Hi, I got a historical Humor bit recently claiming that Sam Houston's dad was a Scottish Bowman who could outshoot many Indians. Have you heard this or was it a Joke setup about the French threaten9ing to cut off their Bowfingers if the won a battle? Take care, charles A. Wyly On Sun, 17 Jun 2001 23:14:37 EDT LRudd71847@aol.com writes: > I thought some of you might enjoy reading about Sam Houston and his > relationship with the Cherokees. I've enjoyed reading your recent > postings. > I'm sure not many people are aware of Sam's relationship with John > Jolly. > This article is on the Sam Houston State University web site. > Linda in Texas > > Use of the words "native American" is more than a late-20th Century > effort at > political correctness. That description of the people we have also > called > "Indians" and "American Indians" was used in 1828 by no less than a > Cherokee > chief. > Although they have only recently become popular, the words "native > Americans" > were used by Chief Oo-loo-te-ka to describe the culture that > flourished here > when America was "discovered" and settled by white immigrants. > > Chief Oo-loo-te-ka was also Sam Houston's adoptive father, the man > most > responsible for Houston's personal traits that we so admire--his > bravery, his > oratorical skills, and his leadership. These he likely acquired or > at least > honed in Cherokee communities and at the feet of the wise Cherokee > leader. > > When the agreement was signed in 1828 to move the Georgia Cherokees > to the > west, Oo-loo-te-ka urged that they join him and those who had > already moved > and to become what he hoped would be an independent tribal nation. > He wrote: > > "Instead of being remnants & scattered we should become the United > Tribes of > America...(and) preserve the sinking race of native Americans from > extinction." > > Houston's relationship with Oo-loo-te-ka had begun almost two > decades > earlier, in an age in which native Americans were treated as > sub-humans. > > "To kill an Indian was a public-spirited act;" wrote Marquis James > in his > 1929 biography "The Raven," "to swindle one, the exercise of common > sense." > > With an independence which would later prompt him to be described as > a > "statesman," (although some have speculated that as a boy it was > laziness), > the 16-year-old Houston ran away to live with a band of 300 > Cherokees. His > own father had died when he was 13. He was adopted by Chief > Oo-loo-te-ka and > given the Cherokee name "Co-lo-neh"--The Raven. > > Different authors have used different spellings for Houston's mentor > and his > nickname. James wrote them as they have been spelled here. Marshall > De Bruhl, > in "Sword of San Jacinto," spelled the names "Ooleteka" and > "Kalanu." Chief > Oo-loo-te-ka was also known as John Jolly. > > Later Houston described this period of his life, referring to > himself in the > third person as native Americans often did: > > "Houston has seen nearly all in life there is to live for and yet he > has been > heard to say that when he looks back over the waste...there's > nothing half so > sweet to remember as this sojourn he made among the untutored > children of the > forest." > > After Houston's heroic conduct at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, he > was named > an Indian sub-agent in Tennessee. He accompanied a delegation of > Cherokees to > Washington in 1818. > > Houston was elected U. S. congressman and governor of Tennessee, but > his > failed first marriage, in 1829, sent him again to the Cherokee > Nation, where > he was made a Cherokee citizen. > > He became influential among the Cherokee, Osage, and Creek. He > lobbied the > War Department for fairer dealings with those Houston called "the > Red People" > and simply "Indians." He operated a trading post, married a Cherokee > wife, > and drank heavily, earning another nickname--Oo-tse-tee > Ar-dee-tah-skee, or > "Big Drunk." > > It was a trip to Washington with a Cherokee delegation that turned > Houston's > life around. An Ohio congressman accused him of dishonesty. Houston > beat him > with his cane and was tried for contempt before the House of > Representatives. > Although reprimanded, Houston was recognized for his magnificent > oratory and > he considered the event his personal resurrection. > > Shortly thereafter he came to Texas, where he continued to remain a > friend to > native Americans when they could claim few others among white men. > His > ability to convince the Texas tribes to remain neutral in the Texas > war for > independence from Mexico was crucial to the Texas army's eventual > success at > San Jacinto. > > Throughout his political career as twice president of the Republic > of Texas, > as U. S. Senator, and as governor, he took the side of native > Americans when > other Texas and national leaders would have banished them westward, > or worse, > had them exterminated. > > "...I will punish any man who does injustice to the Indians," he > wrote in > 1843. "I have known them from my boyhood. They are a brave, honest, > upright > people." > > > ============================== > Visit Ancestry.com for a FREE 14-Day Trial and enjoy access to the > #1 > Source for Family History Online. Go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/subscribe/subscribetrial1y.asp?sourcecode=F11HB >