The Cherokee Nation and Tahlequah (Images of America: Oklahoma)

by Deborah L. Duvall

$19.38 on Amazon

The progressive, accomplished character of the Cherokees is evidenced by the pictures and stories in this book. Here you will meet the leaders who helped rebuild the great Cherokee Nation, legendary figures like Sequoyah and Will Rogers, and the patriots and artisans who have kept the tribe’s culture and tradition alive throughout history.

I was looking for images to fit the scene below when I came across this remarkable book. I lived in Tahelquah, the Capitol of the Cherokee Nation, my first year of marriage. Hubby and I both attended Northeastern State while he pastored his first church. I admired the spirit and intellect of the Cherokee and incorporated Tahlequah in my novel, Mattie's Choice. My husband is part Cherokee, and although my book is fiction, his family inspired the book.

The excerpt you are about to read below is Mattie's backstory. Mattie eloped with Jesse but jealousy eats at him. He forbids Mattie to see her family. He believes she will leave him for her former, better life if she visits with them.

Will Mattie choose to give up family? You'll need to read the book to discover the answer.

Coming Soon

Avril counted the strokes as she brushed her hair. When she totaled one hundred, she laid the brush aside and turned to her husband.

“Charles, are you ever sorry you married me?”

Charles made it to her side in one giant stride, placed his hands on her shoulders and met her eyes in the mirror.

“Never one day, my dearest. I fell in love with you on sight. If President Jackson hadn’t forced your ancestors to move to Oklahoma, I’d have gone to Georgia to find you. I can’t believe my life without you.”

Avril smiled. “But you were born into a prominent Virginia family. I doubt your parents wanted you to marry someone of Indian descent.”

“It wouldn’t have mattered to me what they thought.”

“I guess Jesse feels the same way.”

“Maybe. That’s one thing we don’t know for sure, but he probably doesn’t care. The Colbys came from Kentucky, and Kentucky was once heavily populated with Indians. Back in his day, President Thomas Jefferson met with an Indian delegation and told them to mix in marriage. White men have married Indian maidens over the years. Everyone knows the story of Pocahontas. Nevertheless, such marriages are frowned on by some. I know several who keep their blood a secret. I’m guessing Mattie’s Cherokee heritage doesn’t matter to Jesse or he wouldn’t have married her. Our families accepted each other. Jesse doesn’t accept us. If it hadn’t worked out for us, what would you have done?” Charles massaged her shoulders.

“I would’ve done all I could to change their minds—just like Mattie says she’s doing.” Avril grinned at him in the mirror.

Charles laughed and kissed the top of her head. “One look into your beautiful black, flashing eyes is all that it takes for me to do your bidding. Our Maury and Mattie have your dark, good looks. I’m not surprised Jesse fell in love with Mattie. I simply wish he was a reasonable man.”

“With their fair skin and blue eyes, our younger girls resemble you and your English ancestry, and I’m sure it won’t be long before they have boys courting them. I just hope they marry someone who won’t split the family.”

Avril stood and Charles placed his arm around her waist, tucked her into bed, turned off the electric lamps, and joined her.

“We see my family, but I’m sorry we don’t see your folks more often. I regret that, but I’m satisfied you didn’t move me back to Virginia.” Avril reached for his hand.

“Don’t worry about Virginia. We’re staying here. Oklahoma still has the best opportunities.” He squeezed Avril’s hand. “If I could’ve come with the first land rush, I’d have met you sooner. “I had to wait an extra four years for the second land opening, but I got here as fast as I could.”

“Yes, you and about fifty thousand other white men,” Avril stated in a subdued tone. “Many of my Cherokee ancestors weren’t happy about the first land rush, and they were also irritated about the second one. They’d endured too many broken promises from the government, and those broken promises resulted in our Trail of Tears. Then look at what happened. After a mere fifty years of giving us a new home and calling it Indian Territory, the government approved land for white settlement. Those authorizations removed Indian control and the white man took over. We lost our land again.”

Charles squeezed her hand again. “I hate that. My good luck came at a price for your people. I’m sorry.”

Avril acknowledged his hand hug with one of her own. “I know, but it wasn’t your doing, and thanks to you, I’ve benefited from the white development, so I have mixed emotions—happy for me, sad for my people.”

Charles remained quiet and waited for Avril to speak again.

Avril clucked her tongue and began once more. “I doubt the men were thinking about taking land from my ancestors, just as you weren’t when you came. Like you, they wanted to build a life for themselves and their families. Most arrived in Guthrie with nothing but a dream, and even after years of living there, they didn’t acquire much—if anything at all. It’s sad, isn’t it? Sad for them and my people.”

Avril grew silent for a few moments and then continued. “The required age was twenty-one. You were twenty-two. I admire you for taking a chance.”

In the dark, Charles shook his head. “Thanks, sweetheart, but I didn’t consider it a foolish gamble. Guthrie was Oklahoma’s territorial capitol and I believed in the city.”

“You made a large amount of money in the construction business during those boom days, but most of those people didn’t make it. They suffered loss and defeat, just like my ancestors did. I have no idea why God allows some to achieve and not others. Do you?

“No I don’t have an answer to that question.”

“Are you happy you sold out and moved to Fossil Creek?”

“Of course I am. This is where I met you. Besides, it turned out to be an astute business decision. I had a hunch things were changing. Sure enough, the political leaders moved the capital to Oklahoma City. Fossil Creek appealed and was logical. A smaller place is better for a family, and I wanted one. Tulsa is a day’s journey by buggy, and Oklahoma City takes about two days. I can conduct business in the bigger cities if I need to.”

Avril chuckled. “The trip would be faster if you bought a gasoline buggy like Maury plans to do.”

Charles caressed her arm. “And chug down the road in a cloud of black smoke from one of those things? No thanks.”

In the black night of their bedroom, Avril smiled. “I predict Ford will eventually fix that smoke problem.” She was silent a few minutes and then continued. “I’m pleased you’d already built Hillside before we met. I moved right in. God has blessed us.”

“Yes, He has, but I don’t want to flaunt our position. We enjoy what some consider a sizable fortune. I could have hired more help, but we both agreed that wasn’t a good idea. Our children know the value of a dollar and how long it takes to earn one. Maury builds pens and coops. He also helps with the planting and harvesting. The girls learned how to cook, clean, sew, grow a garden and tend animals. Our daughters don’t know how to bookkeep money accounts—no need for that, but Maury does.”

“I think you should teach our daughters to bookkeep as well.”

Charles chuckled. “Now sweetheart, let’s don’t get carried away. There’s men’s doings and then there’s women’s doings. I’ll teach Maury about business. We’ll continue to be involved in construction and land development here in Osage County. We can use our influence to help others.”

“Even Jesse?”

“We’ll see. Time will tell. At this moment, Jesse doesn’t want anything from me.”

“What about Mattie? If she asks to come back home, will you let her?”

“Of course I will, but I don’t believe in divorce. Besides that, divorce isn’t an easy thing to get these days. I doubt there’s a court that would issue one. I don’t believe in interfering with a man’s marriage, either. We’ve taught our offspring to keep an oath once it’s given, and Mattie gave one to Jesse.”

“Mattie is a woman-child. Not quite grown up enough in some ways and too much so in others. She didn’t realize what she might be doing.”

“Especially where Jesse is concerned. I’ve got to think on it. She’s put us all in a dilemma.”

He released her hand and turned his back to her. “Goodnight, Avril.”

I hope you enjoyed meeting Avril and Charles, and I hope you'll soon meet Mattie and Jesse.