Our branch of the Anderson’s  was the second child of William Henry and  Tommie Lee (Boles) Anderson. Their son, Orren Albert Anderson, was the seventh generation of  Anderson’s in this writing.  He was born before statehood near the RED MOON Indian Agency district of the Oklahoma Territory on February 11, 1898.

William “Black Bill” and Tommies children were all born on the 160 acres homestead along Rush Creek and near the Red Moon Indian Agency in Roger Mills County, OK.  There were seven children, Noma born 1895, Orren 1898, Virgil 1900, Lillie 1902,  William Donald 1904, Leona 1910, and Georgia Faye 1912.  All of the children except for Leona and Georgia Faye attended the Red Moon Agency school.

There is an interesting story about the area that eventually became RED MOON..  Approximately four miles from the Anderson homestead,   was the site of one of General Custer’s famous raids.  A Cheyenne tribe under Chief Black Kettle was camped along the Washita River.  Black Kettle had tried to hold his followers in the pathway of peace and sensible conduct and had made a friendly agreement with the United States government officers.  He made a cloth about the size of a white blanket sewed on a long pole and Black Kettle gave orders that if anyone saw the soldiers they must raise this pole.  In the middle of a winter  storm on the morning of November 7, 1868, Chief Black Kettles camp on the Washita River was attacked by United States troops from the seventh Cavalry, under the command of Colonel Custer.   Chief Black Kettle and many of his band were killed along with hundreds of their horses, the camp was destroyed.  It is the writers belief that Colonel Custer and part of his troops would have crossed over the land that would later become the Anderson homestead on his way to the Black Kettle massacre.  From this time on, the Southern Cheyenne, were bitter and hostile,their warriors taking part in the Indian wars on the plains and uprising on the reservations in Oklahoma Territory until their final surrender in 1875.  RED MOON was camped close to Black Kettle at the time of the fight on the Washita.  He later gave a report that fewer Indians were killed that day that what Custer reported (Colonel Custer was bucking for a promotion to General).  RED MOON became a prominent Cheyenne Indian warrior and was  involved in the Battle of the Adobe Walls and although not verified, was involved in the  Battle of Lyman’s Wagon Train and the Buffalo Wallow fight.  RED MOON and several other chiefs came into the Darlington   Agency and gave themselves up on February 24, 1875.  This was pretty much the end of the Red River War, which ended occupation of the southern plains by the Indians.  Chief RED MOON had held out until the last.

In 1892 prior to the opening of the Cheyenne-Arapaho Indian Lands for settlement by the whites, the Indians were supposedly given their choice of 160 acres of land as their own along with $75.00.

Chief RED MOON chose a quarter section about ten miles up the Washita River from Cheyenne,OK.  This was one of his favorite hunting grounds.  However, the government would not allow him to choose land there and forced him to choose land closer to Hammon, OK.    Following the land run of 1892, the community, which sprang up in the Red Moon’s, favorite hunting spot became known as RED MOON!   A fitting tribute to the man who fought for his rights to be free and provide for himself.  In 1894 James H. Hammon, for whom Hammon,OK is named, established an Indian School northeast of Hammon.  It was named RED MOON SCHOOL in honor of the Indian chief.  The school closed in 1917 and the building burned on December 18, 1865.  Today RED MOON can not be found on the Oklahoma maps.

The RED MOON school picture below was taken in 1914, three years later the school was closed.  Four Anderson children are shown, Jack, Lillie, Virgil and Orren.  Noma had probably already graduated and Leona and Georgia Faye were too young to be in school.  Wikipedia list RED MOON as a “Native American Boarding School”.  Wish we knew more about their school life, with only 31 students I assume it was a one room building without electricity, water etc.  I remember my father Orren being a “nice dresser”, check out the bow tie!

Till next time,

Jim Lee