The Wichita daily eagle., 1901-06-16
SEMINOLE
BLOOD IS
CROSSED
Negroes Have Been Married
Into the Tribe,
ONLY TWO WHITE MEN
Have Been Adopted by Semi
mole Nation.
ONLY TWO WHITE MEN

the Seminole country and has been much
! impressed with the Indians and their Gus
toms. In writing of the people and
their reservation he says:
There is smaller mixure of white
| blood among the Seminoles than among
| any Of the five civilized tribes. The pro-
portion Of negro blood. however is very
| large. When the Seminoles left the nome
| OF their fathers in Florida and southern
Georgia and came 70 occupy the lands as
| signed them west Of the Mississippi, there
We're already a number Of persons of
mixed blood in the tribe Since the eman-
cipation of the slaves, there has been
much intermarrying between the races
until at the present time, perhaps half of
the citizens Of the nation are OF mixed
Indian and negro blood
Indians Of fulf blood are comparative
! ly rare. while negroes are much more
common. White men have never encour-
/ aged the nation. But two white men
| have ever been adopted as Seminole citi-
/ zens OF these r. T. Brown gained the
| confidence of the Indians and was finally
/ admitted to the citizens head right over
1 30 years ago. 1t was Brown who located
the Seminoles on their present reserva-
ton at the close Of the war. Since that
! time he has been a man of great inau-
ence at the councils of the tribe. He still
lives on his farm near Keokuk Falls. Al
! ex. Crane was one OF the few white men
to marry Seminole wife. He is also the
other white citizen adopted by the Semi
noles
ITO dweIler on the plains the Semi
mole reservation presents an unusual ap-
pearance. Lying between the north and
south Canadian rivers. drained BY numer-
GUS small streams the general contour OF
the country Is gently rolling. With the
exception of a ledge or two of limestone
in the region Of Little River in the south
part Of the reservation, all OF the rock
is sandstone. The lodges run from a few
feet 10 100 feet or more in thickness. Steep
bluffs and prominent outcrops are occa-
sionally met with. although for the most
part uncommon. The soil is mostly
sandy, and the tree which is more com
mon than all others combined is the
sand loving jack oak. This tree is abund-
ant all over the uplands and while never
very thick is scattered in clumps on near
~ every hill. In the valleys white oak,
cottonwood, sycamore, several species of
hickory and numerous shrubs form dense
thiekets.
Scattered away along the creeks or on
the hillsides the SeminoIes have their
homes Judging from the location of
these dwellings they do not seem to be a
sOciable people. The houses are usually
little more than cabins. They are usually
built of logs. with perhaps a lean-to OF
coarse boards. A rail fence encloses the /
house and outbuildings. also of logs. A
clearing of a few acres near the house,
likewise enclosed with a rail fence, is
planted to corn or cotton A few razor
back hogs, gaunt and ungainIy, root
around outside OF the fence. Half doz-
en-, more or less, straight or woody head
ed children and as many dogs sprawl on
the ground near the door. A white haired
old negro or Indian with a corn cob pipe !
in his mouth sits in the shade of the
house. In the cotton fields two OF three
women with bright colored dresses and !
. slip Of blue or red cloth tied around |
their heads are hoeing. A man under q /
straw hat follows a sorawny pony and di- |
lapidated plow across the field From |
each house road leads of through the |
timber to other houses hid away among /
the Jack oaks, perhaps a mile or more /
away. The chief and in fact the only /
get it as far as possible from every other /
house in the reservation. Roads through |
the timber cross and re-cross in q manner /
bewildering to one not a native, neverthe-
less one thing IS certain. road followed /
Ions enough VIII fetch up alongside a /
cabin.
Since the first Of June the Dawes com
mission has been al work IN Wewoka 4
af~.--
nately there is not enough good land for
each native TO get q quarter-section. The 4
land has all been surveyed and divided /
into three grades. OF first grade land a
Seminole may. secure GO acres. of second /
grade land 12o acres. and Of the poorer or
third grade lard 240 acres. Tt is estimated /
that it VIII take at least a year TO com
plete the allotment. as II takes time to
deal with the Indians and there seems to
be a hesitancy about dealing with the
allotting agents.
MANY people fn the territory have had
their eyes on the Seminole lands. This
has not been confined TO Oklahoma alone
Tor people Of other states who have ever
been in the reservation are impressed
with The land and IFS fertility 1t Is
true that the land IS different than that
fertile If not more So
From q census OF the Seminole nation
there are about .a00 people ard they have
s6s.o5e acres OF iand ir their reserve
ton The tribal government consists Of
a principal chief. second chief. fortv-tTo
land officers. treasurer. school superin-
tendent. Two school trustees superin-
tendent of blacksmith shops ard police
The chiefs are elected by popular vote
and serve four years.
John r. Brown. better knovu ne Gov
ernor Brown. has been The principal
chief ~ the Seminole nation Tor fttaen
years. He was born az Tsiequan ia the
Cherokee nston in 1Sla Brorn IS vel
educated. ard aurinE the wa served IS
q first lieutenant iu The FIRST creek
regiment After the close Of the var
Brown joinel his people. the Seulno,ss
ard there ~ has remained.
Governor Brown IS strong ua1 ln the
nation ana - one does nor tharE 80
visit 10 the Seminole nati7n wli - al
that IS necessary for q change - mind
-'It Is estimated IN oEcial cl-cles that
the seminole lands w1l oe o1e1ei for
settlement as s'on as ths ali1ttfrE worz
Is completes. Whether thts EfH prove
.rlr cr rut Is rroH-er1,atlc1i hlr cre t1li-r
is certain- that lf is is possible fer wnlte
people n secure lands -n the uatlan. g
Ei1 he done
The scHainoiss have net lest the rapa-