Indian Territory

Treaty with the Delaware, July 4, 1866

Articles of agreement between the United States and the chiefs and councilors of the Delaware Indians, on behalf of said tribe, made at the Delaware Agency, Kansas, on the fourth day of July, eighteen hundred and sixty-six. Whereas Congress has by law made it the duty of the President of the United States to provide by treaty for the removal of the Indian tribes from the State of Kansas; and whereas the Delaware Indians have expressed a wish to remove from their present reservation in said State to the Indian country, located between the States of Kansas and Texas; and … Read more

Biography of John Martin Bell

One of the representative agriculturists of Rogers county is John Martin Bell, who is engaged in farming eight and one-half miles southwest of Chelsea. A native of Texas, he was born in Russ county, on the 28th of October, 1859, a; son of John and Sarah Selesta (Harnage) Bell, both of Cherokee extraction. Upon the outbreak of the Civil war, Mr. Bell’s sympathies being with the south, he enlisted in the Confederate army and his death occurred while he was spending a furlough in Indian Territory. Mrs. Bell died in 1886. In the acquirement of his education John Martin Bell … Read more

Biography of Judge Napoleon Bonaparte Moore

A life of great usefulness and far-reaching influence ended when on the 10th of October, 1911, Judge Napoleon Bonaparte Moore was called to his final rest, after a long illness, at the venerable age of eighty-four years. Long a leader of public thought and action, he left his impress in notable measure upon the history of Oklahoma along agricultural, legislative, political and moral lines. A native of Alabama, he was born on the 8th of January, 1827, of the marriage of William and Lucy (Chemathla) Moore, who were also natives of that state, in which the father spent his life, … Read more

Biography of John Young

Coming to Indian Territory fifty-four years ago, there is no phase of the development of this section of the country with which John Young is not familiar and those events which are to others historical chronicles are to him matters of personal knowledge or experience. In the work of up building and improvement he has borne his full share, aiding in laying the broad foundation upon which has been constructed the present prosperity and greatness of the state, and now, at the age of seventy-six years, be is living retired in his beautiful home near Copan, after many years’ connection … Read more

Biography of Samuel Aaron Kenoyer

Samuel Aaron Kenoyer, a prominent real estate operator of Miami, has won a substantial, measure of success through the capable management of his business affairs and has also aided materially in improving and developing his city, being recognized as a most progressive and public-spirited citizen. He was born in Kentland, Newton county, Indiana, September 30, 1873, of the marriage of James and Nancy Jane Kenoyer, the former also born in that county, while the latter was likewise a native of the Hoosier state. For a time the father engaged in farming and he afterward turned his attention to the carpenter’s … Read more

Biography of James M. Hamilton

In a record that gives a history of those who have contributed to the agricultural development of Washington County mention should be made of James M. Hamilton, a pioneer of Oklahoma, who passed away in 1911, at the comparatively early age of forty-two years, his demise being deeply regretted by a large circle of friends. A native of Missouri, he was born April 1, 1869, and in 1883 came to Indian Territory with his parents, Hugh Evans and Olivia (Snodgrass) Hamilton, who settled on a farm near the Wauhillau post office. Both are now deceased, the former passing away in … Read more

Treaty of May 13, 1833

Articles of agreement or a treaty between the United States and the Quapaw Indians entered into by John F. Schermerhorn, commissioner of Indian affairs west on the part of the United States and the chiefs and warriors of the Quapaw Indians. Whereas, by the treaty between the United States and the Quapaw Indians, concluded November 15th, 1824, they ceded to the United States all their lands in the Territory of Arkansas, and according to which they were “to be concentrated and confined to a district of country inhabited by the Caddo Indians and form a part of said tribe,” and … Read more

Biography of R. T. Ellis

R. T. Ellis, a member of one of the old and prominent families of Oklahoma, is well known in agricultural circles of Washington county as the owner of a highly productive and well improved farm near Ochelata. A native of Kentucky, he was born in Rockcastle County and is a son of Thomas J. and Vera Ellen (Smith) Ellis, who were also born in the Blue Grass state, the father’s birth having occurred at Vernon on the 25th of January, 1842. The paternal grandparents were Thomas and Susan (Wadzle) Ellis, the former a native of North Carolina and the latter … 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 Herbert W. Wetzell

Herbert W. Wetzell, publisher and owner of the McIntosh County Democrat, was born in Bloomington, Illinois, on the 6th of February, 1884, a son of George and Julia (Pratt) Wetzell, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Ohio. The paternal great-grandfather, Lewis Wetzell,. was a noted Indian fighter of West Virginia and mention of him is made in most histories of the United States. George Wetzell spent forty years of his life in the newspaper business and achieved substantial success in that connection. He published papers at Greenview, Bloomington and Farmer City, Illinois, and in 1907, came … Read more

Kaskaskia Tribe

Kaskaskia Indians (perhaps akin to kāskāskahamwa, ‘ he scrapes it off by means of a tool.’ The Foxes have always held the Peoria in low esteem, and in their traditions claim to have destroyed most of them on a rocky island in a river. – Wm. Jones). Once the leading tribe of the Illinois confederacy, and perhaps rightly to be considered as the elder brother of the group. Although the first knowledge of this confederacy obtained by the whites related, in all probability, to the Peoria while they yet resided on the Mississippi, it is probable that the references to … Read more

Biography of Ad V. Coppedge

Ad V. Coppedge, the pioneer lawyer of Delaware county and the first county attorney, has also been connected with every important constructive measure that has led to the up building, development and progress of this section of the state. He became a resident of Grove in 1963 and throughout all the intervening period has taken active part in shaping the county’s up building. Mr. Coppedge was born on a farm in Missouri near the Arkansas line, January 26, 1870, the old homestead being situated at Thayer. His parents were Houston Harrison and Tennessee Martha (Bledsoe) Coppedge, and the mother, a … Read more

Biography of James H. Thompson

James H. Thompson, a pioneer of Oklahoma, is numbered among the successful agriculturists of Washington county, his home being on the Bartlesville-Nowata road. He was born at Lawrence, Kansas, October 20, 1867, and when but a year old he was brought to Indian Territory by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Thompson, the mother passing away during his infancy. Lizzie Curleyhead, whose Delaware name is Pawnaquah, is an aunt of the subject of this review, and has reached the age of sixty-eight years. He also had three sisters Lily and Amanda, both deceased; and Lizzie, who is now Mrs. Whiteturkey … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Martin R. Brown

Martin R. Brown was born February, 1868, at Fort Gibson, second son of John L. Brown and Anna E. Schrimsher, daughter of Martin Schrimsher, a white man, intermarried with the Cherokees, and very prominent in the nation. Martin attended neighborhood school until 1879, after which he went to the male seminary at Tahlequah, and attended it for four sessions. In 1881 he commenced teaching school at Garfield and Fort Gibson, where he was engaged two years. For some time he had been studying pharmacy, and in 1883 opened a drug store at Fort Gibson, which he soon sold out, and … Read more

Appropriation Act of May 27, 1902

32 Stat. L. 245 For salaries of four 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 thousand dollars: Provided, That said Commission shall exercise all the powers heretofore conferred upon it by Congress: Provided further, That all children born to duly enrolled and recognized citizens of the Creek Nation up to and including the twenty-fifth day of May, nineteen hundred and one, and then living, shall be added to the rolls of citizenship of said nation … Read more

Biography of S. B. Ward

S. B. Ward, a pioneer farmer and stock raiser of Oklahoma residing near Ramona, in Washington county, is conducting his operations on an extensive scale and in the management of his business interests he displays marked executive ability, firm determination and sound judgment. A native of West Virginia, he was born January 21, 1860, and his parents, Simon and Savannah (Hammer) Ward, were also born in that state. In 1881 they removed to Missouri, settling near Appleton City, where the father engaged in farming and in that year he planted five hundred acres to corn which averaged between sixty and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William A. Sepulpa

The subject of this sketch was born October, 1861, near Polecat Creek, Sepulpa Station, on the Frisco and St. Louis Railroad, being the son of Sepulpa, who died in 1889. His grandmother lived until May 1890, dying at the age of ninety years. William was first sent to school at Tallahassee Mission, Indian Territory, in 1872, and remained five years, going from thence to Wooster University, Ohio, where he studied for three and a half years in the freshman class. On his return he was appointed United States Indian officer in 1885, and afterwards entered S. B. Severs’ establishment at … Read more

Houses of the Sauk and Fox Tribes

Mat covered lodges

It is not the purpose of the present sketch to trace the early migrations of the Sauk and Fox tribes, or to refer to their connection, linguistically or socially. However, it is evident their villages were similar in appearance, and both had two distinct forms of habitations which were occupied during different seasons of the year. The summer villages of both tribes consisted of bark houses, and near by were gardens in which they raised corn, squashes, beans, and some tobacco, but with the coming of autumn the families scattered and sought the more protected localities where game was to be … Read more

Biography of John Adams

The subject of this sketch was born October 16, 1844, at Cleveland, Ohio, the second son of Ezekia Adams. At the age of seventeen years he began railroading, becoming a conductor on the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad and other roads for twelve or fifteen years. He also spent eight or nine years in the eating-house and hotel business. In 1889 Mr. Adams moved to Muskogee from Eufaula, where he was located six years. Here he bought out the M. K. and T. House, which he conducted during the building of the Hotel Adams. On its completion, January 17, 1890, … Read more