The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 53, July 1949 - April, 1950 Page: 165
538 p. : ill., maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
The Claim of Texas to Greer County
entered upon a tedious examination of evidence" to determine
whether the north fork or the south fork of Red River was the
continuation of Red River west of the junction. The Texas com-
mission held firmly to its contention that the north fork was the
main Red River of the treaty of 1819, while the commission
representing the United States held just as firmly to the conten-
tion that the south fork was the true Red River of the treaty.
In this deadlock the commissions on July 16 adjourned sine die,
with the understanding that each commission would make its
report to the proper authorities and await instructions. Perhaps
the most practical result growing out of the labors and investi-
gations of the commissioners was the collection and publication
of evidence on both sides of the controversy.
Texans and other settlers of Greer County assembled in July,
1886, at Mobeetie, Wheeler County, Texas, and organized Greer
County with Mangum as the county seat.50 At once the county
commissioners began the erection of a jail to cost $11,ooo. The
Post Office Department, in compliance with the request of the
citizens, established a post office at Frazer. In 1887 the depart-
ment listed this office as being in Indian Territory, and "Late in
Greer County, Texas."" Two years later the post offices of Aaron,
Frazer, Mangum, Martha, Mount Walsh, Navajoe, Quartz, and
Warren were named as being in the "Unassigned Land" of Indian
Territory.52
It has been explained that the legislature of Texas by an act of
April 1, 1887, gave public notice of its purpose to survey and
49The report of the Texas Boundary Commission contains 170 pages and is in
House Executive Documents, 50th Cong., Ist Sess., XVIII (2550), No. 21. The
manuscript is in National Archives, Office of Indian Affairs, 2120 Indian Division
1888, Box 734.
o0Grant Foreman, "Red River and the Spanish Boundary in the United States
Supreme Court," Chronicles of Oklahoma, II (1924), 30o1.
A. J. Meers of Mangum in a letter of July 2o, 1887, to the Attorney General
of the United States, said he was present at Mobeetie in July, 1886, at the organi-
zation of Greer County. He reported that county officials were taking stern action
in reference to financial and land matters, even to the point of ejecting some
parties who had taken up homesteads in good faith. Meer's letter is summarized
in one by Commissioner J. D. C. Adkins to Secretary of Interior, September 15,
1887, National Archives, Office of Indian Affairs, L. Letter Book 164, pp. 3o6-308.
50Official Register of the United States, 1887 (Washington, 1888), II, 481. The
official spelling of the word, "Frazer," should be noted.
520fficial Register of the United States, 1889 (Washington, 189o), II, pp. 537-38.
See also Grant Foreman, History of Oklahoma (Norman, 1942), 258-59.165
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 53, July 1949 - April, 1950, periodical, 1950; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101126/m1/213/?rotate=270: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.