Volume 13 , Issue 24

NW Okie's Corner & Oklahoma's Story

Just for the record, we have given our beloved Duchess of Weaselskin a few days, weeks off. That is why you do not see her column, Duchess of Weaselskin. We found an Oklahoma history book on Google books titled, The Oklahoma Red Book, which comes in two volumes that I know of right now.

According to the book, The Oklahoma Red Book, Vol. 1, Oklahoma and Indian Territory were originally a portion of that part of the Mississippi Valley, known as the Louisiana Territory. It was the Spanish, French and English who claimed the land, but in 1762 the territory was all ceded to Spain. The trouble arose between Spain and the United States about the navigation of the lower Mississippi and the US sought to buy a portion of Louisiana. Before the matter was closed, Napoleon of France secured the cession of the province to his country in 1800.

Monroe and Livingston (sent by President Thomas Jefferson) perfected the agreement by which the territory became a portion of the US domain for the sum of $15,000,000.

When a military post was established at Fort Smith, Arkansas in 1817, a permanent civilization made its first appearance on the borders of Oklahoma, which followed the establishing of Fort Gibson near where the Grand or Neosho river empties into the Arkansas.

The Cherokees (with members of other tribes of the southern states) were dissatisfied with the encroachment of the whites on the east side of the Mississippi.

The name "Oklahoma" was made a household word by the work, efforts of David L. Payne to obtain its opening to settlement. Captain pain had a checkered career as soldier, legislator, scout, government employee and homesteader. He fawn Oklahoma when campaigning with Custer against the Cheyennes in 1868. It was during the next ten years that he became assistant doorkeeper of the House of Representatives at Washington, DC. ON his returning west he inaugurated his movement for the organization of a colony of settlers to force entry on the forbidden land. In the late 1800, pain made his first attempt, which he was arrested but never tried. Payne made is let attempt in the Summer of 1884, but was escorted back to the border by the troops.Later that fall he died suddenly at Wellington, Kansas.

It was on March 3rd, 1889, that President Cleveland signed the bill that authorized the opening of Oklahoma and "No Man's Land" to entry by homesteaders. Pursuant to this President Harrison made his first official proclamation and named twelve o'clock high noon, April 22nd, as the instant on which these lands should be ready for entry. Guthrie, a station on the Santa Fe railroad, was designated as the general Land office.

At the appointed time, settlers raced into the promised land from Kansas, Chickasaw Nation, and the Pottawomie, Kickapoo, Cheyenne and Arapahoe reservations. An organic act was passed by Congress providing for a territorial government. Seven counties were named and described. It was under this provisions of the organic act that a full complement of officers were provided for and President Harrison appointed George W. Steele as governor. Governor assumed the office May 22nd at Guthrie, the provisional capital.

All primary arrangements having been complied with, the Territory of Oklahoma was created by Congress on June 6, 1890, and this organization was maintained until 10 o'clock A.M., November 16, 1907, when Oklahoma became a state.



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