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 May 6, 1828

Treaty of May 6, 1828, page 9

Articles of a Convention, concluded at the City of Washington this sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-eight, between James Barbour, Secretary of War, being especially authorized therefore by the President of the United States, and the undersigned, Chiefs and Head Men of the Cherokee Nation of Indians, West of the Mississippi , they being duly authorized and empowered by their Nation. Whereas, it being the anxious desire of the Government of the United States to secure to the Cherokee nation of Indians, as well those now living within the limits … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James A. Scott

James A. Scott was born July 15, 1847, at Elk Mills, McDonald County, Missouri, third son of James A. Scott and Fannie M. Thompson. James A., Sr., was State senator for Crawford and Franklin Counties, Arkansas, for several years, and a very well known and highly reputable man. Young James, the subject of our sketch, at fourteen years of age, went to work for his uncle, a merchant of Little Rock, until 1868, when he entered the employ of the Memphis and Arkansas River Packet Company, remaining with them until 1871, when he went into farming and stock business in … Read more

The Choctaw Claim

1818 Melish Map of Alabama

Ever since the dispute between Texas and the United States commenced concerning the title to Greer County, the Choctaw Nation had two of its ablest men in Washington over hauling the old treaties and watching the movements of both disputants. The United States by the Doak’s Stand Treaty in the autumn of 1820 ceded all its territory to the Choctaw’s south of the Canadian River to Red River along the western line of the Indian Territory. The Cherokees had been ceded all north of the Canadian. Texas claimed that the Red River mentioned in the treaty of 1819 between the United … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Caleb Starr

The subject of this sketch was born in Flint district, Cherokee Nation, October 1870, the son of James Starr, born in Georgia, and Emma Rider, daughter of John Rider, a prominent Cherokee during the Tom Starr war. John Caleb or Cale, as he is usually named, was sent to school at the Olympus and Saga public institutions, and graduated at the Male Seminary, Tahlequah, obtaining the degree of Bachelor of Science December 12, 1890. After this he entered the commercial college at Fort Smith, and there graduated May 28, 1891. On leaving Fort Smith Caleb became a bookkeeper for a … 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 Judge W. N. Evans

Judge W. N. Evans, of the Twentieth Judicial District of Missouri, makes his home in the northwestern part of West Plains, where he has a handsome residence on Garfield Avenue. He is a native of Owsley County, Kentucky, born September 1, 1849, and the son of W. N. and Elizabeth (Hurst) Evans. The grandfather, John Evans, was a native of Wales, who came to this country at an early day and settled in old Virginia. Later he moved to east Tennessee and there passed the remainder of his days. He had but three children, two sons and a daughter. The … Read more

Biography of Oliver W. Lipe

The subject of this sketch was born January, 1814, in Montgomery county, New York, the son of John C. Lipe, and grandson of Caspar Lipe, who emigrated to the country in 1710. Oliver, with his parents, settled on the Mohawk River, but he left home in 1835 en route to Santa Fe, New Mexico. He stopped off at Boonville, Mo., however, and after some time found his way to Georgia, where he enlisted in the public works, Georgia Union Railroad Company, and became a contractor. In 1837 he went to Athens, Tennessee, and the following year rode on horseback from … Read more

Biography of William Lenox McWilliams

Many interests claim the time and attention of William Lenox McWilliams, a foremost citizen of Miami, who is president of the First National Bank, being also extensively interested in stock raising and mining, and he is likewise one of the leaders of the republican party in Oklahoma. He was born upon a farm near La Belle, Missouri, April 29, 1865, his parents being George Washington and Lucy M. (Clapp) McWilliams, and is a representative of an old American family, his ancestors having been passengers on the Mayflower. The father fought in the Civil war and gave up his life for … Read more

Curtis Act – June 28, 1898

An Act For the protection of the people of the Indian Territory, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in all criminal prosecutions in the Indian Territory against officials for embezzlement, bribery, and embracery the word “officer,” when the same appears in the criminal laws heretofore extended over and put in force in said Territory, shall include all officers of the several tribes or nations of Indians in said Territory. SEC. 2. That when in the progress of any civil suit, either in … Read more

Biography of A. H. Parrish

One of the representative agriculturists of Nowata county is A. H. Parrish, who is engaged in farming four and one-quarter miles northeast of Alluwe. He was born in Coowescoowee district on the 2d of November, 1870, a son of Holland L. and Cynthia J. (Daniel) Parrish, the latter being of Cherokee extraction. The father located in Indian Territory on the 2d of February, 1869, acquiring land one mile south of Coodys Bluff, where he is still residing. He is now seventy-three years of age and enjoying the best of health. Mrs. Parrish was born in Boone county, Arkansas, and died … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John M. Tucker

The subject of this sketch was born January 1, 1857, in Johnson County, Kansas, the son of Charles Tucker, who came to this country November, 1871, with the Shawnees, who obtained a right in the Cherokee Nation through a treaty entered into at Washington in 1869, which provided for such right and title in consideration of the money accruing from the sale of Shawnee lands in Kansas, and other considerations, to be paid over to the Cherokees. John attended school at Contention Schoolhouse, Delaware district, and in 1878 went to the national Male Seminary for one year, after which he … Read more

Biography of H. W. Adams

The subject of this sketch was born in April 1837, being the son of John Adams, mayor of St. Charles, Missouri, who died in 1868. John Adams was the youngest brother of Robert H. Adams, United States Senator, who died during senatorial service. H. W. Adams was first instructed by his father, a man of superior education, and after some years’ study joined his parent in agricultural pursuits. In 1855 he left home, and worked at the carpenter trade in Arkansas. In 1859 he moved to Skulliville, Choctaw Nation, and was soon appointed architect contractor for Fort Coffee and New … Read more

Biographical Sketch of David Albert Mounts

The subject of this sketch was born June 1854, the eldest son of W. J. Mounts, of Wheeling, W. Va. He was educated in Kentucky, Missouri, Texas and Indiana, having been with his father in these states. After coming to Fort Gibson he went to work for O. W. Lipe, in 1877, for half interest in the profits of his business. He remained two years, and in 1879 married Miss Carrie Thompson, one of the belles of the Cherokee Nation and highly accomplished. In 1881 he went to work for Mr. Scott as head clerk in his mercantile establishment, and … 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

Biography of Gordon H. Scudder

Agricultural development in Washington county finds a prominent representative in Gordon H. Scudder, who has made his home in Oklahoma since he was fifteen years of age, and through industry, persistency of purpose and intelligently directed effort he has become the possessor of a substantial competence. A native of Georgia, he was born in Walker county on the 25th of July, 1877, his parents being W. H. H. and Maggie (Ghormanly) Scudder, who were also born in that-state and were of Cherokee extraction. About 1892 they settled at Chelsea, Oklahoma, and in that section the father followed agricultural pursuits until … Read more

Biography of David Lee Stokes

For forty-one years David Lee Stokes has been a resident of Oklahoma and after many years of activity as an agriculturist he is now living retired in Bartlesville in the enjoyment of a good income, gained through untiring industry, perseverance and intelligently directed effort during his earlier years. He was born in Marshfield, Missouri, January 12, 1866, his parents being Granville and Pheobia (Haymes) Stokes, who established their home in the Indian Territory, in what is now Washington county, Oklahoma, in 1880, becoming early settlers of this region. The father leased a tract of land four miles northwest of Bartlesville, … 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 J. Rufus Miller

Among the progressive agriculturists of Washington county whose intelligently directed efforts have resulted in the attainment of a substantial degree of success is numbered J. Rufus Miller, who is the owner of a valuable farm situated seven and a half miles northeast of Dewey. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky, December 1, 1873, and is a son of W. T. and Fannie Miller, also of the Blue Grass state who took up their residence in Indian Territory in 1878. For several years the father devoted his attention to farming in the vicinity of Tahlequah and is now residing in the … Read more

Biography of Walter N. Evans

The subject of this sketch was born September, 1843, in Lebanon County, East Tennessee, and is the eldest son of Dr. James P. Evans, of that State, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and a leading physician and scholar, having contributed to the chief medical journals of the United States. His mother (a white woman), Miss Melville Noel, was a daughter of Dr. Noel, originally from Virginia. Walter was educated in Green County, Tennessee; Fayetteville, Arkansas; Springfield, Missouri, and Van Buren, Arkansas, until the spring of 1861, when he joined the Arkansas State Troops, in the Confederate service. Later he … Read more