Acting Secretary of the Interior Clarence A. Davis today announced the appointment of Roley Buck, Wetumka, Oklahoma, to a two-year term as Principal Chief of the Creek Nation, one of Oklahoma's Five Civilized Tribes.
Chief Buck, a full-blood Creek Indian, has long been active in tribal and church affairs. He is the father of seven children, two of whom are now serving in the United States Army. The new chief himself served in the Army along the Mexican border in 1916 and 1917 and with the infantry in France in 1918.
Buck was one of eight candidates submitted to the Secretary following consultations held last June in Oklahoma with the Creek people by Peru Farver, then Chief of the Indian Bureau's Branch of Tribal Affairs.
The new chief will serve without salary, but in accord with Federal Government regulations, will be allowed travel and other expenses while on actual tribal business.
Chief Buck succeeds John F. Davis, whose term expired June 30 of this year.
The authority to appoint a Principal Chief of each of the Five Tribes was given the President of the United States by an Act of Congress approved on April 26, 1906, and delegated by the President to the Secretary of the Interior by Executive Order on June 5, 1951.
