White Feather
Encyclopedia
White Hair is the English name of several Osage
Indian leaders in the eighteenth and nineteenth century.
is named for him. He was the chief of the Thorny-Valley People, a division of the Osage people. In 1791, Pawhuska is reputed to have fought against American troops in Ohio under Arthur St. Clair
. During the battle, the worst defeat ever suffered by U.S. forces against Indians, Pawhuska attempted to scalp a fallen officer but the man's powdered wig came off in Pawhuska’s hand. In the ensuing confusion, the officer escaped. The chief was impressed by how the wig protected its original wearer, so he kept it for the rest of his life and became known as White Hair.
In the late eighteenth century the Osage were a powerful tribe on the Western prairies with an empire that reached south from the Missouri River
to the Red River. Pawhuska was the most prominent chief and had the closest relationships with French traders, especially the powerful Chouteau
family which operated under the rule of the Spanish
government. The Osage frequently had skirmishes and battles with the Spanish and other Indian tribes. However, internal dissention weakened the Osage as they split into three main groups.
In 1796, the group headed by Clermont (Claremore) and Pawhuska settled near Jean Pierre Chouteau
's trading post on the Verdigris River
in Indian Territory
In 1800, the Marqués de Casa Calvo, newly appointed governor of Louisiana accused Osages of stealing from and murdering non-Natives and encouraged Pawhuska and his band of Osages to fight the rest of the Osages. Pawhuska refused.
One of Pawhuska’s daughters married Kaw
chief White Plume
and thus established a lasting peace between the Osage and Kaw. Many present day Kaw Indians can trace their ancestry back to White Plume and Pawhuska.
in Oklahoma in 1822. The Osage subsequently were forced by White and Indian encroachment on their lands to move back to a small reservation in Kansas. White Hair IV (George White Hair) became chief in 1832 and served until his death in 1852, age 48. His cousin Iron Hawk became White Hair V until his death in 1861, also 48 years old. Little White Hair became the last hereditary White Hair Chief, serving until his death on December 24, 1869. White Hair VI was one of the signers of the 1865 treaty that ceded most Osage lands in Kansas to the United States and set the stage for their removal to a reservation (contiguous with Osage County
) in Oklahoma
in 1871. By this time the powerful Osage of the eighteenth and early nineteenth century were a beleaguered people, but in one sense they had the last laugh. They sold their old lands for a good price and huge pools of petroleum were found on their new lands in Oklahoma.
Osage Nation
The Osage Nation is a Native American Siouan-language tribe in the United States that originated in the Ohio River valley in present-day Kentucky. After years of war with invading Iroquois, the Osage migrated west of the Mississippi River to their historic lands in present-day Arkansas, Missouri,...
Indian leaders in the eighteenth and nineteenth century.
White Hair I
The first White Hair, Paw-Hiu-Skah, Pahuska, or Pawhuska, was born about 1763 and died about 1809. The town of Pawhuska, OklahomaPawhuska, Oklahoma
Pawhuska is a city in and the county seat of Osage County, Oklahoma, United States, and the capital of the Osage Nation. The population was 3,589 at the 2010 census, a decline of 1.2 percent from 3,629 at the 2000 census. The ZIP Code for the city is 74056...
is named for him. He was the chief of the Thorny-Valley People, a division of the Osage people. In 1791, Pawhuska is reputed to have fought against American troops in Ohio under Arthur St. Clair
Arthur St. Clair
Arthur St. Clair was an American soldier and politician. Born in Scotland, he served in the British Army during the French and Indian War before settling in Pennsylvania, where he held local office...
. During the battle, the worst defeat ever suffered by U.S. forces against Indians, Pawhuska attempted to scalp a fallen officer but the man's powdered wig came off in Pawhuska’s hand. In the ensuing confusion, the officer escaped. The chief was impressed by how the wig protected its original wearer, so he kept it for the rest of his life and became known as White Hair.
In the late eighteenth century the Osage were a powerful tribe on the Western prairies with an empire that reached south from the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
to the Red River. Pawhuska was the most prominent chief and had the closest relationships with French traders, especially the powerful Chouteau
Chouteau
Chouteau was the name of a highly successful French fur-trading family based in St. Louis, Missouri, members of which established posts in the Midwest and Western United States...
family which operated under the rule of the Spanish
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
government. The Osage frequently had skirmishes and battles with the Spanish and other Indian tribes. However, internal dissention weakened the Osage as they split into three main groups.
In 1796, the group headed by Clermont (Claremore) and Pawhuska settled near Jean Pierre Chouteau
Jean Pierre Chouteau
Jean Pierre Chouteau was a French-Canadian fur trader, merchant, politician and slaveholder. An early settler of St. Louis, Missouri, he became one its most prominent citizens. He and his brother Auguste Chouteau, known as the "river barons", negotiated the many political changes as the city...
's trading post on the Verdigris River
Verdigris River
The Verdigris River is a tributary of the Arkansas River in southeastern Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma in the United States. It is about long...
in Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
In 1800, the Marqués de Casa Calvo, newly appointed governor of Louisiana accused Osages of stealing from and murdering non-Natives and encouraged Pawhuska and his band of Osages to fight the rest of the Osages. Pawhuska refused.
One of Pawhuska’s daughters married Kaw
Kaw (tribe)
The Kaw Nation are an American Indian people of the central Midwestern United States. The tribe known as Kaw have also been known as the "People of the South wind", "People of water", Kansa, Kaza, Kosa, and Kasa. Their tribal language is Kansa, classified as a Siouan language.The toponym "Kansas"...
chief White Plume
White Plume
White Plume , also known as Nom-pa-wa-rah, Manshenscaw, and Monchousia, was a chief of the Kaw Indians. He signed a treaty in 1825 ceding millions of acres of Kaw land to the United States. Most present-day members of the Kaw Nation of Oklahoma trace their lineage back to him...
and thus established a lasting peace between the Osage and Kaw. Many present day Kaw Indians can trace their ancestry back to White Plume and Pawhuska.
White Hair II through VI
The lineage of Pawhuska continued with his son, White Hair II, but he apparently was an ineffective chief and he was soon replaced by White Hair III, who moved most of the remaining members of the Osage tribe to the Neosho RiverNeosho River
The Neosho River is a tributary of the Arkansas River in eastern Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma in the United States. Its tributaries also drain portions of Missouri and Arkansas. The river is about long. Via the Arkansas, it is part of the Mississippi River watershed.- Course :The Neosho's...
in Oklahoma in 1822. The Osage subsequently were forced by White and Indian encroachment on their lands to move back to a small reservation in Kansas. White Hair IV (George White Hair) became chief in 1832 and served until his death in 1852, age 48. His cousin Iron Hawk became White Hair V until his death in 1861, also 48 years old. Little White Hair became the last hereditary White Hair Chief, serving until his death on December 24, 1869. White Hair VI was one of the signers of the 1865 treaty that ceded most Osage lands in Kansas to the United States and set the stage for their removal to a reservation (contiguous with Osage County
Osage County, Oklahoma
Osage County is a county in the northern part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Coterminous with the Osage Indian Reservation, it is the home of the federally recognized Osage Nation. As of the 2010 census, the population was 47,472 a 6.8 percent increase from 2000, when the population was 44,437...
) in Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
in 1871. By this time the powerful Osage of the eighteenth and early nineteenth century were a beleaguered people, but in one sense they had the last laugh. They sold their old lands for a good price and huge pools of petroleum were found on their new lands in Oklahoma.