Chickasaw Regulator
by J. Young
Frederick Tecumseh Waite, the eldest of ten children was born on September 23, 1853 to Thomas Fletcher Waite and Catherine Waite Mcclure, a half Chickasaw woman, at Fort Arbuckle, Indian Territory in Oklahoma. His father was a farmer and operated a trading store, and Fred took over the family store at Rush Creek, Indian Territory after graduating from the Illinois Industrial University in Champaign, Illinois and Bentonville, Arkansas and from Mound City Commercial College at St. Louis in 1874. Following his graduation, he returned to Indian Territory to assume his duties at the store, as his father had passed away.
Fred assumed management of the family business for a period of two years before embarking on a journey westward. Upon reaching New Mexico, he initially secured employment under John Chisum before joining forces with John Tunstall in Lincoln County. This decision was rather typical for a young bachelor at the time.
During his tenure at Tunstall, Fred established a solid rapport with his colleague Billy the Kid, and together they proved to be an efficient and effective team. Their outstanding performance prompted John Tunstall to arrange for Fred and Billy, along with Godfrey Gauss and a few others, to receive a tract of land on the upper Penasco river, where they could manage operations on their own. The prospect of owning a ranch and a store was a shared aspiration that fueled Billy and Fred’s enthusiasm and their drive to succeed.
Tunstall had strategized to establish multiple ranches on the New Mexico land with the assistance of the Desert Land Act. Under the Homestead Act of 1862, a public land of approximately 160 acres was granted to any US citizen who were ready to reside and cultivate the land for five years. Tunstall intended to take advantage of this act by claiming homestead rights to the areas with the most reliable water sources. With this approach, Tunstall aimed to attain full authority of the grazing land surrounding his ranches.
Rival merchant James Dolan and company soon recognized what was happening and murdered Tunstall using Dolan’s right hand man…the Sheriff, and his posse. After Tunstall was murdered, the dreams of Fred Waite and Billy the Kid began to dissolve as they participated in a deadly range war to avenge their boss. Things got especially complicated when they had to kill some dirty lawmen connected to Murphy and Dolan. 
Fred was a member of the Lincoln County Regulators and engaged in several skirmishes alongside Billy the Kid. There are speculations that Billy and Fred attempted to make arrests on the Murphy Dolan store with legal warrants in their possession. However, upon entering the store, Brady was present alongside several of his Army associates from Fort Stanton. Despite Billy and Fred’s insistence to make the arrest, Brady refused and purportedly disarmed them before incarcerating them briefly. The jail itself was a pit lined with rough log timberwood underneath an adobe. It has been suggested in some reports that the boys did not attend Tunstall’s funeral, which is untrue.
After Tunstall’s murder followed by the loss of hope for justice, the group of men, who were employed by then Mcsween and possibly Chisum, decided to take action. The intention was to seek justice for their late boss and friend and felt that a violent removal of Brady from office was necessary. The group was compensated for their efforts, earning about 4-5 dollars a day to carry out their duties. The Lincoln County War began and The boys became known as The Regulators.

On April 1st, 1878, Fred Waite, along with Billy, John Middleton, Henry Brown, and Jim French, were involved in the fatal shooting of Sheriff Brady and Deputy Hindman in an ambush. There are reports that suggest that Waite may have also been present during the shootout at Blazer’s Mill a few days after the incident.

During the 5-day battle of the Lincoln County War, Waite’s whereabouts were unclear, and it is uncertain whether he was present or not. Some reports suggest that he may have left the conflict, while others suggest that he remained with his companions until the fall of 1878. Further documentation is needed to determine the full extent of Waite’s involvement in these events.
It is believed that Fred attempted to convince Billy to accompany him to Indian Territory, but Billy refused, which resulted in their separation. Subsequently, Fred got married to a lady named Patsy Hawkins in a traditional Indian wedding ceremony. The couple welcomed a son, but the marriage was short-lived, and both mother and son moved away. Fred eventually married his fourth cousin and had a daughter. Regrettably, this relationship was also fleeting and in 1886, he relocated to Choctaw Nation.

Fred was involved in a shooting incident while assisting Sam Paul, an appointed U.S. Indian constable, in pursuing a group of criminals. Upon arrival at the suspects’ hideout, one of them was fatally shot. Subsequently, Fred and Paul faced charges for the death but were cleared as their actions were performed in accordance with the law.

Following the incident, Fred earned a reputation as a noteworthy member of society, possessing excellent communication skills and literary abilities. He later served as a tribal police officer for approximately four years and performed his duties proficiently. Additionally, he fulfilled a longstanding personal aspiration and established his own cattle ranch.
Fred’s political career began in 1889 when he was elected as a representative of Pickens County in the Chickasaw Nation. His impressive track record led him to become a candidate for the senate in 1890. In addition to his political accomplishments, Fred also served as the Attorney General of the Chickasaw Nation and held the position of National Secretary. Throughout his career, Fred’s diligent work ethic and commitment to his duties were evident. Despite experiencing two failed marriages, Fred found happiness again when he wed for a third time, and his personal life was flourishing.
Fred was elected as governor of Indian Territory but unfortunately he passed away on September 24, 1895, due to rheumatism, the day after his 42nd birthday. He was laid to rest at Paul’s Valley cemetery in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma.