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February 16, 2008

Focus on Oklahoma: The Treaty Party

On Dec. 29, 1835, a group of Cherokees, known as the Treaty Party, gave into pressure from the federal government and signed the Treaty of New Echota, at New Echota, Ga.

Starting with President Thomas Jefferson, the federal government encouraged American Indians to move west. With the election of Andrew Jackson in 1828, the pressure for removal became intense. This led to a split in the Cherokees between the followers of Chief John Ross, who opposed removal, and the followers of Major Ridge, who eventually signed the treaty. The Treaty Party included Ridge’s son, John Ridge, and his two nephews, Stand Watie and Elias Boudinot. After signing the treaty, this group moved west voluntarily in fall 1837 with no loss of life, while the rest of the Cherokees were forcibly moved west over the Trail of Tears in 1838, resulting in the deaths of many.

The anger caused by the Trail of Tears lead to the most famous murders in Oklahoma history. On the same day, June 22, 1839, in widely separated parts of Indian Territory, Major Ridge, John Ridge and Elias Boudinot all were murdered, Stan Watie barely escaped by jumping out the back window of his cabin. John Ross, leader of those who opposed removal, claimed to know nothing of the murders. The resentment caused by these murders almost led to the Cherokee Nation being split apart in the 1840s and later helped determined which side each faction took during the Civil War.

What is ironic is that in August 1807, Major Ridge had murdered a man named Doublehead for signing away Cherokee land to the federal government.



Information provided by Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center.

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