A Lifetime of Service to the Choctaw Nation
From a speech on a brief history of the life of Jackson Frazier McCurtain, Principal Chief of the Choctaw Nation from 1880 to 1884, given by Sam Riddle of Wilburton, Oklahoma at the dedication of the Old Council House, June 4-5, 1938 at Tuskahoma, Oklahoma…
Jackson Frazier McCurtain was the eldest son of Cornelius* and Mahayia McCurtain, was born in Mississippi March 30, 1830 and three years later came with his parents to the Indian Territory. Educational advantages during those early years among the Choctaws, were crude and as a consequence, young McCurtain was limited to a couple of years at Spence Academy, when about 14 years of age. This school established in 1842, was located about nine miles north of Doaksville.
Rather coincident with the adoption of the new constitution [1860] began the public career of Jackson McCurtain, whose initial appearance came with his service as representative from Sugar Loaf County to the National Council in October 1859. Members of his celebrated family were destined to occupy a most prominent and engaging part in the political affairs of the Choctaw Nation from that time until the conclusion of its political life.
Jackson McCurtain was a member of the National Council when on June 22, 1861, he enlisted from Sugar Loaf County in the First Regiment of Choctaw and Chickasaw Mounted Rifles and was commissioned Captain of Company “G” in this regiment commanded by Colonel Douglas H. Cooper in the Confederate services. In 1862 he became Lieutenant Colonel of the First Choctaw Battalion and served with distinction until the close of the war. The Choctaw contingent supported the campaign of General Sterling Price in Arkansas and participated in the battle of Poison Springs in that state on April 18, 1864. They were also engaged at the battle of Honey Springs in the Indian Territory on July 17, 1863. [By the way George W. Riddle, father of the author Sam Riddle, was a member of the same regiment.]
An inspection report written July 26, 1864, described Lt. Col Jackson McCurtain in this manner: “zealous, diligent, attentive to duties and sober.” These remarks made by a typical hard-boiled Army Inspector have much significance in the light of his later career.
Upon the conclusion of the war McCurtain returned to his home “The Narrows” some 2-3 miles northeast of Red Oak, Okla. [His home has been described as four miles south of the Rock Creek School.] And in August 1866 was elected Senator from Sugar Loaf County in which position he served continuously by successive re-elections until 1880. Chief Garvin, who assumed the reins of Office in October 1878, died before the expiration of his term [succumbing to tuberculosis along with most of his family]. He was succeeded by Jackson McCurtain on February 20, 1880. McCurtain was at the time president pro-tem of the Choctaw Senate, and under Constitutional provision, automatically became tribal Chief upon the death of Chief Garvin. In the succeeding August, Chief McCurtain was elected Chief by a most substantial vote and was released in August 1883 and thus was enabled to serve his people for two consecutive terms as their Chief in addition to serving out the vacancy occasioned by the death of Chief Garvin.
McCurtain was an aggressive character and accomplished much in establishing a respect for law and its enforcement among his people, whose respect he enjoyed. It was during his administration that the troublesome controversy over the Freedmen was disposed of; these former slaves were adopted into tribal membership.
Serious distress oppressed the Choctaws in the winter of 1881, occasioned by a complete failure of crops and in his efforts to relieve the suffering, the Chief on his own initiative expended six thousand dollars of Tribal monies. This action was approved as “timely deed” and patriotic by the Council when it met in the fall and an appropriation was authorized to cover the amount so spent. Perhaps the most outstanding event of his administration was the removal of the National Capital from Armstrong Academy to Tuskahoma what is today Pushmataha County, Oklahoma.
The new and quite ornate Capital building was constructed about a mile and half NE of the old Choctaw Capital at Nanih Waye from which the seat of government had been removed in 1850, which removal had given so much offense to Chief Cornelius McCurtain. Under the terms of a Constitutional Amendment promoted by Chief Jackson McCurtain and adopted in 1882, the Capital was returned to the earlier scenes of tribal activity and in the fall of 1884, the National Council held its first meeting in the new structure and the retiring Chief delivered his last message to its members.
At the election held in August 1884 and at which Edmund McCurtain was chosen as successor of Jackson McCurtain. Jackson McCurtain was elected Senator from Wade County, which was the seat of the Capital.
Upon the election for Jackson F. McCurtain as Chief in 1880, he was residing at The Narrows, but moved the following year to the old Zadoc Harrison place south of Antlers. In 1883 the Chief established his home near Tuskahoma, the new Capital, where he died on November 14, 1885. He rests in the old cemetery east of the old Capital Building where his grave is suitably marked.
Chief McCurtain was married twice, his first wife being Marie Riley, a sister of Judge James Riley. After her death he married Jane Frances McCurtain on November 28, 1865, who survived him and died on October 27, 1925 and is buried in the Old Cemetery at Tuskahoma.
Jane McCurtain was a lady of splendid attainments and served as a private secretary to the celebrated Chief during his incumbency. She was a “Penelope” of wifely devotion to her distinguished husband in his lifetime and to his memory after he was gone.
* Cornelius McCurtain was appointed a member of the Board of Commissioners of the Nation to investigate what was termed the orphans' claims. The act of November 12, 1856 directed payment to him of certain fees for services in this orphans' claims matter. Cornelius McCurtain probably died shortly thereafter and is buried in an unknown and unmarked grave at a place called "The Narrows," two or three miles northeast of current-day Red Oak in Latimer County, Oklahoma.
Mahayia, his wife, known more intimately as Amy, before her death in 1866, expressed a desire to be buried by the side of her husband at The Narrows but owing to high water in the streams, the effort was abandoned and she also rests in a grave at the old Riddle Family Cemetery near Wilburton, Latimer County, Oklahoma.
The McCurtains lived four miles south of the Rock Creek School. There was also the Rock Creek Baptist Church and Cemetery. Edmund McCurtain’s second wife Susan King McCurtain was buried here in 1876 near two of her young children Francis and Daniel.
Further Reading
Blog about Jane Austin McCurtain: Big LOVE – The Woman Who Saved Jones Academy
Meserve, John Bartlett, 1869-1943. The McCurtains, article, Autumn 1935; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc2191979/: accessed April 28, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.
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