Peter Pitchlynn, born Hatchootucknee (Snapping Turtle) on January 30, 1806, in present-day Noxubee County, Mississippi, was a prominent Choctaw leader and diplomat. His life and work were instrumental in shaping the Choctaw Nation's history and its interactions with the United States government.
Pitchlynn was born to Sophia Lk lo ha wah Folsom, a mixed-blood Choctaw woman, and John Pitchlynn, a Scots trader. Raised in a matrilineal society, he inherited his status and responsibilities from his mother's clan. Educated both in Choctaw culture and American schools, Pitchlynn attended the Choctaw Academy in Kentucky and later the University of Nashville.
His father, John Pitchlynn, a white man, was born off the shore of the Isle of St. Thomas, near Porto Rico, on board ship. He was the son of a British Naval Officer, by the name of Isaac Pitchlynn.
His mission among the Choctaws was to help make a treaty with them: It was on this trip he took his young son with him.
The father died in Mississippi leaving the son John, among the Choctaws, an orphan.
He married a Choctaw woman by the name of Sopha Folsom, the only daughter of Ebenezer Folsom. This was the beginning of the large and noted family among the Choctaws.
The couple had several children together, including Lycurgus, Peter P. Jr., Leonidas, Rhoda Mary, and Malvina,
After the forced removal of the Choctaw people from their ancestral lands in Mississippi during the 1830s, Pitchlynn settled in the Indian Territory with his family. He established his home near the Mountain Fork River in the area that is now McCurtain County.
Pitchlynn's diplomatic career began in 1845 when he was appointed as the Choctaw Delegate to Washington, D.C. His mission was to advocate for the recognition of the Choctaw Nation by the U.S. Congress and to secure concessions for lands sold under pressure during the Indian Removal Act of 1830. His efforts were pivotal in establishing the Choctaw Nation's presence west of the Mississippi River.
During the Civil War, Pitchlynn faced a difficult decision: his pro-Union sympathies conflicted with the need to protect his family and career. He ultimately sided with the Union and surrendered on behalf of the Choctaw Nation at the end of the war.
In 1864, he was elected principal chief of the Choctaw Republic, a position he held until 1866.
Pitchlynn's tenure as chief was marked by his vigorous opposition to federal land allotment efforts and threats to Choctaw autonomy. He worked tirelessly to protect common ownership of tribal lands and to secure justice for Choctaws defrauded of their lands during removal.
His advocacy extended to promoting education for Choctaw youth and reducing the sale of alcohol in their territory.
After Pitchlynn's first wife died he was in Washington Mrs. Caroline Lombardy. Of that union two children are still living, Miss Sophy Pitchlynn and her brother Lee. The latter has been employed in the United States Treasury for many years.
He was a prominent member of the Masonic order and is remembered for his contributions to the fraternity.
His involvement with Freemasonry was part of his broader engagement with various social and political activities during his lifetime
Pitchlynn passed away on January 17, 1881, in Washington, D.C.,
The funeral services were conducted by General Albert Pike.
A monument was erected over his grave in the Congressional Cemetery by the Choctaw Nation.
