The Story of William Guy

The Story of William Guy

Last summer I was walking through the Oaklawn Cemetery north of Sulphur taking a registry of the Civil War veterans buried there. As I walked through the old stones, one name rang a bell. The old marble slab read simply:

William M. Guy, Co F, 17th Mississippi Infantry, CSA

I thought to myself, "could this be "the" William Guy?" I went home and did a little research and discovered that it was indeed the William Guy. He was one of the leaders of the Chickasaw Nation serving as Senator and Governor. (Also buried at Oaklawn is a former Principle Chief of the Choctaw Nation, Clark David Gardner who departed this life in 1978 at the young age of 38 years.)

Guy had a fascinating life in the development of his people and nation. Born in Boggy Depot February 4, 1845, Guy was the son of William R. Guy and Jane Aldridge, a niece of Governor Cyrus Harris. William R. Guy was the first postmaster at Boggy Depot when the post office was established on November 5, 1849. Young William's mother died in 1857 at Boggy Depot and his father died at Paris, Texas in 1859.

Upon his father's death, William went to live with his uncle Cyrus Harris at Old Mill Creek and attended the tribal schools until the outbreak of the Civil War. On April 29, 1861, William enlisted in the 17th Mississippi Infantry that was later attached to Longstreet's Division.

His military career was most remarkable. He was in the battle of Bull Run and was severely wounded in the left shoulder. He was wounded in the head during the second day at Gettysburg and was taken prisoner and held until a prisoner exchange at City Point, Virginia. He participated in the Seven Days battles near Richmond, the battles of Harper's Ferry and Antietam and the two engagements at Fredericksburg. He was with the army of General Lee at the time of the surrender at Appomattox. His enviable record as a soldier is unequaled.

The political career of William Guy began in 1870 with his appointment as Secretary of the Chickasaw Senate, a position he held for six years. In 1883 he became a member of the lower house and in 1885 he took the seat of Senator.

As noted above, William was a mixed-blood Chickasaw and was a member of the Progressive Party, which was mostly mixed-bloods. In 1886 the question of the mixed-bloods reared its ugly head once again and William was pushed to the forefront to run for Governor as the Progressive Party candidate.

The opposition candidate, William L. Byrd, headed the full blood or Pullback Party. The influx of white settlers into the nation was a highly controversial point of the election. Guy won the election but the results were thrown to the legislature. After a polling of the members, Guy won by a majority of one vote.

The Byrd faction immediately began an effort to defeat Guy in the upcoming election in two years. The term of Governor Guy was very turbulent. In 1888, Byrd defeated Guy for governor and the feelings of bitterness would permeate Chickasaw politics for years to come. The subject of white immigration into the Nation was a very real danger for the full bloods.

For some unexplained reason, Governor Guy approved an act of the legislature passed on April 8, 1887, which disfranchised the adopted and intermarried white members of the tribe. The aftermath of this action was evident in his campaign for reelection. On the face of the returns, Governor Guy had a clear majority of the votes cast but the controversy again was thrown into the legislature when that body undertook a canvass of the returns. The Byrd faction controlled this body and the legislature, in order to accomplish Byrd's election disregarded certain of the election returns, which were favorable to Guy.

Armed members of both factions gathered at Tishomingo and trouble was averted by a reference of the dispute to the Secretary of the Interior who recognized the declaration of the legislature and Governor Guy was ousted from office. Said the Indian Chieftain, of October 4, 1888, "If Guy had been an aggressive or quarrelsome man, many lives might have been sacrificed, but the nephew of old Governor Harris partakes of the kindly and peaceful disposition of his uncle and we look for nothing less than a satisfactory settlement."

Byrd again defeated Governor Guy in 1890. Guy was elected to the Chickasaw Senate in 1892 and again in 1896. In 1895 an 1897, Guy was a delegate to Washington to represent his people.

He established the Sulphur Neighborhood School at Sulphur and from October 18, 1900 to May 3, 1902 served as trustee of that institution. The name of this school was subsequently changed to the Guy National School and later to the Sulphur National Institute. The school stood where the courthouse is today.

Governor Guy was unwilling that the advancement of his people should be halted and insisted that his people should be prepared for the abolishment of tribal life and participating in American citizenship, which was fast approaching. He actively supported the ratification of the Atoka Agreement of April 23, 1897 and the Supplemental Agreement of March 21, 1902. He was an active supporter of Palmer A. Mosely for Governor in the fall of 1902.

The governor maintained his interest in the political affairs of the Chickasaw Nation until all tribal affairs were folded up and its membership absorbed into the new state of Oklahoma He retired on his farm near Sulphur, in Murray County, Oklahoma. He accomplishments were recognized by Gov. C. N. Haskell, who on February 20, 1908 appointed him to his personal staff with the rank of Colonel. The governor belonged to the Masons and Knights of Pythias. Guy Sandy Creek west of Sulphur is named for the Governor.

Governor Guy married Maggie Lindsey at Ardmore on June 25, 1890. She was a daughter of John Lindsey and Frances Simms, his wife, and was born at Oxford, Alabama. The governor passed away at his farm home near Sulphur on June 2, 1918 and is buried in the Oaklawn Cemetery where his grave is marked by a plain marble slab. Governor Guy's granddaughter still lives on the family property in Sulphur.

For more reading on this most fascinating gentleman, it is suggested you consult the Chronicles of Oklahoma; Vol. 19, No 1; pp 10-13. This article is a synopsis of the above reference.