Guide to the Cherokee Nation legislative act, 1902-1903
Collection overview:
Title:
Date range(inclusive
dates):
Creator:
Extent:
Abstract:
Cherokee Nation legislative act
1902-1903
Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma. Principal Chief (1899-1903 : Buffington)
0.01 linear feet (1 folder)
An act of the National Council of the Cherokee Nation signed and
approved by Principal Chief T. M. Buffington (1855-1938) and President
Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919).
Language of materials: English
Repository: Redwood Library & Athenaeum, Newport, Rhode Island
Collection number: RLC.Ms.572
Access and use:
Access to the collection: Access is open to members and researchers at the Redwood Library and
Athenaeum.
Use of the materials: This collection is owned by the Redwood Library and Athenaeum.
Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the
Special Collections Librarian of the Redwood Library and Athenaeum.
Preferred citation: Cherokee Nation legislative act, RLC.Ms.572, Redwood Library and
Athenaeum.
Administrative information:
About the collection
Acquisition: Gift of Diana Lanier Smith, 1988 Mar 16
Processing information: Prior to processing in 2014, this collection was found within the Steel
Cabinet Collection: Drawer 14, Folder 10.
About the finding aid
Author and Encoding: Elizabeth Delmage, 2014 Oct
Descriptive rules: Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)
Page 1 of 3
Additional information:
Sponsor: Funding for processing and cataloging this collection was provided by the
van Beuren Charitable Foundation.
Historical note:
The Cherokee Nation (of the nineteenth century) was an autonomous, legal, tribal government
recognized from 1794 to 1907. This Nation consisted of the Cherokee people and other Native American
tribes originally from the southeastern United States who were either forced to or voluntary relocated
to Indian Territory. The Indian Territory was land set aside by the U.S. government and comprised
present day Oklahoma.
Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was established as the capital of the Cherokee Nation and by 1827 a written
constitution was adopted, creating a government with three branches, similar to the U.S. government.
The National Council served as the legislature of the Nation and every four years they elected a Principal
Chief, whose office was similar to that of a state governor or U.S. President. Beginning in 1898, the U.S.
government was laying the groundwork to dismantle the Cherokee Nation in order to incorporate the
Indian Territory into a new state, Oklahoma. In 1906, the tribal government of the Cherokee Nation was
dissolved.
T. M. (Thomas Mitchell) Buffington (1855-1938) was born in Goingsnake District of the Cherokee Nation,
Indian Territory (present day Adair County, Oklahoma). He served as the Principal Chief of the Cherokee
Nation briefly in 1891 and was elected to the office in 1899, serving until 1903. Following his term as
principal chief, Buffington was the mayor of Vinita, Oklahoma, until 1917. He died in Vinita on February
11, 1938.
Scope and content note:
This collection consists of Senate Bill Number 1 from the National Council of the Cherokee Nation in
which appropriations to pay the current and contingent expenses of the regular session of the National
Council in 1902 were approved. This act was approved by the Principal Chief, T. M. Buffington on
December 6, 1902. Also included is the certificate submitted to the U.S. President used to approve this
act. This certificate was signed by President Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) on January 26, 1903.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged in chronological order.
Inventory:
Box
Manuscripts Box 2
Title
Senate Bill No. 1 with certification
Date
1902 Dec 6, 1903 Jan 26
Page 2 of 3
Access terms:
Names:
Buffington, T. M. (Thomas Mitchell), 1855-1938
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Subjects:
Cherokee Indians--Politics and government
Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma--History
United States--History--1865-1921
Genre terms:
Legislative acts
Page 3 of 3