Welcome to Muskogee, Oklahoma
(in cyber world)

Birthplace of £Ç§©

First I would like to say a few things about myself and growing up in Muskogee with my family. I was the last child of four born to my parents. I have two sisters, one deceased, and one brother. My mom is gone now to be with her first child, I am sure they are making up for alot of lost years. Growing up in the country where outdoor plumbing was normal, pumping water and heating it on the stove for doing the dishes or taking a bath was all normal to us, we never thought of living any other way. Even going to the one room school houses, which had one teacher for grades 1-8, but the outdoor plumbing was great, the girls had three holes. I never knew what the boy's restroom looked like because we didn't talk about such personal things. I still wonder how many holes they had in their restroom. Of course, our school became the Sunday morning worship place. I remember going there on Christmas Eve and seeing Santa Claus and getting a bag of candy. I was told that some of the boys and girls received a bag of coal instead of the candy. I must have been good all the time because Santa never gave me any coal. We grew up on a place called *Cootie Creek* and when the Illinois River would over flow, our roads would be washed out. My grandparents (maternal) and my mom's older brother and his family all lived within walking distance. Of course, later I learned that was many miles apart but not knowing any different, I didn't think anything about the hike. We had our share of farm animals, an even knew of a few stills which were brewing up the white lightning. My dad was known to make a few runs to pick up a few extra dollars or bottles. Our underwear was made from the white flour or sugar sacks and even dresses made from the feed sacks which was purchased to feed the animals. We used everything to the fullest and when it worn out, there was always something else the item could be put to good use. As with most country folks, we could no longer live off the land and my dad had to find employment in town and so we packed up and moved into the city of Muskogee. Til that time, the city was a special place where we went to buy items and spend the day away from the farm. Everything was different. We now had indoor plumbing, the schools had at least one classroom for each grade and we got a television, life was great even thou we didn't have color or cable, we were modern. I have long sense left Muskogee and now reside about 30 miles east of Oklahoma City. My hubby is retired from the Air Force and now works for the government as a civilian. Some call him a *double dipper*, I call him *honey*. I am now a domestic engineer goddess who finally gets to stay home and do her favorite job. Our children are all grown now and have flown the coop, except for our youngest and he will remain with us. Two live in Pennslyvania and the other three all live here in Oklahoma.

I have really enjoyed making these *OKIE* pages. I have taken many hours of preparing them and I truly hope you can feel the love I have tried to apply to them. I am truly proud of who I am. My mom and sister have traced our family genealogy records back to the 1700s and beyond, and thru those efforts, I know I have many types of races thru my viens and I am proud of each. I like to think each has given me strength to be the person I am today. It doesn't matter what kind of blood flows through our veins, it is the same color. I am just as proud to be called an American. Alot of people have given their lives or a part of their bodies to keep the Unites States flag flying freely over us and we should all be proud and thankful. My family has always served their country honorably. One time my husband was stationed overseas for two years, one of many I might add, and upon returning to the United States, one of the first things I saw was the American flag. I thanked God to be back in a country where our freedom is priceless compared to so many. We all have to learn to take care of ourselves, take care of each other and take care of our future. Please bookmark my *OKIE* pages and return to see the changes, tell your friends and family, and before you leave, please sign my guest book.

In 1805, President Thomas Jefferson addressed Congress, seconding the recommendation of Meriwether Lewis that a trading post be installed at what is now Muskogee County. Fur traders from France had been trading in this area and Joseph Bogy is known to have set up a trading post in the Three Forks (named because the Arkansas, Verdigris and Grand rivers meet at this point) area in 1806. Then in 1817, the first actual settlements were developed on the south bank of the Verdigris River at the lower falls just opposite of Okay (formerly known as Coretta). Then in 1819, the land was obtained by Bozier and Pryor who were with Lewis and Clark on their expedition. Colonel August Pierre Chouteau secured the area in 1825 and established the Osage Agency. About 1,200 Creeks were occuping nearby in 1829 when it was discovered they were living on the property of the Cherokee Nation and they had to move west to the Choska Bottoms.

Just before statehood of my *OKIE* land in 1907, this area was known as part of the Cherokee and Creek Nations. Until Muskogee County was established in 1907 no known county records are known to exist except for some which can be found at the Five Civilized Tribes Agency at Muskogee, the Oklahoma Historical Society in Oklahoma City and the federal archives in Fort Worth, Texas. A federal court was established at Muskogee in 1889. There are 26 recording districts of the federal court which accepted any legal proceedings such as land records, marriage license and birth/death certificates. Only after 1898 could any non-citizen of Indian Territory, usually a white person, could legally own land in this area. At this time, town sites were laid out and sold. Then at statehood, most of these documents were kept in possession of the local county governments. The National Archives in Fort Worth, the Oklahoma Historical Society in Oklahoma City and the Muskogee County Courthouse house the early court archives. In 1895, the United States Federal Court, which at one time included most of the Indian Territory, later was split into four districts and 26 substations with the Central District covering the land of the Seminole and Creek Nations and Muskogee was its court seat.