Indian Territory

Biography of Charles Long

Charles Long, one of the well known farmers in Nowata County, was born on the Grand River, Indian Territory, on the 3d of October, 1869. His father, William Long, was of Wyandotte Indian extraction and his demise occurred when Charles was but a baby. The mother, Katie Ketchum, died when her son was but four years of age. In the acquirement of an education Charles Long attended the Haskell Institute at Lawrence, Kansas, and after putting his text-books aside engaged in farming near his boyhood home. His sons own one hundred acres, one mile east and one-half north of Coodys … Read more

Skidi Tribe

Skidi Indians (probably from tski, ‘i, `wolf,’ or skirircrra, ‘ wolves standing in water,’ referring to a tribal tradition) . One of the tribes of the Pawnee Confederacy, sometimes called Wolf Pawnee, and by the French Pawnee Loup. That the Skidi were closely associated with the idea of the wolf is evident from the sign language, in which they are designated by the sign for that animal. The speech of the Skidi differed slightly from that of the other 3 Pawnee tribes. According to tradition the Skidi and Arikara were once united, but became separated during the northward migration, the … Read more

Biography of Henry C. Fisher

The subject of this sketch was born in March 1862, the second son of William Fisher, of Fishertown, a sketch of whose life will be found in this volume. Henry first attended a neighborhood school until he was fourteen years old, at which age he was so well advanced in his studies that when he went to Franklin High School, at Clinton, Missouri, he immediately went into the classes that contained many of the country teachers of that county. Remaining at Clinton for two years, he went from thence to Drury College, Springfield, Missouri, which college sends a number of … Read more

Appropriation Act of March 3, 1903

32 Stat. L., 982 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. Expenses of commissioners and necessary expenses of employees, and three dollars per diem for expenses of a clerk detailed as special disbursing agent by the Interior Department while on duty with the Commission, shall be paid therefrom; for clerical help, including secretary … Read more

Biography of Addison Fox McCaleb

Addison Fox McCaleb, one of the most prominent and prosperous citizens of northeastern Oklahoma, where he first took up his abode forty-three years ago, was elected mayor of Bartlesville in April, 1920, and has since capably discharged the duties devolving upon him in that important position. He was born at Harrison, Tennessee, on the 10th of January, 1861, a son of Charles and Elizabeth (Gardenhire) McCaleb, the former a native of east Tennessee and the latter of Hamilton county, that state. The father held the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Civil war and was wounded in battle, but his … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Caleb W. Starr

The subject of this sketch was born in Going Snake district in 1858, son of Joseph Starr and Lilah Adair. Caleb was but five years of age when his parents died, and therefore was denied the educational advantages he would have otherwise enjoyed. During the war he refugeed at Boggy Depot, in the Choctaw Nation, and afterward went to school at Cane Hill, Arkansas. Caleb went farming and rising stock for several years after the war, and then entered the Western Independent printing office at Fort Smith, Arkansas. Having learned the trade, he devoted his services to the typographical department … Read more

Biography of Colonel D. N. McIntosh

D. N. McIntosh was born near Newnham, Georgia, September 20, 1822, the son of William McIntosh, a half-breed Scot and Creek Indian. The subject of our sketch moved to this country when eight years old with the third emigration, in 1830, and settled on the Verdigris River. He was educated at Smith’s Institute, Kentucky, and left there at the age of eighteen, in the year 1841. At this period the Creek Nation was composed of two districts, each district governed by a chief, who jointly presided at the general council. Young McIntosh, notwithstanding his youth, was appointed clerk of the … 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 Mrs. Susie D. Coats

Coats, Mrs. Susie D. (See Grant and Hildebrand) —Susie Dora, daughter of James and Emily (Harlin) Sunday was born in Cooweescoowee District, September 12, 1876, educated in Female Seminary. Married September 11, 1893 James, son of James McKenzie and Annie C. (Spears) Coats, born April 1, 1866. They are the parents of: Jennie Bessie, born January 25, 1894; James McKenzie, born September 20, 1896; Elmer Earl, born September 4, 1901; Capitola Wyly, born February 15, 1903; Lulu May, born January 20, 1906; Eugene born October 15, 1908: Belva Lockwood, born June 8, 1910 and David Coats, born March 3, 1912. … Read more

Biography of Colonel Jacob H. Bartles

Time is the perspective which places the individual in his true position in relation to the history of the community with which he has been identified and time serves but to heighten the fame and brighten the good name of Colonel Jacob H. Bartles, in whose honor the town of Bartlesville was named and who was also the founder of Dewey. He was ever a man of most progressive spirit, of which many tangible evidences may be cited, including the fact that he was the first man to establish electric light and waterworks plants in the state. He was also … 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 Arthur F. Adair

Arthur F. Adair was born August 28, 1858, at Mayesville, Cherokee Nation, son of John L. Adair and Mary J. Jeffreys. In early boyhood he was sent to the primary schools, and completed his education at the national male seminary, Tahlequah, about 1883. Arthur commenced life as a schoolteacher; receiving charge of the Blue Springs school, ten miles from the capital, which he taught for five months. After this he went to Webber’s Falls and taught the Prairie Grove School for ten months, which was followed up by two sessions spent likewise in the Coowescowee district institutions. The subject of … 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 H. N. Gunn

Modern agriculture requires for its development an efficiency and a thorough knowledge which amount almost to a science and it has become recognized as an occupation in which practical methods result in a high degree of prosperity. This statement finds verification in the life record of H. N. Gunn, a pioneer farmer of Oklahoma, and by his success in a modern enterprise conducted along progressive lines he has proven the efficiency of system in promoting productiveness. A native of Missouri, he was born in the northern part of the state on the 20th of June, 1877, and came to Oklahoma … 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

Biography of William T. Whitaker

William T. Whitaker, owner of the Pryor Bottling Works at Pryor, was born in Andrews, North Carolina, on the 14th of February, 1854, a son of Stephen and Elizabeth (Taylor) Whitaker, both natives of that state. The mother was of Cherokee descent and their marriage occurred before their removal to Indian Territory. For many years the father was engaged in the land business, also in farming, and he achieved substantial success. William T Whitaker’s education was mostly self acquired and at an early age he started out into the world on his own account. In 1871 he located in Tahlequah … Read more

Biography of Claude J. Dodge

Claude J. Dodge, a native son of Oklahoma and a member of one of the honored pioneer families of the state, is now serving as postmaster of Boynton and is proving a most capable incumbent in the office, being efficient and trustworthy in the discharge of his duties. He was born in Porum, Muskogee County, June 3, 1898, a son of Thomas and Jane (Chambers) Dodge, natives of Tennessee, who came to Indian Territory at the time, the Cherokees were transferred from Tennessee to this state. The father settled near Porum, in Muskogee County, where he spent his remaining years, … Read more

Biography of Wayman C. Jackson

The subject of this sketch was the second son of Columbus Jackson and Virginia Appleberry. Wayman attended public school until he was thirteen years of age, when he went to the Baptist College, Louisiana, Missouri, for one year, and from there to the Morgan H. Luney Male School, at Fayetteville, Arkansas, where he remained eighteen months, finishing his education after a two years’ sojourn at the Arkansas State University. Leaving this institute in 1874, he spent one year in Texas, after which he commenced the study of law at Fayetteville, at A. M. Wilson’s office (Wilson is a member of … Read more

Treaty of February 18, 1867

Articles of agreement made and concluded this eighteenth day of February, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, between the United States, represented by Lewis V. Bogy, Commissioner of Indian Affairs; William H. Watson, special commissioner; Thomas Murphy, superintendent of Indian Affairs for Kansas; and Henry W. Martin, United States Indian agent, duly authorized, and the tribes of Sacs and Foxes of the Mississippi, represented by Keokuk, Che-kus-kuk, Uc-quaw-ho-ko, Mut-tut-tah, and Man-ah-to-wah, chiefs of said tribes. Article 1.The Sacs and Foxes of the Mississippi cede to the Government of the United States all the lands, with the improvements thereon, contained in … Read more

Biography of Otis R. Cureton

Otis R. Cureton, who since February, 1918, has made his home in Muskogee, is engaged in handling farm lands, loans and oil and gas leases. Broad experience in this field of labor has enabled him to win readily a large clientage and his business has steadily developed, for the Oklahoma Land & Loan Company, of which he is now the manager, is conducting an extensive and profitable business. Otis R. Cureton was born in Lancaster, South Carolina, on the 12th of October, 1879, but when quite young was taken to Florida and was educated in the public schools of that … Read more