The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-09-11
BACK TO HIS own
Ben Summit of. This City
Visits Choctaw indians.
SIXTY YEARS SEPARATION
He Likes His People and Re-
ceived a Warm Reception.

Yesterday Benjamin Summit returned
from South McAlester, after an expert
ence which probably no living man ever
had, and what few characters in fiction
have been credited with
For Sumriit's story reads like a page
out of the Persian history of the time
of Cyrus
His experience at South McAlester con-
sisted in a reunion with his race after
q separation of practically sixty years.
1t is not difficult to tell that Summit is
an INDIAN, and when he went among the
Choctaws they were attracted to him,
by racial affinity at once, and, although
ne was stranger to them they knew
by the strong Indian instinct that he
was an Indian through and through.
Summit likes the people from whom he
has been estranged for over half a CEN
fury.
AS member of the tribe and one IN
teresfed in its affairs he came to the
Eagle Office to protest against a recent
item in the Eagle in which it was said
that the Choctaws would not be allotted
for three years. Mr.. Summit said the
Choctaws read this item and did not like
it. for the allotments win be finished by
May next in that nation
The story Of Benjamin Summit has
three interesting dates in 1.-THE day of
his birth; second, November g, 1861, when
he discovered he was an Indian, and
September g. 1900, when he returned to
his tribe
Formerly, as everybody here knows,
the Choctaw Indians were located in the
state of Mississippi Long before the
civil war broke out the Choctaws moved
to the Indian Territory
The first thing Benjamin Summit of
this city remembers is working on a big
plantation, a slave One day when he
was about 19 years old, he was sent for
and he went up to the big mansion and
his master told him that his son was 60
ing TO the war and that Ben should go
along to take care Of the young man. A
few days later Ben accompanied the
young master TO Virginia. They first
stopped at Lynchburg a>.d little later
got into the the Battle of Bull Run, the
first. where the Union army was driven
back Thence the young master and his
company and the slave Ben, who took
care Of the horses and cooked, were sent
into western Virginia. One afternoon
near Greenbriar the young master said
to Ben:
GO to the postoffice for my mail and
II you are not back by o'clock I will
give you thousand lashes."
Ben went off to the postoffice, got the
mail. and started back He hadn't been
given time enough and. he knew he could
not get back by o'clock. He could al
ready feel the smart and tingle of the
lash and finally, in rebellion at the
thought Of it, he turned and made off
at the top Of his speed, found a hiding
place and stayed there until night. Then
he crept forth to pass around the Con-
1ederate lines and get into the Union
army lines. He understood the Law of
the country pretty well and the position
or the armies But he had to swim
Greenbriar river and on the night of No
Vemher 8, 1861. with the air sharp and
freezing; he did swim il. coming out
on the other side drenched. and a uttla
later turning into cake of ice His
clothes stiffened in the cold and he v-as
finally forced to his hands and knees
But he kept going and finally warmed
up circulation and gained his feet and
Travelled on until daylight. When The
welcome sun came Up he was rounding
CHEAT Mountain and high up. and he
came upon five Union soldiers who droo-
ped i've muskets on him rs If they were
machine He was prepared and ran
up q little white cloth on a twig and
yelled; Don't shoot Don't shoot,"
He walked Up to the men and they
surrounded him and he told them he
was an escaped slave. They took him into
camp and during the day he came nm
Ger the notice of General Milrov and
then and there Ben made a wonderful
discovery
For old General Mifroy said: "Tbar
man is no negro. He is an Indian
everybody, on taking a look at Ben.
concluded that the general was certain
iy correct
1t took no particular perspicacity on
the part of General MiIroy or his men
to identify the race of Ben. His hair IS
Tank and black. every feature Indian
color Indian and gait Indian. It is n
wonderful illustration Of the astounding
tenacity Of the Indian race that Sen has
never lost his Indian characteristics.
It Is now known that when Ben was
a small child. his Choctaw parents died
and while wandering around unprofect-
ed, he was taken by the southern nlaot-
ter and made slave. being called ne
gro, and held as one From the fact
that he first came to them on the sum-
nit Of Cheat mountain the soldiers
named him Summit and he has hsan
known as Ben Summit ever since. AZ
ter the war in which he served with
distinction. Ben Summit went to Iowa.
from there he moved. in 1873. to lola.
Kan. and in 1856 came to Wichita.
He is giving his children a fine edu-
cation and is known to most OF the
people Of Wichita
All these years the Choctavs hava hos,
living in the Territory and ahout four
years aso the government decided 10 give
the Choctaws their land in severaItv.
Mr.. summit communicated with the an
thorities and has had no difficulty in
establishing his Indian origin and blood
1t could not be doubted. But not until
September 3 last had he ever visited his
race. BE was delighted with the recep-
ton II gave him
IA eAfiainlng yesterday about the al
lotnents he said: we are 70 receive
two aHotments, one os which Is 10 be per-
pe1uai in our families and not transfer
able. ] shall so to live among the Choc-
taws but ] shall retain my interests in
Wichita. as I believe it Is going TO make
great city
He says The Indians are already looking
~ the.r aEotments and as stated above.
within year. viii b in possession OF
them.