Have you seen the movie, Far and Away starring Tom Cruise? Or, have you seen the 1960 movie, Cimarron starring Glenn Ford? Both of these movies include the Oklahoma Land Run in their plot.
When I think of early Oklahoma land owners, I automatically think of the land runs. The first Oklahoma land run occurred in April 1889. Other land runs were in 1891, 1892, 1893 and 1895. When I think about a cousin being a land owner in early Oklahoma, I think about him acquiring that land thru a land run.
While researching descendants of my 3rd great grandfather, Alexander Briles, who settled in Coffey county, Kansas, I discovered that Alexander’s grandson, Alexander George Briles owned land in Texas county, Oklahoma. Texas County was not included in the areas of Oklahoma settled during the land runs. Since Texas county is located in the Oklahoma panhandle, it was referred to as ‘No Man’s Land‘ during the time the rest of the state was opened for settlement. This area of Oklahoma was settled by squatters and later by those who purchased the land at a public land sale.
And even though they didn’t settle in Oklahoma until the early 1900s, my Briles cousins were original land owners.
The Bureau of Land Management site shows four BRILES entries in Texas County, Oklahoma
- Briles, Alex G. – filed for the SW 1/4 Section 22 in Township 4N of Range 19 East in June 1911
- Briles, Elisha M – filed for Lot/Trct 1 and 2 along with the S 1/2 of the NE 1/4 of Section 4 in Township 3 North of Range 19 East in March 1909
- Briles, James M. filed for the SE 1/4 of Section 15 in Township 3 North of range 19 East in April 1914
- Briles, Lon H. filed for the N1/2 NW 1/4 of section 11 and the N 1/2 NE 1/4 of section 11 in Township 3 North of Range 19 East in August 1913
Apparently, Elisha M. Briles started the process to obtain his land prior to his death in 1907. The land patent attributed to him indicates that full payment for the land was made by the said ‘Heirs of Elisha M. Briles’. Those heirs were identified in a legal notice published in a 1934 issue of The Panhandle Herald.
Elisha’s brother, Alex G. Briles filed the paper work to consumate his claim in 1911.
Elisha and Alex were double-cousins to James and Lon. The grandmother of Elisha and Alex was Sarah Rush, sister to Dorcus Rush, grandmother of James and Lon Briles. On the Briles side of their tree, Elisha and Alex were grandsons of Alexander Briles. Alexander Briles was the uncle to Branson Briles, grandfather of James and Lon Briles.
When Alexander, Sarah and their children migrated from North Carolina to Kansas to settle in Coffey County, Alexander’s nephew Branson also made the move with his wife Dorcas and their family. Branson and Dorcas settled in Wilson county, Kansas.
Even though James and Lon did not grow up in the same neighborhood as Alex and Elisha, they apparently followed their cousins to Oklahoma settling in the same county.
In 1913, Lon Briles completed the paperwork for his patent.
In 1914, James M. Briles received a patent for his land.
A check of the map of First Landowners shows the Briles land in Texas County.
Even though Alexander Briles’ descendants did not remain in Texas county, Oklahoma, descendants of Branson Briles did stay in the area.