Oklahoma Genealogy

Oklahoma Military Academy

The Oklahoma Military Academy is one of the institutions of which the citizens of Claremore are justly proud. It was established in 1919 as a state school and receives support from the Federal Government. It is located in the western suburbs of Claremore, near the historic battleground of Claremore Mound. Under the supervision of Col. S. M. Barrett, its president, it has made excellent progress and bids fair to become one of the leading educational institutions of the state. Colonel Barrett’s wide acquaintance throughout the state and his standing among the educators have aided materially in giving the academy the … Read more

Rogers County, Oklahoma

Rogers County, formerly an important section of the northwestern part of the Cherokee Nation, contains about seven hundred square miles of land, nearly all of which is well adapted to raising all of the staple crops of that latitude. The Cherokees were quick to recognize the excellent natural advantages of that vicinity and for nearly a century some of the leading Cherokee families have resided there. The white farmer and prospective investor, in search of a good agricultural location, eagerly watched and waited for the time to arrive when he could. legally purchase Indian lands. Some white farmers secured leases … Read more

Claremore, Rogers County, Oklahoma

Claremore, the county. seat and principal city of Rogers County, is located in the south central part of the county at the junction of the Missouri Pacific (Iron Mountain) with the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad. It was named after Claremore, chief of the Osage Indians, who, with about four hundred of his band, was killed in the battle with the, Cherokees. The town was first started about two and one-half miles from the present location, and John Bullette, A. H. Norwood and John Cobb were among the pioneer merchants. Norwood is said to have been the first postmaster.. … Read more

Claremore, Rogers County, Oklahoma Radium Wells

Claremore has attained an enviable reputation as a health resort on account of the curative properties of the mineral water discovered there about twenty years ago. In 1903, Mr. G. W. Eaton, assisted by a number of friends, drilled a well within the limits of the city, hoping to find oil or gas. At the depth of about eleven hundred feet they struck artesian water, and in going farther into the bowels of the earth they found two more veins, which, as the drill was withdrawn, began to overflow the surrounding surface with water that threw off odorous gas, and … Read more

Claremore Mound, Rogers County, Oklahoma

The Cherokees point with pride to a rugged, rocky hill near Claremore, county seat of Rogers County, called Claremore Mound, as the scene of a victory won by them in a battle with the Osage. The Battle of Claremore Mound was fought in the Summer of 1828, before many Cherokees had settled in Indian Territory, but they were westward bound and many of them were temporarily camped in Arkansas. The Osage were a roving tribe of half-civilized Indians who claimed all of Eastern Indian Territory and a portion of what is now Western Arkansas, as their hunting grounds and they … Read more

Towns of Ottawa County, Oklahoma

The principal mining towns and camps in the mining district are : Commerce, Cardin (Tar River) Picher, St. Louis, Douthat, Quapaw, Lincolnville and Peoria. Of these Picher has made the most remarkable growth. It is located in the heart of the mining district about seven miles north of Miami. Picher is now but five years old, yet the official United States census report of 1920 gave it 9,676 inhabitants. Within its first two years it grew to be a town of 5000 people without any form of municipal government, except that by common consent its commercial club exercised a sort … Read more

Miami, Ottawa County, Oklahoma

Miami, the county seat and principal business center of Ottawa County, is located in the southern part of the county, near the Neosho River. It is a clean, pretty city of about seven thousand population, having all the modern conveniences, including paved streets, cement sidewalks electric lights natural gas, an abundant, supply of good water, first class hotels, handsome brick business blocks and a live Chamber of Commerce composed of 400 active business men. Miami was one of the first towns in Indian Territory in which complete titles to lots could be secured. On the third day of March, 1891, … Read more

Lead and Zink Mining in Ottawa County, Oklahoma

To Mr. J. P. McNaughton belongs the credit of first finding ore in paying quantities in Ottawa County. He had married a member of the Peoria tribe and was engaged in farming when, as early as 1877, he began prospecting for lead and zinc. He secured a special permit from Carl Schurz, then secretary of the interior, to prospect but was not permitted to sell any ore, because of the restrictions which the Government had placed on Indian lands. Soon after the lands were allotted to the Indians, McNaughton secured a number of mineral leases, formed a company called The … Read more

Indian Tribes of Ottawa County, Oklahoma

Quapaw The Quapaw were one of the most prominent of these rapidly disappearing tribes to find a home among the Cherokees. They were an offshoot of the once famous Sioux family and early history connects them with the, mound builders. They were encountered by De Soto and his band of adventurers as early as 1540. During the early part of the 16th century, they migrated from their eastern home and settled on the west bank of the Mississippi River, within the limits of the present State of Arkansas. There they were visited by the French Missionary, Jacques Marquette, in June, … Read more

Ottawa County, Oklahoma

Ottawa County, located in the northeastern corner of the State of Oklahoma, is one of the most important counties of the state, both from an agricultural and mineral standpoint, and its history is unique and interesting. It has been the home of members of a greater number of Indian tribes than any other county in the United States, and strange to say, it has borne the reputation of having been one of the most peaceful, law-abiding communities, inhabited anywhere by the Indian race. Many years ago, the United States Government, by treaties with the Cherokee Nation, obtained permission to locate … Read more

Nowata County, Oklahoma ~ Towns

Delaware The Town of Delaware is located on the Iron Mountain Railroad about five miles north of Nowata. It, too, has profited by the discovery of oil and natural gas and is now a prosperous little city of 1000 people. It has built up a good public school system, including a good high school department, ten public school teachers being employed. It maintains several churches and Sunday schools, and has several civic clubs which are a credit to the town. Delaware has two banks, a system of waterworks and a number of stores, some of which furnish supplies for the … Read more

Nowata County, Oklahoma History

Nowata has seven churches, representing an investment of $130,000, which are served by able ministers. The churches exercise a wider and deeper uplifting influence than the average church of the modern day. They represent a membership of over fifteen hundred, an average Sunday morning attendance of over twelve hundred and a Sunday school attendance of over one thousand. Nowata has a live Rotary Club, devoting most of its energies toward Boys’ Work, a hustling Lions’ Club, whose activities are along the lines of civic improvements, a large Community Club composed of citizens not only of the City of Nowata, but … Read more

Nowata County, Oklahoma

Nowata County is located in the northern part of the state bordering on the State of Kansas and lying between Craig and Washington counties. It contains more than five hundred square miles of land, nearly all being of good quality, capable of producing good crops. In the olden days when the cattle men. had control of the greater part of this country, that portion now included in Nowata County was much sought after on account of its nutritious prairie grass and the abundant supply of water. In their drives to the northern markets with great herds of fat cattle the … Read more

Nowata, Nowata County, Oklahoma

The City of Nowata, the county seat, is located in the south central section of the county on the St. Louis and Iron Mountain Railroad, not far from the Verdigris River. It is now a flourishing city of 5,000 people and is supplied with a system of water works, electric lights, telephones, natural gas, paved streets, cement sidewalks and all modern conveniences usually found in an up-to-date city of its size. It is surrounded by rich farm land, which is especially adapted to small grain. This is also an ideal dairying and stock raising country. The City of Nowata is … Read more

Oklahoma State Fair

One of Muskogee’s most important institutions is the Oklahoma Free State Fair, organized in 1916 and chartered by the state February 26, 1917. During the years gone by, Muskogee had held various fairs with more or less success, but all of them had been dependent upon admission fees to meet their expenses, and the gate receipts were not always sufficient to insure the payment of premiums offered, the stockholders being called upon to make up the deficits. When it was proposed to organize a Free State Fair with “the gates wide open” to all visitors, many of the directors of … Read more

New Lodges

Another indication of the growth of Muskogee and of Masonry therein is the fact that two new Masonic lodges have been created, now making three in all. Oriental Lodge No. 430 was chartered February 15, 1912, and now has nearly five hundred members. It is very prosperous and is growing rapidly. Trinity Lodge, the baby lodge, was granted a dispensation December 14, 1921, and was granted a charter at the last meeting of the Grand Lodge held at Guthrie in March, 1922. This lodge gives promise of a rapid and healthy Masonic growth. Muskogee Chapter No. 14, Order Of The … Read more

Muskogee County Towns

Boynton The Town of Boynton, now a thriving little city of 1400 inhabitants, is located in the western part of Muskogee County on the St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad, half way between Muskogee and Okmulgee. Twenty years ago it was but a part of a broad prairie pasture, but as soon as the proposed railroad was surveyed, in 1902, the town site promoters quickly selected its site as a suitable location for a promising town. Actual building began in the spring of 1903. Messrs. H. L. Wineland, W. S. Whaley, Junia Williams, W. E. Claire and Dr. J. A. … Read more

Muskogee, Oklahoma

No city in the Southwest excels Muskogee in natural advantages, healthful. surroundings, transportation facilities, educational advantages, civic righteousness, religious sentiment and its splendid citizenship. It is located on a gently rolling plain, with natural drainage toward the Arkansas River, three miles eastward; it has an abundance of oil, natural gas, coal, wood, gravel, sand and building stone within easy reach; it has four lines of railroads extending out in eight different directions; it has a system of public schools not excelled by any city in the Southwest; it has numerous civic organizations, all vying with one another and working harmoniously … Read more

Muskogee County Court

The Muskogee County Court is one of the largest, if not the largest court of its class, in the United States. Some time ago the Muskogee Daily Phoenix published the following account of the scope of its work: “Measured by the volume of business transacted, Muskogee County Court is the biggest court in the world. Administering upon the estates of approximately twenty-five thousand wards, it takes second place to the New York Probate Court in purely probate business. “The scope of authority of the county courts in Oklahoma is wider than in any other state. Because of this, the Muskogee … Read more

Muskogee City Government

From the date of its incorporation in 1898 down to the year 1910, Muskogee’s municipal affairs were carried on under the old aldermanic style, with two councilmen chosen from each ward and a mayor elected at large. Party politics controlled the elections and politicians controlled or dictated the selection of city employees, party allegiance rather than efficiency, being, too often the test of eligibility. As the years advanced, the rapid growth of the city called for extensive public improvements and the expenditure of rapidly increasing amounts of public funds, which created a sentiment among the taxpayers in favor of taking … Read more

Muskogee Business and Industry

Street RailwayDuring the latter part of the year 1904, Captain Ira L. Reeves and attorney N. A. Gibson petitioned the City Council for a Street car franchise. Captain Reeves promoted the company. The street cars were ready for passengers by March 15, 1905, and on the morning of that day the first run was made to the Frisco depot and return. The first car was filled with prominent ladies and gentlemen, with Mayor S. M. Rutherford as motorman and C. N. Haskell as conductor. Mr. Haskell demonstrated his ability as a money getter by collecting $59.35 from the passengers on … Read more

Modern Muskogee

From 1872 to 1898 Muskogee had grown to be a thriving town of 3,500 inhabitants, with substantial homes, good store buildings and other public improvements, yet no person had title to the lot which he occupied and had improved. Such documents as warranty deeds and abstracts of title were unknown throughout the Indian Territory. The title to all of the real estate was vested in the Indian Tribes, each Indian having, by common consent, taken possession of a certain tract of land which he called his own, although he had no vested title nor deed of conveyance. When a white … Read more

History of Masonry in Muskogee, Oklahoma

The City of Muskogee has reason to be proud of her Masonic history. Muskogee Lodge No. 28 now referred to as the “Old Lodge” was chartered November 7, 1888. The first officers were: P. J. Byrne, worshipful master James A. Scott, senior warden W. N. Martin, junior warden A. W. Robb, treasurer Frank S. Darby, secretary Frederick B. Severs, senior deacon Clarence W. Turner, junior deacon H. H. Edmondson, tiler. John W. Markham of Webbers Falls Lodge No. 14 was the first moving spirit for the organization of a new lodge at Muskogee, but it devolved upon James A. Scott, … Read more

History of Muskogee County, Oklahoma

Muskogee gained early prominence following President Jefferson’s 1805 directive to establish a trading post there, building on existing French fur trader activities. The town became a crucial site for relocated Cherokee and Creek tribes after the 1830 Indian Removal Act, with the Creeks making it their capital in 1836. Post-Civil War, the drive for western expansion saw railroads reach Muskogee and the inaugural federal court within Indian Territory was founded there in 1889. This court’s establishment led to the opening of Indian Territory to white settlers. Significant milestones in Muskogee’s development include its fair, courts, government institutions, and the city’s growth into a financial and industrial hub.

Haskell, Muskogee County, Oklahoma

In 1903, as the work of grading the new Midland Valley Railroad had reached a point about half way between Tulsa and Muskogee, it was observed that on the prairie, just ahead of the , construction camp, was a beautiful site for a town. All of the land belonged to the Creek Indians and something had to be done in order that legal title to town lots might be guaranteed to purchasers. Mr. T. J. Way, one of the pioneers of that section of the country selected an eighty-acre tract belonging to Amos Rolland, a full-blood Creek, and petitioned the … Read more