Hello everyone! Thanks for joining the Oklahoma & Indian Territory Researchers Group!

Please feel free to ask questions you might have about the unique problems of research in Oklahoma & Indian Territory. If you have help to offer please do that too. Also, if you would like to relate a research experience you have had that might help others please post your own story.

Hello, just thought I would check in and say hello. Also a word of thanks for your work with the Agency Cemetery cleanup!

Hi Angela! The work at Old Agency is still slow but coming along. As you know it is way, way to hot in Oklahoma now to even think about going out to the cemeteries. A friend of mine was here from California for over a month and photographed cemeteries every day for my website. She finally got too sunburned and sick of the heat and went home! She does promise to come back though, maybe when the weather is cooler and the mosquitoes quit biting.

Please post the URL to your site! I hope to get to the area in August (too hot, I know!)
-Angela-

Searching Crail, Bonifield, Shepherd & related families in Woodward, Harper, Dewey & Ellis counties. Maintain a Oklahoma Stte Genealoby database at http://www.okgenweb.org/~okahgp/index2.htm & assist with the Oklahoma Cemeterie site at http://www.okcemeteries.net

If you have done much census research for this area, you know that the 1900 census was divided into Indian Territory & Oklahoma Territory. I found it interesting that using the census searches on Heritage Quest doesn't always turn up the Native Americans that I am looking for. What I did discover is that many Indians are indexed with the word "Indian" for their surname. In I900 Indian Territory I found 265 listings with "Indian" as the surname. Oklahoma Territory shows up with 1831 entries. Also, 1910 census shows 19916 listings for Indian as a surname so it looks like these people were indexed according to their race.

Another interesting thing I discovered is that Ancestry.com does not differentiate between Indian Territory & Oklahoma Territory in the 1900 census, in fact, the words Indian Territory are not even available for selection as a place of residence! I did some searches for people that I found on the Heritage Quest database listed as Indian (surname) and couldn't find them on Ancestry.com even using their proper surname.

HMMM.........

I found it weird that Indian Territory microfilm was filed at our Family History Center at the end of the alphabet, not under o for Oklahoma or I for Indian Territory.

Researching Payne, Perry, and Squirrel surnames.

I documented my line for First Families of Twin Territories (Oklahoma and Indian Territories.)
Helton, Hill, Goodson, Salyer.

Welcome to all of the new members! I'm so pleased to see this group growing. Please leave a comment or question when you have time. That's what the group is all about!

Hi Sue! Thanks for getting this group going!

Researching my husband's line: Davis and Bowen, of both Wheeler Co., TX and Roger's Mill Co., Oklahoma.

I live in Kiowa County Oklahoma and am researching the families of Thompson and Hendricks but also have genealogy pertaining to other Oklahoma side families like Minton--Seay--Clarks--Portwoods.
The Clark and Seay and Mintons all married Thompsons of Oklahoma

Sue, I have a number of records from the 1900 census for Indian Territory that I found on Ancestry. I wonder what the issue is with your searches and why it doesn't give you the option of searching IT.

BLACK family from Monroe County Miss settled in Choctaw Nation (present LeFlore County) about 1892-93.

My 2nd great grandfather James SHEERN/SHARON and his brother John Philip SHEERN/SHARON participated in a land rush in what is now Kay County in 1892. James lived on his land in Lowe Township until his death sometime between 1900-1910. His brother's land was next to his but did not actually live on it. My question is was the land they obtained through the land rush similiar to a homestead situation or was it simply purchased after it was surveyed?

Sheri: If your family members participated in a land rush, it is indeed a homestead situation. They had to "prove up," usually after 5 years--have your ordered their land entry case files from the National Archives? It will have their testimony about improvements on their land as well as the testimonies of 3 of their friends and/or neighbors. Sue may have more insight on your question, but this is my 2 cents. :-)

Sheri, The majority of Kay county was a part of the Cherokee Outlet which was opened 16 September 1893. (The small eastern portion of the county was not opened for settlement until 1906.) More than 100,000 people converged on the Outlet that day hoping to stake a claim to one of the 40,000 homesteads. Each homestead was a quarter section of land (160 acres). So, in answer to your question, yes, it was a homestead, the land having already been surveyed before the run. As Debra mentioned, land entry case files are often very enlightening.

Researching Crowder, Alexander, Pyle, Going/goings/Goins Choctaw was easy to research, Cherokee is proving harder. Looking for Flora Alexander Crowder info.

My Gmother (Agnes May Heady) was born in 1900 in Indian Territory. I have not been able to find much on her, any suggestions. I have been looking on Ancestry.com and other places, but not much luck.