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Local History
History of McIntosh County, Oklahoma
McIntosh County, Oklahoma was created, at statehood in 1907, from land that was mostly part of the Creek Nation with its eastern-most areas part of what was the extreme southwestern part of the Canadian District of the Cherokee Nation .
Indian historians claim that in 1541, when Hernando De Soto crossed the Mississippi River near Memphis and continued his journey westward, he passed through the southern part of McIntosh county. As evidence they point to the huge rock in the middle of the Canadian River, known as Standing Rock, as being identical with the Standing Rock described in the Spanish record of De Soto's Travels. Also, There is a claim that not many years ago a skeleton was unearthed near the Canadian River, clad in full Spanish armor.
The Creeks came to the area in 1836 and their influence can be seen in many ways. Many of the local town and communities were named by the Creeks. Eufaula gets is name from an old Creek town in Alabama called Yufala which mean "they split up here and went to other places."
The old Asbury Mission School, located two miles northeast of Eufaula, was established in 1849 by the Episcopal Church under a contract with the Creek Council and maintained for many years prior to the Civil war. Today it is the Eufaula Boarding School.In 1861, Albert Pike, the Confederate general, met with some of the leading Creeks in McIntosh County and induced them to join the Southern Confederacy, only a few weeks after the Cherokees had refused to consider his proposition.
On July 17, 1863, smoke billowed, cannons roared, and the weapons of 9,000 troops flashed when the largest battle in Indian Territory fought during the war between the states was waged just 3 1 | 2 miles northeast of Checotah. Honey Springs Battlefield Historic Site.
In the summer of 1872 The Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad reached this neighborhood and the two prosperous towns of Checotah and Eufaula were established, although an Indian settlement had been in existence at Eufaula for many years prior to that period.
In 1876, THE INDIAN JOURNAL was founded and published in Eufaula and is the oldest surviving newspaper in the state.
In 1889 the first U.S. federal court was established at Muskogee, which embraced most of Indian Territory.
In 1895 there were four districts of federal courts and 26 sub-stations. The Central District covered the area of the Creek and Seminole Nations with Muskogee as the court seat, while the Southern District, covering the area of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations, had South McAlester (now called McAlester) as its court seat. These records are held partly in the National Archives and at Oklahoma Historical Society. The 26 recording districts of the federal court accepted land records, marriages and other legal proceedings.
It was not until 1898 that a non-citizen of the Indian Nations of Indian Territory could legally own land in this area. Upon statehood, most of these land records were retained by the local county governments.
No county records exist prior to 1907. Genealogical records for some ancestors who lived in this area before 1907 may be found in records of the Five Civilized Tribes Agency at Muskogee, the
Oklahoma Historical Society in Oklahoma City and the National Archives .The county seat of McIntosh County, Oklahoma is Eufaula which is located about 14 miles south of I-40 on U.S. 69. Cities and towns in McIntosh county are Checotah, Duchess Landing, Eufaula, Hanna, Hitchita, Rentiesville, Shady Grove, Stidham, Texanna. More information can be viewed at towns.
Towns with Post Offices
Name Named For Location Post Office Dates Brushhill Nearby Land Feature 7 Miles SW of Checotah 6 Feb 1894 - 31 Dec 1915 Burney 5 Miles W of Pierce 29 July 1896 - 30 Nov 1907 Cathay Poetic Word for China 6 Miles N of Eufaula 18 Feb 1903 - 15 June 1914 Checotah Samuel Checote, Creek Chief I-40 & 69 17 June 1886 - Present Clara Near Checotah 21 Apr 1910 - 14 Mar 1916 Eufaula Old Creek Town in Alabama
County Seat of McIntosh Co.
Mayors of Eufaula 6 Feb 1874 - Present Fame "Famous bottom land" 5 Miles NW Eufaula 9 June 1894 - Fawn 8 Miles SE of Checotah 11 Feb 1898 - 31 Oct 1916 Fishertown William & George Fisher 5 Miles NE of Eufaula 10 July 1883 - 25 July 1893 AKA
Wildcat
Creek Chief George W. Grayson 8 Miles NE of Henryetta
10 Feb 1902 - 30 April 1929 Hanna Hanna Bullett 18 Miles SW of Eufaula 24 Aug 1904 - Hasson Present Day Hanna 22 Sept 1902-24 Aug 1904 Hitchita Indian Band of Muskhogean 23 Apr 1901 - Present Huttonville A.J. Hutton, First postmaster 5 Miles NW of Eufaula 19 Oct 1896 - 28 Feb 1911 Irby | Bond 8 Miles N of Eufaula 4 Jan 1907 - 5 Feb 1909 Lenna Lenna Moore, Local Creek Indian 13 Miles NW of Eufaula 4 Jan 1902 - Mellette William Mellette, US District Attorney in Muskogee, Okla. 10 Miles SW of Eufaula 1 May 1901 - 14 July 1934 Micco
AKA
Creek word for Cheif 2 Miles E of Eufaula 4 Aug 1853 - 30 Mar 30 1996 Nerotown Governor Nero, Creek allotee, Formerly Huttonsville 5 Miles NW of Eufaula 28 Feb 1911 - 20 July 1915 Onapa Formerly Irby or Bond, Creek word for above. 8 Miles N of Eufuala 5 Feb 1909 - 30 June 1914 Pierce Homer Pierce Lee, First Postmaster 11 Miles W of Checotah 26 Mar 1907 - Proctor 12 Miles SW of Eufaula 2 April 1892 - 31 May 1901 Raiford Mrs. Jeannetta Thoma Raiford
rancer and land owner
15 Miles SW of Eufaula 17 June 1905 - 15 May 1926 Rentisville William Renti, Townsite Developer 5 Miles N of Checotah 11 May 1904 - Richard(s)ville Eastman Richard, plant and gin operator. 10 Miles W of Checotah 7 Nov 1917 - 15 Oct 1919 Salem 5 Miles SE of Henryetta 3 Oct 1908 - 27 Apr 1918 Stidham George W. Stidham, Prominent Creek Leader 8 Miles NW of Eufuala 30 Jan 1897 - Texanna Nearby Settlement of Texas Cherokees 9 Miles NE of Eufaula 27 June 1888 - 16 July 1940 Vernon William T. Vernon, Registrar of the treasury 10 Miles SE of Dustin 20 Mar 1912 - 13 April 1914 Vivian Vivian Wilhite, Local resident 8 Miles W of Eufaula 13 Jan 1910-30 Sept 1947 Wildcat See Grayson above
Local History The County Seat War Contributed by Michael Gibson Checotah IOOF Home based on an article in the
Real Estate and Recreation section
of the Feb 24, 2000 Indian JournalMasonic Lodge History Eufaula Lodge number 1, A. F. & A. M.,
the oldest lodge in the State of Oklahoma
The Indian Journal March 2, 1922Standing Rock Indian Journal Centenial Edition June 1997 Katy Depot~Checotah's 1890 M-K-T Depot Checotah Courier County Seat Wars REV. THOMAS BERTHOLF Graham Glass Company in Checotah TEXAS ROAD LAKE EUFAULA
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORICAL PLACES
OKLAHOMA - McIntosh County
Checotah Business District
(added 1982 - McIntosh County - #82003688)
Gentry Ave. between W. 1st and W. Main Sts. and Broadway Ave. between Lafayette and Spaulding Aves., Checotah
(60 acres, 46 buildings)
Period of Significance: 1875-1899, 1900-1924Checotah City Hall
(added 1998 - Building - #98000733)
Also known as Old City Hall;Checotah Chamber of Commerce
201 N. Broadway, Checotah
Period of Significance: 1900-1924, 1925-1949
Checotah MKT Depot
{More Information on Katy Depot}
(added 1991 - Building - #91001371)
Also known as Katy Depot Tourist Information Center
Paul Carr Dr., Checotah
Period of Significance: 1900-1924
Cooper, C. L., Building
(added 1985 - Building - #85000684)
Also known as Anna Cooper Eastside Community Center
5B and Harrison, Eufaula
Period of Significance: 1900-1924, 1925-1949
Eufaula Armory
(added 1994 - Building - #94000481)
Also known as National Guard Armory
48 Memorial Dr., Eufaula
Period of Significance: 1825-1849
Eufaula Business District
(added 1988 - McIntosh County - #88000400)
Main St. between Pine and Grand Sts., Eufaula
(60 acres, 21 buildings)
Period of Significance: 1875-1899, 1900-1924, 1925-1949First Soil Conservation District Dedication Site ***
(added 1982 - Site - #82003689)
Also known as Claude Bess Farm
N of Eufaula, Eufaula
Period of Significance: 1925-1949
Honey Springs Battlefield *** (added 1970 - Site - #70000848)
N of Rentiesville, Rentiesville
Period of Significance: 1850-1874
Johnson Lake Shelters (added 1978 - Site - #78003086)
Also known as Mi-62;Mi-69
Address Restricted, Warner
Historic Significance: Information Potential
Area of Significance: Prehistoric
Cultural Affiliation: Late Prehistoric, Late Caddoan
Period of Significance: 1499-1000 AD, 1749-1500 AD
Owner: StateMcIntosh County Courthouse (added 1985 - Building - #85000683)
110 N. 1st St., Eufaula
Period of Significance: 1925-1949
Methodist Episcopal Church, South
(added 1984 - Building - #84000462)
Also known as First United Methodist Church,Checotah
419 W. Gentry St., Checotah
Period of Significance: 1900-1924
{More Information on Checotah IOOF Home}
Oklahoma Odd Fellows Home at Checotah **
(added 2001 - Building - #01000660)
Also known as Odd Fellows Widows and Orphans Home
211 West North St., Checotah
Period of Significance: 1900-1924, 1925-1949, 1950-1974
Rock Front (added 1984 - Building - #84003152)
Also known as Vernon Post Office
Broadway, Vernon
Period of Significance: 1900-1924, 1925-1949
Slippery Moss Shelter (added 1978 - Site - #78003085)
Also known as Mi-84
Address Restricted, Texanna
Historic Significance: Information Potential
Area of Significance: Prehistoric
Cultural Affiliation: Late Archaic, Late Prehistoric, Fulton Aspect
Period of Significance: 1000-2999 BC, 500-999 BC, 1499-1000 AD, 1749-1500 AD
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Domestic
Historic Sub-function: Camp
Tabor House (added 1996 - Building - #96000979)
631 W. Lafayette, Checotah
Period of Significance: 1900-1924
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