Martin Luther Thompson facts for kids
Martin Luther Thompson was an important leader and rancher for the Texas Choctaw people. He helped several Choctaw families move from the Mount Tabor Indian Community in Texas to what is now Marlow, Oklahoma. He did this with his relatives, including William Clyde Thompson.
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Early Life and Family
Martin Luther Thompson was born in Rusk County, Texas, on September 20, 1857. His parents were Thomas Umphres Thompson and Martha Strong Thompson. Martin was of mixed Choctaw and Chickasaw heritage.
In 1876, Martin married Inez Monterey Fannin in Coleman County, Texas. Inez was born in 1860 at the Mount Tabor Indian Community in Rusk County, Texas. Her parents were William Moore Fannin and Sarah Horton. Inez also had mixed Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Cherokee heritage.
Martin and Inez first lived near New London in Rusk County. Later, in 1894, they moved to the Chickasaw Nation in what is now rural Stephens County, Oklahoma. They had eight children together: Willie Newton, Althia, Decater Lee, Thomas Agatha, Clarence, Melissa Alavada, Cone Johnson, and Mossie Brown.
Inez passed away in 1931 in Overton, Texas. Martin died in 1946 in Jacksonville, Texas. Both are buried in Asbury Indian Cemetery near Troup, Texas.
Life in the Chickasaw Nation
Martin L. Thompson became a leader for the Choctaw people at Mount Tabor in 1885. However, when it came to gaining official citizenship in the Choctaw Nation, William Clyde Thompson was chosen to represent the Yowani Choctaw descendants instead of Martin.
During the time the Dawes Commission was creating a list of tribal members (1895–1907), Choctaw and Chickasaw people could live in either nation. This was because these two tribes had been very close for a long time. They spoke similar languages and shared many cultural traditions.
Many Choctaw families who moved from East Texas settled near Marlow, Oklahoma. William C. Thompson later became the mayor of Marlow. Martin Thompson settled his family on land between Marlow and Bray, in what is now Stephens County, Oklahoma.
Even though he was listed as a "Choctaw Living in the Chickasaw Nation," Martin returned to Rusk County, Texas, in 1896. Because he left before the Dawes Roll was finalized, his name was not added to the official list.
Continuing Leadership
After returning to Texas, Martin remained an important leader in the Mount Tabor Indian Community until his death. The larger organization, the Texas Cherokees and Associate Bands, was usually led by Cherokee leaders.
Over the years, the leadership of the Texas Cherokee Executive Committee shifted between the Cherokee Nation and Texas. Eventually, it returned to Texans in 1975. Judge Foster T. Bean led the committee, followed by J.C. Thompson, who was Martin L. Thompson's great-great-nephew.
Today, Ms. Cheryl Giordano serves as the Tribal Chairperson of the Mount Tabor Indian Community. She is helped by Deputy Chairman Rex Thompson, who is a direct descendant of Martin and Inez Thompson.
Later Years and Legacy
In his later life, Martin L. Thompson focused on his family, ranching, and the oil business. He was involved in a disagreement in the 1920s with George Fields, a lawyer for the Texas Cherokees. This disagreement was about whether the Choctaws should be included in a legal case related to the Treaty of Bowles Village.
Even though his family wasn't officially listed on the Choctaw Nation's rolls, returning to Texas turned out well for them. Oil was found on his land, and by the time he died, Martin was one of the wealthiest Choctaw-Chickasaw individuals in the United States.
Because of this success, many of his descendants went on to have successful careers as doctors, lawyers, ranchers, and teachers. His family continues to be active in the Mount Tabor Indian Community today. His grandson, Ras Pool, served as Deputy Chairman, and his great-great-grandson, Rex Thompson, holds the position now.
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