Indian Territory

Biography of Samuel Sixkiller

(See Grant, Foreman and Sixkiller) Gu-o-tsa Smith, a half breed Cherokee woman of the Paint Clan, married Sixkiller, a full blooded Cherokee. Their son, Red Bird Sixkiller, married Pamelia Whaley, a White woman, and they in turn were the parents of Samuel Sixkiller who married Fannie Foreman; and Lucas Sixkiller who married Emma Blythe. Samuel and Fannie (Foreman) Sixkiller were the parents of Samuel Rasmus Sixkiller, born February 13, 1877, and graduated from Carlisle University in 1895. Lucas and Emma (Blythe) Sixkiller were the parents of Mattie B. Sixkiller, born December 14, 1874, in Delaware District; and she married on … Read more

Biography of General Pleasant Porter

This illustrious citizen of the Muskogee Tribe was born in that nation, on the Arkansas River, September 26, 1840. His father, Benj. E. Porter, of Norristown, Pennsylvania, was a white man of Irish descent. His mother was a daughter of Tartope Tustennuggee, Chief of the Okmulgees, while his grandmother was a sister to Samuel and Benjamin Perryman. General Porter is a grandnephew to R. W. Porter, ex-Governor of Pennsylvania. When ten years of age, Pleasant was sent to the Presbyterian Mission School at Tallahassee for five years, after which he engaged in farming until the outbreak of the war, when … Read more

Act of June 7, 1897

30 Stat. L. 83 For salaries of the commissioners appointed under acts of Congress approved March third, eighteen hundred and ninety-three, and March second, eighteen hundred and ninety-five, to negotiate with the Five Civilized Tribes in the Indian Territory, twenty-five thousand dollars; for expenses of commissioners and necessary expenses of employees, ten thousand dollars, of which sum so much as may be necessary for expenses of employees for eighteen hundred and ninety-seven, to be immediately available: Provided, That two dollars per diem for expenses of a clerk detailed as special disbursing agent from date of original detail by Interior Department, … Read more

Biography of Benjamin C. Chouteau

Benjamin C. Chouteau was born in 1835, in Johnson County, Kansas, the only son of Cyprian Chouteau (of French descent), who was an Indian trader. Benjamin’s mother was Miss Rogers, a full blood Shawnee and sister to Graham Rogers, at one time second chief of the Shawnees. Benjamin attended public school until his sixteenth year, after which he went to California and followed mining, at which he was not very successful. He spent twenty-five years of his life traveling in British Columbia, Oregon, Idaho, etc., and in November 1877, arrived back in Vinita, Cherokee Nation. Here he purchased a small … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Joel T. Martin

(See Ghigau and Rogers) Joel Thomas, son of William and Sarah Martin, born August 21, 1876, educated in Cherokee Public Schools. Married October 26, 1896, Myrtle Stephens, nee Stephenson, born April 19, 1878, in Nodaway County, Missouri. One son, William A. Martin, married in 1899, Stella, daughter Mr. and Mrs. Argentine Causdell. They the parents of: Pauline, May and George Martin. Mr. Martin is a member of the Owls fraternity. He is a farmer near Ruby. George Washington Walker married Rachel Rogers and they were the parents of Mrs. Sarah Marlins.

Biography of William H. Balentine

The subject of this sketch was born in July 1854, the son of Rev. Hamilton Balentine and Anna Hoyt, granddaughter of Second Chief Lowry. This lady died in March 1890. The Rev. H. Balentine, of Pennsylvania, educated at Princeton College, came to the Creek Nation in 1844, and taught school at the Tallahassee Mission, and later at Coweta Mission. Afterward he moved to Good Water and Spencer Academy, Choctaw Nation, teaching for some time at these points. His next move was to Wappaknucka, Chickasaw Nation, where he taught on different occasions for a term of five years. After the war … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Ellis M. Alberty

Ellis M. Alberty was born May 4, 1854, in Going Snake district, the son of Moses Alberty (a Georgian, who settled in this nation in 1832) and Elizabeth Buffington, daughter of Ellis Buffington. Ellis, while but six years of age, commenced attending school at Prairie Grove, but after the outbreak of the war refugeed with his parents near Goodwater, Choctaw Nation. Here Ellis visited the mission school off and on until 1866, when his family returned to the home place in Going Snake district. At the Baptist Mission in this district Ellis completed his education. On June 14, 1874, he … Read more

Biography of Tams Bixby

When historians of the future write of the state of Oklahoma, or recite the romance of the American Indian, they needs must tell the story of Tams Bixby. Above his signature five great Indian nations ceased to be, one hundred and one thousand red-men foreswore allegiance to their tribal chieftains to become citizens of the United States and twenty-one million acres of Indian hunting grounds were made ready for admission to the Union. It was in 1897 that Tams Bixby left Minnesota, where he had gained national prominence as chairman of the Republican state central committee and came to Indian … Read more

Solicitors of the Cherokee Nation

The following were the solicitors of the Canadian District Lewis Riley 1841 and 1842; David Boggs 1843 and 1844; Robert G. Anderson 1845 and 1846; David Boggs 1847 and 1848; George Washing-ton Campbell 1849; Unknown 1851; Star Deerinthewater 1853; John Porum Davis 1855; Charles R. Gourd 1857; Gah-luh-do-la-duh 1859; Levi Toney 1867; Charles Edwin Watie 1869; Snake Girty 1871; Unknown 1873, William Penn Payne 1875, suspended for incest, John Taylor Drew appointed; Johnson Blythe 1877; he died July 3, 1878 and James Halfbreed appointed, he died January 13, 1879 and Snake Girty was elected February 3, 1879; Robert McDaniel 1879; … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Arthur Madden

William A. Madden was born in April, 1853, at St. Mark’s, Canada, and moved from there to New York in 1868, where he learned the profession of builder and architect. He left New York in 1871, and moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where he followed his profession until 1880, when he went to Kansas City. Leaving there in 1882, he located at Muskogee, Indian Territory, and in 1885 built a factory 36 x 76 feet, which he added to in 1888 until it now measures 108 x 206 feet. This establishment contains a tin shop, a plumbing shop and a paint … Read more

Biography of J. Edgar Buffington

J. Edgar Buffington, a representative of an honored pioneer family of Oklahoma, figures prominently in financial circles of northeastern Oklahoma as President of the Vinita National Bank, in which connection he is controlling one of the most substantial moneyed institutions in this part of the state. He was born in that portion of Indian Territory known as the Cherokee Nation, on the 13th of March, 1881, of the union of Ezekiel and Anna (Scarcewater) Buffington and when but an infant lost both of his parents. His boyhood was spent as an inmate of the Cherokee Orphans’ Home at Salina, in … Read more

Biography of Ellis Starr

Ellis Starr was born June 17, 1853, on Lee’s Creek, Cherokee Nation, the only son of Leroy Starr, of Flint district. Ellis’ mother was a Miss Vann, daughter of Andy Vann, who died in Cuba many years ago, and who was second chief at the time of his death. Ellis’ grandfather, Ezekiel Starr, was one of the most prominent men in the nation, and died while in Washington, D. C., serving as delegate for his people, about the year 1847. Ellis attended public school until he was nine years of age, and at the close of the war went to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. A. Lawrence

J. A. Lawrence was born October 18, 1856, in Smith County, Texas, and attended public school until eighteen years of age, after which he went to the Methodist Institute, Sulphur Springs, Texas, where he remained one year. Later he studied twelve months at the high school in Smith County, and commenced teaching the public school in Wood County, in 1878. In 1879 he began the study of law in Tyler, Texas, and in 1880 was admitted to the bar. In 1881 he located at Quitman, Wood County, and practiced law for a couple of years, when he was elected prosecuting … Read more

Biography of H. B. Lowery

An alert and enterprising citizen of Nowata is H. B. Lowery, who since May, 1921, has been active in the office of chief of police. He was born eight miles east of Fort Gibson, in what is now Cherokee county, Oklahoma, on the 9th of July, 1875, a son of Henry and Polly (Parris) Lowery. The paternal grandparents removed to Indian Territory at an early day and Henry Lowery was born in this section of the country, as was his wife, her parents having come to the territory from Georgia. In the acquirement of an education H. B. Lowery attended … Read more

Seminole Tribe

Seminole Indians, Seminole Nation (Creek: Sim-a-no’-le, or Isti simanóle, ‘separatist’, ‘runaway’ ). A Muskhogean tribe of Florida, originally made up of immigrants from the Lower Creek towns on Chattahoochee river, who moved down into Florida following the destruction of the Apalachee and other native tribes. They were at first classed with the Lower Creeks, but began to be known under their present name about 1775.  Those still residing in Florida call themselves Ikaniúksalgi, peninsula people’ (Gatschet). The Seminole, before the removal of the main body to Indian Territory, consisted chiefly of descendants of Muscogee (Creeks) and Hitchiti from the Lower Creek … Read more

Biography of Addison Fox McCaleb

Addison Fox McCaleb, one of the most prominent and prosperous citizens of northeastern Oklahoma, where he first took up his abode forty-three years ago, was elected mayor of Bartlesville in April, 1920, and has since capably discharged the duties devolving upon him in that important position. He was born at Harrison, Tennessee, on the 10th of January, 1861, a son of Charles and Elizabeth (Gardenhire) McCaleb, the former a native of east Tennessee and the latter of Hamilton county, that state. The father held the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Civil war and was wounded in battle, but his … Read more

Biography of H. K. Stierwalt

H. K. Stierwalt, who for many years has been engaged in farming in Nowata county, is now living in Nowata where he is active in the conduct of a grocery business. A native of Indiana, he was born on the 22d of August, 1862, a son of Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Stierwalt, both of whom are deceased. For many years the father was successfully engaged in farming in Neosho county, Kansas, and his demise, in 1907, came as a severe blow to his many friends in the community. Mrs. Stierwalt died when her son, H. K., was an infant. … Read more

Biography of Thomas M. Buffington

Thomas M. Buffington, an honored pioneer of Oklahoma and one of the most prominent men in the state, was for many years a dominant figure in the councils of the Cherokee Nation but is now living retired at Vinita at the age of sixty-six years. He was born in the Going Snake district of the Cherokee Nation, near accompanied the Cherokees on their removal to the Choctaw 1855, and his parents were Ezekiel and Louisa (Newman) Buffington, the former of whom was born in the Cherokee Nation of Georgia, while the latter was a native of Tennessee. The father accompanied … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Robert Lee Mitchell

(See Ghigau and Rogers)—Robert Lee Mitchell, born April 10, 1876 in Cherokee Nation. His Cherokee name is Quaqua. Educated in the Cherokee Public Schools and Male Seminary from which he graduated June 28, 1895. He was an instructor at the Cherokee Orphan Asylum from 1895 to 1899 and at the Male Seminary from 1900 to 1902. Graduated from the Medical Department of the University of Ark in 1904. He located at his present home in Vinita in the practice of medicine. He is an Episcopalian and has advanced as far as the shrine in Masonry. He has been a member … Read more

Slave Narrative of Henry F. Pyles

Person Interviewed: Henry F. Pyles Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma Date of Birth: August 15, 1856 Age: 81 That’s how the niggers say old Bab Russ used to make the hoodoo “hands” he made for the young bucks and wenches, but I don’t know. ’cause I was too trusting to look inside de one he make for me, and anyways I lose it, and it no good nohow! Old Bab Russ live about two mile from me, and I went to him one night at midnight and ask him to make me de hand. I was a young strapper about sixteen years … Read more