Considered by many to be a devout servant of the Chickasaw people, Martin Van Buren Cheadle was an upstanding Chickasaw man.

He was born in 1856 and spent his life and career as a clerk for several different offices within the Chickasaw Nation, including court clerk, clerk for the grand jury and clerk for the Chickasaw House of Representatives, secretary of the Senate, national secretary and auditor of public accounts.

He was able to preside over the Chickasaw Senate during the last session of tribal legislature before statehood. Because of his stature and involvement with the Chickasaw Nation, he was pressured numerous times to run for governor. Though he declined every time, it was evident that he was highly sought after in political office. Martin Van Buren Cheadle died in 1913.