Samuel Paul was born near Fort Arbuckle, Indian Territory in the Chickasaw Nation in 1848. His family founded what would become Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, 10 years later.

Samuel Paul was one of the strongest advocates of Indian rights during his time.

He lived to only 44 years of age, murdered by his own son, but in the short period of his life, he served in the Chickasaw House of Representatives and Senate, and was a candidate for governor in 1890.

He was one of the driving forces for the economic development of the Chickasaw Nation and was instrumental in bringing the railroads here.

He owned the first newspaper in the Chickasaw Nation, The Paul's Valley Enterprise, and later owned and was president of The Chickasaw Chieftain newspaper in Ardmore.

He was a fluent speaker of all the languages of the Five Civilized Tribes, as well as English, Kiowa and Comanche.

He was a member of the Lighthorse Police and constable of Pickens County in 1881. As a lawman, he shot a young non-Indian who was harboring horse thieves. For that act, he was sentenced to a federal prison, but was eventually granted a full pardon by President Chester A. Arthur in 1884.