Douglas H. Johnston
Encyclopedia
Douglas Hancock Cooper Johnston (13 October 1856 – 28 June 1939), also known as “Douglas Henry Johnston”, was Governor
of the Chickasaw Nation
from 1898 to 1902 and from 1904 to 1939.
John Johnston, Sr, (? – ?) and of Mary Ann Cheadle Walker (1818 – c.1863) was born in Skullyville, Oklahoma
, at a time when it was the capital of the Choctaw Nation
. Johnston's name is sometimes given as “Douglas Henry Johnston”, but he was named for General
Douglas Hancock Cooper
. He had two elder brothers, William Worth Johnston and Franklin Pierce Johnston, and one younger, Napoleon Bonapart[ sic
] Johnston.
Colonel
Johnston, who acquired the title “Colonel” during the Seminole Wars
, had been a land speculator and a lawyer in Mississippi. Johnston had migrated with the “Six Town” Choctaws from Mississippi
, leaving a wife (Jane Bettis, from whom there is no record of divorce) and six children.
Mary Ann Cheadle (1818 – c.1863) was the daughter of Thomas Fleming Cheadle, a Caucasian
, and of Betsy Kemp, of some Chickasaw ancestry. Mary's brother, James Stuart Cheadle was variously a Circuit Judge of the Chickasaw Nation, a County Judge of Tobocksy, Choctaw Nation, and an appointed commissioner on the part of the Choctaws to negotiate with the Chickasaws. Mary's first husband, Lewis Walker, was the brother of Choctaw Chief
Tandy Walker. She was later married to Isaac Moncrief. There is no legal record of a marriage between Colonel Johnston and Mary Cheadle.
Douglas Johnston was educated in the Chickasaw Academy and in the Bloomfield Academy. Colonel Johnston and then Mary died before Douglas was 9 years old. He was thereafter raised by a half-brother, Tandy C. Walker.
Johnston worked as a farmer and stockman
. In 1881 he married Nellie Bynum, a woman of Caucasian and Chickasaw descent, by whom he had two sons. Nellie died of tuberculosis
in 1886; In 1889 Johnston married Lorena Elizabeth Harper, again a woman of Caucasian and Chickasaw descent, by whom he had a daughter, Wahneta (sometimes given as “Juanita”) Elizabeth Johnston.
In 1884, Douglas was made Superintendent of the Bloomfield Seminary (renamed ”Carter Seminary” in 1934), a school for Chickasaw girls. Johnston held this position until 1897, the year before he was elected Governor.
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of the Chickasaw Nation
Chickasaw Nation
The Chickasaw Nation is a federally recognized Native American nation, located in Oklahoma. They are one of the members of the Five Civilized Tribes. The Five Civilized Tribes were differentiated from other Indian reservations in that they had semi-autonomous constitutional governments and...
from 1898 to 1902 and from 1904 to 1939.
Background
Johnston, the son of ColonelColonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
John Johnston, Sr, (? – ?) and of Mary Ann Cheadle Walker (1818 – c.1863) was born in Skullyville, Oklahoma
Skullyville, Oklahoma
Skullyville is a small unincorporated rural community in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, United States. Skullyville was the former capitol of the Choctaw Nation and a stop on the California Road. Walker's Station, a stage stand on the Butterfield Overland Mail route, was located in Skullyville...
, at a time when it was the capital of the Choctaw Nation
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is a semi-autonomous Native American homeland comprising twelve tribal districts. The Choctaw Nation maintains a special relationship with both the United States and Oklahoma governments...
. Johnston's name is sometimes given as “Douglas Henry Johnston”, but he was named for General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Douglas Hancock Cooper
Douglas H. Cooper
Douglas Hancock Cooper was a politician, a soldier, an Indian Agent in what is now Oklahoma, and a Confederate general during the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...
. He had two elder brothers, William Worth Johnston and Franklin Pierce Johnston, and one younger, Napoleon Bonapart
Sic
Sic—generally inside square brackets, [sic], and occasionally parentheses, —when added just after a quote or reprinted text, indicates the passage appears exactly as in the original source...
Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Johnston, who acquired the title “Colonel” during the Seminole Wars
Seminole Wars
The Seminole Wars, also known as the Florida Wars, were three conflicts in Florida between the Seminole — the collective name given to the amalgamation of various groups of native Americans and Black people who settled in Florida in the early 18th century — and the United States Army...
, had been a land speculator and a lawyer in Mississippi. Johnston had migrated with the “Six Town” Choctaws from Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, leaving a wife (Jane Bettis, from whom there is no record of divorce) and six children.
Mary Ann Cheadle (1818 – c.1863) was the daughter of Thomas Fleming Cheadle, a Caucasian
Caucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
, and of Betsy Kemp, of some Chickasaw ancestry. Mary's brother, James Stuart Cheadle was variously a Circuit Judge of the Chickasaw Nation, a County Judge of Tobocksy, Choctaw Nation, and an appointed commissioner on the part of the Choctaws to negotiate with the Chickasaws. Mary's first husband, Lewis Walker, was the brother of Choctaw Chief
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
Tandy Walker. She was later married to Isaac Moncrief. There is no legal record of a marriage between Colonel Johnston and Mary Cheadle.
Douglas Johnston was educated in the Chickasaw Academy and in the Bloomfield Academy. Colonel Johnston and then Mary died before Douglas was 9 years old. He was thereafter raised by a half-brother, Tandy C. Walker.
Johnston worked as a farmer and stockman
Cowman (profession)
A cowman is a person who works specifically with cattle.-Usage:Usage of the word "cowman" has significant geographic variation, though is sometimes used interchangeably with terms such as "stockman", "cattleman", "rancher" and "grazier."...
. In 1881 he married Nellie Bynum, a woman of Caucasian and Chickasaw descent, by whom he had two sons. Nellie died of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
in 1886; In 1889 Johnston married Lorena Elizabeth Harper, again a woman of Caucasian and Chickasaw descent, by whom he had a daughter, Wahneta (sometimes given as “Juanita”) Elizabeth Johnston.
In 1884, Douglas was made Superintendent of the Bloomfield Seminary (renamed ”Carter Seminary” in 1934), a school for Chickasaw girls. Johnston held this position until 1897, the year before he was elected Governor.