Stone Gardens: One of the "Old Settlers" of the Delaware tribe lies in an ancient grave along Spavinaw Creek

A weathered tombstone in a quiet Delaware County cemetery marks the final resting place of a man whose leadership and foresight shaped the destiny of his people long before the infamous Trail of Tears.

Chief Thomas Chisholm, a leader of the Cherokee "Old Settlers," remains a pivotal, though often overlooked, figure in the early history of the Cherokee Nation in the West. His grave is believed to be one of the oldest marked graves in the county, a silent monument to a leader who navigated his people through a period of immense change and uncertainty.

Born around 1790, Chisholm rose to prominence during a tumultuous era for the Cherokee people.

Long before the forced removal of the 1830s, a faction of the Cherokee, known as the "Old Settlers," voluntarily relocated west of the Mississippi River to escape the increasing pressures of white settlement in their ancestral lands in the southeastern United States.

These Cherokees established a new nation in what is now Arkansas, and it was here that Thomas Chisholm's leadership qualities became evident.

Elected as the third principal chief of the Western Cherokee Nation in 1824, Chisholm was known for his diplomatic skills and his unwavering commitment to securing a permanent and peaceful home for his people.

He was a key figure in negotiating the Treaty of 1828 with the United States government. This treaty exchanged the Cherokees' lands in Arkansas for a vast tract of seven million acres in what would become Indian Territory, the area that now includes Delaware County, Oklahoma.

This move, while difficult, was seen by Chisholm and other leaders as essential for the preservation of Cherokee sovereignty and culture.

Chief Chisholm’s leadership was crucial during the Cherokees' resettlement in their new lands. He oversaw the establishment of farms, schools, and a functioning government, laying the groundwork for the society that would later be joined by the survivors of the Trail of Tears.

His administration was focused on creating stability and prosperity in a new and unfamiliar environment.

Thomas Chisholm’s life came to a tragic end in 1834, just as the Western Cherokee Nation was starting to grow strong. The details of his death are not well-known, but his passing left a deep mark on his people.

Buried a mile west of Maysville in what is now Adair County, Oklahoma, on the south side of Spavinaw Creek (which today supplies water to Tulsa), his grave became a symbol of a leader who shaped their early journey.

Today, the worn, simple marker on his grave stands as a quiet tribute to the Cherokee people’s complex past. It highlights a part of their history often forgotten—the story of the Old Settlers. Unlike the forced removal later known as the Trail of Tears, these Cherokees, led by brave leaders like Chisholm, chose to move west on their own terms, seeking self-determination.

His influence isn’t just on that old stone; it’s part of the very foundation of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma.