Cemetery Photo

Love County, Oklahoma

Submitted by; Candace Gregory

Little is known about Henry D. COURTNEY before his enlistment in the Army in Cleveland, Ohio 1845. He most likely moved with his family from Monongalia Co., West Virginia to the Fairfield Co., Ohio area 1830-1840 with associated families.

After Henry's discharge from the Army, he lived and worked near several Forts on the Indian Territory frontier. One of his children, a twin named Joseph Alexander Courtney was killed by Indians, probably while living near Fort Cobb. According to family stories, the children were playing near a creek and Joseph was playing on the other side of the creek and an Indian grabbed him, killing him. Henry and his family probably settled near Fort Arbuckle, Oklahoma Indian Territory around 1860. Henry's wife was able to own land adjacent to some of her other children, from the rights of her son from her first marriage, Don Alphonso Brittenburg, who had married a Chickasaw lady named Maria Lucinda McLish.

Eventually Henry moved to the Texas border in Love County and the town of Courtney was founded out of the town formerly known as Watkins. Henry ran a ferry there, known as the Courtney Ferry, raised pigs, grew cotton, had a gin, and was accused on at least one occasion of running liquor across the border into Oklahoma, which was illegal at the time. He was arrested and taken to Fort Smith, Arkansas where he was called in front of Judge Parker. It appears that these charges were dismissed.

Henry died 12-16-1898 at Courtney and he is buried in an unmarked grave in the Courtney Cemetery. His wife Mary Ann died 1-13-1911 at Davis, Murray Co., Oklahoma was buried in Walnut Cemetery.

Henry appears to have successfully evaded the census taker after his discharge from the Army in 1850. It is through historical documents and family stories that we are able to paint a picture of his life.

Henry D. Courtney states that he was born in Morgan, Virginia 8-22-1826 , enlisting in Cleveland, Ohio 6-1-1845 for five years and was discharged 6-1-1850 at Fort Kearney, Nebraska (also listed in another document as Oregon). It states that after his discharge, he lived at Fort Smith, Arkansas some 3 or 4 years, at Fort Towson, Choctaw Nation about 2 or 3 years, at Fort Washita IT one year, at Fort Cobb in Comanche Country then in the Chickasaw Nation Ind Terr. He married Mary Williams 5-6-1850 at Fort Kearney by William Vaux, minister . Mary had been previously married to William Vredenburg who she states was drowned about the year 1848. Mary was born 3-6-1824 near Little Rock, Ark. The paperwork states that May had been disabled since 1894 by "red ague (?) and rheumatism and partial loss of sight".

Henry received his pension of $8 6-3-1890 and died 12-16-1898 at Courtney, Pickens County, Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma Indian Territory. After Henry died, Mary Ann applied for her widow's pension 4-27-1899. At that time, she states that she lived at the County of Pickens, Indian Territory and her post office is Hennepin, Indian Territory. A.B. Roff also appeared on her behalf. He was from Ardmore, Ind Terr. He stated "I have known both deceased H D Courtney and Mary A Courtney for 35 years and they lived together as man and wife and he always recognized her as such. As we have heard Courtney was dead and know his estate is now being administered."

In Henry's pension papers; he states that he served under the name Henry COURTNEY as a sergeant in Capt. Walker's 6th Infantry, commanded by Cal-Loomus. He enlisted 6-1-1845. Henry stated in a paper called General Affidavit "That he claims pension from date of passage of the Act of Jan. 29, 1887 granting such pension. That he is disabled by reason of rheumatisn with which he has been afflicted for about nine years past and which requires the employment of hands to work his farm. That said disability was not contracted while aiding or abetting the late rebellion. That he has never rendered military or naval service to the U.S. Govt other than in the war with Mexico." This is dated 5-19-1890. His signature is on it as Henry D Courtney.

Another General Affidavit dated 5-14-1889 in a claim for service pension states "Affidavit states that he is personally well acquainted with Henry DeCourtney who under the name of Henry Courtney served in Co 6th U.S. Infantry and was discharged at Fort Kearney Nebraska in the year 1851 or about that time. Affidavit known this to be him from the fact that he aff(?) served in Co 6th U.S. Infantry and was stationed at Fort Kearney (with the claimant and he has been personally acquainted with said Courtney or Decourtney was since his discharge from the army." This is signed at Fort Smith, Ark by Anton Neiz (?)

Another General Affidavit dated 5-19-1890 in Texas, County of Coosces. G L Ryan states "I have known Henry DeCourtney for about 6 years. I have been his Physician for about 6 years. I have treated him a number of times for Rhumatism. He is not able to do manual labor and has not been since I have known him. I am a Reg Practicing Physician of Pickins County, IT." Ryan says that his post office address is Leon IT.

Another General Affidavit dated 7-29-1901 in the County of Pickins, Indian Terr: "That we were present at the death of Mr. Henry DeCourtney on the 16 day of Dec 1898 and that we were present at his burial and we state without the least doubt as to Mr. Henry DeCourtney having died on the above date." This was notorized for E C (or G) Denney (?), 34 years residing at Courtney, Pickens Co Ind Terr and L E Hudson, age 40 years, residing at Courtney in Pickens Co. Ind Terr.

Another General Affidavit, notarized 10-22-1900 at Chickasaw Nation Ind Terr states that Mary A. Courtney, J T Morton residing at Hennepin. Chickasaw Ind Terr and Aora (?) Pruitt age 24 years residing at Hennepin. Chickasaw Ind Terr came before the notory. The statement "That I J.T. Morton am personally acquainted with Mary A. Courtney and that she has not remarried since the death of Henry D Courtney and that I believe she is the identical person she claims herself to be and I further state that I have known Mary A Courtney for about six years." "That I Nora Pruitt sister (?) I have known Mrs. Mary A Courtney for about twelve years and that she is the identical person she claims herself to be and that she has not remarried since the death of Henry D Courtney on or about Dec 16-98." Signed Nora Pruitt . Mary A. Courtney signs the bottom of the affidavit.

Last affidavit dated 1-8-1902 states that Mary A Courtney, age 77 years residing at Hennepin, Chickasaw NA of Ind Terr and Martha Williams, age 58 years residing at Hennepin Chickasaw Na Ind Terr. "I have been acquainted with the claimant Mary A. Courtney about thirty years and that to her and Henry Courtney lived together as man and wife about five years after my acquaintance with them but I don't know why they ever separated only from her say in the neighborhood. That I was on account of Henry D Courtney During after their women and I further know they lived apart about twenty-five years but that he said Mary A Courtney always ? the said Henry D Courtney as her husband and that the said Henry D. Courtney never remarried anytime after they began living apart but that he ? after ? Mary A Courtney visits and cout? to d? after the him his death." This was is signed by both Mary A. Courtney and Martha Williams.

Henry D. Courtney made at least two trips to Fort Smith to go before the judge for having liquor in the Indian Territory. On 12-25-1881, Henry was charged with "Introducing Spiritous Liquors into Indian Country." He appears that he either had to post a bond or pay $250.

On 10-20-1882, he had his trial. "James LONG, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I reside in Montague Co., Texas and know the defendant in this cause knows nothing whatever of the case. Martin D. Sandefur, I live above the mouth of Mud Creek in the Chickasaw Nation. The only time I know anything about deff. having any liquor in the Nation was about 3 years ago, just after he was shot, the doctor gave him a bottle of bitters. Timothy Ingram sworn, says I know nothing about the case." A note at the bottom says "Deff. discharged."

"The Chickasaw Rancher" shares additional information on Henry Courtney as follows:

"Montford preferred the old-fashioned open-range idea, but he, too, was adapting himself to the new conditions. He had increased his farming at Beaver Creek and had large fields of rye, oats, wheat, and corn. His headquarters looked more like the home of a Southern planter than that of a Chickasaw rancher. John FOWLER, who visited the headquarters as far back as 1885, told E.B. many years later of the deep impression it had made on him. FOWELR had gone with Henry COURTNEY to see a Chickasaw Indian at Silver City about getting an Indian lease. According to the February 21, 1896, Minco Minstrel, Henry farmed outside a small town called COURTNEY after him, just north of the Red River, near Mud Creek. FOWLER became the postmaster there in August 1886. When they arrived at Silver City, FOWLER learned that Montford was the Indian that they were going to see.

At the store in Silver City, Joe LINDSEY referred them to the place on Beaver Creek, where FOWLER expected to see an old full-blooded Indian living in a dugout. He was greatly surprised when they topped the rise overlooking Beaver Creek and saw, on the hill of the opposite bank of the stream, a large house, big barns, corrals, and farmland in the bottom. COURTNEY stopped the team at the bottom of the hill, left FOWLER in charge and walked to the house. Montford welcomed his old friend Henry COURTNEY and broke out his best bottle of imported whiskey as they caught up with each other's lives."

I have scattered information about Henry and Mary Courtney and Courtney Flat in the Indian Archives Division . According to Oklahoma Place Names by George H. Shirk, it was formerly called Watkins and is located in the southwestern corner of Love County Oklahoma, and is known locally as Courtney Flat, and was named for H. D. Courtney, a prominent early day resident.

In Chickasaw Vol. 53, page 338, there is a record on June 3, 1872 Henry D. Courtney was employed by M. Johnson for one year from June 3, 1872. It was signed by Wm. F. Worthington, Clk, Pickens County, Chickasaw Nation.

On page 335, of said Chickasaw Vol. 53, there is a record that Mary Courtney and Don Courtney were employed one year by Munford Johnson from June 11, 1872.

In Vol. 73, p. 209, Indian-Pioneer History, being interviews with old-timers, Charles H. Todd in 1937 stated: "I knew old man Courtney, the town was named after him. He came there when the Buffalos were plentiful. He found an Indian boy who was shot in the leg and he cared for him until he was well... Mr. Courtney was a white man. An Indian shot him in the temple in front of his ears, the bullet went through his head yet he lived. It left a shallow hole or dent in each temple but healed nicely....

In Vol. 46, p. 453, Indian-Pioneer History, in 1937 a Mrs. Ida Gilkey stated: In 1885 my father moved to the Chickasaw Nation and settled at Courtney Flat which was just a little settlement on a farm owned by a white man called Dad Courtney. He had a right in the Territory on account of his wife being an Indian..... We crossed Red River on a cable drawn ferry boat as there was a great deal of water in the river. Dad Courtney ran the ferry boat...

In Vol. 12, p. 471, Indian-Pioneer History, in 1937 Peter B. Arthur was interviewed and stated: Courtney Flat was founded by Henry DeCortney. The year Arthur came to the Leon settlement DeCortney was shot through the face. He was at the supper table eating supper, and someone fired from the kitchen window. The bullet went all the way through his face. He lived for 25 years after that and the wound never healed. His wife and three of the boys stayed at Fort Arbuckle.... Mr. DeCortney visited his family at Ft. Arbuckle, and they visited him. Three of the Courtney boys later established a ranch west of the Fort.

In Vol. 19, p. 183, in an interview in 1937 with Andrew Camp it is stated: A family named Courtney lived northwest of Arbuckle. The old man and a part of the family moved to what is now known as Courtney Flat, in Love County, while the old lady with three of the boys, two of which were Bob and Tom, remained at the first location.

In Vo. 3, p. 162, Tom Dorsett in an interview in 1937 stated: I came to Cortney Flat in a covered wagon in 1876... Cortney Flats was a flat about 2 miles wide and 8 miles long in the bend of Red River and just above the mouth of Mud Creek.

1. We have been unable to locate Walnut Cemetery which she is stated to have been buried in per an obituary in the Davis News.
2. Mexican War records and Mary Ann's widow pension records, WZ-15258, Aug 29, 1899 and SC-19027
3. Mary Ann Williams was born March 6, 1824 near Fort Smith, Arkansas to Jenkin Williams and Mary Angeline Gholson. Mary Ann was blind in her later years and many of her grandchildren lived with her through the years, each taking care of each other, including Elinore Pruitt.
4. There is an letter from the minister in the pension records stating the date and Vaux as minister of the P.E. Church and Chaplin U (or W) P A stating "I hereby certify that I this day united in the bands of holy matrimony Henry Courtney and Mary Williams." This is dated Fort Kearney, O.R. Mary 6th, 1950. Henry had not been married before.
5. Nora Pruitt is the granddaughter of Mary Ann Courtney. Elinore Pruitt is the daughter of Josephina Eliza Courtney and unknown Pruitt. Elinore moved to Burntfork, Wyoming as a single woman and wrote many letters about her adventurers as homesteading, eventually becoming published.
6. "The Chickasaw Rancher" by Neil R. JOHNSON (2001, University Press of Colorado, Chapter 20, pages 209-210) tells the story of Montford T. JOHNSON and life in the Chickasaw Nation. JOHNSON was born about 1843 and died 1896. His parents were Rebecca COURTNEY, half Chickasaw and Charlie "Boggy" JOHNSON. Rebecca died shortly after Montford's birth and Boggy moved back east, leaving Montford and his older sister in the care of Rebecca's mother, Sallie TARNTUBBY aka Grandma COURTNEY.
7. From a letter from Oklahoma Historical Society to Lee Manning dated January 19, 1967
8. Montford T. Johnson was a prominent rancher who lived in the area, the son of Charles N. Johnson, born in England and a half breed Chickasaw girl named Rebekah Courtney. Her father was Scotch and her mother's name was Sallie Tarhubby. It is unknown if Henry Courtney was related to this Rebekiah Courtney.