The Carnegie Herald, Wed., July 3, 1935
First Kiowa Indian Minister Dies 3rd
Kicking Bird, the first Kiowa Indian to be ordained as minister in the Methodist church, died at his home near here late Wednesday night. He had been in failing health for some time and had been blind for a number of years.
Kicking Bird was born in the Indian country in the fall of 1863, being 72 years of age at the time of his death. As a young man he served as a scout with the United States Army. On February 26, 1892 he enlisted in the regular army serving three years, and being discharged as sergeant from Troop L, 7th Cavalry May 8, 1895.
Soon after his discharge he became a Christian and a short time later was ordained in the Methodist church. He was the organizer and builder of the Mount Scott church, known as the first Indian Methodist church. Later he helped organize and build the church at Ware Chapel and the Cedar Creek Indian church at Carnegie. He was superannuated in 1927 after serving as a missionary among his people nearly 30 years.
Surviving are his wife, his daughter, Mrs. Walter A. Jones, and two brothers, Mausape and Oyebi.
Funeral services were held at his first church Friday afternoon by Rev. W.U. Witt, Muskogee, presiding elder. A detachment of soldiers form Fort Sill accorded the old veteran military honors, the customary salute being fired and taps blown at the grave.
Obit provided by Lillian.
-----
Kicking Bird was a son of Gusaulde (Having Horns/The Horned One), also known as Bao (Cat). His father is reported to have been a cousin of the chief Kicking Bird who died in 1875.
Paul Kicking Bird received the name of the former chief Theneaungopje (Eagle Striking with Talons, popularly known as Kicking Bird) and was enrolled under a shortened form of the name as Aun-goop (Aungop) (Kiowa Family Record 1901: Fam 331). He served in Troop L and was an early member of the Kiowa Ohomo Society (Meadows 201:381).
Kicking Bird converted to Christianity under the Reverend J.J. Methvin and became an early member of the Mount Scott Kiowa Methodist Church, where he assisted and interpreted for Methvin and later for Reverends M.A. Clark and B.F. Gassaway (Corwin 1958:195-202).
In the winter of 1894 a new church was constructed (Corwin ca. 1962:190), "located across Medicine Creek. north of Mount Scott ... built under the direction of Rev. A.E. Butterfield, who was assistant to Rev. J.J. Methvin, Methodist Missionary.
Rev. Kicking Bird, a Kiowa, was made a local preacher for the new church." This would be Mount Scott Kiowa United Methodist Church, east of Meers, Oklahoma. Kicking Bird appears in a photo with other early Comanche and Kiowa Christians (Corwin 1959:165). He married a daughter of Taybodle and had several children.
Kiowas today bearing the surname Kicking Birds are descended from him: all of the children of Kicking Bird died young with no surviving offspring and all of his brother's (Eonety, Oyebi and Mausape) were enrolled under their own Kiowa names, which became the surnames of their respected families. Paul Kicking Bird is buried in Mount Scott Indian Cemetery near Meers, Oklahoma.
Through Indian Sign Language: The Fort Sill Ledgers of Hugh Lenox Scott and Iseeo 1889-1897 Edited by William C. Meadows.
∼Background information:
Chief Kicking Bird: (1835-May 4, 1875), Tene-angop'te, "The Kicking Bird", Eagle who strikes with his talons," and "Striking Eagle"
Father, Andrew Stumbling Bear; brother, Pai-Talyi "Sun-of-the Sun", "Sun Boy"; brother, Ze'bite "Big Arrow", brother, Cocuit. Daughter, Topen, 5 other children by 1st wife who died in 1872, son Little John by his 2nd wife. Chief Kicking Bird remarried in 1874, and his son Little John was 10 months old when Kicking Bird died.
At the time of Kicking Bird's birth in 1835, the Kiowas inhabited the Texas Panhandle western Oklahoma, and Southwestern Kansas.
Chief Kicking Bird signed the Little Arkansas Treaty of 1865 and the Medicine Lodge Treaty of 1867 and was instrumental in moving his people to the reservation. The goverment never kept their end of the bargin. As a result, the Kiowa people started raiding. The land the government promised them shrunk in size. The government lied to them.
The promises the goverment promised them were never fufilled. The Kiowa people began to starve and they were dyeing from all manner of dieases from the whites. They were forced to assimilate into the white man's culture and accept the Christian Doctrine of the White man. The Kiowa people rebelled and they were severely punished for rebellion. They were looking for religious Freedom and they found it through the Ghost Dance Religion. They were hoping this religion would lead them from their suffering. They were massacred for accepting this new religion. Some committed sucide. They were captured and sent to Fort Marion, Flordia for rebellion. They were turned in by Chief Kicking Bird. He selected the Kiowa prisioners.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Chief Kicking Bird turns his people in to the army for rebellion
As Chief and the principal intermediary between federal authorities and his tribe, Kicking Bird was put in charge of the Kiowa captured in the 1874-1875 uprising. When it was decided that some of the hostile Kiowa would be sent to Florida for incarcation at Fort Marion, Kicking Bird was required to choose which of his tribesmen would go.
This greatly disturbed Kicking Bird, who considered it no easy chore but utimately in the best interest for peace. He reluclentley chose Guipago Mamanti (Walking-above), Tsen-tainte (White Horse), and 23 other Kiowas, while Santanta was sent back to Huntsville. Comanches, Cheyennes, Apropahoes, and Mexican captives were also sent to Fort Marion, for a total about 70 prisioners. His acquaintance to the demands of the army was interpreted as treason by many members of his tribe, but others grudgingly accepted Kicking Bird's action as a peace measure.
---------------------------------------------------------------As Kicking Bird matured he recognized futility of the raiding that dominated plains Indian socities during the 19th century and adopted a concillary leadership approach that focused on cultivating friendly relationships with whites. He rose to prominence in his late 20's and was acknowledged as a promising young Kiowa in 1859 by James Brice, who wrote "Kicking Bird" was said to be a good Indian by white men that know him and would some day become influential with his people and the government. Kicking Bird was noticeably absent from Kiowa Peace Treaties of the late 1850's and early 1860's. Most likely because he had yet to earn his status as a Kiowa Chief. It was not until 1865, around the age of 30, that Kicking Bird would become a Kiowan subchief.
A series of clashes between the plain tribes and white settlers, such as the Sandcreek Massacere, induced peace talks in 1865. It is during this period of diplomacy between whites and Indians that Kicking Bird began to make his mark in a peaceful leadership position. He first emerged into public conciousness when he signed the Little Arkansas Treaty in 1865. He was especially active in returning white capatives as evidence of good intentions with the terms of the Little Arkansas Treaty were being discussed.
The Little Arkansas Treaty moved the major plains Indian Tribes to reservations which were never entirely established, and which later reduced in size by the Treaty of Medicine Lodge, also, promised annuities were never distributed. These two issues would have long lasting implications that Kicking Bird and other Kiowas Chiefs would wrestle within the following years.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Kicking Bird 1863-1935
Kiowa Preacher
The Kiowas preacher known as Kicking Bird was born in 1863 in western Oklahoma, son of Horn-on, a chieftain and priest. He was trained to succeed his father in those roles. He served as a scout for the U.S. army, 1892-1895. Mustering out with the rank of Sergeant. Returing to his tribe, he resumed Kiowa ways of living. He soon became the leader of a Kiowan faction that ed the traditional pattern of life, one that relationships with whites could not help but erode.
Kicking Bird became a local preacher and Interpreter. He led the founding of several churches on central and western Oklahoma before his death on 1935.
First Kiowa Indian Minister Dies 3rd
Kicking Bird, the first Kiowa Indian to be ordained as minister in the Methodist church, died at his home near here late Wednesday night. He had been in failing health for some time and had been blind for a number of years.
Kicking Bird was born in the Indian country in the fall of 1863, being 72 years of age at the time of his death. As a young man he served as a scout with the United States Army. On February 26, 1892 he enlisted in the regular army serving three years, and being discharged as sergeant from Troop L, 7th Cavalry May 8, 1895.
Soon after his discharge he became a Christian and a short time later was ordained in the Methodist church. He was the organizer and builder of the Mount Scott church, known as the first Indian Methodist church. Later he helped organize and build the church at Ware Chapel and the Cedar Creek Indian church at Carnegie. He was superannuated in 1927 after serving as a missionary among his people nearly 30 years.
Surviving are his wife, his daughter, Mrs. Walter A. Jones, and two brothers, Mausape and Oyebi.
Funeral services were held at his first church Friday afternoon by Rev. W.U. Witt, Muskogee, presiding elder. A detachment of soldiers form Fort Sill accorded the old veteran military honors, the customary salute being fired and taps blown at the grave.
Obit provided by Lillian.
-----
Kicking Bird was a son of Gusaulde (Having Horns/The Horned One), also known as Bao (Cat). His father is reported to have been a cousin of the chief Kicking Bird who died in 1875.
Paul Kicking Bird received the name of the former chief Theneaungopje (Eagle Striking with Talons, popularly known as Kicking Bird) and was enrolled under a shortened form of the name as Aun-goop (Aungop) (Kiowa Family Record 1901: Fam 331). He served in Troop L and was an early member of the Kiowa Ohomo Society (Meadows 201:381).
Kicking Bird converted to Christianity under the Reverend J.J. Methvin and became an early member of the Mount Scott Kiowa Methodist Church, where he assisted and interpreted for Methvin and later for Reverends M.A. Clark and B.F. Gassaway (Corwin 1958:195-202).
In the winter of 1894 a new church was constructed (Corwin ca. 1962:190), "located across Medicine Creek. north of Mount Scott ... built under the direction of Rev. A.E. Butterfield, who was assistant to Rev. J.J. Methvin, Methodist Missionary.
Rev. Kicking Bird, a Kiowa, was made a local preacher for the new church." This would be Mount Scott Kiowa United Methodist Church, east of Meers, Oklahoma. Kicking Bird appears in a photo with other early Comanche and Kiowa Christians (Corwin 1959:165). He married a daughter of Taybodle and had several children.
Kiowas today bearing the surname Kicking Birds are descended from him: all of the children of Kicking Bird died young with no surviving offspring and all of his brother's (Eonety, Oyebi and Mausape) were enrolled under their own Kiowa names, which became the surnames of their respected families. Paul Kicking Bird is buried in Mount Scott Indian Cemetery near Meers, Oklahoma.
Through Indian Sign Language: The Fort Sill Ledgers of Hugh Lenox Scott and Iseeo 1889-1897 Edited by William C. Meadows.
∼Background information:
Chief Kicking Bird: (1835-May 4, 1875), Tene-angop'te, "The Kicking Bird", Eagle who strikes with his talons," and "Striking Eagle"
Father, Andrew Stumbling Bear; brother, Pai-Talyi "Sun-of-the Sun", "Sun Boy"; brother, Ze'bite "Big Arrow", brother, Cocuit. Daughter, Topen, 5 other children by 1st wife who died in 1872, son Little John by his 2nd wife. Chief Kicking Bird remarried in 1874, and his son Little John was 10 months old when Kicking Bird died.
At the time of Kicking Bird's birth in 1835, the Kiowas inhabited the Texas Panhandle western Oklahoma, and Southwestern Kansas.
Chief Kicking Bird signed the Little Arkansas Treaty of 1865 and the Medicine Lodge Treaty of 1867 and was instrumental in moving his people to the reservation. The goverment never kept their end of the bargin. As a result, the Kiowa people started raiding. The land the government promised them shrunk in size. The government lied to them.
The promises the goverment promised them were never fufilled. The Kiowa people began to starve and they were dyeing from all manner of dieases from the whites. They were forced to assimilate into the white man's culture and accept the Christian Doctrine of the White man. The Kiowa people rebelled and they were severely punished for rebellion. They were looking for religious Freedom and they found it through the Ghost Dance Religion. They were hoping this religion would lead them from their suffering. They were massacred for accepting this new religion. Some committed sucide. They were captured and sent to Fort Marion, Flordia for rebellion. They were turned in by Chief Kicking Bird. He selected the Kiowa prisioners.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Chief Kicking Bird turns his people in to the army for rebellion
As Chief and the principal intermediary between federal authorities and his tribe, Kicking Bird was put in charge of the Kiowa captured in the 1874-1875 uprising. When it was decided that some of the hostile Kiowa would be sent to Florida for incarcation at Fort Marion, Kicking Bird was required to choose which of his tribesmen would go.
This greatly disturbed Kicking Bird, who considered it no easy chore but utimately in the best interest for peace. He reluclentley chose Guipago Mamanti (Walking-above), Tsen-tainte (White Horse), and 23 other Kiowas, while Santanta was sent back to Huntsville. Comanches, Cheyennes, Apropahoes, and Mexican captives were also sent to Fort Marion, for a total about 70 prisioners. His acquaintance to the demands of the army was interpreted as treason by many members of his tribe, but others grudgingly accepted Kicking Bird's action as a peace measure.
---------------------------------------------------------------As Kicking Bird matured he recognized futility of the raiding that dominated plains Indian socities during the 19th century and adopted a concillary leadership approach that focused on cultivating friendly relationships with whites. He rose to prominence in his late 20's and was acknowledged as a promising young Kiowa in 1859 by James Brice, who wrote "Kicking Bird" was said to be a good Indian by white men that know him and would some day become influential with his people and the government. Kicking Bird was noticeably absent from Kiowa Peace Treaties of the late 1850's and early 1860's. Most likely because he had yet to earn his status as a Kiowa Chief. It was not until 1865, around the age of 30, that Kicking Bird would become a Kiowan subchief.
A series of clashes between the plain tribes and white settlers, such as the Sandcreek Massacere, induced peace talks in 1865. It is during this period of diplomacy between whites and Indians that Kicking Bird began to make his mark in a peaceful leadership position. He first emerged into public conciousness when he signed the Little Arkansas Treaty in 1865. He was especially active in returning white capatives as evidence of good intentions with the terms of the Little Arkansas Treaty were being discussed.
The Little Arkansas Treaty moved the major plains Indian Tribes to reservations which were never entirely established, and which later reduced in size by the Treaty of Medicine Lodge, also, promised annuities were never distributed. These two issues would have long lasting implications that Kicking Bird and other Kiowas Chiefs would wrestle within the following years.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Kicking Bird 1863-1935
Kiowa Preacher
The Kiowas preacher known as Kicking Bird was born in 1863 in western Oklahoma, son of Horn-on, a chieftain and priest. He was trained to succeed his father in those roles. He served as a scout for the U.S. army, 1892-1895. Mustering out with the rank of Sergeant. Returing to his tribe, he resumed Kiowa ways of living. He soon became the leader of a Kiowan faction that ed the traditional pattern of life, one that relationships with whites could not help but erode.
Kicking Bird became a local preacher and Interpreter. He led the founding of several churches on central and western Oklahoma before his death on 1935.
The Carnegie Herald, Wed., July 3, 1935
First Kiowa Indian Minister Dies 3rd
Kicking Bird, the first Kiowa Indian to be ordained as minister in the Methodist church, died at his home near here late Wednesday night. He had been in failing health for some time and had been blind for a number of years.
Kicking Bird was born in the Indian country in the fall of 1863, being 72 years of age at the time of his death. As a young man he served as a scout with the United States Army. On February 26, 1892 he enlisted in the regular army serving three years, and being discharged as sergeant from Troop L, 7th Cavalry May 8, 1895.
Soon after his discharge he became a Christian and a short time later was ordained in the Methodist church. He was the organizer and builder of the Mount Scott church, known as the first Indian Methodist church. Later he helped organize and build the church at Ware Chapel and the Cedar Creek Indian church at Carnegie. He was superannuated in 1927 after serving as a missionary among his people nearly 30 years.
Surviving are his wife, his daughter, Mrs. Walter A. Jones, and two brothers, Mausape and Oyebi.
Funeral services were held at his first church Friday afternoon by Rev. W.U. Witt, Muskogee, presiding elder. A detachment of soldiers form Fort Sill accorded the old veteran military honors, the customary salute being fired and taps blown at the grave.
Obit provided by Lillian.
-----
Kicking Bird was a son of Gusaulde (Having Horns/The Horned One), also known as Bao (Cat). His father is reported to have been a cousin of the chief Kicking Bird who died in 1875.
Paul Kicking Bird received the name of the former chief Theneaungopje (Eagle Striking with Talons, popularly known as Kicking Bird) and was enrolled under a shortened form of the name as Aun-goop (Aungop) (Kiowa Family Record 1901: Fam 331). He served in Troop L and was an early member of the Kiowa Ohomo Society (Meadows 201:381).
Kicking Bird converted to Christianity under the Reverend J.J. Methvin and became an early member of the Mount Scott Kiowa Methodist Church, where he assisted and interpreted for Methvin and later for Reverends M.A. Clark and B.F. Gassaway (Corwin 1958:195-202).
In the winter of 1894 a new church was constructed (Corwin ca. 1962:190), "located across Medicine Creek. north of Mount Scott ... built under the direction of Rev. A.E. Butterfield, who was assistant to Rev. J.J. Methvin, Methodist Missionary.
Rev. Kicking Bird, a Kiowa, was made a local preacher for the new church." This would be Mount Scott Kiowa United Methodist Church, east of Meers, Oklahoma. Kicking Bird appears in a photo with other early Comanche and Kiowa Christians (Corwin 1959:165). He married a daughter of Taybodle and had several children.
Kiowas today bearing the surname Kicking Birds are descended from him: all of the children of Kicking Bird died young with no surviving offspring and all of his brother's (Eonety, Oyebi and Mausape) were enrolled under their own Kiowa names, which became the surnames of their respected families. Paul Kicking Bird is buried in Mount Scott Indian Cemetery near Meers, Oklahoma.
Through Indian Sign Language: The Fort Sill Ledgers of Hugh Lenox Scott and Iseeo 1889-1897 Edited by William C. Meadows.
∼Background information:
Chief Kicking Bird: (1835-May 4, 1875), Tene-angop'te, "The Kicking Bird", Eagle who strikes with his talons," and "Striking Eagle"
Father, Andrew Stumbling Bear; brother, Pai-Talyi "Sun-of-the Sun", "Sun Boy"; brother, Ze'bite "Big Arrow", brother, Cocuit. Daughter, Topen, 5 other children by 1st wife who died in 1872, son Little John by his 2nd wife. Chief Kicking Bird remarried in 1874, and his son Little John was 10 months old when Kicking Bird died.
At the time of Kicking Bird's birth in 1835, the Kiowas inhabited the Texas Panhandle western Oklahoma, and Southwestern Kansas.
Chief Kicking Bird signed the Little Arkansas Treaty of 1865 and the Medicine Lodge Treaty of 1867 and was instrumental in moving his people to the reservation. The goverment never kept their end of the bargin. As a result, the Kiowa people started raiding. The land the government promised them shrunk in size. The government lied to them.
The promises the goverment promised them were never fufilled. The Kiowa people began to starve and they were dyeing from all manner of dieases from the whites. They were forced to assimilate into the white man's culture and accept the Christian Doctrine of the White man. The Kiowa people rebelled and they were severely punished for rebellion. They were looking for religious Freedom and they found it through the Ghost Dance Religion. They were hoping this religion would lead them from their suffering. They were massacred for accepting this new religion. Some committed sucide. They were captured and sent to Fort Marion, Flordia for rebellion. They were turned in by Chief Kicking Bird. He selected the Kiowa prisioners.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Chief Kicking Bird turns his people in to the army for rebellion
As Chief and the principal intermediary between federal authorities and his tribe, Kicking Bird was put in charge of the Kiowa captured in the 1874-1875 uprising. When it was decided that some of the hostile Kiowa would be sent to Florida for incarcation at Fort Marion, Kicking Bird was required to choose which of his tribesmen would go.
This greatly disturbed Kicking Bird, who considered it no easy chore but utimately in the best interest for peace. He reluclentley chose Guipago Mamanti (Walking-above), Tsen-tainte (White Horse), and 23 other Kiowas, while Santanta was sent back to Huntsville. Comanches, Cheyennes, Apropahoes, and Mexican captives were also sent to Fort Marion, for a total about 70 prisioners. His acquaintance to the demands of the army was interpreted as treason by many members of his tribe, but others grudgingly accepted Kicking Bird's action as a peace measure.
---------------------------------------------------------------As Kicking Bird matured he recognized futility of the raiding that dominated plains Indian socities during the 19th century and adopted a concillary leadership approach that focused on cultivating friendly relationships with whites. He rose to prominence in his late 20's and was acknowledged as a promising young Kiowa in 1859 by James Brice, who wrote "Kicking Bird" was said to be a good Indian by white men that know him and would some day become influential with his people and the government. Kicking Bird was noticeably absent from Kiowa Peace Treaties of the late 1850's and early 1860's. Most likely because he had yet to earn his status as a Kiowa Chief. It was not until 1865, around the age of 30, that Kicking Bird would become a Kiowan subchief.
A series of clashes between the plain tribes and white settlers, such as the Sandcreek Massacere, induced peace talks in 1865. It is during this period of diplomacy between whites and Indians that Kicking Bird began to make his mark in a peaceful leadership position. He first emerged into public conciousness when he signed the Little Arkansas Treaty in 1865. He was especially active in returning white capatives as evidence of good intentions with the terms of the Little Arkansas Treaty were being discussed.
The Little Arkansas Treaty moved the major plains Indian Tribes to reservations which were never entirely established, and which later reduced in size by the Treaty of Medicine Lodge, also, promised annuities were never distributed. These two issues would have long lasting implications that Kicking Bird and other Kiowas Chiefs would wrestle within the following years.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Kicking Bird 1863-1935
Kiowa Preacher
The Kiowas preacher known as Kicking Bird was born in 1863 in western Oklahoma, son of Horn-on, a chieftain and priest. He was trained to succeed his father in those roles. He served as a scout for the U.S. army, 1892-1895. Mustering out with the rank of Sergeant. Returing to his tribe, he resumed Kiowa ways of living. He soon became the leader of a Kiowan faction that ed the traditional pattern of life, one that relationships with whites could not help but erode.
Kicking Bird became a local preacher and Interpreter. He led the founding of several churches on central and western Oklahoma before his death on 1935.
First Kiowa Indian Minister Dies 3rd
Kicking Bird, the first Kiowa Indian to be ordained as minister in the Methodist church, died at his home near here late Wednesday night. He had been in failing health for some time and had been blind for a number of years.
Kicking Bird was born in the Indian country in the fall of 1863, being 72 years of age at the time of his death. As a young man he served as a scout with the United States Army. On February 26, 1892 he enlisted in the regular army serving three years, and being discharged as sergeant from Troop L, 7th Cavalry May 8, 1895.
Soon after his discharge he became a Christian and a short time later was ordained in the Methodist church. He was the organizer and builder of the Mount Scott church, known as the first Indian Methodist church. Later he helped organize and build the church at Ware Chapel and the Cedar Creek Indian church at Carnegie. He was superannuated in 1927 after serving as a missionary among his people nearly 30 years.
Surviving are his wife, his daughter, Mrs. Walter A. Jones, and two brothers, Mausape and Oyebi.
Funeral services were held at his first church Friday afternoon by Rev. W.U. Witt, Muskogee, presiding elder. A detachment of soldiers form Fort Sill accorded the old veteran military honors, the customary salute being fired and taps blown at the grave.
Obit provided by Lillian.
-----
Kicking Bird was a son of Gusaulde (Having Horns/The Horned One), also known as Bao (Cat). His father is reported to have been a cousin of the chief Kicking Bird who died in 1875.
Paul Kicking Bird received the name of the former chief Theneaungopje (Eagle Striking with Talons, popularly known as Kicking Bird) and was enrolled under a shortened form of the name as Aun-goop (Aungop) (Kiowa Family Record 1901: Fam 331). He served in Troop L and was an early member of the Kiowa Ohomo Society (Meadows 201:381).
Kicking Bird converted to Christianity under the Reverend J.J. Methvin and became an early member of the Mount Scott Kiowa Methodist Church, where he assisted and interpreted for Methvin and later for Reverends M.A. Clark and B.F. Gassaway (Corwin 1958:195-202).
In the winter of 1894 a new church was constructed (Corwin ca. 1962:190), "located across Medicine Creek. north of Mount Scott ... built under the direction of Rev. A.E. Butterfield, who was assistant to Rev. J.J. Methvin, Methodist Missionary.
Rev. Kicking Bird, a Kiowa, was made a local preacher for the new church." This would be Mount Scott Kiowa United Methodist Church, east of Meers, Oklahoma. Kicking Bird appears in a photo with other early Comanche and Kiowa Christians (Corwin 1959:165). He married a daughter of Taybodle and had several children.
Kiowas today bearing the surname Kicking Birds are descended from him: all of the children of Kicking Bird died young with no surviving offspring and all of his brother's (Eonety, Oyebi and Mausape) were enrolled under their own Kiowa names, which became the surnames of their respected families. Paul Kicking Bird is buried in Mount Scott Indian Cemetery near Meers, Oklahoma.
Through Indian Sign Language: The Fort Sill Ledgers of Hugh Lenox Scott and Iseeo 1889-1897 Edited by William C. Meadows.
∼Background information:
Chief Kicking Bird: (1835-May 4, 1875), Tene-angop'te, "The Kicking Bird", Eagle who strikes with his talons," and "Striking Eagle"
Father, Andrew Stumbling Bear; brother, Pai-Talyi "Sun-of-the Sun", "Sun Boy"; brother, Ze'bite "Big Arrow", brother, Cocuit. Daughter, Topen, 5 other children by 1st wife who died in 1872, son Little John by his 2nd wife. Chief Kicking Bird remarried in 1874, and his son Little John was 10 months old when Kicking Bird died.
At the time of Kicking Bird's birth in 1835, the Kiowas inhabited the Texas Panhandle western Oklahoma, and Southwestern Kansas.
Chief Kicking Bird signed the Little Arkansas Treaty of 1865 and the Medicine Lodge Treaty of 1867 and was instrumental in moving his people to the reservation. The goverment never kept their end of the bargin. As a result, the Kiowa people started raiding. The land the government promised them shrunk in size. The government lied to them.
The promises the goverment promised them were never fufilled. The Kiowa people began to starve and they were dyeing from all manner of dieases from the whites. They were forced to assimilate into the white man's culture and accept the Christian Doctrine of the White man. The Kiowa people rebelled and they were severely punished for rebellion. They were looking for religious Freedom and they found it through the Ghost Dance Religion. They were hoping this religion would lead them from their suffering. They were massacred for accepting this new religion. Some committed sucide. They were captured and sent to Fort Marion, Flordia for rebellion. They were turned in by Chief Kicking Bird. He selected the Kiowa prisioners.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Chief Kicking Bird turns his people in to the army for rebellion
As Chief and the principal intermediary between federal authorities and his tribe, Kicking Bird was put in charge of the Kiowa captured in the 1874-1875 uprising. When it was decided that some of the hostile Kiowa would be sent to Florida for incarcation at Fort Marion, Kicking Bird was required to choose which of his tribesmen would go.
This greatly disturbed Kicking Bird, who considered it no easy chore but utimately in the best interest for peace. He reluclentley chose Guipago Mamanti (Walking-above), Tsen-tainte (White Horse), and 23 other Kiowas, while Santanta was sent back to Huntsville. Comanches, Cheyennes, Apropahoes, and Mexican captives were also sent to Fort Marion, for a total about 70 prisioners. His acquaintance to the demands of the army was interpreted as treason by many members of his tribe, but others grudgingly accepted Kicking Bird's action as a peace measure.
---------------------------------------------------------------As Kicking Bird matured he recognized futility of the raiding that dominated plains Indian socities during the 19th century and adopted a concillary leadership approach that focused on cultivating friendly relationships with whites. He rose to prominence in his late 20's and was acknowledged as a promising young Kiowa in 1859 by James Brice, who wrote "Kicking Bird" was said to be a good Indian by white men that know him and would some day become influential with his people and the government. Kicking Bird was noticeably absent from Kiowa Peace Treaties of the late 1850's and early 1860's. Most likely because he had yet to earn his status as a Kiowa Chief. It was not until 1865, around the age of 30, that Kicking Bird would become a Kiowan subchief.
A series of clashes between the plain tribes and white settlers, such as the Sandcreek Massacere, induced peace talks in 1865. It is during this period of diplomacy between whites and Indians that Kicking Bird began to make his mark in a peaceful leadership position. He first emerged into public conciousness when he signed the Little Arkansas Treaty in 1865. He was especially active in returning white capatives as evidence of good intentions with the terms of the Little Arkansas Treaty were being discussed.
The Little Arkansas Treaty moved the major plains Indian Tribes to reservations which were never entirely established, and which later reduced in size by the Treaty of Medicine Lodge, also, promised annuities were never distributed. These two issues would have long lasting implications that Kicking Bird and other Kiowas Chiefs would wrestle within the following years.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Kicking Bird 1863-1935
Kiowa Preacher
The Kiowas preacher known as Kicking Bird was born in 1863 in western Oklahoma, son of Horn-on, a chieftain and priest. He was trained to succeed his father in those roles. He served as a scout for the U.S. army, 1892-1895. Mustering out with the rank of Sergeant. Returing to his tribe, he resumed Kiowa ways of living. He soon became the leader of a Kiowan faction that ed the traditional pattern of life, one that relationships with whites could not help but erode.
Kicking Bird became a local preacher and Interpreter. He led the founding of several churches on central and western Oklahoma before his death on 1935.
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