1907
Help Wanted
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History
After the Cheyenne-Arapaho land opening, six counties were established, one of which was F County (later Roger Mills County). Before Beckham County was created at 1907 statehood from Roger Mills and Greer counties, early towns were initially situated in those areas. Beckham County's boundaries have changed several times. In 1910 a portion on the south was annexed back to Greer County. On March 17, 1930, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled, based on a survey accomplished by Samuel S. Gannett between 1927 and 1929, that the true 100th Meridian, the boundary between Texas and Oklahoma, was actually thirty-eight hundred feet further east. Thus, Beckham County's western boundary was changed, further reducing the county's size. Beckham County came to comprise 904.14 square miles of land and water area.
At 1907 statehood Sayre was temporarily selected as the county seat. However, Sayre continued to host county offices after winning by a small margin over Erick in a June 1908 election. A two-story, brick building served as the first courthouse until a three-story replacement was completed in 1911 and dedicated in 1912. Designed by the Layton, Wemyss Smith and Hawk architect firm, the structure was a blend of Neoclassical and Second Renaissance Revival styles. It featured a dome with a colonnade that supported a roof with a smaller, replica dome. The courthouse (NR 84002968) was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
Links
Free Records Search at Familysearch Org
Beckham County Cemetery Listings
Beckham County Cemetery Listings at Interment Net
Beckham County Cemetery Listings at Find A Grave
Oklahoma Birth Certificates
- Search for Oklahoma Birth Cetificates and how to order from the Vital Records Office.
State of Oklahoma Genealogy Records Guide
- Search for death certificates and how to order them from The Vital Records Office
Oklahoma State Archives
- Dept. of Libraries
Third Floor
200 NE 18th St.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105
Phone: (405) 522-3579 - The Oklahoma State Archives provides an excellent library of genealogy records including: Commissioner of Confederate Pensions Applications, 1915-33, Commissioner of Confederate Pensions Pension Files, 1915-49, U.S. District Land Office Homestead Registers, 1889-1908, Oklahoma Supreme Court Applications to the Bar, 1907-42, Oklahoma Board of Medical Examiners Deceased Files, 1907-86, Oklahoma Board of Pharmacy Deceased Pharmacist Files, 1907-75, and Oklahoma Board of Chiropractic Examiners Inactive License Files, 1921-84.
Oklahoma Genealogical Society Library and Archives
- 2100 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105-4997
Phone: (405) 522-5225 - The Oklahoma Genealogical Society maintains a library and archives that the public is allowed to visit. The Library and Archives contains over 62,000 volumes with emphasis on Oklahoma, Native American, and western history. In addition to these materials—many of which are rare and out-of-print—the library also houses a number of special collections.
302 East Main St.
Sayre, OK 73662
Phone (580)928-3338
Fax (580)928-9278
302 E. Main St.
Box 520
Sayre, OK 73662
Telephone: (405) 928-3330
Email Lists and Query Boards
Adjacent Counties
Collingsworth County, Texas | Wheeler County, Texas