The Treaty (Chief Bowles and Sam Houston)
The Treaty promised a permanent home for the Cherokee in East Texas, and it was a pledge of peace with the Texans. Sam Houston signed for the Texans, and Chief Bowles signed for the Cherokee. When Mirabeau Lamar became president of the Republic of Texas, the Treaty meant for peace became one of blood. The Cherokee fought to keep the lands promised them, but they could not overcome Lamar's army, and many Cherokees lost their lives, including Chief Bowles.
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This statue is located on the south side of Main Street in Nacogdoches just east of the square and features Sam Houston (1793-1863) and Cherokee Chief Bowles (1756-1839) signing the Treaty on February 23, 1836. The Republic of Texas did not honor the treaty and war broke out between the Texans and local tribes. [1]
Chief Bowles, the principal chief of the Cherokees in Texas, was born in North Carolina around 1756. Between 1810 and 1819, Chief Bowles and his people moved west until they settled just north of Nacogdoches. In Texas, Bowles became the primary "civil" chief or "peace chief" of a council that united several Cherokee villages. In 1822, Bowles began negotiations with the Mexican government for a land grant or land title for the Cherokees in East Texas. He cooperated with the Mexican government in putting down the Fredonian Rebellion, but still did not receive a land grant. He made another attempt in 1833 to secure from the Mexican government land on the Angelina, Neches, and Trinity rivers, but negotiations were interrupted by political unrest in Texas. Finally, in 1833 Chief Bowles and Sam Houston negotiated a treaty guaranteeing the tribe possession of lands occupied in East Texas. However, after the Texas Revolution, the Republic of Texas invalidated the treaty. Chief Bowles then allied with people wanting a Mexican re-invasion of Texas. Because of this brief alignment, President Mirabeau Lamar ordered Chief Bowles and his people to leave Texas. Unwilling to leave, Bowles mobilized his warriors to resist expulsion. On July 16, 1839, Chief Bowles was killed in the Battle of the Neches. [1] Friends of Historic Nacogdoches, Inc. sponsored this bronze statue, and Michael Boyett (1943-2015) sculpted it, and the dedication was June 7, 2003. [2] |
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