The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-05-01
HISTORY OF
T0NkAWAS
Early Annals of the Tribe
Wrapped in Mystery.
FRIENDLY IN CIVIL WAR
Were Attacked by Other Tribes
For Being Neutral.

Chilocco. o. T. april 90. B. Lewis
in the Chilocco Farmer and Stockgrower
! gives history OF the Tonkawa Indians
from which the following is taken:
The Tonkawa. or Nez Perez reserve
/ as il Is better known in Indian lore. Is
made up of four townships adjoining the
Ponca Indian reservation, on the west OF
which il forms a constituent subdivision
and is under the Jurisdiction of Supt. II
! NJ Noble The Nez Perez tribe OF In
/ dams under the leadership of the re-
nowned Chief Joseph. Were located here
hin 1880 and so thoroughly discontented
were they that no amount of kind treat
ment at the hands of the government
gave them comfort, AMI finally In the
early spring of 1855, they were returned
| TO their northern home in Montana. They
are now located in and around Spaiding'
/ Idaho, and number considerably over a
! thousand souls.
! About one mile due north of the agency
proper can be seen a small Enclosure. IN
| which the observer detects scores OF
mounds Here several hundred Nez Perce
Indians. large and small. lie buried two
and three in a grave. An epidemic OF
smallpox played sad havoc with the young
of the tribe one winter during their short
stay in northern Oklahoma The spot is
wierd one in appearance. located as it
is. near a lonely stretch of timber. and as
II is near a lonely stretch of timber, ana
as the cold north wind soughed through
the bare stretched arms of the tall gaunt
elms and sycamores standing close by.
fancy carried the writer back 10 the
time when there was wailing and weeping
In a desolate camp and the hearts OF
Chief Joseph's band were sorely afflicted
and sad.
The early history of the Tonkawa In
dams is wrapped in mystery dark and IN
ecrutable. A legend exists among the
andful of survivors that at an early
period the earth was covered with Tonka-
wa Indians. that great food came and
scattered in all directions the tribes who
never came together again. The eldest
living members date back their knowl-
edge of the tribe from the first authen-
tic location of which we possess any
record; that is in the Wichita Mountain
country, of what now constitutes south
central Oklahoma.
Among those now living. John Will
'iams. a chief Jesse. at one time gov
eminent scout. and Budk Bill. recollect a
big council being held at what 1t now
Waco, Texas the result Of which carried
representatives of the tribe 10 Washing
ton. where Sam Houston of Texas fame
acted as mediator in negotiations had by
the government and the Tonkawa In
fians.
During the great civil conflict the Tonk-
Awas remained neutral. although impor-
tuned frequently by whites and Indians
90 assist the cause of the Confederacy
an dtheir entire history show them to
have always been friendly to their pale
face brother.
This attitude during the war, so II Is
related. brought upon the Tonkawas the
hatred of the Comanche. Caddoes. Wich-
itas. DaIawares. Shawnees and kicka-
poos. who combined their united efforts
In an attempt to wipe ont the entire ma
ton of Tonkawas. and about forty-one
years ago. according to Tonkawa chronol-
ogy, a combined attack was made upon
the Tonkawa camp and terrific COM
bat ensued no one being spared, the
women and children of the Tonkawss be
ing mercilessly butcheTed. The attack. in
trut Indian fashion. commenced by sur
prise at daybreak and lasted the greater
part Of the day. The agency buildings
near the camp were burned and the gov
eminent employees tOmahawked and
mutilated. The Indian agent escaped to
the mountains and 300 Tonkawas closed
their earthly careers About 900 Of the
men and boys escaped To the borders of
Texas. General Status enlisted a number
IN the Sixth United States cavalry. most
Of them serving TO the close Of the war
OF the above number that enlisted the
following are still alive: John Williams.
CORPORAL Jesse. Standing Buffalo, Buck
Bill Jack Rush. Grant Richards head
chief at the present time: Geo and Sher-
man Miles They are all old men. Lieu
tenant Pratt. superintendent OF the now
famous Carlyle school was their com
nanding officer. and bout the 10th 81 Oc- !
STU sunouu kddvu sgA puv dUIeo BMs (
tober. 1903 Lieut.. Pratt visited the Tonk- /
former war associates and renewed old {.
acquaintances-
After the war the government cast 4
about looking for a reserve for the re- !
naming Tonks II was at first intended 4
To locate them in the Wsshita valley bat 4
trouble having arisen and the government 4
official delegated 70 perform that duty. I
having been killed. the matter vas de-
fe~red and not until the spring % isss
were they given a permanent home and I
the tribe was then moved 20 the Cd Nez
Perez Reserve. arriving very poor but
happy.