The Seminoles of Florida
A.J. Holt, D.D., Kissimmee, Florida
The Home Field Magazine, 1914HISTORY INFORMS US that in 1854 the Seminoles, then under the leadership of John Jumper, Osceola and Billy Bowlegs, were entrapped under a flag of truce and were enforced to cede their possessions in Florida, and the main body of this tribe was sent to the Indian Territory. Osceola manifested such a vindictive spirit, that liberty was denied him, and he was kept in bondage until his death a few years later. Billy Bowlegs, who was induced to sign the treaty of peace, was quite unpopular with his tribe, and finally forsook it and wandered off to Mexico. John Jumper the only remaining chief, while refusing to sign the treaty, was sent with his tribe to the Indian Territory, where he retained the chieftaincy of his people until his death, which occurred about twenty years ago. The tree under which this famous treaty was made still stands on the banks of the Peace River. - so named because of this treaty - in the suburbs of Fort Mead, Florida.
A remnant of these Indians, refused to surrender, or to accept the treaty of peace, and retreated to the inaccessible Everglades, where the United States soldiers tried in vain to follow them. These have remained to this day independent if not defiant of the United States Government. They are the only Indians in the territory of the United States, known to this writer, that have not received from the government some token of remuneration for the country that was evidently theirs. These Indians receive no annuities, have no allotments of lands and receive no favors from the Government. They absolutely refuse to be removed from their ancestral homes in the Everglades. They prefer absolute death and extermination to removal. This is their own country, they claim, and that with reason. They live by hunting, fishing and trapping. But gradually the
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whites are encroaching on their domains. The draining of the Everglades, if they be successfully drained, will leave them dispossessed of their last refuge. A bill was introduced at the last session of the Florida Legislature ceding them over two hundred thousand acres of lands in the Everglades. But this was vetoed by the Governor. Some efforts have been made to evangelize these Indians. Bishop Gray of the Episcopal church has established a mission among them, built a house, and has worked arduously to instruct them in Scripture truth; but without any marked success. At the session of the Florida Baptist Convention of 1912 a committee, of which the writer was chairman, was appointed to investigate the condition of these people and report if a practical plan could be devised to evangelize them. We found that the Seminoles of Oklahoma had been making praiseworthy efforts in behalf of their kindred in the Everglades. Several expeditions have been made among them; at one time about a dozen of these Oklahoma Seminoles came down and spent about a month among the Seminoles of Florida, preaching, and living among them to endeavor to lead them to accept the Lord. They were well received, but they departed with but little visible fruits of their labors. At the 1913 session of the State Convention a report was adopted setting forth all these facts, and proposing a plan by which it is hoped that a permanent mission shall be opened among these people, manned by the Seminoles of Oklahoma. The Florida State Board was ordered to appeal to the Home Board to open and sustain such a mission. It is evident to those acquainted with these people, that this cannot be done successfully by the white people. Owing to the long and bitter prejudice existing against the white people, this cannot now be done. But they will gladly receive the Seminoles of Oklahoma, and these will be glad to cooperate in the evangelization of their brethren. This week, Billy Bowlegs, whose ancestor was among those captured at Ft. Mead, visited Kissimmee, the home of the writer. He was the guest of J. M. Willson, whose talented wife, Minnie Moore Willson, has written a charming book entitled "The Seminoles of Florida." Billy comes up once a year to visit his friend. We had several talks with him. The plans we are now working out, meet with his approval. He is a stalwart Indian of pure blood. He dresses after the custom of his people, and is every inch a man.The writer was appointed by the State Convention to visit the Home Board lay these plans before that body, and seek to enlist them In this most praiseworthy enterprise.
This writer has heard from the lips of John Jumper himself, the thrilling story of his capture by General Jesup. He spoke with evident pride of the Seminole War in Florida, where that tribe covered itself with glory in defending their country, and boasted that they, were never defeated, but only captured by deception, and their country filched from them by guile. It is now time to do this brave people justice, and at least give to them. In return for their country, the gospel of Christ, and a home in the land of their fathers.
========== [Victor I. Masters, editor, The Home Field, June 1914, pp. 16-17; via Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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