Holmes Colbert facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Holmes Colbert
Holmes Colbert, 1850s
Nationality	Chickasaw
Occupation	Government official
Spouse(s)	Betsy Love

Holmes Colbert was an important leader of the Chickasaw Nation in the 1800s. He lived in what is now Oklahoma, which was then called Indian Territory. Holmes Colbert had both European and Chickasaw family. He was part of his mother's Chickasaw clan, which was how he became recognized in the tribe.

Because he went to an American school, Holmes Colbert understood both European-American and Chickasaw ways of life. This helped him act as a bridge between the two cultures. In the 1850s, after the Chickasaw people were moved to Indian Territory, he helped write their new government's constitution. After the American Civil War, Colbert also worked as the tribe's representative to the United States government.

Early Life and Family Background

Holmes Colbert was the son of James Isaac Colbert and Sarah "Sally" McLish. His family, the Colberts, had some Chickasaw heritage through their mothers. In the Chickasaw culture, children belong to their mother's clan. This means that even though the Colbert men had European fathers, they were considered part of the Chickasaw Nation through their mothers.

The Colbert family was important in the Chickasaw Nation. Their family's history, combined with their fathers' ability to trade goods, helped the men become important landowners and leaders. Holmes Colbert and his wife, Betsy Love, likely had six sons, though some records mention five.

Colbert Family's Leadership Role

For almost 100 years, the Colbert family provided strong leadership for the Chickasaw people. They helped the tribe through many difficult times. For example, during the War of 1812, the Chickasaw allied with the United States. William Colbert, Holmes's relative, fought alongside General Andrew Jackson. His brothers, George and Levi, also joined the army.

George and Levi Colbert were also important negotiators. In the 1820s and 1830s, they helped the Chickasaw tribe talk with the U.S. government. These talks were about the Indian Removal policy, which forced many Native American tribes to move from their lands.

Political Work and Nation Building

Holmes Colbert learned about leadership from his family as he grew up. He was prepared to take on important roles in tribal affairs. He and his cousin, Winchester, helped create the government for the Chickasaw Nation in Indian Territory.

In the 1850s, Holmes Colbert helped write the Chickasaw Nation's constitution. This was after the Chickasaw and Choctaw tribes signed a treaty in 1854. The new constitution, signed in Tishomingo on August 30, 1856, made the Chickasaw Nation separate from the Choctaw Nation.

Family Life and Home

Holmes Colbert married Elizabeth Betsy Love. Both Holmes and Betsy were well-educated. Their families sent them to schools outside of their home territory. Their mothers' clans were powerful families in the Chickasaw Nation. They believed their children needed a good education to deal with European-Americans.

Holmes and Betsy had three children together. Sadly, two of them passed away before the American Civil War. The Colberts owned about 100 acres (0.40 km²) of cleared land. They also had more land with trees. They held eight adult enslaved African Americans and several children on their property in what is now Oklahoma.

"My mother died when I was real small, and about a year after that my father died. Master Holmes [Colbert] told us children not to cry, that he and Miss Betsy would take good care of us. They did, too. They took us in their house with them and looked after us just as good as they could colored children. We slept in a little room clost to them and she always seen that we was covered up good before she went to bed."

Serving as a Chickasaw Delegate

After the American Civil War, the United States government required a new treaty with the Chickasaw. This was because the tribe had supported the Confederacy during the war. Holmes Colbert represented the Chickasaw tribe as a delegate in Washington, D.C. He helped with these important negotiations and later worked with Congress.

One part of the peace treaty required the Chickasaw to free their enslaved people. This was similar to what the U.S. had done. The treaty also offered these freed people a choice: they could become citizens of the Chickasaw Nation if they stayed, or they could move and become U.S. citizens.

The Chickasaw's decision not to offer citizenship to the freed people who stayed, along with their support for the Confederacy, likely influenced the U.S. government's actions. The U.S. government took over half of the land the Chickasaw owned from earlier treaties, and they did not pay the tribe for it. From 1866 until Oklahoma became a state in 1907, the freed people who stayed in Chickasaw areas did not have a country. However, they were later listed as Chickasaw Freedmen on the Dawes Rolls.

Legacy and Impact

• Holmes Colbert helped create the constitution for the Chickasaw Nation.
• The town of Colbert, Oklahoma was named after his family.

See also

• George Colbert, his uncle
• Levi Colbert, his uncle
• Chickasaw Nation
• Choctaw
• Fred Waite
• John Herrington