The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-06-12
CRAVE MARKED BY
A SOLITARY TREE
frisl Place 81 John Rollin Ridge ia
f4aEf Aksndsnsa Salifovnia
Casaexsry.

{ IN. marked on every side BY the
Z ofpFinta % the forty-nlnera. FORMS
Z solitary Identification q the grave
John noIlln Ridge. the remarkable
q an of Cherokee blood whose writings
. ha1 = century awo were declares
I high authorities t. show the fire
actual genius.
Recently \ small party os Ridge ad-
r srers sought out this neglected grave
. a while grouped about Il the poem.
40unt shasta written ~ the light
= miners candle after the author
= ia toiied long hours In the nlacera.
80 rsea. The percTatton 81 Mount
aasta~ regarded BY many IS Ridges
. a4texpleee. is as foiiows.
Ind eel wesn In after years how.
ths middle Of TIE farrowed track.
tha pIowrnan.
u some suitFy hour VIII panse ana.
wspsna
rem rs brow the dusty sweat. with
reverence
axe upon that hoary peak. The herds-
mar
81 viii rein ais charger IN tie pain
and drink
ito bis lnnaost soni the calm sublin-
ltys
nd little chllaren playing on the
green shall
ease their sport. ard. turning 70 that
Fnoanfaln
{ ID. shall of their mother ask; who
made n7s
= "a she shah answer. TSoai'"
How ths blood 81 an Indian princess
q the farvaia1ant Cherokee nation
& Aya n Georgia ce-mlnaied with n
sw England puritan maid 70 produce
Z . nsan capable 81 writing and polish
the abevo lines is disclosed TO be
10 Gates - delve into the history o.
Z re family The clue Il q stained ard
Feotfen hook. noaestIv deferred.
fohn r.. RIdFs's poems" tha furewnrd
e z which contains a brief biography of
- aathor. the following being an ex-
rpts
Z am sast q little less than q half
fioed cssrukes Indian. Ny father was
/. shn Ridge a ehlef and notable man
3 nons the people % that nation. both
fore ard after their enforced NIL
Kraflnn. ~ mother was sarah bird
: 0rfhTurt native of New England n
3 a the grandson 81 Chief ka-nun-ta-
age ans Princess seheya. Ny In
an mare f. yellow Bird
IN the wake Of the first gold rush
I 1ss0. John noiizn Ridge came toI
sisfornla from Arkansas. = hlRs.ly Sd
! .zted atripIln9 ~ Is. Already many
/ sennA ana either writings had flowed
I am hiw pen. IN California he hecameI
. JcurnHllss ~ the ola Hchool-~pender-
Z -. caussIe heiligerent. He served
! sFe and there ae editor. conducting in
iTn severe 81 the foremost papers en-
. Pacifie coast ~ that aay. dipping
Z eanwhIis if.te politics II 1915. az the
s - cf 80 years. ne died and the tree
hich hs had planted several years
/ aeviousiy heeamehls monument.
The ancestry - Ridge runs back IN
direct line to the seventeenth cen
{ rs. when the CherokeaR and their
Ilsed tribes were very numerous and
~ erfui III the south. eentering in
: hs8 il new the state 81 Georgia
Amnsa9 the Cherokees there was
rlisreaa sshoya. 4 proud ard beautiful
ri with 4 slight lntermlngling Of
~ ch hioad. dating hack - an early
: coseh trader. Sahoya fell IL love with
yaann nlefaan. IA nuu-ta ella -Ee
tr the Lion avho walks = Night.
3 "a the two clipped
The iion. however, having taken his
, ife'a civilization name ef Ridge
iankm - the Scotch trader, vas 81
me accepted as the railing eaief OF
ae Federated Cherokee Natlan As
fch he acquired some eduealiou. be-
snae an Or tor snd was widely known
a. mar ~ peace.
Hut in time disgusting suanars came
sorn washington that President Mon-
1ae had lest patience with ire tribe
! "a was about 20 send a. srmv 20
gsrrun ana disperse the nation. This
arsed chief Ridge nosfhaste 60
Washington "a plead far one more
{ nance. Monroe had heard such pleas
sgnre. ana vas obdurate. When ev-
srythln@ else had failed Chief Ridge
mnaatlcmf5g offered his eldest son
ehn Ridge Tr.. rs : hossage ard a
! edge shak the Che~ekees would
ssnfain IA peace. President Monroe
! scapsea. aua che ts-yszr-oaa indian /
~ was sent from Georgia - wash 1
! sgten as thsir hostage.
Instead - ordering the Indian youth /
snfinea II prisos. MnnFee directed
Z vat he he cert 90 a missionary school
az Cornwall. Gem. q BE- educated.
Tgnse pasaea. and the inalaa lad had 1
scane : san. Hs belonged - IRE rui- 4
~ fasnflv q the Chsrokae Federated 1
.stioa ans Re fsli "a love. 80 thai 1
haa ne finally returned - Georgia 4
, . was accompanied bY q trim puritan
! asa. formerlv Miss sarah bird Nsr- 4
srsant. fhen Mrs John Ridge.
~ vwa@ frpsYs TIE union Of John Ridge 4
"a sarah Bird Northrurt that John i
,olY.n Riaxs. the poet. was bern. tn
{ SAT-
x,ona agitation for fhe removal ~
= trIhea fevand the Mississippi final
ruauafnasea IN their being trans
( aws<a e. whmt e now Eastern Okla
! .ran- Thaa John. tha father. nnd
araa psra nsarthrupt- Ridge aied and
- an faiuea ghe goia rash 20 CALI
aFnia-