Indian Territory

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 James Small, M.D.

James Small was born October, 1841, in McMinn County, Tennessee, seventh son of Rev. James Small and Mary A. Wallace, of Scotch descent and from Wane County, Kentucky. James Jr. attended neighborhood schools until 1861, when he joined the Federal army, enlisting in the Second Kansas Infantry, and from that entered the Sixteenth Missouri Cavalry, in which he served till the close of the war. In 1864 he married Miss Mary Noe, of Lee County, Virginia, by whom he had five children, Mary J., born April 3, 1866; Amy A., March 23, 1868; Nellie A., June 23, 1872; Robert Walter, … 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

The Discovery Of This Continent, it’s Results To The Natives

Columbus Landing on Hispaniola

In the year 1470, there lived in Lisbon, a town in Portugal, a man by the name of Christopher Columbus, who there married Dona Felipa, the daughter of Bartolome Monis De Palestrello, an Italian (then deceased), who had arisen to great celebrity as a navigator. Dona Felipa was the idol of her doting father, and often accompanied him in his many voyages, in which she soon equally shared with him his love of adventure, and thus became to him a treasure indeed not only as a companion but as a helper; for she drew his maps and geographical charts, and also … Read more

Biography of Rev. Mason Fitch Williams

The subject of this sketch was born February 18, 1851, at Louisville, Kentucky, the only son of the late Rev. Mason D. Williams and Caroline M. Fitch. Rev. Mr. Williams was organizer and pastor of the Fourth Presbyterian Church, Louisville, and died in 1852. His son, Mason Fitch, graduated from Princeton College, New Jersey, in 1871, and came to the Creek Nation, Indian Territory. In 1875 he took his degree as doctor of medicine from the University of Louisville, Ky., and commenced the practice of medicine in Muskogee, Indian Territory. In 1881 he took charge of a drug store at … Read more

Solicitors of the Cherokee Nation

The following were the solicitors of the Canadian District Lewis Riley 1841 and 1842; David Boggs 1843 and 1844; Robert G. Anderson 1845 and 1846; David Boggs 1847 and 1848; George Washing-ton Campbell 1849; Unknown 1851; Star Deerinthewater 1853; John Porum Davis 1855; Charles R. Gourd 1857; Gah-luh-do-la-duh 1859; Levi Toney 1867; Charles Edwin Watie 1869; Snake Girty 1871; Unknown 1873, William Penn Payne 1875, suspended for incest, John Taylor Drew appointed; Johnson Blythe 1877; he died July 3, 1878 and James Halfbreed appointed, he died January 13, 1879 and Snake Girty was elected February 3, 1879; Robert McDaniel 1879; … 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 H. G. Laughlin

H. G. Laughlin, who follows the occupation of farming, his home being situated about two and two-thirds miles northwest of Ramona, in Washington county, was born in Milan, Texas, August 27, 1867. He is a son of James McClellan Laughlin, who was a native of Mississippi and went to California in the year 1849. There he engaged in farming in the Sacramento valley for several years, after which he returned to Georgia and was married in that state. He then started again for California but became water bound while en route and returned to Texas, where there was no danger … Read more

Biography of James W. McSpadden

James W. McSpadden was born October 21, 1848, in Belcher County, Alabama, the eldest son of Rev. T. K. B. McSpadden, who came to the country and joined the Indian Mission Conference held at Fort Gibson in 1870. The reverend gentleman devoted himself to Christian labors for seven years and died in 1877 beloved and respected by all who knew him. The subject of this sketch attended neighborhood school until 1861, when he accompanied his father (a lieutenant in the Confederate army) all through the campaign. After the war James was sent to the Phoenix Academy, North Alabama, until he … Read more

Biography of Robert Bruce Garrett

Prominent among the successful, energetic and progressive business men of Pryor is Robert Bruce Garrett, who has been identified with various enterprises having to do with the development and improvement of this community and is now engaged in the real estate business. He was born at old Baptist Mission, near which the town of Westville, Adair county, is now located on the 2d of December, 1876, a son of James Robert and Elizabeth A. (Greer) Garrett. His father was a native of Tennessee who came to the Indian Territory when’ quite young, locating at the mission. It was there that … Read more

Biography of F. F. Finney

F. F. Finney, a native son of Oklahoma and a member of one of the pioneer families of the state, is a progressive, energetic and successful young business man and is now serving as superintendent of the gas department of the Indian Territory Illuminating Gas Company, his services being of great value to the corporation. He was born at the Kaw agency in June, 1884, and is a son of T. M. and Abbie (Florer) Finney, the former a native of Martinsburg, Ohio, while the latter was born in Ripley, that state. The father was born on the 13th of … Read more

Biography of John E. White

One of the prominent merchants of Lenapah, Nowata county, is John E. White, who was born at Boyds Creek, Tennessee, on the 21st of March, 1875. His paternal great-grandfather came to America from England and was a missionary to the Indians in North Carolina. His father, N. B. White, was a farmer and is now deceased. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Charlotte Huffaker, is still living and is residing on the home farm John E. White was named for his mother’s half-brother who died in the prison at Andersonville while serving in the Civil war. In the … Read more

Choctaw and Chickasaw Agreement, July 1, 1902

AN ACT To ratify and confirm an agreement with the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes of Indians, 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 agreement, made by the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes with the commissions representing the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes of Indians on the twenty-first day of March, nineteen hundred and two, be, and the same is hereby, ratified and confirmed, to wit: Agreement Between the United States and the Choctaws and Chickasaws This agreement, by and between the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas Fox Taylor

The subject of this sketch was born in East Tennessee, in 1818, the eldest son of Richard Taylor, half Cherokee. His mother was a Miss McDaniel, a white lady. Thomas Fox was educated at the missionary schools of Tennessee, and at the Nashville and Knoxville colleges. At an early age he became a prominent politician, being endowed with a rare fluency of speech both in English and Cherokee. His first offices were those of clerk of the house and interpreter, after which he was elected to the house as a representative, and afterwards to the senate, unfortunately, however, he was … Read more

Dawes Act

General Allotment Act or Dawes Act An Act to Provide for the Allotment of Lands in Severalty to Indians on the Various Reservations (General Allotment Act or Dawes Act), Statutes at Large 24, 388-91,      Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in all cases where any tribe or band of Indians has been, or shall hereafter be, located upon any reservation created for their use, either by treaty stipulation or by virtue of an act of Congress or executive order setting apart the same for their … Read more

Biographical Sketch of E. P. Parris

The subject of this sketch was born in Tahlequah District, September 1857, the son of Johnson Parris and Delilah Chicken, both half-breeds. After having received his education in the Illinois district schools, he was appointed deputy sheriff under R. M. French at the national prison, which office he retained three years. In 1880 he entered the business establishment of W. T. Rasmus, at Tahlequah, and there remained until 1884, when he was employed by Messrs. Smith & French for two years, and later by John A. French (after the dissolution of the firm) for three years. Mr. Parris then went … 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

Biographical Sketch of Joseph L. Gibbs

The subject of this sketch was born February 20, 1835, in Chillicothe, O., the only son of James L. Gibbs, a merchant tailor. Joseph’s mother was a Miss Donohoe, daughter of Amos Donohoe, of Leesburg, Va. Joseph went to school until fifteen years of age, when he began to learn the blacksmith’s trade. In 1856 he stated business for himself at Clarksburg, Ohio, but moved his shop, in 1858, to Mattoon, Illinois, where he worked for twenty-three years. Then moving to Independence, Kansas, in September 1881, he remained until the spring of 1884, when, moving to Claremore, Indian Territory, he … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jesse E. Wright

Son of John R. and Charlotte C. (Whitmire) Wright was born Jan. 22, 1871 in Going Snake District; Married in June 1892 in Adair county Mary E., daughter of Walter and Sally West. They are the parents of Willie Cornelia, born April 3, 1898, and Sally born July 30, 1903. Mr. Wright was educated in the Cherokee schools, and spent two years at the Male Seminary. He is a farmer, successful and takes part in all movements for public welfare.