Kathy Gilson, the librarian, is an excellent example of courtesy and has superior intelligence. She is always willing to go out of her way to help the patrons of the library that use this fine library – she has taken responsibility for this organization which is out of space and the City fathers need to keep this good growth in our expanding community. Kathy helps me look up words that I have difficulty in mastering since they are not common in my everyday usage.

The photo this week is of a local family that contributed a great amount to the Onega region. This family lived where the old Black Jack School house was some years ago. While this family did not possess all of the conveniences of the 1850's, they never lost the qualities of family love which has held the very fibers of living together in difficult times.

While the Spaniard exploration of the cross timbers region was taking place in the early 1800's, another group of European Americans began making their way into this area that had already picked up the Cherokee name of Onega. The Native American population was dropping precipitously in this beautiful area of huge Post Oak and Black Jack trees. The area was a beautiful orchard welcoming group of trees that we can still see today as they appeared during the days of the Spanish exploration.

The Cross Timbers area was becoming a haven for displaced Indian People as it perhaps did a generation later and on after the Civil War as mentioned last week about the patriotic Plunk family, the Williams, Slatons and Goin tribe.

This photo has been kept for more than 150 years in my Grandfather’s old family Bible. Seated in the photo is Sophia (Williams) Estes. Sophia was a sister to Eliza Wood Williams (the mother of Wood Goin, my grandfather). I cannot explain to you the importance of what these families captured with such photography, but we must allow ourselves to think about what arrangements were made to take this photo of this dear woman that loved her family so much that she dressed in her finest to record and document for us now 150 years later. We read today from others’ thoughts where we pray to our Great Creator for the panty to be full, the bank account to be sufficient and for the family to go shopping at the giant food stores, but how little do we thank the Almighty for the great effort this photographer went through to document this woman and her child.

Sophia Estes had two sisters and a brother. Her mother was blind and was born when George Washington was president of the United States – she also lived to ride in an automobile in the early 1910's.

It is ironic that as I am sharing these family and local facts about our Onega tribe, that some of these same descendants are currently on their way to Mexico to celebrate the Cherokee Heritage Day at Zaragoza, Coahuila. The brilliant mind of Sequoyah was extinguished in a cave of rattlesnakes while he was running for his life. Sequoyah invented the Cherokee alphabet which was so advanced that it was used copied by other groups in developing their alphabets.

The Cherokee that settled in Mexico for preservation of their family values are a perfect example of the Cherokee that settled in Onega. Sophia Estes was making her home in this area attempting to change her identity so that she would be accepted by the European American’s. The change in identity took place over many years. Our Texas Cherokee Chief D.L. Hicks reminds us so many times, "we are still here because we never left." Just imagine what it would have been like if someone from European American descent rode up to Sophia Estes’ front porch with her little papoose by her side and told her that her home was too good for her and that she must leave. If it had been us today, don’t you think some violence might have taken place, just how many of us would say, "No, We are still here for we never left."

Sophia Estes brother John Williams was recorded as one of the last casualties of the Civil War in a battle that occurred at Waco, Texas. Remember David Plunk, who I mentioned last week, was also another Civil War soldier and local resident serving in the army, when he lost his life in a battle fought to keep Sophia and her family in the Onega region and to protect her loving children from the evils of the period.

I would like to share more comments about the Cherokee language written by Texas Chief D.L. Hicks in his newsletter.

It is a time for aniyastigi, "warriors," to hit the atadedawasdpdi, "war pole" put on dana wodi, "war paint, " and go on danawanunehi. "war path." Since most of the food stuff had been set aside, winter was a good time for danawa, "war," among the Tsalagi. They would go north as far as the Great Lakes and as far south as the land of the "Creek Indians," to make war. Most of the war parties were small, for the AniTsalagi were not a war people, but they would fight anyone for a reason or to correct an insult to their people. Most of the war parties were from towns and not the entire nation. Most of the time the Ani-Tsalagi was at peace and enjoyed the quite and peaceful solitude of their mountain homes.

Plans are being made for the Texas Cherokee to celebrate the Northern Towns District Heritage Day at the Cagle Hill Farms here on Black Jack Road. The Cherokees have also been invited by the Pastor of the Aubrey United Methodist church to sing some of the Native songs that were sung centuries ago. The music is very emotional as it is sung exactly as it was written many years ago.