Douglas H. Johnston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Douglas H. Johnston
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| Governor of the Chickasaw Nation | |
| In office 1904–1939 |
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| Nominated by | Theodore Roosevelt |
| In office 1898–1904 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Douglas Hancock Cooper Johnston
October 16, 1856 Skullyville, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory |
| Died | June 28, 1939 (aged 82) Oklahoma City, U.S. |
| Nationality | Chickasaw |
| Relations | Te Ata Fisher (niece) |
| Signature |  |
Douglas Hancock Cooper Johnston (October 16, 1856 – June 28, 1939) was an important leader of the Chickasaw Nation. He was the last elected governor of the Chickasaw Nation, serving from 1898 to 1902. He was elected again in 1904.
After 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt appointed him as governor. This happened because new laws changed how tribal lands were managed. He stayed in this role until he passed away in 1939. During his time as governor, he helped approve the Atoka Agreement. This agreement changed how tribal lands were shared among families. He also successfully sued the U.S. government to get money back for the tribe. Before becoming governor, he was in charge of the Bloomfield Academy. This was a boarding school for Chickasaw girls.
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Who Was Douglas H. Johnston?
Douglas H. Johnston was born on October 16, 1856. His birthplace was Skullyville, Indian Territory. This area was the capital of the Choctaw Nation at the time. His mother, Mary Ann Cheadle Walker, was Chickasaw. His father, John Johnston Sr., was European American.
In the Chickasaw culture, children were part of their mother's family group. They got their social standing from her. Douglas was named after a well-known general, Douglas Hancock Cooper. He had three brothers: William, Franklin, and Napoleon.
Early Life and Education
Douglas Johnston lost both his parents before he was nine years old. His older half-brother, Tandy C. Walker, raised him. Tandy was his mother's son from her first marriage.
Douglas went to school at the Bloomfield Academy. He also attended the Chickasaw Manual Labor Academy. This school opened in 1867. As he grew up, he worked as a farmer and raised livestock.
Leading Bloomfield Academy
In 1882, Douglas Johnston became the Superintendent of the Bloomfield Seminary. This school was for Chickasaw girls. The Chickasaw Nation and the Methodist Church helped fund it. The school was designed like the Mt. Holyoke Seminary in Massachusetts.
Under Johnston's leadership, the school did very well. He helped make European-American style education popular among the Chickasaw people.
Becoming Governor of the Chickasaw Nation
In 1898, the Chickasaw National Party chose Johnston to run for governor. He won the election easily. He served as governor of the Chickasaw Nation until 1902. His large home near Emet, Oklahoma, was known as the "Chickasaw White House." This historic home is now on the National Register of Historic Places.
Important Decisions as Governor
During Johnston's first term, the Chickasaw Nation approved the Atoka Agreement in 1897. This agreement allowed tribal lands to be divided and given to individual Chickasaw families. This was part of a U.S. plan to change how Native American lands were owned. The goal was to prepare the territory to become a state.
Johnston worked hard to change parts of this agreement. He wanted the Chickasaw and Choctaw nations to review who was truly a tribal citizen. A special court then rejected many false claims. This saved the two nations a lot of money. When land was divided, Johnston had to review and sign every claim.
Former Oklahoma Governor William H. Murray spoke about Johnston in 1939. He said that Johnston's name was on almost every piece of land in the region. This showed Johnston's important role in the land's history.
Protecting Chickasaw Rights
Johnston was reelected governor in 1904. This was the last election under the traditional Chickasaw Nation government. In 1906, the Chickasaw Nation government was changed. President Theodore Roosevelt then appointed Johnston as governor of his people. He stayed in this position until he died in 1939.
In 1907, the new state of Oklahoma tried to tax Native American lands. This went against a rule in the Atoka Agreement. Johnston led the legal fight against the state. In 1912, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed with Johnston and the Chickasaw Nation.
In 1924, Johnston's government won the right to sue the U.S. government. They wanted to get back money that had been taken from tribal resources.
A Lasting Legacy
Douglas H. Johnston left a strong legacy.
- In 1907, Johnston County, Oklahoma was named after him.
- He was honored in the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1931.
- His home, the Chickasaw White House, is a recognized historic place.
- In 1997, he was added to the Chickasaw Hall of Fame after his death.
A memorial to Douglas H. Johnston was published in the Chronicles of Oklahoma. It said he was a brave and firm leader. He always worked to protect the rights of his people. He earned the respect of many public officials.
Family and Later Life
In 1881, Douglas Johnston married Nellie Bynum. She was a Chickasaw woman with some European background. They had two sons. Nellie passed away in 1886. A few years later, in 1889, Johnston married Lorena Elizabeth "Betty" Harper. She also had Chickasaw and European heritage. They had one daughter named Wahneta Elizabeth Johnston.
Douglas Johnston was the uncle of the famous Chickasaw performer Te Ata Fisher.
Douglas Johnston died on June 28, 1939. He was buried in the Tishomingo City Cemetery. This cemetery is in Tishomingo, Oklahoma, the historic capital of the Chickasaw Nation.
