Coodys Bluff
Nowata Co., Oklahoma
Long before Oklahoma received its Statehood in 1907, it was in 1803
The United State acquired most of the area known as Oklahoma as part of
the Louisiana Purchase.
Before 1800 a group of Cherokee Peope moved west and begun to settle
the Arkansas, on the White and St. Francis rivers.
1812 Most of Oklahoma became part of the Missouri Territory
1817 According to the terms of a treaty with the United States, the
Cherokee people were assigned a country in Arkansas and from that time
were known as the Western Cherokees.
1819 Most of Oklahoma became part of the Arkansas Territory
1828 Sequoyah was one of the Western Cherokee delegates to
Washington, D. C., who signed a new treaty. They traded their Arkansas
lands for a country in the Indian Territory, north of the Arkansas and
Canadian rivers, Northeastern Oklahoma today.
1828/1829 Cherokee and Choctaw moved voluntarily from Cherokee Nation
East to Cherokee Nation West. These are known as "Old Settlers"
This is when the Coody family arrived, making their home which even
today is known as Coody's Bluff. "OLD SETTLERS"
1829 Dwight Mission School had been established by missionaries of
the American Board of Boston among the Western Cherokee in Arkansas
Territory.
1838-1839 The forced removal of the Cherokee People over the Trail of
Tears. At which time Eight of the Nine Cherokee Districts were formed;
Flint, Going Snake, Delaware, Sequoyah, Illinois, Canadian, Saline and
Tahlequah. Nowata County today was in the Western part of the Saline
District.
The "California Trails" passed through Coody's Bluff which is
immediately east of Nowata on west side of the Verdigris River.
1844 The Cherokee Advocate was first published at Tahlequah, this was
the first newspaper in Oklahoma.
1856 Cooweescoowee District was formed from the Western Part of
Saline District. Nowata County, was in the Cooweescoowee District.
1860 Coodys Bluff, Cooweeescoowee District, Cherokee Nation West, six
miles East of Nowata started it's first Post Office May 5, 1860. The
first Postmaster of Coody's Bluff was Richard Coody.
Post Offices and Postmasters - - -Coodys Bluff
Richard Coody 1860
John Thompson 1874
Henry Armstrong 1879
Oscar Allison 1910
Robert Lamar 1912
Lula Reinheardt 1916
Vera Brown 1919
Dora Sibley 1920
1861 A detachment of Colonel Drew's Cherokee regiment, about 500
strong, was posted at Coody's Bluff in the western part of the Cherokee
Nation; and after Pike's departure for Richmond, Cooper, as senior
colonel, assumed command of the troops in the Indian Territory and
organized his forces to cope with Opothleyoholo and the loyal Creeks
1867 Both the Delaware and the Shawnee people sold their land granted
in Kansas and purchased an interest in the Cherokee lands. Many settled
in the Cooweescoowee District Cherokee Nation West.
1870 Coodys Bluff 1st Log Cabin School
1871 At twelve o'clock noon, June 6, 1871 the Missouri, Kansas and
Texas Railway Company won the race by completing its track to the
northern boundary of Indian Territory, in the valley of the Neosho
River. On the following July 20, 1871, President Grant authorized the
company to enter the Indian Territory and construct tracks to the Red
River and on into Texas.
1871 In the late autumn of 1871, the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad
Company, the second railroad company to enter into Indian Territory,
built tracks from Seneca Missouri to Vinita. The Atlantic & Pacific
Railroad was later sold and became the St. Louis & San Francisco
Railroad.
1884 The Dwight Mission Schools had been closed during the Civil War,
it was reopened.
1890-1892 One cave very important to the Dalton Gang was under a
cliff of rock on the east bank of the Verdigris River about 1 mile north
of the river bridge on Highway 60. The only entrance to the cave was to
swim horses from the west bank of the river to the mouth of the cave on
the other side. The members of the Dalton Gang were from the Coodys
Bluff community. Bill Rattlingourd and Bitter Creek Newcomb. The U. S.
Government blasted the cave in 1892. Another of their hideouts was
around Taylor Cemetery little over 2 miles southwest of Nowata, where it
has been said their names are carved in rock.
1893 March the U. S. Congress appointed, what was known as "THE DAWES
COMMISSION." This commission consisted of three members to meet the
people of the Five Civilized Tribes and the officers of their
governments and to make new agreements concerning their affairs.
1. That Indian title to lands be given up
2. For abandonment of the Indian Governments
3. For adjustment of Indian affairs to prepare the Indian Territory
for admission into the Union
4. And for the allotment of land in severalty, which meant that a
certain amount of land was to be allowed each member of the Five
Civilized Tribes.
The chairman and principal member was Henry L. Dawes. The other two
gentlemen were Meredith H. Kidd of Indiana and Archibald S. McKennon of
Arkansas.
The Dawes Commission had a very important place in the history of
Oklahoma for a period of twelve years.
Frank C. Armstrong also served as a member, was from Washington D.C.,
son of Francis Armstrong, superintendent of the removal of the Indians
to the Indian Territory in 1831-1835.
1897 Tams Bixby of Minnesota, was also a member of the Dawes
Commission.
1903 Tams Bixby served as chairman of the Dawes Commission from 1903
to the end of the commission.
1904 "The City of Nowata owes her sudden and continued growth largely
to the development of the oil fields in the territory adjacent. The
Alluwe field in November, 1904, was the first field opened, followed by
the Coody's Bluff field about a year later, and then the Childers and
Hogshooter's fields about 1906. All of these proving to be rich fields.
Nowata County, Oklahoma, history from John D. Benedict book 1922
July 1, 1905 The end of "The Dawes Commission."
The little crossroads grocery store and post office at Coody's Bluff
stood five miles east of Nowata, at the intersection of highway 60 and
28. Mr. and Mrs. Richard Roba Briggs operated a small grocery business
there during the thirties. They were forced out of business by peoples
inability to pay their bills during the depression. Mr. Richard Briggs
worked in several grocery stores in Nowata, until in 1940, George
Stanfill stocked the Coody's Bluff store again, as a joint operation
with Briggs. Mr. and Mrs. Richard Briggs would run the country store,
while the Stanfills continued with their Nowata store. Later, the
Coody's Bluff post office was moved there, with Briggs as Post Master.
Mrs. Briggs was his assistant. He held this post until he retired at the
age of 70. Ruth Setzer obtained the Post Master potion, and the Briggs's
continued with the store.
Richard Roba Briggs bought out George Stanfill's part in the business
in the forty's and I am sure many people can identify with this little
corner, as it provided groceries, gasoline, mail service, and a visiting
place for a number of years. The Briggs's weren't newcomers to that
area, as they operated a store in the old Henry Armstrong building half
a mile north of Coody's Bluff for a few years.
Submitted by: Allene Briggs Stevens & Judy Stevens Gerken. You can
read all of Allene Briggs Stevens “Looking Back”
by clicking on this link. Looking Back
which now has one 1941 Flood Photo, courtesy of Judy Stevens Gerken.
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