Elias Boudinot

Elias Boudinot (1800–1839) was a Cherokee Indian who started and edited the tribe's first newspaper. He was born in Georgia as Gallegina Watie (also known as "Buck" Watie or Buck Oowatie), edited the Cherokee Phoenix in the New Echota, and died in Oklahoma. He took the name "Elias Boudinot" from the man who paid for his education. His real name was Gallegina Watie. Galleginameans Deer, therefore, he was called "Buck" Watie before changing his name. Elias was the first editor of the first Indian newspaper in the country, called "The Cherokee Phoenix." He was a missionary who translated the New Testament Bible and hymns into Cherokee with the help of missionary friend, Samuel A. Worcester. (From user talk:MyRedDice), Yes, all my images are in public domain. ... (From user talk:MyRedDice), Yes, all my images are in public domain. ... // ON MAY 5 1853 MR.FADER HAD SEX WITH A MAN NAME MR WIEN THEN THEY HAD SON NAMEDMRS COTURE AND MR MANOOGIAN WENT INTO MRS HASKELLS OFFICE NAKED AND DANCED AROUND AND MASTERBATED ON HER CHEST AND SHE LICKED IT OFF THEN THEY HAD ORAL SEEX WITH NAPLOEAN OF... 1839 (MDCCCXXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... For other uses, see Cherokee (disambiguation). ... The Cherokee Phoenix was the first Indian published newspaper. ... The monument on New Echota Historic Site honored the Cherokees who died on the Trail of Tears. ... Official language(s) None Capital Oklahoma City Largest city Oklahoma City Area  Ranked 20th  - Total 69,960 sq mi (181,196 km²)  - Width 230 miles (370 km)  - Length 298 miles (480 km)  - % water 1. ... Elias Boudinot For other people with the same name, see Elias Boudinot (disambiguation). ...

Boudinot was part of a prominent Cherokee family, the brother of Stand Watie, nephew of Major Ridge and cousin of John Ridge. He was also, allegedly, a descendant of Attacullaculla and the chiefs of Chota-Tanasi. Boudinot, the Ridges, John Ross, Charles R. Hicks, and his son, Elijah Hicks formed the ruling elite of the Cherokee Nation, which came to believed that rapid acculturation was critical to Cherokee surivial. Elias' Cherokee Phoenix published partially in Sequoyahs syllabary, but mostly in English, was meant to showcase Cherokee "civilization" including New Echota,the capital. Stand Watie Stand Watie (12 December 1806 – 9 September 1871) (also known as Degataga stand firm and Isaac S. Watie) was a leader of the Cherokee Nation and a brigadier general of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. ... This portrait of Major Ridge was painted by Charles Bird King in 1834. ... John Ridge (1892 - June 1829, Indian Name: Yellow Bird) was the son of Major Ridge and a member of the Cherokee Tribe. ... Attacullaculla of Chota-Tenase, Principal Chief of the Cherokee (c. ... Chota may refer to Chota, a Cherokee town that once existed in present-day Monroe County, Tennessee Chota, Ecuador Chota, Peru This is a disambiguation page: a list of articles associated with the same title. ... Tanasi was the informal capital of the Cherokee nation in the 18th century. ... John Ross (October 3, 1790 - August 1, 1866), also known as Kooweskoowe - the egret, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Native American Nation. ... Charles R. Hicks, longtime Second Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation and briefly Principal Chief himself in 1827 following the death of Pathkiller with John Ross as Second Principal Chief, before his own death just a few shorts weeks later brought that to an end. ... The Cherokee Phoenix was the first Indian published newspaper. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... A syllabary is a set of written symbols that represent (or approximate) syllables, which make up words. ...

The United States, particularly the state of Georgia, despite professed aims of "civilizing" the Cherokee by moving them westwards, were only interested in the land the Cherokee occupied. Whites began to encroach on Cherokee land through violence and quasi-legal actions such as the Georgia Land lottery. The Cherokees' defense of their land climaxed in two Supreme Court cases argued by former United States attorney general William Wirt: Cherokee Nation v. Georgia and Worcester v. Georgia. Although the Supreme Court acknowledged the sovereignty of the Cherokee Nation, President Andrew Jackson refused to take action that would force Georgia to abide by the Court's decision. William Wirt (November 8, 1772 – February 18, 1834) was an American author and statesman who is credited with turning the position of United States Attorney General into one of influence. ... Cherokee Nation v. ... Holding States were not permitted to redraw the boundaries of Indian lands or forbid residence in those territories, because the Constitution granted sole authority to Congress to regulate relations with sovereign Indian tribes. ... For other uses, see Andrew Jackson (disambiguation). ...

Boudinot and John Ridge's thinking on relations with the United States were profoundly effected by an unusual meeting in May 1832 with Supreme Court Justice John McLean, in which McLean advocated removal to Indian Territory and ultimate entry into the United States. On August 1, 1832, Boudinot resigned as editor of the Cherokee Phoenix after Ross refused to allow Boudinot to write editorials which suggested removal as an option for the nation. John Ross (October 3, 1790 - August 1, 1866), also known as Kooweskoowe - the egret, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Native American Nation. ... John McLean (March 11, 1785 – April 4, 1861) was an American jurist and politician who served in the United States Congress, as U.S. Postmaster General, and as a justice on the Ohio and U.S. Supreme Courts. ... Indian Territory in 1836 Indian Country redirects here. ...

In May 1834, Boudinot, Major Ridge, John Ridge, and Andrew Ross, brother of John Ross, collectively the "Ridge Party," met with John H. Eaton, secretary of war with the goal of signing a treaty of removal. Unable to bridge their differences with anti-removal forces, the Ridge Party signed the Treaty of New Echota on December 29, 1835, despite the fact that the tribe was almost entirely united behind the leadership of John Ross, who opposed any such treaty. The treaty was nonetheless ratified by Congress, and the Cherokee were removed to the West in the horrendous conditions now known as the "Trail of Tears". The treaty faction had avoided these conditions by leaving early and acquiring extra funds for their journey. John Henry Eaton (June 18, 1790–November 17, 1856) was an American politician from Tennessee. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This monument at the New Echota Historic Site honors Cherokees who died on the Trail of Tears. ...

Elias Boudinot, Major Ridge and John Ridge were assassinated in 1839 by members of the Ross faction. The three had joined the established political structure of the Old Settlers, those who had emigrated prior to the Treaty of New Echota, and their deaths cleared the way for the Ross people to step in. This portrait of Major Ridge was painted by Charles Bird King in 1834. ... John Ridge (1892 - June 1829, Indian Name: Yellow Bird) was the son of Major Ridge and a member of the Cherokee Tribe. ...

Further reading

Primary sources

• Dale, Edwards Everett. Cherokee Cavaliers; Forty Years of Cherokee History as Told in the Correspondences of the Ridge-Watie-Boudinot Family. Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1939.

Secondary Sources

• Carter, Samuel. Cherokee Sunset. Garden City, N.Y: Doubleday, 1976.
• Wilkins, Thurman. Cherokee Tragedy: The Ridge family and the Decimation of a People. Norman, OK: U of Oklahoma Press, 1986; ISBN 0-8061-2188-2 (1989 paperback edition).
• Pudue, Theda. Rising From the Ashes: The Cherokee Phoenix as an Ethnohistorical Source. Ethnohistory Vol. 24 No. 3, 1971.