission repeatedly made unsuccessful attempts to get the Indian people to give up their lands. When this failed, the Commission undertook the task of making a list of all Indians, to determine who was entitled to land allotments. This listing is called the Dawes Rolls.

In 1894, The Curtis Act was passed which made it legal for whites to own land in Indian Territory, however, ownership was limited to land within the boundary of an established township. This Act was passed by the House and sent to the Senate which sent it to a committee. While in committee, a rider was attached to the bill which established a government in the Indian Territory. It also advocated the dissolution of the Indian Territory, provided funds for the Dawes Commission and survey of the lands.

When people heard there was to be an allotment of Indian lands they flocked to the borders of the Indian Territory. Many people attempted to gain an advantage by applying for entry on the Indian rolls.

In 1897 the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations were again meeting with the Dawes Commission. In April 1897, they signed an agreement which gave each citizen a "fair and equitable" share of land which would remain non-taxable for 21 years. It was ratified in November of 1897.

Next time, we will get into the negotiations between the two nations.