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Major Ridge did not believe that by moving west to Indian Territory (what would become northeastern Oklahoma) would save his life. Quite the contrary. Major Ridge knew that he was probably going to die at the hands of someone for signing the Treaty of New Echota. It was either John Ridge or Elias Boudinot who said he was signing his death warrant as he signed the Treaty. John Ridge and Stand Watie were not at the Treaty signing at Elias Boudinot’s house in New Echota, GA on Dec 26, 1835. Those 2 were in Washington, DC with a delegation of Cherokees led by John Ross. Though the US had told them no treaty would be made outside of the Cherokee Nation, they went anyway–mostly because John Ross didn’t want to be in Georgia when the New Echota treaty convention, called by the treaty negotiator John Schermerhorn, convened in December.John Ridge and Stand Watie signed in March 1836 while working with the Senate to get the Treaty ratified.
The movie was wrong when it said Major Ridge left soon after Treaty confirmation. Many historians have wrongly claimed that Ridge left immediately after the Treaty signing, and some even saying he “took the money and ran”. He didn’t get any money for signing the treaty. As was the custom of the day, the 20 people who went to Washington, DC received about $1,000 or so to cover their travel expenses, lodging, food, and clothing needed in DC by the US government–hardly a sum to sell your country for, as some more than imply. The treaty wasn’t ratified until March 1836 or maybe a little later.
Major Ridge did not leave for the west until March 1837. I don’t rank 1& 1/4 years as “soon”.
The film left out the entire Old Settler government’s being deposed and just flat wiped out by the Ross government. That is not an unimportant fact. It is also important in the timing of the Ridges’ deaths. Major and John Ridge and Boudinot were killed 3.5 years after signing the treaty. So, why did it take so long? Some infer that it was after 4,000 people died on the Trail of Tears. Well, those who have gone back and looked at records available, say it is closer to 2,000–which is still a lot of people. The 4,000 number that gets repeated all the time came from an guesstimate from a white preacher who removed with one of the wagon trains. He said there “may well” reach 4000 deaths before it’s over.He did not count, he just dreamt up a number, and that was reported by a white anthropologist who came to Indian Territory in the 1890’s–more than 50 years after removals.
When Ross’s emigrants arrived, the Western Cherokee/Old Settlers had a government in place that had existed several years. They had a 3 Chief system. New chiefs were elected a few months before John Ross insisted on a general council of the 2 groups to be held. The Treaty Party had already agreed to live under the Old Settler government until the next elections, when all could vote and be eligible for elections. At the council, John Brown welcomed the Rossites to the nation and told him the same thing he told the Treaty Party. But, Rossites went into action and said, no, John Ross needs to be the Chief to settle the removal loose ends. Then, Brown made the magnanimous suggestion that 2 governments would be in place, Ross over the Ross emigrants, and he would be chief of the rest. Ross, like Lincoln later, would be Chief of the whole Cherokee Nation –there were no options. Rossites said no, all of it, now. Ross was organized; he had his key supporters doing most of the talking-though he did do some. They were doing his bidding. The Old Settlers were more than taken aback and the council broke up immediately. John Ridge & Boudinot had been at the council earlier and left because they were afraid for their lives. Before they left, they were seen talking to the Old Settlers. They told them they ought to ask for the Cherokee moneys due from the goverrnment as they were the government in power and they felt all Ross was concerned with was the money. They did this. The agent, immediately infomed John Ross. The so called clan courts were organized and held the night after Ross was informed of the request, by Ross supporters. Lots were drawn and assassination hit squads were formed. Allan Ross was assigned to stay with his father —most say so that John Ross wouldn’t “find out” about the plan–but others say so that John would have witness as to his wherabouts on that day. The next morning, the assasinations began with John Ridge being dragged from his bed while his wife was kept back by men with rifles . She watched as he was clubbed, stabbed and stomped to death.Then, James Foreman and Anderson Springston (who had many years earlier killed John Walker —and Major had taken another route home from council that night denying those who had laid in wait to kill him that night—-Walker’s death did not get the time the significance of his killing deserved), Bird Doublehead and others shot Major Ridge in an ambush. Ridge, along with Alexander Sanders and John Rogers had killed Bird’s father, Chief Doublehead, decades earlier for taking bribes from the US for signing treaties giving up Cherokee land. Revenge was certainly on this party’s minds.Boudinot was killed walking from a home he was building to Rev. Samuel Worcester’s house to get medicine for some Cherokees who had approached him. While walking to Worcester’s house, the Cherokees tomahawked and stabbed Boudinot while Edward Gunter was seen sitting on a horse in the woods watching. Edward Gunter lived near the place where the clan courts had convened and he was a close associate to Chief John Ross, serving as one of the Chief’s executive advisors. After the Boudinot killing, a knife was thrown over the fence of the John Ross estate where John and son Allan were walking around the yard. The knife had been used to kill Boudinot–a sign that the deed was done. Prior to the killings, Rev. Washburne and a companion had stopped briefly at the Ross home. There were many people there with much commotion going on. Those there did not look happy to see Washburne and so Washburne soon left. Doesn’t sound like Ross knew nothing of the plans to me.
Then, after the killings, John Looney, one of the Old Settlers minor chiefs, defected to the Ross side. He was the father of Eleanor Looney, some say she was a wife, others say she was a consort of Stand Watie–brother to Elias Boudinot, aka Buck Watie–and nephew of Major Ridge and cousin to John Ridge. He may have had a grudge to nurse.He led a group of people in deposing the other Old Settler Chiefs and then he signed a “unification” treaty on the same date that the Cherokee seal today bears. I think it’s Sept 6, 1839. This treaty unified nothing. It and the events around it tore the nation apart and there was a Cherokee civil war until mid 1846 or. White historians have characterized it as “near” civil war. I think because they’re not Cherokee, they downgrade it to “near”. But Treaty and Old Settler activists resided in Ft. Wayne for a while–it was dubbed Ft. Watie because of their occupation.Arkansas was concerned about the border and asked for troops to shore it up. It was bad. There was a 2nd unification treaty signed to no avail. Then, about mid 1846 or so, the President told John Ross if he didn’t sign the unification treaty and make it work ,then the US would divide the Cherokee Nation up–as the Treaty/Old Settler group had asked. Only after the 3rd unification treaty was the Cherokee Nation somewhat whole again.
AND, they didn’t touch a letter written by Evan Jones to a Ross supporter. Evan Jones was a missionary sent by the American Baptist Association and had worked with Cherokees in North Carolina prior to removals. His “ministry” was more political–so political and immoral (he got a woman pregnant after his wife died–the woman had problems in child birth–people could hear her crys–and instead of getting help, he watched her die with the baby) that other Cherokees, admittedly Treaty Party, petitioned the government for his removal. He was banned but allowed to reenter the Cherokee Nation at John Ross’s request. Nonetheless, Evan Jones, a right hand political operative of John Ross (later, Ross was able to communicate to Pres. Lincoln in the Civil War due to Evan Jones and his contacts and work) wrote that the Ridges and Boudinot would not have been killed had they not continued to erect barriers to the John Ross government. They may have lived, he said. That’s pretty forthright. No mention of the Treaty signing, the deaths of so many Cherokees–just power. …..and the money that goes with that.
So, up until the part where the movie narrator said that Major Ridge left soon after the treaty confirmation—until that point, it was a good, balanced review of history–doing little service to the memory of John Walker.
They interviewed 2 Ross descendants. Gayle Ross is a Ross descendant who is a noted Cherokee story teller. There were no living Treaty party descendants interviewed. There are many living today–some active in Cheorkee history research.l
Wes Studi was phenomenal. He has such a great stage presence. When Major Ridge spoke, people listened. He was the EF Hutton of his day (if you remember those old commercials). I think Wes conveyed the notable presence that Major had, the respect he commanded. Many a white official noted that they didn’t understand a thing Major spoke but they had never heard anyone speak so eloquently. I certainy would never speak for Major Ridge, but I do believe Major would have been proud that Wes Studi portrayed him. The 2 kids who did Elias Boudinot and John Ridge did a great job, too.
Major Ridge bought land off of my people who were Old Settlers on Honey Creek in the Deleware District when he came to Indian Territory. Ridge had a
cherokee by the name of William Childers who ran a ferry for him back east, William Childers married Maria Shoeboots who was the granddaughter of Shoeboots a Cherokee Chief who marrried Doll is african slave back east.
William Childers married Maria Shoeboots there on Honey Creek were he ran a
store for Major Ridge. My ggrandmother born there in 1873 say in her enrollment papers her mother died when she was around three years old and she was raised by a old woman Childers, i belive her mother was also a Childers this is something i have not solved yet but hopefully with more research i will find out.
Hi All, I watched the “We Shall Remain” Geronimo Mon nite, but missed the ending from where he was on the run. I hate to admit but fell asleep from that point and was disappointed when I woke up. Could anyone share that with me? Thank you, Greydove
I can give you some of it. He was on the run several times. The last time, he left with several followers but they found him via one of the followers who returned to the reservation to visit his mother. Geronimo was convinced to return, but he changed his mind in the night and left with essentially his family. Eventually, they wore out and Geronimo gave up. He and the entire tribe were sent to prison in FL where many died. After a few years, they were transferred to prison in Alabama and then to OK. However, in later years, Geronimo became part of the Wild West show and traveled all over, including the White House with Roosevelt. He died in 1909. The end was a series of interviews of Apache tribal members who commented that while he became a kind of hero to white people, his failure to turn himself in caused the entire tribe to suffer more than any other Apache band.
Next week is Wounded Knee. I have been to the cemetery 4 times in the last 4 years. The emphasis has been on Wounded Knee I. My knowledge of Wounded Knee II is what I saw in “Lakota Woman.” It looks as if they will focus on the second one. That will be interesting. Both episodes are tragic.
It is interesting that there is no mention of Custer, although we will probably hear it mentioned next week, since the soldiers who killed all the folks at Wounded Knee I were from Custer’s outfit and those killed were connected to those involved at the Custer episode.
I slept through part of the Cherokee one. I have to buy the DVD.
Techteach
Thanks Techteach, I appreciate that. I, too, am looking forward to next Mon nite’s episode on Wounded Knee. (Maybe I should take a nap before~lol!!);) Greydove
This link is supposed to have the programs if you missed any of them.
http://www.pbs.org/video/program/979359091/
Hello Greywolf
Thanks for the info, the link works fine. Now all the sleepy people can get caught up.
By the way, I am buying a doughnut for everyone who did not fall asleep for any of the episodes.
I think if they had aired the series at 8:00 P.M. I might have had fighting chance.
Thanks again
Threecrows
Hi All, This last episode of “We Shall Remain” was very interesting and so informative. I actually stayed awake to see all of it. Have a great day, Greydove
My husband and I watched it together, since we go to Pine Ridge every year. It was very interesting for us. While we did not know the people interviewed, I think we have met a few relatives. The focus has been on the first Wounded Knee. It was very informative to hear about the second Wounded Knee. I was pretty oblivious at the time, but radio signal at my college was very poor. In addition, since they indicated Watergate was at that time, that would have been a national focus too.
I will go to Pine Ridge with another focus next time. At the very least, I am going to look for the Lamont grave when we are at the cemetery.
Techteach
From what PBS said, you can watch them on the internet. I dont know how. I seen everyone of the episodes. Last night was Wounded Knee. They also talked about the Indian schools, and taking the children from their families…one man cried…I felt so bad. I have a friend up in Michigan, and he told about the horrors of Indian school. Just one of the things they did he said was hit him across the back of the hand with a ruler if he spoke his language- and it this was in the 70’s. And I didnt know it was during Watergate. I was a young teen, I guess not too interested in the news. I was out with the horses.
When I watched the episode about Tecumseh, and that he wanted to make the Ohio,Indiana, and I dont know exactly the whole land mass, he wanted to make a Untied States of the Indian. How different it would be today.
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