Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1913-05-23

be more ancient; all evidence yet OBJ
tanned prove them to be OF vefy an
-cient origin, and no known book goes
far enough back into the past to date
the period OF their origin, but that
word. Tribe clirgs to the. Indians up
to, the present day, similar to the time
when numbered by Moses and Aaron
at Mount Sinai
There Is much proof jim favor OF the
belief that the Choctaw tribe of In
dians were living In the, southern part
OF this continent when Cortez over
threw the Aztec dynasty9 but heavily
has the hand of time pressed with, its
weight of years rested upon the de-
scend ants of the Gnoctaws, over
whom swayed the scepter OF author
,ity as. chiefs, counsellors and warriors
in traditional mygrations from Mex
leo to the Mississippi river, where
they first formed an acquaintance
with the Presbyterian missionaries,
who, won the respect and confidence
of the Choctaw tribe OF; Indians. and
many became educated and accepted
the Presbyterian doctrine. In the
year 1z75 Nathaniel Folsom, of Scot
tish descent. appeared amongst the
Cboctaw Indians and in compliance
with custom married an Indian wo-
man by the name of I-ah-mSche, be-
longing to the royal fanny of chiefs
known as Hart-ta-e-hole-ta sIke-sa, .ori
CLAN The youngest child of said Ma
thaniel Folsom, was named Israel Fol-
som, who was my father. In 1890 al
treaty was entered into between. the
United. States and the Choctay ,chieS'I
and warriors. In said treats ~ the I
Choctaw tribe were required to emf
CRATE IN 1885, about one thousand
Chpctew Indians agreed to e5iigfate
west Of the Mississippi river. Esraef
Folsom. my father, and his family was |
induced to accompany the first emf
arants. After travelling many hundreds
of miles, we crossed the territory
called Arkansaw, now named ArKAn-
sas After, crossing the boundary line
we camped in ithe wilderness on the
bank Mountain fork. In 1888, my fa-1
ther, accompanied by a few warriors,
travelled together westward, hunting
large game, and two. miles yfrom the
town OF purant they saw, many bgffa-
10. After killing one they continued
travelling westward They met a Wild
band of Indians and after smoking |
the pipe of peace were induced to
camp near. Durirg the night the
guard was placed distant from the
sounds made by the enepy's horses
camp, for the purpose or detecting
feet They could detect 'the enemy |
advancing or retreating. Tney used
the surface OF the ground by placins
their ear to the ground. In this po-
sition they could readily hear the
sound of horses feet striking the
ground many miles distant. This meth
cd of receiving sound to the ear by the !
ground was used during wars for
many years previous to 1888. This Sc
cret was handed down from father to
son, according TO tradition.
To me this. was the beginning of
revelation on warfare. Often the
chief or warriors wishing 10 counsel,
a day is appointed, and now 10 notify
them they used bundles OF small sticks
and tishue was appointed to deliver
TO each councilmen a bundle of sticks
to assist them accurately in keeping
the number Of days intervening be-
tween the days appointed. This kind
of an almanac was the only kind in