Indian Territory

Biographical Sketch of Thomas Greece

Thomas, son of George Greece, was born in the Cherokee Nation, educated in Male Seminary. Married at Welling in 1907 Nannie Walker. Mr. Grease is a farmer and belongs to the Presbyterian Church.

Biography of Elias C. Boudinot

The late distinguished lawyer and statesman, E. C. Boudinot, was born August, 1835, near Rome, Ga., and was the son of Kille-kee-nah, a Cherokee descended from a long line of chiefs. Elias was first educated for a civil engineer at Manchester, Vt., but finally concluded to adopt the law as a profession. He was admitted to the bar in 1856, and practiced in the State and Federal Courts. One of his first cases was the defense of Stand Watie, defendant in a murder case, in which it is recorded that young Boudinot made one of the most effective and polished … 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 Captain George B. Hester

The name of Captain George B. Hester figures prominently on the pages of Oklahoma’s history. About the middle of the nineteenth century he became a resident of the Indian Territory and from that time forward left the impress of his individuality and ability upon the history of this great region which is now known as the state of Oklahoma. He was born in North Carolina on the 26th of March, 1832, and was a young man of but twenty-three years when in 1855 he came to the Indian Territory, settling at Tishomingo, in what is now Johnson County, then the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. N. G. Gregory

Mrs. N. G. Gregory (whose maiden name was Carrie E. Norman) is the second daughter of W. G. Norman, and was born in Florida in 1867, coming to the Creek Nation in 1877, her mother being a citizen thereof. Miss Norman was partly educated in the States and partly at Wealaka Mission, Creek Nation, where she was greatly beloved by her teachers and admired and respected by her schoolmates. While there she joined the Presbyterian Church, and has since been a devout member. On June 15, 1886, Miss Norman was married to N. G. Gregory, a prominent member of the … Read more

Biography of General Marion Swanson

General Marion Swanson of Muskogee, well known in real estate circles through his purchase and sale of farm lands, is also engaged in farming, but follows this more as a recreation than as a source of livelihood. He was born in Lineville, Iowa, April 29, 1863, and is a son of William E. and Susan J. (Edgemand) Swanson. His father was always engaged in farming and stock raising and General Swanson, therefore, early became familiar with the various phases of agricultural life. He was educated in the public schools of Millersburg, Cherokee county, Kansas, and when not busy with his … Read more

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 W. H. Hendricks

W. H. Hendricks was born in Georgia, February 28, 1831. The subject of this sketch is the son of William Hendricks, his mother being a Cherokee orphan girl named Susanna. His parents emigrated from Georgia in 1832, and, strange to say, both died in January 1868. William was first sent to Park Hill Missionary School until his eleventh or twelfth year, after which he is indebted to his own industry and observation for whatever knowledge he acquired. In 1860 he married Narcissa Crittenden, by whom he has one daughter living, Mrs. Fannie Carr. In 1864 he again married, this time … Read more

Treaty of October 21, 1867 – Memorandum

Articles of a treaty concluded at the Council Camp on Medicine Lodge Creek, seventy miles south of Fort Larned, in the State of Kansas, on the twenty-first day of October, eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, by and between the United States of America, represented by its commissioners duly appointed thereto to-wit: Nathaniel G. Taylor, William S. Harney, C. C. Augur, Alfred S. [H.] Terry, John B. Sanborn, Samuel F. Tappan, and J. B. Henderson, of the one part, and the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache Indians, represented by their chiefs and headmen duly authorized and empowered to act for the body of … Read more

Biography of Hon. Samuel Morton Rutherford

Samuel Morton Rutherford has always been keenly alive to his duties and responsibilities as a man and citizen and through the avenue of his profession has done much to uphold the legal and moral status of his community. Residing in Muskogee, he is recognized as one of the eminent members of the bar of this section of the state, attaining high position in a calling where advancement depends entirely upon individual merit and ability. Samuel M. Rutherford is indebted to the public school system of Fort Smith, Arkansas, for his early educational privileges and later he enjoyed the benefit of … Read more

Biography of Charles J. Shawnee

Charles J. Shawnee, prominently identified with farming interests at one time but now practically living retired, making his home in Ramona, was born near Alluwe, in Coowescoowee in the Cherokee Nation, December 9, 1875. The name Shawnee was conferred upon his father during the Civil war but this was not really the family name, it being French. The father was John French, who was born at Spring River, near Seneca, Missouri, and he was of French, Shawnee and Delaware extraction. His people came originally from Sandusky, Ohio, and removed thence to Illinois and afterward to Arkansas. Still later they came … Read more

Biography of Edward D. Hicks

Edward D. Hicks is numbered among Tahlequah’s representative business men and is one whose life record should be a stimulus to the effort and ambition of others. He was born at Fort Gibson, Indian Territory, on the 1st of January, 1866, a son of Daniel R. and Nancy J. (Rider) Hicks. His grandfather on the paternal side Elijah Hicks, was chief of the Cherokee Nation in Georgia and Indian Territory and died in 1856. Mr. and Mrs. Hicks came with the immigration of Cherokees in 1837 and 1838 to Indian Territory and the father became a successful farmer and stock … Read more

Miami Tribe

Miami Indians (Chippewa: Omaumeg, ‘people who live on the peninsula’). An Algonquian tribe, usually designated by early English writers as Twightwees (twanhtwanh, the cry of a crane. Hewitt), from their own name, the earliest recorded notice of which is from information furnished in 1658 by Gabriel Druillettes who called them the Oumamik, then living 60 leagues froth St. Michel, the first village of the Pottawatomi mentioned by him; it, was therefore at or about the mouth of Green Bay, Wisconsin. Tailhan (Perrot, Mémoire) says that they withdrew into the Mississippi valley, 60 leagues from the bay, and were established there … Read more

Biography of J. W. Jackson

Among the public-spirited citizens and progressive farmers of Washington County whose intelligently directed labors are valuable assets in promoting the agricultural development of northeastern Oklahoma is numbered J. W. Jackson, who resides on a highly productive farm situated on the Caney river, near Vera. He was born in Logan County, Kentucky, December 16, 1865, and his parents were George C. and Josephine (Anderson) Jackson, the former a native of Tennessee, while the latter was born in the Blue Grass state. The father established his home in Kentucky during the Civil war, in which he served until the close of hostilities … Read more

The Meeting in 1811 of Tecumseh and Apushamatahah

Peter Perkins Pitchlynn was the Choctaw Principal Chief from 1864-1866

The meeting in 1811, of Tecumseh, the mighty Shawnee, with Apushamatahah, the intrepid Choctaw. I will here give a true narrative of an incident in the life of the great and noble Choctaw chief, Apushamatahah, as related by Colonel John Pitchlynn, a white man of sterling integrity, and who acted for many years as interpreter to the Choctaws for the United States Government, and who was an eye-witness to the thrilling scene, a similar one, never before nor afterwards befell the lot of a white man to witness, except that of Sam Dale, the great scout of General Andrew Jackson, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John M. Smith

John M. Smith was born December 2, 1834, in New York County, the son of Harvey D. Smith and Miss S. Cook, of the same county. John attended public school until the age of eighteen years, after which he devoted himself to agriculture, until his twentieth year, when he became a frontiersman and spent many years on the Texas border. In 1857 he went to Missouri, and began the nursery business, and in 1866 moved to the Cherokee Nation, settling at Fort Gibson, where he was employed by the government as wagon boss. In 1868 he commenced the nursery business … Read more

Biography of John Downing Benedict

John Downing Benedict was born in Clermont, a suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana, on the 27th of May, 1854, and there began his education in the common schools. Accompanying his parents on their removal to Vermilion county, Illinois , he there worked on a farm during the summer months, while the winter seasons were spent as a student in the Rossville high school. When eighteen years of age he took up the profession of teaching, which he followed through the succeeding five years in the country and village schools. Subsequently he attended the University of Illinois for one year and then … Read more

Biography of James Franklin Ledbetter

James Franklin Ledbetter, of Muskogee, has been a resident of this city for about seventeen years and through the period has largely been an incumbent in public office. Much of his life has thus been given to public service and his record has been most commendable, being characterized by marked devotion to duty and efficiency in the discharge of the tasks which have devolved upon him. Arkansas numbers him among her native sons, his birth having occurred in Madison county, December 15, 1852. He obtained a public school education and in early life gave his attention to the occupation of … Read more

Indian Villages, Towns and Settlements of Indian Territory

These pages will provide an alphabetical listing for all the villages, towns, and settlements in what was the state of Indian Territory at the time the Handbook of American Indian of North America was written. Alibamu to Apoholythas Beaversville to Black Dog Chakihlako to Conchanty Hatchichapa to Hlekatska