CHICKASAW PUBLISHER NATIONAL DELEGATE ESTELLE CHISHOLM WARD DIED
Born on June 18, 1875, in the Chickasaw Nation of Indian Territory, her grandfather was Jesse Chisholm of Chisholm Trail fame. Estelle attended Kidd College and Potter College. Becoming a member of the National Bureau of Women Speakers, Estelle also wrote newspapers articles and published Super Civilized Indian, an Oklahoma City magazine. Active in Republican politics, she was elected Johnston County Treasurer. In 1928, Estelle attended a convention of Choctaw and Chickasaw tribal members to discuss the tribes’ concerns over funds due them from the government for their coal and asphalt lands. The committee included two women–Choctaw Czarina Conlan and Ward. Conlan and Ward were sent to Washington, DC, to argue for a bill supporting the sale of the coal and asphalt holdings and for maintaining for maintaining restrictions on selling Indian lands. This was the first time either tribe had sent women to Washington as tribal representatives. Ward died in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Source: Thoburn, Joseph B.; Wright, Muriel H., Oklahoma, a history of the state and its people, Vol. 4 (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1929. Retrieved 7/22/2019, https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth20196/m1/446/
Photo: The Daily Oklahoman, 1/9/1931. Fair Use: This is being used for non-commercial/educational purposes only. The subject is deceased. No other public domain substitute is available. There is no diminution in value.