Jackson Barnett was a full-blooded Creek Indian living in a small gray shack on 25 acres west of  Henryetta.  He spoke little English, giggled frequently, never shaved, usually wore two pairs of soiled pants, his signature was his thumbprint. and he could not count change for a dollar bill.  He was believed by many to have the simplicity and the mentality of a child.  But, when Barnett was 72 years old, oil was discovered on his allotted land near Cushing and Drumright and he became the world’s wealthiest Indian.  Then one day a white woman, Anna Laura Lowe, appeared at Barnett’s shack, kidnapped him, whisked him away to another state and married him. 

Lowe was an independent divorcee.  In her words, her first marriage ended after seven years because she was extremely ambitious and her husband had no interest in life other than his pretty self.  After that she sold life insurance, married the general manager of the insurance company and divorced him.  She became an oil broker and saw many women make fortunes while she only made a living out of it. 

 She learned of Jackson Barnett through an oil journal, and called on him with a view of leasing some of his land.  He was “chopping wood in front of his house.  He greeted me and was quite friendly, and we had a long talk.  He was dressed in rough clothing, wearing a blue woolen shirt, a small hat, laced boots, and had some beard.  He had never had a shave but Indians do not have much beard, -- just straggling.  He almost proposed my first call… the second time I called the Chief asked me to marry him, and a short time later we motored to Coffeyville, Kan.” 

W. H. Casey of Ponca City remembers the story well.  He had come to Henryetta in 1912, and was working in a drug store owned by C. J. O’Harnett, Barnett’s appointed guardian.  Before oil had been discovered on the allotment, Casey had met and befriended Barnett.  When Barnett came to town he would always come into the soda fountain and have a malted milk with two eggs in it.  He liked Casey, and Casey helped him buy his clothes and medicine with the $25 a week he was allowed on his account. 

Whether Barnett was mentally retarded or not is a matter of question.  The federal government said he was incompetent, but any Indian unable to conduct business in English was “incompetent” no matter how fluent he was in his native language.   Casey believes Barnett may have bee affected by the killings he witnessed in the Indian wars because he was in the vicinity when Crazy Snake went on a rampage in 1905. 

Barnett’s life changed in 1914 with the discovery of oil on his land.  He was making $14,000 a day.  Letters began pouring in from people who wanted his help.  He had no idea of the value of money.  He gave $25,000 to build the first church in Henryetta.  Con artists couldn’t touch his money because the federal government controlled it.  But plans were drawn up in 1920 for the distribution of $1.5 million to several groups including $500,000 for a local hospital, $25,000 for every church in Henryetta, $12,000 for a church in Holdenville, $50,000 for Bacone College in Muskogee, and $200,000 for the Southern Baptist Convention in Muskogee.  However, the plans fell through when Anna Laura Lowe married Barnett. 

According to Casey,she came into town one day, hired a taxi and drove out and got him.  She tried to marry him in Okemah and Holdenville, but Oklahoma law forbade an incompetent from marrying without the guardian’s permission.  Two weeks later she came back with a couple from Tulsa driving a Pierce Arrow.    She motioned for Barnettt, who was dressed only in his shirt, pants, and socks, to get into the car.  She pulled him into the car and took off for Independence, Kansas where a Justice of the Peace married them. 

Casey was recruited to try to get Barnett back from a rooming house in Coffeville, Kansas where Mr. and Mrs. Barnett were staying.  His attempts were unsuccessful.  Casey was thrown out of the hotel, and an injunction was filed against him. 

 The federal government filed a lawsuit in an attempt to have the marriage annulled.  Casey was on of the dozen witnesses to testify in the courtroom battle that lasted for 14 years. 

The Barnetts returned to Henryetta for a few months then purchased a mansion in Muskogee, where they lived for six more months.  Then they moved to Los Angeles, where they purchased a mansion in a fashionable area of the “gateway to Hollywood”. 

In 1934 the marriage was annulled.  Mrs Barnett was allowed to remain in the mansion to take care of her former husband until he died at the age of 92.  Four years later the Los Angeles police used tear gas to remove Mrs. Barnett from the home.  Although she fought hard for her share of the estate she died pennyless in 1952 at the age of 72 and was buried by the Creek Nation. 

More than 700 people tried to get a share of the fortune.  Since he had no direct descendants the money went to distant relatives and the attorneys.  In 1945 legal fees amounting to $239,100 were divided between more than 20 lawyers who had worked the case over the years.