West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1914-02-05
sEAi10US-A
MEpga Ans
ALssp7 RaYs6N TrRu0se


he is the greatest living rndiani"
So spoke the late President McKin-
ley, concerning Pleasant Porter. chief
OF the Greek nation" And. perhaps.
the high praise was justified. Certain
ly In his sixty-slx years Chief Porter
managed TO enact many a role that
has never fallen TO the lot OF any
other Indian. Here are a few Of the
many incongruous positions he held:
Railroad president, lieutenant In the
Confederate army, Presbyterian elder.
thirty-third degree Mason. knight
Templar and war chief OF the Creeks.
An indian IN Central Park.
Thousands. OF New Workers have
seen Pleasant Porter But few OF
them knew who he was Up TO 1906
people used often TO turn for a sec
cnd look at tall. erect man, fault
lessly dressed. who for hours at a
time was wont TO stride along the
Central Park paths. He was elderly.
but he had the figure and step OF an
athlete. He was a 'threequarter
blood" Indian. but he had the bearing
and general aspect OF a prosperous
business man. There was a faint cop
perry tfnge to his face. and the cheek
bones were trile more prominent
than most white mems. But these
qualities were scarcely noticeable.
Only his love OF open air and his dis
like for the confinement of his hotel
suite marked Porter as OF savage
race. Hence his long walks I'm the
park, where for time he could es-
cape from the city's din and traffic.
Pleasant Porter was born In Indian
Territory In the late los His mother
was the daughter OF a Creek chief.
His father was a half-breed Indian.
AS a lad Porter won fame for cour-
age, craftsmanship and rough riding.
He quickly rose TO the rank OF chief.
In the conflicts between his own tribe
and It's Indian nelghbors he led his
braves again and again to victory,
and acquired love for warfare.
IL was this fondness for fighting
that led him to enlist In the Confeder-
ate army during the Civil war. Many
Indians have taken part in white
mems wars" But. except as scouts.
etc, few have risen to any especial
rank Porter, however, fought his
way up to a lleutenancy. After the
war he carried his new military
knowledge back to his people. From
the martial maneuvers he taught
them. as well as from the tactics he
used when forced to take the field In
overcoming tribal uprisings. he won
the nickname OF General"
Not only through military genius
but also by deep wisdom he made the
Indians under his control look up 10
him with reverence accorded to no
other chief. And he used this great
influence on the side OF progress.
He early wen the confidence of the
government and thus managed to Sc
cure many concessions for the Creeks.
through sheer tact he kept his people
ON good terms with the territory's
other tribes. Among the Inrians he
was a fellow native. In Washington.
New York and other places In the
East whittier business or diplomatic
errands often brought him. he was as
the white men with whom he asso-
ciated. He spoke perfect English, but
once contested
i do all my thinking in my own ma
TONS dialect"
Porter sent his children and grand
children to college. and taught his
tribe to adopt the best customs of the
whites. He was leader In local poll
tics, and was once mentioned as can
didate for the United States senate.
He stood high In the Presbyterian
church. being an elder therein. and
was once delegate to the Presbyte-
rian General Assembly The climax
of his white man" career was reach-
ed when in 1906 he helped incorpo-
rate the Indian Central Railroad COM
pany and was elected first president
of the road.
Secrets Of His Nation
Concerning his peoples ways Porter
was always ready to talk-up to a
certain point. But all his veneer of
civilization could not make him reveal
the real secrets OF the Indians. For
instance, when an interviewer once
begged him to explain the mysterious
way in which news flashes with light
ming speed from one tribe of Indians
to another. in wilderness where there
is- no telegraph or telephone. Porter
calmly evaded the question by say
ing:
1T may be telepathy. How does a
fly, buzzing through the air, learn
that an animal far away has been kill
ed? Why are there thousands of flies
Hooking to the spot in less time than
one can tell about It?'
Another interviewer asked him n Il
were true that Indians still wear
paint and feathers
ut is." replied Porter gravely.
They wear almost as much paint and
feathers as do ladies' on Fifth ave-
nue."
The Indian" plays he saw In New
York used to disgust the old chief.
He declared they were a libel on his
race and that stage Indians would not
be recognized by real savages. A
New Yorker, IN 1905. trying to talk
as he supposed Indians Go. asked Por-
ter II he had ever seen the Great
White Father al Washington" Por-
ter looked puzzled a moment; then
said: "Oh you refer to my friend,
President ROOSEVELT"
Pleasant Porter died after stroke
OF paralysis al bis indian Territory
home on Sept 3. 1907 re was