The sun., 1882-06-18
sam HoUSToN's INDIAN LIFE
"Reminiscences or the Old Texan President
while Living with the Oherokees.

| been sitting to-day. From the memory of the
| venerable Judge Riloy Keycs. formerly Chief
Justice OF the Supreme Court OF the nation
| have obtained some "reminiscences Of old sam
| Houston. In his manhood he sought relief in
| the companionshp OF his ancient friends the
Cherokccs for spirit deeply wounded by n
| domestic catastrophe He had won their re-
spect and regard by his courage at the battle
| Of tho Horseshoe. where the tribe furnished
Jackson contingent for his final assault on
tho Greeks. Judge Keycs is one Of the "Old
Settlers" as the Cherokees are called. who ro-
moved from Georgia before the emigration of
the main body Of the tribe. He came to the
country in 1928. Mt the age II.
The first emigrants from the Cherokee Nation
to takc up their abode west Of the Mississippi
did 40 to escape the prosecutions of their white
neighbors In Georgia. and the authority claimed
by the State over that OF the general Govern
mont. In 1898. during the Presidency OF
Thomas Jefferson, they were persuaded to re-
move without formal treaty. They were
given guns. blankets, kettles. and other sup
plies by the United States Government. They
settled Just near the mouth OF the st. Francis
River in Arkansas, and suffered severely from
famine in the 1rst few years. relief expedi-
tion was sent to thom by Col. Return j. Meigs.
at that time agent Of the Cherokees His de-
scendants are to be found among their first
families ut the present day. The relief expedi-
ton was headed by John Ross. afterward chief
Of the consolidated tribe for forty years, who
was the only one OF the relief party who
reached the sufferers. On his arrival he
found that they had abandoned their
original location. and had removed further
up the river. The Cherokee emigrants origi-
nally settled in the neighborhood Of tho present
town of Sardance, Ark. on lands granted
them by patent They were afterward ex-
changed for those included in the present res
ervaton then occupied by the Osages as u
hunting ground and settled by II few white in
habitants. who were granted half sections OF
land i'll Arkansas in compensation for the
w OF dEa %, tes is IN ~ ahs
nal pioneers are still living in Arkansas on the
western border, Of the Territory. The. final
Cherokces was made in the present home Of
the tribe in 1928. under the treaty OF that year.
tho present CoO-w skoo-wec district OF the
Cherokee Nation, they established their coun-
Of the Illinois and ARKANSAS rivers. John Jolly
WIS their principal chief. and Black Coat and
Will Webber second and third chiefs.
The episode in the career OF Sam Houston is
well known. In the prime OF life and with
5SdTS him. having Geen eH eeced aoH
ernor of Tennessee. he resigned his Office and
abandoned his home on the morning succeed
asccrtaincd. but which was supposed to be the
confession Of his wife that she loved another
to induce him to change his purpose were in
vain. lie descended the Tennessee, River %
whiskcy, and lnlan trading supplies. and
iloated down the Mississippi to the mouth of
nS OF th %ht hp that Is nbSS TS t2 RS S
miles south from Fort Gibson. There he found
the clearing OF his old friend John jolly, the
stood about three hundred yards from the high
bluii FORMING The banks Of the continent rivers,
wood and sycamore. Houston got most hos
pioRe JoRn yoliy WAS full-blood Cherokee. sneak
ing no English; and at this time about sixty
years of age, He was Of massive build. al
ing S"H cSuntenance. HHT @ His long locks we're pient
fully sprinkrd with grayi He He had several ne,
large stock of cattle and horses. but he lived
after the Indian fashion. His cabin contained
only single room; He wore the Indian dress.
Houston became his permanent guest adopt
ing the Indian dress Of hunting shirt. mecca
sins. aud leggings and becoming thorough
load of whiskey soon disappeared in hospitablc
ibations Soon the supplies We're gone. Hous-
common lardrr. and purtakins, OF the common
dish OF hy h0mihhy, =, or , kG-.Gn,Aamima t, % u great
centre OF the cabin Tor all who wished to help
Themselves. Judge kcycs remembers to have
feeding each other with great frendincss from
the single common spoon
habits and appearance. Except upon occasions
of ceremony lie Was as naked and careless as
G"5usly and carefully arrayed lie let his hair
grow and braided 1T until II hung in single
no; pluck out his beard Ho shaved his nous.
tache and wore u long goatee upon his chin
His tall and stately form and digniiled carriage
| great effect. lie presented very striking ap-
| pcarancc when en- grand t@1ge, with turkey
| feathers in his hair a white embroidered hunt
| ing shirt yellow lcgginGs and moccasins and sit
ting IN d.sniiied silence at the council watching
with the elders the ball plays and dances Of the
youths, Of the tribe, He Was more Indian than
the Indians themselves. once some waG of the
| turc of Houston and stationed him behind him
| mt a council. Houston endured it with stud
| imrassiyrness. taking no apparent notice OF
Councils OF the tribe were held yearly yat'Tah-
| Ion -tees;,kci. Sometimes they lasted for q
| week. AT these councils laws enacted
and affairs with the Government Of the United
States We're settled, Houston WAS adopted as
| chief. as has been stated He never took part
in the deliberations except as q silent specta-
! of the tribe to Washington to obtain the fulfill
ment OF tho terms 9i 2 treaty. he %ore his In
cintes throughout the journey.
The, councils were held IN an opSn shed
rooted with boards. but without floor. the
members sitting upon benches of hewn pIanks.
| IL was great gathering oi the tribe as well as
| OF the members of the council. Sometimes u
afternoon was devoted to ball play and every
evening to a dance, in which both young men
and women took part, Sometimes flat boat
load Of whiskey would arrive, and then there
would be a perfect pandemonium of whoopinG.
| riot, and dobauchcry by the blazing fires under
the canopy OF the giant trees. Houston took
| no part in the games or dances, mud preserved
! his sobrioty on occasions OF public drunken
ness, rescrving his not unfreluent dob4Ichcs
! Tor private occasions and perhaps as u relief
| from the solitary misery of livught
Houston remained As thHo !,.,ureh.Id guost Of
his friend Ion .o,lt. for more thlp. year.
! ..-" 80 !e,, IN love with hal, breed woman of
great beauty. named Tyenia Rogers, Sho was
| as stately for woman as he was for a man. He
! removed To tho west hank of Grand River M
| posite Fort Gibson. where, in the del, of tho
| Grand the Arkansas and the Yerdtgris. no
| mado small clearin. in the rich bottom land
which stiIl forms part of small Cherokee
| larn, and has y log house upon it. although
! probably not the one huilt by the hands of
! Houston. Here he lived for two years or more
| lie 49, frequent visitor to the military post
Of Fort Gibson. NM a generous consumer ii
| the suffers whisk-y = - tall form was ,,7a.
slonally seen lying in the street III tn6 stupor
! Of drunkenness.
This life of savagery and drunkenness finally
| pplled upon the nobcr elements of his nature
| The struggle Of the infant Commonwealth of
| ToXas Tor freedom aroused his sympathirs and
| his ambition He left his fripnI- thni