SEPTEMBER 23, 1853

CHICKASAW FREDERICK TECUMSEH “DASH” WIATE BORN—OUTLAW/LEGISLATOR/OFFICIAL

Waite was born in the Chickasaw Nation (CN), Indian Territory. During the Civil War, he, and his family, who supported the union, took refuge from Confederate soldiers in the Sac and Fox Reserve in eastern Kansas. Educated first at the Illinois Industrial University, he graduated from Mound City Commercial College in St. Louis in 1874. Becoming a cowboy, Fred was in New Mexico (NM) working for cattle baron, John Tunstall in 1878, when Tunstall’s murder set off the Lincoln County Wars in which Waite and coworker William Bonney participated as paid gunfighters. He was part of Billy the Kid’s rustling operation but split with the gang in Texas. He returned to the CN, married, started a family, ranched, became a newspaper editor, was an Indian Policeman, and got involved in tribal politics. Waite was: a delegate to an Inter-tribal conference; a CN Representative (Speaker of the House for 3 sessions) and Senator; and appointed CN National Secretary and CN Attorney General. 

Source: “Fred Waite – Chickasaw Outlaw Turned Politician,” Legends of America.  Retrieved 11/26/2023, Fred Waite – Chickasaw Outlaw Turned Politician – Legends of America

Photo:  Author unknown, pre-1895. Public Domain.  

*     The majority of sources, including his tombstone, set his birth as 9/23/1853, though a few list 8/28/2853.