University of Oklahoma Libraries

University of Oklahoma Libraries Western History Collections

Judge Charles G. Watts Collection

Watts, Charles Gordon, Sr. (1875?1964). Papers, 1907?1944. 113 feet. Judge. Correspondence (1907?1944) regarding Watts's personal affairs, politics and government at the state and local levels, and the progress and resolution of legal cases in which he was involved; and publications (1914?1944), also regarding politics and government at the local, state, and national levels. The correspondence series of this collection reflects Watts's interest in the welfare of the Democratic Party in all state and national elections from 1910 to 1944, with many letters and telegrams regarding the character and suitability of candidates for office. _________________

Biographical Note: Born in Muldrow, Indian Territory, in 1875, Charles G. Watts attended Hiram and Lydia College at Altus, Arkansas. He then studied law under attorney, Colonel W. M. Cravens at Ft. Smith until 1896 when he was admitted to the Arkansas bar.

In 1896, he began to practice law in Wagoner, Indian Territory, where he served two terms as Mayor before statehood in 1907. Watts served as District Judge of Wagoner and Muskogee Counties from 1914 to 1921, and was appointed to the State Supreme Court Commission for a two year term. Later, he served by special appointment to the State Supreme Court and State Court of Criminal Appeals.

Watts was active in the Democratic Party as a member of the Central Committee. He was also involved in the Methodist Church of Wagoner, as well as the Masonic Lodge, Oklahoma Bar Association, and Wagoner Chamber of Commerce.

About the Collection: This collection contains the court notes and documents of Watts, a leading trial lawyer and judge of Indian Territory and early statehood. The collection includes a wide range of case files in the following areas: divorce, accidental injury, criminal appeals, and bill collection.

The wealth of information contained in the collection provides insight into the finances, business transactions, and legal expectations of the residents of Indian Territory, and early Oklahoma. A large number of Watts' clients were of American Indian and AfricanAmerican descent. This collection provides an original account of legal problems concerning these people and the communities in which they lived.

Box 1 Folder: 1. Estate of Sampson Barbee, Leon B. Fant, administrator. Sale of land near Maize,

1908-1930.

2. Estate of Willie Reed, a minor. L.A. Bell, Guardian. Jess Watts,attorney. Sale of real estate in Okmulgee & Creek counties, 1907-1912.

3. Maxie Howard Estate, Harrie Blake, Guardian. Jess Watts, attorney. Sale of real estate in Creek County to Joe Abraham. Removal of Blake as guardian, 1912.

4. Estate of Howard R. Bethel and Julia Lavinia Bethel, minors. David Bethel, Guardian. Lease of lands to The Olive Gas Company. Jess Watts, attorney, 19101913.

5. Daniel C. Bryson, minor. J.A. Barbre, guardian. Jess Watt, attorney. Payment to Barbre for expenses incurred, 1913.

6. Estate of Marie Brown. Richard Brown, guardian. Sale of land in Mayes County to J.C. Lindsey, 1909.

7. William S. Brewer, minor, Cherokee Indian. Thomas F. Brewer, guardian. Sale of land in Mayes & Wagoner Counties to G.D. Sleeper. Land sold to Rex, OK, school board for school site. Jess W. Watts, attorney (brother of Charles), 1911-1913.

8. Regarding Will of Harry Warshauer, contested by Gus Warshauer, brother, of Sallisaw, OK. Jess Watts, attorney. References made to Charles Watts nominated, then elected to District Judge, 1911-1914.

9. Viola Bruner, a minor, estate. Warrior Bruner, guardian. Sale of land in Wagoner County to provide an income to pay for education of Viola Bruner, a Creek Indian. Jess Watts, attorney, 1910-1914.

10. Guardianship of John, Lizzie, Emmett and Emery Roberts, minors. Dispute over legal guardian. Thomas Blair was appointed guardian first, in Wagoner County. Minors moved to McIntosh County where J.C. Casaver became guardian. Court finds for J.C. Casaver as legal guardian and upholds sale of land in Tulsa County to James H. Kennedy. Jess Watts, attorney, 1910-1913.

Box 2 Folder: 11. Estate of Roy Clark, a minor. Alexander Clark, guardian. Real estate in Wagoner

County. Jess Watts, attorney. Includes Abstract of Title of land, 1910-1917.

12. Estate of James Welch, a Cherokee Indian. J.S. Cheyne, administrator. Dispute over county jurisdiction of estate between Craig and Ottawa Counties. 30-page transcript of probate case. Jess Watts, attorney, 1914-1915.

13. Allie B. Couch, a minor. Reports of John Couch, guardian. Lease on land in Tulsa County owned by minor. Jess Watts, attorney, 1914.

14. Estate of Ellen Berryhill. Charlie Carter, administrator. Jess Watts, attorney, 19151916.

15. Guardianship of Manuel Harrison. J.C. Casaver, guardian. Jess Watts, attorney, 1913-1914.

16. Guardianship of Roy L. Couch. John Couch, guardian. Jess Watts, attorney. Guardian's reports for 1912-1915.

17. Guardianship of Joeanna Cloud. Katie Cloud, guardian. Jess Watts, attorney. Sale of lands in Sequoyah County. Includes Allotment and Homestead deeds issued by The Cherokee Nation in 1912. Includes Abstract of Title of the lands. Also includes a plat map of Township 12 North ...Cherokee Nation w/names, 1912-1914.

18. Guardianship of Richard H. Cloud. Katie Cloud, guardian. Lease of lands to oil and gas interests in Sequoyah County. Land passed to Katie Cloud in 1913 after death of Richard Cloud on April 21, 1913, 1906-1914.

19. Estate of Sarah Lahman. Rosa C. Davis,executrix. Jess Watts, attorney.

20. Guardianship of Etta and Dottie McCoy. William C. P. Edwards, guardian. Jess Watts, attorney. Includes testimony heard before Department of the Interior, Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes in 1900. Testimony concerning status of McCoy children on Cherokee census rolls, 1900-1904.

Box 3 Folder: 21. Guardianship of Jim Harris, a minor. Petition to remove Eli Eastman as guardian to

be replaced by H. E. Hulen. Jess Watts, attorney, 1911-1913.

22. Guardianship of Henry Franklin Heath, a minor. R. M. Franks, guardian. Sale of real estate in Wagoner County. Sold to John B. Vermillion. Jess Watts, attorney, 1912.

23. Estate of Cassie Gibson, minor. Sallie Gibson, guardian. Jess Watts, attorney. Includes Abstract of Title of land located in Wagoner, OK, 1910-1917.

24. Estate of Norine and J. B. Garner, minors. James W. Garner, guardian. Sale of real estate in Wagoner, 1914.

25. Guardianship of Carl Hagan, et al. W. M. Hagan, guardian, 1904-1910.

26. Guardianship of Helen Elliott. William Hawkins, guardian. Dispute over sale of land to pay legal fees, 1913.

27. Guardianship of Jesse J. McIntosh. William Hawkins, guardian. Dispute over turning over deed from sale of real estate. Problem with McIntosh in McAlester prison at the time. Real estate in Wagoner County, 1912.

28. Royal Tucker, a minor. William Hawkins, guardian. Sale of real estate in Mayes County to maintain and educate minor, 1910-1914.

29. Estate of Tom Henson. Consists of Cherokee allotment land in Sequoyah County.

30. Guardianship of Emma Hardridge. L. C. Hardridge, guardian. Sale of lands in Creek and Okmulgee Counties, 1910-1912.

31. Guardianship of Lou Birdie Hardridge. L. C. Hardridge, guardian. Sale of land in Tulsa County, 1909-1910.

32. Guardianship of Monday Hardridge. L. C. Hardridge, guardian. Sale of land in Tulsa County, 1910-1912.

33. Estate of J. C. B. Lindsey. T. C. Harrill. Lindsey was running the Wagoner Weekly and Daily Sayings paper at time of death, 1914.

34. Guardianship of Tookah Apueka. Herbert G. House, guardian, 1913.

35. Guardianship of Henry Hicks. A. H. Murchison, guardian. Lease of minor's lands in Rogers and Mayes counties, 1913-1915.

36. Guardianship of Bethany Lewis. Earl Lewis, guardian. Transfer of guardianship from Mayes to Wagoner County, 1913-1915.

37. Guardianship of Eddie Hardridge. John H. Lewis, guardian. Lease of real estate in Mayes County, 1909-1912.

Box 4 Folder: 38. Guardianship of Annie and Cherokee Davis. J. M. Lyon, guardian. Oil lease on

minor's land, 1916-1917.

39. Estate of Margaret A. Bigbey. William N. Littlejohn and Walter Bigbey, executors, 1903-1907.

40. Guardianship of Naomi and Trula Armstrong, minors. James H. Lockmiller, guardian, 1913.

41. Guardianship of Benjamin Marshall. Emily Marshall, guardian. Oil lease on land in Wagoner, 1908-1914.

42. Guardianship of Carrie M. Merchant. Jack Merchant, guardian. Mortgage of real estate in Wagoner County, 1905-1912.

43. Guardianship of Lena May Marshall, minor. Conny Murphy, guardian. Sale of land in Wagoner County to K. Saab, 1915-1916.

44. Guardianship of Jennie Dame, an incompetent. Conny Murphy, guardian. Land in Rogers County. Dame judged to be no longer incompetent, 1915-1917.

45. Guardianship of Louisa Murrell, a minor. A. J. Mason, guardian. Petition to remove Mason as guardian, 1914-1916.

46. Guardianship of Maria Card, a minor. Robert Marshall, guardian. Farm lease of land in Okmulgee County to Milton Edward, 1911-1912.

47. Guardianship of Effie Childers, a minor. Conny Murphy, guardian, 1912-1913.

48. Guardianship of Lillietta Cartwright. John Merchant, guardian, 1907-1912.

49. Guardianship of William T. Cartwright, a minor. William B. Miller, guardian, 1904-1912.

50. Guardianship of Edward Ray McDonald, a minor. H. E. Hulen, guardian. Replaced by A. F. Evans. Lease of lands in Wagoner County, 1911-1913.

Box 5 Folder: 51. Guardianship of John Coleman, a minor. W. L. Moore, guardian. Sale of minor's

land in Sequoyah County to D. L. Scott, 1908-1914.

52. Guardianship of Bessie L. Mauck, a minor. Removal of J. A. Barbre, guardian. Lease of land in Nowata County, 1913-1914.

53. Guardianship of William McDaniel, et al. Lewis McDaniel, guardian. Lease of minor's lands in Mayes County, 1913.

54. Guardianship of Alef Adelaide Renfro and Elza Tillman Renfro, minors. W. D. Renfro, guardian. Oil lease on minor's land in Creek County. Leased to Frank Barnes, 1910-1912.

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