Copyright by Joe Powell Spaulding 1959 THE UNIVERSITY OF CKLAHOMA GRADUATE COLLEGE THE LIFE OF ALICE MARY ROBERTSON A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE FACULTY in partial fulfillm ent of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR Œ PHILOSOPHY BY JOE POWELL SPAULDING Searcy, Arkansas 19S9 THE LIFE OF ALICE MARY ROBERTSON APPROVED BY DISSERTATION COMMITTEE PREFACE A writer of a dissertation presumably knows why he has chosen the subject for his writing, but the reader probably does not know. In this instance it was a very sînçle decision. A biographical study, with Okla­ homa as the background, had an appeal for mej and the chairman of my com­ mittee suggested Alice Robertson as a subject. I have not regretted the choice. The research led me to know many interesting people and a larger number of places within the state. The experience has been enjoyable and profitable, fty understanding of the territory and state of Oklahoma has been greatly broadened, particularly in the period in which Alice Robert­ son liv e d . The purpose of this study is to present an appreciation of Alice Mary R obertson and to p o in t o u t her many c o n trib u tio n s as In d ian m ission­ ary, educator, business woman, benefactor, and congresswoman. These con­ tributions were all the more notable for having been made at a time when women in public life were considered out of place. The method of approach is chronological. After a chapter of back­ ground information which deals with her ancestry, the study moves on from the circumstances of her birth at Tullahassee, Indian Territory, in I85 I4., to her death at Muskogee, Oklahoma, in 1931. Although the presentation is strictly chronological, each chapter points out the distinct achievements of its particular period. i i i The materials examined in the pursuance of this investigation were for the most part primary sources. They consisted of her own articles in newspapers and magazines; government documents; and bio­ graphical material including press clippings, magazine articles, photos, and interviews. Most of these sources were found in the archives of the Oklahoma Historical Society and the University of Tulsa library. Of particular importance was the complete chronological file of her letters in the University of Tulsa library. The secondary sources examined were limited to background material on the times in Oklahoma and in the nation. The study reveals her as a patriotic citizen of varied interests and deep sympathy for unfortunates, especially Indians who had not en­ joyed the advantages of civilization. It portrays her as an extreme conservative in politics, religion, economics and personal habits. It concludes that the memory of a life dedicated to the welfare of others is worth preserving. I hope I have been able to depict the times in which Miss Robert­ son lived in justice and fairness to the facts and especially to her life and work. It is not ny intention to discredit or uphold but to let the record speak for itself. This dissertation could not have been written without the assist­ ance of many people. I want to give credit to members of my committee— Drs. Edwin C. McReynolds, Alfred B. Sears, Gilbert C. Fite, Rufus G. Hall, and C. C. Bush—who were so helpful and patient in directing my work; to Mrs. Relia Looney, director of the archives of the Oklahoma Historical Society; Miss Eugenia Mattox, librarian of the University of Tulsa; Mrs. 0. R. Hisel and Mrs. Grant Foreman of Muskogee for their help iv in locating materials; to Drs. Orlan Sawey and Robert Meyers, of the English department of Harding College; Anne Mae Alson, librarian of Harding College; Mrs. Bess C. Chitwood, Bartlesville High School, for their assistance in reading and correcting the manuscript. Last, but by no means least of all, special credit should go to ray wife Donna for doing the typing and making many helpful suggestions. TABLE CF CONTENTS Chapter Page I . WORCESTER v ersu s GEORGIA .......................................................................... 1 I I . ALICE MARY—THE COOK................................................................................... 30 I I I . SCHOOL GIRL AND CLERK.................................................................... h i IV. EDUCATOR, SCHOOL SUPERVISOR, POSTMASTER........................................... 56 V. FARMER, RESTAURANTEUR, WAR CITIZEN ...................................................... 77 VI. CANDIDATE FOR CONGRESS ............................................................................... 91 V II. ALICE ROBERTSON IN CONGRESS ............................................................... 118 V III. THE DEFEATED CANDIDATE.............................................................................. Ih7 IX. SOCIAL WELFARE DIRECTOR ............................................................................ l6U X. THE CLOSING YEARS ......................................................................................... 182 BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................................................. ......................................... 212 VI THE LIFE OF ALICE MRY ROBERTSON CHAT-TER I WORCESTER v ersu s GEORGIA On May l6, I83 I, Governor Gilmer of Georgia wrote a letter to Samuel Austin Worcester, Alice Robertson's grandfather, with something less than southern hospitality:^ Sir, it is . my official duty to cause all white persons residing within the territory of the state occupied by the Cherokees to be removed therefrom, who refuse to take the oath to support the constitution and laws of the state. Information has been received of your continued residence within that territory, without conçilying with the requisites of the law, [passed by the state December, l83Qj2 and of your claim to be exençited from its operation, on account of your holding the office of postmaster of New Echota . You have no doubt been informed of your dismissal from that office. You are also informed that the government of the United States does not recognize as its agents the missionaries acting under the direction of the American Board of Foreign Missions. I am still desirous of giving you and all others similarly situated, an opportunity of avoiding the punishment which will certainly follow your further residence within the state contrary to its laws. You are, therefore, advised to remove from the territory of Georgia occupied by the Chero­ k ees. Col. S anford, th e Commander of the Guard, w ill be req u ested to have this letter delivered to you, and to delay your arrest until you have had an opportunity of leaving the state. The preacher sent a lengthy reply to the governor, explaining the nature of his work among the Indians. He pointed out that he was not Althea Bass, Cherokee Messenger (Norman, 1936), 130-31. Here­ after cited as Bass, Messenger. Niles Weekly Register, XL, 297. Hereafter cited as Niles Register. W illiam MacDonald, Jacksonian Democracy (New York, I 906) , 1?6. working against the state of Georgia and that his primary purpose was to educate and Christianize the Cherokee Indians. He concluded by saying that he could not take the oath required because he was not a citizen of the state of Georgia, that Georgia had no jurisdiction over the Indian Nation, that he would remain until forcibly expelled. While some of the mission­ aries moved out of the state, the Worcesters remained at New Echota." This conflict, involving Georgia, Cherokees, and the United States, began in 1802 when the state relinquished claim to its western territory. In return, the Federal Government was to pay one million two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, accept the responsibility of settling the Yazoo claims, and extinguish Indian title to the land in the state as soon as it could be done peaceably and on reasonable terms.^ In view of this agree­ ment, Georgia resented the presence of the Cherokees within her borders and charged that the Federal Government was not keeping faith, since little effort had been made to carry out Indian removals. The state de­ clared that if the United States did not remove the Indians, she would feel at liberty to do so by force, if necessary.^ The Federal Government had made a treaty with the Cherokees in 1817 whereby they could trade their land for equal acreage west of the Mississippi along the Arkansas and White rivers.° Accordingly, about ^Bass, Messenger, 13b. ^American State Papers (38 vols., Washington, I 832 - 6 I ) , 12$, Thomas V. Parker, The Cherokee Indians with Special Reference to Their Relations with the United States Government (New York, 1907), Ï8. Hereafter cited as Parker, Cherokee Indians. ^Charles J. Kappler, ed., Indian Affairs, Laws and Treaties (Washington, I 90I4) , I I , lUO-hia. one-third of the Cherokee land east of the Mississippi -was ceded to the United States, and Indian families began to move to the new location. By n 1830 there were approximately two thousand Cherokees living in the West. These were known as the Cherokee West and those who remained were known as the Cherokee East. But the majority of the tribe still lived within the state of Georgia. Two events took place in the late 1820*s which goaded the Georgians into action. The first was the adoption of the Cherokee constitution in 1826 , which stated in the preamble; "We, the Cherokee peopile, constituting one of the sovereign and independent nations of the earth, and having com­ plete jurisdiction over its territory to the exclusion of the authority of Q every other state, do ordain this constitution." These were defiant words.