Part 4: Barnsdall

1871 OSAGE AGENCY AND THE  96th  MERIDIAN
In 1871 the Osage Indians removed from Kansas to the land in Indian Territory west of the 96th meridian. Their initial choice was a 640,000 acre tract split by the 96th meridian as set by a special survey. The Cherokee tribe objected, but nevertheless perhaps six hundred Osage moved to Silver Lake (near present day Bartlesville) where they established their agency and a school. The Cherokee treaty of 1866 only allowed "civilized" tribes in their reservation, and the Cherokee successfully argued that the Osage were "blanket" indians who lived by the chase and thus could not settle east of the 96th meridian, and further they fought for a new survey that showed the 96th meridian was actually 3.5 miles west of the location set by the earlier survey. To solve the dilemma and mollify the Osages, a meeting was held at the home of Rosalie “Mother” Chouteau, (niece to the Chief of the Osage Beaver Band) near the banks of the Caney River at the Silver Lake agency for the Osages. Commissioners of the government agreed with their chiefs for the Indians to move west of the 96th Meridian, on a tract extending west to the Arkansas River. By the Act of  June 5, 1872, Congress set apart a tract for the Osage tribe,  bounded on the east by the 96th Meridian,  on the south and west  by  the north line of  the Creek country  and the main channel of the Arkansas River, and on the  north by  the south line of  Kansas. This gave the Osages 1,470,559 acres of land.

1872 OSAGES RELOCATE

Rosalie "Mother" Chouteau

In May of 1872, the Osages relocated to their new agency in the middle of the reservation. The site was selected by the chiefs near Bird Creek (originally named Deep Ford but later changed to Pawhuska). A log cabin was built at the foot of a high hill. This would be in the heart of present day Pawhuska where Grand Avenue intersects with Main Street. The Osages did not immediately settle down on their reservation but most of them went to the western plains in search of buffalo meat. No rations were then being issued by the government and they were in need of food.  Upon returning from the hunt the seventeen bands in which they were divided, settled in villages of lodges in different parts of the reservation. The Big Hill, White Hair, Hard Rope and Tall Chief Bands located to the west on the Salt Creek and Arkansas Big Bend region; the Big Chief, Claremore, Black Dog and Wahtiankah bands went south on Hominy Creek; the Beaver band was on Bird Creek; and the Little Osages consisting of Chetopah, Strike Axe and Nopawalla bands located in the north on Big Caney. Rosalie “Mother” Chouteau with a part of the Beaver Band settled on an area of Bird Creek 15 miles southeast of the new Osage Agency (present day Barnsdall). James Bigheart built a log cabin on the hill east of Bird Creek overlooking Rosalie “Mother” Chouteau’s village of lodges. Bigheart also built a two story trading post on the south side of Birch Creek and just west of Bird Creek where the two creeks meet. It was at this spot that Bird Creek was shallow enough for the wagons to cross. Jess Riddle operated the trading post for Bigheart. Riddle and his family lived on the second floor of the building that housed the trading post.

1874 CHIEF OF THE BEAVER BAND
Rosalie “Mother” Chouteau was elected to fill the vacancy as chief of the Osage Beaver Band after the death of her uncle. She had begged to have her name withdrawn in favor of a man, but her protests were ignored. Rosalie was the wife of wealthy fur trader Auguste Pierre Chouteau, son of one of the founders of Saint Louis, Missouri.

1875 PRINCIPAL CHIEF APPOINTED
James Bigheart became principal chief of the Osages through an appointment by the Pawhuska Band. When chief Paw-hiu-skah (White Hair) VI died in 1869, Beaver took his place as chief. Upon Beaver death, his sons were too young to assume the responsibilities of chief, so the band appointed Bigheart as chief.


1881-1882 JAMES BIGHEART, THE OSAGE AGENCY AND THE BIGHEART RANCH

James Bigheart with wife Ida and  children

In December of 1881 James Bigheart begins work as an interpreter and clerk at the Osage agency. There he had watched his people cede thousands of acres of valuable land for a small amount of money that never reached the Indian owners; white traders swarmed the agency on payment days to collect huge sums they claimed the Indians owed them and usually managed to take all the Indian's payment and carry over a balance for collection on the next payment day. Grieved with the manner in which his people were being swindled, Bigheart persuaded William Connor, a former school mate, to help organize their tribe so that by staying together they might get the results desired from the government at Washington. Bigheart felt that if the President knew of the truth about the agents that the political wrinkles could be ironed out to advantage and satisfaction of the Osages. The two brought about the organization of two political parties. They encountered much opposition because their theory was to elect a new chief every two years by popular vote, whereas chieftain-ships had always been handed down from father to son. Two political parties were organized; the Mixed Bloods or Progressives and the Full Bloods or Non-Progressives. The Osage Nation was divided into five districts and each district sent three members to the National Council. The National Convention met at Pawhuska, drew up a constitution, and organized a tribal government patterned after the Federal government. Bigheart signed their Constitution as President of the National Council. The constitution provided for elections the first Monday in November, beginning the following year, 1882, and every two years thereafter. Two-thirds of the council could overrule the principal chief, and they must return a bill within five days, Sundays excepted, otherwise it was considered passed. Fiscal years were to run from October 1 to September 30. The qualification of religious belief was a prerequisite to office-holding. Supreme executive power rested in the principal chief, who was to be elected by popular vote of qualified electors on general election day.  He must be a natural born citizen and 35 years old. He was to hold office for two years with a salary of $450 per annum, and was subject to impeachment by the council. The treasurer was to receive ten percent of all moneys passed through his hands. The first Osage election was held in November of 1882, and each district sent representatives to vote for its chosen candidate. James Bigheart was voted in as principal chief of the Osage Nation. 1882 was also a good year for Bigheart. This was the year the government rationed cattle to the Osages. Cattle were driven north from Texas to Pawhuska, where they were delivered to family heads in lots of three to five. At this time all land belonged to the tribe and an Osage could have all that he fenced and used. Knowing that his people didn’t want to be troubled with the care of live stock and would sell cheap, Bigheart set out to buy up the cattle before white swindlers could cross their borders and strike. From this small beginning with allotted cattle, Bigheart built an empire that spread out into the mercantile business in a building on his ranch, a half-interest in Pawhuska’s leading drug store, a director of the Bank of Bartlesville and First National Bank of Cleveland and a stock holder in the Citizens Trading Company of Pawhuska. Bigheart recognized the possibilities for grazing stock on the blue stem grass that covered the reservation and became the wealthiest man in his tribe prior to the discovery of oil on the reservation.


1891 MINERAL LEASING ACT

John N. Florer

Henry V. Foster

The Mineral Leasing Act permitted Indian tribes to lease their lands for mineral purposes. It was through this, John N. Florer, a Kansan and licensed trader among the Osage, believed that the Osage reservation was under laid with oil. The idea came to mind after an Indian guided him to a spot on Sand Creek and pointed to a scum casting rainbows on the surface of the water. The Indian managed to soak up and squeeze out of a blanket enough crude oil to provide Florer with a sample. Florer set to work with the twofold purpose of obtaining the consent of the Osages to grant a mining oil and gas lease on their reservation, and to find interested parties of means and influence in the wildcat scheme. With the help of the mixed bloods, Florer convinced the full bloods that a lease on their land was to their best interest. Florer then proceeded to find someone with influence and backing to put the lease through the Department in Washington. This person was A.C. Stitch, a one time partner to Florer and now a banker in Independence, Kansas. Stitch found Edwin B. Foster of Westerly, Rhode Island and his brother, Henry V. Foster of Independence, Kansas. Through Stitch, a meeting was set up between the Foster brothers and Florer to receive endorsement of the proposition.