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Newspaper The Branding Iron (Atoka, I.T. [Okla.]) 1884-1884

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About The Branding Iron (Atoka, I.T. [Okla.]) 1884-1884

Because a title plate failed to arrive before publication, the Branding Iron debuted nameless on February 23, 1884, in Atoka, Choctaw Nation. In lieu of a title, the masthead stated, “Our Head Having Failed to Arrive, Our Readers Will Have to Guess at the Name Until Our Next.” By the second issue, the resourceful editor Renfrew M. Roberts, had substituted Branding Iron for the title, an apropos moniker considering the overwhelming number of advertisements for territorial cattle brands.

The Branding Iron was printed weekly as the official organ of the Choctaw Nation with the motto “Devoted to Indian and Stock News.” The proprietors were Renfrew M. Roberts, editor, and Loren H. Roberts, business manager. The Roberts brothers were the sons of Myron P. Roberts, the founder and former publisher of the Indian Journal at Muskogee, Creek Nation.

A news story in the first issue stated that the Choctaw Council had appropriated $1,500 in the fall of 1883 for the establishment of a newspaper for the Choctaw Indians. According to the editor, the Choctaws had noted the success of the Indian Journal (which is still being published in Eufaula, Oklahoma). They called on the Roberts family to help establish a newspaper devoted to their affairs.

The Branding Iron lasted a brief four issues after several influential Choctaws voiced their disproval. The name was changed to Indian Champion on March 22, 1884. The emphasis on livestock was dropped as well. The front page became devoted to the “Choctaw Department” and the paper printed in English and Choctaw until its demise on December 28, 1885.

Provided By: Oklahoma Historical Society

About this Newspaper

Title

  • The Branding Iron (Atoka, I.T. [Okla.]) 1884-1884

Dates of Publication

  • 1884-1884

Created / Published

  • Atoka, I.T. [Okla.] : L.H. Roberts

Headings

  • -  Choctaw Indians--Oklahoma--Newspapers
  • -  Indians of North America--Oklahoma--Newspapers
  • -  Atoka (Okla.)--Newspapers
  • -  Atoka County (Okla.)--Newspapers
  • -  Choctaw Nation--Newspapers
  • -  Choctaw Nation
  • -  Choctaw Indians
  • -  Indians of North America
  • -  Oklahoma
  • -  Oklahoma--Atoka
  • -  Oklahoma--Atoka County
  • -  United States--Oklahoma--Atoka--Atoka

Genre

  • Newspapers

Notes

  • -  Weekly
  • -  Vol. 1, no. 1 (Feb. 23, 1884)-v. 1, no. 4 (Mar. 15, 1884).
  • -  Archived issues are available in digital format as part of the Library of Congress Chronicling America online collection.
  • -  Indian champion (DLC)sn 83025093 (OCoLC)9238930

Medium

  • volumes

Call Number/Physical Location

  • Newspaper

Library of Congress Control Number

  • sn83025092

OCLC Number

  • 9238811

ISSN Number

  • 2158-8945

Succeeding Titles

Additional Metadata Formats

Availability

Rights & Access

The Library of Congress believes that the newspapers in Chronicling America are in the public domain or have no known copyright restrictions. Newspapers published in the United States more than 95 years ago are in the public domain in their entirety. Any newspapers in Chronicling America that were published less than 95 years ago are also believed to be in the public domain, but may contain some copyrighted third party materials. Researchers using newspapers published less than 95 years ago should be alert for modern content (for example, registered and renewed for copyright and published with notice) that may be copyrighted. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item and securing any necessary permissions ultimately rests with persons desiring to use the item.

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

The Branding Iron Atoka, I.T. Okla. (Atoka, OK), Jan. 1 1884. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn83025092/.

APA citation style:

(1884, January 1) The Branding Iron Atoka, I.T. Okla. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/sn83025092/.

MLA citation style:

The Branding Iron Atoka, I.T. Okla. (Atoka, OK) 1 Jan. 1884. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/sn83025092/.