Ambrose Powell

Ambrose Powell is my Great-Great-Grandfather of my dad's family. He was born March 17, 1829 in Poor Fork, Kentucky. He moved to Indian Territory early and was the first postmaster of the Yarnaby Post Office in 1880. His daughter, Marthan Ann "Ellen" (Powell) Sears is my Great-Grandmother.

Colbert Ancestors

Lemuel Colbert is my Great-Great-Great-Grandfather. He is one of Levi and Mintahoyo's sons. Census records show that Lemuel and his mother were among the first Chickasaws in Indian Territory in 1839. He attended the Chickasaw Nation Constitutional Conventions of 1848 and 1856. My Colbert family ancestors are:

• James Logan Colbert
• Major Levi "Itawamba Minco" Colbert
• Lemuel Colbert (arrived in Indian Territory in 1838 or 1939 along with his mother)
• Amanda Colbert Reynolds (Born in Indian Territory in 1848)
• Permelia Reynolds Skinner (Born in Chickasaw Nation in 1880)
• Mollie Skinner Sears (Born in Chickasaw Nation in 1901)
• W.L. Sears (Born in Kemp, Oklahoma in 1922)

My son, Brent, is an 8th Generation Chickasaw continuously living in the Chickasaw Nation since 1839.

Background Information

I was born and raised in the Panola District and have lived most of my life on our family place at Kemp, Oklahoma. I am the principal at Leonard Junior High School, Leonard, Texas, about 30 miles from our home. My wife Debbie is a special education teacher at Durant High School. We have one son, Brent, who is 17 and at senior at Durant High School. Brent plays nose guard for the Durant Lions Football Team.

I attended elementary school at Kemp and graduated from Durant High School. I have a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and education from Southeastern Oklahoma State University (1978) and a Master of Science degree in Business Education from Oklahoma State University (1980).

I am a member of the Chickasaw Nation Historical Society, the Bryan County Heritage Association and the Oklahoma Historical Society. I serve Bryan County farmers and ranches as an elected member of the Bryan County USDA Farm Service Advisory Committee. I am also the treasurer for the Durant High School Athletic Booster Club.

We are members of the church of Christ at Kemp.

My hobbies include working the family ranch, genealogy, and collecting Chickasaw Nation and Indian Territory maps and artifacts.

As Your Future Legislator

I believe we must have good, positive representation for Panola District on the Chickasaw Tribal Legislature. We need a legislator who will get real, tangible results for Panola District Chicksaws. My goals as a member of the Chickasaw Legislature are:

• to improve educational opportunities and career guidance for all Chickasaw youth,
• to continue to improve access to quality health care to Panola District Chickasaws and to all Chickasaws, no matter where they live,
• to continue to honor our elders by providing more services,
• to promote economic development and increase tribal employment in the Panola District, and to perserve the historical sites of the Panola District and to promote our heritage and history among all citizens.

Most importantly, I want to be a "voice" for Panola District citizens, wherever they may live.

Panola District Ballots

Ballots for the Panola District election will be mailed Monday, July 16. The election day is Tuesday, July 31. Please get your ballots in as soon as possible before the July 31 election.

The Campaign Trail

I will be at the following locations Saturday, July 14 to talk to Panola District citizens about my campaign for the Chickasaw Legislature:

• at 9:00 a.m. I will be at the Countryside Antique Mall at 6177 Highway 70 West in Mead,
• at 11:00 a.m. at the Colbert City Park in Colbert,
• at 2:00 p.m. at the Bryan County Genealogy Library,
• at 4:00 p.m. at the Leo Hedrick City Park in Achille, and then
• at 7:30 p.m. at the Yarnaby Senior Nutrition & Community Center in Yarnaby.

I am very excited about representing all Panola District citizens on the Chickasaw Tribal Legislature. Please come out Saturday and have a soft drink with us and talk about the future of Panola District.

E-Mail Contact

Thank you for looking at my website. I look forward to visiting with you about what's important to Panola District Chickasaws. You can contact me by completing the email form on my contact page.

More information about me and my campaign will be posted on http://www.berylsears.com/ soon. Until then, my profile is available at http://www.berylsears.blogspot.com/.

Sincerely,