Alfred B. Meacham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alfred Benjamin Meacham
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Alfred B. Meacham
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| Born | 29 April 1826 Orange County, Indiana, United States |
| Died | 16 February 1882 (aged 55) Washington, D.C., United States |
| Occupation | American Methodist minister, Indian agent, author, reformer, Indian Rights activist |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse | Orpha Caroline Ferree |
| Children | Clara Belle Meacham, George Ferree Meacham, Elinor "Nellie" Frances Meacham |
Alfred Benjamin Meacham (1826–1882) was an American minister, writer, and historian. He worked to help American Indian people. From 1869 to 1872, he was the U.S. Superintendent of Indian Affairs for Oregon. This job meant he was in charge of how the U.S. government dealt with Native American tribes in Oregon.
Meacham became a strong supporter of Native American rights, especially in the Northwest. In 1873, he was chosen to lead the Modoc Peace Commission. This group tried to end the Modoc War. During a surprise attack, he was badly hurt. But a brave Modoc interpreter named Toby Riddle (also known as Winema) saved his life.
After recovering, Meacham kept fighting for justice for Native Americans. He wrote a play about the Modoc War. He also traveled around the country with Modoc and Klamath representatives. They wanted to teach people about the challenges Native Americans faced. He helped tribes talk to government officials in Washington, D.C. He also spoke to Congress about moving Native American groups to new lands. In 1880, he worked on the Ute Commission. Meacham wrote two books about the Modoc War. He dedicated his second book to Winema Riddle, the woman who saved him.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Alfred Benjamin Meacham was born on April 29, 1826. His family lived in Orange County, Indiana. His parents, Anderson Meacham and Lucinda Wasson, had moved there from North Carolina. They did not agree with slavery, which was when people were forced to work without pay.
When Alfred was a child, his family moved further west to Iowa. There, he met people from the Sauk and Fox tribes. He went to regular schools in both Indiana and Iowa.
In 1844, he helped move the Sauk and Fox tribes. They had to move 100 miles west across the Mississippi River. He saw how sad they were to leave their homes. He understood they would never have left "the graves of their fathers" willingly.
Family Life
Meacham married Orpha Caroline Ferree on October 28, 1852. They got married in Brighton, Iowa. Orpha was also born in Indiana. Alfred had come back from working in California to marry her.
They traveled back to the West Coast together. They went through New Orleans and the Isthmus of Panama. Alfred and Orpha had three children:
- Clara B., born in 1855.
- George F., born in 1856, who later moved to Seattle, Washington.
- Nellie Francis, born in 1859.
His Work and Career
When he was young, Meacham went to California in 1850. He was looking for gold during the California Gold Rush. After he married Orpha, they returned to California. They lived in Solano County for a while.
In 1863, they moved to Washington Territory. This area was east of the Cascade Mountains, near Walla Walla, Washington. He worked in mining and farming. This land is now part of northeast Oregon. The future Umatilla Indian Reservation was set up near a place now called Meacham, Oregon.
Meacham became an important person in Oregon politics. In 1866, people in Oregon wanted him to be the Superintendent of Indian Affairs. But the president at the time, Andrew Johnson, did not support him.
Meacham supported Ulysses S. Grant in the 1868 presidential election. President Grant had a "Peace Policy." This policy meant that religious leaders, not military officers, would manage U.S. Indian affairs. Because of this policy, Meacham was appointed U.S. Superintendent of Indian Affairs for Oregon in 1869.
He tried to bring peace to the Klamath Reservation. The Modoc tribe had been moved there. But they complained that the Klamath, their old enemies, bothered them.
A group of Modoc people left the reservation. They went back to their traditional lands in Northern California. Meacham understood their problems with the Klamath. He suggested that a special office be set up for the Modoc at Yainax. But the government did not act on his idea, and the problems grew worse.
Many settlers complained about the Modoc. The Modoc often raided during winter because the U.S. government did not give them enough supplies. In early 1872, T.B. Odeneal replaced Meacham as Superintendent. Odeneal did not know much about the Modoc or their situation. He tried to force the Modoc back to Oregon, which led to the Modoc War in 1872.
In the spring of 1873, Meacham was asked to help again. He became the chairman of the Modoc Peace Commission. The government thought his knowledge of Captain Jack, a Modoc leader, would be helpful. Meacham was sad that the issues had led to war.
During the peace talks, Modoc warriors attacked the commissioners. Meacham was badly injured. But Winema (Toby) Riddle, a Modoc woman who spoke both languages, saved his life. She yelled that soldiers were coming, and the warriors ran away. Meacham recovered and continued to work for better conditions for the Modoc and other Native Americans.
Working for Justice for Native Americans
Meacham wrote a play called The Tragedy of the Lava Beds about the war. He organized a national speaking tour. Winema and her husband Frank Riddle, along with other Modoc and Klamath representatives, joined him. He wanted to teach Americans about the Modoc War and the challenges of moving Native American tribes.
In 1874, Meacham and the group spoke to a crowd organized by Wendell Phillips, a social activist. In 1875, they spoke at the Universal Peace Union in Philadelphia. They also spoke at a meeting of Peter Cooper's U.S. Indian Commission in New York City.
In 1879, Meacham brought Chief Joseph and other Nez Perce leaders to Washington, D.C.. They spoke to government officials. During President Rutherford B. Hayes's time in office, Meacham served on the 1880 Ute Commission. This group planned to move the Colorado Ute tribe, led by Chief Ouray, to a new reservation in Utah.
Besides giving public talks, Meacham also wrote about Native American issues. He published a journal called The Council Fire and Arbitrator starting in 1878. He also wrote two books about the Modoc War:
- Wigwam and Warpath; or, The Royal Chief in Chains (1875): This book was a history of the war.
- Wi-ne-ma (The Woman-Chief) and Her People (1876): Meacham dedicated this book to Toby Riddle. He wrote that she was the "heroic Wi-ne-ma who at the peril of her life sought to save the ill fated peace commission... The woman to whom the writer is indebted, under God, for saving his life."
Meacham asked Congress for many years to give Winema Riddle a special payment for her bravery. In 1891, Congress finally approved the payment. This was one of the few times a woman and a Native American received such an honor.
Lecture-play
- Tragedy of the Lava Beds (1874)
