Joseph Garland Sr (abt. 1836 - 1905)

Born about 1836 in Indian Territory, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Malissa (Harrison) Garland — married about 1859 in Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, United States

Descendants

Died 3 Oct 1905 at about age 69 in Indian Territory, United States

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Biography

Joseph was Choctaw.

Joseph served as Chief Justice of the Choctaw Nation courts.

Joseph was born in 1836 very soon after the family arrived in Indian Territory after the Choctaw Trail of Tears. He and his contemporaneous family are original Dawes Commission enrolled members of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.

Dawes Census Card

Tribe:	Choctaw
Card No:	2439
Roll No:	7061
Approved:	Citizen by Blood
Approved Year:	1902
Relationship to Head:	Self
Source:	OHS[1]

Career and Tribal Service
Joseph Garland was involved with the workings of tribal life at many levels.

According to a biographical sketch in 1891, Joseph's education was thus "placed in a neighborhood school until 1848, after which he went to Norwalk Academy, where he remained until 1852." and his career highlights "The first office held by Joseph Garland was that of sheriff, to which he was elected in 1856," After the Civil War, "In 1866 he became a county judge... In 1872 he represented his county in the lower house... In 1876 he was elected supreme judge of the Choctaw Nation, which position he still holds, and has been held by him longer than any other man."^[2]

Joseph was named U.S. Postmaster for the newly established Garland community in 1892.^[3]

Family
Joseph married Malissa Harrison in 1859 and they had eight children^[2] over the course of the marriage. Family stories only record four living children, and it is assumed the four deceased children died prior to 1885, and their names are lost.^[4][5]

1. Lorena/Levinia (Donald) (1861-1910)^[2][5]
2. William Greenwood (1865-1915)^[2][4]
3. Joseph Jr (1870-1938)^[2][4]
4. Robert Frank (1881-1950)^[2][4][5]

Joseph died 3 Oct 1905 having witnessed the triumph of the Choctaw in their new home, and the pending birth of the new state bearing the name of his people "Oklahoma" (Okla = Nation / Humma = Honorable). A name he certainly lived up to in his own service to the people.

Sources

1. ↑ Oklahoma Historical Society Search the Dawes Final Rolls Choctaw by Blood, Card 2439 https://www.okhistory.org/research/dawesresults.php?cardnum=2439&tribe=Choctaw&type=by%20Blood
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5} O'Beirne, H. F. Leaders and Leading Men of the Indian Territory: with Interesting Biographical Sketches. American Publishers Assn, 1891. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Leaders_and_Leading_Men_of_the_Indian_Te/-F5BAQAAMAAJ pg 164
3. ↑ Ancestry.com. U.S., Appointments of U. S. Postmasters, 1832-1971 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. This collection was indexed by Ancestry World Archives Project contributors. Original data: Record of Appointment of Postmasters, 1832-1971. NARA Microfilm Publication, M841, 145 rolls. Records of the Post Office Department, Record Group Number 28. Washington, D.C.: National Archives.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPQH-HX7K : 1 November 2019), Joseph Garland, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, United States; citing Census, NARA microfilm publication M595. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1967.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-65YS-W6Y?cc=1325221&wc=9B76-2NT%3A1030550801%2C1031633101%2C1032063901 : 5 August 2014), Indian Territory > Choctaw Nation > ED 75 Township 9 N. > image 76 of 83; citing NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

See Also:

• Find A Grave: Memorial #7908063

• Garland Of Long Ago Was The Big City