The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 7, July 1903 - April, 1904 Page: 159
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The Cherokee Indians in Texas.
ter, to request of the government the favor of putting them in pos-
session of said tract of land immediately, and to ask that the com-
missioner be instructed to grant a title for the whole tract to be
held in community.
"In addition, it is absolutely necessary that the Americans be
removed, who settled on said tract after the subscribers bad a claim
to it by virtue of the promise made them by the government, or, at
least, that the land which they have selected be not taken from that
belonging to this tribe.
"The subscribers further state that it is now four years since
they sent to the government the census of the population of their
tribe, and that since that time there has been an increase in the
number of individuals of the tribe amounting to 190 or 200 per-
sons,. This increase is due to our boys growing into men and to
the immigration of our fathers and brothers, who have come to
live with us. We desire that these persons be entitled to the same
privileges as those who came earlier. The tribe at present numbers
about 150 families, comprising about 200 men, the total number
of persons being about 800. The property of this tribe consists of
about 3000 head of cattle, about the same number of hogs, and
of 500 or 600 horses. The subscribers inform you that said tribe
lives chiefly by tilling the soil and by raising cattle. They believe
that the land designated will be sufficient for their farms and
ranches. . .
"Colonel Boles, Piggion,
John Boles, Andrew M. Vann.
Richard Jestice. Eli Harlin."'
The political chief in his communication of July 20, already
referred to, takes up the paragraphs of this petition one by one
and comments upon them as follows: "There can be no doubt as
to the advantages that will result to this department from the
settlement of these Indians, who are almost civilized; provided
always, that they can be induced to acquire our language and adopt
our customs and laws, so that as far as possible they may be gov-
erned by them. In this way, and by settling Mexicans among
'them, the naturalization of these immigrants, though slowly, will
1Appendix to Empresario Contracts, III 282-284. General Land Office.
Translation.159
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 7, July 1903 - April, 1904, periodical, 1904; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101030/m1/163/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.