Victor M Locke, Jr., Major, Chief of the Choctaw Nation

Victor Locke Jr.

Victor M. Locke Jr. was born at Doaksville, near Ft. Towson, in 1876. His parents were Victor M. Locke and Susan Priscilla McKinney. He attended Schools at White Church, six miles east of Antlers, Antlers Public Schools, and Jones Institute at Paris, Texas. In 1893 he entered Austin College located at Sherman, Texas. From there he accompanied some young men to Drury College, Springfield, Missouri for a year’s stay. In 1913, Victor Locke Jr. married a widow, Mrs. Vivia Nail Robertson. She was the daughter of J. H. Nail, a prominent Indian Citizen.

Chief Locke was a veteran of the Spanish American War, though he never saw active service. He was also a member of the Oklahoma National Guard where he attained the rank of Major. He was a Catholic by faith and politically a Republican.

o­ne of the highlights of his career was representing the state of Oklahoma as a delegate to the Republican National Convention. Theodore Roosevelt was nominated for President at that time.

Victor M. Locke Jr. became Principal Chief of the Choctaw Nation in 1910 and served in that capacity until 1917. As chief he became the official spokesman for the tribe and appeared before several Congressional Committees in Washington,D. C. o­n their behalf.

His ambition was to see all the Choctaws educated and to become useful citizens of Oklahoma. Most of all he wanted his people to be able to handle their own financial affairs. Chief Locke passed away March 1, 1943. He is buried in the Locke Family Cemetery at Antlers, Oklahoma