EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT PORUM, OKLAHOMA, BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK........

A BRIEF HISTORY

compiled by D.W.Mooney

Data taken from interviews, the WPA Guide to 30's Oklahoma, the Country Star, The Porum Journal.

all photos, the author.

THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL SITE OF THE CITY OF PORUM,

truths and myths

from the wpa guide to 30'S oklahoma

Porum, 583 feet above sea level. Once the home of Tom Starr, ardent supporter of the treaty faction during the turbulent days of the establishment of the Cherokee Nation. He was a half-blood, Irish and Cherokee, and had five sons, one of whom became the husband of Belle Starr, forever linked with the history of the city of Porum.

Dissension between the "old settlers" and "newcomers" Cherokees, arising from the fact that one party had signed the REMOVAL TREATY with the UNITED STATES (Trail of Tears) broke into open warfare with a series of assassinations. Among those of the treaty party that were killed was Tom's father, James Starr. Tom set himself the task of killing as many of the anti-treaty faction as possible. The war became so intense that the Cherokee government, not able to capture or kill Tom, made a treaty with him. Provisions of the act gave $100,000.00 and complete amnesty to Tom to end his bloody activities. This is said to be the only treaty with an INDIVIDUAL and a sovereign nation in history. To avoid further trouble, Starr moved to the Canadian River west of Briartown, fulfilled his part of the agreement and became a leader in the area that would someday become Porum, Briartown, and Whitefield.

His son Sam married Belle Starr. Though her Missouri parents were respectable and wealthy, Belle became a notorious woman outlaw. In the Civil War she became a Confederate spy, during which time, she became acquainted with the James and Younger brothers. Yes, the James Gang and the Younger Gang. She later named her home area Younger's Bend in honor of Cole Younger. Her first marriage was to Jim Reed, one of Quantrill's raiders, and after he was killed by officers of the law she married Sam, Starr and settled on a farm that became her final resting place after her violent death. It is west of Porum and is still visible. Their home became a rendezvous point for outlaw friends and they both met violent deaths.

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