Indian Territory Certificate - August 19, 1893

INDIAN TERRITORY CERTIFICATE – AUGUST 19, 1893

(Indian Territory) Indian Territory certificate 8139 stating “This certifies that W.M. Stillwell has this day made the declaration before me required by the President’s proclamation of August 19, 1893, and he is, therefore, permitted to go in upon the lands opened to settlement by said proclamation at the time named therein for the purpose of settling upon a town lot.” Signed in manuscript P.J. Gallagher, Officer in charge.

President Grover Cleveland’s Proclamation, known as Proclamation 360, of August 19, 1893 opened up certain lands acquired from the Cherokee Nation, the Tonkaw Tribe of Indians and the Pawnee tribe. In part stating “….The Cherokee Nation of Indians, by a written agreement made on the 17th day of May 1893, has ratified the agreement for the cession of certain lands herein after described, as amended by said act of March 3, 1893, and thereby ceded, conveyed, transferred, relinquished, and surrendered all its title, claim, and interest of every kind and character in and to that part of the Indian Territory bounded on the west by the one hundredth degree (100) of west longitude, on the north by the State of Kansas, on the east by the ninety-sixth degree (96) of west longitude, and on the south by the Creek nation, the Cherokee outlet, defining its boundaries and establishing the regulations regarding its settlement….” This certificate was to be carried by any that wished to settle in the Cherokee strip and if required by authorities it was to be presented.

Partially printed broadside 8 x 10 ¼ inches. Stamped, in red, by the General Land Office on Sept. 11, 1893, Booth in T.29 N., R. 2.E. by the General Land Office. Separations are nicely repaired, overall in vg cond.