Peter Perkins Pitchlynn

PETER PERKINS PITCHLYNN (1806–1881) Pitchlynn served as a delegate representing the Choctaw nation almost continuously from 1853. In 1861 when the American Civil War started, he was in Washington, DC. He had gone to Washington to address national affairs of the Choctaw but immediately returned home to Oklahoma, striving to keep the Choctaw Nation neutral during the conflict. Peter P. Pitchlynn was elected Principal Chief of the Choctaws in 1864 and served until 1866. His legacy includes eradicating polygamy, controlling liquor traffic, and establishing the Choctaw Academy. He was a friend of Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay and was spoken of highly by Charles Dickens in his “American Notes.” He was a prominent Mason and received his degrees in the Scottish Rite with Governor Sam Houston.