The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-07-18
EAST AND WEST
JOINED HANDS
Old Campground Scene of
Notable National
Event.
.SEOUOYAH WAS FACTOR
Where Two Branches of
Cherokee People Signed
Articles of Union.

TAHLEQuAH. Okla. July IT,
Corn and cotton cover tho greater
portion OF what was once a pictur-
osque valley a mile south Of Table
quah. a gnarled old apple tree,
standing near a low and weed over
grown pile OF stones and mortar.
marks the site Of the home OF some
pioneer long since dead and for
gotten. and not far from the old
tree was tho site OF Illinois camp
ground This was a place OF note
In the early history OF this section.
Even before the eastern Chcrokoes
arrived In Indian territory In 1899,
the camp ground had been In use
for a number OF years. Members
OF the western Cherokee nation had
their homes In the adjoining local
tiles having established themselves
in what eventually became the
Tahlequah district I'm 1928. Among
the pioneers of this section, whites
and Indians. were considerable
number OF adherents OF the Metho-
dist church. and in order to reach
nrge numbers OF the people camp
meetings were held during many
years by the ministers of this de-
nomination,
Due to this fact the Illinois camp
ground was established. Its SUR
roundings were beautiful and pic
turosquc. The primeval trees were
large and lofty and even in the hot
test days OF summer cast a dense
and cooling shade. A stream OF con-
siderable volume ran through the
valley and from beneath the base
OF a flinty Gift spring OF clear
and cold water gushed forth. The
Illinois river was only "A mile away
and in it's waters those who desired
TO be baptized by immersion were
plunged when the meetings were
about to close. Many a famous
minister OF the old days thundered
and plead In the plain pine pulpit
placed beneath the big shed" on
the camp ground, during the week
or two weeks spent In the annual
meetings. Citizens In wagons.
drawn by horses. mules and oxen.
on horseback and on foot. came
from distant sections to attend the
services, and oftentimes the shout
ing OF the brethren and sisters
could be heard far away Sheds,
among the trees and straw placed
therein 80 that all might have COM
Portable resting places at night.
After the coming OF the main body
OF the Cherokees from the east of
the Mississippi the meetings were
continued for years, but In 1880
there was a meeting OF far different
character at the camp ground.
The eastern or emigrant Chero-
KEGS. whose removal from the "old
nation" In Georgia had begun in
the fall OF 1898, arrived In Indian
territory In the spring of 1889. I'M
mediatcly arrangements were made
TO re-establish the Cherokee nation
as a body polite. In order to ac-
complish this II was necessary that
the two branches, the eastern and
the western, OF the original nation
should be united once again. Tho
western Cherokees, forming one
sixth OF the population of the orig
inal nation, had a government, a
principal chief and two minor
chiefs. Messengers were sent TO the
leaders of this nation who repre-
sented TO the leaders the importance
OF a reunion and II was decided that
representatives of both branches
meet In council at the Illinois camp
ground.
This meeting was duly held in
July, 1899. and on the 18th Gay
Of tho month the presidents and
delegates OF the two branches af-
fixed their signatures to the act OF
union, thus bringing together again
the two branches of the ,ancient
Cherokee family" and the Cherokee
nation, which had hitherto, until the
western Cherokees removed west In
lS09-20. existed as a separate and
distinct nation, In the possession OF
the essential and appropriate at
tributes OF sovereignty, from a per.
iod extending into antiquity. beyond
the records and memory OF man,
was again a body polite.
Many notable Cherokee citizens
were present as delegates TO the
! great council at the Illinois camI
ground. George Lowrey appeared
as president Of the eastern Chero'
KEGS, and George Guess, or Sc.
| quoyah. represented the western
! Cherokeos as president. He, soor
after completing his alphabet. IL
1923, left the old nation and jour.
neyed to the west where he becam,
identified with that branch known
as the "old settler" Cherokees. AL
the delegates signed the act o.
union, which concludes, "Giver
under our hands at Illinois camI
| ground, this 18th day OF July, 1889
The act OF union was read. con
sidered and approved by the citizenl
| composing the eastern and westerf
nations on the ESD day OF August
1899. The action of their delega