Volume 16 , Issue 2

Old Beaver County Oklahoma

According to the Chronicles of Oklahoma "Old Beaver county (No Man's land) represented the history of the United States. It was included in many cessions territory, tossed here and there at the will of kits, consuls presidents and private individuals. It was what was left after the the great land adjustments in oath America.

It was known as the remnant of empires, and being not far from the geographical center of the USA. It was the last territory to be given final claims and ownership.

Trails of the early trader crossed this narrow strip of land and if the explorer could relate his many experiences they would be only a part of the history of No Man's Land.

It was prior to the middle of the eighteenth century that claims of the countries (Spain, France and England) to land in North America were very conflicting. Each nation sent out discoverers and explorers to make claim to wide extents of the territory.

Spain allowed Florida to include all her continental holdings. Later the country was explored names were applied to the new lands. These Spanish explorers went fa into the interior of what snow the USA in search of gold and wealth sought by all.

Coronado was sent out by Mendoza, the viceroy of New Spain, in the early months of 1539. Three years he tramped over Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kanas, and New Mexico. After traveling into what was now Kansas he returned to his station, Tiguex, far north on the Ri Grande. This expedition was directed southwest from central Kansas and crossed Old Beaver county. It is to Spain that credit was given for the early explorations of the country that lies west of the Mississippi river ad based o these just claims.

It was the beginning of the 17th century, that France was able to make good her claims to land in the new world. The St. Lawrence river afforded ingress to the lands to be colonized. England was making the Atlantic seaboard the seat of colonizing schemes, so nothing was left for France to do but enter the St. Lawrence, later the Mississippi.

By 1680, LaSalle had opened the way for trade in the great lake country and was pushing his way down the Mississippi river. LaSalle took possession of all the land drained by that river and France was able to sustain this right for almost a century. This great waterway used by the French served as a check to westward advance of the English.

France laid claim to land which Spain justly held, and trouble soon followed. Following 1680 LaSalle returned to France and there was able to interest the King to such an extent that the colonizing of the lower Mississippi valley was planned. Sailing from France, LaSalle entered the Gulf of Mexico, landing on the coast of Texas. This is where he proclaimed France the rightful owner of the coast, at San Bernardo, on 18 February 1685. If building a small fort quarantined such rights, French claims became nearer old Beaver county.

Spain did little to colonize the land north of the Rio Grande, but to have rivals so near was not good policy. It was the spring of 1689 by Spanish authority Captain Alonzo de Leon was sent into Texas country to hunt out all foreigners. He reached the site of LaSalle's fort 22 Aril 1689 and on the 24th of April he went to the bay. On the 22nd of May, the same year, LaSalle informed the viceroy of Mexico that the country was free of foreigners.

To read more of the history of Old Beaver County, you can click this link which leads you to the "Chronicles of Oklahoma."   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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