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THE
INDIAN TERRITORY
ITS CHIEFS, LEGISLATORS AND LEADING MEN

H. F. & E. S. O'Beirne
St. Louis
C. B. Woodward Company
1892


PREFACE
To the Indiana Territory--Its Chiefs, Legislators and Leading Men:
In placing this work before the public, we do so, not only with a view of satisfying the universal demand for a more thorough and accurate knowledge of the five civilized tribes, but to perpetuate for years to come the memories of many of the most illustrious of the Indian legislators.

It would reflect upon the philantrophy of the present generation ---- in this era of literary enterprise---to have permitted the aborigines of our great Republic to pass into oblivion; more especially now that the tribal governments are threatened with approaching dissolution.

Much that is mischievously false concerning the social condition of the five tribes has appeared from time to time in the press of the United States, and in many instances they have been grossly misrepresented. Let us hope that this work, setting forth, as it does, the self-reliance and legislative independence of each distinctive government, as well as the rapid progress in education and agriculture, will serve as a strong protest against any undue action on the part of the United States to deprive these people of a country which they purchased and paid for and which is theirs by treaty "as long as grass grows and water runs."
Preceeding the biographies of leading men will be found historic sketches of the Muskogees, or Creeks, Cherokees, Choctaws, and Chickasaws, including the ancient customs, rites, and superstitions of those tribes. The compilers of the Indian Territory are under obligations to several of the oldest citizens of each nation for valuable contributions to this work.

H. F. & E. S. O'Beirne.


INDEX

HISTORICAL
The Muskogees --17 The Chickasaws -- 55 Minerals, Game, 
Fish, etc. -- 481 
The Choctawa ---45 The Cherokees -- 68

 
LEADING TOWNS
Vinita -- 97 Fort Gibson -- 100
Tahlequah -- 98 Muskogee -- 101 
Claremore -- 99 Okmulgee -- 102
Eufaula -- 100 Wagoner -- 102

 
 
BIOGRAPHICALS
- A - 
Adair, Arthur F. - 371
Adair, Hugh M. - 435
Adair, John Lynch - 463
Adair, John L. Jr. - 130 
Adair, John T. - 332 
Adair, Mrs. Roland K. - 374*
--*picture, see husband's bio.
Adair, Penelope - 316 
Adair, Roland Kirk - 372
Adair, W. T. - 326 
Adams, H. W. - 181
Adams, John - 268 
Adams, Thomas J. - 242
Alberty, Ellis C. - 377 
Alberty, Ellis M. - 339 
Alexander, George Abner - 245 
Allen, David M. - 455
Archer, Thomas Jefferson - 218
Austin, William L. - 317
- H - 
Halsell, William Electra - 193
Hardridge, Eli E. - 219 
Harris, Johnson - 375 
Harris, William L. - 303 
Hastings, William Wirt - 441 
Hawkins, Pink - 171 
Haynes, Samuel Jonathan -165 
Heinrichs, Joseph - 244 
Henry, Hugh - 298
Hendricks, W. H. - 361 
Hicks, Richard W. -405 
Hildebrand, Joseph M. - 281 
Hill, Davis - 145
Hinds, Sampson O. - 239 
Hitchcock, Isaac B. - 331
Howie, Thomas - 433 
Hutchings, William T. - 418
-O-
none
- B - 
Bacone, Almon C. - 135 
Bailey, Ward Howard - 366 
Baldwin, John W. - 445 
Baldwin, William - 447
--above two are together.--
Balentine, William H. - 138 
Barritt, Henry Clay - 353 
Baugh, Joel L. - 443
Belcher, Christopher C. - 264 
Bell, George W. - 471 
Bell, John A. - 452 
Bell, Lucien B. (Hooley) - 314
Belt, John C. - 158 
Belt, Mrs. Artelle - 160 
Benge, George W. - 349 
Bennett, Leo E. - 122 
Berry, Virgil - 309 
Bertholf, Isaac W. - 458 
Boling, James M. - 396 
Boudinot, Elias C. - 115
Boudinot, Elias P. - 462 
Boudinot, William P. - 266
Brewer, James Richardson - 395 
Brown, Martin R. - 456
Brown, Robert Sherman - 380 
Brown, Samuel W. - 187
Buffington, J. D. - 410 
Buffington, Thomas M. - 468
Bullette, John L. - 443
Burdett, Joshua - 174
Burdett, Mrs. Sudie - 175 *
-*included with husband/picture.
Bushyhead, Dennis W. - 117
Bynum, Robert Newton - 292 
Byrd, William L. - 321
- I - 
Ingram, John F. - 362 
Ivey, James W. - 440
- P -
Palmer, W. A. - 136 
Parkinson, Terry A. - 282 
Parks, George W. - 260
Parris, E. P. - 234 
Paschal, Ridge - 420 
Pasco, Gilbert W. - 175 
Patterson & Foley - 172 
Patterson, J. A. - 414 
Patton, William C. - 141
Perryman, George B. - 410 
Perryman, Joseph M. - 120 
Perryman, L. C. - 105 
Perryman, Thomas Ward - 422 
Poole, Charles W. - 328 
Porter, John S. - 417 
Porter, Pleasant - 161
- C - 
Callaghan, James O. - 139 
Campbell, William Ross - 317
Canard, Thomas - 356 
Canup, W. T. - 430
Carr, David - 335
Carter, John R. - 351
Chandler, Thomas A. - 470 
Childers, Ellis Buffentan - 206 
Chouteau, Benjamin C. - 345 
Clinkscales, A. M. - 308 
Coachman, Ward - 341 
Cobb, John O. - 225 
Cobb, Joseph Benson - 431 
Cobb, Samuel S. - 270 
Cobb, Samuel S. - 180 
Connell, Tamaya - 204 
Connor, F. M. - 406 
Couch, Marion W. - 337
Covel, John Henry - 343
Crabtree, William B. - 258 
Crabtree, William F. - 413 
Crittenden, Henry Clay - 461 
Crutchfield, Leroy L. - 339 
- J - 
Jackson, Clifford L. - 196 
Jackson, Wayman C. - 154 
Jacobs, Isaac - 376 
Johnston, Douglas H. - 143 
Jones, Wilson N. - 399 
Julian, Robert W. - 322 
- Q - 
Quinton, Eliza Jane - 470
- D - 
Daniels, Robert Buffington - 259
Daugherty, Mathew - 366 
Davis, Charles A. - 223 
Davis, William H. - 232 
Dick, John Henry - 364 
Dickson, Thomas Benton - 424 
Drew, John T. - 290 
Duncan, James W. - 355
Dunzy, Henry - 168
- K -
Keys, James M. - 338 
Kinney, John - 425 
Kinney, John V. - 247 
Knight, Robert D. - 388 
Knight, Thomas R. - 330 
Kornegay, Wade H. - 452
- R - 
Ratcliffe, Edgar N. - 388
Robb, A. W. - 384
Robinson, Jefferson - 293
Robison, William - 255 
Ross, Charles M. - 154 
Ross, Joshua - 199 
Ross, Mrs. Joshua - 201 
Ross, William P. - 234 
Rucker, George R. - 408
- E - 
Ellis, Jackson W. - 217 
Evans, Walter N. - 169
Ewing, Peter R. - 209
- L - 
Lane, Cap L. - 407 
Lawrence, J. A. - 432 
Lerblance, Elijah H. - 182
Lindsey, Riley Wise - 284 
Lipe, C. C. - 310 
Lipe, De Witt Clinton -241 
Lipe, Oliver W. - 211 
Loughridge, Robert McGill- 475
- S - 
Scott, James A. - 412
Scott, John S. - 273
Seaver, W. F. - 360 
Secondyne, Simon - 302 
Sepulpa, William A. - 239
Severs, Frederick B. - 108
Shackelford, James M. - 149 
Shepard, Harrison O. - 413 
Simpson, John F. - 372 
Skinner, Nathaniel - 271 
Small, James - 390 
Smallwood, B. F. - 146 
Smith, Charles Scott - 252 
Smith, John A. - 460 
Smith, John M. - 436
Smith, Wiley - 471 
Springston, John L. - 392
Standiford, J. F. - 202
Starr, Caleb W. - 289 
Starr, Ellis - 416 
Starr, John Caleb - 293
Starr, Walter A. - 431 
Stidham, George W. - 185 
Stidham, George W., Jr. - 459 
Strange, William J. - 280
- F -
Fisher, Henry Clay - 177 
Fisher, Mrs. H. C. - 179
Fisher, William - 214
Flournoy, D. H. - 164 
Foreman, Austin W. - 304 
Foreman, Stephen - 216 
Fortner, Benjamin F. - 305 
Frazee, Morris - 148 
French, Robert M. - 350 
Fuller, J. S. - 425
- M - 
Madden, William Arthur - 436
Marrs, David M. - 287 
Martha, Hotulke E. - 221 
Mason, Charles H. - 450
Mayes, Joel B. - 103 
McClellan, William Peter - 408 
McCombs, Mrs. William - 198 
McCombs, William - 197 
McCoy, John L. - 300 
McIntosh, D. N. - 397 
McIntosh, William F. - 194 
McKellopp, Albert Pike - 230 
McSpadden, James W. - 324
McSpadden, John Thomas - 147 
McQuarie, John Harold - 295 
Merrell, Joseph B. - 450 
Merrill, William M. - 252
Milford, M. E. 263 
Miller, William W. - 334 
Mills, William Richard - 291 
Mitchell, James F. - 394 
Moore, Charles Gates - 398 
Moore, Mrs. August R. - 358
Moore, Napoleon B. - 453 
Moore, William P. - 294 
Morrow, James Marion - 285 
Morgan, Gideon - 427 
Mounts, David Albert - 296
Murphy, D. C. - 381
- T -
Tarvin, George W. - 386 
Taylor, John M. - 283
Taylor, Mrs. Susan - 324
Taylor, Thomas Fox - 460
Teague, William W. - 279 
The Indian Arrow - 474 
The Indian Chieftain - 289 
Thompson, Johnson - 378 
Thompson, Joseph M. - 403
Thompson, Thomas Fox - 473
Thompson, William Presley - 227 
Tibbils, William H. - 448 
Triplett, Thomas W. - 320 
Trott, William L. - 277 
Tucker, John M. - 287 
Turner, Clarence W. - 212
- G - 
Gentry, W. E. - 152 
Gibbs, Joseph L. - 208 
Gibson, Charles - 296 
Gordon, William F. - 190 
Grayson, Colbert - 156
Grayson, George W. - 131 
Grayson, Pilot - 261 
Grayson, Sam - 250
Gray, Valentine - 311 
Gregory, Mrs. Noah G. - 313
Gregory, Noah G. - 312 
Gunter, John T. - 428 
Guy, William Malcolm - 125 
- N - 
Nash, W. S. - 130 
Navin, William - 206
Needles, Thomas B. - 166
Neilson, Francis A. - 382
- W - 
Ward, Darius E. - 128 
Whitmire, Eli H. - 276 
Williams, Mason Fitch - 191 
Willison, James Dandridge - 223 
Wilson, John Franklin - 248 
Wisdom, Dew Moore - 363
Wolfe, J. Edward - 368 
Wolfe, Richard M. - 400 
Wolfe, Thomas Leroy - 356 
Wright, William C. - 359 
Wyly, Robert F. - 347
-u-v-x-y-z- : None Good Luck!

 


LEADING TOWNS
OF THE
CHEROKEE AND CREEK NATIONS.

(pp. 89 - 102)
VINITA:
This thriving Cherokee town is located at the junction of the Missouri Pacific Railroad and the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad, 210 miles from Denison, Tex., and 28 miles from Chetopa, Kas. It has a population of 1,500 people and three church buildings, viz.: Prebyterian, Methodist, and Congregational; besides two church organizations, the Baptist and Christian. Vinita has two planing mills, and a flour mills with a capacity of one hundred barrels per day, four hotels---The Hotel Cobb being the principal of these, and one of the finest and best equipped in the Indian Territory. Vinita can also boast of two institutions of learning, the Willie Halsell Institute and the Worchester Academy, an engraving of which will be found elsewhere in this work. There are fifteen general mercantile houses, three hardware and two drug stores in Vinita, besides a commissioners' court, an opera house, five or six blacksmith shops, two lumber yards, several carpenter and barber shopts, and other of minor importance. There are some very handsome residences in town, besides a bank, established in 1891, with a capital of $50,000. Vinita is an incorporated town, being the second corporation established in the Indian Territory. Its present mayor is J. J. Thompson. The town is situated on a fertile prairie about 3,000 feet above the level of sea. Being located in the forks of Big and Little Cabin Creek, Vinita is plentifully supplied with excellent water, and is considered a very healthy town.

TAHLEQUAH:
Tahlequah, the capitol of the Cherokee Nation, is located on the grounds where the Cherokees first assembled in council after their removal West. In 1846 an act was passed by the council to lay off the Tahlequah council ground into town lots, and to dispose of the same. From that time the town has been rapidly growing, till its population, according to the printed city ordinances of 1890, has reached two thousand souls. Tahlequah was incorporated in 1890, and the town ordinances compiled by W. P. and E. C. Boudinot. The present mayor, Jeff Roberson, and the members of the town council were elected December 7, 1891. Tahlequah is twenty-two miles from Fort Gibson, the nearest railroad point, and has a large country trade. It has seven general mercantile stores, two drug stores, three hotels, four churches, and a bank building recently completed and opened about December 15, 1891. Tahlequah is also furnished with a fine flour and grist mill, two livery stables, court-house, rock jail, lumber yard, opera house (one of the largest in the territory), blacksmith, carpenter and barber shops, and lunch stands. There are four weeklies (and a daily issued during council) pupblished in Tahlequah. The Advocate is the national organ of the Cherokees, but the Tahlequah Telephone appears to hvae the largest circulation in the nation. The Indian Arrow and the Indian Sentinel are also well patronized. Tahlequah is the great center of national education. The Cherokee male and female seminaries are located close to the capitol, and few States in the Union can boast of more beautiful structures or better conducted institutions. The insane asylum is also located close to Tahlequah, and there are also Presbyterian and Baptist mission schools and a Moravian church in the suburbs. Few towns of its population can boast of prettier residences or a more enlightened class of people than Tahlequah. It is located in a dry, healthy spot, and well supplied with excellent water.

CLAREMORE:
Claremore is situated at the junction of the Kansas and Arkansas Valley, and St. Louis and San Francisco railroads, thirty-eight miles from Vinita and forty-three from Muskogee. It contains a population of 300 inhabitants, has five general mercantile stores, one drug store, with a second in course of erection, one saddle and harness shop, three blacksmith shops, one shoe shop, two saloons, two lumber yards, three hotels, two livery stables, two depots and a district court-house. For many miles around Claremore the land is in a good state of cultivation, and fruitful in the growth of corn and small grain. There is a good grist and corn mill situated on the borders of town. Claremore has two subscription schools and one church belonging to the Presbyterians, but used by three other denominations on successive Sundays. The town is incorporated, and its mayor is John M. Taylor, a prominent politician in his district.

FORT GIBSON:
Fort Gibson, the first incorporated town in the Indian Territory, is situated on the Kansas and Arkansas Valley Railroad, eight miles from Muskogee and twenty-two from Tahlequah. It has a population of about 300, and was at one time the United States garrison point for the Indian Territory. The post buildings are still in good condition and in possession of the government, together with a land tract comprising eight miles, which, according to treaty was to revert to the Cherokees after its abandonment by the troops, but the government has not yet made the transfer. Fort Gibson is beautifully situated on the east banks of Grand River, near its junction with Arkansas and Verdigris, and is one of the most picturesque little towns in the United States. It was at one time the home of Jefferson Davis, General Zach Taylor, and other prominent leaders. Fort Gibson contains four general mercantile stores, three drug stores, mills, gins, lunch stands, two hotels, churches, schools, etc. It was incorporated November 27, 1873.

EUFAULA:
This progressive and lively little business town is located on the Canadian River, within a few miles of the northern line of the Choctaw Nation. Its population is variously estimated at from 450 to 550. Eufaula has four churches, two white and two colored, representing the Methodist and Baptist communities. It has four general mercantile houses --- an engraving of one of them, that of Messrs. Patterson & Foley, will be seen elsewhere. There is also one drug store, one hardware store, two cotton gins, one grist mill, two blacksmiths' shops, two butchers' shops, three hotels and one livery stable. Eufaula, being located within easy access to the Choctaw Nation, and her business houses offering superior accommodation, a large proportion of the trade from the southern side of the Canadian is transacted there. The Canadian bottoms are remarkably fertile, while the high prairie stretching west from Eufaula to Okmulgee, the capital, is perhaps the richest high prairie tract in the Indian Territory. As an agricultural center Eufaula stands at the top of the list, and perhaps no town in the Southwest of equal population can boast of such a large annual shipment of cotton.

MUSKOGEE:
Muskogee, one of the most progressive and best located towns in the Indian Territory, is situated on the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad, in the Creek Nation. It has a population of over 2,000, which is constantly augmented and increased. It is surrounded by a beautiful and fertile country, and is a great trading center. Its buildings greatly surpass those of any in the territory, while its business houses carry larger and more varied stocks of goods. Muskogee has six general mercantile houses, three large drug stores, one wholesale and retail queensware, hardware and carpet establishment, two jewelry stores, two newspapers, a planing mill and wood factory, one roller flour mill, two gins, two livery stables, five hotels, one of which is the largest in the Indian Territory. It has also a bank, an Indian agency, United States court house, three institutions of learning, comprising the Indian University, the Harrell Institute and the Minerva Home. Muskogee is looked upon as the central point of religious and educational institutions, so that almost every church is represented. The private buildings are far above the average in towns of the same population, and the society is refined and cultured. A more desirable place to live in can hardly be found in the Southwest than Muskogee, and it will, no doubt, before many years become a thriving city.

OKMULGEE:
Okmulgee, the capital of the Creek Nation, is situated thirty-five miles west of Eufaula, the nearest railroad town except Muskogee, which is about the same distance. It contains a population of about 250, except during council, which draws a great crowd annually. The council house is erected in the center of the town square, and is a fine rock structure. There are two general mercantile houses, one drug store, two hotels, blacksmith and barber shops, mill and gin, and a church and school-house. Okmulgee is situated on one of the finest tracts of high prairie in the Indian Territory, capable of producing the largest crops of cotton, corn and small grain.

WAGONER:
Wagoner is situated at the junction of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad and the Kansas and Arkansas Valley Railroad, the town being established in 1878. Its population has been estimated at 400 --- 250 of that number being United States citizens. Wagoner is sixteen miles north of Muskogee and forty-nine miles south of Vinita, being located in a prairie country remarkable for its richness. It has five general mercantile stores, two drug stores, a cotton gin, grist mill, two blacksmiths' shops, one livery stable, one newspaper, one church-house with Presbyterian and Methodist organizations; four hotels, the principal of which are the Valley Hotel and Bernard Hotel. The town is rapidly growing, several fine brick buildings being in contemplation which will be erected in the near future. The town is well located; the water is good, and the soil of the surrounding country is fertile, being adapted to small grain as well as corn and cotton. One farmer last year raised 1100 bushels of wheat, averaging thirty bushels to the acre. The society of Wagoner for a town of its years is remarkably good, and the merchants and business men are deeply interested in its progress and welfare.



My Intentions:
It has not been my intention to reproduce this entire book but merely to bring as many of the biographies online as possible. Due to the small size of the town histories, I have transcribed them above. For any additional materials see below:

To Request Additional Material from this book:
The copy I have access to of this book is located in the Grand Rapids Public Library, Grand Rapids, Michigan. You may contact them regarding research in this book.

Grand Rapids Library- Local History Research Requests Information
(The library shelf number for this book is M 976.65 Ob2i)

Twin Territories, Oklahoma-Indian Territory Project.
For more history and genealogy in Indian Territory, please visit the site above.


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Copyright © 2001, 2002
by Veronica (a.k.a Ronnie) Aungst
Grand Rapids, Michigan
All rights reserved.
Email: [email protected]

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