Several African-American families were among the earliest homesteaders in Deep Fork Township. Some may have known each other before coming to Oklahoma Territory, while others met here and then intermarried. Our name for this cluster comes from the fact that most have family members on the canvass of Spigener Cemetery.
There are other early homesteaders whose race I have not yet been able to determine from census records, but so far the confirmed arrivals include:
 | Porter ANDERSON, who filed his claim to the SW4 of 19-14-1W on Sept. 16, 1889. His homestead was several miles southwest of the SPIGENERs, but I've included him because there were other ANDERSONs among the SPIGENER group and ANDERSONs were prominent in the nearby Douglas community. |
| Richard RICKETT/RICKETTS, who filed his claim to the NE4 of 9-14-1W on Oct. 10, 1889. At 59, he was well past the age of the typical homesteader so I suspect there were younger relatives who settled nearby. |
| Henry SPIGENER, who filed his claim to the SW4 of 3-14-1W on Oct. 11, 1889. "Only 54", Henry still qualifies as one of the older generation of homesteaders. |
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Henry J. SPIGENER, who filed his claim to the NW4 of 10-14-1W on Oct. 11, 1889. Henry J's claim adjoined both his fathers and that of Richard RICKETT/RICKETTS. He later relinquished his claim to his younger sister, Sarah, after which I have lost track of him. |
| Charles MORRIS, who filed his claim to the SW4 of 3-14-1W on Oct. 17, 1889. |
Later arrivals included:
| Jesse CROSLIN, who filed his claim to the SE4 of 10-14-1W on Nov. 24, 1891. |
| George W. JOHNSON, who filed his claim to the NE4 of 3-14-1W on Oct. 17, 1893 |
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John TRAYLOR, who purchased his farm from the original homesteader. |
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