The Hartford republican., 1913-08-15
PIONEER MISSIONS
power Still felt
Influence Great Upon Hab-
its of Redmen.
Arkansas Once Claimed What Is
Now Part of the State Of
Oklahoma.

Tahlequah, Ok. August ia con-
siderable portion of what is now Ok
lahoma was once claimed by the
State of Arkansas. the latter erecting
q local county government. 1t was
known as Lovely County, and its
northwest corner was in section /,
township % north, range Is east.
From that point the line ran south
to Red River, and all east Of this lin
to Arkansas was Lovely County. Thii
northwest corner Is now the ,porth-
west corner of Mayes County. The
Legislative act creating Lovely Coun-
ty was passed October 13. 1927.
A county seat, to which was given
the name Nicksville, was laid out on
SaS isaw Creek. where Dwight Mission
was then situated. The first and on
ly county officers were James w.
Bates, county Judge; Thomas Moore.
sheriff. and John Dillon, county clerk
lovely County was in existence one
year and four days, when 1t was abol.
ished in conformity to a treaty be-
tween the Cherokee Nation and the
United States Government. In this
treaty the lines Of the old Cherokee
Nation were mos accurate y defined,
a. was the boundary of the Cherokee
Outlet. later known as the Cherokee
Strip and "No Mans Land"
At Dwight Mission. or Nicksville.
during the life of Lovely County, was
held NE first Protestant conference
in what is now the State OF Oklaho-
ma. Its session continued from Mo-
vember 2 to Z, 1923, and began at 5:
o'clock each morning and G.osed at
9 o'clock each evening. The modera-
tor was Rev. Benton Pixley. who was
in charge of Harmony Mission, on
the Marais des Cygnes, in Missouri.
Two Oklahoma missions. Union and
Dwight, were represented. The scribe
was Rev. Mr.. Chapman.
These two missions exerted a wide
spread influence for good In the In
dian country. In 1885 Rev. s. A. Wor-
cester established a printing press
at Union Mission. and frpm that press
in the same year was issued the
fist copy Of the Cherokee Almanac.
A year late Mr.. Worcester moved the
plant 70 Park Hin, later the home
Of John Ross, the renowned chief
Of the Cherokees, and for twenty
four years continued to publish the
almanac at that place. Numerous
tracts and missionary periodicals in
the Cherokee language were distrib-
uted from this press.
For a number of years In the early
part of the nineteenth century friend
ship between the Cherokoes and the
Creeks was strained. Par of the land
ceded by the United 81 tes Govern
ment to the Cherokees IN 1928 had
been oeded to the Creeks in 1S27-2S,
and many disputes arose between the
two tribes concerning boundaries. A
more definite boundary treaty was
made by the Federal Government at
Fort Gibson, February IA. 1888. a
year after Cantonment Gibson had
been changed to Fort Gibson.
A number Of Usage Indian towns
had been established in this territory
which the government gave to the
and q bitter feud existed
between the two tribes for many
years, due In large measure to diff
ferences In manners and customs.
The Cherokees had supreme contempt
for the Osages,as the latter now have
for the Creeks. The Osages disliked
negroes. which the Greeks held as
slaves and the Osages were fond Of
calling the Greeks"nigger Indians
Black Dog. one of the ablest Usage
chiefs .established the town of Poso-
ma, on the present site OF Claremore.
where Black Dogs remains were bur-
led. Six miles distant was the trib-
n town OF BigTrack. near the present
site 0f Sageeyah., and also near Glare
more Mound. the latter named In
honor of the great war chief Of theOs-
ges.C Claramore.
In Lovely County was probably the
first trading post In Indian Territory.
II not in the entire Oklahoma country
Il was established ini7sS. on G~nde
River. by Pierre Chouteau. for the
purpose Of trading with the Ossses.
II was occupied dong after the Cher
okees entered the country. There are