Samuel Houston Mayes
Samuel Houston Mayes (May 11, 1845 – December 12, 1927) of Scots/English-Cherokee descent, was elected as Principal Chief of the
Born in
Background
Samuel Houston Mayes was born May 11, 1845, near
Samuel's older brother was Joel B. Mayes (1833–1891), who was elected chief of the Cherokee in 1887 and 1891. Another older brother, Francis, was killed returning from California. The younger brothers each attended the Cherokee Male Seminary in Tahlequah, Indian Territory.[2]
At age 16, Samuel Mayes volunteered for the
Marriage and family
Mayes married Martha Elizabeth Vann (1852–1907) on November 9, 1871. From another prominent Cherokee family, she also was of mixed race. They had three children who survived: William Lucullis, Joseph Francis (who became a doctor), and M. Carrie Mayes, who married Clarence Samuels.[1]
After his wife's death, on February 18, 1913, Mayes married Minnie Harrison née Ball, a widow, who survived him.[1]
Political career
In 1880 Mayes was first elected to office, as sheriff of Coo-wee-scoo-wee District. From 1885 to 1891, he served as senator from the same district. He ran on the same party as his brother had, the Downing ticket, and was elected as chief in 1895.[1]
In 1893 Congress had created the Dawes Commission, to carry out the registration of members of Native American tribes and the allotment of communal lands, in an effort to force assimilation and provide Indians with land to own and manage. Initially the Indian Territory lands had been excluded, but Congress intended to allot those as well.
During Mayes' term as Chief beginning in 1896, the Dawes Commission took over the power of the Cherokee Nation to determine its citizenship rules. It had been established to manage a process of allotments of communal Native American lands to provide for
Mayes appointed seven Cherokee delegates to the Dawes Commission on January 7, 1899. These delegates agreed to take the proposition to allot Cherokee lands and dissolve the Cherokee government to a vote. On January 31, 1899, the Cherokee voted to approve this agreement. But, the U.S. congress never ratified it. The delays of the Cherokee won them a more favorable agreement in 1902. Still, the allotment of communal lands destroyed an important community principle, that no member of the tribe would be homeless and that they could all help each other. The Cherokee lands were divided into allotments of approximately 110 acre-plots for individual households (Freedmen received 40 acres per household). The US government declared any remaining land as "surplus" and sold it to non-Native settlers.
Death and legacy
Mayes died on his farm on December 12, 1927 at Pryor Creek, Oklahoma.[1]
Mayes County, Oklahoma, where he was a longtime resident, is named in his honor.[3]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "The Mayes", John Bartlett Meserve, The Chronicles of Oklahoma, Volume 15, No. 1, March 1937, accessed July 18, 2022
- ISBN 978-0-8263-3951-5.
- ^ Richards, W. B. The Oklahoma Red Book. Tulsa: Daily Democrat Press, 1912. Volume II. Page 498.