Indian Pioneer History Project for Oklahoma
Name: Hugh Henry
Residence: Grave Street, Henyretta,
Oklahoma
Born January 13, 1848, Nachogdoches, Texas
Parents Woodson D. and Lovina Hutton Henry
Mother Indian - 1/2 Creek, Father white - Irish
Hugh Questionnaire Page 281
Mr. Henry's Story:
My parents came to Oklahoma from Texas in
1875.
Father took cattle to Dodge City, Kansas,
later joined Uncle Watt Grayson hunting buffalo in '67 and afterward worked on
Grayson Ranch till Grayson’s death - came to Henryetta.
Hugh Henry married Matilda Ann Dickerson
and had six children, who came with him to Indian Territory, where mother died
in '83. In '85 he married Arminta Exon of Illinois. Had 12 children.
My father was in the Green Peach War and
while in the Civil War he was under Capt. Glasscock. He had interesting
episodes with outlaws.
Henryetta was named in his honor - First
named Henry City. Baker, W. E. Interview Page 276
Picking Hugh Henry's Last Home
Hugh Henry’s first home at what is now
Henryetta was on First Street where the Floyd Pullen home is now just south of
Coal Creek. Then he built a better house on what is not 5th and
Moore Street. I don’t think he really liked the idea of there being a town
on his place. He said he didn’t understand how the government could take his
land.
He and I rode up on the mountain one day
as he was going to pick out a place for a new home. We rode quite a while and
he finally settled his mind on a bend of the mountain where there was a
beautiful view and where you could look for a long way if you got where the
trees weren’t too thick. It was all timber and there was no room for a house
to stand until he had it cleared up, then it was just enough for the house and
a good sized yard. There were so many rocks that you could hardly walk and a
horse had to be sure-footed to get around. These stones were gathered up and a
wall was built around the yard with them. There was no road up the mountain
and only a cow trail for us to go up. For a long time that was the only way
and yet those Henry’s have ridden down it on the run, whooping and gobbling
like regular wild Indians. If any of them ever had an accident, either going
up or down, I didn’t hear about it though it looked like they would get
killed. Hugh Henry said that he wanted that place for a home so that he would
be above everybody and could look above all of them.
Submitted to OKGenWeb by Brenda
Choate November 2000.