Wade County, Choctaw Nation facts for kids

Wade County was a special area within the Choctaw Nation. This was before Oklahoma became a state. It was part of the Choctaw Nation's First District. The Choctaw Nation was located in what was then called Indian Territory.

Who Was Alfred Wade?

Wade County got its name from Alfred Wade. He was an important leader for the Choctaw people. After the American Civil War, the Choctaw Nation joined the Confederate States. Alfred Wade helped negotiate a peace treaty with the U.S. government. This important agreement was signed in 1866. He lived near a town called Talihina.

Lenox: The County Seat

The main town of Wade County was Lenox. In the Choctaw language, it was called Tuli Hina. Lenox was located near the Kiamichi River. It was about five miles east of Whitesboro. A post office operated there from 1896 to 1913. Lenox was mostly used for holding court. It was not a large town with many people.

Choctaw Nation's Capital

The capital city of the Choctaw Nation was also in Wade County. This capital was called Tushka Homma. It had a beautiful building known as the Choctaw Capitol Building.

How Were the County Borders Set?

The borders of Wade County were set using natural landmarks. This was how all Choctaw Nation counties were defined. For example, one corner of Wade County was where Jack's Fork Creek met the Kiamichi River. This spot is near Clayton, Oklahoma today. From there, the southern border followed the Kiamichi River. It then went along the tops of the Kiamichi Mountains. These mountains are south of Tuskahoma.

How Wade County Worked

Wade County served as a place for elections. People voted for members of the National Council there. It was also a unit for local government. The county had elected officers who served for two years. These officers included a county judge, a sheriff, and a ranger.

County Officials and Their Jobs

• The county judge managed the county's overall operations.
• The sheriff collected taxes. They also watched for people who did not belong there. These were often white Americans from the United States. The sheriff also counted the people for the census.
• The county ranger was in charge of lost livestock. They would advertise and sell stray animals.

The End of Wade County

When Oklahoma was about to become a state, leaders realized something. The Choctaw Nation's counties, like Wade County, would not work well as new state areas. Most county seats were just for court. They were not big population centers. Lenox was like this too. Even though Wade County had some bigger towns, it had to be changed. This was to fit the new state's plans.

The State of Sequoyah Plan

In 1905, a group met to propose a new state called State of Sequoyah. This plan also suggested new counties. It would get rid of the old Choctaw counties. Wade County would have been split into new Pushmataha and Wade counties. Talihina and Albion would have been the main towns in the new Wade County.

Oklahoma's New Counties

Two years later, Oklahoma's founders used many ideas from the Sequoyah plan. They adopted similar county borders and concepts. These ideas helped create Le Flore, McCurtain, and Pushmataha counties in Oklahoma. Some changes were made. Albion went to the new Pushmataha County. Wilburton went to the new Le Flore County.

Where Wade County Is Now

The land that was once Wade County is now mostly in Le Flore and Pushmataha counties. Wade County stopped existing when Oklahoma became a state. This happened on November 16, 1907.