Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-04-02

signed by Chief Ross. The school
houses. according to Professor Bates
were in 1852, very crude affairs of logs
covered with hand riven boards and
with split log floors. but the pupils
were very attentive and easily man
aged and made rapid progress in their
reading, writing and arithmetic. So
well did Professor Bates get along
with the Indians that he taught in all
iS terms of school under the Cherokee
government. before and after the civil
war Also he taught - terms in
Arkansas. Today he is no doubt the
Oldest living teacher in the state of
oklahoma. though he gave up teach
ing some fifteen years ago, since
winch time he has conducted the Bates
hotel at Westville.
"Uncle Goose" Thompson is SIS wears
of age, but unlike Professor Bates has
never taught "A school. Instead he is,
or was, short time ago pupil at the
J night school being conducted at
Gideon, a village some miles north of
Tahlequah. Thompson was born in
North Carolina, lived there many
years, but having a small strain of In
dian blood in his veins came to the
territory more than thirty years ago,
and established his rights. He was
once member of the Cherokee legis-
lature, and engaged for years in farm
ing. Becoming too old for active work
on the farm. he has lived with a son
Tor number of years. and when some
months ago the night school was es-
tahlished he enrolled as a pupil and
is said to he making good progress, as
well as being one of the best behaved
boys" in school
Claims to he 1O5.
SQUIRE Blair is of Ethiopian eXtrac-
llon, ana long before the civil war be- /
longed to a Cherokee named Blair. |
The owner did not speak the English !
language. which accounts for the fact
mat squire speaks and understands
thc cherokee better than he does Eng
hsh lie Is picturesque character
and in winter time wears a peculiar
headdress of Angora goat skin, some
thing similar to the turban once al /
most universally worn by the real
old-tilno Indian of pioneer days. Blair !
claims To he los years old and from /
appearances has been an inhabitant of
this mundane sphere for many. many
years. but according to the Dawes |
commission roll he has seen only 80 |
years, but there is some doubt as to
his real age.
old Greek" Beaver, who lives !
IN the mountains near Bunch. is said 4
To have really passed his 1O4th birth I
;hppi river, probably in Alabama, and /
came west something like eighty |
years ago, being then a young man. |
FOR Il number of years he has cele- !
brated his birthday at a certain date |
IN the summer months On one of /
these occasions a great fire is built |
and number of cooks are put to /
work preparing the feast. Beef. /
mutton, pork and wild game Is bar
n,,l .,s
and various other articles of food are
cooked in great quantities. Last. but |
not least, big iron kettles of strong .
black coffee are made, and then the !
birthday celebration begins. There |
is much dancing, and when after sew
eral days the dancers become weary
and the food supply has about given
out, the celebration is declared over .
ana all repair to their homes to an ,
ticipate Beavers next celebration, I
and to wonder how many wears !,
longer he Will live and furnish annual 1
fcasts. Il
Really Creek
Beaver by blood is a Creek. but Il
when the removal was being made l
to the west small band of these peo- Il
pie who lived on the borders of the
cherokee nation followed one of the
Cherokee detachments and after
NuNN Hdu StltlN arrived IN the tcrrl-
tory asked for admttance as citizens i
OF the Cherokee nation. Their re-
quest was needed and an act of the
national legislature fixed their status
as citizens of nation to which they
bore no blood relation.
jackson, Cherokee of about one
quarter blood. is 80 years of age and
except for deafness is rugged and
strong man. He has always liked to
i've near the river. Years before
the ciNil war came he was living
north OF Tahlequah near the Illinois,
and now in his old age has his home |
ON mountain top overlooking the
forests and the curving sweep of the
Illinois near Cookson, named for
himself or for some member of his
family His home is on the north side
of the stream. and some twenty miles
south from TahleQuah, which at the /
time of Cookson's birth was not in
existence. His descendants are nu-
merous and all live near together in
the same community.