Elias Cornelius Boudinot
Encyclopedia
Elias Cornelius Boudinot (August 1, 1835 – September 27, 1890) was a delegate to the Arkansas
secession
convention, a colonel
in the Confederate States Army
, and a territorial representative in the Confederate Congress.
, his father was Cherokee
leader Elias Boudinot
. His mother was Harriet Ruggles Gold
(1805–1836). He was named for misionary Elias Cornelius who selected his father to attend the Foreign Mission School
where he met his mother.
In 1839, when Boudinot was four years old, his father was assassinated by fellow Cherokees for signing the Treaty of New Echota
and giving up tribal lands. Following this, Boudinot was brought to New England
by his stepmother. He studied engineering in Manchester, Vermont. At age eighteen, he moved to Arkansas
and became a lawyer. His first notable victory as a lawyer was defending his uncle Stand Watie
against murder charges.
In 1860, Boudinot was chairman of the Arkansas Democratic State Central Committee. In 1861, he served as secretary of the Secession Convention.
During the American Civil War
, he fought for the Confederate States Army
, under his uncle Stand Watie. He reached the rank of lieutenant colonel
. In 1863, he was elected delegate to the Congress of the Confederate States
, representing a faction of Cherokees.
Following the war, Boudinot and Watie started a tobacco
factory, intending to take advantage of tax immunities promised in the 1866 treaty between the United States and the Cherokee. U.S. officials denied that the treaty provided immunity, and seized the factory for nonpayment of taxes. In 1871, the Supreme Court ruled against
Boudinot and Watie, declaring that the Congress could abrogate previous treaty guarantees.
He died in Fort Smith, Arkansas
on September 27, 1890.
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
convention, a colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
in the Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
, and a territorial representative in the Confederate Congress.
Life
Born August 1, 1835 near Rome, GeorgiaRome, Georgia
Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Rome is the largest city and the county seat of Floyd County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Rome, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Floyd County...
, his father was Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
leader Elias Boudinot
Elias Boudinot (Cherokee)
Elias Boudinot , was a member of an important Cherokee family in present-day Georgia. They believed that rapid acculturation was critical to Cherokee survival. In 1828 Boudinot became the editor of the Cherokee Phoenix, which was published in Cherokee and English...
. His mother was Harriet Ruggles Gold
Harriet R. Gold Boudinot
Harriet Ruggles Gold Boudinot was the wife of the Cherokee leader Elias Boudinot , the editor of the Cherokee Nation newspaper The Cherokee Phoenix. Harriett was the youngest daughter of Colonel Benjamin and Eleanor Gold; theirs was a prominent Congregationalist family in Cornwall, Connecticut.The...
(1805–1836). He was named for misionary Elias Cornelius who selected his father to attend the Foreign Mission School
Foreign Mission School
The Foreign Mission School was an educational institution which existed between 1817 and 1826 in Cornwall, Connecticut. It was established by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions to bring Christianity and Western culture to non-caucasian people by educating missionaries of...
where he met his mother.
In 1839, when Boudinot was four years old, his father was assassinated by fellow Cherokees for signing the Treaty of New Echota
Treaty of New Echota
The Treaty of New Echota was a treaty signed on December 29, 1835, in New Echota, Georgia by officials of the United States government and representatives of a minority Cherokee political faction, known as the Treaty Party...
and giving up tribal lands. Following this, Boudinot was brought to New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
by his stepmother. He studied engineering in Manchester, Vermont. At age eighteen, he moved to Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
and became a lawyer. His first notable victory as a lawyer was defending his uncle Stand Watie
Stand Watie
Stand Watie , also known as Standhope Uwatie, Degataga , meaning “stand firm”), and Isaac S. Watie, was a leader of the Cherokee Nation and a brigadier general of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
against murder charges.
In 1860, Boudinot was chairman of the Arkansas Democratic State Central Committee. In 1861, he served as secretary of the Secession Convention.
During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he fought for the Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
, under his uncle Stand Watie. He reached the rank of lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
. In 1863, he was elected delegate to the Congress of the Confederate States
Congress of the Confederate States
The Congress of the Confederate States was the legislative body of the Confederate States of America, existing during the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865...
, representing a faction of Cherokees.
Following the war, Boudinot and Watie started a tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
factory, intending to take advantage of tax immunities promised in the 1866 treaty between the United States and the Cherokee. U.S. officials denied that the treaty provided immunity, and seized the factory for nonpayment of taxes. In 1871, the Supreme Court ruled against
The Cherokee tobacco case
The Cherokee Tobacco Case 1870 is a United States court case with implications relating to tribal sovereignty in the United States.Two Cherokee men, Elias C. Boudinot and Stand Watie, refused to pay taxes on tobacco manufactured in the Cherokee Nation, as required by the Internal Revenue Act 1868. ...
Boudinot and Watie, declaring that the Congress could abrogate previous treaty guarantees.
He died in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
on September 27, 1890.
See also
- Confederate States of America, Territories