Charles Curtis

In 1924, Anne Elizabeth Baird breathed her last. Curtis remained a widower all through. His half-sister, Theresa Permelia "Dolly" Curtis acted as his hostess for social events.

He was at his half-sister, Dolly’s house when he died on February 8, 1936 due to heart attack. As he had desired, his body was flown to Kansas where he was interred next to his wife at the Topeka Cemetery.

Charles Curtis was born on January 25, 1860 in Topeka, Kansas Territory to Orren Arms Curtis and Ellen Gonville Pappan. Young Curtis’ had nearly half American-Indian ancestry. While his father had English, Welsh and Scot lineage, his mother belonged to French, Kaw, Osage and Potawatomi.

Following his mother’s death in 1863, Curtis’ father remarried twice. He had a half-sister, Theresa Permelia ‘Dolly’ Cutis. At the breakout of the American Civil War, his father was imprisoned. Curtis came under the guidance of his grandparents who helped him gain possession of his mother's land in North Topeka.

As a boy, Curtis started racing horses. He became a successful horse jockey, excelling at riding prairie horse .For the same, he became popularly known as Indian Charley.

Academically, Curtis completed his early education from Topeka High School. Later, he completed his law studies while working part time.

In 1881, Curtis was admitted to the bar. From 1885 to 1889, he practiced as a prosecuting attorney of Shawnee County, Kansas. While working as attorney, Curtis enforced the state prohibition on liquor, thus closing down all saloons.

Since an early age, Curtis showed a passion for politics. In 1892, he finally entered politics, after being elected as a Republican to the House of the Representative of the 53rd Congress. He was re-elected for six continuous terms.

As a member of the House, Curtis directed much of his attention on the Committee of Indian Affairs. He drafted the Curtis Act of 1898, which reversed numerous treaty rights by allocating land and restructuring provisions to Five Civilized Tribes of Oklahoma. He abolished tribal courts and governments.

Curtis aimed at assimilating the Indian tribal into the main society and providing them with basic rights such as education. He also encouraged them to accept individual citizenship and European-American culture.

Curtis re-enrolled with the Kaw tribe and in 1902, drafted the Kaw Allotment Act under which he disbanded Kaw nation as a legal entity. The disbandment led to the re-allocation of Kaw land to federal government, which in turn assigned land to individual tribal members. Curtis too benefitted from the act as he belonged to this tribe.

Curtis most important contribution came in as a Senator, a position he served from 1915 until 1929. In the position, he aimed at transfusing the tribal society within the main society thus providing the tribal people with equal rights to education. He also played an instrumental role in drafting the Kaw Allotment Act that that disbanded Kaw nation as a legal entity. He very well managed legislative issues and accomplished Republican national goals.