CHEROKEE LEADER WILLIAM PENN ADAIR DIED
Born April 15, 1830, in New Echota, Georgia, Adair went with his parents to Indian Territory in 1838 on the Trail of Tears. After studying law, he helped establish the Texas Cherokees & Associate Bands (TC&AB) in Rusk County, Texas (TX) to seek redress over treaty violations that led to the 1839 Cherokee-TX war. Adair was Senator for the Flint District (1855-60). During the Civil War, Adair served in the 1st Regiment, Confederate Cherokee Mounted Volunteers (CMVs), under General Stand Watie. Promoted to colonel, he organized the 2nd CMVs. After the war, he was Senator from Saline District (1869-74) & Assistant Chief (1879). In 1860s & 70s, Adair was a Cherokee Nation delegate to Washington advocating for the rights of TX Cherokees. He served as Chairman of the TC&AB (1871-80) and co-authored the book, History of the Claim of the Texas Cherokees (1873). Adair died in Washington, D.C. In 1955, he was inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
Sources: Cherrie Adair Moore, “William Penn Adair,” Chronicles of Oklahoma, Vol. 29, No. 1, Spring 1951. Retrieved 4/8/2022, William P Adair Chronicles of OK.pdf (gentrekker.com) Wikipedia Photo: John Thompson Crim, 1866. Public Domain.
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