Jones Academy Indian Baseball & the Choctaw Code Talkers

[smokelessjoe]

Seems I have been on a role here lately with some really obscure but amazing stuff... Picked up this Large Cabinet photo of the Jones Academy Ball Team. Aside from being a wonderful photo, I am fairly certain at-least one if not more of the Choctaw Indian Code Talkers are pictured. This came with several items that belonged to Walter Veach of whom was one of the original 15 Code Talkers. Also, see the letter below written to Walter Veach from Victor Locke, Jr., who was Choctaw Chief 1910-1918, appointed by President Howard Taft.

Here is a little info on Walter Veach aside from CodeTalker:

Walter Veach was given the charge to put together
an all-Indian company in the 36th division during
World War I. Prior to the war, Veach served in the Na-
tional Guard on the border between the United States
and Mexico. His company had a major hand in stop-
ping the Pancho Villa invasion of Texas.

[ramram]

Great stuff Shawn!

[smokelessjoe]

Thanks Rob, I always enjoy seeing your pickups.

Here are a few more that came with the collection - I cannot tell if one of these guys is Walter Veach or if any are pictured in the baseball photo? Interesting note that there was a Jones Institute in Paris, Texas that the Choctaw Chief Victor Locke attended. Could that photo be a young Victor Locke?

Also, the photo of "Chief Bacon Rind" does bare a striking resemblance to the Chief, but the ears are way off??? Either misidentified or the hat band is doing something crazy to his ears.

[Leon]

Great stuff Shawn. I thought Bender when I saw the one cabinet photo too..

[slidekellyslide]

Very nice! Great stuff, Shawn.

[ksfarmboy]

Very cool items!

[smokelessjoe]

Thank you every one for your response.

Ok, here are a few letters that I personally think are amazing...

I have 30 or more letters of which Walter Veach sent to prominent politicians etc asking for an endorsement for Chief of the Choctaws.

After reading several of the responses it is obvious to me the racist / political biased Walter was up against... Yet the response from Major General H. B. Gilstrap is Heart Breaking yet enlightening.... I will let the letters speak for themselves.

1. Letter 1 - What I think is the generic letter Walter sent to everyone asking for endorsment.

2. Letters 2-4 - is the response from General H.B. Gilstrap

3. Letter 5 - Is the handwritten original first page letter in response to Major Gilstraps endorsement.

4. Letter 6 - Is the transcribed letter to Major Gilstrap from Walter Veach in response to Gilstraps endorsement for Chief...

[slidekellyslide]

Just picked up a real photo postcard of the 1909 Oklahoma Indians baseball team and there is a "Veach" listed as one of the players on the reverse. Betting it is Walter Veach.

[smokelessjoe]

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

Just picked up a real photo postcard of the 1909 Oklahoma Indians baseball team and there is a "Veach" listed as one of the players on the reverse. Betting it is Walter Veach.

Wow! Dan, that is crazy! What are the odds??? Thank you for posting.

I am starting to question whether or not Walter is in the original photo? I do know for sure that his brother Stanley Veach attended Jones Academy and that Walter went to visit him there. Still a lot of research to do as the collection is quite large. Walter also had another brother Columbus E Veach that I have done very little research on at this time.

I am hoping this image I found online shows up nice here on net54. It is one of a couple that I am able to definitively say its Walter Veach... But the names should be from left to right - Walter is sitting far left & Choctaw Chief & Governor Victor Locke is seated far right as you look at the screen.

Here is the caption:


Governor Locke and state militia officers, 1910? - 1918? Date of Photograph 1910? - 1918?

Notes Verso caption: Gov. Locke & Group of State Militia Officers

[Standing - right to left]: William J. McClure, 1st Lieut., Ok.N.G. Durant, Oklahoma; McCalib of Durant, Oklahoma; Harry Gilstrap, Captain, 1st Infty, Ok.N.G. Reg. Adjutant, Chandler, Okla

[Sitting - right to left]: Walter Veach, Captain, 1st Infty, Ok.N.G. Comdg, Co. H. Durant, Okla; Lewis L. Paulin, 2nd Lieut, 1st Infty, Ok.N.G. Durant, Oklahoma; Edson R. Waite, Captain, 1st Infty, Ok.N.G. Comdg, Co. E. Shawnee, Oklahoma; Victor M. Locke, Captain 1st Infty, Ok.N.G. Comdg, Co. L. Antlers, Oklahoma [and Governor of Choctaw Nation]

[slidekellyslide]

Great research...I've got another postcard of this team coming in the mail to me.