487:"It must be borne constantly in mind that there is such diversity of opinion in Congress on the question of statehood legislation for Indian Territory that it is impossible for the Indians and noncitizens here to unite on any plan acceptable to Congress. However, I express the sentiment of the great majority of the Indians of the Five Tribes when I say that we are in favor of any statehood that Congress may provide, so long as it is statehood for Indian Territory alone, independent of Oklahoma."
477:, and after the commander consulted for one hour with both the Marshal and the Agent, the army took charge of the building, disarming all occupants, and instructed them to tend to any business necessary. The members of the two factions then entered into fistfights in which the military command took no side, while the votes were still being canvassed. It was dark when the canvassing was completed, and Green McCurtain was declared elected as Principal Chief of the Choctaw Nation.
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Chief
Gilbert Dukes declined to seek reelection in 1902, and McCurtain was eligible to run again for the position of Chief. In the election that year, Thomas Hunter, a friend of the outgoing Chief Dukes, was McCurtain’s primary opponent. In October 1902 before the votes were canvassed, in fear of
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had previously been elected as chief, serving a total of three terms.) Term limits prevented him from a third successive term, and he instead supported
Gilbert W. Dukes, a member of his Tushka Homma Party and the former National Auditor of the Choctaw Nation. He supported Dukes' efforts expended
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The Indian Agent J. Blair
Shoenfelt was present and attempted to settle the difficulty, but it was impossible because the U.S. Marshal (who represented the Justice Department) was in charge. Therefore, Agent Shoenfelt sent a message directly to the War Department in Washington and asked for new
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with Hunter and turned over everything to him, proclaiming Hunter as his successor. Major
Hackett, a U.S. Marshal, who was also a friend of Gilbert Dukes and Tom Hunter, took possession of the Capitol Building and grounds, and recognized Tom Hunter as the rightful Chief on behalf of the United
417:
The nation was violently torn by the prospect of losing their sovereign governance and lands, and being annexed into the United States. The day after the 1884 elections, a
Nationalist named Charles Wilson was brutally killed. While more than one Progressive was implicated in the assassination,
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at the turn of the century, and retaining full control of the region's congressionally apportioned seats, based on the total population (until 2003, the only
Natives elected to the U.S. Congress from Oklahoma were all Democrats with the backing of the party - five in total). Even if McCurtain
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He served as a member of his district's board of education within the tribe. In addition, he served as district attorney. In 1896 and 1898, McCurtain was elected as
Principal Chief of the Choctaw Nation; he was the third of his brothers to be elected as chief. (His older brothers
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In 1904, another election was held where McCurtain and Thomas Hunter faced off again, and McCurtain was re-elected. This was the last time the
Choctaws freely elected their Chief before annexation into the U.S., and they would not hold free elections for chief again until 1971.
429:
McCurtain continued to gain power in this period. He served as
Choctaw National Treasurer for two terms and oversaw the distribution of $ 2 million in treaty settlements. Twice he served as the Choctaw Delegate to the U.S. federal government in Washington, DC.
535:
Although originally a member of the
Democratic Party, which represented a solid block in the states of the former Confederacy, McCurtain came to believe their Congressional delegation was hostile to his people. He shifted his affiliation to the
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influenced many Choctaws to become Republicans, they remained both racial and political minorities in the new Southern state of Oklahoma, and as such they were cast aside by the ruling White Democratic establishment.
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McCurtain was an imposing man among his people, described as six foot two. He had a variety of positions locally and in the tribe before becoming principal chief after his brothers. In 1872 he served as sheriff of
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States. Backed by Hackett and his men, Hunter proceeded to organize a council. Alarmed at this coup, McCurtain and his followers sought to contest the election, but were barred from the Capitol by federal troops.
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or Progressive party of his tribe, also known as the "Eagles", who began to favor negotiation with the United States over proposals for allotment and statehood of the Choctaw communal lands. Much like Chief
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to create an Indian-controlled state in what is now Oklahoma. They were not successful in getting Congressional support for this proposal, as Euro-Americans who had established considerable presence in the
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414:, McCurtain was originally opposed to this, but came to believe he needed to negotiate to try to achieve the best outcome for the Choctaw prior to what he saw was an inevitable annexation.
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in August 1905, and later served as the convention's Vice President. He helped to draft the proposed state's constitution, and this document is thought to have laid the groundwork for the
42:
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for soldiers to go to Tushka Homma. Saturday about noon, which was the last day provided by the Choctaw Constitution to canvass the votes, over 200 U.S. Soldiers marched on the
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on June 21, 1971. The house was in ruins at the time following a tragic fire, and has since been reconstructed. Built in 1880, it is a two-story, L-shaped residence.
359:, (1842-1890); and David Cornelius McCurtain (1846-1874). They also had a younger brother Robert McCurtain (1853-1874), who was fatally shot at age 20 by a cousin.
426:, a committed Nationalist, killed five Progressives in related retaliatory political assassinations. He was convicted and executed by the Choctaw in 1894.
399:
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as president. Jackson served 1880–1884; he was succeeded by his brother Edmund, who served 1884–1886, a total of three two-year terms by the two of them.
389:. The senior McCurtain later married his second wife, Kate 'Kittie' Spring. They had a son and four daughters together: Alice, Lena, Bertha and Cora.
336:, who settled in Spanish Florida in the 18th century with a land grant from the Spanish crown. He became a trader and married into the Choctaw tribe.
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He continued to serve until October 1906, despite the fact the tribal governments and institutions were dissolved by the United States under the
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264:(1896–1900 and 1902–1906), serving a total of four elected two-year terms. After 1906 and dissolution of tribal governments under the
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a captive from a neighboring tribe who was adopted and assimilated into the Choctaw. McCurtain's paternal ancestry was of
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He married Martha Ainsworth, a European-American woman, and together they had a son, D.C. McCurtain. He later lived in
276:. He served in that capacity until his death in 1910, and was the last freely-elected Chief of the Choctaws until 1971.
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appointed McCurtain to continue as chief, where he acted under BIA supervision until his death in office in 1910.
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to keep the peace. The morning on which the votes were supposed to be canvassed, Chief Dukes walked into the
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in calling for a constitutional convention for Indian Territory to be admitted as a separate state, called
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with Federal backing, lobbied strongly for the two territories to be admitted as a single state.
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In 1833, McCurtain's parents and older brother Jackson had moved with numerous other Choctaw to
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Green McCurtain also achieved notice for represented his tribe as a delegate at the
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became a leader and served as president of the Choctaw senate before succeeding
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351:. His family became prominent as leaders of the tribe. His older brothers were
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in March 1906, paving the way for annexation. Under Theodore Roosevelt, the
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McCurtain’s former home outside the Choctaw village of Kinta, seen in 2015
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272:'s annexation and achieving statehood, McCurtain was appointed as chief by
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In 1906, he was appointed to the office for the later portion of his term.
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origin. His Irish immigrant ancestor was Cornelius McCurtain, nephew of
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316:, and Mayhiya "Amy" Blevins, both Choctaw. He was named after leader
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800:, National Register Properties in Oklahoma. Retrieved 25 Sept 2009
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513:. McCurtain represented the Choctaw Nation as a delegate to the
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Native American tribal government officials in Indian Territory
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His former home, the Green McCurtain House, was listed on the
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Greenwood "Green" McCurtain was born on November 28, 1848, in
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resurgent violence, the Federal Government sent soldiers to
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Before Oklahoma was admitted as a state, McCurtain joined
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disenfranchised most blacks, Natives and other minorities
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statesman and the last elected Principal Chief of the
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Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Retrieved 25 Sept 2009.
405:By the late nineteenth century, he represented the
283:. This was an effort by American Indian nations in
565:McCurtain died December 27, 1910, at his home in
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728:
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569:. He was buried in San Bois Cemetery in Kinta,
256:(November 28, 1848 – December 27, 1910) was an
742:. University of Oklahoma Press. pp. 3–8.
706:RootsWeb.Ancestry.com. Retrieved 25 Sept 2009.
833:, Chicago: American Historical Society, 1916.
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443:toward the building of an Indian Hospital at
765:Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture
544:, a block they controlled because of having
820:Meserve, John Bartlett. "The McCurtains,"
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830:A Standard History of Oklahoma, Volume 5.
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898:20th-century Native American politicians
888:19th-century Native American politicians
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630:
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418:several Choctaw were acquitted and only
240:, last independent Choctaw chief before
739:Choctaw Crime and Punishment, 1884-1907
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913:Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma politicians
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451:U.S. interference in the 1902 election
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943:People from Le Flore County, Oklahoma
813:Lewis, Anna Lewis. "Jane McCurtain,"
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637:"McCURTAIN, JANE AUSTIN (1842–1924)"
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578:National Register of Historic Places
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355:, born in Mississippi (1830-1885);
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515:Sequoyah Constitutional Convention
281:Sequoyah Constitutional Convention
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903:American people of Irish descent
704:"Choctaw Nation Elected Chiefs."
677:"Charles-Bowman-Fl - User Trees"
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228:Sheriff, treasurer, ambassador
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893:20th-century Native Americans
883:19th-century Native Americans
635:Searle, Elizabeth A. (n.d.).
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769:," Accessed October 6, 2013.
320:. Blevins's grandmother was
172:Tuskahoma Party (until 1906)
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661:Curtin, D. P. (June 2021).
641:Oklahoma Historical Society
254:Greenwood "Green" McCurtain
151:December 27, 1910 (aged 62)
138:Skullyville, Choctaw Nation
10:
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923:Native American Christians
827:Thoburn, Joseph Bradford.
822:The Chronicles of Oklahoma
815:The Chronicles of Oklahoma
590:McCurtain County, Oklahoma
469:troops. The order went to
592:was named for his family.
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663:"History of the Curtins"
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571:Haskell County, Oklahoma
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530:Bureau of Indian Affairs
918:Native American leaders
791:"Green McCurtain House"
908:Baptists from Oklahoma
767:. "Sequoyah Convention
734:Mihesuah, Devon Abbott
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393:Early political career
362:Green's older brother
357:Edmund Aaron McCurtain
349:Choctaw Trail of Tears
242:annexation by the U.S.
878:19th-century Baptists
863:Chiefs of the Choctaw
844:Chief Green McCurtain
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519:Oklahoma Constitution
492:Green McCurtain, 1904
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208:Jane Austin McCurtain
933:Oklahoma Republicans
824:13 (September 1935).
108:Gilbert Wesley Dukes
87:Gilbert Wesley Dukes
817:11 (December 1933).
374:Marriage and family
310:Cornelius McCurtain
308:, the third son of
238:Sequoyah Convention
194:Cornelius McCurtain
34:Greenwood McCurtain
18:Greenwood McCurtain
928:Oklahoma Democrats
796:2010-06-20 at the
779:"Green McCurtain."
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400:Skullyville County
304:, Choctaw Nation,
290:Oklahoma Territory
274:Theodore Roosevelt
584:Legacy and honors
507:William C. Rogers
436:Jackson McCurtain
364:Jackson McCurtain
353:Jackson McCurtain
330:Cornelius Curtain
318:Greenwood LeFlore
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135:November 28, 1848
77:Jefferson Gardner
16:(Redirected from
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285:Indian Territory
236:Delegate to the
218:Edmund McCurtain
142:Indian Territory
127:Personal details
118:Victor Locke Jr.
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114:Succeeded by
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83:Succeeded by
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873:1910 deaths
868:1848 births
542:Solid South
424:Silan Lewis
343:as part of
334:County Cork
314:Mississippi
302:Skullyville
182:(1906–1910)
161:Nationality
104:Preceded by
73:Preceded by
857:Categories
646:13 October
617:References
407:Tuskahoma,
322:Sho-Ma-Ka,
312:, born in
225:Occupation
180:Republican
526:Dawes Act
471:Fort Sill
412:Kiliahote
268:prior to
266:Dawes Act
233:Known for
220:(brother)
215:(brother)
204:Relatives
98:1902–1910
94:In office
67:1896–1900
63:In office
794:Archived
736:(2012).
511:Sequoyah
503:Cherokee
445:Talihina
347:and the
270:Oklahoma
196:(father)
175:Democrat
475:Capitol
380:Baptist
332:, from
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686:17 May
505:chief
187:Parent
177:(1906)
156:, U.S.
597:Notes
553:Death
326:Irish
744:ISBN
688:2022
648:2019
438:and
148:Died
132:Born
846:at
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