The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1909-11-26
In MemOriiGm.

btAA Atit AtiAAoh lfNAtdit tue ouujttA
Of this sketch was born in the state
of Georgia. near Dalouega four score
years ago. Here he spent his infant-
hood He came with his people, the
Cherokee Indians. to the Indian Terri
tory when but eight years of age.
From his earlist years he was a stu
dent and a thinker and as he grew
older the center of his thought, and
the handspring of his life was the vel
fare Of his people. He early in life
realized that nothing eSuld stop the
progress Of white civilization and
treaty or no treaty. he realized the
Indian must sooner or later yield.
In order to best serve his people he
took advantage of every educational
opportunity thrown in his way
He entered the historic male sem.
mary at Tahlequah. school for In.
dians. Graduating from this instiu-
tion with high honors he entered Dart
mouth college, New Hampshire. and
pursued a fun collegiate course. gradu-
ating with the class Of 1861 The class
was an exceptionally strong one. Mr..
Duncan ranked in scholarship with the
best in the class After leaving Dart
mouth, he taught in New England for
two years and then came to Wisconr
sin, here he met Miss Helen Rosen-
Grams Their acquaintance ripened In
to love and they were married and
came together to Iowa. here both
teaching and engaging in work for
the betterment Of humanity, occupy
ing the front rank in these efforts,
tnen taking up the law, his chosen pro
fession, and was an honored member
of the Vinita bar at the time of his
death.
Mr.. Duncan was the last Of his gem
Grafton. In the family were eleven
children. Seven sons and four daugh-
ters, all reached maturity and died in
this country.
In the passing OF DE Witte Clinton
Duncan, known as "Too-qua-stee, his
Cherokee and also his pen name, that
part Of Oklahoma. known as Indian
Territory, as weR as all Oklahoma.
has lost one of its most unique and
notable citzeIN.
Intensely patrietic and loyal to his
people, the OheHpkees, he was always
defending their rights with pen and
voice. He was soupnIously honest
and though he mlght have enriched
himself at the expense OF his people.
he adhered to his own ideas Of right
and Justice which is In itself a white
monument TO his character
His was a superior mind, practical
In the working out Of his thoughts, to
him promise was q promise to be
kept
The ancient treaty made by the gov.
ernment 10 the Indians relative to their
removal TO the Indian Territory,
treaty which opened with the poetic
statement AS long as grass grows
and water runs" To him meant exact
" what ii said Though realizing the
inevitable that white civilization must
prevail Mr. Duncan held that there
was an honorable way which was not
taken.
Recently he has devoted much of his
time TO the interests Of his home farm
near town and to his reading and writ
ing, never losing interest in the gen
eral affairs Of the country.
He passed peacefully away at Sis
p. M, November 2nd and was laid to
rest in vinita cemetery. November
5. 1903
He leaves widow with many sym
friends to mourn her loss.
He was a member Of the Methodist
church. He was a good type Of the
Christian and might have sung with
Tennyson;
Sunset and evening star
And one clear call for me:
And may there be no moaning Of the
bar
When ! put out to sea
For such a tide as moving seems
asleep
Too full for sound or foam.
When that which drew me from out
the boundless deep.
Turns again toward home.
Twilight and evening bell
And after that the dark
And may there be no sadness Of
farewell.
When ] embark.
For though from out our bourne Of
time and place,