I have been reading old newspapers and came across the wording ""served as United States Commissioner in the Rock Island District in the Indian Territory"".

Could someone tell me where this district was? Where would the Commissioner have been housed?

I'm inclined to think it was the Duncan area. If this is correct, what was the area covered?

Where would one look to find out the begining appointment date and the end of a commissioner's term?

The Rock Island crossed the western portion of the territory in 1889. Commissioner courts were set up at various railroad towns, Chickasha and Duncan notably.

Okay, I've learned that the reference to United States Commissioner in my first post was in "the Chickasaw Indian Territory from 1893 to 1896 when he was removed due to infirmities".

I guess I'm still wondering how does a person confirm when/where a person served as a US Commissioner. What would the office of record in present day be?

Would these records be in the archives at Ft. Worth? Justice Department in DC? Just where does a person look to find these records?

Any suggestion welcome.

They're scattered. The best source I've found is the local newspaper. In the Chickasaw Nation, the Administrative court of the Southern District of Indian Territory was located in Ardmore. The Ardmorite was pretty good about giving new postings for the Commissioner courts associated with the Ardmore court.

What's the name of the Commissioner you're looking for? I might have some information on him. Mike Tower and I are the US Commissioners collectors of Oklahombres. Ha! Ha!

The guy's name is William Reason Reagan. Born in Sevier Co., TN in 1830; was in TX by 1845 and apparently made his way to IN TY sometime after 1881 - best guess is early 1890s.