Does anyone have information on Texas Rangers working in the I.T. after the Civil War. I have found stories regarding town and county lawmen from Texs in I.T., and former Rangers working as lawmen in O.T./I.T., but not much on Texas Rangers venturing north of the border.

I can find only one mention (in the Handbook of Texas Online) of a large engagement involving the Rangers in (probably) what was the IT/OT, and that was before the Civil War. In January of 1858 a group of Rangers under the command of Captain John "Rip" Ford crossed the Red River (the article doesn't say exactly where) in order to "chastise" some Indians. During the ensuing fight Comanche Chief Iron Jacket was killed.

In 1874 the Rangers were apparently reorganized into two distinct commands, the Special Force under Captain McNelly, and the Frontier Battalions. I get the stong impression that the "frontier" the latter was charged with protecting was primarily in the south, southwest, and west Texas, and simply by virtue of their location they would have little reason or opportunity to venture north into the Territories.

But at least one did. Railroad detective JJ Kinney joined the Travis County Frontier Battalion in July of 1888, probably because, as only a railroad detective, he had very little actual legal authority. Still, this was a special case, and his may have only been a courtesy appointment.

--meursault

In November 1885, from the Wichita Agency at Anadarko, Indian Agent Jesse Lee Hall, former Texas Ranger, made a request that the Texas Rangers assist him in quelling civilian lawlessness on the southern border of the reservation which butted up against the Red River. In December, five deputy U.S. marshals and ten Texas Rangers arrived at the Wichita Agency and assisted in the expedition against various desperadoes. I am currently working on an article dealing with this expedition as it is quite unique in the history of Oklahoma's law enforcement history and the only time that I have heard of where the Texas Rangers assisted in operations NORTH of the Red River.

On the Trail
Diron Ahlquist
Secretary/Editor Oklahombres Journal

Hey about when they ran the gold seekers out in 1859? Oh, have you read the Red River Prosecutor? There is a statement about a Texas ranger found buried in oklahoma guns and all.

Diron, do you know the name of the five deputies involved in the 1885 expedition?

Hey there Art

Unfortunately, what I posted is all that I have been able to uncover regarding the activities of the Texas Rangers in the Indian Territory. I have written to the Texas Rangers Museum at Waco, TX but have never received a response. Sort of interesting seeing as how this would seem to be something that they would want to investigate a little more on. Anyway...
On the Trail
Diron Ahlquist
Secretary/Editor Oklahombres Journal
OKC, OK

Much of Greer County (1.5 million acres) was considered to be Texas lands by the State of Texas, therefore the Rangers patrolled the area.

According to an excellent synopsis by Susan Cabaniss Bradford, Duke, Oklahoma found at My FamilyHistoryandSouthwest Oklahoma web site:

Greer was formed and named by Texas legislature in 1860, and remained unorganized up to 1886, and was attached to Wheeler County for judicial business, 1881. During the ten years beginning with organization of the county, July 6, 1886, extending through a six year-suit before the United States Supreme Court, and ending with it's decision, March 16, 1896, which declared Greer County not to be in Texas, Greer maintained county government without levying real estate tax, all money necessary for support of county government being raised by personal tax alone. Cattle formed the bulk of the wealth, aside from land, and cattle tax furnished nearly all the money raised in support of county government. Some land owners sought to pay real estate tax to strengthen land titles, but the county refused to accept the money. In the election of a County Seat, Mangum and Frazer were the opposing candidates. Mangum won the election by a majority of 11 votes. As to county law: County Judge F. B. Duke was elected by a majority of 12 votes. Sheriff. W. T. Williamson received 14 votes; L. T. Kitzmiller received 7 votes. N. J. Powers received 2 votes. D. E. Youkom received 17. He was elected by a majority of 3. Constable Precinct No. 1. G. W. McDougle was unanimously elected with a total of 2 votes. Constable Precinct No. 3. Samuel Carter was elected with 1 vote. District court terms were held at Mangum on the First Mondays of March and September, and continued in session for four weeks.
After the March 16, 1896 decision by U. S. Supreme court placing Greer County in Oklahoma, there was an interval of about two months in which no state law was in force in Greer County, due to the fact that William C. Renfrow, Governor of Oklahoma Territory, did not immediately appoint officials for Greer County. Greer County citizens were law-abiding and not a crime was committed in the county during the interval when the county was without government. The jail record at Mangum shows that during eight years, ending May 12, 1896, the county jail, which stood nearly a block east of the present courthouse and jail, contained only fourteen prisoners.
The judicial proceedings of the several courts and officers of Greer County, Texas, were to have the same binding force as if such courts and officers had been legally authorized courts and officers of the United States or of the Territory of Oklahoma. All suits pending on March 16, 1896, were to be entered upon the dockets of Oklahoma courts having jurisdiction in like cases, and the procedure employed was to be the same as if the cases had been brought in Oklahoma courts. All judgments rendered by the courts of Greer County Texas, civil or criminal, prior to March 16, 1896, were to have the same binding force as if Greer County had legally formed a part of the territory of the State of Texas up to that date, and then been lawfully ceded by Texas to the United States with a reservation and ratification of all existing rights and liabilities.

After the March 16, 1896 decision by U. S. Supreme court, there was an interval of about two months in which no state law was in force in Greer County, due to the fact that William C. Renfrow, Governor of Oklahoma Territory, did not immediately appoint officials for Greer County. Greer County citizens were law-abiding and not a crime was committed in the county during the interval when the county was without government. The jail record at Mangum shows that during eight years, ending May 12, 1896, the county jail, which stood nearly a block east of the present courthouse and jail, contained only fourteen prisoners.

In 1896, G. A. Brown was District Judge and S. H. Tittle, Sheriff.

Unfortunately, there was no mention of the Rangers activities there.