Apuckshunubbee
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Apuckshunubbee (c. 1740 – October 18, 1824) was one of three principal chiefs of the Choctaw Native American tribe in the early nineteenth century, from before 1800. He led the western or ''Okla Falaya'' ("Long People") District of the Choctaw, of which the eastern edge ran roughly southeast from modern Winston County to Lauderdale County, then roughly southwest to Scott County, then roughly south-southeast to the western edge of Perry County. His contemporaries were
Pushmataha Pushmataha (c. 1764 – December 24, 1824; also spelled Pooshawattaha, Pooshamallaha, or Poosha Matthaw), the "Indian General", was one of the three regional chiefs of the major divisions of the Choctaw in the 19th century. Many historians cons ...
and Moshulatubbee, who respectively led the southern district ''Okla Hannali'' ("Six Towns People") and the north-eastern district ''Okla Tannap'' ("People on the Other Side"). During the early 1800s, Apuckshunubbee and the other two division chiefs signed several treaties with the United States, ceding land to settlers in the hope of ending their encroachment on Choctaw territory. On his way to Washington, DC in 1824 with the other two division chiefs and a Choctaw delegation to meet with US officials, Apuckshunubbee suffered a fall and died. His name was also spelled as ''Apvkshvnvbbee'', ''Apυkshυnυbbee'', ''Puckshenubbee'', ''Pukshunnubbu'', and ''Pukshunnubbee''.


Early life

''Apuckshunubbee'' was likely born into a high-status family and clan; the Choctaw had a
matrilineal Matrilineality is the tracing of kinship through the female line. It may also correlate with a social system in which each person is identified with their matriline – their mother's lineage – and which can involve the inheritance ...
system of property and hereditary leadership. Children belonged to their mother's clan, and her brothers would have been more important to his upbringing than his biological father, who belonged to a different clan. He was described as "a large man, tall and bony, with a down look, and was of the superstitious and religious cast of mind."


Treaties with US government

Apuckshunubbee was one of the three division chiefs among the Choctaw in Mississippi by 1801. He represented the western division of the people, known as the ''Okla Falaya'' Clan (Tall People), located in western Mississippi. As such a leader, he signed numerous treaties on behalf of the Choctaw with the US government, including the
Treaty of Mount Dexter The Treaty of Mount Dexter was signed between the United States and the Choctaws. The treaty was signed November 16, 1805. The area ceded was from the Natchez District to the Tombigbee Alabama River watershed, mostly in present-day Mississip ...
, Treaty of Fort St. Stephens, and the
Treaty of Doak's Stand The Treaty of Doak's Stand (7 Stat. 210, also known as Treaty with the Choctaw) was signed on October 18, 1820 (proclaimed on January 8, 1821) between the United States and the Choctaw Indian tribe. Based on the terms of the accord, the Chocta ...
. By these land cessions, the Choctaw hoped to end European-American encroachment on their lands, but new settlers kept arriving and entering their territory. The US government did not enforce the treaty provisions. He was nearly 80 years old when he made the 1824 trip with the other principal chiefs, '' Mushulatubbee'' and ''
Pushmataha Pushmataha (c. 1764 – December 24, 1824; also spelled Pooshawattaha, Pooshamallaha, or Poosha Matthaw), the "Indian General", was one of the three regional chiefs of the major divisions of the Choctaw in the 19th century. Many historians cons ...
'' to protest settler violations made against the
Treaty of Doak's Stand The Treaty of Doak's Stand (7 Stat. 210, also known as Treaty with the Choctaw) was signed on October 18, 1820 (proclaimed on January 8, 1821) between the United States and the Choctaw Indian tribe. Based on the terms of the accord, the Chocta ...
. The Choctaw delegation also included Talking Warrior, Red Fort, ''Nittahkachee'', Col. Robert Cole and David Folsom, both Choctaw of
mixed-race Mixed race people are people of more than one race or ethnicity. A variety of terms have been used both historically and presently for mixed race people in a variety of contexts, including ''multiethnic'', ''polyethnic'', occasionally ''bi-eth ...
; Captain Daniel McCurtain, and Major John Pitchlynn, the U.S. Interpreter. Apuckshunubbee,
Pushmataha Pushmataha (c. 1764 – December 24, 1824; also spelled Pooshawattaha, Pooshamallaha, or Poosha Matthaw), the "Indian General", was one of the three regional chiefs of the major divisions of the Choctaw in the 19th century. Many historians cons ...
, and Mushulatubbee, the principal leaders of the Choctaws, went to Washington City (the 19th-century name for
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
) to discuss encroaching settlement by European Americans on their lands. They sought expulsion of settlers or financial compensation by the government. The Choctaw planned to travel the Natchez Trace to
Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and ...
, then to Lexington, Kentucky, onward to
Maysville, Kentucky Maysville is a home rule-class city in Mason County, Kentucky, United States and is the seat of Mason County. The population was 8,782 as of 2019, making it the 51st-largest city in Kentucky by population. Maysville is on the Ohio River, north ...
, across the Ohio River northward to Chillicothe, Ohio, (former principal town of the Shawnee), then finally east over the "National Highway" to Washington City.


Death

Apuckshunubbee died in
Maysville, Kentucky Maysville is a home rule-class city in Mason County, Kentucky, United States and is the seat of Mason County. The population was 8,782 as of 2019, making it the 51st-largest city in Kentucky by population. Maysville is on the Ohio River, north ...
reportedly of a broken neck caused by a fall from a hotel balcony. Other historians say he fell from a cliff. In 1939 Peter James Hudson wrote that he was "told by a Mississippi Choctaw that the body of Apvckshvnvbbee was brought back to Mississippi and buried at his home place." His body is most likely located within the community of Lost Rabbit, because according to older maps found in the office of the Chancery Clerk of Madison County, Mississippi, this is where his homestead is located. The death of Apuckshunubbee, together with that of
Pushmataha Pushmataha (c. 1764 – December 24, 1824; also spelled Pooshawattaha, Pooshamallaha, or Poosha Matthaw), the "Indian General", was one of the three regional chiefs of the major divisions of the Choctaw in the 19th century. Many historians cons ...
in Washington, DC of the croup that year, meant a major loss in experienced leaders among the three divisions, as each had led since about 1800. His successor was Robert Cole. The Choctaw realized that the election of
Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...
as president in 1828 meant that removal pressure would not relent. They continued to adopt certain assimilation practices and leaders agreed they could not afford military resistance. In March 1830 the three division chiefs resigned and the National Council elected
Greenwood LeFlore Greenwood LeFlore or Greenwood Le Fleur (June 3, 1800 – August 31, 1865) served as the elected Principal Chief of the Choctaw in 1830 before removal. Before that, the nation was governed by three district chiefs and a council of chiefs. A wea ...
, formerly chief of the western district, as the single Principal Chief of the Choctaw, rather than having three, to lead negotiations with the government. An influential, wealthy Choctaw, he was bilingual, educated in American ways, and of partial European ancestry. He believed that removal was inevitable but worked to gain the best land and secure the rights of Choctaw. First he drafted a treaty for removal, to gain the best conditions, and sent it to Washington. Washington officials received this coolly and insisted on another negotiation. LeFlore led other chiefs in signing the
Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek The Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek was a treaty which was signed on September 27, 1830, and proclaimed on February 24, 1831, between the Choctaw American Indian tribe and the United States Government. This treaty was the first removal treaty wh ...
, by which they ceded the remainder of their land in Mississippi and Alabama. By that time, LeFlore worked to obtain the best conditions for his people. He gained them the largest reservation in fertile land in Indian Territory, and a provision to allow Choctaw to stay in Mississippi as US citizens on reserved lands. (The US government failed to honor the land provision.) In 1831 most of the Choctaw began a staged, three-year removal to
Indian Territory The Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the United States Government for the relocation of Native Americans who held aboriginal title to their land as a sovereign ...
(later combined with Oklahoma Territory as a state.)


See also

* Choctaw *
Pushmataha Pushmataha (c. 1764 – December 24, 1824; also spelled Pooshawattaha, Pooshamallaha, or Poosha Matthaw), the "Indian General", was one of the three regional chiefs of the major divisions of the Choctaw in the 19th century. Many historians cons ...
* Mosholatubbee *
Greenwood LeFlore Greenwood LeFlore or Greenwood Le Fleur (June 3, 1800 – August 31, 1865) served as the elected Principal Chief of the Choctaw in 1830 before removal. Before that, the nation was governed by three district chiefs and a council of chiefs. A wea ...
* George W. Harkins *
Peter Pitchlynn Peter Perkins Pitchlynn ( cho, Hatchootucknee, italic=no, ) (January 30, 1806 – January 17, 1881) was a Choctaw chief of Choctaw and Anglo-American ancestry. He was principal chief of the Choctaw Republic from 1864-1866 and surrendered to the ...
* Phillip Martin * List of Choctaw chiefs *
List of Choctaw Treaties List of Choctaw Treaties is a comprehensive chronological list of historic agreements that directly or indirectly affected the Choctaw people, a Native American tribe, with other nations. Choctaw land was systematically obtained through treat ...


Notes


External links


Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma: 1830-1857 Apukshunnubbee District
* http://www.lostrabbit.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Apuckshunubbee 1740s births 1824 deaths People from Madison County, Mississippi Native American leaders Choctaw people Native Americans in the American Revolution Native Americans in the War of 1812 18th-century Native Americans 19th-century Native Americans