Indian Territory

Biography of Arthur Ogden Archer

Arthur Ogden Archer, who is president of the Archer Petroleum Company of St. Louis, in which city he has resided since 1912, was born in Stock township, Noble county, Ohio, and spent his youthful days upon his father’s farm. He represents one of the old and highly respected families of the Buckeye state, its men always being inspired by courage, fidelity and loyalty to duty. His grandfather, Absalom Archer, was a son of Simon Archer and was born in Stock township, where he devoted his life to agricultural pursuits. He wedded Rhoda Swainey, who belonged to one of the pioneer … Read more

Biography of Neil Baxter Gardner

Since 1915 Neil Baxter Gardner has been Superintendent of the Oklahoma State Home for Orphans at Pryor. He was first appointed to that position of public service by Governor R. L. Williams, and he discharged his duties with such efficiency during that administration, that he was reappointed by Governor Robertson, with a substantial increase in salary. Mr. Gardner is one of Oklahoma’s sons by adoption, for he was born in Independence, Henderson County, Tennessee, on the 12th of October, 1875. His parents were Nathan A. and Frances Leona (Autry) Gardner, both of whom were born in Tennessee. They are now … 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

Biography of Alexander Tindle

Alexander Tindle, sheriff of Adair county and a veteran of the World war, was born near Stilwell on the 23d of April, 1893, a son of James L. and Annie (Johnson) Tindle. The father was a native of Missouri, who went to Indian Territory at an early age and there married Miss Annie Johnson, a member of a prominent Cherokee family, her parents having originally come from Georgia. For many years Mr. Tindle engaged in farming and stock raising and achieved substantial success in that connection. His demise occurred on the 20th of April, 1906. His widow is still living. … Read more

Act of April 28, 1904

33 Stat. L. 573 AN ACT To provide for additional United States judges in the Indian Territory, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United Sates of America in Congress assembled, That there shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, four additional judges of the United States court in the Indian Territory, one for the northern district, one for the western district, one for the central district, and one for the southern district. And said judges shall have all the authority and … 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 William W. Jones

For more than thirty-six years William W. Jones has been a resident of Washington County, Oklahoma, and is a representative of one of its honored pioneer families. A native of the Lone Star state, he was born in Fannin County, Texas, in 1883, and is a son of John W. S. and Martha T. (Stowe) Jones. The father, a native of Illinois, was reared to manhood in that state, while the mother’s birth occurred in Indiana, but was also reared to young womanhood in the Sucker state, where her marriage was celebrated. In 1878 the parents removed to Texas, where … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John L. Adair, Jr.

The subject of this sketch was born June 8th, 1866, at Tahlequah, being third son of John L. Adair, of that town. John L., Jr., began attending the Indian University in 1879, and after three years, went to the Male Seminary at Tahlequah, where he remained four years. On leaving there he devoted his time for three years to assisting his mother in the post office, after which he entered his father’s business house as clerk, in March 1890. In 1891 he was appointed district clerk, to fill the vacancy left on the death of Allen Ross, which office he … 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

Biographical Sketch of Joseph Benson Cobb

Joseph B. Cobb was born in East Tennessee, February 21, 1863, the son of Joseph Benson Cobb and Evelyn Clingan, daughter of Aleck Clingan. Joseph’s parents came to this nation in 1870, and settled on Grand River. The young man was sent to school in the Coowescowee district, and afterward completed his education at the Tahlequah Male Academy in 1881. In August 1891, he was elected member of the lower house to represent Coowescowee district, which office he is holding at present. Mr. Cobb has 300 acres of good land in cultivation on the west side of Grand River, besides … Read more

Our Arrival At Sarnia.

Mrs. Walker’s boarding-house was a frame, white-painted house situate in the town of Sarnia, a little way back from the main street. The Indian Reserve almost adjoined the town, so that a quarter of an hour’s walk would take us on to their land. In front of the town and flowing down past the Indian Reserve is the broad river St. Clair, connecting Lake Huron with Lake Erie, its banks on the Canadian side dotted over with the boats and fishing nets of the Indians. I at once invested in a horse and buggy, and also engaged Wagimah as my … 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.

Biographical Sketch of Eugene B. Lawson

The many and varied business enterprises with which Eugene B. Lawson is connected establishes his position as a prominent figure in connection with the commercial and financial development of the state. A native of Kentucky, he was born in Shelbyville, May 27, 1871, and was a young man of twenty-five years when in 1896 he came to the Indian Territory, settling at Nowata. In the fall of the year 1896 he was admitted to the Oklahoma bar and entered upon the active work of his profession, but for the past twelve years has given no time to law practice. He … Read more

Biography of Captain George B. Hester

The name of Captain George B. Hester figures prominently on the pages of Oklahoma’s history. About the middle of the nineteenth century he became a resident of the Indian Territory and from that time forward left the impress of his individuality and ability upon the history of this great region which is now known as the state of Oklahoma. He was born in North Carolina on the 26th of March, 1832, and was a young man of but twenty-three years when in 1855 he came to the Indian Territory, settling at Tishomingo, in what is now Johnson County, then the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. A. Lawrence

J. A. Lawrence was born October 18, 1856, in Smith County, Texas, and attended public school until eighteen years of age, after which he went to the Methodist Institute, Sulphur Springs, Texas, where he remained one year. Later he studied twelve months at the high school in Smith County, and commenced teaching the public school in Wood County, in 1878. In 1879 he began the study of law in Tyler, Texas, and in 1880 was admitted to the bar. In 1881 he located at Quitman, Wood County, and practiced law for a couple of years, when he was elected prosecuting … Read more

Biography of James Dandridge Willison

James Dandridge Willison was born in December, 1852, the second son of J. W. Willison and Catherine McIntosh, sister to the present Colonel D. N. McIntosh, one of the leading men of the Muskogee Nation. James’ father was a white man from Virginia, who settled in Jefferson, Texas, at an early day, having emigrated with his father from England in 1704, being a member of Sir William Calander’s family. The subject of our sketch has the old family Bible, printed in 1585, which contains this record. At the age of twenty-two Mr. Willison settled fifteen miles south of Muskogee, and … Read more

Treaty of October 21, 1867 – Memorandum

Articles of a treaty concluded at the Council Camp on Medicine Lodge Creek, seventy miles south of Fort Larned, in the State of Kansas, on the twenty-first day of October, eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, by and between the United States of America, represented by its commissioners duly appointed thereto to-wit: Nathaniel G. Taylor, William S. Harney, C. C. Augur, Alfred S. [H.] Terry, John B. Sanborn, Samuel F. Tappan, and J. B. Henderson, of the one part, and the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache Indians, represented by their chiefs and headmen duly authorized and empowered to act for the body of … Read more

Biography of Henry Edward Dixon

Henry Edward Dixon, a member of one of the old and well known families of Oklahoma, is a leading representative of the Delaware County bar, being engaged in practice at Grove, and he has gained an enviable reputation in a profession which calls for ability of a high order and requires close application, good judgment and a constantly widening comprehension of the relations and responsibilities which go to make up civilized society. He was born in Watseka, Iroquois County, Illinois, on the 13th of January, 1872, a son of Marion and Georgiana (Seward) Dixon, the former a native of Indiana … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Virgil H. Adair

(See Adair)-Virgil Harvey Adair, born April 15, 1869, married October 2, 1892, Dorinda, daughter of Jesse and Hariette Calloway, born April 9, 1874 in Missouri. They are the parents of: Viola, born June 15, 1893, married A. B. Jordan; Millard Herron, born July 16, 1898, married Minnie Thompson; Winnie, born December 23, 1900; Virgil, born March 27, 1903; Velma born November 15, 1904; Delphia, born February 28, 1907; Gladys, born December 23, 1909; Francis, born June 27, 1913 and Neva Marie, born July 31, 1915. Mr. Adair belongs to the Wolf Clan and is a Mason. He was elected a … Read more

Slave Narrative of Elsie Pryor

The first Mistis I remember was named Mary Ellis, she was part Choctaw Indian. I don’t remember ole Marster at all. When ole Miss’s daughter got married, ole Miss give her a little nigger girl. That was me an’ when I was a little thing, too. I don’t remember who young Miss married. They didn’t tell little niggers nothin’, we just found out what we could and din’t pay much tention to that. An’ not much ‘tention to what we saw. We was jes like little varmints. They’d cut arm holes and head holes in croker sacks and tell us … Read more