The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-08-28
The Original
Indian Agent

Special 70 The word
TAtlLEQrNH. Aug. .--Hetore
tho establishment ~ the union
agency at Muskogcc about 1874,
each OF the principal indian ma
tIuns. Ch.rukcvs, Greeks OhoctaWs,
Chickasaws and Scmiuolcs. had
their respective agency That at
Tahlcquah had FOR its last incum-
bent a notable man. the greater uor-
tlou OF whose Carcpr had been sprut
among the thcrukecs. This was the
Rev John Il Jones'. son Of Evan
Jones. "A pioneer Baptist missionary
20 the Chcrukcos, who had begun
hts work IN the old nation In
Georgia early In tho nineteenth ccu-
tury. John II. Jones. after complct-
ing hts education In a northern Inc
sutution of learning, returned to the
Chcrokct nation and upon tho ro.
inuval west Of tho Chctokocs and
the establish Of their govern.
meut, thc mlssio ioulrirs wcrc grautcd
permission by the national council
and principal chief to continue th,lT
missionary labOrs. Thereafter uu'u
his departure from the nation for
The west In quest OF renewed
strength. John Il. Jones was proml.
ncnt. both AZ a missionary and as
politician. Upon the resumption OF
the Chorokees' government after 10;
temporary disruption as an effect
or the civil war, Mr Jones was ap-
pointed agent to the Cherokces hy
President Grant and filled the posi-.
tiun with marked ability. Never be.
iuic had there been an agent who so
thoroughly understood the needs
and requirements Of the people in
charge Of whose affairs he had been
placed. A reference to the writingi
and reports OF Agent Jones proves
that he had uppeImost I'm his mind
many things for the Advancement of
the tullblood Indians Speaking
their language like "a native and
large numbers of them being srncm-
bcrs OF the Baptist denomination,
they had great confidence In their
agent and had not his failing health
caused his departure fkbm the ma
ton. followed by his death I'm Colo
rado about 1878, there. no doubt,
would have been many highly adj
NantaGeous results for the Chcrokces
in general.
The agricultural interests OF the
people was given much attention by
Mr. Jones. and In one Of his reports
scnt to Washington In 1872 he dwclt
at length upon the fertility Of tho
soil and Of It's adaptability to tho
raising OF various products Corn
and grain rarely failed and cotton,
Just then being raised I'm some Sec
lions of the nation. was believed by
the agent 10 be most necessary
ana profitable product. making Il
possible for - raisers to secure
ready money. While there was con-
siderable livestock raised, the de-
mand was not great and the prices
were low, ana the hope was ex-
pressed that many Of tho citizens
would take up cotton raising. An
Interest in frht raising was sought
and with good degree of success.
whereas some Of the old time citi-
zens had not felt much interest in
the planting of orchards, apple or
chards in particular, because they
would have to walt too long" for
the trees to grow and mature and
bear fruit. There were many who
gladly began the planting OF or
chards, and Mr.. Jones expressed tho
belief that within "A comparatively
brief term of years the entire nation
would be covered with productive
orchards. Had he lived and con-
tlnued his efforts 1t is probable that
the fruit-raiSins industry would
have proved highly Profitable.
The establishment OF United
States court at Tahlcquah was
strongly advocated by the agent. In
making the recommendation for the
establishment OF such court he
laid stress upon the fact that Indians
taken to the United states court for
tho wcster district ot Arkansas
were caused great expense and dis
trcss, often mistreated by rough and
overbearlNg officers and placed on
trial in a strange section OF the land
and tried by alien jurics, Fort Glib
son was at first recommended az a
suitable location but somewhat later
Tahlequah was advocated, as the
capitol building had recently been
completed and there was sufficient
room therein for the sessions Of the
court TO be held. In closing his ap-
peal for tho establishment OF the
court Mr.. Jones said: "Phe most
important thing Of all is to have the
offices of judge, district attorney
high prohity that they will under no
and marshal filled by men OF such
circumstances prostitute their Of
ficcs and oppress the people"
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