Timmie Jack

My great-grandfather’s best friend – a tragic story

I first heard the story about my great-grandfather Pleasant Luther “Duke” Berryhill and Timmie Jack a very long time ago, possibly my latter teen years, from my mother. It was definitely a what the hell moment. But neither of us had the information then, that I have today.

A postcard of the Creek Council House in Okmulgee with a monument outside
that mentions my great-grandfather Pleasant Luther “Duke” Berryhill.

The monument outside the Creek Council House in Okmulgee

Great Seal of the Muscogee Nation

Creek Council House
Capitol of The Muscogee Nation
Erected – 1876

The first contingent of the Creek Indians came from Alabama to the Indian Territory in 1829 under the leadership of Roley McIntosh, Chief of the Loyal Creeks. The main body of the Creek Tribe was transported under contract in 1836. There were about 20,000 in all. The seat of the Tribal government was established at Okmulgee in 1869. The Tribal Government was dissolved in 1906. The last execution under Creek law took place on this spot May 1,1896. Timmie Jack, Euchee Creek, was executed (shot) by his best friend, Pleasant L. (Duke) Berryhill, Captain of The Light Horse Company of Okmulgee District.

Joseph Menad Enus Wilson
Jack Bighead Waddell Cook Jr.
Donors

EEK!

My great-grandfather was Captain of the Mvskoke Nation Okmulgee District Lighthorse. His best friend Timmie Jack was also Lighthorse and had been sentenced to death. The custom was you could choose your executioner. He chose his best friend my great-grandfather, because he didn’t want to give his enemies the satisfaction.

Pretty crazy situation, but I can respect granting Timmie Jack’s last wishes, as difficult as it must have been.

58 years later – Okmulgee Daily Times, Sunday May 2, 1954

Season 3 Episode 8 of the Muscogee POD
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/timmie-jack-the-last-execution/id1613187193

Timmie Jack: The Last Execution

In this episode, we step back in time to Indian Territory in 1896 to explore the complicated & intriguing story of Timmie Jack, the last person to face public execution on the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Council House lawn. His story is known not only for its historical significance but also for some interesting details leading up to the execution date and how our society and legal system operated during that time while nearing Oklahoma statehood.

It’s another exclusive “conversation from our reservation” that you can only find on the #MuscogeePod!

A Creek Indian’s Capital Punishment
https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc1625088/m1/1

by Loula Dickerson Arnold, Orbit Magazine, May 1, 1977. Story of the execution of Timmie Jack, Creek Indian, on May 1, 1896 on the grounds of the Creek Council House, Okmulgee, Ok. This was the last public execution in Indian Territory under tribal law.

Ok, if you read and listened to everything, now you know what I know.

Mvto!
-Yehuda