67-573: Webbers Falls is a town in southeastern Muskogee County , Oklahoma , United States. The population was 616 at the 2010 census, a decline of 14.9 percent from the figure of 724 recorded in 2000. The name comes from a seven-foot waterfall in the Arkansas River named in honor of Walter Webber, a Cherokee chief who established a trading post here in 1818. He was a leader among the Western Cherokee, also called "Old Settlers". They had
134-626: A headquarters at Webbers Falls during the Civil War . In 1863, Union troops tried to capture Watie, but failed. Before leaving, they burned the town, including Vann's antebellum home. In 1907, Brewer's Academy opened as the first school. Named for Oliver Hazard Perry Brewer, a local politician who had served as the Cherokee Nation's Superintendent of Education in 1870 and 1876, and as the Board of Education President in 1881. The town suffered
201-552: A major fire that destroyed much of the business district in 1911. It was rebuilt in the following year, with the new structures mostly constructed of brick. These still stand. The town got a rail line to Warner, Oklahoma in 1911 courtesy of the Webbers Falls, Shawnee and Western Railroad. That railway, which connected to the Midland Valley Railroad at Warner, ceased operations in 1914, was reorganized as
268-587: A number of concessions from both sides. The resulting treaty required the Cherokee to free their slaves. The Southern Cherokee wanted the government to pay to relocate the Cherokee Freedmen from their lands. The Northern Cherokee suggested adopting them into the tribe, but wanted the federal government to give the Freedman an exclusive piece of associated territory. The federal government required that
335-714: A salt works, leasing the land for the latter from the Cherokee government, which held it communally as a tribe. In the early years when Webber was in the territory, there was considerable conflict with the Osage people , who were forced by the United States government to give up some of their territory to the Cherokee, in a Treaty of 1828. Webber was among the early leaders of the Cherokee in this area, one of their representatives when meeting with US agents and going to Washington, DC for meetings. The Western Cherokee resisted sharing their territory with immigrants to be resettled from
402-642: A settlement at the Three Forks . Early in the 19th century, Cherokee and Choctaw hunting parties made incursions that caused frequent conflict with the Osage. In 1824, the U.S. Army established Fort Gibson on the Grand River to dampen the conflict. The town of Fort Gibson that grew up just outside the fort claims to be the oldest town in Oklahoma. At the start of the U. S. Civil War, Confederate troops of
469-540: A treaty with the United States government by 1828, which helped settle some conflicts with the Osage people , who had been forced to give up land to the Cherokee. In the late 1830s and 1840, the mass of thousands of Cherokee from the Southeast were forcibly moved into Indian Territory as a result of the US policy of Indian Removal . Webber had settled here with some of the first Cherokee to go to Indian Territory west of
536-535: The Cherokee Phoenix newspaper, for which his older brother Elias served as editor from 1828 to 1832. The first Native American newspaper, the Phoenix published articles in both Cherokee and English. Watie became involved in the dispute over Georgia's repressive anti-Indian laws. After gold was discovered on Cherokee lands in northern Georgia, thousands of white settlers encroached on Indian lands. There
603-900: The East were rounded up and forcibly removed by the U.S. government in 1838. Their journey became known as the " Trail of Tears ," as 4,000 people died. After removal, members of the Cherokee government carried out sentences against Treaty Party men for execution; their giving up tribal lands was a "blood" or capital offense under Cherokee law. Stand Watie, his brother Elias Boudinot , their uncle Major Ridge and cousin John Ridge, along with several other Treaty Party men, were all sentenced to death on June 22, 1839; only Stand Watie survived. He arranged for his brother Elias' children to be sent for their safety and education to their mother's family in Connecticut; their mother Harriet had died in 1836 before
670-866: The Mississippi River than any other unit. Watie took part in what is considered to be the greatest (and most famous) Confederate victory in Indian Territory, the Second Battle of Cabin Creek , which took place in what is now Mayes County, Oklahoma on September 19, 1864. He and General Richard Montgomery Gano led a raid that captured a Federal wagon train and netted approximately $ 1 million worth of wagons, mules, commissary supplies, and other needed items. Stand Watie's forces massacred black haycutters at Wagoner, Oklahoma during this raid. Union reports said that Watie's Indian cavalry "killed all
737-661: The Moravians , he took the name of David Uwatie; he and Susanna renamed Degataga as Isaac. In his life, Degataga preferred to use "Stand", a loose translation of his Cherokee name. Later, the family dropped the "U" from the spelling of their surname, using "Watie." Along with his two brothers and sisters, Watie learned to read and write English at the Moravian mission school in Spring Place, Cherokee Nation (now Georgia ). Stand Watie occasionally helped write articles for
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#1732790095522804-627: The Mound Builders who lived here during the Caddoan Stage (A.D. 300 – 1200). One of the first Europeans to come to this area was Jean Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe . He was a French explorer and trader who discovered a Wichita village in 1719. By the end of the 18th century the Wichita had been driven away by the more warlike Osage , who used this as their hunting ground. Auguste Pierre Chouteau and other fur traders had established
871-723: The Muscogee (Creek) Nation . The official spelling of the name was changed to Muskogee by the post office in 1900. Muskogee County is part of the Muskogee, OK micropolitan statistical area , which is included in the Tulsa -Muskogee- Bartlesville combined statistical area . According to archaeological studies, prehistoric people lived in this area as long ago as the Paleo-Indian period (before 6,000 B. C.). However, archaeologists have made more extensive studies of those people known as
938-541: The U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 840 square miles (2,200 km ), of which 810 square miles (2,100 km ) is land and 29 square miles (75 km ) (3.5%) is water. The western part of the county is prairie grassland, while the eastern part rises into the Cookson Hills , on the western edge of the Ozark Mountains . The Arkansas , Verdigris and Grand rivers all converge in
1005-827: The University of Tulsa in 1920. Northeastern State University opened a branch campus in Muskogee in 1994. K-12 school districts: State-operated schools in this county: The following sites in Muskogee County are listed on the National Register of Historic Places : 35°37′N 95°23′W / 35.61°N 95.38°W / 35.61; -95.38 Stand Watie Brigadier-General Stand Watie ( Cherokee : ᏕᎦᏔᎦ , romanized: Degataga , lit. 'Stand firm'; December 12, 1806 – September 9, 1871), also known as Standhope Uwatie and Isaac S. Watie ,
1072-840: The Webbers Falls Railroad in 1916, but was dismantled by 1918. Construction in 1970 of the Webbers Falls Lock and Dam created Webbers Falls Reservoir and Robert S. Kerr Lock and Dam, created the Robert S. Kerr Reservoir , both part of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS), operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It has boosted the local economy by attracting outdoor enthusiasts for recreation opportunities. The town population increased 57 percent between 1980 and 2000, from 461 to 726. However,
1139-664: The ambush of the steamboat J. R. Williams on July 16, 1864. Watie commanded the First Indian Brigade of the Army of the Trans-Mississippi , composed of two regiments of Mounted Rifles and three battalions of Cherokee, Seminole and Osage infantry . They fought in a number of battles and skirmishes in the western Confederate states, including the Indian Territory, Arkansas, Missouri , Kansas , and Texas. Watie's force reportedly fought in more battles west of
1206-858: The Arkansas River throughout much of the nineteenth and early twentieth century. The McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, dedicated in 1971, opening the Arkansas and Verdigris rivers to year-round commercial traffic and leading to the development of the Port of Muskogee. Education was a high priority after the Civil War, with schools started by churches, private individuals, and the Cherokee and Creek nations. Higher educational opportunities were offered after 1880 when Bacone College , Oklahoma's oldest, began as Indian University in Tahlequah, but
1273-543: The Cherokee Freedmen would receive full rights for citizenship, land, and annuities as the Cherokee. It assigned them land in the Canadian addition. This treaty was signed by Ross on July 19, 1866, and ratified by the U.S. Senate on July 27, four days before Ross' death. The tribe was strongly divided over the treaty issues and a new chief was elected, Lewis Downing , a full-blood and compromise candidate. He
1340-538: The Cherokee and Creek Home Guards built Fort Davis, across the Arkansas River from Fort Gibson. Federal troops attacked and destroyed Fort Davis in 1862, driving the Confederates from this area, although a few skirmishes occurred later in the war at Bayou Menard Skirmish (1862), several at Webbers Falls (1862), and the Creek Agency Skirmish (1863). The county was formed at statehood with land from
1407-599: The Great Depression and was replaced by soybeans, wheat, feed grains, and grasses. Truck farming became important during and after World War II, leading to the development of a canning and food-processing industry. Other economic activities included oil, gas, and coal production, but these activities never reached the levels achieved in other regions. Sand and gravel pits, along with brick and glass manufacturing, developed and remained important employment sources. O. W. Coburn built an optical business that became one of
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#17327900955221474-724: The Mississippi River; it was then considered part of Arkansas Territory. Having acquired a small fleet of keelboats , he was able to stock the post with goods from other parts of the United States, so he opened a trading post and a portage service, as well as building a house. Of mixed-race Cherokee-European descent, Webber was married to a full-blood Cherokee. They had adopted many American ways and outfitted their house in European-American style. When English-speaking visitors came, one of their African-American slaves and domestic servants would translate. Webber also built
1541-759: The Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway [MOG]), and the MOG (1903–05, which became the Texas and Pacific Railroad ). In 1874, the federal government consolidated all of the Five Civilized Tribes agencies into one Union Agency, located just west of Muscogee. In 1889, a federal district court was created in Muscogee. In 1894, the Dawes Commission also established its headquarters there. According to
1608-766: The Muskogee District of the Creek Nation and the Canadian and Illinois Districts of the Cherokee Nation . A post office named Muscogee had been established January 17, 1872. The official spelling of the name was changed to Muskogee on July 19, 1900. After the Civil War, the Five Civilized Tribes , which included the Creeks, agreed to new treaties with the federal government. Among other provisions, they ceded their western lands back to
1675-630: The Negroes they could find", including wounded men. Since most Cherokee were now Union supporters, during the war, General Watie's family and other Confederate Cherokee took refuge in Rusk and Smith counties of east Texas. The Confederate Army put Watie in command of the Indian Division of Indian Territory in February 1865. By then, however, the Confederates were no longer able to fight in
1742-491: The Southeast, as the US government proposed in 1834. They finally agreed that year, in exchange for an increased amount of land and annuities. In the late 1830s and 1840, the mass of thousands of Cherokee from the Southeast were forcibly moved into Indian Territory as a result of the US policy of Indian Removal . According to the Webbers Falls Historical Museum, this is the second-oldest town in
1809-719: The Treaty Party. All but Stand Watie were killed. Watie in 1842 killed one of his uncle's attackers, and in 1845 his brother Thomas was killed in retaliation, in a continuing cycle of violence that reached Indian Territory. Watie was acquitted by the Cherokee at trial in the 1850s on the grounds of self-defense. Watie led the Southern Cherokee delegation to Washington, D.C. , after the American Civil War to sue for peace , hoping to have tribal divisions recognized. The federal government negotiated only with
1876-525: The Union and went to Fort Leavenworth , the remaining Southern Confederate minority faction elected Stand Watie as principal chief. After Cherokee support for the Confederacy sharply declined, Watie continued to lead the remnant of his cavalry. He was appointed to the grade of Brigadier-General on May 10, 1864, with a date of rank of May 6, though he did not receive word of his promotion until after he led
1943-774: The West and become a lawyer, defended him. In 1861, Principal Chief John Ross signed an alliance with the Confederate States to avoid disunity in Indian Territory. Within less than a year, Ross and part of the National Council concluded that the agreement had proved disastrous. In the summer of 1862, Ross removed the tribal records to Union-held Kansas and then proceeded to Washington, D.C., to meet with President Lincoln. After Ross fled to Federal-controlled territory, Watie replaced him as principal chief. After Ross' departure, Tom Pegg took over as principal chief of
2010-421: The age of 18 living with them, 53.5% were married couples living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were non-families. 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.89. In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.2% under
2077-460: The age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males. The median income for a household in the town was $ 19,300, and the median income for a family was $ 22,955. Males had a median income of $ 22,813 versus $ 17,031 for females. The per capita income for
Webbers Falls, Oklahoma - Misplaced Pages Continue
2144-431: The barges were on the loose after a helicopter attempted to safely secure the barges and around noon that same day hit the dam, which caused minor damage to the structure, but destroyed flood gates 7,8,and 9. The barges suffered major damage as they overturned and dumped their cargo into the flood, then sank to the base of the dam. Since the lake level had to be lowered significantly before the mangled barges could be removed,
2211-446: The census of 2000, there were 69,451 people, 26,458 households, and 18,467 families living in the county. The population density was 33/km (85/sq mi). There were 29,575 housing units at an average density of 14/km (36/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county was 63.73% White, 13.16% Black or African American, 14.88% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.19% other races, and 6.43% from two or more races. 2.67% of
2278-556: The competitive totals from Barack Obama 's efforts in the prior two elections. Trump went on to beat Joe Biden by an even greater margin in 2020 . In February 2022, Republicans held a plurality of registered voters in Muskogee County for the first time in recent history. At statehood, the economy was based primarily on agriculture and ranching. The main crops in the county were corn, cotton, and wheat. Agricultural service industries consisted mainly of cotton gins, grain mills, and stockyards. Cotton production declined dramatically during
2345-659: The county, causing that area to be called "Three Forks." Webbers Falls Lake on the Arkansas River covers part of the county. The county seat of the county is Muskogee . All elected officials and county services are headquartered there. As of the 2020 census, its population was 66,339. As of the 2010 United States census , there were 70,990 people living in the county. 59.8% were White , 17.5% Native American , 11.3% Black or African American , 0.6% Asian , 2.6% of some other race and 8.2% of two or more races . 5.2% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). 16.7% were of American , 8.2% German and 7.3% Irish ancestry. As of
2412-562: The death of their son, Comisky, who had died at age 15. After the war, Watie was a member of the Cherokee Delegation to the Southern Treaty Commission , which renegotiated treaties with the United States. The U.S. government, recognizing that the two factions would never agree on common terms, decided to negotiate with them separately and play them against each other. By doing so, it was able to extract
2479-512: The fleeing slaves north of the Red River on November 28. The militia returned the fugitives to Tahlequah on December 8. Five were executed for having killed two slavecatchers they encountered to free a fugitive slave family from the Choctaw reservation. Vann put his surviving slaves to work as laborers and coal stokers on his steamboats. Cherokee Confederate General Stand Watie established
2546-630: The flood gates could not be safely removed and the damaged gates repaired. This restricted traffic through the McClellan–Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System until late October 2019. According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 3.9 square miles (10 km), of which 3.9 square miles (10 km) is land and 0.26% is water. As of the census of 2000, there were 726 people, 288 households, and 209 families residing in
2613-544: The former Indian Territory . Joseph Vann , a/k/a "Rich Joe" Vann, was among the thousands of Cherokee emigrants forced from Georgia during Indian Removal . He settled nearby and established a plantation , where he worked some of his more than 200 slaves he brought with him. At his direction, slaves built a house here that was a replica of his former antebellum mansion in Georgia, the Chief Vann House . This area
2680-497: The government and allowed rights of way to railroads. The Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway (also called MKT or Katy) built a line into Indian Territory, near the Three Forks. Although railroad officials intended to build a depot at the site of Fort Davis, the terrain proved unsuitable, so they relocated the depot, which they named Muscogee, farther south. They also began the town of Oktaha 11 miles (18 km) farther south, in
2747-666: The largest in the nation and employed hundreds of workers. Other industrialists included the Buddrus family, who began Acme Engineering, and the Rooney family who founded Manhattan Construction. State and federal employment has long been important, primarily in education and veterans' services. Light manufacturing and health care as well as social services provide jobs for residents. The town of Taft has two state correctional facilities, Dr. Eddie Warrior Correctional Center for women and Jess Dunn Correctional Center for men. Steamboats had plied
Webbers Falls, Oklahoma - Misplaced Pages Continue
2814-469: The leaders who had sided with the Union . Watie stayed out of politics for his last years, and tried to rebuild his plantation. Stand Watie was born on December 12, 1806, at Oothcaloga, Cherokee Nation (present-day Calhoun, Georgia ), the son of Uwatie (Cherokee for "the ancient one", sometimes spelled Oowatie ), a full-blood Cherokee, and Susanna Reese, daughter of a white father and Cherokee mother. He
2881-409: The median income per family was $ 34,793. Males had a median income of $ 28,670 versus $ 20,457 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 14,828. About 14.10% of families and 17.90% of the population were below the poverty line , including 24.00% of those under age 18 and 14.70% of those age 65 or over. Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton 62%-33% in 2016 , which was a sharp right-turn from
2948-525: The migration. In 1842, Watie encountered James Foreman, whom he recognized as one of his uncle's executioners, and killed him. This was part of the post-Removal violence within the tribe, which was close to civil war for years. Ross supporters executed Stand's brother Thomas Watie in 1845. In the 1850s, Stand Watie was tried in Arkansas for the murder of Foreman; he was acquitted on the grounds of self-defense. His nephew E. C. Boudinot , who had returned to
3015-461: The old Ridge Cemetery, later called Polson's Cemetery, in what is now Delaware County, Oklahoma , as a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. After moving to Indian Territory, Stand Watie married Sarah Bell on September 18, 1842. Their families had been long-time friends. They had three sons: Saladin, Solon and Cumiska, and two daughters, Minnee and Jacqueline. Saladin died while the family was living at Mount Tabor / Bellview, Texas (the home of his in-laws
3082-565: The overall command of General Benjamin McCulloch , Watie's troops captured Union artillery positions and covered the retreat of Confederate forces from the battlefield after the Union took control. However, most of the Cherokees who had joined Colonel John Drew's regiment defected to the Union side. Drew, a nephew of Chief Ross, remained loyal to the Confederacy. In August 1862, after John Ross and his followers announced their support for
3149-407: The population declined significantly by 2010. The I-40 Bridge Disaster happened on May 26, 2002; a barge collided with a bridge support near Webbers Falls, causing a 580-foot section of the I-40 bridge to plunge into the Robert S. Kerr Reservoir on the Arkansas River . Automobiles and semi-trucks fell into the water, killing 14 people (including a three-year-old girl) and two horses. The bridge
3216-430: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 26,458 households, of which 31.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.80% were married couples living together, 13.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.20% were non-families. 26.70% of all households were made up of individuals; 12.30% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
3283-472: The pro-Union Cherokee. Following Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation in January 1863, Pegg called a special session of the Cherokee National Council. On February 18, 1863, it passed a resolution to emancipate all slaves within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation. After many Cherokee fled north to Kansas or south to Texas for safety, pro-Confederates took advantage of the instability and elected Stand Watie principal chief. Ross' supporters refused to recognize
3350-414: The same year. Other railroads followed, such as the Kansas and Arkansas Valley Railway (1888, later the Missouri Pacific Railway ), the Midland Valley Railroad (1904–05), the Ozark and Cherokee Central Railway (1901–03, sold to the St. Louis and San Francisco Railway , Frisco), the Shawnee, Oklahoma and Missouri Coal and Railway (1902–03, sold to the Frisco), the Muskogee Union Railway (1903–04, sold to
3417-415: The territory effectively. On June 23, 1865, at Doaksville in the Choctaw Nation (now Oklahoma), Watie signed a cease-fire agreement with Union representatives for his command, the First Indian Brigade of the Army of the Trans-Mississippi . He was the last Confederate general in the field to surrender. In September 1865, after his demobilization, Watie went to Texas to see his wife Sallie and to mourn
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#17327900955223484-412: The town was $ 10,684. About 22.0% of families and 26.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 40.9% of those under age 18 and 14.9% of those age 65 or over. Muskogee County, Oklahoma Muskogee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma . As of the 2020 census , the population was 66,339. The county seat is Muskogee . The county and city were named for
3551-461: The town. The population density was 186.6 inhabitants per square mile (72.0/km). There were 364 housing units at an average density of 93.6 per square mile (36.1/km). The racial makeup of the town was 69.56% White , 0.28% African American , 24.79% Native American , 1.38% from other races , and 3.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.48% of the population. There were 288 households, out of which 33.0% had children under
3618-443: The validity of the election. Open warfare broke out between Confederate and Union Cherokee within Indian Territory, the damage heightened by brigands with no allegiance at all. After the Civil War ended, both factions sent delegations to Washington. Watie pushed for recognition of a separate "Southern Cherokee Nation", but never achieved that. Watie was the only Native American to rise to a Confederate brigadier-general's rank during
3685-409: The war. Fearful of the Federal Government and the threat to create a State (Oklahoma) out of most of what was then the semi-sovereign "Indian Territory", a majority of the Cherokee Nation initially voted to support the Confederacy in the American Civil War for pragmatic reasons, though less than a tenth of the Cherokee owned slaves. Watie organized a regiment of mounted infantry . In October 1861, he
3752-412: Was 2.51, and the average family size was 3.03. The age distribution of the population was 25.90% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 15.30% 65 or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 93.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.90 males. The median income of households in the county was $ 28,438, and
3819-411: Was a Cherokee politician who served as the second principal chief of the Cherokee Nation from 1862 to 1866. The Cherokee Nation allied with the Confederate States during the American Civil War , and he was subsequently the only Native American Confederate general officer . Watie commanded Indian forces in the Trans-Mississippi Theater , made up mostly of Cherokee, Muskogee , and Seminole . He
3886-405: Was a shrewd and politically savvy Principal Chief, bringing about reconciliation and reunification among the Cherokee. After the treaty signing, Watie had gone into exile in the Choctaw Nation. Shortly after Downing's election, he returned to the Cherokee. Watie tried to stay out of politics and rebuild his fortunes. He returned to Honey Creek, where he died on September 9, 1871. Watie was buried in
3953-439: Was commissioned as colonel in what would become the 1st Cherokee Mounted Rifles . Although Watie fought Federal troops, he also led his men in fighting between factions of the Cherokee and in attacks on Cherokee civilians and farms, as well as against the Creek , Seminole and others in Indian Territory who chose to support the Union. Watie is noted for his role in the Battle of Pea Ridge , Arkansas , on March 6–8, 1862. Under
4020-449: Was continuing conflict, and Congress passed the 1830 Indian Removal Act , to relocate all Indians from the Southeast to lands west of the Mississippi River . In 1832, Georgia confiscated most of the Cherokee land, despite federal laws to protect Native Americans from state actions. The state sent militia to destroy the offices and press of the Cherokee Phoenix , which had published articles against Indian Removal. Believing that removal
4087-463: Was inevitable, the Watie brothers favored securing Cherokee rights by treaty before relocating to Indian Territory . They were among the Treaty Party leaders who signed the 1835 Treaty of New Echota . In 1835, Watie, his family, and many other Cherokee emigrated to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma). They joined some Cherokee who had relocated as early as the 1820s and were known as the "Old Settlers". Those Cherokee who remained on tribal lands in
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#17327900955224154-481: Was moved to the Creek Nation in present Muskogee County in 1885. Evangel Mission, a school at Union Agency for Creek freedmen, operated in the 1880s and now houses the Five Civilized Tribes Museum in Muskogee. A facility for educating visually impaired people opened at Fort Gibson in 1898. Later moved to Muskogee, it became the Oklahoma School for the Blind . Minerva Home, a school for girls in Muskogee, became Henry Kendall College in 1894, which moved to Tulsa and became
4221-498: Was named Degataga . According to one biography, this name means "standing firm" when translated to English. Watie's brothers were Gallagina, nicknamed "Buck" (who later took the name Elias Boudinot ), and Thomas Watie. They were close to their paternal uncle Major Ridge , and his son John Ridge , both later leaders in the tribe. By 1827, their father David Uwatie had become a wealthy planter , who held African-American slaves as laborers. After Uwatie converted to Christianity with
4288-450: Was repaired within two months, and reopened to traffic on July 29, 2002. On May 22, 2019, two barges loaded with fertilizer broke loose from Muskogee County and were heading to Webbers Falls Lake . They were part of a tow that had been docked along the river because of the extremely high water level and the speed of the current. On the morning of May 23, 2019, the barges got stuck on some rocks and were later secured but, at around 10:40 AM
4355-402: Was the last Confederate States Army general to surrender. Before removal of the Cherokee to Indian Territory in the late 1830s, Watie and his older brother Elias Boudinot were among Cherokee leaders who signed the Treaty of New Echota in 1835. The majority of the tribe opposed their action. In 1839, the brothers were attacked in an assassination attempt, as were other relatives active in
4422-428: Was to reach Mexico, where they knew slavery had been abolished. They picked up about 10 slaves in Creek territory along the way, and later freed a family of eight slaves from two slavecatchers, killing the latter. After the first pursuers returned for reinforcements, the Cherokee National Council ordered about 87 men of the Cherokee Militia, under Captain John Drew, to apprehend the fugitives. The militia caught up with
4489-440: Was within the reservation of the Cherokee Nation . A post office opened at Webbers Falls in 1856. On November 15, 1842, more than 25 slaves revolted in the largest action and escape in Cherokee territory. Mostly from Joseph Vann's and his father's plantations, the slaves locked masters and overseers in houses and cabins, stole guns and ammunition, horses and mules, food, and other supplies, then started traveling south. Their goal
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