CREEK COUNTY, OK HISTORY AND LOOKUP

County History Books

*None Listed

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Creek County, Oklahoma: A Genealogical Overview

Located in the heart of Oklahoma’s Green Country, Creek County’s history is a dramatic tale of two distinct eras. For most of the 19th century, it was the sovereign territory of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, a destination for a people forcibly removed from their ancestral southeastern homelands. This heritage was irrevocably transformed at the dawn of the 20th century by the discovery of the Glenn Pool, one of the world’s largest oil fields. The ensuing oil boom triggered a massive population explosion, creating a unique genealogical landscape where Native American allotment records exist alongside the records of oilfield roughnecks and entrepreneurs who rushed in from every state in the union.

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I. County Formation and Evolution

Creek County was born at the moment of Oklahoma statehood. All prior history and record-keeping fall under the jurisdiction of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and the U.S. federal government.

• 1907: County Formed: Creek County was officially created on November 16, 1907, the same day Oklahoma became the 46th state.
• Parent Entity: It was formed from the territory of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Indian Territory. Specifically, it includes land from the former Sapulpa and Bristow districts of the Creek Nation. Any research for individuals living in this area before 1907 is not found in typical county records but in the tribal and federal records of the Creek Nation.
• Subsequent Formations: The county’s boundaries have remained generally stable since statehood.
• Name Origin: The county is named directly for the Muscogee (Creek) people, upon whose treaty lands it was established.
• County Seat History: Sapulpa was chosen as the county seat at the time of its formation and has remained the center of county government.

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II. Settlement and Early History

• Muscogee (Creek) Nation: Following their forced removal on the Trail of Tears in the 1830s, the Muscogee people established a new sovereign nation in Indian Territory. The area that would become Creek County was part of their agricultural and ranching lands, governed by their own constitution and laws.
• Railroads and Non-Indian Intrusion: The arrival of the St. Louis-San Francisco (“Frisco”) Railroad in the 1880s created the town of Sapulpa, named for a local Creek leader of the Kasihta town. The railroad began the process of non-Indian settlement in the area.
• Key Historical Events:
  • Dawes Commission and Allotment (1898-1906): In preparation for statehood, the U.S. government’s Dawes Commission undertook the task of officially enrolling all citizens of the Creek Nation (including Creek by Blood, Creek Freedmen, and Intermarried Whites) and allotting parcels of tribal land to each individual. These enrollment cards and land allotment records are the foundational documents for all pre-statehood genealogical research in the county.
  • The Glenn Pool Oil Boom (1905): The discovery of oil on the allotment of Ida E. Glenn near what would become Glenpool (just across the Tulsa County line) triggered one of the largest oil booms in American history. The boom rapidly spread into Creek County, creating wild and chaotic boomtowns like Kiefer, Mounds, Oilton, and Drumright. The county’s population skyrocketed from around 18,000 at statehood to over 62,000 by 1920, completely reshaping its demography and economy.

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III. Genealogical Records and Resources

Research in Creek County is sharply divided into two periods: pre-statehood (tribal and federal records) and post-statehood (county records).

• Pre-Statehood Records (Before Nov. 16, 1907):
  • The Dawes Rolls: The Final Rolls of the Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes is the primary census and citizenship document for this period. These rolls are essential for anyone tracing Creek Nation ancestry and are widely available online and at research institutions.
  • National Archives: The National Archives at Fort Worth, Texas, holds the original records of the Dawes Commission and other agencies operating in Indian Territory, including allotment packets and tribal administrative records.
  • Marriage Records: Marriages in Indian Territory were recorded by the federal court system. For Creek County, these records would be found in the U.S. Court for the Northern District, Indian Territory, located at Muskogee.
• Post-Statehood Records (After Nov. 16, 1907):
  • Creek County Courthouse: Located at 222 E. Dewey Ave., Sapulpa, OK 74066, this is the main repository for records created after statehood.
    • County Clerk: Holds all land records (deeds, mortgages, oil and gas leases) from 1907 to the present.
    • Court Clerk: Maintains marriage licenses, divorce decrees, probate cases (wills and administrations), and other civil and criminal court files from 1907.
• Vital Records:
  • Birth and Death Records: Oklahoma began statewide registration in 1908, but compliance was sporadic for many years. Records are held by the Oklahoma State Department of Health, Vital Records Division. Some delayed birth certificates may be on file with the Court Clerk.
  • Marriage Records: All marriage records from statehood to the present are held by the Creek County Court Clerk.
• Libraries and Societies:
  • Sapulpa Public Library: Has a local history collection with city directories, newspapers, and other useful materials.
  • Creek County Genealogical Society: An active group for local researchers.
  • Oklahoma Historical Society: Located in Oklahoma City, this is the state’s premier research center, holding an immense collection of Oklahoma newspapers, manuscripts, photographs, and copies of Indian and Freedmen records.
• Bordering Jurisdictions:
  • Payne County (northwest)
  • Pawnee County (north)
  • Tulsa County (east)
  • Okmulgee County (southeast)
  • Okfuskee County (south)
  • Lincoln County (west)