Recent Activities: Sept 2013

     On September 9th I presented the program "Death Records in Indian Territory and Early Oklahoma" at the monthly meeting of the Oklahoma Genealogical Society. After the meeting a new member asked if I had a suggestion on how to find information on her ancestor who died south of Stroud OK in July 1897. On a lark I looked him up in my index and found an entry for him with the source as the Beaver Herald (in Beaver County in the Oklahoma Panhandle)! My assumption was that one of his children moved out there and the death notice was published for that reason.

     As it turns out, the death notice appeared in the "Territorial News" column. The descendant then checked and found a more detailed death notice in a Guthrie paper relating the details of his drowning. She is continuing to check other newspapers in Oklahoma/Indian Territory (likely Chandler and/or Bristow) for additional accounts. As I related in my talk, these accounts can vary highly in content from one newspaper to another.

     I have my handout available in a four page word document for anyone who would like one. Simply email me and request it. I also have a copy of my personal lecture notes outline (including URLs for source websites). My lecture notes are 12 pages long and are available for a $3 donation to the OGS. Copies will be available at the next OGS meeting (Oct 7th), or email me for directions to send the donation, and once received I will email the notes.

     I just finished going through the Dawes' Rolls Enrollment Cards for the Cherokee Nation. Current ongoing extraction projects include Carter County probates, Texas County probates, and Daily Ardmoreite death notices and obituaries. More to come...