Indian Territory

Biographical Sketch of J. S. Fuller, M.D.

J. S. Fuller was born November 19, 1850, in the State of Arkansas. He is the third son of W. A. Fuller, of Tennessee, and Miss M. Morgan of the same State. James attended county schools until he was twenty years of age, when he went to Cane Hill College, and Cincinnati, Arkansas. He began the study of medicine in 1883, and attended the medical college in St. Louis, since which time he has been practicing in Fort Gibson, while he is also in the mercantile and drug business. In October 1888, he married Miss Rosa Percival, daughter of William … Read more

Biography of John O. Cobb

Born June 4, 1842, the seventh son of Sylvester Cobb, of Tennessee, the subject of our sketch attended public school until seventeen years of age, when he commenced railroading, and continued the business for three years, when the war broke out and he joined the Federal army, holding the positions of private, second and first lieutenant, and finally, captain of his company. After the close of the war he came to the Cherokee Nation with Colonel John J. Humphrey, at that time agent for the Cherokees. In 1867 he established a trading post at Webber’s Falls, Canadian District, under the … Read more

Biography of Governor Ward Coachman

The pleasant and popular ex-Governor Coachman was born in Wetumka, Alabama, in 1827, and went to the neighboring schools in Macon County, the same State, at an early age. He is the youngest son of Muslushobie (otherwise Coachman) by his wife Pollie Durant, a half-breed, and full niece of Alexander McGibery, once a prominent Creek leader, mentioned in Piggot’s history. She was also sister to Sophia McComb and Rachel Bosheers, of Scotch and French descent. The subject of this sketch lived with his uncle Loughlin Durant until twenty-two years of age, when he moved West to the Creek Nation on … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Dexter Halfhill

William Dexter Halfhill, who has been a representative of the legal fraternity for a period covering forty-three years, took up his abode in Muskogee in 1904 and has here since engaged in general civil practice, in which connection he has built up a clientage of enviable proportions. He is a native of Morrow county, Ohio, and a son of Moses and Lydia (Kingman) Halfhill, the former a farmer by occupation. The public schools afforded him his early educational advantages and on attaining his majority he began teaching school. This he considered but an initial step to other professional labor; however, … 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 Terry A. Parkinson

The name of Terry A. Parkinson has been prominently connected with the agricultural and stock raising interests of Oklahoma for many years. Kansas claims him as a native son, for he was born in Coffey County, that state, in May, 1866, a son of James and Emma Jane (Randall) Parkinson. The father was born near St. Augustine, Illinois, on the 18th of May, 1840, and removed to Iowa with his parents at an early day. When fifteen years of age he ran away from home, and going to Kansas became identified with the cattle business as night herder of four … Read more

Biography of Rev. Thompson K. Bridges

Rev. Thompson K. Bridges, (B. Dec. 6, 1856), Lukfata, is a native of Ellisville, Jones County, Mississippi. He grew to manhood and received his early education at Claiborne, Jasper County. Later he attended the city school at Meridian, and then took a course in theology at Biddle University. He began to teach public school at the age of 21 in 1877, and taught fourteen years in Mississippi. In 1891, he located in Indian Territory, and has now taught sixteen years in Oklahoma. In 1899 he was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Catawba and in April 1902 was ordained … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Samuel Hildebrand

(See Hildebrand) -Fannie, daughter of Frank and Agnes (Foster) Fritz was born in Cooweescoowee District October 8, 1879. Educated at Carlyle and Haskell Institutes. Married at Vinita February 24, 1900 Samuel, son of Benjamin and Delilah (O’Fields) Hildebrand, born February 14, 1880. Educated in the Male Seminary. They are the parents of Agnes; born February 25, 1902; Lura, born March 27, 1904; Edward, born May 3, 1906; Aaron born April 19, 1908; Glenn, born October 23, 1911; Floyd, born January 17, 1914; Georgia, born February 22, 1918 and Melvin Hildebrand, born January 31, 1920. Mrs. Hildebrand is a Methodist and … Read more

Biography of Joseph A. Bartles

Joseph A. Bartles, prominently identified with the development of the oil and gas industry in northern Oklahoma, makes his home in Dewey and has spent almost his entire life in Washington County. Actuated by a spirit of progress and enterprise at all times he has become a dynamic force in connection with the development of this section of the state. His judgment is sound, his enterprise unfaltering and the essential features of success he readily recognizes and utilizes. Joseph A. Bartles was born December 15, 1874, on Turkey creek, in the Cherokee Nation, his parents being Colonel J. H. and … 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 B. F. Smallwood

This prominent Choctaw was born about the year 1829, in the State of Mississippi, and emigrated with the mass of his people to the Choctaw Nation. His first schooling was received at Shawneetown, on Red River, after which he went to Spencer Academy for some time. On leaving there he devoted several years to farming on his father’s place, in Kiamichi County, and in 1847 commenced cattle rising and agriculture for himself. In 1849 he married Miss Annie Burney, a Chickasaw, of the house of Ima-te-po, by whom he had seven children, two of whom are living, Amelia and Lorinda. … Read more

Biography of Albert Pike McKellopp

The subject of this sketch was born September 25, 1858, at Choska, Creek Nation, fourth son of James M. McKellopp, whose father came from Scotland in 1810, and settling in Alabama, married a sister to Moses Perryman, brother of Lewis Perryman, father of the present chief. James M. McKellopp, father of the subject of this sketch, was robbed and then murdered by Quantrell and his bushwhackers, at Choska, in 1864. His mother, who was daughter to Henry Marshall, of a prominent Creek family, died in 1865, from exposure, at Fort Gibson. Albert attended school at Tallahassee for three years, and … 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 Wiley Hollopeter

Wiley Hollopeter, a progressive agriculturist residing near Dewey, is also devoting considerable attention to teaming and conducts both branches of his business capably and successfully. He was born near Des Moines, Iowa, March 18, 1868, of the marriage of Simon and Maria (Jackson) Hollopeter, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Indiana. They were pioneers of Iowa and removed from that state to Kansas, where they resided until 1873, when they came to Indian Territory. The father homesteaded a tract of one hundred and sixty acres at the mouth of the Walnut River but at the end … Read more

Act of April 21, 1904

33 Stat. L., 189 AN ACT Making appropriations for the current and contingent expenses of the Indian Department and for fulfilling treaty stipulations with various Indian tribes for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and five, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following sums be, and they are hereby, appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the purpose of paying the current and contingent expenses of the Indian Department, and in full compensation for … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Franklin Wilson

The subject of this sketch was born August 21, 1861, in Quitman, Wood County, Texas, the only son of John W. Wilson and Ellen Thompson, a Cherokee by blood. After his parents died in 1869, he was sent to school in the neighborhood for four years, and in 1878 went to Alexander Institute, Kilgore, Texas, where he remained one year. Returning to Wood County he commenced farming, and continued it for two years, after which he attended bar for Col. G. W. Haines, of Quitman, for about the same length of time. Moving to Tahlequah, Cherokee Nation, he accepted a … Read more

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 Colonel Dew Moore Wisdom

Dew Moore Wisdom was born February 3, 1836, at Medon, Madison County, Tennessee, being the eldest son of William S. Wisdom, the leading merchant and landowner of McNary County, Tennessee, and widely known throughout the State. His mother was a Miss Jane Anderson, of an old family, from the eastern part of Tennessee. Dew studied at the neighborhood schools until sixteen years of age, when he went to Cumberland University, Lebanon, graduating and securing his B. A. degree in 1857. Soon afterward he commenced the practice of law in Purdy, Tennessee, and there remained until the outbreak of the war, … Read more

Koasati Tribe

Koasati Indians. An Upper Creek tribe speaking a dialect almost identical with Alibamu and evidently nothing more than a large division of that people. The name appears to contain the word for ‘cane’ or ‘reed,’ and Gatschet has suggested that it may signify ‘white cane.’ During the middle and latter part of the 18th century the Koasati lived, apparently in one principal village, on the right bank of Alabama river, 3 miles below the confluence of the Coosa and Tallapoosa, where the modern town of Coosada, Alabama, perpetuates their name; but soon after west Florida was ceded to Great Britain, … Read more