Indian Territory

Biography of J. H. Gorden

J. H. Gorden, a representative citizen and successful agriculturist of northeastern Oklahoma, where he has made his home for more than two decades, is busily engaged in the cultivation of a farm of fifty acres situated one mile north and four miles east of Dewey. His birth occurred in Henry county, Missouri, in 1861, his parents being J. B. and Anna (Parks) Gorden. The father is still living at the ripe old age of eighty-five years, and now resides at Wagoner, Oklahoma. The mother passed away in 1904. They reared a family of three sons, namely: J. H., of this … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Ellis M. Alberty

Ellis M. Alberty was born May 4, 1854, in Going Snake district, the son of Moses Alberty (a Georgian, who settled in this nation in 1832) and Elizabeth Buffington, daughter of Ellis Buffington. Ellis, while but six years of age, commenced attending school at Prairie Grove, but after the outbreak of the war refugeed with his parents near Goodwater, Choctaw Nation. Here Ellis visited the mission school off and on until 1866, when his family returned to the home place in Going Snake district. At the Baptist Mission in this district Ellis completed his education. On June 14, 1874, he … Read more

Biography of Rev. William F. McIntosh

William F. McIntosh was born near the line of Alabama and Georgia, November 12, 1824, the second son of Chilly McIntosh, of great reputation, and grandson of old General McIntosh. His mother was Miss Porter, whose parents emigrated at an early day from Pennsylvania to Alabama. William F. attended a neighborhood school when twelve years of age, and in 1837 went to Coweta Mission, where he remained one season, after which he commenced assisting his father in agriculture, until he married Miss Eliza Ilands, January 8, 1848, by whom he had six children, two of whom are living. Sarah and … Read more

Biography of H. K. Stierwalt

H. K. Stierwalt, who for many years has been engaged in farming in Nowata county, is now living in Nowata where he is active in the conduct of a grocery business. A native of Indiana, he was born on the 22d of August, 1862, a son of Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Stierwalt, both of whom are deceased. For many years the father was successfully engaged in farming in Neosho county, Kansas, and his demise, in 1907, came as a severe blow to his many friends in the community. Mrs. Stierwalt died when her son, H. K., was an infant. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Frank R. Sullivan

(See Grant and Cordery)-Frank Robert, son of James and Mary Claremore April 5, 1878. Educated at Yellow Springs, Cooweescoowee District. Married Daisy Bishop. They were the parent; of James Bradshaw Sullivan, born June 10, 1897, Mr. Sullivan married June 2, 1900, Peggy Stop born in 1875 and educated at Catoosa. They are the parents of: Andrew Leerskov, born February 8, 1914, and Mary Belle Sullivan, born June 24, 1916. Mr. Sullivan is a farmer near Claremore. James, son of George and Elizabeth Ann (Rogers) Sullivan was born in Georgia April 23, 1849. Married Mary Ann, daughter of George Washington and … Read more

Dawes Commissioners Salary Act of March 3, 1901

31 Stat. L. 1073 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 the number of said commissioners is hereby fixed at four. For expenses of commissioners and necessary expenses of employees, and three dollars per diem for expenses of a clerk detailed as special disbursing agent by Interior Department, while on duty with the Commission, shall be paid there from; for clerical help, including secretary of the … Read more

Biography of H. C. Bigham

H. C. Bigham is well known in financial circles of Washington County as cashier of the Citizens State Bank of Ramona and he is adding prestige to the institution by his efficiency in the discharge of his duties and his devotion to the interests entrusted to his care. He was born in Greene County, Illinois, October 19, 1873, his parents being Eli Thomas and Ann (Seely) Bigham, who were also natives of that state. Subsequently they removed to Indian Territory, settling on a farm on Rice creek, in Washington County, on the 20th of March, 1885. The father spent three … 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

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 Charles F. Armstrong

For many years Charles F. Armstrong has been farming in the vicinity of Coodys Bluff and is readily conceded to be one of the progressive farmers and stockmen in this section of the state. A native of Oklahoma, he was born at one of the first post office stations in Indian Territory, at that time known as Cooscoowie district, on the 27th of February, 1872. His father, Henry Armtrong, a pioneer citizen and registered Delaware, was a son-in-law of Chief Journeycake. For thirty years he was engaged in the mercantile business at Coodys Bluff and Nowata. He suffered a severe … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Charles A. Davis

The subject of this sketch was born July 3, 1851, at Clarksville, Arkansas, second son of Ben Davis, of Clarksville, Arkansas, a prominent merchant before the war. Charles’ mother was the daughter of Charles Poston, of Springfield, Missouri, a trader at that point. Charles went to Kane Hill College, Arkansas, for three years. Leaving there in 1871 he opened a livery business in Clarksville, Arkansas, and carried it on until 1875. In that year he sold patent pumps in Texas, and in 1876 began farming and raising stock in the eastern portion of the Cherokee Nation. In 1889 he opened … Read more

Biography of Thomas Jefferson Harrison

Thomas Jefferson Harrison is justly accorded a place among the prominent and representative citizens of Pryor, for he belongs to that class of men whose enterprising spirit seeks to benefit others as well as himself. He also advances the general good and promotes public prosperity by his ably managed individual interests. He has excellent ability as an organizer, forms his plans readily and is determined in their execution. This enables him to conquer obstacles which deter many a man and has been one of the salient features of his success. Thomas Jefferson Harrison is a native son of Arkansas, his … 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

Biography of Thomas Howie

The subject of this sketch was born July 17, 1828, at Portobello, Scotland, son of William Howie, a merchant, by a Miss Jameson, niece of Sir John Jameson, of County Wexford, Ireland. Thomas attended public school in London until twelve years of age, when he ran away to sea. In 1845 he was in the Mexican war and served throughout. He was afterward one of the 1,400 volunteers who went from New Orleans to Yucatan to suppress the rebellion, only 300 of whom returned. He then served until 1853 on the northwestern frontier carrying government dispatches, after which he went … Read more

Biography of Capt. George W. Grayson

The subject of this sketch, George W. Grayson, was born in 1843, within four miles of Eufaula, Creek Nation. He is a son of the late James Grayson and Jennie Wynn, a half-breed Creek. The original name of Grayson was Grierson, having become corrupted in some unaccountable manner. The original Grierson was a Scotchman, reputed to have come from the city of Edinburgh, Scotland. He married a Creek woman of the Hillabee Town, who bore him several children, among whom was the grand-parent of the subject of our sketch. George W. was the first-born of his family, and his parents, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Peter McClellan

William P. McClellan was born December 28, 1855, in Boonesborough, Washington County, Arkansas, fourth son of E. W. McClellan, a white man of Scotch and Irish descent and a native of Alabama, who emigrated to Western Arkansas in 1833 and embarked in merchandise; he married Miss Sarah J. Truesdale, of Indian. William Peter went to Cane Hill College, Arkansas, at thirteen years of age, and, after five years’ schooling, commenced clerking for his brother, Charles M. McClellan, a merchant and stock-raiser at Tahlequah, for whom he worked five years. In October 1877, he married Miss Rachel L. Adair, daughter of … Read more

Biography of J. H. Truskett

For forty-one years J. H. Truskett has devoted his attention to farming in Washington county and is numbered among the pioneer settlers of Oklahoma whose labors have been a potent factor in the development of the agricultural resources of the state, while he has also contributed in substantial measure to the promotion of educational interests in his section. A native of Ohio, he was born August 31, 1845, and in 1880, when thirty-five years of age, he settled at the forks of the Caney river, where he purchased a farm, upon which he engaged in raising grain and cattle, continuing … Read more

Biography of G. W. Lucas

G. W. Lucas, a progressive farmer residing near Ochelata, in Washington county, is a member of a family that has contributed to the agricultural development of Oklahoma from pioneer times to the present and in addition to his farming interests he also engages in teaming, meeting with success in both branches of activity. He was born in Mercer County, Missouri, November 16, 1869, and when four years of age was taken to Missouri by his parents, John W. and Susan (Hatfield) Lucas, who came to Indian Territory in 1874, settling on Double creek, a mile south of Ochelata, where they … Read more

Biography of John C. Belt

The subject of this sketch was born May 3, 1854, and is the eldest son of William F. Belt and Margaret I. John’s parents moved from Tennessee to Arkansas in or about 1847, where they were in the mercantile business. In his younger days John was sent to a neighborhood school. Leaving his family about the year 1877, he commenced dealing in merchandise on his own account at Sans Bois, Choctaw Nation, in which business he continued for one year. In 1878 he moved to Hackett City, Arkansas, entering the same line (merchandise) and successfully following it for a period … Read more