The story of Chitto Harjo and his connection to McCurtain County is one of great complexity and depth. To fully understand this man, his beliefs, and their relevance to our modern world, one must delve into Oklahoma and Muscogee (Creek Native American) history.
Born around 1846, Chitto Harjo entered a world where the Muscogee Creeks clung to their traditional roles despite the upheaval caused by forced relocation from Alabama. Harjo’s father, Aharlock Harjo, was a respected warrior, and Chitto was born near Arbeka in the Creek Nation.
Men of Arbeka traditionally served as guarding warriors of the Muscogee Creek people. Chitto’s lineage was also of the "House of Kings" in the Muscogee Creek Nation, a royal bloodline of sorts. It was into this role that Chitto was born and raised.
Details of Chitto’s early life are sparse, but like many young men of his time, he was swept up into the American Civil War. He was a follower of Opothleyahola, believing that the Muscogee Creek Nation should ally with the United States federal government.
However, internal conflict arose within the tribe, with factions supporting the Confederate States of America. This resulted in significant loss and suffering. These early experiences shaped Chitto’s thoughts and beliefs, setting the stage for his future resistance.
Chitto Harjo married Milley around 1880. The couple had one son, Thomas Wilson Harjo, who passed away in 1934. There is also mention of a daughter, Saline Jacobs.
By 1890, the landscape of Indian Territory had changed dramatically. Whites outnumbered Native Americans in some tribal nations, and there was a visible push for Indian Territory to be admitted into United States statehood, effectively ending all tribal governments. Post-Civil War negotiations saw the U.S. treating the Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole, and Cherokee alliances with the Confederacy as treason, undermining prior treaties.
Over three and a half decades, federal legislation like the Atoka Agreement and the Curtis Act eroded tribal sovereignty. The Dawes Commission, formed in 1887, aimed to allot individual lands to Native Americans, paving the way for the abolishment of tribal governments.
Harjo saw these policies as direct attacks on the Muscogee Creek people. He reasoned that allotment and the dissolution of tribal governments would lead to cultural erosion and marginalization. Harjo became the leader of a large faction opposed to the Dawes Commission.
A passionate speaker and organizer, he held protest camp meetings where attendees participated in ancient Muscogee Creek religious ceremonies. He proposed relocating the tribe to Mexico, but the plan never materialized. Harjo also became a leader in the Four Mothers Movement, which sought to restore traditional beliefs and practices.
Harjo’s leadership culminated in the Crazy Snake Rebellion of 1909, seeking to establish an independent government and uphold the Treaty of 1832. Though ultimately unsuccessful, the rebellion symbolized the Muscogee Creek Nation’s resistance to assimilation.
Harjo’s life met a tragic end in 1909 following a shootout at his home near Henryetta, Oklahoma. The incident, sparked by allegations against Harjo and his family over a stolen beef , led a posse to approach Harjo's cabin. One of Harjo's bodyguards opened fire, killing two posse members. The posse returned fire, wounding Harjo in the leg.
Harjo fled to the Kiamichi Mountains, where he remained for nearly two years, battling infections before passing away on April 10, 1911, at the home of Daniel Bobb. Bobb and Harjo's followers buried him in the Bobb Family Cemetery near Smithville, McCurtain County, Oklahoma.
They built a traditional grave house over his final resting place, depositing his saddle and one of his pistols inside. His followers kept his whereabouts secret for a time, with some believing he had fled to Mexico.
Today, Chitto Harjo is remembered as a symbol of resistance and a champion of Muscogee Creek heritage. His eloquent speeches before the Senate committee and his resistance to the Dawes Commission left an indelible mark on Muscogee Creek history. Harjo’s story serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preserving cultural identity and fighting for indigenous rights.
The enduring spirit of Chitto Harjo and those who stood against assimilation continues to inspire the Muscogee Creek Nation today.
