Ft. Gibson Post

Vol III No 45

Thursday September 22, 1898 (Part 1)

Abstracted / Transcribed by Linda Haas Davenport

When the print is so faded that it cannot be read <.....> will be used . All transcription will be as found in the paper, misspellings and all

Sept 15, 1898 issue missing from microfilm

Page 1, column 1

 BAD ROADS TO TAHLEQUAH
     The condition of the roads between Fort Gibson and Tahlequah are said to be simply horrible, especially in places, where teamsters say the bottom seems to have fallen out or sunk very low. In one very bad spot about five miles out of Tahlequah, a Fort Smith drummer who escaped with his team posted the following:
     This road is not passable,
     Not even jackassable;
     When here you would travel,
     Bring along your own gravel.

 AN OLD CHEROKEE DEAD.
           Granny Leek Lived near Webbers
           Falls since 1829
     Mrs Betsey Leek, better known as Granny Leek, died Sunday morning September 4, in the vicinity of Buckhorn, where she had lived for years. She was 88 years old.
     Granny Leek was born in the old Cherokee nation near Chatanooga, in August 1811. In 1825-26 when the old settler Cherokees removed west, she came with her parents and located near where the town of Mulbery, Ark., now stands, and in 1829 they removed to the Cherokee nation and settled in Canadian district near Webbers Falls, where she spent the remainder of her life. She lived as she died, a devout Christian, being a member of the Methodist church 40 years.
     She was the mother of 12 children, Rev John Sevier who departed this life Feb 8th, 1887, being the oldest. She outlived all of her children expect one, Mrs. Polly Neal, who is now 63 years old. Several grand children and fourteen great grand children survive her. - J J Sevier

TRIBAL COURTS
           Final Notice to Clerks to Turn Over
           Papers in Pending Cases
     In accordance with the provisions of the Curtis bill, Clerk Winston of the United States court at Muskogee, has sent the following letter to the officials of the tribal courts in the Cherokee Nation:
     "By order of the Hon. Wm. M. Springer, Judge of the United States Court for the Northern District of the Indian Territory, and Hon. John R Thomas, Judge of United States in the Indian Territory, I am directed to ask you t at once comply with section 31 of an act of Congress approved June 28, 1898 entitled: - 'An act for the protection of the people of the Indian Territory, and for other purposes,' and which said section is as follows: 'Section 31. That on the first day of July, 1898, all tribal courts in the Indian Territory shall be abolished and no officer of said courts shall thereafter have any authority to do or to perform any act theretofore authorized by any law in connection with said courts, or to receive any pay for the same; and all civil and criminal causes then pending in any such courts shall be transferred to the United States court in the said Territory by filing with the clerk of the court the original papers in the suit; provided that this section shall not be in force as to the Chickasaw, Choctaw and Creek tribes or nations until the first day of October 1898.'
     "You will in obedience to this law at once forward to me at Tahlequah, I.T., all the original papers in all civil and criminal cases pending in your court on July 1, 1898. And, this you will not fail under penalty of contempt of court. Respectfully, "Jas A Winston, Clerk"

 CHEROKEES' WEALTH
           What They Get Per Capita
           in Allotment
     According to the records in the Indian office, the Cherokee nation owns 5,030,000 acres of land. The census of 1896 taken by the Cherokee authorities, show 32,363 names. There has been a considerable increase in the population among Cherokee citizens since the last census, but under the Curtis law there will doubtless be a good many names stricken from the rolls, so that there has been little, if any increase in the number of those who are to share in the allotment of land and the tribal funds. The estimated amount of land in acres now, is about 155 acres, if it was equally divided, all getting the same number of acres to the head. This estimate, of course, does not consider the Delaware claim for 157,600 acres that, in case they win their suit, would down the allotments of all Cherokees accordingly. The invested funds now held by the United States government belonging to the Cherokee nation, amounts to $2,717,580.86 and what is known as the "Wyley account" $4,300,000, making in round numbers seven million dollars. This divided per capita would be about $216 each, for every man, woman and child on the roll of Cherokee citizens.

FORT GIBSON ACADEMY.
     Prof Bird and some of his family have been sick the past week, which has retarded his school somewhat, but is now going on as usual. Prof Bird is not only a first-class educator but a scientific one, who knows how to impart knowledge to others. A short visit to his school one day this week convinced us that he is a man of high attainments.

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Miss Susie Morris commenced teaching the Cherokee school at this place last Monday. Miss Morris is a handsome and talented young lady of Cherokee descent, and was one of the lady representatives for the Indian Territory at the Tennessee centennial, last year.

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T B Cornelius has the contract and is building the large addition to the Blackstone & Turner building.

W E McConnell has just finished a dwelling for Mr Layton, machinist for our new gin and mill.

Mr Smith Wood has put up a substantial building on the lot purchased from Wallace Thornton.

A joint stock company has been organized for the purpose of manufacturing brick.

The post office has been moved from the Red Store to West Bro's drug store.

Mr Sharp, the inevitable, indefatigable, E flat only, is chief clerk for the Vian Trading Co.

Vian is the fastest growing town in the Cherokee Nation. We haven't the population of Fort Gibson, nor the X roads of Wagoner, but we have all the water we want, more cotton than anybody and an endless quantity of lumber. Building has received an impetus in the last two weeks, which if kept up, will call for more additions of lots. Lots are cheap and the people know a good thing when they see it. J L Rogers is giving lots to those who will agree to build on them in a certain length of time. There are six dwellings to go up in ten days if hands can be secured to build them. The Bob McDaniel gin is to be the finest in the Cherokee cotton belt. There is plenty of feed to be had in this county, and everybody welcome.

     FIVE CIVILIZED TRIBES
           Number of Citizens, Exclusive of
           Seminoles, 77,686
Muscogee, I.T., September 20 -
          The following estimate of the number of citizens of the five civilized tribes, exclusive of the Seminoles, has been compiled from the records of the Indian agent's office at this place: - Cherokees by blood, 26,500; Cherokee freedmen, 4,000; Intermarried whites, 2,300; Delawares, 871; Shawnees, 790; Creeks by blood, 10,014; Creek freedmen, 4,737; Chickasaws by blood, 4,230; Chickasaw freedmen, 4,500; Choctaws by blood, 14,256; intermarried whites, 950; Choctaw freemen, 4,200; making the total membership in the five civilized Indian tribes of the Indian Territory, exclusive of the Seminoles, 77,686, adding to this the Seminoles and the non-citizens, will make the population of the Indian Territory about 350,000 people, and these 350,000 people, under the law, are not entitled to any representation in Congress. Should the lands of the five tribes be alloted within the next year, each member would receive about the following number of acres: Cherokee 144, Creeks 203, Choctaw and Chickasaws, 551 and Choctaw freemen forty.