OKGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any
format for profit or presentation by any other organization or
persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must
obtain the written consent of OKGenWeb State Coordinator.

Presentation here does not extend any permissions to the public. This
material can not be included in any compilation, publication,
collection, or other reproduction for profit without permission. Files
may be printed or copied for personal use only.
=====================================================================

LILLIAN PEARCE
Vol. 3, p. 1221

Thirty-five years ago the destinies of the members of what has been
called the Five Civilized Tribes was a doubtful issue. For centuries
the American Indian had lived in primitive luxury and comfort without
much labor, content with their lot. Then came civilization to the
tribes inhabiting the Southland, and with the changed order prominent
families in these tribes came to own their hundreds of slaves. The
Civil war was an era of disaster to them as well as to many another
in the South, and their homes and vast possessions were swept away.
The Five Civilized Tribes were homeless, without wealth and without
any great ability to provide for themselves, yet thrown upon their
own initiative. Would they succeed in carving from the wilderness of
ruin a worthy destiny, or would they sink into the nameless grave of
oblivion? Time has given the answer to that question. From the battle
scarred remnant who returned from the conflict and from those who had
of necessity remained in the homes, there arose on all sides men and
women of Indian ancestry who joined their white brothers and sisters
in the thankless task of recreating a land of plenty from a barren
waste. Dominated by blood and example, with the tireless energy of
the proud Anglo-Saxon before them, they took their places behind the
plows to make green the fields again, and in the saddle they labored
untiringly to cover the hills with cattle. When the white man
faltered these Red brothers went on relentlessly, the greater
endurance keeping them to their task against every hindrance. Their
children were educated in the best schools the East afforded, and
from these educated sons and daughters of toiling citizens have come
men and women imbued with a realization of the dignity of labor. All
over the nation today will be found the descendants of the Civil war
veterans of these tribes filling the places of honor and working for
the betterment of their kind.

None of them knows better than does Lillian PEARCE the real value of
labor. For the last two years she has devoted her time to the duties
of a teacher, for which she prepared herself carefully. She is the
daughter of T. D. And Permellia (CARNEY) Pearce and she was born on
February 25, 1892. Her parents live five miles northwest of Bokchito,
Oklahoma, and there she was reared. Mr. Pearce is of white descent
and was born in Arkansas. His wife is one-fourth Choctaw blood and
was born in the old Indian Territory. She was educated in government
schools of the nations, and to her love of her people is due much
credit for the education and work of their daughter.

Miss Lillian Pearce had her higher education in Tuskahoma Female
Institute and St. Agnes Academy at Ardmore. She also pursued a course
of training in Bacone College, Muskogee, and has since then attended
the summer schools of the Southeastern Normal at Durant during two
terms. Another season's training there will graduate her from that
institution. For two years she taught in the Pritchard school, near
to her home, and in 1915 she was elected to the faculty of the Kemp
public schools. Her work thus far has been of splendid character, and
it is believed that she has a brilliant future before her as an
educator. Of splendid character and mental attainments, her influence
with the young is highly creditable, and Kemp is fortunate in having
secured the services of a young woman who is so manifestly bent upon
the betterment of her people, and in advancing the cause of education
in general.

Miss Pearce has splendid family connections on all sides. She is a
niece of Mrs. John Colbert MOORE, concerning whom extended mention
will be found elsewhere in this publication. She has one brother and
one sister. John M. Pearce is freight agent for the Katy Railroad
Company at McAlester, and the sister is Mrs. L. H. LUTES, of
Bokchito, Oklahoma.

Miss PEARCE is a member of the Presbyterian Church of Bokchita, and
she is also affiliated with the Order of the Eastern Star of Caddo
and the Woodmen of the World circle in Pritchard.

Typed for OKGenWeb by Paul Gross February 2, 1999.