Tams Bixby facts for kids

Tams Bixby (1855-1922) was an important American figure. He is best known for his work on the Dawes Commission. This group was formed to help divide land for Native American tribes in what is now Oklahoma. It also prepared the area to become a state.

Bixby joined the commission in 1893. He became its chairman in 1903 after Senator Dawes passed away. In this role, he managed over two million acres of land. This land was being given to individual Native Americans from their tribal lands. He led a large team of about 500 people. They worked in a special building in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Years later, a reporter said he was "arguably the most important figure in Indian Territory."

Bixby left government work in 1906. By then, most of the commission's tasks were finished. He continued to live in Muskogee. He went back to his first job as a newspaper man. He worked in newspapers until he died in 1922.

Early Life and Career

Tams Bixby was born on December 12, 1855, in Staunton, Virginia. His parents were Bradford and Susan Bixby. In 1857, his family moved to Red Wing, Minnesota. There, his father bought a hotel and a bakery.

After his father died in 1873, Tams and his brother George helped run the family business. However, Tams was more interested in other things. By the 1880s, he was running two newspapers in Red Wing. He also became very involved in politics, joining the Republican Party.

He quickly became important in Minnesota's Republican Party. He became the state party chairman. He also worked as a private secretary for the governor. When that governor was elected to the U.S. Senate, Bixby continued to work for the next governor.

Work with the Dawes Commission

In 1883, President Grover Cleveland created a commission. This group was for the Five Civilized Tribes. Its members included Judge Joseph A. Gill, Judge W. H. H. Clayton, and Tams Bixby. Their job was to help set up elections for a new government.

This group also had to divide all of Indian Territory into smaller areas. This had never been done before outside of cities. The commission later became known as the Dawes Commission. It was named after Senator Henry L. Dawes, who was its chairman.

President Cleveland later appointed Tams Bixby as a member of the Dawes Commission. After Senator Dawes died in 1903, Bixby was promoted. He became the chairman of the commission.

Moving the Commission to Muskogee

At first, the commission focused on making agreements with the tribes. The staff was small and worked from different offices. The next big step was to officially list all tribal members. They also needed to prepare the land to be given to individuals.

Bixby knew this would take a long time. He also knew that the staff would need to be much larger. He wanted everyone to work in one place. Several towns in Indian Territory wanted to host this new activity. But Bixby had already chosen Muskogee.

Muskogee was already a central place for tribes and the government. It also had the best railroad connections. The main problem was that it didn't have a big enough building.

Bixby talked to Doctor F. B. Fite, a leader in Muskogee. He asked for help getting money for a new building. Fite then spoke to the city council. To save money, Bixby agreed to a wooden building instead of brick.

The building was built at Second Street and Okmulgee Avenue. It housed 500 clerks. They worked on valuing over two million acres of land. A reporter for the Muskogee Phoenix later wrote that Bixby was "arguably the most important figure in Indian Territory" during his ten years as head of the commission.

Retirement and Later Life

The Dawes Commission finished its work in July 1905. Bixby was then appointed as commissioner for the Five Civilized Tribes. He retired from government work in 1906.

He returned to working in journalism. He became the president of the Muskogee Daily Phoenix newspaper. He bought the newspaper completely in 1907. He then moved back to Minnesota. There, he ran a newspaper in St. Paul and started a town development project.

In 1910, he returned to Muskogee. He again ran the Daily Phoenix. He also bought another newspaper, the Muskogee Times-Democrat.

Personal Life

Tams Bixby married Clara Mues in 1886. They had three sons: Joel, Edson, and Tams, Jr.

Death

Tams Bixby died on January 17, 1922. He was in a Kansas City, Missouri, hospital. He had been traveling from Muskogee to California.

His body was sent back to Muskogee. A memorial service was held there. The town shut down for an hour to honor him. Hundreds of people stood outside in the cold. The local American Legion escorted his casket to the train station. His body was then taken to Minnesota. He was buried in the Bixby family cemetery in Red Wing.