For those of you who like history, I
think my next painting project might
interest you. I met a new friend here in
Cody. His name is Stan Bearpaw. Stan
is 53 years old and he is a full blooded
Cherokee. The great thing about Stan
is that, he is the "great, great, great
nephew" of the famous "Indian
Outlaw," Ned Christie. Here is what it says on one website
about Ned Christie that I found:

"Ned Christie's story is one of tragedy.
He was a suspect in the killing of a
lawman. It was shown later that he did
not do the killing.

Still, as a suspect, the lawmen entered
the indian territory in pursuit of Ned
Christie, but neighbors announced any
approaching posse. Each time Ned was
prepared and his marksman skills held
them off. The pursuers usually left
with a number of wounded.

He is the only man in history that it
took several years for the U.S.
Government to get who stayed at his
own home the whole time. Ned was an
Executive Council Member, or Senator,
in the Cherokee Nation at the time of
Dan Maples' killing. Ned went directly
to the Chief and said he was going to
go talk to Judge Parker to clear
himself. Many people talked him out
of it, knowing that Parker would never
let him come, probably hang him on
the spot. So, he went home to his wife,
and family. He never left. As a
Cherokee Senator and a member of
the Keetowah Society, he firmly stood
his ground that the U.S. Government
had no jurisdiction in the Cherokee
Nation. At the time, they didn't. In fact,
he actively and feverishly spoke out
against the Curtis Act and the
impending Dawes act on the floor of
the Council...

On one occasion, a posse which
included Heck Thomas managed to
sneak unnoticed to Christie's cabin.
After the cabin caught fire, Ned's son
bolted for the woods. The lawmen
thinking it was Ned Christie wounded
the boy. Finally, when Christie ran,
Heck Thomas fired. The bullet
fractured his nose and made his right
eye sightless.

From this point, Ned stayed at a place
known as Christie's Mountain. It was a
fortress of sorts with a thick walls
made of stone and wood. Numerous
attempts were made by posses to
dislodge Christie from the fort. All had
to retreat with wounded men.

Finally one group of lawmen arrived
with a cannon and some dynamite.
They used the cannon to topple the
walls, then using a moving wall built
from an old wagon, they moved toward
the fort under gunfire. Finally, they
used the dynamite to blowup the
building Christie occupied. Chiriste
ran after the explosion, straight into
an officer. Ned was shot dead.

His stance against the government
resulted in his death. He was a patriot
who held up the laws of his Nation,
and is honored by Cherokees.

In the enrollment and allotment of the
Cherokees which followed his death,
most members of his family in
Wauhillau were denied allotments and
enrollment. Even though they were
fullbloods, and their parents were
forced to walk the Trail of Tears.

Ned Christie is buried in the Christie
Cemetery in a "town" called Wauhilla,
OK."

This piece is traditional oils on
Masonite. The size is 18" x 24" overall.

Here are links to my art:

Karchner Western Art Website: WESTERN ART

Buffalo Trader Online Website: WESTERN ART

Buffalo Trader Online Website: WESTERN DECOR