Green McCurtain facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Greenwood McCurtain
Chief of the Choctaw Republic
In office 1896–1900
In office 1902–1906
In office 1906 – 1910 (appointed)
Personal details
Born	November 28, 1848 Skullyville, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory
Died	December 27, 1910 (aged 62) Kinta, Oklahoma, U.S.
Nationality	Choctaw Nation United States
Political party	Republican
Occupation	Sheriff, Treasurer, Diplomat, Delegate to the U.S. government
Known for	Delegate to the Sequoyah Convention, last independent Chief of the Choctaws before annexation by the U.S.

Greenwood "Green" McCurtain (November 28, 1848 – December 27, 1910) was an important leader and Principal Chief of the Choctaw Republic. He served four elected terms from 1896 to 1900 and again from 1902 to 1906. He was the third of his brothers to become chief. His older brothers, Jackson Frazier McCurtain and Edmund McCurtain, had also served as chiefs before him.

Greenwood McCurtain was a member of the Republican Party. He believed the Choctaw Nation needed to work with the United States government. This was a time when the U.S. government was putting pressure on Native American nations. He thought negotiating was the best way to protect the Choctaw people's interests before their lands became part of the U.S.

After 1906, the U.S. government changed how tribal governments worked under the Dawes Act. The Choctaw Republic was then joined with the United States. McCurtain was appointed as chief by the U.S. government and served until his death in 1910. He was the last freely elected Chief of the Choctaws until 1971.

Green McCurtain also represented his tribe at the Sequoyah Constitutional Convention. This meeting was an effort by Native American nations in Indian Territory to create their own state. They wanted it to be controlled by Native Americans, in what is now Oklahoma. However, the U.S. Congress did not support this idea. Instead, the area became a regular U.S. state.

Early Life and Family

Greenwood "Green" McCurtain was born on November 28, 1848. His birthplace was Skullyville, in the Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory. He was the third son of Cornelius McCurtain and Mayhiya "Amy" Blevins. Both of his parents were Choctaw. He was named after another Choctaw leader, Greenwood LeFlore.

His family became important leaders in the Choctaw tribe. In 1833, Green's parents and older brother Jackson moved to Indian Territory. This move was part of the Indian Removal, also known as the Choctaw Trail of Tears.

Green had several older brothers:

• Jackson Frazier McCurtain (1830-1885)
• Edmund Aaron McCurtain (1842-1890)
• David Cornelius McCurtain (1846-1874)

He also had a younger brother, Robert McCurtain (1853-1874).

Green's older brother, Jackson Frazier McCurtain, became a leader. He served as president of the Choctaw senate. Jackson was chief from 1880 to 1884. His brother Edmund then became chief, serving from 1884 to 1886.

Marriage and Beliefs

McCurtain was a Baptist. Many Choctaw people became Protestants during this time, influenced by missionaries.

He married Martha Ainsworth, who was a European-American woman. They had one son named D.C. McCurtain. Later, Greenwood McCurtain married his second wife, Kate 'Kittie' Spring. Together, they had a son and four daughters: Alice, Lena, Bertha, and Cora.

Political Journey

Greenwood McCurtain was a tall and impressive man, standing six feet two inches. Before becoming Principal Chief, he held many different jobs in his local area and within the tribe. In 1872, he worked as the sheriff of Skullyville County.

By the late 1800s, McCurtain represented the Tuskahoma or Progressive party of his tribe. This group, also called the "Eagles," started to favor working with the United States. They discussed plans for dividing and selling tribal lands and for the Choctaw Nation to become part of a U.S. state. McCurtain eventually believed he needed to negotiate to get the best results for the Choctaw people.

McCurtain continued to gain influence during this time. He served two terms as the Choctaw National Treasurer. In this role, he managed the distribution of $2 million from treaty settlements. He also served twice as the Choctaw Delegate to the U.S. government in Washington, D.C.

He was a member of his district's board of education within the tribe. He also served as a district attorney. In 1896 and 1898, McCurtain was elected as Principal Chief of the Choctaw Nation. Rules prevented him from serving a third term right away.

In 1902, he was able to run again and won the election. He won a fourth term in 1904. Before Oklahoma became a state, McCurtain represented the Choctaw Nation. He served as a vice president at the Sequoyah Constitutional Convention in 1905. At this convention, leaders discussed making Indian Territory a separate state. This event helped prepare the way for the Oklahoma Constitution.

Under the Dawes Act in 1906, the U.S. government ended tribal governments. The Bureau of Indian Affairs then appointed McCurtain as chief. He worked under their guidance until he died in office in 1910.

McCurtain had originally been a member of the Democratic Party. However, he came to believe that their leaders in Congress were not helping his people. He then joined the Republican Party, and many Choctaw people followed him.

Green McCurtain's Home

His former home, the Green McCurtain House, was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 21, 1971. The house was in ruins at that time but has since been rebuilt. It is a two-story, L-shaped building. The Green McCurtain House is located in Kinta, Haskell County, Oklahoma. It was unfortunately damaged by fire again later.

Death and Legacy

Greenwood McCurtain died on December 27, 1910, at his home in Kinta, Oklahoma. He was buried in San Bois Cemetery in Kinta, Haskell County, Oklahoma.

McCurtain County, Oklahoma was named after this important family of chiefs.