Okfuskee County
Named for a Creek town in Cleburn County, Alabama, Okfuskee County was originally part of the Creek Nation, Indian Territory.
Much of its history is tied to that of the Creek Nation. For example, Thlopthlocco Town, established in the 1830s in this area in the Creek Nation, became the headquarters of Colonel D. H. Cooper's Confederate forces in 1861, prior to battles with Opothleyahola and the "Loyal Creeks."
Also, Okemah, the county seat, is named for the Creek chief, Okemah, meaning "Big Chief." Two of Okemah's most noted residents were Leon Chase Phillips, 11th governor of Oklahoma, and legendary songwriter Woody Guthrie. Glen D. Johnson, a two-term Oklahoma Speaker of the House, is also from Okemah.
Boley, founded in 1904 on 80 acres of land belonging to a Creek freedman, is one of the few black towns remaining in the U.S. Established to show the ability of the black community to govern itself, it thrived for many years until, in 1932, George Birdwell, "chief lieutenant" of Pretty Boy Floyd, not only robbed the Farmer's State Bank, but in the process shot and killed D. J. Turner, bank president and Mayor of Boley.
For more county information, call the county clerk's office at 918/623-1724. County narrative provided courtesy of the Oklahoma Department of Libraries from the 2002-2004 Oklahoma Almanac.
| Population Totals |
|
| |
2002 Estimate |
2000 Census |
|
| Okfuskee |
11,700 |
11,814 |
| Median Age: |
|
38.6 |
| Median Household Income: |
|
$24,324 |
County Government
County Seat: Okemah
Court Clerk - Kay Adams, D, Okemah
Clerk - Dianne Flanders, D, Okemah
Sheriff - J.C. Muggs Fox, D, Okemah
Treasurer - Dorothy J. Ross, D, Okemah
Assessor - Peggy Williams, D, Okemah
Election Board Secretary - Deborah Dean, D, Okemah
Commissioners:
District 1 - Dale Corky Fipps, R, Paden
District 2 - Max Henry, D, Okemah
District 3 - Jack Pangle, D, Weleetka
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