Indian Territory

Act of May 31, 1900

31 Stat. L. 221 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 Commission … Read more

Biography of Cyprian Tayrien

Fifty years or more have been added to the cycle of the centuries since Cyprian Tayrien took up his abode on the farm which is still his home and through all these years he has contributed to the agricultural development of the region, thus utilizing the natural resources of the state and adding to the general prosperity of the community, as well as to his individual fortunes. Mr. Tayrien is a native of Missouri. He was born in Clay County, in 1836, his parents being Enoch and Mary Louise (Borboney) Tayrien. The father was a French-Canadian, while the mother was … Read more

Biography of John F. Simpson

John F. Simpson was born December, 1824, in Prince William County, Virginia, the son of J. W. Simpson, of Bardstown, Kentucky, who is now ninety-two years of age. John F. came to Kentucky at the age of twelve, and was educated at the public schools. After a residence of some ten years in Louisville, he moved to Eufaula in the Creek Nation (in 1872), and in the year following embarked in the hide and fur business, which he continues until the present day. In 1870, Mr. Simpson, while in Arkansas, met Miss Susan Crabtree, daughter of the late Mr. William … 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

Biographical Sketch of Richard Watson Hicks

Richard W. Hicks was born in 1855, the son of the late ex-Judge Jay Hicks, of the Flint district, who died in 1869. Richard’s mother was a Miss Kate Levi, a full-blood Cherokee. Although a most successful schoolteacher, Richard Hicks’ education was confined to the neighborhood school at Pleasant Valley, which he attended for about four years. In 1886, at the age of thirty, he commenced teaching in Sequoyah district, after which he taught two terms at Rabbit Trap, Tahlequah district. He was next sent to open the Hickory Creek School, in Coowescowee district, and proved his adaptability for his … Read more

Biography of Dutch White Turkey

Dutch White Turkey, long identified with the farming interests of Washington county and in more recent years connected with the oil development of this part of the state, was born on the 18th of June, 1857, in Kansas, seven miles east of Lawrence on the Delaware reservation. He was the eldest in a family of eight children, the others being: Sam; Robert; Albert; George; Katie, who became the wife of James Day of Bartlesville; Lilly, the wife of Dolph Fugate of Dewey; and Lucinda, deceased. Both of the parents were full-blooded Delawares and their name was really Simon. White Turkey … 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 Frank Hamilton Little

Washington county is making rapid progress as a stock raising district and among those whose well directed efforts are contributing to its development along this line is numbered Frank Hamilton Little, who resides at Ramona and is recognized as one of the largest operators in this field in the state. He is a member of one of the pioneer families of Oklahoma and was born at La Fayette, Georgia, March 28, 1875, his parents being William and Theresa (Davis) Little, who were also natives of that state. They came to Indian Territory over forty years ago, settling on a farm … 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

Biography of John Thompson Adair

John Thompson Adair was born December 22, 1812, the son of Walter Adair, a half-breed, and Rachel Thompson daughter of William Thompson, a white man. John was born on Painter’s Creek, near Tulula Falls and received his earliest education at the neighborhood schools until his twentieth year, when he entered the Lawrenceville Academy, Georgia, and there remained for five months. On leaving that institution he entered a mercantile house, and after serving his time to the business, purchased a stock of goods in New Orleans in 1837, and with them proceeded to the State line, or eastern border of the … Read more

Biography of R. T. Ellis

R. T. Ellis, a member of one of the old and prominent families of Oklahoma, is well known in agricultural circles of Washington county as the owner of a highly productive and well improved farm near Ochelata. A native of Kentucky, he was born in Rockcastle County and is a son of Thomas J. and Vera Ellen (Smith) Ellis, who were also born in the Blue Grass state, the father’s birth having occurred at Vernon on the 25th of January, 1842. The paternal grandparents were Thomas and Susan (Wadzle) Ellis, the former a native of North Carolina and the latter … Read more

Biography of John H. Plunkett, M. D.

Thoroughly equipped by liberal collegiate training for the profession which he makes his life work and in which he has ever displayed the strictest fidelity to high principles, Dr. John H. Plunkett is numbered among the leading physicians and surgeons of Porum, where for the past eight years he has been engaged in practice. A native of Arkansas, he was born in Logan County, April 12, 1874, his parents being Jasper and Mary (Bennett) Plunkett, the former also a native of that state, while the latter was born in Tennessee. The father engaged in the cultivation of a farm in … Read more

Biography of Charles H. Tully

Charles H. Tully, attorney at law in Eufaula, has not only gained an enviable position in the legal circles of the state but is prominently known in business and political circles as well. He has won the success he now enjoys as the result of his own intelligently directed efforts and is rightly entitled to the proud American title of self-made man. He was born in Russellville, Logan county, Kentucky, on the 19th of November, 1865, a son of Henry B. and America (Angell) Tully, also natives of that state. His father was one of the successful men of his … Read more

Biography of Howard Davis

Howard Davis, the owner of a well improved and productive farm near Bartlesville, also has valuable oil wells on his property, and in the conduct of his interests he displays keen discernment, marked executive ability and enterprise. He is a native of Indiana but was reared in Illinois and in 1901 he came to Indian Territory, settling in Lincoln county, where he engaged in buying broom corn for an eastern firm. Subsequently he removed to Osage county and there devoted his attention to the cattle business until he took up his residence in Washington county, where he has remained. Mr. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas Canard

Thomas Canard was born at Cane Creek in the year 1841, the third son of Yahartostanuggee, a full blood Indian and king of the Eufaula Town. His mother’s name was Polly, daughter of a white man. Thomas went to Asberry Mission for eight years, leaving that institution in 1857 and remaining at his home until 1861, when he married Miss Negaya, daughter of the king of the Thlopthlocco Town, and thus started in life on his own responsibility. By this marriage he had one child, Wisie, born March 18, 1865. In the meantime he joined the Confederate service as sergeant, … Read more

Biography of Judge Walter A. Starr

Walter A. Starr was born in Washington County, Arkansas, March 26, 1845, son of Joseph M. Starr, a prominent Cherokee citizen, who served several terms as judge of Going Snake district, and was afterward a senator. Walter’s mother was a Miss Delilah Adair, and her marriage to Joseph Starr took place in the old nation. The subject of this sketch attended the territory schools until the age of sixteen years, and, when the war broke out, entered the Confederate service, serving first under his brother, Captain George H. Starr, until the latter’s death, when he was in Captain E. M. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James F. Mitchell

James F. Mitchell was born November, 1856, in Green County, Indiana, being the eldest son of James H. Mitchell, of Muskogee, Indian Territory, formerly a stock-raiser and agriculturist, who recently retired from business, owning to ill health. His mother was Miss M. G. Crabtree, whose family were from Ohio, and who moved to Indiana when quite young, and married Mr. Mitchell in 1836. James F. attended district school until the age of seventeen, moving West with his parents, he then followed school teaching until he was twenty-two years of age, after which he attended normal school at Fort Scott, where … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas Jefferson Archer

The subject of this sketch was born March 17, 1861, the seventh son of Dr. James Archer of South Carolina, a leading physician. His mother was a Miss Key. Thomas attended district school until he was fourteen years of age, when he went to Osage Mission Kansas, where he remained one session. After this he went to Muskogee and there clerked in a hotel until April 1882, when he opened a small store on Verdigris River, twenty-one miles east of Tulsa. When the Fisco was completed to Mingo he removed to that point, and on its completion to Tulsa he … Read more

Biography of Jackson W. Ellis

Jackson W. Ellis was born in Sweet Town, Cherokee Nation, in 1859. In youth he attended the public schools, and as early as sixteen years of age went to work on a farm. Jackson was the only son of the late Edward Ellis, who, with his brother Samuel, was killed at Fort Gibson during the war while corralling the horses of their company. At the age of twenty-one he was appointed deputy sheriff of Tahlequah district, also sheriff of commissioner’s court; and later, in 1872, deputy warden of the national penitentiary, and in the same year commissioner of the quarantine … Read more

Biography of A. W. Ketchum

In the demise of A. W. Ketchum, which occurred on the 8th of February, 1921, when he was seventy-one years of age, Oklahoma lost one of its honored pioneers who was a witness of the growth and development of the state and an active factor in its progress. He was a sagacious business man whose interests were capably managed and at his death he was able to leave his family in comfortable financial circumstances. He was born in Leavenworth, Kansas, December 15, 1850, and came to Indiana Territory with the Delaware Indians under Chief Johnnycake, who was one of the … Read more