The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-04-03
BLUE.DLOOO VISITOR
Nowata Town Booster in
Guthrie Boasts Proudest
Cherokee Connections

In the big delegation of business
and professional men from Nowata
70 secure the placing Ct a state jnsti-
tuition in that county Is a man who
% marriags is one of the blue-blood-
ed OF all blue bloods in Indfan history
Attorney J. +. Lawson. attorney. oil
operator, banker and member OF al
most every corporation handled in In
dian Territory capital OF the past few
years is unassuming. and man one
would pass many times before pick.
Ing MIN as one of the family OF form
er Chief Johnnycake of the proud-spi-
rited Cherokees
As the husband of the eldest daugh-
ter OF J. Il. Campbell. Virginian, Wall
dsrer, cattle plunger, banker and bust
ness man-Mr lawson Is connected
with all that Is proud and grand of the
famed Cherokee lnlian raca
At the very beginning of the seven
ties. his estate stripped OF all value
by the rayages up an down the famed
Shenandoah valley of Virginia, ] e.
Campbell, son of proud parents ard
members of the +. r. V. clans of the
Virginias, reached what Is now East
ern Oklahoma. In the worldly way OF
commercial invoice. young Campbell
had an honest faith in self respect for
HIS fellows, and spirit as uncon-
querable as becomes one in whose
veins flows the blood of the historic
Johnstons ys
OF cash. he had sufficient to live al
ease one whole year, providing, OF
course, the expense OF that year was
not to exceed in all forty cents.
Blft he had the will snd the msntali-
ty and soon was clerking in a store,
riding the range, and doing whatever
would bring to him that money sufii-
cient to make the start in life. In
the beautiful Veniigris valley. to the
east of the river, seven miles east of
whero now Is located Nowata, rich i'm
oil, gas and beautiful beyond power
Of description, known as Alluwee, Mr..
Campbell met the chief OF chiefs, John
nycake. The Cherokee chieftain and
the Virginia lad became friends; their
interests became mutual, and from a
ranger, the young man had behind him
a thousand or two of dollars. and
money flowed towards him. Losing
and winning, he stayed on the safe
side Of the ledger and. last but not
least, led TO the altar the chieftaln's
daughter, and became to all intents
and purposes the head of the tribe
The store 81 Alluwee, on the Verdi
girls, still is there and operated by
Mr.. Campbell's son, was the trading
point for all the tribe, as it now is
headquarters for hundreds Of busy oil
men; and where once the longhorn
and the red man were the contestants
for space. now derrick after derrick
announce ITO the passerby that the
white man has come, but in that par
tieular locality he has come as a ten
ant for the Indians still own their
lands. and their royalties run into the
hundreds of thousands And as then
Johnnycake was the advisor now Il
is Campbell, though the very modest
son-in-law, who is In ,he capital city
to bring. II possible, to the home of
the Cherokees an institution of learn
Ing, fostered and controlled by the
great STATE of Oklahoma.
Bankers, stockholders in so many
divided paying concerns II would re
qc4re a bookkeeper to enumerate;
owners Of thousands of acres, builders
Of cities, and trainers of law. in thirty
eight short years what has not been
accomplished by these hardy men.
reared In aftluence and forced TO
fight lifes battles when right in the
middle of their collegiate work!
And In this brief story of Campbell
and his family are perhaps others
which could be written. but 1t tells
the story OF advancement of the cali
Der of men who dare aud do. and who
recoil not az tine obstacles that would
drive a weaker race to the destruc
ton OF their own volition.
Forty years ago. the Indian chief
and his simple way OF advancing; to-
day, worldtraveled. founding schools
cities, and giving Of his millions for
the Advancement Of mankindl
Is not, after all is said this one big
and glorious old world, where men
count and sycophants are soon for.
gotten.