The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-07-20


as old in point of settlement for that
matter; as some Of the state farther
east. Without going back as far as
Coronado's visit, the evidences Of
which are numerous and indisputable,
Oklahomas authentic history reaches
back at least to the second decade OF
the nineteenth century, and has been
replete with historic interest ever
since that time.
One fact in connection with the his.
tory OF the new state, which is not
very generally known in that coun-
try between Hobart and Chickasea
is the tract chosen by Aaron Burr and
General Wilkerson for the original
southwestern empire. Emissaries OF
Burr and Wilkerson went over this
territory over 100 years ago and gave a
glowing report on it throughout the
east. General Wilkerson, who had
made personal investigation OF the
country, said OF it:
1T is a marvellous land, surrounded
by lovely hills, which in the spring
time are clothed in the bloom Of innu-
merf lie fruit trees. The soil is the
riche6. that 1 know anything about
on the American continent and some
day it will support a great popula-
ton"
How well Wilkerson's prophecy is
being carried out. visit to the coun-
try he described will demonstrate. The
country is filled up as thoroughly as
Burr and Wilkerson believed it would
be. Burr died disappointed man eX-
cept for one fact; he lived long enough
to hear the story OF the victory OF San
Jacinto in Texas, and he knew that the
future OF the Oklahoma country was
safe.
The story of Fort Gibson, establish
ed by the United States government
in 1916, would of itself fill a good
sized volume. 1t was for many years
the extreme outpost of civilization
and the link between the older states
and the new American empire which
was gradually growing up in Texas.
General Taylor and jefferson Davis
were both stationed there in the days
before the Mexican war, and it was
there that the future president of
the Confederacy courted and eloped
with pretty Betty Taylor in defiance
of the objections of her parents.
1t was to Fort Gibson that Sam
Houston came after suddenly resign,
ing the governorship of Tennessee. 1t
was there that he wooed and wed Tai
ihina Rogers, a beautiful Cherokee
girl, leaving there as suddenly as he
had Tennessee to go to Texas and
begin his career as the liberator Of
the Lone Star State.
Henry NJ. Stanley taught school at
Fort Gibson. Washington Irving
stopped there in 1892 during his fam
Gus Tour of the Prairies," and de-
scribed in glowing terms the country
to the westward from the fort, now
comprising the state of Oklahoma.
Longfellow visited the post and be-
came intimate with many of the Cher
okee and Delaware Indians. 1t was
from the mountainous country along
the Grand and Illinois rivers, near
Fort Gibson, that he obtained the in
spiration for some of the scenic de-
scriptions in his poems.
Many historic associations are also
attached to Fort Supply, Fort Ar
buckle, Fort Sill, Fort Reno and the
other army posts maintained in Okla
homa in the early days. From Fort
Supply, now used as a state hospital
for the insane, Custer, Sheridan Miles
and many of the other famous In
dian fighters of the United States
army set lOTlu On luSlT campaigns.
Clusters historic battle of the Wash
tia was fought on Oklahoma soil, and
the bodies of the heroes who were
slain in that fight still rest in the old
National cemetery at Fort Gibson,
During the civil war, as well as in
the Indian campaigns which followed
Oklahoma was a battle-ground. A full
brigade of Indian troops, under Gen,
eral Stan Waite, the Cherokee chief
tan, entered the Confederate army,
while the Osages, Cherokees and
Creeks were also well represented in
the federal armes. Quantrells guer-
illas and other irregular troops oper,
ated all over the northeastern part of
the state.
Historic mo Mans Land now di-
vided into the three counties of Beav,
er, Texas and Cimarron, could also