Of the Indian Rights Association
Regarding the Indian Settlement at Seger Colony, Indian Territory (Oklahoma)
Comments by Mr. Painter:
Mr. Seger has undoubtedly a genius for inspiring and impelling such men as the Indians are, and has more good, hard common sense as to the means and methods by which they can be moved along the lines we wish them to go than I have found elsewhere in any and all other Agencies.
The statement he gave me, at my request, of the origin and progress of his colony is in itself so admirable, and so full of encouragement, and so illustrative of what might be, and ought to be done, that I give it in full. Mr. Seger is not an educated man: his writing, spelling and grammar are about as poor as I have encountered, and so I have ventured to correct these to some extent, but otherwise his letters are as he wrote them, for it would be impossible, to me, to improve them. His language is that of an educated man, and his style as direct, manly and vigorous as is his method of doing business. He does not give in this history of his enterprise a history of the difficulties which have beset him on every hand. We can infer some of the delays, discouragements and defeats which have hindered his progress, but not one tithe of these are even hinted in his story. One who learns something of them and then sees, with his own eyes, what he is really doing in spite of all this, will feel, as I do, a boundless admiration for the man. Many of these difficulties are inevitable under a system of infinite red tape and restriction, and cannot be remedied under the system, however loud the complaints; some of them come, and most provokingly, from administration, and cannot be complained of without endangering the head of those who make complaints. This and much more should be kept in mind by those who would understand the real value of Mr. Seger's work.
The pluck of these Indians has been put to a very severe test by the unfortunate occurrences of two very dry summers, which have destroyed their crops; and by the delay, and so far complete failure, of the Government to pay them the price promised for breaking land. Up to the latest date, in spite of all these drawbacks, they are able to foot up about $4120 as the net increased value of their stock and improvements in the way of fencing and plowing. . . .
SEGER COLONY, May 28th, 1887
PROF. C. C. PAINTER--
DEAR SIR:--As you wished to know something of the history of this work, in which I am engaged, and how this colony came to be established, I will say:--
In the fall of 1885--Captain J. M. Lee was then acting Indian Agent over the Cheyennes and Arapahoes--I was one of the unlucky number that was living on the Cheyenne and Arapahoe leased lands, and in obedience to the executive order was moving my family and effects off the reservation. As I passed through the Agency I met Captain Lee for the first time, and we discussed the Indian problem sufficiently to find out that our ideas of the way to deal with the Indians were very much alike; and after probably one hour's talk, and before I left the office, the project of starting this Colony was hatched. This was in October. By hard work and a great deal of writing Captain Lee succeeded in getting the final arrangements made, and permission granted for starting an Indian Colony. Though it was the next June before I was placed on the rolls as a Government employe, I began operations on the 23d of February, and from this time until June, when I was placed on the rolls as a Government employe, I cleared my wages by building wire fences around a pasture that was to be used for the Colony. I used Indians for this work, and in six weeks' time had twelve miles of new fence, and had stretched the wire on twelve miles more, and done $150 worth of repairing on other fences. From the money I received for this work I kept $75 per month for myself, and the remainder I paid to the Indians for their work, which placed in the hands of the Indians about $700 as the result of six weeks' work.
We had then a pasture for the beef cattle and one for stock cattle. In gathering up my Indians for the Colony I was not to take any that had previously begun to improve a farm in any other place. This meant that I should take those that had resisted all the appeals of the Government. For ten years of their lives they had been invited to engage in farming each spring, and had remained idle. No, not that, they had been engaged in gambling, dancing, making medicine, listening for the sound of a coffee mill in a neighboring lodge, studying how to induce the traders to give them a feast--from this class I had to draw largely. The inducements I had to offer them were that where the Colony was to be located there was good land, plenty of water, a fine amount of timber, and I would go with them and live with them, and show them how to cultivate the ground and build houses and raise stock, and if they would pledge themselves to follow my instructions and example they would in a few years be comfortable and prosperous. Among the first that said they would go were a number of my old scholars that had been with me when I had charge of the school. They had grown up, gone to camp, got into bad company and got to be gamblers. Sixteen of these old scholars joined the band, and on the 5th of May I arrived at the present location with 120 persons. We began breaking up ground and planting. In nine days the ground became too dry to plough, and a severe drought set in. The first of June found us without rain and no hope of raising a crop. I succeeded in getting some wire fence to take down for cattle men, and in this way my Indians earned four hundred dollars. We went to the Agency and put in 3500 feet of logs in the mill. In August the Government issued some stock cattle to the Indians. My Indians received 88 head. There had been additions to the Colony until they numbered 250 persons. In the fall the Indians began house building, making picket houses with dirt roofs. There were fourteen houses begun, and five completed, when the Indians heard there was a quantity of flooring and shingles at the Agency to build houses for Indians, and some of it was already being used for Indian houses. Of course, my Indians wanted shingles and flooring, like others were having. I went to the Agency and found that the portion that could be turned over to this Colony would be shingles for three small houses and floors for probably eight. I could not well decide to whom to give the shingles, as each one had done all he could toward building, and stood ready to do anything I asked him to do toward his own house. Of course, I could not ask some to build with dirt roofs and some with shingles. While I was deciding what to do about it, I had those that had teams and wagons go to the Agency and haul logs to the mill to furnish rafters and sheathing and joists for their houses. Since then I have been unable to get the logs sawed, consequently we have not built any more houses, yet we have not been idle, by any means. I have located to date 60 Indians, heads of families. We have got improvements on 50 houses or farms, have got 350 acres of ground planted to corn and vegetables, have got nearly 400 broken up. All of this was broken up by Indians, except 77 acres. The Indians, since the first of January, have got out the posts and hauled them, and built 33 miles of fence, enclosing 44 different farms. Six farms have the posts set around them but have no wire to put on. Had these Indians had wire furnished them then, in the proper time, and tools to use, they could have had their farms all fenced, which would have enclosed 1000 acres of the choicest land in this country. Then, could they have had the ground broken up for them in season, they could have had to-day, instead of 350 acres of corn, 1000 acres, and this fall, instead of the probable four thousand bushels of corn, they could have had ten thousand bushels. Now why was not this done? The promise made these Indians was that the Government would furnish the wire for the three-strand fence, and break the ground, or pay for having it done, all the Indians would plant and cultivate.
The first of January found us with 60 farms measured off ready to have the posts set around them. There were at least 60 men ready to begin work who applied to me for spades. As I only had four on hand, I went to the Agency and asked for a supply. The Agent informed me that he had none on hand, but would apply at once for permission to buy some, which he did. I knew this meant that we would not get them in time to use this season, so I stepped in at the trader's and bought four more, which, with the four we had, and one I borrowed, and one post auger I got hold of, I was able to put 10 implements in the hands of the 60 men for them to work with, and as there was no other work for them at this time, they could work only one day out of six. Locations were scattered over a territory 15 miles by 10; it was not convenient to pass the tools from one to the other. The next time I went to the Agency the Agent told me that he had heard from the Commissioner in regard to spades and he had written to the Agent and inquired what he wanted to do with so many spades. I found a letter in the office from a lady in Boston, enclosing five dollars with which to buy spades. As the Indians had got along so well with their work, I only bought three additional spades. I thus found that we had over 600 acres with the posts set around, but no wire. Finally, when it came there was so little that I could only give the Indians two wires, instead of three, as was promised them. They soon had this on the posts, and were ready to plant, if they could get the breaking done. Their own teams were poor, having wintered on grass without corn. When nearly a month of the breaking season had passed, two teams were sent out to break. They broke two weeks and then it became too dry and they went back to the Agency, after breaking 47 acres. I proposed to break 200 acres, with my Indians, and asked that 450 acres might be broke for them, which, with 150 acres broke last year, would make the 800 acres I wished these Indians to cultivate this year. When the two teams went back to the Agency and no more came to break, I made arrangements to break all I could with the Indian teams. As we had only seven breaking ploughs, while we could use twice that number, I sent to Caldwell and bought three ploughs with money sent to me to use as a contingent fund. I also bought two span of mules and one work horse, one set plow harness, with which I fitted up three teams to put on the three ploughs. The Indians have already broke the 200 acres I proposed breaking with them, and we are yet keeping the ploughs all going. We have stopped planting, but shall keep right on breaking ground for next year's crop, as the Government proposes to pay the Indians for breaking up a limited amount of ground. I am getting them to invest the money they earn in this way in better teams, harness and cattle, as far as possible. They are generally willing to do so. As we raised nothing last year, we had to depend on the Government to buy our seed, which came late. The seed potatoes, which should have been here ready to plant the first of March, came the first of May. The 20 bushels of seed potatoes, which, if we had received them in time, might have produced 10,000 lbs. of food, will, as it is, yield scarcely anything. Notwithstanding the many discouragements and drawbacks, these Indians are trying to do what they can. I don't know that there is an Indian out here but what will work enough to support himself if he knew what to do and how to do it. When I started from the Agency one year ago with these Indians, a man said to me: "you have one Indian that is going with you that won't work. I will bet one hundred dollars you don't get him to plant one acre of corn." That Indian to-day has got 20 acres enclosed with fence, has got his corn ploughed in good shape, has got his logs in the mill to furnish the rafters, joists and sheathing for a house, has got stone quarried and hauled for foundation to a house, and I have no doubt but inside of three months he will be living in a house. In one day's ride I can show you many Indians that have borne the name of beats and bummers and coffee coolers for years, that now have their fields and can point with their fingers and truthfully say "There is my farm." One of the old "set fasts," in talking with me not long since, speaking of his improved condition since he came to this Colony, straightened up and said "I don't beg." As I ride around among these people and hear them talk of their prospects of a crop, and where they are going to build their houses, and where is the best place for a stable, do I need to ask "Are these Indians interested in their farms?" "From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." When I was gathering up my band to come out here, one year ago, I talked with Mad Wolf, who had been to Washington, and he said he thought my plan was a good one, that he was satisfied that in course of time the Indians would have to civilize and do as the white man is doing, but he said the time I set to bring this about was altogether too short; that when he was in Washington the chiefs there told him that it would take twenty-five years to bring this about, while I wished to bring it about in five years. Now, he said, while my talk sounded plausible and he believed I meant well, yet it was natural for him to believe that the Washington chiefs knew more about this than I did, and when he was there he promised that he would remember what the Great Father said and follow his counsel; therefore it would not be right for him to advocate civilizing under twenty-five years; and he further said that as he was getting old and would probably not live much over twenty-five years, he did not think it worth while for him to start on this new road. I said to him: "Mad Wolf, since I think more about it, I don't want you to go with me; I want you to remain as you are." He asked, "Why, are we not friends?" I said "Yes, we are friends, but you can help me and your people more by remaining as you are." He said "How do you expect me to help you?" I told him in five years, when the most of my people have good houses and good clothes and plenty to eat as the result of their labor, I will say to them "Look at Mad Wolf, with his old dirty blanket and long hair, with the paint smeared on his face, and his hungry looks." I will say to them "Five years ago you used to look like that." I left him with a puzzled look on his face. I wonder if he ever regrets that Washington set the time for these Indians to civilize at twenty-five years. We cannot expect these people to work for what they can get given to them; they are too much like white people for that. I have seen white men, who were married to Indian women, bring their Indian families to the Agency to draw their rations and annuities with as much regularity as the most confirmed coffee cooler. I have seen white men using government ploughs and implements instead of buying them. I never saw a white man who was married to an Indian woman proudly spurn the aid from the Government. We therefore cannot expect the Indians to do so. These Indians are poor; they need houses to shelter them, implements to work with, teams to draw the plough, seed to plant. They need to own their land; they need some one to instruct them and encourage them in this new and untried way of living. As farming is rather uncertain in this country, they need a start in stock, so when their crops are short they will have their cattle to fall back on.
If the Government would furnish this aid to the Colony, it need be but a very few years before they could take care of themselves.
Before bringing this letter to a close, I would ask to call your attention to the following facts:--
1st. In a little over one year sixty Indians have chosen the place where they wished to live and own a farm.
2d. That fifty of these farms have improvements made on them.
3d. Four young Indians bought wire for their fence, and built their fence, last fall, though they understood that if they waited until spring the Government would buy it for them. Doing this saved the Government $90.
4th. Have built five houses, and got out material for ten more.
5th. They have taken good care of the cattle given them by the Government and bought, from money earned by themselves, five more head, and have pledged themselves to buy four milk cows as soon as we can find them for sale. The increase of the herd is twenty calves.
6th. They have bought eight head of horses and four mules more than they have sold. Bought three wagons, three sets of harness, two cook stoves.
7th. That we are located fifty miles from the base of supply and it takes one-fifth of the time to go after rations. This interferes with farming to some extent.
8th. Have bought no guns, to my knowledge.
9th. The population of this Colony is 305 persons. In the past year we have had no lawlessness of any kind.
If you can gather from this rambling sketch anything, it is at your disposal.
Yours very Respectfully,
Historical note: At the time the above letter was written, John Seger was experiencing great difficulty in obtaining needed supplies and equipment from Indian Agent Gilbert B. Williams at Darlington. This difficulty led to the agent's resignation in 1889.
THE SEGER COLONY. My visit to the Seger Colony was the most interesting and instructive part of my whole journey, and Mr. Seger impresses me as, on the whole, the most successful man I have ever met in the Indian Service. If such men as he could be put in charge of the Indians it would matter little what the faults of the system under which they work, provided it did not absolutely tie them up and prevent altogether any effort; the work would go forward in spite of obstacles.
MR. SEGER'S ACCOUNT OF HIS COLONY
J. H. SEGER
[From "The Conditions of Affairs in Indian Territory and California," A Report by Prof. C. C. Painter, Agent of the Indian Rights Association (1888)]
