Cemetery Information *

Goodeagle Family Cemetery is about 3 miles NW of Peoria, OK, in the middle of section 34, T29N, R24E

Francis
1845 - Feb. 23, 1921 Baxter Springs,KS

Wah-Tah-Noh-Zhe
1864 - Apr. 21, 1939


WEALTHY QUAPAW
INDIAN DIES AT
H0ME IN BAXTER

Francis Goodeagle Was Chief
Councilman for Old Tribe—.
Left Estate Valued at
$400,000 to $500,000.

Baxter Springs, Kan., Feb. 23.—
Francis Quapaw Goodeagle, chief
councilman for the Quapaw Indian
tribe and wealthy land owner in the
Oklahoma mining: district, died at 5
o'clock this morning at his home in
Baxter. The old Indian owned mining
land, farming land and city property
that has an estimated valuation
of $400,000 to $500,000.

He is declared to have been by far
the wealthiest Indian in the district
as well as the recognized leader of
his tribe. According to his son,
royalties from the Goodeagle land in
the mining field already has
amounted to approximately $200,000.

Goodeagle was owner of a farm,
eight miles southeast of Baxter,
which is one of the largest in the
district. He also owned more than
300 acres of farming land under
government restrictions and 200
acres of mining land. Together
with his wife and family he owned
approximately 1,500 acres.

Built Goodeagle Hotel.
He and his sons built the Good-
eagle hall and Goodeagle hotel in
Baxter.

Goodeagle was known to every
Quapaw Indian. He was one of the
few living pioneer Indians who
first lived on the banks of the
Neosho river, near Peoria. Twenty-
five years ago he was, chosen chief
councilman for his tribe and has
acted for his brothers in all of
their dealings with the government.
He made a number of trips to Wash-
ington and conferred with government
officials in an effort to adjust land
claims and to obtain allotments for
members of his tribe.

He was the father of the Goodeagle
family, the most prominent
and wealthy Indians in the district.
His history dates back to the place
of his birth on the Neosho (*) river
near Peoria where he was reared in
a typical Indian settlement. He was
not a "warrior' in his youth, for the
Quapaws were a peaceful tribe and
their troubles with the government
and their "white brothers" were
few.

Purchased Other Land.
He founded the old Goodeagle
farm at Devil Hollow and cultivated
it. As his wealth grew he purchased
land from other Indians and became
the owner of a large estate,

He was not a descendant of an
Indian chief, but when the old chiefs
died he was chosen spokesman and
leader of the tribe. His father came
to this district nearly 100 years ago
with a large tribe of Quapaw Indians
that settled in this section of the
Indian territory.

The Quapaw Indians have grown
old and died off one by one until the
tribe now has dwindled down to 105
Virtually all of them now reside on
a government reservation near Peo-
ria. The tribe reservation is six
miles wide. It comprises much
valuable farming and mining land.

Goodeagle resided on his large
farm and reared his family of four
sons and two daughters. He, built
beautiful home, No. 1405 Park avenue,
about seven years ago and since had
resided here. However, he made numerous
trips, to his farm.

His wife, Wat-tah-zhe, who survives
him, owns a 240-acre allotment
near Commerce, Okla., that is said
to be one of the wealthiest mining
lands in the Oklahoma district.
Thousands of dollars in royalties
have been obtained through that
property holding.

In Osage Hills.
Goodeagle spent several years of
his life in the Osage Indian country
near Tulsa, Okla., but did not acquire
any property in that district.

He was one of the first Quapaw
Indians to obtain land from the gov-
eminent. Congress passed a bill in
1896 which provided that each Indian
was to have 240 acres. It is
under restrictions, however, and will
not be under absolute control of the
Indians until September of next year.

Goodeagle was 76 years old. He is
survived by his wife; four sons,
Merton, Charles, Levi and Paul
Goodeagle; two daughters, Mrs.
Fannie Richards and Clara Goodeagle,
all residing in or near Baxter.

At his request he will be burled on
the Quapaw Indian reservation, nine
miles southwest of Baxter. Funeral
arrangements have not been com-
pleted but relatives say that it will
not be an old. fashion Indian burial,
but will be made to conform with
modern methods. Automobiles will
be used in the funeral procession.

Whether the old Indian left a will
could not be learned.

Joplin Globe,
Thursday, February 24, 1921,
Pg. 1A. 1 of 10.
Joplin, Missouri

(*)Note: Neosho River near Peoria is possibly Spring River.

~*~

INDIAN CEREMONIAL
AT GOODEAGLE BURIAL

Prominent Indian Is at Rest in Spot
He Chose Near His Old Home
At Devil's Hollow.

Baxter Springs, Kan., Feb. 24.—
Funeral services for Francis Quapaw
Goodeagle, wealthy Indian resident,
who died at his home here Wednesday
morning, were held at his old home in
Devil's Hollow on the Quapaw Indian
reservation, seven miles southwest of
this city. Catholic services were held
at the home at 11 o'clock this morning
with the Rev. Father Gorman officiating.

Following the ceremony at the home,
the body was taken to its grave and
burial in accordance with tribal traditions
of the Quapaw Indians.

Following the services at the grave the
family extended an invitation to those
attending the funeral to remain for the
feast, which was in accordance with the
Quapaw burial ceremony. Over 200 people
were in attendance. Chief John Quapaw of
the tribe gave tribute in his native tongue.

In accordance with tribal traditions, the
wife and children of the deceased will
remain for four days at the old home be-
fore returning to the routine of their every
day life.

The body was laid to rest one-half mile
north of the old home of Mr. Goodeagle,
on a hillside in the edge of an old orchard,
which he had chosen as his burial place.

Joplin Globe,
Friday, February 25, 1921,
Pg. 2. 2 of 8.
Joplin, Missouri

Goodeagle Burial
Rites Held With
Feast Following

"Grandma" Goodeagle, venerable
member of the Quapaw Indian tribe,
was lowered to her resting place
Sunday in a forested family plot in
the Devil's Promenade vicinity.

Hundreds of persons attended last
rites at 10 a.m. for the elderly
woman. Chief Victor Griffin of the
Quapaw tribe directed the Indian
burial services, while Roy T. Wills
of Miami spoke briefly in the white
man's last tribute to an Indian leader.

Following the burial, a feast
was offered on the lawn of the
Goodeagle residence. Four 20-
foot tables were piled high with
food for the persons who gathered
to pay their respect for the friend
of both the Indian and the white
man. Guests all had been served
at 3:30 p.m.

Among the funeral crowds were
large numbers of Osages from the
Pawhuska region.

Three more feasts, in accordance
with the Indian religion, will be
held the next three years on the
anniversary of Mrs. Goodeagle's
death.

Yesterday the funeral procession,
which moved slowly to the family
burial grounds from the Goodeagle
home, extended for more than a
mile in length. The grave is located
in a densely-wooded tract, about a
mile from the house.

Mrs. Harvey McKibben of Miami
rode in the first car behind the
hearse carrying Mrs. Goodeagle's
body. Members of the Indian Women's
club of the Devil's Promenade
district acted as honorary pall
bearers.

The copper casket was banked
with vari-hued flowers.

Miami Daily News Record,
Monday, April 24, 1939,
Pg. 2. 2 of 8.
Miami, Oklahoma.

~*~

Death Takes 'Grandma' Goodeagle
Of the Quapaws, Wealthy Mining
Land Owner; Tribal Rites Today

"Grandma" Goodeagle, friend of
the white man as well as the Indian,
will be buried today in a wooded, hilly
plot bordering the spacious grounds
on which her ornate home is situated.

In ill health for three years, the
aged Indian woman—a full-blood
Quapaw who never spoke the English
tongue—died late Friday in the
modern home she built several
years ago. The residence is three
miles east of Devil's Promenade.

Indian services and a feast—the
latter following the funeral rites—
are scheduled for this morning.
Chief Victor Griffin of the Quapaw
tribe and Alec Beaver will be in
charge of the services, which will
be intoned in the Quapaw language.

Woman of Great Wealth
A restricted Indian, Mrs. Goodagle
was regarded as a woman of great
wealth. From her, and her husband,
the late Francis Quapaw Goodeagle,
the four founders of the Commerce
Mining & Royalty company leased the
rich "Turkeyfat" mline, located near
Commerce. George Coleman, Sr., C. M.
Harvey, Sr., the late J. F. Robinson
and the late A. E. Coleman leased the
Turkeyfat property in about 1906.

Holder of other ore lands, Mrs. Goodeagle
had no property in operation at the time
of her death.

She had resided in this district all
her life.

Survivors do not know her exact
age, but estimated it at 75.

Levi Goodeagle, one of her sons,
said her given name in the Indian
tongue was Wah-tah-noh-zhe. He
added that his mother was devout
in her worship of the Indian religion.

Burial in Family Plot
Besides Levi, Mrs. Goodeagle is
survived by a daughter, Mrs. Clara
Mae Shears of Baxter Springs; a son
Paul Goodeagle of Miami; two step-
sons, Merton Goodeagle of Baxter
Springs and Charley Goodeagle of
Skeedee, Okla.; a stepdaughter, Mrs.
Fannie Richards of Baxter Springs,
and five grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at
10 a. m. at the home. The feast,
slated immediately after the rites,
likewise will be offered there.

In the Goodeagle family cemetery,
Mrs. Goodeagle's body will be laid
to rest near her husband and other
immediate relatives.

The Lane Funeral home is in charge
of burial arrangements.

Miami Daily News Record,
Sunday, April 23, 1939,
Pg. 1A.1 of 12.
Miami, Oklahoma.

~*~

FRANCIS GOODEAGLE'S
WIDOW DIES AT 75

Baxter Springs, Kan., April 22.—
Mrs. Wahtahnohzhe Goodeagle, 75
years old, full-blood Quapaw Indian
and widow of the late Francis
Goodeagle, died at 3 o'clock Friday
afternoon at her home at Devil's
Promenade, south of Baxter Springs.

Mrs. Goodeagle owned valuable
mining properties in and around
Picher.

She was a lifelong resident
of Delaware (*) county.

Indian rites will be conducted at
10 o'clock Sunday morning at the
home. Alex Beaver and Chief Victor
Griffin will be the speakers.

Burial will be in Goodeagle cemetery.

Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Clara
Mae Shears, Baxter Springs route 1;
two sons, Paul Goodeagle of Miami
and Levi Goodeagle of Baxter Springs
route 1; two stepsons, Merton Good-
eagle of Baxter Springs route 1 and
Charles Goodeagle of Skeedie, (sic)
Skeedee, Okla.; a stepdaughter, Mrs.
Fanny Richards of Devil's Promenade,
and five grandchildren.

Joplin Globe,
Sunday, April 23, 1939,
Pg. 10A. 10 of 29.
Joplin, Missouri.

INDIAN RITES TODAY
FOR PROMINENT WOMAN

MIAMI. April 22—(AP)—Quapaw
Indian rites and feasting will be
held tomorrow for Mrs. Wah-
Toh-Noh-Zhe, 75, at her imposing
home in the Devil's Promenade
vicinity, 18 miles northeast of
here, where she died last night.

She was the widow of the late
Francis Quapaw Goodeagle, who
with her leased to the founders
of the Commerce Mining & Royalty
Co., Miami, in 1906, the land
where they opened the rich Turkey
Fat zinc-lead mine near Commerce,
Okla.

Burial ritual will be in the Quapaw
tongue and the body will be placed
in the family cemetery near the home.

Ada Evening News,
Sunday, April 23, 1939,
Pg. 8. 8 of 20.
Ada, Oklahoma.

Contributed on 4/19/18 by tslundberg
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Record #: 41830

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