Seminole Indian Territory Installment XIV

Bands of Seminole Indians, from Florida, first settled in what is now known as Seminole County, Oklahoma. Most of them came from about 1830 to 1840. Having fought to prevent removal from their ancestral homes in Florida against frontiersmen and U.S. Regular Army soldiers under Generals Scott and “Old Hickory” Andrew Jackson, for more than ten years, until their great chief, Osceola, was finally captured and imprisoned; yet, quite a few of these courageous Indians managed to evade the soldiers, hiding out in the deep fastnesses of the Everglades, where many of their descendants sill live today, and not many were forcibly evicted. Out of six or seven thousand Seminoles, perhaps, a few hundred were rounded up at the time, and set by boat and overland, by way of New Orleans and up the Mississippi; thence, across Arkansas, to the site chosen for them between the Canadian rivers in what is now known as Seminole County. Hundreds more emigrated, voluntarily, to join relatives here as the years went by; and there were a hundred or two hundred Negro slaves who came along, too. Population was less than 3,000.

The Indians had their own tribal form of government, with clans, and band-chiefs, setting up their capital in the early-day, small settlement of log-cabins, called from the creek by which they settled “We-wo-ca” in the Seminole tongue, but interpreted into English “Barking Water,” and spelled by the English “Wewoka.” Other small towns in Seminole county, first settled by the Indians, were called Konawa, or “Skunk-town,” in English; and Sasakwa, or “Goose-Town.”

The Indians established mission-schools, named Mekusukey and Emahaka, nicely built brick and stone structures, as time went on, located on the east and west sides of the Seminole Nation. Emahaka being south of Wewoka, and the Mekusukey Academy being maintained for many years after Emahaka had been abandoned. They hired white teachers of good name and well educated for that time. White people coming into the county, as time went on, first raised money for schools by subscription. But with the coming of statehood, money was provided for better schools by state provision. Some nice, two-story, brick and stone buildings were erected in towns like Seminole, Konawa and Wewoka. Frame buildings, some one-room schools, served the rural districts; and there was very little equipment. Grade-schools taught most of the subjects taught today, but no art or music. Later, high schools were added. Gradually, better instructors were obtained, and most of the high schools today will not employ instructors who do not have degrees.

Of course, there was much better and finer equipment for the teaching of sciences, and rooms and facilities for music and art instruction, all representing the investment of millions of dollars. Rural schools were among the best in the state. All were well-staffed, well-kept and carry on a program of extra-curricular activities and community-development.

Churches in Seminole county had a rude origin, indeed. Many were merely brush-arbors in the summertime, and services were held in schoolhouses on Sundays, or when not otherwise in use. But it wasn’t long after statehood, and after much mission-work, that good churches began to be constructed. Some had only part-time ministers, but early-day elders often preached; and singing schools were held on many occasions. Many churches had small organs. Today the fine churches seen in every Seminole county town, have beautiful furnishings, all the embellishments of church-architecture, and a musical and education program, along with the regular religious services.

Oil came to Seminole county in 1923, the discovery-well just south of Wewoka. The old Standard drilling-rigs had wooden walking-beams and slow, heavy drilling equipment, taking weeks for a well to be brought in. Sometimes gushers came in, wasting oil before the well could be capped; but the drilling went right on. In 1926, the first well in the great Seminole field was brought in. People came from everywhere, greatly increasing the population of Seminole and Wewoka; and boomtowns like Cromwell and St. Louis mushroomed into being in a matter of weeks. Many became wealthy overnight. Oil attracted the nation’s attention to Seminole county. It also brought about recognition for the need of better things money could buy. Oil companies and generous oil men donated large sums to schools, churches and for public parks, auditoriums, golf-courses, swimming pools, etc. Many newly rich men built fine homes and sent their sons away to college. Today, most oil-wells are drilled with Rotary rigs that can go down thousands of feet in a few days. Water-flooding has increased the production of many old wells and newer and more efficient engineering methods are producing more oil everywhere. Proration has caused the wealth from oil to last longer. But many other professions and businesses have profited from oil, immeasurably.

Seminole county has many small streams, running between low hills, and there is much good fertile farmland in Seminole county. There is, also good upland pasture and range land. Cotton, corn, oats, alfalfa and all kinds of truck-crops make for prosperity on the farm. The soil is generally sandy, clay or dark river-bottom land. It can be made to produce wonderfully.

Thomas Town Church Celebrates 150 Years
From Seminole Producer
Friday, August 25, 2017

This is one of those stories that just fires my rockets. Oklahoma, and Seminole specifically, has forgotten more history than it recalls and that is sad. This story began just post-Civil War, and the same length of time following the freeing of the slaves of the “Civilized Tribes”, called Freedmen. Just that fact alone has escaped all but a few. It is fair to say that all the black folks I grew up with, at school and at play, are descendants of Freedmen. This history has some rather tender feelings for so many and both sides tend to avoid the subject.
While it may give some pause, it is most certainly our history—the story of the Trail of Tears, the story of the Tribes in the Civil War, the story of Stand Watie, a Cherokee Indian, made a Brigadier General by none other than the President of the Confederacy, Jefferson “Jeff” Davis. It is a story that must be understood to know about Indian Territory and the finally the story of Oklahoma, admitted to the Union just 40 years following the beginning of this story, 1867. In short, it was the punishment of the Tribes for opting for the Confederacy, although understandable under the circumstances. You see, those who were made to walk the Trail of Tears had never forgiven the USA for their removal and resettlement. Can you blame them?
Following the Civil War, many Union Veterans were provided their 100 acres along the northern border of Oklahoma Indian Territory in return for their service. That was not well accepted. That was the beginning of the end of Indian Territory, as they knew it. The Federal Government was going to take their land in punishment for their service to Jeff Davis.
Another crucial fact to point out here is that in the agreement between General US Grant and Robert E. “Marse” Lee, as an attachment to the Articles of Surrender was made plain, that these Articles were not fully effective unless and until “Captain” Stand Watie cease and desist aka stand down in Indian Territory. He did not and never did; part of his war continued, largely in attacking the Union Veterans in their new Settlements in their territory. Thus, when you hear that the Civil War never ended, technically and in reality, never did. It was not just some idle cliché.
On June 23, 1865, General Stand Watie, a member of the Cherokee Nation and Brigadier general of the First Indian Brigade of the Army of the Trans-Mississippi, surrendered to Union forces at Doaksville in the Choctaw Nation. With his signature upon the cease-fire treaty, Watie became the last Confederate general in the field to “surrender” during the Civil War. Oh, he clearly signed what was known as the Stand Watie Treaty, but it was done with a wink and a nod. The “hostilities” continued unabated. Thus, what was signed was not worth the paper on which it was written. If I had been Stand Watie, I would have done the same thing, period!
So, now that you know a wee bit about Freedmen, when you read the story, you will have a little of perspective of the times. I should point out that lawsuits have been filed, heard, settled, filed again and heard in the US Supreme Court regarding the rights of Freedmen vis-à-vis their former owners and tribal rights. Thus far, the Freedmen have been unsuccessful in achieving full tribal status. I’m pretty sure the issue is not dead but that is just my own editorial comment. As Yogi Berra would say, “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over”, and “I ain’t heard the fat lady sing.”