, the husband of Anna Mary Hiatt (the second cousin four-times-removed on the father's side of Jay Hannah), was born in 1831 and married Anna (with whom he had 7 children: Anna Maria, Nopawalla, John Milton, Sarah E, Allan H, Mary Elma and Thomas Embree) in 1858.
He died on Sep 20, 1915 in Danville, IA.
Mt. Pleasant Journal July 23, 1869
Henry County Indian Agent - Isaac T. Gibson, of Salem, this county, hasbeen appointed agent for the Osages and other Indians of the Heathagency. Mr. G. is an excellent man, of the society of Friends, and willmake an honest and capable officer.
Emporia News, November 25, 1870.
LETTER FROM THOMAS H. STANLEY.
A Trip in Hunt of a Home for the Kaw Indians.
AMERICUS, 11 mo., 15th, 1870.
ESTEEMED FRIENDS, STOTLER & WILLIAMS: On the 26th of last month I joinedthe company that were going to look out a new home in the IndianTerritory for the Kaw Indians, consisting of their agent and farmer,sixof the prominent Indians (four of them that are part French), oneFrenchman who had married a half-breed, and Carlos Bridges, our cook. Twoof the party acted as interpreters when occasion required it. The firstnight most of the party camped near Soden=3Ds mill. The night was quitewet. The next day, being still wet, we gotten a late start, and when wereached Eagle Creek, near Elmendaro, it had risen so that we could notcross with safety for near two days. Then by going up the creek neartwomiles, we crossed it and went overly to the Verdigris, and followed itonthe east side to near the Falls, where we camped for the night. The dayfollowing we pursued our journey down the Verdigris, passing near Virgiland Sheridan, which are very small towns. At the latter there is a steamsaw mill and a little grocery. The next town we came to was Toronto,which had about fifteen or twenty new houses on it. It is situated on anice elevated prairie, about seventy feet above the bottom land, andnearone mile and a half from the river, and ten miles northwest fromCoyville. Several of the settlers are from Canada, and our Indiansappeared to be rather a curiosity to some of them. Some of the partywerenot pleased with being looked at so much. A little beyond this town wecamped for the night in a little grove of timber.
Early in the next day our company divided, as the river was too hightobe forded. We left the wagons and all of the party but Mahlon Stubbsandmyself, to wait until they could cross the river, and then go nearlysouth to the south line of the State, where we would meet.
And Mahlon and I followed the road down the river, passing Guilford,nearthe center of Wilson County. Our friend, Akin, formerly of Council grove,has a mill at this place. About six miles further down the river, nearthe mouth of Cedar Creek, is the new town of Altoona, with about thirtyhouses in it. It is handsomely located near the river. Our son, WilliamF. Stanley, lives about five miles nearly east of this place. We weremuch pleased with the appearance of this county. It appeared to besettled with an enterprising class of people.
After a short visit with my son and family, we went on south near twentymiles, to Morgan City, and then four miles east, and called on ourfriend, Isaac T. Gibson, the agent for the Osages, whom I was wellacquainted with in Iowa. We called on him in order to ascertain where hehad located the Osages, so that we might know how to proceed with ourbusiness. We had an interesting conversation on Indian matters, incomparing views, etc. Our dear friend has formerly bee a devoted laboreramong the freedmen, and we heard some speak of him in our travels inhighterms. I felt a sympathy with him in his arduous field of labor. Heappears to be doing all he can to improve the condition of the Osages,and has a general interest in the welfare of mankind, particularly thosethat need encouragement to improve their condition.
After this interesting visit with this devoted Friend, we proceeded onour journey through Independence, the county seat of Montgomery County.It is handsomely situated on the west side of the Verdigris, and containsnearly 200 houses. There is said to be twelve towns and about 15,000inhabitants in this county. The land is handsomely rolling, and mostlygood soil.
From Independence we went nearly west about ten miles, to a smallsettlement of Friends, and from there struck across to Little Cana, nearthe west side of Montgomery County. Here we came up to the rest of ourparty, and proceeded on down the Cana to St. Paul, a town of about sixhouses, near the southeast corner of Howard County; and about three milesfurther on is Euniceville, very near the south line of the State, ontheeast bank of Little Cana. Nearly one mile west of this little town the 96w. l. and 37 n. l. cross each other.
The agent had been instructed to look out a home for the Kaws west of 96w. l., and south of Kansas, which is said to be 37 n. l. We thenproceeded at once to examine the country, by taking a western course, asnear the south line of Kansas as we could come at from all theinformation we could obtain.
After traveling about five miles overly a handsome, rolling prairie, weascended a stony hill about 100 feet high, timbered with scrubby oaks. Wethen had a hilly and rocky country, with but little valley land for aboutten miles; when we came to the Big Cana, which is nearly as large asCottonwood.
We then followed this creek, examining the country. There were severaldeers seen by our party, but none of us succeeded in killing any, thoughthere was considerable anxiety manifested to have some deer meat to eat.We met several Osages out hunting, and some of them had been moresuccessful than we had, as we saw the venison dangling by the side of theponies. They had set fire to the prairie in many places, which sweptoverthe hills in a terrific manner, roaring very much like distant thunder.At times our Indians were kindly treated by the Osages, and some of themeat with our party. They had no difficulty in talking with each other, astheir language is very near alike.
We followed the Big Cana bottom around to the Little Cana, which broughtus back to about eight miles south of the place where we struck west. TheKaws like the country as well as we could, except the rocky hills. Wethen struck south, on a plain road, to Shotoe=3Ds store, nearlytwenty-three miles south of Kansas, and one mile west of 96 w. l. TheOsage agent met us at this place to counsel with his Indians about theirchoice of a home. We also met with two of our Eastern friends, Wm.Nicholson, from North Carolina, and Edward Earl, from New England, whoare on a visit to the Indians, agents, etc., in the CentralSuperintendency. We saw some Delawares and Cherokees while here, andapart of them appear to be doing quite well, and others poorly. OurIndians did not wish to go any farther, and informed us that if theycould not get their reserve next to Kansas and on the Cana, they didn=3Dtwish any. So we could not prevail on them to go any farther, and aftervisiting there about two days the agent thought best for us to come home,and he would endeavor to get the land for them that they had chosen.Butthere are some doubts about his success, as it was said that the Osageshad included that in their choice of a reserve; and there is also someother difficulty to be adjusted before they can get it. If they succeedin getting the promise of this land, then they will likely sell theirland to their great father at Washington, as they do not wish to tradewith any other person.
The land west of the Cana and east of the Arkansas, from what we sawandheard, is very rough and broken, with hills nearly 200 feet high. Thegood land is confined to the valleys, but from the Cana to the Verdigrisis mostly nice, rolling land.
On our way home we passed through St. Paul and Elk City. This last town,situated on Elk River, is quite a thriving place, and has a good countryaround it. From thence to Fredonia (near Fall River), the county seat ofWilson County, is handsomely located near a mound on nice, rollingprairie. From thence to Coyville, on the Verdigris, which has been quitea trading post. We then followed up the Verdigris, passing throughGreenwood, Sheradin, Madison, Emporia, and Americus.
We had a very satisfactory trip with but little exception. We had severalvery interesting talks with our Indians relative to their future courseand best welfare. They behaved themselves throughout the trip quite well,and at times were very lively. Some of us had considerable conversationrelative to the best plan to be adopted to promote the improvement of theIndians. This is a subject that has long been much on my mind, and oflate I find many others that are feeling much interested in theirimprovement, and I feel encouraged, believing that there will be agradual improvement in most of the tribes.
During the rebellion there was many things calculated to make the Indiansworse. They were also neglected by the better class of the community, asthe freedmen seemed to claim nearly all the energies of thePhilanthropist until recently; but of late they are becoming wakenedupin regard to our duties toward the aborigines of our country. It ismydesire that we may not overlook any class in our country, but laborearnestly and prayerfully for the advancement and improvement especiallyof the most neglected classes.
I was considerably interested in the Geology of the country overly which wepassed. The stones or rocks in Lyon County are mostly of limestoneformation.
But overly on Verdigris we soon came to sandstone, which continues until wecome about Fall River, and from there to Elk River we see limestone,andfrom that southward sandstone until we get about 20 miles south of theState of Kansas, where we come to limestone again. In Wilson County Iheard that they had a thin vein of coal cropping out, and I think likelythat coal will be found in other places in the southern part of the State.
The timber appeared to be rather thicker and more of it as we wentsouthward. In many places there was considerable timber on the hills.Last summer in my visit to the northeastern part of our State, I observedmany new improvements going on, but not to the same extent that there issouth. Respectfully, T. H. STANLEY.
1871
In the annual report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to Congress,report No. 73 was included. This report was written by the United StatesIndian Agent to the Osage, Isaac T. Gibson, and dated October 1, 1871.The report was as follows:
"Esteemed Friend: As the Quapaws, and other small bands heretoforeconnected with this agency, have been formed into a separate one, thisreport will refer alone to the Osages, who are now the only tribe inmycharge. At their general council in Ninth month, 1870, they acceptedthe"Congress bill," by which all their lands were conveyed to the governmentin trust. They also appointed a delegation to select a suitable tract ofland in the Indian Territory for a new home. The greater portion of thetribe then went to the plains on their fall and winter hunt.
On the 26th of Tenthmonth, their principal chiefs formally selected atract of country, which the tribe had frequently occupied temporarily,and had for years regarded as their future home. A special survey,however, made by advice of the commissioners, and the urgent requestofthe Osages, proved this selection to be partly east of the ninety-sixthmeridian. The Cherokee government refusing to sell any land east of thatline, the Osages reluctantly accepted a tract lying west of thecontiguous to it, and extending from the south line of Kansas to thenorth line of the Creek country. This selection was approved by theDepartment, and the President fixed the price at 50 cents per acre, thetwo parties in interest having failed to agree upon the price. The tractcontains 560,000 acres, being 160 acres for each member of the tribe. Alarge proportion of it, however is broken, rocky, sterile, and utterlyunfit for cultivation; and the best portions of the remaining werealready occupied, and some improvements made, by about 150 families ofCherokees, Delawares, and Shawnees. These occupants believed that theywere living east of ninety-six. The ground of their belief will be foundin the following extract from a message of their chief to the Cherokeecouncil, delivered Eleventhmonth 19, 1870:
It appears the Osages have selected the country of the Cana, or LittleVerdigris, and Bird Creek, containing the best lands in the CherokeeNation. A line purporting to be the meridian line of the 96 degree westlongitude has been run without the official knowledge of the Cherokeeauthorities-a line that is in notorious variance with the official mapsfurnished this nation by the Indian Department, and every map known toexist. By this surreptitious survey many of our citizens are thrown westof the 96 degree, and their valuable farms and improvements are withinthe country assigned to and claimed by the Osages. You will thereforetake such action as will secure a remedy, if possible.
The settlers were impatient for full possession of their country inKansas, and, having confidence in the correctness of the survey of the 96degree, I advised the early removal of the tribe. Some of the Cherokeessold their improvements to the mixed blood Osages, but the majorityprotested against our occupation. These facts were reported to theDepartment, and a survey in a manner that could not be objectionabletothe Cherokee government, and the removal of the remainder of the Cherokeesettlers, was urgently requested. Congress promptly appropriated $5,000for determining the location, and marking with suitable monuments thisline.
Desiring to commence the work of civilization at once, in early spring Ihad a saw-mill erected; purchased oxen, and wagons, and farmingimplements, and endeavored to make all the necessary arrangements for theerection of school houses and other agency buildings during the summer. Afew temporary buildings for immediate use were erected, from materialmade by the saw-mill, though the laborers had frequently to abandon theirwork to avoid a conflict with their Cherokee friends, who resisted thenecessary appropriation of timber.
The Osages mostly returned from their hunt about the middle ofThirdmonth, much disappointed at the unsettled condition of theiraffairs. I assured them the 96 degree would be located without furtherdelay. I felt authorized to make this promise, for the honorableCommissioner at Washington, from whence I had just returned, gave meanunqualified promise that the survey should be made at once. Some weekselapsed, and the chiefs protested against further improvements beingmade. When the planting season arrived they would not permit me to plowthem fields of corn, nor their women to plant patches, because the linehad not yet been run.
It must be borne in mind that their tillable land consists, mainly of anarrow strip adjoining the line in dispute, and if the official surveyproves the Cherokees to be right, the land thus assigned to the Osageswould be quickly abandoned by them, as I believe they would not accept ita gift for the a future home. I had before this suspended improvementsexcept to get out fencing to inclose 50 acres of sod corn planted for theuse of the Osages; but the appropriation of material was resisted untilthe Cherokee stock had destroyed the crop.
At this writing, the Osages have again mostly returned from the plains.If they had not been taught by years of experience that there was littlefaith due to the promises of their agents, they would be unable torestrain their indignation, for the survey has not yet been made, nor canI give them any reason why it has not been done.
When the Congress bill was offered to the Osages last fall, the mixedbloods of the tribe opposed its acceptance, on the ground that many ofthem had improved "claims", which they feared would be immediately"jumped" by the settlers. To remove this opposition, a large mass meetingof the settlers was held at the council, at which strong resolutionswerepassed, with great unanimity, promising protection to all Osages havingclaims, and guaranteeing an opportunity to enter and enjoy their homes,or sell them, as they might elect. A strong committee was appointed tosee that these resolutions were faithfully executed. Relying upon allthis, the mixed bloods withdrew their opposition, and the bill wasaccepted. Nineteen of these half-breeds filed their intentions with theproper court of becoming citizens, desiring to remain on their farmsandclaims, and enter them. But their claims were soon occupied by whitesettlers and a series of outrages and persecutions perpetrated upon themthat shames humanity. All except eight have abandoned their homes, ortaken what they could get for them. Some of their houses were burned bymobs of white men; one half-breed died from injuries received andexposure on such an occasion. These murderers were arrested, went throughthe forms of a trial, and were discharged. The eight still remainingwillprobably lose their land, as they have not the means to engage in a longcontest at law; and if the past is an earnest of the future, they canhardly hope that an Indians's rights will be protected in a Kansas court.
Last fall the military removed a number of white settlers who hadintruded on the lands of the Indian Territory bordering on Kansas. Mostof them returned promptly when the soldiers had left. Early this spring Iasked for the removal of nearly one hundred families from the Osagelands; then applied to the officers in command at Fort Gibson, then atFort Scott, but the necessary assistance could not be obtained.Immigration has continued to pour in even more rapidly than it wouldonlands that it was lawful to occupy. My unaided efforts to remove them andprevent immigration have been futile. The Osages feel that their newhomeis being wrested from them even before they have gotten possession.
Last spring a gang of seventeen border men made an unprovoked, murderousassault upon ten unarmed Osages, killing one and severely woundingothers, and robbing them of several ponies, blankets, and robes. Iapplied at once for assistance to arrest the guilty parties. That requestwas responded to a few days since. On preliminary examination, threeofthe party were placed under bonds of $250 to appear at some future time.This is gratifying evidence that the life of an Indian is regarded as ofsome value.
Owing to causes, some of which have been referred to, such as proximityto border settlements, the presence of intruders, the undetermined linesof jurisdiction, and the mixed population, violations of law are frequentand flagrant-more especially in the introduction of whisky, with itsendless train of evils; and, with all this, an utter want of judicialmachinery to arrest or punish evil-doers. If an arrest be now made, theoffender and witnesses must be taken nearly 300 miles for an examination.Anticipating these troubles at the time of our removal, I then askedforthe appointment of a United States commissioner and deputy marshal forthis locality; later, for a police force of ten soldiers; and , last, forpermission to equip and use twenty Osages to enable me to preserve orderand enforce the intercourse laws. To none of these have I received adviceor response. I now entreat those whose duty it is to establish theboundaries of this reservation, and to remove trespassers therefrom,andto provide for the enforcement of the laws in the Indian country, not toneglect longer the sacred obligations the Government owes to these Osages.
The work of the year has been mainly the removal of the Osages to theirpresent location without expense for transportation; issuing subsistenceto about 500 of the tribe during the winter and spring; erection of asaw-mill; sawing overly 150,000 feet of lumber; erection and repairs ofbuildings for the Osages, and temporary ones for agency purposes;inclosing with a good plank fence 100 acres of prairie land, one-half ofwhich is now being sown in wheat; breaking 350 acres of prairie, andmaking about 1,000 tons of hay. This labor was performed almost wholly bynumbers of the tribe, and largely by unlettered blanket Osges. This classof labor was used during the last month's run of the saw-mill, with thebest results. They also made the greater part of the hay, laboringcontinuously from day to day, improving in skill. They also learned quitereadily to hold the plow and drive the oxen. Not one has been dischargedfor idleness or disobedience. They are quite emulous, and certainlypossess all the elements of character necessary, if kindly and carefullydeveloped , to make them a community of industrious and enterprisingcitizens. Scores of them are importunate for houses and furniture, evenunder present discouragements; of course these cannot be gratified untilthey have a settled home. I designed having at least three schools duringthis summer, but owing to our suspension one house only was erected forthat use, in which a school of 37 pupils have been taught for four monthswith a success that confirms the opinion that the common school is betterthan any other system for educating the tribe. About 60 pupils have beenin attendance the past year at the Catholic mission school, Kansas.
A good physician has also been employed, who has succeeded well inrestoring health, and introduced favorably our system of medicine amongthe blanket Indians, who have heretofore avoided the white man'smedicine. The smith-shop has been in operation about six months, andiswell patronized.
Nothing is wanting but reasonable attention to the needs of the Osagesfrom the proper authorities, to render their civilization an easy andpleasurable success. But these long and inexplicable delays, which theyattribute to neglect, do aggravate and dishearten; and while suchfeelings prevail their wild natures are insubordinate, and goodimpressions cannot be retained."
Salem News Jan. 27, 1898
Founder of Present Osage Annuities.
Mr. A. H. Gibson, of Claremore, in the Cherokee country, Indianterritory , was a visitor in the city last week. Mr. Gibson's father,Hon. Isaac Gibson, of Salem, Iowa, many years ago in charge of the Osageagency, was practically the founder of the present system of Osageannuities. The Indians had contracted their lands at 18 cents an acre toa railroad company. Agent Gibson broke up that treaty and after mucheffort secured action by congress by which the government bought thelands at $1.25 an acre, issuing 5 per cent bonds therefore and paying thetribe the interest from year to year. The arrangement now nets theIndians about $6,000 or $7,000 per annum per capita and the tribe isimmensely wealthy. The plan, while saving each member from poverty,canhardly be said to be to the moral and physical benefit of the individualmembers as many of them lead lazy, aimless lives, squandering their moneyfor whiskey and in dissipation. The money, however, is justly theirs andthey have a right to do with it as they please. The ultimate outcomewill be the extinction of the tribe. White people inter-marry and sharein the annuities of the government and a race of half-breeds is growingup to add to the social complexity. This situation in Indian territoryis not an ideal one for modern civilization, but it is difficult tochange present conditions by any other than educational and moralinfluences. - Hawk-Eye.
The Free Press (Mt. Pleasant, Ia.) Sept. 30 ,1915
HISTORY OF A WELL KNOW
SALEM FAMILY
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