dl-'kmckr oeivgo INTJsHVIEiV 6630

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1 dl-'kmckr oeivgo INTJsHVIEiV 6630

2 S, St'J&CiH Jj *.GO. 1WTAHVII.IV 6630.Mary J. Stockton, Vield Worker July 14, 193?. *\ jpencey o. Stephens, as he usuclly si nee;,his na e; dies'.aore-than twenty yeurs f o^ ^Hcct. hfe^tît;' i _,&,.\e since died, n&\iii pert»ura-l infvr notion re >roin ;. t.-jis i:!i.n hr.rd to obtain.".hat appears in this trticle hos Cfetn obtained fron". v rious sources &nd is, there' ore, ô.e'.vhi-t 1 oaltory, but the writer t li-vea it io j.fsolut coun- e, -o :e f this infor-notion.vaa o;t..jm.'l fr-\ jr. j. ^. ua;yhofc>i :.o. h. ^ roer, en attcrufy, :o ; ". f. l;.rt ie-re, w:.o <ue him.v.room-l.ly, i.n>. i': 1 :.^,:; u hter- "i.-lc;-;/, "re. o-e:icer -.bljth -tepheiib, sui ivinr WLT-W of Ids L'-.;it nov.' lives in Colifcrnit nut ii: h-re, July!., 1 ' -''",..visitin i'rienns in and sr"mmd Cl: re -.ccor-ia to 'vs. ^ o the tlwci-.)<ji\c-.v ôe,te;:.'-..o..-a torn in L c.verea vt.-jon, nef.r t-.t- ;>retc-:t. ry _f wittlv...oc-., ^rkans&s,.-: :t 1P40...s ^.crents".i: 1.. n their.,^y, blonj vdtri the other eni.rt.iit -hero'cee., xl\:i *.Le 'I. Jh.ro.<ee Nation in -..-eorrai- to their nev; iu t..e 'vest..ii i'cthcr \,\- 3 "os-sie-e"-, t'cherokee Ir Loni -jor : ji8. cy,.'.ie fother oie"; ^hen vaer.ccr wee,,.ij mother died t few years

$ore, ^o.e'.vhi-t 1 oaltory, but the writer t li-vea it io j.fsolut coun- e, -o :e f this infor-notion.vaa o;t..jm.'l fr-\ jr. j. ^. ua;yhofc>i :.o. h. ^ roer, en attcrufy, :o ; ". f. l;.rt ie-re, w:.$

3 !.""SPENCER SEAGO. INTERVIEW He was then eight years old. In early manhood he married ) * ~ ' Sarah Rosalie Hicks, daughter of Charles Hicks, prominent ', in Cherokee affairs s in Georgia under the old regime. She was born in Georgia fyr& years before the general imini- '. gration to the west and came to their new home along with others?t her kindred, and they.-became parents of six children. Mrs* Sarah Hicks Stephens graduated at the Cherokee National Female Seminary at Tahlequah with the first graduating clas3. She was valedictorian, and her granddaughter, Mrs. May Smith, of Claremore, Oklahoma, has a written s speeches delivered by her grandmother, and bearing her autograph. " '.. J Spencer Seagp^Stephens was educaifed at the Cherokee future wife graduated from the Female Seminary, tne exact ^National Male Seminary, near Tahlequah/about the time his date being unknown, was Vhen e young man he/appointed by Chief John Boss as "Tax Collector" for" the Cherokee Nation. The Cherokee, as such, paid no ad valoroa taxes, but h tax was'levied on various lines of business aim it became his duty to look after$iis taxation. This was in about 1858 i i or He later served as Superintendent of all t National sohoolsv

She was born in Georgia fyr& years before the general imini- '. gration to the west and came to their new home along with others?t her kindred, and they.-became parents of six children.

4 STEPHENS, SPENCER SEAGO. INTERVIEW. An effort to secure exact dates ha9 not been fruitful, but it was, evidently, long ago. ^ His children were given the best school advantages ' # of the.tis&e and at least two of them became teachers in the Cherokee Schools. An old time photograph,owned by Attorney rilliam?.. Harper of Cla'renore, shows one of ih- Cherokee l.eighborhood schools near Claremore, of about-forty years ago. This scrlool was called "Justus" and was located about two miles northwest r, tl:c present brick school house of that name. It was about 'one mile-east of the Claremore Dam, b\ilt but a few years ago. Mr. Stephens 1 daughter, Indianola, was teacher and her picture appears at one end of the group of pupils while that of her father, who was probably - visiting the school e.t the time the picture was taken, shows up well at the extreme rignt %n the group of forty-five. The old boxed-hpuse, not now in existences, and tress surrounding it, make a beautiful back-ground. Mr. Harper prizes the picture highly; but says he might be induced to let the Oklahoma historical Society take charge of it. Spencer Abijah attended school at Bedalia^Ltissouri, and the State Mormal at Kirksville, Missouri, after completing his work at the Cherokee Seminary. Ernest attended, and probably graduated, from the Seminary near Tahlequah. Iridia»61a attended the Female Seminary. Ida was' educated,.& / or completed her education, at r.orthf^eld, IJassachusetts^ Florence graduated at a Conservatory of Music at Boston^ :.assachu3etts, and Jessie graduated at Henry Kendall College, Muskogee^in 1892.

$It was about 'one mile-east of the Claremore Dam, b\ilt but a few years ago. Mr.$

5 IB> 'spkirhkn3, SPENCER 3EAGOT INTERVIEW ' Spencer Seago Stephens grew up on a farm near Tahlequah and had as boyhood friends, Dennis Bushyhead, later Chief of the Cherokees, Gideon Morgan, Cherokee Statesman, who died but a few months ago at an advanced age, after serving as a member af the Oklahoma legislature after' statehood and making an unsuccessful race for Lieutenant Governor of uklahoma. His ho^ie in later years was at "Morgan's Inn, on Grand river, in Hayes County; also William Eubanks ( Cherokee philosopher, author and translator, and John Lynch Adair, for "years editor of the "Indian Sentinel" at Tahleeuah. Mr. Stephens was a Union,Soldier during the Civil War, along with William Potter Rosa, later Chief of'the Cherokee^ and is buried in the Nat-tonal Cemetery at Fort Gibson. He died at Westville, Adair County, Oklaho a, in Spencer Seago Stephens was regarded as one of the leading educators in the Cherokee Nation in his day, and received wonderful aid and cooperation from his wife,. whoir. he designated as the "power behind the throne." He taught at the Male Seminary and also at the Orphans Isylum in or near Salina. His daughter-in-law, Mrs. Spencer

6 STEBBENB, SENCEU SKAGO

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