Volume 13 , Issue 49

Native American Legends - Chief Redbird

We received an email from Doug Brackett, in New Hampshire, who brought to my attention a portrait of a young Native American that could be welcomed as a cherished portrait for the Cherokee (especially the Keetoowah Nighthawk Society). Doug said it belonged to the mother of his business partner, the late Denley Willis Emerson (1918-2008).

Doug goes on to say, "To confirm the visual likeness between the portrait and photos of Chief Redbird Smith, I created the attached composite JPG image titled "Native American Redbird." For the comparison I using a well known photo of Chief Robert Redbird Smith overlaid onto my portrait artifact. To further clarify their likeness, I graphed the horizontal lines between the location of their facial features. The composite demonstrates the position of their facial features precisely match."

Doug says as to the background of the portrait, "The portrait of this handsome man was tucked away in a folder with the estate ephemera of Marian 'Richards' Emerson. Young Miss Richards grew up first in Milton, Massachusetts and then, as a married woman, on Fisher Hill Avenue, Brookline, Massachusetts. Marian was involved with the Boston Universal Unitarian movement to help restore Native American dignity. Marian became a civic leader and secretary of the Massachusetts Indian Society (circa early 1900s to her death in 1949). The attached Owl-Emerson PDF file provides a mid-timeline reference to verify Marian Emerson's association with members of the Cherokee movement. The text states she was Secretary of the Massachusetts Indian Society in 1942."

As to the PDF file, it is an old news announcement of the marriage of George Allen Owl to Miss Brunsteter that we (OkieLegacy) had transcribed back in The OkieLegacy Ezine, Vol. 5, Iss. 7, NW OK Marriages 1942-43 (which are DOC files).

Doug Brackett also tells us, "As can be understood from the text, Mrs. Emerson had a long time close association with Della Brunsteter, the newly married Mrs. Owl who's husband, George Allen Owl, was Cherokee. Mrs. Emerson is noted as being associated with Mrs. Owl's linguistic research. Mr. and Mrs. Owl were well known at the time in North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Washington DC for their collaborative language translation of Cherokee-to-English." Doug also mentions that the supporting evidence indicates tyne image above on the left is likely that of Chief Robert Redbird Smith because of the Native American portrait, research and the Emerson family."

"This portrait may be a welcomed addition to Native American history because there are few if any "youth" images available publicly of the Robert, 'Chief Redbird Smith.' This portrait may now be helpful to other researchers looking into the Cherokee Movement and the life of Robert Redbird Smith."

"Your comments are welcome. You may forward my message to colleagues. I'm also interested in comments from Smith Cherokee family members."   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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