Helen Lemley, Historical Indexer

Helen Lemley walked into the Muskogee Public Library in 1999 in search of new opportunities in volunteering. That first day, she simply offered to "do whatever was wanted done." Now, as we look back over her eight years of labor, we see her huge contribution.

She initially took on the task of checking each roll of microfilm in the Grant Foreman Collection. Most of the film consisted of census and newspaper reels. If the leaders or trailers were short, she spliced on more film. It took months of work to accomplish the goal of putting the collection's microfilm into first class shape. As that project was finally winding down she asked for a new task.

One idea that soon seemed interesting to Helen was the need for an index of biographical sketches found in the state-wide and local histories. Many older publications lacked indexes. Other books in the reference collection had indexes. However, many were not well known for containing biographies.

Helen undertook to check each volume. When she found biographical sketches, she started indexing them in a database. Altogether, Helen identified more that 15,000 citations in this project. These references to sketches or photographs were compiled and published in the "Oklahoma Biographical Index."

Helen asked again for another assignment. After discussing the choices, Helen selected the project of abstracting the Pioneer newspaper. Published between 1898 and 1905, it served African-Americans in Indian Territory. Day after day, she came in and made notes on the topics she found. In the end, Helen's abstracts became 145-page book.

The next project Helen undertook required her to become an expert in one hundred year old penmanship. Handwriting was different a long time ago. There were more flourishes then. Furthermore, some of the ink became faded or blurred. All of these problems melded together to make reading the text of that period difficult.

Helen's project was the indexing of the incorporation records. The U.S. Federal Court created them during Oklahoma's territorial days. Her work opened up the wealth of regional business history. This material is still unpublished, but available for patron use at the library.

In 2005, after working on the business incorporations, Helen worked on indexing the Mayor's Court records. These records span the years from Muskogee's incorporation as a city in 1898 to 1906. During that period, the Mayor adjudicated misdemeanor cases. Criminal history is now more accessible.

Helen then undertook indexing more court records. The first records of the trials of the US Federal Court were recorded in only one ledger regardless of the type of entry being written. This ledger was called a "Common Record" book because it was used for every type of court activity. Entries appeared simply in chronological order. When one case was finished, the clerk started making notations for the next case.

Helen indexed the Common Record volumes from 1889 to 1906. Included in her index are the names of individuals and firms that were involved in lawsuits, assaults and larcenies and other legal actions.

Due to Helen's dedication, researchers are able to easily access a lot more information about Muskogee. Thank you, Helen, for helping to unlock Muskogee's history.