Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-12-03
ORIGIN OF NOTED
KEETOOWAH SOCIETY
Why 1t Was Formed and What
1t Stands for at the
Present.
WAS LEAGUE OF UNION MEN
Never Was Obstructive or
Nonprogressive, as Has
Been Charged.

Special to The World.
TAHLEQUAH, Okla, Dec 2. -
When the Confcderacy early in the
sixties sent a commissioner to the
<Cherokees asking that they ally them
Nlves with the south, the expressed
desire of the majority OF the people
and of the leaders was for neutrality.
Iut circumstances made it impossible
FOR neutral position to be occupied,
and the country of the Cherokees be-
ing fnenaced by bands of guerillas
from bordering states, and the gov
ernment having for the time aoan-
doned its military posts along the Dor
ders the Cherokees in the fall of 1851
accepted the guarantees of the Con-
federate commissioner and the flag Of
that section was raised on Cherokee
fsol. Numbers of the Chcrokees en-
tered the Confederate service soue to
continue therein until the close of the
conflict, Others to forsako their alles-
lance after the ,lefcat of the Confed-
crate forces at Pea Ridge in north
western Arkansas. in March, 1SG2.
1t was because Of the civil war that
there came into existence the noted
"kcetCovah society" OK the Cherokees.
When the alliance with the Confed-
eracy was made there was a large
number Of Cherokee citizens who were
thOrolv~tn sympathy with the cause OF
the Union They We're not stroi =
enough to contend against the large.
forces Of ConfcdcratcS that early IN
the war came into the Indian country,
nud therefore made their way into the
fastncsses Of the mountain country II.
the eastern section of their nation.
They made a rendezvous in a deep and
secluded valley known as the rabbit
Trap ana it was in this place .ha,
the society was organized. Those
prominent in effecting the organiZ1-
ton were among the most advanced
Of the Cherokees Indeed the Rev.
John i}urchard Jones, brilliant
schplar and long a missionary among
the Chcrokees, is said to have taken
Il prominent part in assisting to make
tho organization possible And with
him was a scholarly Cherokee citizen
OF more white than Indian blood who
had been educated in one of the most
noted educational institutions of the
east.
Band OF Union Sympathycrs.
The Kectoowah society, correctly
translated, would be the Union party
or society. its members all pledged
themselves to adhere under all circum-
stances to the cause OF the Union and,
In order to he able to recognize ono
another no matter where thev nIgn,
meet or whatever the circumstances. a
number of signs were formulated with
Passwords. Upon the lapels of their
coats the members of the society wore
brass pins arranged in a, manner ny
which a member would instantly
recognize another wearer as mem
Der. Because of this wearing of Dins
the organization was often referred to
as the PIN society," and fullblood In
dams belonging to the order wero
often referred to as pin Indians.
The Koetoowahs remained IN their
chosen rendezvous until the Union
forces became strong enough along the
border to admit of their leaving their
mountain retreat, whereupon the
greater number enlisted in the federal
army, forming three regiments which
were placed under the command Of
Col. William a. Phillips of the sixth
Kansas cavalry.
Preservation oi Relics.
The war being ended, the l<cetoo-
wahs returned 20 their hoes in the
valleys ana woodlands of their nation,
but warm and irieresting political bat
ties were to be fought, and now it was
that the KeetooWahs became notec a-
a political organization. They came to
be known as the Union party, and OPP
posing them was the Confederate or
y
number OF years being composed
principally OF those VINO had adhered
to one or the ether of the sections
during the war. Strange as it may
seem, the party long composed of ex
Cont ederate Cherokees was named for
Lieutenant Colonel Downing of tae
Union army, while one of the faVorito
leaders of the Union party was a man
who had held the rank of lieutenant
colonel IN the Confederate army. But
the two parties for a number Of years
fought each other with determined
opposition, but near a score Of years
after the war the old Union or kee-
toowah party became known as the
National party.
When oklahoma became a state the
Kcctoowah society was incorporated
and now exists as an organization hav-
ing for its object the preservation Of
the many historic things of the olden
time. Regular meetings are held, a
full set Of officers regularly selected
and n large United States flag IL al
ways displayed above the presidents