Indian Territory

Treaty of July 19, 1866

Articles of agreement and convention at the city of Washington on the nineteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, between the United States, represented by Dennis N. Cooley, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, [and] Elijah Sells, superintendent of Indian affairs for the southern superintendency, and the Cherokee Nation of Indians, represented by its delegates, James McDaniel, Smith Christie, White Catcher, S. H. Benge, J. B. Jones, and Daniel H. Ross—John Ross, principal chief of the Cherokees, being too unwell to join in these negotiations. Preamble. Whereas existing treaties between the United States … Read more

Biography of John T. Gunter

John T. Gunter was born October 8, 1855, at Hico, Benton County, Arkansas, the oldest son of C. D. Gunter, a Tennessean. His mother was a Miss Ward (one-eighth Cherokee), from Georgia, her father, James Ward, having come to this nation with the first Cherokee settlers. After having attended public school until seventeen years of age, John entered the Cincinnati Academy, Arkansas, and there remained until his twentieth year. Returning home, he embarked in the stock business, and is still carrying it on. In 1879 John moved to Sequoyah district, and opened a mercantile house, but traded it for cattle … Read more

Biography of George Abner Alexander

George A. Alexander was born in March 1842, the eldest son of James Alexander, who moved to the Creek Nation with the first general emigration, and was forage master for the Indians on their trip to this country. At the time of his death he was clerk of the council and correspondent for his people. George Abner’s mother was half-blood Creek, of the Jacob family. George received the additional name of Abner at the particular request of Mr. Abner, a general merchant, located in the Creek Nation close to where Alexander had made his home. The subject of our sketch … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Cicero W. Addington

(See Foreman, Ghigau and Adair)-Cicero White Addington, born in Goingsnake District June 7, 1875, educated at the Male Seminary; Married September 13, 1899 Mary Lowenia, daughter of Oscar F. and Mary Catherine (Rider) Adair, born December 19, 1875. They are the parents of: Clarence Grady, born April 24, 1901; Frederick Earl, born April 13 1902; and Jennings Mayes. Mr. Addington was elected Clerk of Adair County in 1918. Minerva Isabel, daughter of Abijah an Isabelle (Taylor) Akin was born June 7 1852; married September 3, 1874, Henry Newton Addington. They were the parent of Cicero White Addington.

Biography of Robert Paris Harrison

Robert Paris Harrison, city manager of Muskogee, was born June 6, 1867, at Oakwood, Illinois, and is a son of W. C. and Nancy (Graybill) Harrison, who were farming people of that state. He acquired his education in the public schools of his native town and in the district schools near Ladoga, Indiana, and starting out in life on his own account, he became identified, with newspaper interests as a reporter on the Lebanon (Ind.) Pioneer. He was afterward associated with the Michigan City (Ind.) Dispatch and in time became city editor of the Chicago Daily Globe. At a later … Read more

Biography of Noah G. Gregory

The subject of this sketch is the eldest son of Joe Gregory, a white man, and Lucinda Simms, a half-blood Euchee Indian. Lucinda was a granddaughter of Cosienna Barnett, a man of considerable prominence in the Euchee tribe, spoken of in the historic pages of this book. They are distinct from the Creeks and speak a different language, although for many years they have affiliated with and enjoyed the privileges of the Muskogees in everything except missionary work. The missionaries, being unable to speak the language, which is extremely difficult, almost completely neglected the Euchees. Noah G. Gregory was sent … Read more

Slave Narrative of Joanna Draper

Person Interviewed: Joanna Draper Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma Place of Birth: Hazelhurst Mississippi Age: 83 Most folks can’t remember many things happened to ’em when they only eight years old, but one of my biggest tribulations come about dat time and I never will forget it! That was when I was took away from my own mammy and pappy and sent off and bound out to another man, way off two-three hundred miles away from whar I live. And dat’s the last time I ever see either one of them, or any my own kinfolks! Whar I was born was at … Read more

Biography of Ira W. Green

Ira W. Green, a member of one of the honored pioneer families of Oklahoma, is a representative of the large class of farmers in Washington county whose intelligence and skill, controlled by keen discernment and business sagacity, are making their private enterprises public assets. A native of Kentucky, he was born May 13, 1878, his parents being J. K. and Amanda E. (Bailey) Green, who took up their residence in Indian Territory in 1899, during the pioneer epoch in its development, there being but one house in Dewey at that time. The father rented a large tract of land two … Read more

Biography of J. S. Fouts

Modern progressive agriculture finds a worthy representative in J. S. Fouts; who owns a valuable farm near Dewey, in Washington County, on which he has placed many improvements, while his land also contains oil, from which source he derives a large addition to his income. A native of Kansas, he was born April 14, 1862, and his father died during his infancy. When but five years of age he was brought by his mother to the Cherokee Nation and three years later her death occurred, so that he was left an orphan when very young. He is of Delaware extraction … Read more

Biography of Douglas H. Johnston

Douglas H. Johnston was born at Sculliville, Choctaw Nation, October 13, 1856. He is the son of Colonel John Johnston, Sr., a white man, who immigrated with the Six-Town Choctaws to the Indian Territory form Mississippi. Colonel Johnston acquired his title in the Seminole War, and was a cousin of General Joseph E. Johnston, of Confederate fame. He was a land speculator and a prominent lawyer of Mississippi. On coming to the territory, he was married to the widow of Isaac Moncrief, a half-breed Chickasaw lady, sister of James S. Cheedle, by whom he had four sons, viz.: William, Franklin, … Read more

Biography of Webb Littlefield

Webb Littlefield, treasurer of the Guaranty Trust. Company of Muskogee, was born March 12; 1884, in Knobnoster, Missouri, a son of Charles B. and Theodosia (Webb) Littlefield, who were at one time residents of Kentucky and afterward established their home in Johnson county, Missouri. The father engaged in banking in Missouri for thirty years and in 1906 came to the Indian Territory, settling at Claremore. Webb Littlefield pursued a public school education in Missouri and afterward attended the Teachers’ College at Warrensburg, that state. He started out in the business world as a clerk in the employ of the National … Read more

Biography of M. C. Ware

Among the leading farmers and stockmen of Washington county is numbered M. C. Ware, who resides on a well improved and valuable ranch near Bartlesville and is recognized as one of the large landholders and substantial citizens of his community. He was born in Collin county, Texas, October 11, 1857, his parents being James and Nancy (Howe) Ware, who became pioneer settlers of the Lone Star state, residing in the home in which their son M. C. was born, until called to their final rest. The father, a native of Arkansas, passed away in 1904. The mother’s demise occurred in … Read more

Biography of James Small, M.D.

James Small was born October, 1841, in McMinn County, Tennessee, seventh son of Rev. James Small and Mary A. Wallace, of Scotch descent and from Wane County, Kentucky. James Jr. attended neighborhood schools until 1861, when he joined the Federal army, enlisting in the Second Kansas Infantry, and from that entered the Sixteenth Missouri Cavalry, in which he served till the close of the war. In 1864 he married Miss Mary Noe, of Lee County, Virginia, by whom he had five children, Mary J., born April 3, 1866; Amy A., March 23, 1868; Nellie A., June 23, 1872; Robert Walter, … Read more

Biography of Mrs. Anna Parks

Mrs. Anna Parks, a native daughter of Oklahoma and a member of one of the old and prominent families of the state, is the owner of a valuable farm near Bartlesville and is a most capable business woman, displaying marked executive ability, foresight and enterprise in the management of her interests. She was born on the present site of Bartlesville, her parents being John and Jennie (Downing) Lovelady, the former a native of Germany, while the latter was born in Indian Territory and was of Cherokee extraction. In 1860 the maternal grandfather, Jesse Thompson, settled near the present location of … Read more

Treaty of November 4, 1854

Whereas a convention and agreement was made and entered into by the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians, at Doaksville, near Fort Towson, in the Choctaw country, on the seventeenth day of January, A. D. one thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven; and, whereas, difficulties have arisen between said tribes in regard to the line of boundary, between the Chickasaw district and other districts of the Choctaw nation, described in article second of said convention and agreement; and, whereas, it is the desire of the said tribes, that there shall no longer exist any dispute in regard to the boundary of the Chickasaw … 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

Biography of Wallace Buell Butz

Wallace Buell Butz, whose activities since coming to Muskogee have brought him in close connection with educational interests and with the abstract, real estate and insurance business, is now at the head of the Butz Agency, handling general insurance, and his clientage is extensive. A native of Illinois, he was born August 1, 1872, his parents being Jeremiah King and Rebecca (Tillotson) Butz. The father devoted many years to the occupation of farming and is now living retired at the advanced age of eighty-six. Wallace B. Butz pursued his early education in the public schools of Illinois and afterward attended … Read more

General History of the Western Indian Tribes 1851-1870 – Indian Wars

At the Sand Creek Massacre

Up to 1851, the immense uninhabited plains east of the Rocky Mountains were admitted to be Indian Territory, and numerous tribes roamed from Texas and Mexico to the Northern boundary of the United States. Then came the discovery of gold in California, drawing a tide of emigration across this wide reservation, and it became necessary, by treaty with the Indians, to secure a broad highway to the Pacific shore. By these treaties the Indians were restricted to certain limits, but with the privilege of ranging, for hunting purposes, over the belt thus re-reserved as a route of travel.

Biography of Andrew Jackson Edmondson

Andrew Jackson Edmondson, who since 1919 has had the agency for the Studebaker cars at Muskogee, was born in Memphis, Tennessee, September 16, 1872, and is a son of Edmond A. and Ann (Murell) Edmondson. The father was a planter, devoting his life to the management and development of his agricultural interests. His grandfather served as a soldier in the War of 1812 and kept a complete history of the struggle, being with Andrew Jackson in his operations in the south and at the battle of New Orleans. The manuscript which he prepared, however, was burned when the family residence … Read more

Biography of Johnson Thompson

Johnson Thompson was born February 10, 1822, in Cass County, Georgia, the third son of James Allen Thompson, a white man, and Martha Lynch, a Cherokee, daughter of Geter Lynch, a United States citizen, who was a brother-in-law to Judge J. Martin, of considerable prominence in the Cherokee Nation. Johnson attended missionary and private schools until he was fifteen, when his father immigrated to the present Cherokee Nation with the Boudinots, Adairs, Mayes and Ridge families, after the treaty of 1835. Here he went to school in Viniard Township, Arkansas, and later to Bentonville in the same State, until he … Read more