Published: March 21, 2008 09:44 am      

How our families came to Oklahoma topic at meeting

From submitted reports

This was the topic of the March 4th, Pittsburg County Genealogical and Historical Society’s meeting, presented by members Robert and Diane Pulse.

The presenters explained the various reasons some of their ancestors made Oklahoma their home:

The Indian movement from the Cherokee Nation east.

The Battle of Honey Springs brought a young Confederate soldier from Texas to his final resting place in Oklahoma.

The 1889 land rush brought hope of a homestead to a displaced farmer.

Annexation of Greer County, Texas, by Oklahoma made Texans into Okies overnight.

The big oil boom in the Cushing area caused many workers from other states to head here to look for work, such as building the needed wooden oil derricks.

The program concluded with the reading of a story told by Diane’s great-grandmother about a journey that started in Indiana just about a hundred years ago. It began with a conversation with a man from Oklahoma telling about this wonderful country and the family “catching the western fever”. It told of the 32 day journey in a covered wagon, the first house raising in Oilton, and the strong community ties that were formed.



The details

The next meeting will be April 1, 2008, at 7 p.m. at the society’s library at 113 East Carl Albert Parkway, McAlester, OK. The library is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and there are volunteers to help you with your family search.