According to my old friend Patrick Minges, who has done much study of Freemasonry and Native Americans, Stand Watie and many of the leading men of the 'Five Civilized Tribes' were Freemasons. The first lodge in Indian Territory was established in 1848 in Tahlequah -- Cherokee Lodge #21. Chief John Ross and William P. Ross were part of this lodge. It appears that many of the Native American diplomats which visited Washington were made Freemasons without the rituals and traditions required of most members. A Google search for 'Patrick Minges' will give several sites with his writings on the topic. Also, Emmett Starr's 'History of the Cherokee Indians' has a chapter on 'Masons Among the Cherokee' which you can also find with a Google search.

Ken