Oklahoma Land Runs-an Overview by Zina Abbott

 

Full disclosure. This was originally published in my own blog earlier this week. I first intended it for my newsletter. Then, realizing many newsletter readers are not necessarily interested in behind-the-scenes details, I wrote my blog post and added a link. I'm now in a time crunch to finish my latest book. Therefore, I'm resharing my post which provides background about the setting of the new Mail Run Mail Order Brides series, available soon.

Here is a little slice of history to give readers a feel about the Oklahoma Land Runs.

Land distributions in former Indian Territory, now the state of Oklahoma, took place between 1889 and 1906—late in what many consider the American Wild West era. However, this region was still wild and primitive compared to living conditions in much of the East.

 

 

Although I’m barely skimming the topic (My apologies to you native Oklahomans who were probably immersed in your state’s history throughout your elementary and high school years and know so much more.), Oklahoma was originally designated as Indian Territory. The United States government, when they wanted tribal land elsewhere, often “bought” the land, offered for compensation promised items and assistance, which almost always it did not deliver in full, and shoved the tribal people onto reservations in Indian Territory. The land given these tribes was in size a fraction of what they formerly claimed. It started with the Five Civilized Tribes moved into eastern Indian Territory. As the land of other tribes was acquired so it could be opened to white settlement, new reservations were carved out of Indian Territory for the displaced tribes.

1881 Indian Territory

 

After decades of white Americans with their large families and their sense of entitlement spreading over the continental United States claiming 160 acre—quarter section—homesteads, the country ran out of large tracts of land it could open for settlement. Much of the reservation land in the north that the Plains tribes and others were forced onto was not good for farming.

Land-hungry white Americans, caught up in the Populist movement of the day that sought to elevate the status of farmers, looked to Indian Territory. There, the land was owned in common by tribes. However, per capita, heads of households had use of far more acreage than the 160 acres allotted a homesteading white head of household. Much of Indian Territory land was good only for ranching, but there were large areas that were arable—good for farming. 

Considering the degree of fraud that existed in government (no comment about level of fraud that might exist in government today), the inevitable happened.  Indian censuses were taken, land was divided into 160 acre allotments, and heads of Native households were given their choice of parcels. Many did not choose. Most Native Americans at that time still did not understand or accept the concept of private land ownership. Therefore, government agents chose for them. After that, the fraudsters and scheming land speculators moved in and swindled away from the Native owners as many of those parcels as possible.

Oklahoma City a few months after the 1889 Land Run

 As for the rest of the land to which the government now claimed title, it was made available to homesteaders and town developers of any race—for a price. 

The opportunity to claim land was decided by land runs. On a certain date and time, prospective land owners were turned loose to “run” and claim a quarter section or town lot. Claimants literally ran on foot, or they rode horses or bicycles, drove wagons—many of them covered wagons which were considered relics of a bygone era, but they were resurrected for the land runs—or rode the trains. In some runs, the hopeful claimants stood in lines for days, just for the opportunity to get a certificate—for a fee—giving them permission to participate. In these land runs, several people were killed, either by accident or by being deliberately shot. Others were forced off parcels at gunpoint. Some were burned to death by those who set fires to drive them off. Many—about two-thirds in the 1893 run alone—were unsuccessful in finding an available parcel to claim.

Indian and Oklahoma Territories 1892

There were five land runs between 1889 and 1895. The two biggest ones were in 1889 and 1893. Each land run has a history of its own. After the last land run in 1895, the government officials in charge finally wised up and realized assigning parcels by means of free-for-all land runs was not the best way to distribute land. What little open settlement territory that remained was distributed by lottery or sealed bid.

The land runs that took place between 1889 and 1895 are the settings for the romances in the 

Land Run Mail Order Brides 

series, of which my book, Joshua’s Bride, is a part.

 

Joshua’sBride is the first book in the series. It is currently on pre-order and releases June 3, 2022. To find the book link, please CLICK HERE.