Please continue. This may be the "Why" of the move to OK for my Texas BARKER family. TX roots go back to 1845 then the family moved to OK and several children were born in OK then the family moved back to Dallas. Thanks, Sue -----Original Message----- From: PHYLLIS MURPHY <hiphy@usa.net> To: OKROOTS-L@rootsweb.com <OKROOTS-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Saturday, October 03, 1998 10:53 AM Subject: Re: [[OKROOTS-L] Capitol Hill] > A little of the history of Oklahoma > > On the morning of April 12, 1889, thousands upon thousands of Americans amd >forigners from over the entire nation lined up on the borders of what was then >known as the Unassigned Lands of the Indian Territory, or the "Oklahoma >Country." They came in covered wagons, buggies, and many other conveyances, >by horseback, and on foot to mwait with strained anticipation until high noon >when the blue-uniformed cavalry troops facing them across the line would give >the signal loosing the hors of mankind and horseflesh to make a great, wild >dash for 160 acres of free govenment land. Thousands of others climbed aboard >and atop railroad trains headed for Oklahoma from all over the nation. The >spring-time beauty of the day, with the lush, great landscape lying ever so >serenely under a cloudless sky, would long be remembered as the setting for >this moment of history as men and women rushed forward to cliam the virgin >land. > > This, essentially, is the way the Run of 1889 has been recorded, and it is >a valid picture so far as it goes. But there was so much more to this >significant event, so much more that has never been told.... > The Rund of 1889 into the original Oklahom Lands was one of the most >unique social phenomenons of American history. The magnitude in terms of >participants of American History. It indefinite rules which allowed wide >interpretation without the benefits of precendent, its peculiarities as a way >of occupying a new country, all combines with the insatiable American passion >for free land to produce a chaotic, picturesque, and dramatic occurrence >unlike anything in man's previous experienc. > It was as event of vital consequences to those who participated, yet it was >couched almost as a sporting contest. It concocted a situation where honesty >was discouraged and dishonesty encourage. It offered reward to connivance, >opportunism, political favor, and sometime the brute forms of arms. Even with >these things to one side. the Run of 1889 pradicated a major prize of society >upon the speed of a person's horse. > As the worst the run can be viewed as an act of conglomerated human greed, >where citizens dashed frantically about to grab land. At the best it can be >seen as a fullfillment of God-fearing citizens who wished to build homes for >themselves and for future generations. In truth the Run of 1889 was much of >both. > > Many of those making run were sincere, honest people.who abided by the >rules in good faith and refused to enter the Oklahoma country until the >appointed hour. There were thosr who cheated badly, some of them succeeding >but many losing their claims in the thousand of "sooner" cases which fill the >courts following the run. And there were those otherwise honest people who, >upon seeing so many others crossing the line early, did like-wise for fear of >losing out completely in this "game" which meant so much to themselves and >their families. > > To be continued if you would like to learn more of oklahoma history. > > Phyllis > >____________________________________________________________________ >Get free e-mail and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 > >______________________________