Vivia Thomas

Vivia Thomas is an American folk figure.[1][2][3]

The popular legend is summarized as follows: A sentry was patrolling the grounds of Fort Gibson in the Indian Territory when he discovered a fort trooper, young Private Thomas, lying dead across a grave in a nearby cemetery. Approximately two weeks later, on January 6, 1870, a young woman was found frozen to death by his grave. Two days prior to her death, she had revealed the tale to a Fort Gibson chaplain. The story is a small, well-known part of American military history.


History

Thomas was the daughter of a wealthy family from Boston. She was educated at the finest schools and attended the finest affairs of Boston society. It was during one of these parties following the Civil War that Vivia met and fell in love with a handsome army officer. After several months of courtship, their engagement and wedding plans were announced. Shortly before their wedding day the young officer disappeared, leaving Vivia an apology and explaining that he was going out west in search of adventure. Brokenhearted, and seeking revenge for the embarrassment that the young man's betrayal had caused her, Vivia left home in search of him. She learned that he had been stationed at Fort Gibson, in the Indian Territory, and began her long and difficult journey.

During the next several months, Thomas started to disguise herself as a man for protection in the rough country. The disguise proved successful and when she arrived, she decided to use it to enlist in the Army at Fort Gibson herself. She spent several months working as an officer, watching her former lover closely and observing his behaviors. She discovered that he had taken up with an Indian woman who lived a short distance from the fort, and visited her often.

In late December 1869, Thomas followed the officer into the Indian Territory. She hid behind an outcropping of stone and shot him with her rifle as he rode by on his horse. The bullet hit him in the chest and knocked him off his horse. The next morning, his body was discovered and brought to the Fort. At first, it was thought that he had been killed by Indians, as he was found in their territory.

In the days that followed, Thomas became deeply grieved by what she had done and began to visit his grave every night, praying for forgiveness. She went to confess what had been done to the Fort Gibson chaplain. Two days later, she was discovered by his grave, frozen to death. When her story became known to the men at Fort Gibson, she was admired for the work she had done while in service and buried in an honorable place in Fort Gibson National Cemetery, in the officer's circle. Her grave is number 2119. [4]

Thomas's story is believed by some to be one that takes a ghostly turn. Many believe that her spirit has not found peace and that she still haunts the cemetery plot. Claims include a 'delicate' apparition of a young soldier near her grave, weeping loudly.

Legacy

The story touched the commanding officers at Fort Gibson. In the Fort Gibson National Cemetery stands a large circle called the Circle of Honor, set aside for soldiers who had distinguished themselves in service. Her grave simply reads "Vivia Thomas, January 7, 1870".

References

  1. ↑ Ozark Tales and Superstitions - Steele, Philip W. - Google Books. Books.google.com. Retrieved 2014-07-13.
  2. ↑ Classic American Ghost Stories: 200 Years of Ghost Lore from the Great ... - Google Books. Books.google.com. Retrieved 2014-07-13.
  3. ↑ Steele, Phillip W. Ozark Tales and Superstitions, Pelican Publishing Co., 1983. ISBN 0-88289-404-8
  4. ↑ "Fort Gibson National Cemetery". www.nps.gov. National Park Service. Retrieved 10 February 2015.

External links