David McKellop Hodge
Encyclopedia
David McKellop Hodge was born in Choska, Indian Territory
(near present day Coweta
). He was the son of a white man and a Creek woman. He became involved with Creek Nation politics, was a translator
of Creek and English, was licensed to practice law in the Creek Nation and was an orator and leader in the Creek Nation Council House at Muskogee
.
for Creek Rights. He also represented the Creek Nation sions in Washington, D.C.
, before Congressional committees and the Courts. In 1905, he was appointed a delegate to represent Broken Arrow
at the Sequoyah Convention in Muskogee. He was a member of the convention's Committee of Three, which assisted the chairman in appointing subcommittees. The other members of the committee included Charles N. Haskell
and Robert L. Owen
. Hodge is credited with translating parts of the Bible into the Creek language. He collaborated with Robert McGill Loughridge
to complete and publish the "English and Muskogee Dictionary," in 1890. He helped establish the Loughridge Memorial Presbyterian Church, now known as White Church, and aided the development of a subscription school that operated out of the church building from 1870-1900.
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
(near present day Coweta
Coweta, Oklahoma
Coweta is a city in Wagoner County, Oklahoma, United States and is a suburb of Tulsa. As of 2010, the population was 9,943.-History:Before statehood, when the Five Tribes or Five Civilized Tribes were moved to Oklahoma from the Eastern United States, the area that is now Coweta became part of the...
). He was the son of a white man and a Creek woman. He became involved with Creek Nation politics, was a translator
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
of Creek and English, was licensed to practice law in the Creek Nation and was an orator and leader in the Creek Nation Council House at Muskogee
Muskogee, Oklahoma
Muskogee is a city in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the county seat of Muskogee County, and home to Bacone College. The population was 38,310 at the 2000 census, making it the eleventh-largest city in Oklahoma....
.
Career
In 1897, Creek Principle Chief Isparhecker appointed Hodge to serve on a committee to negotiate with the Dawes CommissionDawes Commission
The American Dawes Commission, named for its first chairman Henry L. Dawes, was authorized under a rider to an Indian Office appropriation bill, March 3, 1893...
for Creek Rights. He also represented the Creek Nation sions in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, before Congressional committees and the Courts. In 1905, he was appointed a delegate to represent Broken Arrow
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Broken Arrow is a city located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma, primarily in Tulsa County but also with a small section of the city in western Wagoner County. It is the largest suburb of Tulsa. According to the 2010 US Census, Broken Arrow has a population of 98,850 residents...
at the Sequoyah Convention in Muskogee. He was a member of the convention's Committee of Three, which assisted the chairman in appointing subcommittees. The other members of the committee included Charles N. Haskell
Charles N. Haskell
Charles Nathaniel Haskell was an American lawyer, oilman, and statesman who served as the first Governor of Oklahoma. Haskell played a crucial role in drafting the Oklahoma Constitution as well as Oklahoma's statehood and admission into the United States as the 46th state in 1907...
and Robert L. Owen
Robert L. Owen
Robert Latham Owen, Jr. was one of the first two U.S. senators from Oklahoma. He served in the Senate between 1907 and 1925...
. Hodge is credited with translating parts of the Bible into the Creek language. He collaborated with Robert McGill Loughridge
Robert McGill Loughridge
Robert McGill Loughridge was an American Presbyterian missionary who served among the Creek Indians in Indian Territory. He attended Miami University, Ohio, and graduated in 1837; Loughridge was ordained as a Presbyterian minister in October 1842. In 1843 Loughridge entered Indian Territory and...
to complete and publish the "English and Muskogee Dictionary," in 1890. He helped establish the Loughridge Memorial Presbyterian Church, now known as White Church, and aided the development of a subscription school that operated out of the church building from 1870-1900.